Composition II: Writing Through Literature
| Fall 2019 | ENG 102 – 0887 (50413) |
| Instructor: Francine Almash falmash@lagcc.cuny.edu | Monday, 1:00 to 2:00, Room: E – 265 Wednesday, 11:45 to 2:00, Room E – 229 |
Course Website: http://archive.cunyhumanitiesalliance.org/fall2019comp102/
Welcome to your second college-level writing course offered by the English Department. This course, Writing Through Literature, extends and intensifies the skills that you have learned in Composition I (ENA/C/G101), including process-based writing and research methods. The theme of this class is Nothing About Us Without Us! Read on to find out what that means.
Course Description
Nothing About Us Without Us is the call of the Disability Rights Movement, yet disabled people have historically been one of the most overlooked and discriminated against groups in America. Excessively high rates of school dropout, unemployment, and incarceration tell us that disabled people continue to be excluded from society. To make matters worse, they are also often left out of the conversations about the policies and practices that affect their lives.
But times ARE changing and disabled activists, students, artists, actors, writers, etc. have fought for the right to claim their differences proudly and demand full representation and participation. The works we will look at in class will raise those voices, and ask important questions about identity and difference, representation and freedom. We will explore literary and nonfiction texts that chronicle the history of disability in the U.S. and discuss how the disability rights movement overlaps with other struggles for social justice. We will examine an array of primary source documents that provide socio-historical context for the literature.
The readings in this course are not for the faint of heart…the fight for equality can be as violent and vulgar as it is inspiring and empowering. Together we will sift through the complexity to find meaning. Are you up for the task?
Course Objectives
This course is designed to assist you in developing the critical reading and writing skills necessary for success in college-level courses. You will practice close reading, comprehension, and textual analysis skills. In addition, you will produce written and oral analyses that integrate textual evidence using appropriate MLA formatting.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Use the writing process to plan, construct, and revise written paragraphs, short response papers, and essays.
- Apply advanced close reading strategies and literary analysis of fiction, poetry, and drama.
- Compose various types of written responses that explain, analyze, and synthesize concepts and themes from texts.
- Integrate textual evidence into your writing to explain, support, or prove your perspective, using appropriate MLA formatting and citation.
Required Texts
There is no mandatory textbook for this class and the readings will be provided through our course website and/or in paper. Bring the texts to class (in print or on your laptop or other device, preferably not your cell phone).
| Class Structure, Assignments and Grades |
| This three-hour class will be divided into three distinct sections: One hour we will dedicate to analyze the readings in a lecture/open discussion mode. One hour we will do hands-on work individually, in groups, in pairs or, as a large group. We will take this time to connect the texts we read to real-life issues. One hour we will spend on writing both individually and in groups. We will read each other’s work and exchange feedback. Assignment Class participation and team work: 15 points Journal responses to readings: 10 points Assignment #1 (500-600 words): 10 points Assignment #2 (500-600 words) Response to Novel: 10 points Assignment #3 Introduction and Literature Review: 10 Points Assignment #4 Research paper (1200-1500 words): 25 points In-class final: 15 points Presentation: 5 points Total: 100 points Class participation: You are expected to participate each week in your team and/or in large-group discussions. You will also be graded on your active participation and your ability to collaborate with your colleagues. Writing Assignments: Reading responses: You will be required to write at least 5 double-entry journal responses to the readings each week. (The process for doing this will be explained in class and instructions will be posted online.) You will be required to hand in 5 pieces of writing. Three will be completed at home and one is an in-class final. All the essays can be revised except the in-class final. All papers should use vivid and effective language and demonstrate a sound analysis of the topic, as well as exhibit organized and developed ideas that support a thesis or main point. Assignment # 1 will be an essay 500 to 600 words and will be due on September 23rd. Assignment # 2 will be an essay 500 to 600 words and will be due on October 16th. Assignment #3 will be a statement of your research topic and a literature review that summarizes at least 3 sources for your research paper and will be due on November 11th. Assignment # 4 will be your final exam: an in-class essay of 600 words and will take place on December 11. Assignment # 5 will be a longer critical research essay of 1,200 to 1,500 words. You will need to conduct research, incorporate the sources from your literature review, and use them to develop and support your ideas. Each of the previous 4 assignments will build to this essay, and we will work in class to guide you through the research, drafting, and writing process. This essay will be due NO LATER THAN December 11. Use Modern Language Association (MLA) style. ALL HOMEWORK AND WRITING ASSIGMNENTS MUST BE TYPED, AND PROPERLY FORMATTED: DOUBLE-SPACED, 12-POINT FONT, 1-INCH MARGINS, AND PROPER INDENTATION. In-Class Free-Writes: You will begin most classes with a 5- or 10-minute freewriting exercise based on a prompt that I will provide you. Quizzes: I hate quizzes. I am much more interested in how you think about the material. I may, however, occasionally handout short assessments that will help me understand where you might need help regarding the technical aspects of writing (grammar usage, sentence structure, punctuation). |
The Writing Center – Room B-200
The Writing Center provides free tutoring in writing, and I encourage you to seek assistance in revising at least one of your essays. In some cases, I may give students a referral slip for support in specific areas.
Cell Phones
Please remember to turn cell phones to silent before entering the classroom.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to attend all classes, for the duration of the period, and to arrive on time. I will take attendance during the first five minutes of the class. A pattern of lateness will lower your attendance grade. Any student who misses more than 6 hours of class with unexcused absences automatically will receive a failing grade.
Please review the course schedule in advance and inform me of any unavoidable conflicts with exams or assignment deadlines. Please report known conflicts as soon as possible so alternative arrangements can be made if necessary.
Academic Integrity
This class will be conducted in compliance with LaGuardia Community College’s academic integrity policy. Please review the brochure for more information.
Plagiarism: ‘Plagiarism’ includes, but is not limited to, the use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials.
Using proper MLA format is the only way to avoid plagiarism. Reference this website and others for help with MLA format: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_style_introduction.html
“When in Doubt, Cite!”
Declaration of Pluralism (from the College Catalogue)
We are a diverse community at LaGuardia Community College. We strive to become a pluralistic community. We respect diversity as reflected in such areas as race, culture, ethnicity, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, disability, and social class.
As a pluralistic community, we will:
•Celebrate: individual and group diversity.
•Honor: the rights of people to speak and be heard on behalf of pluralism.
•Promote: inter-group cooperation, understanding and communication.
•Acknowledge: each other’s contributions to the community.
•Share: beliefs, customs and experiences which enlighten us about members of our community.
•Affirm: each other’s dignity.
•Seek: further ways to learn about and appreciate one another.
•Confront: the expression of dehumanizing stereotypes, incidents where individuals or groups are excluded because of difference, the intolerance of diversity and the forces of racism, sexism, heterosexism, homophobia, disability discrimination, ageism, classism, and ethnocentrism that fragment the community into antagonistic individuals and groups.
We believe that by carrying out these actions, we—as students, faculty, and staff—can achieve social change and the development of a society in which each individual can achieve her or his maximum potential.
Disability Services (M-102)
As a pluralistic community, we are committed to ensuring access to programs and services for all students, including those who have Individual Education Plans (IEPs) or 504 plans. If you are entitled to accommodations for this class, you must obtain appropriate documentation from the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD). Please note that I am committed to providing differentiated and inclusive lessons for all students. Don’t be shy! ☺
Course Schedule
Session | |
| Week 1 | |
| Wednesday September 11 | Introduction to each other and the course. Introduction to Poetry: What Makes a Poem a Poem? |
| Week 2 | |
| Monday September 16 | Identity Poems Read: Poetry Packet Assignment: Reading Response #1 Select a minimum of three lines from any of the poems and write a Double-Entry Journal and bring it to class. |
| Wednesday September 18 | Identity Circles: What does Identity First Mean? Read: EITHER “I Prefer You Say Disabled” OR “It’s Perfectly OK to Call a Disabled Person ‘Disabled’” Assignment: Reading Response #2 Select a minimum of three points from the article and write a Double Entry Journal and bring it to class. |
| Week 3 | |
| Monday September 23 | Assignment: Draft of Essay #1 Due. Bring two copies to class. |
| Wednesday September 25 | Introduction to Drama Read: Shoot! by Lynn Manning Assignment: Reading Response #3 Select a minimum of three moments from the play and write a Double Entry Journal and bring a copy to class. Essay #1 FINAL DUE |
| Week 4 | |
| Monday September 30 | NO CLASS |
| Wednesday October 2 | Introduction to the Novel Read: Good Kings, Bad Kings pages 1-67 Assignment: Reading Response #4 Select three meaningful quotes from the book and describe why you chose them in a Double Entry Journal and bring a copy to class. |
| Week 5 | |
| Monday October 7 | Read: Good Kings, Bad Kings pages 68-114 Assignment: Reading Response #5 Select one character that you consider a “good king” and one that you consider a “bad king” and explain why. Use examples from the text. |
| Wednesday October 9 | NO CLASS |
| Week 6 | |
| Monday October 14 | NO CLASS |
| Wednesday October 16 MONDAY SCHEDULE CLASS MEETS AT 1:00 IN ROOM E-265 | Read: Good Kings, Bad Kings pages 115-169 Essay #2 Due |
| Week 7 | |
| Monday October 21 | Read: Good Kings, Bad Kings pages 170-231 and “A Conversation with the Author” in the back of your book. |
| Wednesday October 23 | In Class: Willowbrook Documentary |
| Week 8 | |
| Monday October 28 | In class: Maysoon Zayid TED Talk Read: “My Disability Wasn’t Personal” |
| Wednesday October 30 | Wrapping up the Novel and Research Topic Ideas Read: Good Kings, Bad Kings pages 232-294 Assignment: Reading Response Final thoughts |
| Week 9 | |
| Monday November 4 | Selecting a research topic and evaluating sources. |
| Wednesday November 6 | Community Assessment |
| Week 10 | |
| Monday November 11 | Essay #3: Introduction and Literature Review Due. Bring two copies to class. |
| Wednesday November 13 | Work on Essays |
| Week 11 | |
| Monday November 18 | Group 1 Presentations Group 1 Draft of Research Paper Due |
| Wednesday November 20 | Group 2 Presentations Group 2 Draft of Research Paper Due |
| Week 12 | |
| Monday November 25 | Group 3 Presentations Group 3 Draft of Research Paper Due |
| Wednesday November 27 | NO CLASS |
| Week 13 | |
| Monday December 2 | Conference |
| Wednesday December 4 | Conference |
| Week 14 | |
| Monday December 9 | Exam Prep |
| Wednesday December 11 | In-Class Exam FINAL PAPERS DUE |
| December 20 | Grades and Attendance Due |