Course Syllabus

 

The GoogleDoc of the syllabus can also be found here.

 

Instructor Natasha Walker

email addy: natasha.walker@morehouse.edu

twitter handle: @profnwalker

Office Location: Brawley 200C

Office Hours: MWF 2-3PM and by appointment

English 102: English Composition 2

Spring 2016

MWF 1-1:50

Course Description

This composition course is a continuation and reinforcement of the skills developed in English 101, a prerequisite, with additional emphasis on research writing, including documented papers (breaking down the argumentation process and the research writing process). The course is a prerequisite for ENG 250. A minimum grade of “C” is required for passing the course (3 credit hours).

Course Rationale

The objectives of the course will be fulfilled by assigning reading, research, and writing tasks which will require the student to demonstrate his skills, to increase his understanding of the interrelatedness of disciplines, to explore specific aspects of the African American experience, to foster global awareness, and to appreciate effective communication.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, students will be able to:

• Apply critical-thinking skills to construct arguments.
• Use the research writing process to compose unified critical and argumentative essays.
• Distinguish between various types of essays (personal, expository, argumentative, and formal academic essays) and apply research techniques appropriate to various rhetorical situations.
• Develop a coherent research project and acquire, evaluate, summarize, and analyze relevant print and electronic sources, demonstrating information literacy and academic integrity.
• Integrate academic sources in essays through correct use of quotation, paraphrasing, documentation, and bibliography/works cited (applying documentation rules appropriate to the discipline).

Course Design (course rationale)

Through selection of reading materials, writing topics, exercises and activities (such as discussion and peer evaluation) that require use of all communications skills and critical thinking, the course will fulfill its purpose of having the student develop and improve proficiency in writing so that the student can succeed in academic and personal writing tasks, Students whose work reflects a need for intensive work will be referred to the Writing Lab.

WRITING LABORATORY: Brawley 200, www.morehouse.edu/writinglab/

The purpose of the Writing Lab is to enhance the writing instruction that happens in academic classrooms, by providing undergraduate and graduate students with an experienced reader who engages them in conversation about their writing assignments and ideas, and familiarizes them with audience expectations and academic genre conventions. We focus on the rhetorical aspects of texts, and provide one-on-one, student-centered teaching that corresponds to each writer’s composing process, especially invention and revising. We do not provide editing or proofreading services. We aim to create better writers, not “perfect papers,” so we address “works-in-progress” in tutorials, and not finished texts.

Attendance and Tardiness

Class attendance is required of all Morehouse students. Each student is allowed as many unexcused absence as credit hours as credit hours for the course. Since the English Composition course is a three credit course, students may only have three unexcused absences before they will receive a failing grade. It is the responsibility of the student to stay abreast of work completed in class and make up scheduled work by contacting classmates--NOT THE INSTRUCTOR. Use your twitter connections to keep on track! Lateness (more than ten minutes) will count as an unexcused absence.  

Academic Honesty

Plagiarism is a serious offense both in and out of academia. Plagiarism is understood as any paraphrasing or summarizing of the works of another person without acknowledgment, including the submitting of another student’s work as one’s own. It can range from forgetting to cite or use quotation marks to copying whole sentences, paragraphs, and entire papers. It can be intentional and unintentional! Any student found plagiarizing will fail the assignment. The second plagiarism will be grounds to fail the course and will be reported to the dean. STAY ON YOUR MLA GAME!

Morehouse College students are expected to conduct themselves with the highest level of ethics and academic honesty at all times and abide by the terms set forth in the Student Handbook and Code of Conduct.

Instances of academic dishonesty, including, but not limited to plagiarism and cheating on examinations and assignments, are taken seriously and may in any form be grounds for failing the assignment and/or the course and may be reported to the Honor and Conduct Review Board for disciplinary action.

The required courses in Composition at Morehouse teach students how to avoid plagiarism and how to cite sources responsibly. While we can go over any questions you may have on this issue, you are responsible for understanding and avoiding plagiarism.

 

Plagiarism will result in a grade of “F”on that assignment and possible failure of the course in case of repeated offenses.

 

NON-DISCRIMINATORY POLICY: This should go without saying . . . Treat others with respect.

The faculty of the English Department adheres to the Morehouse College policy of non-discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual preference, or disabilities.

 

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: Morehouse College is committed to equal opportunity in education for all students, including those with documented disabilities. Students with disabilities or those who suspect they have a disability must register with the Office of Disability Services (ODS) to receive accommodations. Students currently registered with the ODS are required to present their Disability Services Accommodation Letter to faculty immediately upon receiving the accommodation. If you have any questions, contact the Office of Disability Services, 104 Sale Hall Annex, Morehouse College, 830 Westview Dr. S.W., Atlanta, GA 30314, (404) 215-2636, FAX: (404) 215-2749.

 

CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE:

I do understand our attachment to our cellphones and other digital devices. While you may use them in class for looking up information or tweeting--which we may do from time to time--I do not tolerate the abuse of these devices. Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and Groupchat is prohibited--as well as playing games/watching videos/posting to Tumblr. I reserve the right to remove you from the class if you are being disruptive or intentionally “checking out” and will mark you as absent for the day. Come to class punctually and prepared to participate, and do not read or write anything during class that is not directly related to this class. Sleeping in class is also not tolerated as it is disrespectful and distracting to me and your classmates.  

 

AGREEMENT:

By remaining in this class (students are free to choose another class/professor), students are agreeing to the terms of this syllabus. This document serves as a contract so students must be aware of the terms—especially rules concerning attendance, plagiarism, and grades. While the general requirements are established in the syllabus, I reserve the right to change aspects of the syllabus during the semester if such changes become necessary.

 

Required Texts and Materials

• McWhorter, Kathleen T. Successful College Writing. Boston: Bedford. 2012. Print.
• Hacker, Diana and Nancy Sommers. Rules for Writers. Boston: Bedford. 2012. Print.
• An academic twitter account
• A YouTube account
• GoogleDrive (ALL PAPERS MUST BE COMPLETED VIA GOOGLEDRIVE)

Assessment

All papers will be graded through my rubric. Students will also be graded on their ability to contribute to a body of knowledge on the web through twitter, YouTube, and other digital sources.  

Grade Breakdown

Collaborative Research: 5%

Class Participation/Twitter/Storify: 10%

Blogging: 15%

Research Paper 1 (4-5 pages): 10%

YouTube Multimedia Project (collaborative): 15%

Research Paper 2 (5-6 pages): 15%

Annotated Bibliography: 10%

Research Paper 3 (7-8 pages): 20%

_____________________________________________

100%

 

Assignments

Digital Components

Collaborative Research 5%

We will all contribute to a single document which will contain a scholarly article about one of the topics we have discussed in class. Each student will be required to add his chosen article to the list in MLA format, his name, as well as a brief summary of the article he has submitted. These articles should be useful to the entire class to enhance our understanding of the topic.

Example:

Natasha Walker

Smith, John. "PTSD in the Black Community." African American Psychology Today. 2015. Web. 20 Aug. 2015.

Summary: This article addresses how blacks develop PTSD from traumas including, but not limited to, war, police brutality, gang violence, and domestic violence. It suggest that silence regarding mental issues in the black community has exacerbated this issue, often keeping people from receiving the therapy and counseling they need. The author suggests destigmatizing mental illness in the black community through outreach efforts.

Worth 5% of your overall grade

Due Friday, February 12th

 

Twitter 10%

Twitter is a useful social media tool, primarily used for microblogging. If you d not already have an account, click the link above and complete the fields for a new account. Once you activate the account, search for my Twitter profile (@profnwalker) and click the “Follow” button. Look for other people that you know, also look for companies, magazines, bands, or non-profit agencies that are interesting to you. Follow them. Reading through your Twitter timeline becomes like reading a newspaper filled with the things you like. We will also use Twitter for hashtag conversations and as a backchannel. If you already use Twitter, please create a separate Twitter account for academic use.

Throughout the course, I will be asking you to tweet thesis sentences, reviews on documentaries, music, and other media, as well as discussing and disseminating material from the class to your classmates. This is about sharing and creating information, so use it frequently!

In order to submit this assignment here, you must collect all of your tweets in a storify and submit the link here. More on using storify later.

This assignment will be graded by how many class related tweets you make throughout the semester. Are you connecting with classmates? Asking questions? Answering them? Discussing material from class while off site? Again this will be a completion grade assignment. I expect no less than 30 tweets to constitute using twitter effectively.

 

Blogging 15%

You will need answer discussion prompts to Canvas. Some topics will be assigned by me, others will be open choice. Posts should model something like what Dan Cohen defines as the “blessay” (blog + essay) or digital essay. Engage with some (not all) of the blog posts of your peers.  The blog will also be used for portfolio reflection purposes at the end of the semester.

This assignment will be graded on how well you respond to the blog prompts. Full credit will be given if ALL the blog posts adhere to a few requirements:

• Every blog post/comment should be longer than five sentences.
• Every blog post/comment should engage with either the prompt or a peer.
• Every blog post/comment should reflect knowledge of class discussion or materials.

Formal Assignments

The Analysis Paper 1

4-5 page paper analyzing how “evil” appears in our everyday lives. When do we see evil? How do we recognize it? Why do we ignore it? You may choose to answer any of these questions, but ensure the paper is analytical NOT argumentative. You may use reviews, articles, and other internet sources (including the sources in our collaborative document and the TEDTalk) to meet the five source minimum.  

worth 10% of your overall grade

due Friday, February 19th

 

The Argument Paper 2

You will write a short argumentative paper on your stance regarding one of our classroom debates (bionics, head to body transplants, gentrification, etc), taking a stance on its importance (or on its problems). 5-7 pages complete with 5-7 sources.

worth 15% of your overall grade

due Friday, March 18th

The Multimedia Presentation

Creating a YouTube video can be fun and frustrating. I suggest you start this assignment early, so you can figure out the kinks and obstacles with plenty of time to polish and perfect your assignment. The YouTube video will reflect the debates and discussions held in class (as well as any conversations sparked outside of class).

In groups of three or four, you will analyze or argue a topic brought up in class, 10-15 minutes, addressing the controversial topics of the class (psychology, community, behavior). I want to see each student taking a distinct stance on the topic.

The video must be no longer than 15 minutes, and must include clips, images, audio, and narration. The viewer must be able to hear you narrate, see examples of what you mean, and also be entertained. You may play around with style in this assignment by using captioning, interviews, and charts.

This assignment will be graded in four equal parts:

• Argument/Analysis. Is your argument/analysis logical and have supporting evidence?
• Skill. Do you utilize multiple components in the video to make it engaging?
• Narration. Are you clear, concise, and articulate?
• Relation to class material. Does this video showcase class comprehension?

Worth 15% of your overall grade.

due Monday, April 1st

The Annotated Bibliography

Five sources. MLA Style. The sources must be the sources that you will use in your final paper (paper #3). Every good research paper has a strong sources page. In MLA, we call it the “Works Cited” page. For more extensive research, one is often required to submit a detailed annotated bibliography, which is a Works Cited page that includes a brief description of the material found in each source. Each detailed entry should be about a paragraph in length and should include the major points presented by the source, its strengths and shortcomings, and its relationship to the research paper. Your reader should be able to read this annotation and discern the value of the source based on your information.

worth 10% of your overall grade

due Friday, April 15th

The Final Paper

Open topic as long as it is an argument or analysis. It must include ALL of the sources in your annotated bibliography. More to be announced. 6-8 pages minimum.

worth 20% of your overall grade

due Wednesday, April 27th

Grading Rubric

Papers are graded based on five equal elements:

Concept, Development, Organization, Style and Mechanics, Format

Concept

I look for a strong, creative idea. The assignment should have an interesting title—never use Assignment #1 as a title—and a clear purpose. I also look for a sentence in the assignment that acts as the thesis statement.

• strong idea
• good title
• purpose
• thesis sentence

Development

They say “the devil's in the details.” I will be checking for your ability to be specific and focused. Start off saying too much and then cut it down. Avoid starting off not saying enough. Make your evidence convincing, your details colorful, and your sources important in all your papers to come.

• good descriptions
• clear evidence
• being specific

Organization

The structure of your writing is important. I will check to make sure you stay on topic, follow the rules of the particular writing style, and use good transitions.

• stay on topic
• transitions
• structure matches paper style

Style and Mechanics

Most people think this is the most important part of the paper. I disagree. It's vital, but no more vital than having a good structure or strong examples. I look for spelling errors, grammar issues, punctuation, word choice, and voice. I want you to learn to write LIKE YOU and not imitate other writers. Also, I check to make sure your words match the paper style (no need to write in a funny tone about serious topics).

• grammar and spelling
• word choice
• voice and tone

Format

The assignments should meet the requirements details on the assignment page. Appropriate format, length, and topic is graded here.

• MLA format
• assignment requirements

________________________________________________________________

When you receive a graded paper assignment from me, you will see you grade breakdown as well as your cumulative grade.

EXAMPLE:

Concept: A. Development: B. Organization: B. Style and Mechanics: B. Format: A.

Final Grade: B+.

 

Tentative Schedule of Events: Spring 2016

 

Week one

1/20 intro and digital prep

1/22 pre test essay

Week two

1/25 Seeing beyond the obvious: song lyric analysis (“Like a Tattoo”, “I Know”, “When We Get By”)

1/27 The research paper SCW READING and SAMPLE PAPER

1/29 Student sample paper discussion (use McNair sample)

 

Week three

2/1 Dylann Roof and TEDTalks “The Psychology of Evil”

2/3  How do we research? Group research (informal annotated bibliography on google docs)

2/5 Analysis and the analytical research paper: SCW READING

 

Week four

2/8 Office meetings

2/10 Outlining and thesis sentences and proofs

2/12 MLA refresher (COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH DUE)

 

Week five

2/15 Peer Review of draft (How does “evil” appear in our everyday lives?) This draft will be sent to me and one classmate.

2/17 Argument writing: how do we formulate arguments? SCW READING

2/19 TEDTalks: Psychopath, are we psychopaths? (PAPER ONE DUE)

 

 

Week six

2/22 NO CLASS

2/24 Avoiding Logical Fallacies: Ad Hominem, Bandwagon Appeal, Appeal to Tradition

2/26 Straw Man, Appeal to False Authority, Slippery Slope

 

Week seven

MIDTERM WEEK

2/29 The argument research paper, Head to Body Transplant: is this ethical?

3/2 Bionics, Medical/Technological advances (YouTube videos + TEDTalk)

3/4 Respectability Politics: good or bad? (incorporate police killings)

 

Week eight

3/7-3/11 SPRING BREAK, NO CLASSES

 

Week nine

3/14 (MID TERM WEEK: NO MIDTERM) Office meetings

3/16 Gentrification--Spike Lee READING

3/18 Group work (PAPER TWO DUE)

 

Week ten

3/21 The multimedia project--a video analysis or argument

3/23 TEDTalks; Adichie “Why We all Should Be Feminists” READING

3/25 Why Cecile Emeke is important. Strolling Series

 

Week eleven

3/28 Paragraph and sentence cohesion SCW READING

3/30 Grammar bootcamp

4/1 Grammar bootcamp

 

Week twelve

4/4 Strolling series: what analytical or argumentative papers could come of this?

4/6 Multimedia projects and presentations

4/8 Multimedia projects and presentations

 

Week thirteen

4/11 What should we be reading? James Baldwin READING

4/13 James Baldwin discussion

4/15 Annotated Bibliography due IN CLASS (hard copy)

 

Week fourteen

4/18 Strolling. Formulate a topic.

4/20 In class essay on the episode

4/22 Peer edits on in-class essay

 

Week fifteen

4/25 Final paper discussion, GoogleDocs to share possible ideas

4/27 TBA (final paper due) LAST DAY OF CLASSES

 

5/17 GRADES DUE