ENG 100: Enhanced Composition I, Fall 2018 Section G3:  Monday 11:00 am�12:15 pm, S 101 and 12:15�1:20 pm, L 233-B (Lab); ������������������� Wednesday 11:00 am�12:15 pm, Y 04 CRN 17869

Brian T. Murphy Bradley Hall, Y-16 516-572-7718 e-mail: [email protected] Schedule and Office Hours

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Description	Objectives	Texts	Policies
Assignments	Grading	Schedule	Links

Important Announcements and Updates: Click HERE

Print-friendly (MS Word) course syllabus here.
Other printable documents:
Model for Evaluation of Student Writing
Works Cited page (Instructions & Sample
Cover Page for Research Essays (Sample)
Standard MLA Format for Essays
Revision and Editing Checklist
Incorporating Sources
Paragraph Outline
Essay Outline

DESCRIPTION:
This course is equivalent to ENG 101, the first credit-bearing course in composition. ENG 100, created for underprepared students with marginal writing skills, offers an extra hour for necessary developmental writing instruction and individualized support toward the creation of college-level essays. Exactly as does ENG 101, the course prepares students to produce clear, well-developed, well organized, grammatically correct writing. The curriculum is designed to give students guided practice in pre-writing, drafting, revising, and editing essays, with the addition of time for review and instruction in basic grammar, punctuation, sentence boundaries and structural and developmental issues related to basic composition. The course is also designed to develop skills that enable students to interpret and analyze published texts. In addition to readings assigned in class, students respond to texts they locate themselves through research and write at least one documented or research essay. Students who take ENG 100 do not take ENG 001 or ENG 101. Success in ENG 100 indicates movement to ENG 102, the next course in the composition sequence.

Prerequisites: Score on the Placement essay of 5.5 or placement by Department

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COURSE GOALS AND OUTCOMES:

Course Goals	Learning Outcomes
Writing Literacy: to produce precise, clear, grammatically-correct, well-developed, and well-organized writing appropriate to academic, social, and occupational fields	Produce coherent texts within common college level   forms Revise and improve such texts
Critical Thinking: to develop critical thinking skills	Identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments as they occur in their own and others� work Develop well-reasoned arguments
Informational Literacy: to develop skills to locate, evaluate, and incorporate relevant source materials into the construction and expression of an informed point of view	Access and utilize basic computer and internet functions, demonstrating appropriate and effective utilization of programs and functions Use basic research techniques, demonstrating appropriate, effective research skills Locate, evaluate, organize, and synthesize information from a variety of sources, demonstrating the ability to implement an effective search strategy to obtain reliable information Apply ethical and legal standards for use of source information, demonstrating the application of accepted ethical and legal restrictions on the use of published works
Cultural Literacy: to develop exposure to literary texts that reflect the diversity of the human experience in a variety of historical and cultural frameworks	Demonstrate understanding of the various influences that shape perspectives, values, and identities Recognize the roles and responsibilities of citizens in a diverse world

OBJECTIVES: Students will

1.  Respond orally and in writing to texts, primarily nonfiction.

2.  Write as a way of exploring, developing, and confirming ideas in a process of communicating them

3.  Compose essays that support and develop a point of view, using a variety of composing strategies.

4.  Self-evaluate using a vocabulary specific to the discipline in order to discuss, revise, and edit one�s own writing and the writing of others.

5.  Revise in order to substantially improve the focus, organization, and development of ideas.

6.  Locate, evaluate, and cull information from archival and/or electronic sources.

7.  Summarize, paraphrase, quote, and use MLA-style citations to document course reading and materials found through research in the construction and expression of a point of view.

8.  Edit and proofread for usage and correctness of grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

9.  Produce approximately 4,000�6,000 words across a series of written assignments and essays subject to evaluation, at least one of which is an essay of 1,000�1,500 words.

After completing this course, students will be able to

1.  Annotate and summarize texts; consider viewpoints other than one�s own; discuss details as support.

2.  Use brainstorming techniques to create outlines/freewriting/mapping; write preliminary drafts; develop thesis statement awareness to include multiple perspective possibilities; create thesis statements.

3.  Modify/narrow thesis in subsequent drafts; consider & try out additional methods of development; respond to varied prompts on a topic; discuss language choices in a piece of writing.

4.  Refer to specific elements of a reading to support general observations during a class discussion;  discuss plagiarism; annotate & summarize class reading and research; write documented essays; cite sources according to MLA guidelines; create a �Works Cited� list.

5.  Respond to local & global revision prompts; cut extraneous material; add specificity to improve support; read & evaluate other students� writing; discuss drafts with peers.

6.  Read and evaluate one�s own writing; correct errors of usage, grammar, punctuation, spelling; clarify sentences through phrase and clause use; consult a dictionary, thesaurus, & writer�s handbook; revise drafts.

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TEXTS:
(see also Additional Textbook Options, below)

The primary text for this class, The Norton Field Guide to Writing, 4 ed., has been ordered and should be available at the Nassau Community College Bookstore .. Alternatively, these texts are available in several different editions; almost any edition that you find will be acceptable, so check school or public libraries and used bookstores. Prices listed at Amazon.com (below) do not include shipping, and are accurate as of posting date only; no guarantees of prices or availability are express or implied�.

Required:

 Bullock, Richard. The Norton Field Guide to Writing, 4 ed. New York: W. W. Norton, 2016. ISBN 9780393264357. (Available used starting at $23.38 at Amazon.com***)
NCC Bookstore prices:

• Paperback, new: $xx.xx
• Paperback, used: $ 48.00
• Paperback rental, new: $ xx.xx
• Paperback rental, used: $ 25.60

Note: Do not purchase The Norton Field Guide until class has met!

The Norton Field Guide to Writing, 3 ed. is also acceptable, and much less expensive. (Available used, on Kindle, or for rent starting at $9.39 at Amazon.com***) and there are other options available!

Norton Online Handbook (free online handbook)

 A good college-level (paperback) dictionary (Available used starting at $0.01 at Amazon.com***).

Additional  required readings will also be assigned and  will made available as photocopies or as links.

Other materials:

A thumb drive or other portable storage device.
Pens (blue or black ink only) and a notebook and/or supply of 8� x 11� ruled paper, not spiral bound. Paper torn out of spiral-bound notebooks is not acceptable and will be returned unread and ungraded.

Recommended additional texts:**

Bates, Laura. Shakespeare Saved My Life: Ten Years in Solitary with the Bard. Naperville, IL, 2013. (Available used starting at $3.48 at Amazon.com***)

Bloom, Harold. How to Read and Why. New York: Scribner, 2000. (Available starting at $1.00 at Amazon.com)***

Bryce, Robert. Gusher of Lies: The Dangerous Delusions of �Energy Independence�. [New York?]: PublicAffairs, 2009. (Available starting at $00.01 at Amazon.com)�

Cain, Susan. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can�t Stop Talking. New York: Random House, 2012, 2013. (Available stating at $3.88 at Amazon.com)

Casagrande, June. Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies: A Guide to Language for Fun and Spite. New York: Penguin, 2006. (Available starting at $3.94 at Amazon.com)

---. Mortal Syntax: 101 Language Choices That Will Get You Clobbered by the Grammar Snobs�Even If You�re Right. New York: Penguin, 2008 (Available used starting at $6.61 at Amazon.com).

Cathcart, Thomas and Daniel Klein. �Logic.� Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar...: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes. New York: Abrams Image, 2006. 27-49. (Available used starting at $6.73 at Amazon.com)

---. Aristotle and an Aardvark Go to Washington: Understanding Political Doublespeak through Through Philosophy and Jokes. New York: Abrams Image, 2007. 27-49 (Available used starting at $10.85 at Amazon.com).

Coontz, Stephanie. Marriage, a History: How Love Conquered Marriage. New York: Penguin, 2005. (Available used starting at $2.98 at Amazon.com).

Crystal, David. Words, Words, Words. New York: Oxford U P, 2006 (Available used starting at $9.28 at Amazon.com).

Garvey, Mark. Stylized: A Slightly Obsessive History of Strunk & White�s The Elements of Style. New York: Touchstone/Simon & Schuster, 2009. (Available starting at $14.48 at Amazon.com).�

Guzman, Andrew. Overheated: The Human Cost of Climate Change. New York: Oxford UP, 2013 (Available starting at $20.15 at Amazon.com).

Klein, Naomi. This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2014. (Available starting at $10.50 at Amazon.com).

Kozol, Jonathan. Letters to a Young Teacher. New York: Crown, 2007 (Available starting at $12.15 at Amazon.com).

---. The Shame of the Nation: The Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America. New York: Crown, 2005 (Available starting at $10.17 at Amazon.com).

Lamotte, Anne. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. New York: Anchor, 1995. (Available starting at $3.09 at Amazon.com)

Lederer, Richard. Anguished English: An Anthology of Accidental Assaults Upon Our Language. Charleston, SC: Wyrick & Company, 1987 (Available used starting at $0.01 at Amazon.com).

---.  More Anguished English: An Expose of Embarrassing Excruciating, and Egregious Errors in English. New York: Dell, 1994 (Available used starting at $0.01 at Amazon.com).

Levitin, Daniel J. A Field Guide to Lies: Critical Thinking in the Information Age. New York: Dutton/Penguin, 2016. (Available new starting at $9.53 at Amazon - cheaper than used!)***

Miller, Frank, et al. Batman vs. Superman: The Greatest Battles. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, 2015. (Available used starting at $3.99 at Amazon.com)

Morrison, Grant. Supergods: What Masked Vigilantes, Miraculous Mutants, and a Sun God from Smallville Can Teach Us About Being Human. New York: Spiegel and Grau, 2011. (Available used starting at $2.15 at Amazon.com).

Postman, Neil. Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. New York: Penguin, 1985, 2005. (Available used starting at $6.74 at Amazon.com).

Shamalyan, M. Knight. I Got Schooled: The Unlikely Story of How a Moonlighting Movie Maker Learned the Five Keys to Closing America�s Education Gap. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2013. (Available used starting at $0.01 at Amazon.com).

Truss, Lynne. Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation. New York: Gotham Books, 2004 (Available used starting at $2.70 at Amazon.com).

*Note: Many of the essays to be read and discussed are available online; these are indicated on the schedule (below) as hyperlinks. However, students are still strongly cautioned that they will need to purchase the textbook, both for important information and instructions on the various rhetorical modes and also for several essays not available online.

** Recommended additional texts are not required purchases, and have not been ordered for the course; however, they provide�depending on the course� alternative readings, historical and cultural backgrounds, criticism, personal literary responses, or entertaining (irreverent, possibly sacrilegious) revisions. Students who find themselves becoming deeply interested in one or more of the required readings may find these interesting and/or useful. When indicated with a dagger (�), texts are only provisionally recommended, as I have not read these works yet, although they have received excellent reviews or recommendations.

*** Prices listed at Amazon.com do not include shipping, and are accurate as of original posting date only; no guarantees of prices or availability are express or implied�.

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CLASS POLICIES:

Attendance:
As per the Nassau Community College attendance policy,  �Students are expected to attend all classes. Absences due to illness or for other serious reasons may be excused at the discretion of the instructor. Students are advised that absences in excess of 10% of the total class meetings may result being dropped from the course.�  Students must not only attend every class and lab meeting, but also arrive on time, be prepared, and take an active part in class (see Participation, below); students may be required to sign in each class session to verify their attendance. Excessive absences or latenesses will adversely affect your grade: Students may miss no more than three classes or lab meetings; further absences will result in a reduction of the final grade by one full letter grade for each additional absence. Students unable to attend class should contact the instructor regarding their absence; in addition, students are responsible for submitting all work on time regardless of absences. In addition, once students get to class, they are expected to stay in the classroom until the class is over. Leaving class early or getting up in the middle of class is considered disruptive behavior and should happen only in extreme emergencies.

Classroom Behavior:
Students are expected to be present, prepared, attentive, and active participants in the learning process. As such, any distracting or inappropriate behavior or unauthorized use of electronic devices* is strictly prohibited. Students who wish to use a laptop for note-taking may be allowed to do so at the instructor�s discretion, but will be required to sit in the front row and to submit a copy of their notes to the professor at the end of each class; failure to do so will result in being recorded as absent. Eating, sleeping, texting, or other inappropriate behavior may result in your being asked to leave the class and will adversely affect your final grade. According to the �Student Code of Conduct,� �The College is committed to providing an atmosphere in which students have freedom to learn and engage in the search for truth, knowledge, and reason in accordance with the standards set forth by the academic community. Conduct that adversely affects a student�s responsible membership in the academic community shall result in appropriate disciplinary action.� Appropriate disciplinary action may include but is not limited to probation, suspension, and expulsion from the college. See the Nassau Community College �Classroom Management Policy� and �Student Code of Conduct� in the college catalog.

*On cell phone use in class, see Andrew Lepp, Jacob E. Barkley, and Aryn C. Karpinski. �The Relationship between Cell Phone Use and Academic Performance in a Sample of U.S. College Students.� SAGE Open 19 Feb. 2015.

Plagiarism and Cheating:
Plagiarism includes copying or paraphrasing another�s words, ideas, or facts without crediting the source; submitting a paper written by someone else, either in whole or in part, as one�s own work; or submitting work previously submitted for another course or instructor. Plagiarism, cheating, or other forms of academic dishonesty on any assignment will result in failure (a grade of zero) for that assignment and may result in further disciplinary action, including but not limited to failure for the course and expulsion from the college. See the Nassau Community College policy on �Academic Dishonesty & Plagiarism.�

Homework/Essay Submission:
All writing assignments must be received by the instructor on or before the due date, by the beginning of the class period, as indicated on the schedule, below. Students may also be required to submit an electronic copy of their work via TurnItIn.com; details to be announced. Essays submitted by email will not be accepted, and late work if accepted will be penalized 10% for each day it is late; see below. All at-home work must be typed (in 12-point Times New Roman), double-spaced, with one-inch margins, and stapled when submitted. In-class work must be neatly printed in blue or black ink on loose-leaf composition paper or in bluebooks provided by the instructor and double-spaced^�. All essays must also include a proper heading (see Purdue Online Writing Lab�s Formatting and Style Guide), including Word Count; have an appropriate, original title; contain a clear, explicit, assertive, objectively worded thesis statement (thesis statements must be underlined); and (unless otherwise indicated) avoid use of I or you throughout. Finally, all work should be grammatically correct, free of errors in mechanics, grammar, usage, spelling, and documentation, and will be evaluated according to the Model for Evaluation of Student Writing. Please refer to the Paragraph Outline or Essay Outline and Revising and Editing Checklist for additional assistance.

^�  On format, handwriting, and neatness, see Chase, Clinton I. �Essay Test Scoring: Interaction of Relevant Variables.� Journal of Educational Measurement 23.1 (1986): 33-41; and  Marshall, Jon C. and Jerry M. Powers. �Writing Neatness, Composition Errors, and Essay Grades.� Journal of Educational Measurement 6.2 (1988): 306-324.

Revisions:
All failing essays may be revised and resubmitted by the due dates announced when the graded essays are returned. Essays receiving a passing grade may also be revised and resubmitted, but only after the student has met with the instructor during office hours (by appointment only) to discuss revisions. Revisions must be substantially revised, not merely �corrected� versions of the original essay (revisions should be based upon the Revising and Editing Checklist and relevant information from class and the textbooks), and must be submitted with the original graded essay and/or draft(s) attached as well as one full typed page detailing the changes made, in the following  pattern:

� Paragraph 1: Changes in content. What was added, deleted, or modified.

� Paragraph 2: Changes in organization. What sentences, ideas, or paragraphs were moved, how things were rearranged, and why.

• Paragraph 3: Cosmetic level changes. What specific editing for grammar was performed, or what corrections made in punctuation, mechanics, and diction.

Evidence of substantial revision may result in a better grade for the assignment. If you did not submit a completed essay on time, or if you submit a plagiarized essay, you will receive a grade of zero and may not submit a �revision.�

Make-up Exams/Late Work:
All assignment deadlines and scheduled exam dates are provided at the beginning of the semester; therefore, no make-up opportunities will be offered or late work accepted, except under extraordinary circumstances with appropriate documentation, and late work will be penalized 10% for each day or portion thereof it is submitted after the due date. Note: As all work is due at the beginning of the class period, this includes work submitted after class has begun on the due date.

Excuses such as �crashed computers,� �lost flash drives,� or �empty printer ink cartridges� will not be accepted. All essays or work should be saved both on your computer�s hard drive and again on removable storage device as well as uploaded to cloud storage. (OneDrive, et cetera) Students should also keep backup copies of all work submitted.

*See also,  Mike Adams, �The Dead Grandmother/Exam Syndrome.�

Disabilities and Accommodations:
If you have a physical, psychological, medical, or learning disability that may impact on your ability to carry out the assigned coursework, I urge you to contact the staff at the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD), Building U (516 572-7241), TTY (516) 572-7617. The counselors at CSD will review your concerns and determine to what reasonable accommodations you are entitled as covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. All information and documentation pertaining to personal disabilities will be kept confidential.

Additional Assistance:
Students should avail themselves of the Writing Center and Help Centers available in the English and Reading/BEP departments, located at Bradley and North Halls and the Library, as part of this course. These services can be considered an integral part of the course work and will help the student to master the necessary knowledge and skills for Enhanced Composition I.

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ASSIGNMENTS:
Attendance and Participation (5%):
As this class will combine both lecture and discussion, students are expected both to attend every session and to take an active part in class�joining in discussions and raising questions. Discussion is one of the best ways to clarify your understandings and to test your conclusions. Open discussion always involves personal exposure, and thus the taking of risks: your ideas may not be the same as your fellow students� or even the instructor�s. Yet as long as your points are honest and supportable, they will be respected. Questions, discussion, disagreement, and laughter are all encouraged. Taking an active part also means being prepared: students should bring pens, a notebook and/or loose-leaf paper, and the textbook to every class. In addition, all reading or writing assignments must be completed in advance, according to the schedule (below).

Diagnostic Essay (ungraded):
Students will complete an in-class Diagnostic Essay at the beginning of  the semester on a topic provided; this essay will be read and returned, but will not receive a grade, nor will it affect your final average. Students should retain this and all other essays until the end of the semester.

Quizzes and Online Exercises  (10% total):
With the exception of the first week, class may begin with a short (five-minute) quiz on the readings for the day, at the instructor�s discretion. Quizzes cannot be made up; if you miss a quiz due to absence or lateness, that grade will be regarded as a zero. At the end of the semester, the lowest quiz grade will be dropped. Exercises reviewing essential grammar and/or writing skills will also be assigned, to be completed in class, or to be done online as homework and submitted electronically. Total number of quizzes and exercises during the semester will determine the point value of each; that is, if 11 assignments are assigned (lowest quiz grade will be dropped), each is worth up to one-half point.

In-Class Writing  (10% total):
Students will also complete various shorter in-class writing assignments during the semester, including short summaries, mini-essays, and response papers. Total number of assignments during the semester will determine the point value of each; that is, if 10 assignments are required, each is worth up to one full point.

Essays (2 @ 10 %, 2 @ 15%):
Students will complete four essays during the semester in a variety of rhetorical modes, including Narration/Description (combined), Process, Comparison/Contrast (Midterm), and Persuasion/Argumentation.  Topics must be selected from the list of suggestions provided (see Essay Topics) or developed in consultation with the instructor. Essays must be at least three to four (3-4) pages (750 to 1000 words, minimum) and correctly formatted; see above.

Research Essay (25%):
Students will also complete an argumentative (persuasive) Research Essay of at least five to seven pages (at least 1250-1500 words), using a minimum of three to five primary or secondary sources (sources must be reliable: scholarly criticism or analysis, not summaries, reviews, or �analysis� from sites such as e-Notes, SparkNotes, Wikipedia*, 123HelpMe, or Gradesaver.com), correctly documented utilizing MLA format, with a cover page and Works Cited page (cover page and Works Cited do not count toward the six-page requirement). The final draft of the research paper must be submitted in a folder, including copies of all sources used.

Extra Credit (possibly various opportunities, at 1�2 points each):
Students may be notified of opportunities for extra credit during the semester, including attendance at various cultural events related to the class (�Recommended Field Trips�). If students attend one or more of these events, and provide evidence of attendance (ticket stub, program, unretouched digital image, et cetera) along with a typed one- to two-page personal response (review, analysis, reflection, critique, et cetera), they can receive additional points: a single event and written response is usually worth 2 points extra credit; attendance at additional events will earn one additional point each. Note: you may not attend the same workshops two or more times for additional extra credit!

Note: As a general rule, extra credit only helps if you have already completed all of the assigned work, and will not make up for missing an essay (or two, or three). Extra credit opportunities will be announced in class, and they will also be posted here as well as on the class Announcements page, so do not ask at the end of the semester for �extra credit� to bring your average up.

Extra credit opportunities to date:

Women and Gender Studies and the Philosophy Department present
Kate Manne, author of Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny
to speak about �Himpathy�
(See �Brett Kavanaugh and America�s �Himpathy� Reckoning.� New York Times 26 Sep. 20018.)
Tuesday, October 2, at 1:00
CCB 252�

College Night 2018�Monster Masquerade

The Morgan Library and Museum
225 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
(212) 685-0008

Thursday, October 18, 2018, 6�8 pm
Free for students with valid ID.
Online reservation required: RSVP

With Drawing New York, students can enjoy a Frankenstein themed after-hours experience with a costume contest, exhibition tours, sketching, live music, and more!

Featured Exhibitions:

� It�s Alive! Frankenstein at 200

� Drawing in Tintoretto�s Venice

� Pontormo: Miraculous Encounters

� A Merchant Ivory Production: Highlights from the James Ivory Collection

� Pierpont Morgan's 1906 Library

Please call (212) 685-0008 ext. 560 or e-mail [email protected] for information.

Blackboard Training for Students (1 point)
Dates, Times, and Locations TBA
The Office of Distance Education will be offering on-campus demonstrations for students during the first two weeks of classes this fall, and we are asking you to encourage students to attend so that they can familiarize themselves with Blackboard in order to make their transition to college more manageable.

No advance registration needed; first come, first served basis.

Writing Center Grammar Review Workshops (1 point each)
Sentence Building and Avoiding Run-ons, Comma Splices, and Fragments
Using Correct Punctuation: Commas, Semicolons, and Colons
Subject-Verb Agreement, Verb Formation, Tense Usage

Club Hour Series�

Tuesday	October 2	11:30 am to 12:45 pm Bradley Ballroom	Building Compound Sentences
Tuesday	October 9	11:30 am to 12:45 pm Bradley Ballroom	Building Complex Sentences
Thursday	October 11	11:30 am to 12:45 pm Library L233A	Conjunction Usage
Tuesday	October 16	11:30 am to 12:45 pm Library L233A	Conjunction Usage
Tuesday	October 23	11:30 am to 12:45 pm Bradley Ballroom	Subject-Verb Agreement
Thursday	October 25	11:30 am to 12:45 pm Library L233A	Tense Usage
Tuesday	October 30	11:30 am to 12:45 pm Bradley Ballroom	The Verb Phrase

Wednesday Afternoon Series�

Wednesday	October 3	2:00 pm to 3:15 pm Bradley Ballroom	�Building Compound Sentences
Wednesday	October 10	2:00 pm to 3:15 pm Bradley Ballroom	�Building Complex Sentences
Wednesday	October 17	2:00 pm to 3:15 pm Bradley Ballroom	Subject-Verb Agreement
Wednesday	October 24	2:00 pm to 3:15 pm Bradley Ballroom	The Verb Phrase

Tuesday Evening Series

Tuesday	September 25	8:30 pm to 9:50 pm CCB (Room TBA)*	Conjunction Usage
Tuesday	October 9	7:00 pm to 8:20 pm Library L233A	Pronoun Usage
Tuesday	October 23	7:00 pm to 8:20 pm CCB (Room TBA)*	Tense Usage
Tuesday	October 30	7:00 pm to 8:20 pm Library L233A	Adjectives and Adjective Clauses
Tuesday	November 6	7:00 pm to 8:20 pm Library L233A	Punctuation Usage

�*Evening Activity Hour. Regular classes are cancelled but check with your instructor.

The Writing Centers are located in Bradley Hall (Bldg. Y) and on the second floor of the Library, room L233
572-7195 or 572-3595
[email protected] www.ncc.edu/writingcenter

Writing Center MLA Research and Documentation Workshops (1 point)
Topics include: Locating and Evaluating Sources
Integrating Sources into an Essay
Creating and Formatting a Works Cited List

MLA Sessions

Tuesday w/Prof. D�Angelo	November 6	11:30 am to 12:45pm	Bradley Ballroom
Tuesday w/Prof. Posillico	November 13	11:30 am to 12:45 pm	Library L233A
Tuesday w/Prof. D�Angelo	November 20	11:30 am to 12:45pm	Bradley Ballroom
Tuesday w/Prof. D�Angelo	November 27	11:30 am to 12:45pm	Bradley Ballroom
Thursday w/Prof. Posillico	November 29	11:30 am to 12:45 pm	Library L233A
Tuesday w/Prof. D�Angelo	December 11	11:30 am to 12:45 pm	Bradley Ballroom
Thursday w/Prof. Posillico	December 13	5:30 pm to 6:50 pm	Library L233A

APA Sessions (No extra credit, but recommended)

Tuesday w/Prof. Posillico	November 27	5:30 pm to 6:50 pm*	CCB, Room TBA
Tuesday w/Prof. Posillico	December 4	11:30 am to 12:45 pm	Library L233A

�

* 5:30pm classes are cancelled but check with your instructor (room location to be determined).

�

Seating is limited! Sign up now by calling or visiting the Writing Center.

The Writing Centers are located in Bradley Hall (Bldg. Y) and on the second floor of the Library, room L233
572-7195 or 572-3595
[email protected] www.ncc.edu/writingcenter

The Writing Centers are located in Bradley Hall (Bldg. Y) and on the second floor of the Library, room L233
572-7195 or 572-3595
[email protected] www.ncc.edu/writingcenter

Academic Success Workshops and Learning Skills Workshops (1 point each)
NCC Center for Educational and Retention Counseling

Academic Success Workshops

IT�S �ABOUT TIME������������

MANAGING, TIME, SELF & COLLEGE��

October 2, 11:30am�12:45pm

M 206

ACADEMIC PLANNING

October 25, 11:30am�12:45pm

M 206

BEING SUCCESSFUL IN AN ONLINE CLASS

October 11, 11:30am�12:45pm

G 149

Learning Skills Workshops

It is recommended that students attend all five of the following:

1. LISTENING/NOTE-TAKING

October 9, 11:30 am�12:45pm

M 206

2. STUDYING AND ORGANIZING FOR CLASSES

October 16, 11:30am�12:45pm ���

M 206

3. READING COLLEGE TEXTBOOKS

October 23, 11:30am�12:45pm

M 206

4. TEST-TAKING

October 30, 11:30am�12:45pm

M 206

5. MANAGING TEST ANXIETY

November 6, 11:30am�12:45pm

M 206

For questions, call 516-572-7141
CERC Office, Nassau Hall, M19

Free, but advance registration is required.

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GRADING:
Final average will be calculated as follows:

Attendance and Class Participation	5%
Quizzes/Online Exercises	10%
In-Class Writing	10%
Essay 1: Narration/Description	10 %
Essay 2: Process	10%
Midterm: Comparison/Contrast	15%
Essay 4: Persuasion/Argumentation	15%
Research Paper: Annotated Bibliography 5% Preliminary Draft 5% Final Research Folder 15%	25 %
Total	100 %
Extra Credit points earned (if any) will be added to the final total.

Final average will determine the grade received for the course, as follows:

Final Percentage	Final Grade
90�100+	A
85�89	B+
80�84	B
75�79	C+
70�74	C
65�69	D+
60�64	D
0�59	F
Note: Percentages ending in .5 or greater are rounded up. Therefore, 79.5 rounds to 80, a B, but 79.4 rounds to 79, a C+.

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SCHEDULE AND PROJECTED OUTLINE:

Important Dates: FALL SEMESTER 2018
Monday 3 Sep	100% refund ends online by 11:59 p.m. Labor Day � COLLEGE HOLIDAY � offices closed
Tuesday 4 Sep	Day, 1st half semester, Evening & Distance Education classes begin Late payment fee begins
Friday 7 Sep	Weekend classes begin
Monday 10 Sep	Rosh Hashanah � classes do not meet 75% refund ends in-person by close of business or online by 11:59 p.m. Last day drop/add full & 1st half semester classes
Monday 17 Sep	50% refund ends in-person by close of business or online by 11:59 p.m.
Tuesday 18 Sep	Day classes meet on a Monday schedule Evening classes do not meet (classes beginning AFTER 5:01 p.m.)
Wednesday 19 Sep	Yom Kippur � classes do not meet; COLLEGE HOLIDAY � offices closed
Monday 24 Sep	25% refund ends in-person by close of business or online by 11:59 p.m. Last day drop full semester classes without a W grade online by 11:59 p.m.
Tuesday 25 Sep	Evening Activity Hour: 8:30 p.m. class will not meet; all other classes follow a regular schedule
Thursday 4 Oct	Immunization Records Submission Deadline Tuition Payment Plan � second payment due
Friday 12 Oct	Last day automatic W 1st half semester classes
Tuesday 23 Oct	Evening Activity Hour: 7:00 p.m. classes will not meet; all other classes follow a regular schedule
Monday 29 Oct	1st half semester classes end Deadline for Fall graduation application
Tuesday 30 Oct	2nd half semester classes begin
Friday 2 Nov	Transcripts available 1st half semester classes
Monday 5 Nov	Last day drop/add 2nd half semester classes
Tuesday 6 Nov	Tuition Payment Plan � third and final payment due
Friday 9 Nov	Last day automatic W full semester classes
Sunday 11 Nov	Veterans� Day � classes do not meet
Wednesday 21 Nov	Evening classes do not meet (classes beginning AFTER 5:01 p.m.)
Thursday 22 Nov	Thanksgiving � COLLEGE HOLIDAY � offices closed
Friday 23 Nov	Thanksgiving Recess � COLLEGE HOLIDAY � offices closed
Saturday 24 Nov	Classes do not meet
Sunday 25 Nov	Classes do not meet
Tuesday 27 Nov	Evening Activity Hour: 5:30 p.m. class will not meet; all other classes follow a regular schedule
Friday 7 Dec	Last day automatic W 2nd half semester classes
Thursday 13 Dec	Evening classes must be extended by 5 minutes for final exams
Monday 17 Dec	Evening classes must be extended by 5 minutes for final exams
Tuesday 18 Dec	Evening classes must be extended by 5 minutes for final exams
Wednesday 19 De	Evening classes must be extended by 5 minutes for final exams Evening classes end
Thursday 20 Dec	ME Makeup � if necessary EVENING classes will meet�
Friday 21 Dec	Day, 2nd half semester & Distance Education classes end ME Makeup � if necessary EVENING classes will meet
Saturday 22 Dec	MW - Makeup Weekend � if necessary WEEKEND classes will meet
Sunday 23 Dec	Weekend classes end
Monday 24 Dec	MD Makeup � if necessary DAY classes will meet
Monday 31 Dec	Transcripts available full & 2nd half semester classes
Note: All dates subject to change; See Academic Student Calendar: Fall 2018 (.pdf)

Readings and Assignments

Note: All readings below are required, and must be completed by the session indicated; the only exceptions are those indicated with an asterisk (*), which are recommended additional readings or resources.

Readings from The Norton Field Guide to Writing (Bullock) are identified below by page number or by author and title as well as page numbers, e.g., �Arguing a Position� (Bullock 156-161) or Foer, �My Life as a Dog� (Bullock 245-248). Readings from the Norton Online Handbook are identified below by title and section number; e.g., �Sentence Fragments� (Norton S-2).   Additional readings, including handouts or online texts, will also be assigned.

Red text indicates due dates or links to assignments; Blue text indicates links to assignments, resources, or online versions of texts. (Note: While every effort is made to verify the accuracy and usefulness of these links and their contents, no guarantees are made. Please notify me of any broken or outdated links at [email protected].)

Note: This schedule is subject to revision according to the instructor�s discretion, the Academic Calendar for the semester, school closings due to inclement weather or other reasons, and the progress of the class. Additions or changes will be announced in class, and they will also be posted here as well as on the class Announcements page.

	Readings and Assignments:
Mon. 3 Sep	Labor Day � COLLEGE HOLIDAY � offices closed
Tue. 4 Sep	Day, Evening & Distance Education classes begin
Wed. 5 Sep	Course Introduction: Syllabus, texts, policies, assignments, web page Diagnostic Essay
Mon. 10 Sep	�Rosh Hashanah � classes do not meet �Last day drop full semester classes without a W grade
Tue. 11 Sep	�Last day Drop/Add
Wed., 12 Sep	General lab introduction, Norton Online Handbook, TurnItIn.com � Entrance Survey �Writing in Academic Contexts,�  �Rhetorical Situations� (Bullock 1-9, 55-70); �Generating Ideas and Text,� �Drafting� (Bullock 289-300) In-class assignment: The Writing Process �Reading in Academic Contexts� (Bullock 10-32), �Analyzing Texts� (Bullock 94-128); �Beginning and Ending� (Bullock 331-343) *See also,  Parker-Pope, Tara. �Valuable Lessons in Learning.� New York Times 7 Oct. 2014: D4.  (published online as �Better Ways to Learn.� Abraham Lincoln on the Internet
Mon. 17 Sep	Narrative/Descriptive Writing:  �Narrating� (Bullock 419-427); �Describing� and �Writing a Literacy Narrative� (Bullock 399-407, 73-93);  Douglass, �Learning to Read and Write� (Handout) General lab introduction, Norton Online Handbook, TurnItIn.com; �In-class work: Introductions and Conclusions *See also,  Parker-Pope, Tara. �Valuable Lessons in Learning.� New York Times 7 Oct. 2014: D4.  (published online as �Better Ways to Learn.�) Abraham Lincoln on the Internet
Tue. 18 Sep	�Day classes meet on a Monday schedule �Evening classes do not meet (classes beginning AFTER 5:01 PM) �Reading in Academic Contexts� (Bullock 10-32), �Analyzing Texts� (Bullock 94-128); �Beginning and Ending� (Bullock 331-343) ��Fragments� (Norton S-2), �Comma Splices and Fused Sentences� (Norton S-3); Rich, �Claiming an Education� (Handout)  Online Exercises: Required: Identifying Fragments, Editing Fragments, Comma Splices and Fused Sentences, Editing Comma Splices and Fused Sentences *Optional: Sentence Elements, Clauses, Phrases Note: Do not attempt online exercises or the in-class work until we have discussed both assignments in class.
Wed. 19 Sep	�Yom Kippur � classes do not meet; COLLEGE HOLIDAY � offices closed
Mon. 24 Sep	�Last day drop full semester classes without a W grade  Rich, �Claiming an Education� (Handout) �Homework Due: Introductions and Conclusions �Note: Scores from online exercises assigned as homework on Tuesday, 18 September must be received before today�s class. *See also,  Medina, Jennifer. �Sexual Harassment Allegations Wipe a Name Off the Map.� New York Times 24 Sep. 2018.
Wed. 26 Sep	Essay 1 Due: Narrative/Descriptive  Plato, �Allegory of the Cave� (Handout) See also:  �The Allegory of the Cave� (8:18) and �Plato�s Allegory of the Cave: Alex Gendler� (4:33) (Videos) In-class writing assignment  �Subject-Verb Agreement� (Norton S-5) Online Exercises: S-V Agreement Review, S-V Separated, Compound Subjects, Subject after Verb, Collective Nouns, Indefinite Pronouns, Who, That, Which
Mon. 1 Oct.	Process Writing:  �Explaining a Process� (Bullock 414-418)
Wed. 3 Oct.	Revising & Editing: �Assessing Your Own Writing,� �Getting Response and Revising,� �Editing and Proofreading� (Bullock 301-317) �In-class writing assignment *See also,  Revision and Editing Checklist
Mon. 8 Oct	Goodheart, �How to Mummify a Pharaoh� (Handout) �In-class writing assignment *See also, Mitford, �Behind the Formaldehyde Curtain [Microsoft Word document]�
Wed. 10 Oct	O�Keeney, �How to Make It in College, Now that You�re Here� (Handout) �Narrative/Descriptive Revisions Due (Optional) �In-class writing assignment  �Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement,� �Pronoun Reference,� �Pronoun Case� (Norton S-6a-c); �Verbs� (Norton S-4) Online Exercises: Pronoun Review, Pronoun Agreement, Pronoun Reference, Pronoun Case; Verb Tenses, Verb Forms, Active and Passive, Mood
Mon. 15 Oct	Comparison and Contrast Writing: �Comparing and Contrasting� (Bullock 380-387)  In-class writing: Compare-Contrast *See also,   on Batman:  Andrew, Danielle. �How Much Would It Cost to Be Batman?� IFLScience.com 30 Sep. 2015. Web.  Miller, Frank, et al. Batman vs. Superman: The Greatest Battles. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, 2015.  Morrison, Grant. Supergods: What Masked Vigilantes, Miraculous Mutants, and a Sun God from Smallville Can Teach Us About Being Human. New York: Spiegel and Grau, 2011. Zehr, E. Paul. Becoming Batman: The Possibility of a Superhero. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 2008. on advertising:  Arthur Asa Berger, �How to Analyze an Advertisement� (from the Center for Media Literacy)  Jib Fowles, �Advertising�s Fifteen Basic Appeals� Scott A. Lukas, �How to Read Ads� (from the Gender Ads Project) on Cinderella: Six different versions of the story:  Charles Perrault, �Cinderella�  Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm, �Ashputtle� (a slightly edited version)  Tuan Ch��ng-shih, �Yeh-Hsien (A Chinese �Cinderella�)�  �The Maiden, the Frog, and the Chief�s Son (An African �Cinderella�)�  �Oochigeaskw�The Rough-Faced Girl (A Native American �Cinderella�)�  Sexton, Anne. �Cinderella� and, some responses to fairy tales in popular culture:  Jane Yolen, �America�s �Cinderella.�� (Children�s Literature in Education 8.1 (1970): 21-29.) (here in .pdf)  Rafferty, Terrence. �The Better to Entertain You With, My Dear.� New York Times 25 March 2012.
Wed. 17 Oct.	In-class writing: Compare-Contrast *See also,  Parker-Pope, Tara. �Valuable Lessons in Learning.� New York Times 7 Oct. 2014: D4.  (published online as �Better Ways to Learn.�)
Mon. 22 Oct	Essay 2 (Process) �Revisions� Due �Britt, �Neat People vs. Sloppy People� (Handout);  �Taking Essay Exams� (Bullock 428-432) *See also, Questions on Suzanne Britt, here McKinley, Jesse. �Cuomo to Give Colleges 7 Million for Curses in Prisons.� New York Times 8 Aug. 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/06/nyregion/cuomo-to-give-colleges-7-million-for-courses-in-prisons.html?_r=0 �Let Prisoners Learn While They Serve.� (Editorial) New York Times 16 Aug. 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/16/opinion/prison-education-programs-.html?_r=0 �*Shakespeare Saved My Life Chapters 16�23, 50, 61 (63�93, 179�81, 223�226)
Wed. 24 Oct	Midterm Essay (Comparison/Contrast)
Mon. 29 Oct	Persuasion/Argument Writing: �Arguing� (Bullock 355-375), �Arguing a Position� (Bullock 156-182)  �Adjectives and Adverbs� (Norton W-5) Online Exercises: Adjectives and Adverbs - 1, Adjectives and Adverbs - 2, Modifier Placement
Wed. 31 Oct	Persuasion/Argument Writing: �Arguing� (Bullock 355-375), �Arguing a Position� (Bullock 156-182)  �Adjectives and Adverbs� (Norton W-5) Online Exercises: Adjectives and Adverbs - 1, Adjectives and Adverbs - 2, Modifier Placement *See also, Pennington, Bill. � Christmas Music, Twizzlers and Long Walks: The N.F.L.�s Obsession With Superstition.� New York Times 6 Dec. 2018.
Fri. 2 Nov	Last day automatic W full semester classes
Mon. 5 Nov	Essay 2 (Process) Final Revisions Due Homework due: Logical fallacies Homework: Diction exercise (due Monday, Nov. 12) �In-Class Writing Homework: Due via email by Wednesday morning �Using Words Effectively: �Audience,� �Genre� (Bullock 57-63); ��Words� (Norton W), especially �Appropriate Words� (W-1), �Precise Words� (W-2), and �Unnecessary Words� (W-4) Online Exercises: Appropriate Words - 1, Appropriate Words - 2, Precise Words Commonly Confused Words - 1, Commonly Confused Words - 2, Commonly Confused Words - 3 Empty Words and Expletives, Wordy Phrases and Redundancies  *Additional online exercises (not required): Connotation, Standard English, Unbiased and Gender-Neutral Language, Empty Words and Repetition. Choosing the Correct Word (Spelling) 1, Choosing the Correct Word (Spelling) 2  *See also,  Spelling Demons What Are the Most Often Misspelled Words? Frequently Misspelled Words,  �Spell Check Poem� and The Spell Checker Poem                     �Garbage In, Garbage Out: Errors Caused by Spell-Checking�                     �Don�t Computers Make Spelling Instruction Unnecessary?� (in Malatesha Joshi, R., Rebecca Treiman, Suzanne Carreker,                           and Louisa C. Moats.  �How Words Cast Their Spell: Spelling Is an Integral Part of Learning the Language, Not a Matter of Memorization.� American Educator: A  Quarterly Journal of Educational Research  and Ideas 32.4  (Winter 2008-09):                           6-16, 42. https://www.aft.org/pubs-reports/american_educator/issues/winter08_09/joshi.pdf.  *See also,  Orwell,  �Politics and the English Language�                    Schuman, Rebecca. �Cease Rogeting Proximately!� Slate.com  14 Aug. 2014. Web.                    Shea, Ammon. �Vocabulary Size.� New York Times Magazine 14 March 2010: 14. New York Times. Web
Wed. 7 Nov	Class will meet in CCB MPR to hear Imbolo Mbue, author of Behold the Dreamers.
Mon. 12 Nov	Midterm Essay Revisions Due; �Finding and Evaluating Sources� (Bullock 445-472) � �Documentation� and �MLA Style� (Bullock 496-548), https://f="https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/11/">MLA format� Electronic Databases, CARS Checklist for Evaluating Sources Homework/In-class writing (TBA)  *See also, DHMO.org                   �Australian Drop Bear� AustralianMuseum.net.au                   �Help Save the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus�                   Levitin, Daniel J. �Identifying Expertise.� A Field Guide to Lies: Critical Thinking in the Information Age. ������������������������� New York: Dutton/Penguin, 2016: 129-151. MLA Style Excelsior Online Writing Lab MLA 8 Citation Handout (.pdf)
Wed. 14 Nov.	MacKay, �Organ Sales Save Lives� (also here in .pdf) (Bullock 156-161) *See also,  �Writing a Summary/Response Essay� (Bullock 40-44); How to Write a Summary Jonathan Swift, �A Modest Proposal�  Jessica Mitford, �Behind the Formaldehyde Curtain�
Mon. 19 Nov.	Essay 4 Due: Argument �Draft� � Leonard, �Black Friday: Consumerism Minus Civilization� (Bullock 164-168)
Wed. 21 Nov	Model Research Essays: Borchers, �Against the Odds: Harry S Truman and the Election of 1948� (Bullock 540-548); Harba, �What�s for Dinner? Personal Choices vs. Public Health� (Handout)
Thu.-Sun. 23-26  Nov	Thanksgiving Break � COLLEGE HOLIDAY � offices closed
Mon. 26 Nov	�Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing,� �Acknowledging Sources, Avoiding Plagiarism� (Bullock 478-495) � In-class writing (TBA) *See also,  How to Incorporate Sources (MS Word document)
Wed. 28 Nov	� Class will meet in CCB Multipurpose Room to hear David Hogg, Parkland High School shooting survivor and co-founder of March for Our Lives Essay 4 Due: Argument (�Revision�), � Annotated Bibliography Due
Mon. 3 Dec	Model Research Essay: Shankar, �The Case of the Missing Kidney: An Analysis of Rumor� (Handout)
Wed. 5 Dec	Segal, �The Dog Ate My Flashdrive, and Other Tales of Woe� (Handout) � Research Essay Due (Draft): Peer Review/Research Essay �Workshop�  �Punctuation� and �Mechanics� (Norton P-1 through P-11) *Online Exercises: Commas: Review, Semicolon: Review, End Punctuation: Review; Quotation Marks: Review, Apostrophes: Review, Capitalization: Review, Italics: Review
Mon. 10 Dec	Research Essay Due (Draft): Peer Review/Research Essay �Workshop� � �Literary Analysis� (Bullock 206-215);  ENG 102: Introduction/Advising
Wed. 12 Dec	Evening classes extended by 5 minutes for final exams � Class meets in regular classroom for drop-off/pick-up/grades only. Research Essay Folder Due (Final)
Mon. 17 Dec	Evening classes meet on a Wednesday schedule Research Essay Folder Due (Final) � Class meets in regular classroom for drop-off/pick-up/grades only. � Lab session does not meet, � Conferences (by appointment only), Y-16
Wed. 19 Dec	� Final Conferences (by appointment only),: Y-16 � Day & Distance Education classes end

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TOPICS AND GENERAL ESSAY INSTRUCTIONS:

For each of the assigned essays and projects, a topic or list of topic choices will be provided. Your work must be on one of the assigned topics for that assignment or developed in consultation with the instructor, or it will receive a grade of �F�. All work must be submitted on or before the due date, by the beginning of the class period; late work will not be accepted (see above). Failure to bring the required essay will result in a zero for the assignment, without opportunity for revisions.

For each of the essays, select one of the topics to discuss in a well-developed, coherent, and thoughtful essay. Be sure to focus carefully on the topic, and remember that these are formal essays: they must have an appropriate, original title; contain an introduction, body, and conclusion; have a clear, explicit, assertive, objectively worded thesis statement (thesis statements must be underlined); and (unless otherwise indicated) avoid use of I or you throughout. Be sure to use appropriate topic sentences and transitions to guide the reader. Remember that you are not summarizing the works, but responding to them in a critical manner. Be sure to include evidence or examples from the specific text(s) that you are writing about, but do not retell the story, and do not copy directly from the textbook except when quoting. Remember to incorporate sources correctly, whether quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing: use signal phrases and document with parenthetical citations and a Work (or Works) Cited page.

Note: Unless otherwise specified, these are not research essays; the only sources utilized should be the texts themselves. Use of secondary sources, whether credited or not, will be considered grounds for failure. The Research Essay must utilize a minimum of three to five reliable sources, correctly documented utilizing MLA format, and copies of all sources used must be included with the final draft. Feel free to communicate any concerns or questions to me before the essays are due; I will be available to meet with any student who needs assistance or additional instruction. Speak to me before or after class or email me to set up an appointment during my office hours.

Diagnostic Essay: In-class essay, Session 1 (5 Sep.)

Select one of the following topics, and compose a formal essay. Your essay will not receive a grade, nor will it affect your final average; this is for evaluative purposes only. You will have approximately one hour to complete this essay. (Use of �I� is allowed.)

Topics:

1. What is your favorite text�however you may define the term �text��or who is your favorite author, and why? Why is this text or author important, and important to you? Defend your choice with specific details and examples.

2. The late Steve Jobs, former CEO of Apple, once notably claimed that �people don�t read* anymore� (see �The Passion of Steve Jobs�). Was he correct? Consider: With radio, television, cable, personal computers, smart phones, web-books, and tablets, we are living in a post-literate world, one in which people merely skim, browse, or surf rather than engaging in deep, meaningful reading for any prolonged periods of time. That is, sustained, concentrated reading*�for pleasure or for knowledge�is no longer necessary or important. Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not? And how does his comment reflect or contradict your own experiences with reading?

3. Many students begin their college careers anxious about how a particular weakness, handicap, disadvantage, or �difference� will keep them from prospering academically and/or socially. Discuss one personal characteristic that you suppose will present challenges to your academic success and/or social contentment, and then discuss a realistic strategy that will help you work your way through or around these challenges.

4. Use the following as your thesis: I�m proud of being _______________________, but it�s not without its problems.
You should try to think of something you are genuinely proud of, but something that comes with complications as well. This is a personal narrative in a way, but the second half, about the problems, requires you to consider opposite sides of an issue.

*On reading, see also:
Bosman,  Julie and Matt Richtel.  �Finding Your Books Interrupted...by the Tablet You Read It On.� New York Times 18 March 2012;
   Garner, Dwight.  �The Way We Read Now.� New York Times 18 March 2012.

Note: Due to the nature of this assignment, use of I is appropriate for any of the three topic choices.

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Essay 1: Narrative/Descriptive Essay (Literacy Narrative), Due Wednesday, September 26; Revision due Wednesday, October 10

After reading �Narrating� (Bullock 419-427), �Describing� (Bullock 399-407), and �Writing a Literacy Narrative� (Bullock 373-93), as well as the assigned relevant essays, select one of the following topics and compose a literacy narrative essay. In general, it�s a good idea to focus on a single event that took place during a relatively brief period of time. Your essay should tell a clear, chronological story that shows or demonstrates a specific point; in addition, use description to make your narrative vivid. Your reader should be able to visualize clearly the objects/settings/people involved in your story.

Essays must have an appropriate, original title; contain an introduction (with an explicit, assertive thesis, underlined), several body paragraphs supporting the thesis, and an appropriate concluding paragraph; and avoid use of you throughout. Be sure to use appropriate topic sentences and transitions to guide the reader.

Your essay will be evaluated in terms of Main Idea, Organization, Support, and Mechanics (Words and Sentences). Therefore, make certain your essay is not only well organized and developed, but also grammatically correct, free of errors in mechanics, grammar, usage, and spelling.

Note: This is not a research essay. While you may use secondary sources to provide a hook or to enhance your introduction or conclusion, unnecessary or excessive use of secondary sources should be avoided.

1.) Write a narrative account of a time you enjoyed a �moment of glory� other than completing high school or your G.E.D., getting your driver�s license, or participating in a sports- or competition-related event. Explain what happened, how you reacted, and why you reacted the way that you did. Be sure to explain both the immediate and the long-term significance of this event, and use specific, detailed descriptions.

2.) Write a narrative account of a time you experienced a �life-changing event� (as above, other than high school graduation, earning a G.E.D., getting your license, or winning some sports event). This may be something you only later came to realize had significantly changed your life, or one that you immediately recognized as life-changing when it happened. Again, explain what happened, how you reacted, and why you reacted the way that you did, as well as both the immediate and the long-term significance of this event, and be descriptive.

3.) Write a literacy narrative based on one of the following topics from the Norton Field Guide to Writing, 4 ed, (pp. 84-85):

a) any early memory about writing or reading that you recall vividly

b) a book or other text that has been significant for you in some way

c) an event at school about writing or reading that was interesting, humorous, or embarrassing

d) a memento that represents an important moment in your literacy development

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Essay 2: Process, �Draft� In-class writing assignment Wednesday, October 3; Final Essay due Monday, October 22

After reading �Explaining a Process� (Bullock 414-418) and the assigned process analysis essays, select one of the following topics and compose a clear, well-written directive process analysis. Your reader should be able to understand and complete the process successfully by following your instructions. While use of the second person (�you�) may be appropriate in your introduction and/or conclusion, use the indefinite pronoun (�Next, one should make sure that...�) or the imperative mood (�Next, close the door...�) in the body of your essay, and be consistent: do not switch back and forth between �one� and �you,� either explicit or implied. Note: your essay should have a title, ideally one more creative or original than �How to Do X.,� In addition, you must assert something significant about the subjects, that it is important or even pleasurable to learn this process,  and use appropriate topic sentences. For example,

Thesis:  An assertion concerning the process being explained, indicating the importance or benefit of the process, and the major steps necessary to complete the process.

For example: Although [process] may seem intimidating to the beginner, one can save time and money by [step 1], [step 2], and [step 3].

Topic sentence 1:  A sentence utilizing an appropriate chronological transition (time marker), indicating the first major step (your first major division), and emphasizing the main idea from your thesis (the process and its importance, ease, interest, or value).

For example:  The first step in [process] is to [name and define Step 1].

Topic sentence 2:  A sentence utilizing an appropriate chronological transition, indicating the next major step, and emphasizing the main idea from your thesis.

For example:  Next, to [process], be sure to [Step 2]

Topic sentence 3:  A sentence with an appropriate transition, indicating what the step is, et cetera.

For example:  After that, [Step 3].

Topic sentence 4 (if necessary): and so on. 

You may include individual phrases or substeps in outline form under each topic sentence, but this is recommended, not required.

Topics:

1.)� How to become an A student, an athlete, or some other campus �type.� �Consider the various types or cliques with which you are familiar, determine what makes one group unique or special, and explain to your reader how to become a member of that group.

2.)� How to fit in in a particular context, such as going to film school, hanging out at a shopping mall, watching a football game, and so on. Explain the process to a newcomer who wishes to fit in as quickly as possible, and use examples to illustrate the steps in the process.

3.)� How to become an American. This should not be a literal explanation of the process of becoming a U.S. citizen; rather, it is an opportunity to explain how to adhere to specific cultural mores or stereotypes. This can be either flattering, emphasizing the positive qualities of being an American, or an ironic critique of some aspect(s) of American culture.

Note: The �Draft� due in class is not a finished essay for grading or peer review; rather, your submission should be at least one page of prewriting, then a typed thesis and three to five topic sentences, as above. You may include individual phrases or sub-steps in outline form under each topic sentence, but this is recommended, not required.

 �Revisions� due Monday, October 22:

Use either the prewriting completed in class on Wednesday, October 3 and Monday, October 8, or the in-class writing assignment from Wednesday, October 10. Your submission must be a finished, typed essay of at least three to four (3-4) pages (750 to 1000 words, minimum) with the original in-class work attached. Unlike other revisions, however, you do not have to include a one-page typed explanation of the changes you have made. You should of course work to improve content, organization, and diction, mechanics, and spelling.

Again, your essay is an expansion and revision of either one of the three topics above, or a directive essay, explaining how to master one specific important academic survival skill not mentioned by Brian O�Keeney in the handout, �How to Make It in College, Now that You�re Here�: taking notes, finding materials in the college library, registering for classes, and so on.

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Midterm Essay, Comparison�Contrast, In-class essay: Wednesday, October 24

After reading �Comparing and Contrasting� (Bullock 380-387) and the assigned comparison-contrast essays, select one of the topics from your prewriting exercise last week and compose a persuasive contrast essay. Note: your essay should have a title, ideally one more creative or original than �A vs. B.,� In addition, you must assert something significant about the subjects, that one of the two is in some specific way �superior� to or significantly different than the other (for example, �A is funnier than B because...�),  and use appropriate topic sentences. For example:

Thesis:  An assertion concerning the two subjects chosen for your essay, indicating the specific significant difference between the two and the major divisions of your essay.

For example:  Although A and B are (similar in some way or ways), A (is significantly different in some way from) B because of (major criteria: the divisions of your essay).
Although Batman and Superman are both internationally famous superheroes, Batman is a human being and therefore a far better superhero than Superman; Bruce Wayne�s intelligence, his self-developed skills, and his much cooler toys make him more believable and realistic than the alien, Superman.

Topic sentence 1:  An assertion about how one single criterion, your first major division, distinguishes the two subjects.

For example:  The first way in which A (is different from) B is (first major criterion):
First, while Superman is undoubtedly stronger than Batman, due to his extraterrestrial origin, Bruce Wayne is far more intelligent than his Metropolis-based competitor. <

Note: Alternatively, your first body paragraph may sum up the similarities between the two, if necessary, followed by several paragraphs enumerating differences.

For example:  Obviously, both Superman and Batman are costumed superheroes fighting crime and confronting a variety of enemies in their respective cities, Metropolis and Gotham City, while maintaining secret identities as �normal� humans.

Topic sentence 2:  An assertion about how one single criterion, your second major division, distinguishes the two subjects.

For example:  In addition, A (is also different in some way from) B because (second major criterion):
In addition, since Superman came from Krypton, his powers are merely a seemingly magical result of his extraterrestrial origin, whereas Bruce Wayne has developed his own strength, agility, and crime-fighting abilities through constant training and practice.

Topic sentence 3:  An assertion about how one single criterion, your third major division, distinguishes the two subjects.

For example:  More importantly, A is also (different is some specific way from, your third major criterion) B:
Superman is completely dependent on the powers he receives from Earth�s yellow sun, and is totally helpless when confronted with Kryptonite, whereas Bruce Wayne as Batman has an almost unlimited supply of wonderful weapons, devices, and means of transportation he has developed.

*See also,  Andrew, Danielle. �How Much Would It Cost to Be Batman?� IFLScience.com 30 Sep. 2015. Web.

                     Miller, Frank, et al. Batman vs. Superman: The Greatest Battles. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, 2015.

                     Morrison, Grant. Supergods: What Masked Vigilantes, Miraculous Mutants, and a Sun God from Smallville Can Teach Us About Being Human. New York: Spiegel and Grau, 2011.

Zehr, E. Paul. Becoming Batman: The Possibility of a Superhero. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 2008.

Midterm Revisions: Due Monday, November 12

Midterm Essay revisions must be at least three to four (3-4) pages (750 to 1000 words, minimum), typed (in 12-point Times New Roman), double-spaced, with one-inch margins and the proper heading, and stapled when submitted, just like all essays completed at home. You must also submit the original bluebook or typed essay, the prewriting, and a one-page explanation of your changes. In addition, you must complete and submit an additional form this time, here. Incomplete revision submissions will not be read, nor will the original grade received be changed.

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Essay 4: Persuasion/Argumentation, �Draft� due Monday, November 19

After reading  �Arguing� (Bullock 355-375), �Arguing a Position� (Bullock 156-182), and the assigned persuasive essays, compose a formal, final persuasive thesis statement and at least three to five topic sentences for the body of your argument. Your thesis should be argumentative (making a claim), rather than purely informative. Be sure to include in your topic sentences appropriate evidence, examples, data, or other support for your assertion; remember, however, that these are not research essays.

As always, your �draft� should be correctly formatted and correct, free of errors in mechanics, grammar, usage, and spelling. In addition, you should have an appropriate title, ideally one more creative or original than �Argument Essay,� and underline your thesis.

Your submission must be typed, 12-point Times new Roman, double-spaced, and adhere to the following format:

Thesis statement: A formal, specific, clear, and assertive statement on the actual debate or issue, adopting one side or favoring a single proposal. It must include your topic, the claim or assertion, and the major divisions of your essay.

Topic sentence 1: The first major point or argument in favor of your claim.

Topic sentence 2: The second point supporting your argument.

And so on.

For example:

Thesis statement: Voluntary physician-assisted suicide should be a legal option for terminally ill patients, to alleviate prolonged physical and emotional suffering and to avoid unnecessary expense.

Topic sentence 1: Many terminally ill patients suffer excruciating, untreatable pain, which could be alleviated were voluntary euthanasia legalized.

Topic sentence 2: In addition to physical suffering, emotional suffering takes a toll on both the patient and his or her family.

Topic sentence 3: Perhaps most important, the financial cost of long-term health care for the terminally ill could be greatly reduced were these patients allowed to terminate their lives legally.

Topics as announced in class.

Argument �Revision�: Due Wednesday, November 28

Your �revision� should be a completed essay of at least three to four (3-4) pages (750 to 1000 words) based upon your �draft� previously submitted:

� Add an introductory device (a �hook�) and transitional sentence, if necessary, to expand your thesis statement into a proper introduction.

� Add support for each of your topic sentences; include appropriate evidence, examples, data, or other support for your assertion. Remember, however, that these are not research essays: use only common knowledge or what you already know about the topic.

� In the body of your essay, be sure to anticipate and refute opposing viewpoints or possible objections to your position.

� Add an appropriate conclusion.

You must include with your essay the �draft� and pre-writing previously submitted. As always, your essays  should be correctly formatted, and should be grammatically correct, free of errors in mechanics, grammar, usage, spelling, and documentation. In addition, your essay should have an appropriate title, ideally one more creative or original than �Argument Essay�! And underline your thesis!

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Research Paper:

After reading �Doing Research� (Bullock 433-548), compose a clear, well-written, properly documented (MLA format) argumentative essay of at least five to seven pages (1250-1500 words minimum), with a cover page and Works Cited page (cover page and Works Cited do not count toward the five- to seven-page requirement).

The research paper must be argumentative (persuasive), with a clear, explicit, and assertive thesis statement, and should be on the opposing side of the argument essay you submitted. That is, if you argued for stricter gun control laws, you must now argue against them; if you argued that Amazon�s new headquarters would be bad for Long Island City, you must now prove it will benefit the neighborhood and the city. This is designed to get you to engage with both sides of a debate, as well as to develop your skills in finding and evaluating sources and in writing an argument and refuting opposing viewpoints.

You must use a minimum of three to five secondary sources; secondary sources must be scholarly/professional criticism or analysis, not summaries, reviews, or �analysis� from sites such as e-Notes, SparkNotes, Wikipedia*, 123HelpMe, or Gradesaver.com. Instead, use the library resources, including the library databases such as Academic Search Complete, InfoTrac General OneFile, Lexis-Nexis Academic, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, Points of View Reference Center, and CQ Researcher, to locate appropriate sources. To access the databases from home, click on the individual database link. Then, when prompted, enter your username (N #) and password (PIN). You must include at least one short quotation, one long�block�quotation, and one paraphrase, and these sources must be properly documented (utilizing MLA format), and integrated into your writing smoothly and correctly.

* On use of Wikipedia in college-level research, see Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales on PBS NewsHour, here: �I don�t think at a university level it makes sense to cite any encyclopedia in an academic paper. That�s just not what an encyclopedia�s role is in the research process. Maybe if you�re in junior high, you know? If some kid out there is twelve years old and they wrote something and they put in a footnote, we should be thrilled, right? That�s his first start on the idea of crediting other people with ideas and things like that, but at the university level? No, it�s a bit junior high to cite an encyclopedia.�

Annotated Preliminary Bibliography, Due Wednesday, November 28

You must submit an annotated preliminary bibliography with a minimum of five to seven sources correctly cited according to MLA style. As per the instructions above, sources must be scholarly or professional criticism or analysis; use the library resources, including the available electronic databases to locate appropriate sources.

In addition to a correct citation for each source, you must include a description or summary of the source, at least two to three sentences, and an explanation of how you foresee incorporating it into your essay. For additional information on Annotated Bibliographies, see the Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL)�s Annotated Bibliographies, as well as �Sample Annotated Bibliography� and Ebel, Kimberly, �Class and Gender in Cinderella: Annotated Bibliography.�

You might also find the following additional resources useful:

Works Cited page (Instructions & Sample) (Microsoft Word document: OLD format)

MLA format (Purdue university�s Online Writing Lab)

Preliminary Draft: Due Wednesday, December 5

A finished, typed draft of the completed research essay must be brought to class for peer review, evaluation, and comments. This should be a complete draft of your research essay, using a minimum of three to five secondary sources, five to seven pages, and including both a cover page and Works Cited page. This draft is worth 5% of your final grade; failure to bring the required essay will result in a zero for the assignment.

Note: You do not need to submit the folder containing copies of your sources at this time.

Final Draft: Due Wednesday, December 12

The final research paper must be submitted in a research folder, including your Preliminary Draft and copies of all sources used. Be sure to print out or photocopy all secondary sources, and highlight all relevant passages, whether quoted, paraphrased, or summarized. Failure to submit a complete research essay in a folder according to these instructions will be grounds for failure on the assignment. In addition, plagiarism, either in whole or in part, will result in automatic failure (a grade of zero) for the assignment, just as for any essay, and therefore likely failure for the course as well.

Please refer to the following as well:

Research Paper Checklist

Formatting and Style Guide (Purdue Online Writing Lab)

Incorporating Sources (class handout)

Class Plagiarism Policy (on syllabus), as well as the Nassau Community College Policy on Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism (in the college catalog).

You might also find the following additional resources useful:

Works Cited page (Instructions & Sample) (Microsoft Word document: OLD format)

Avoiding Plagiarism (Houghton-Mifflin web site)

Practice Incorporating Sources into Your Work (Houghton-Mifflin web site)

MLA format (Purdue university�s Online Writing Lab)

*Note: Students must obtain prior approval for independent topics; speak to me before or after class or email me to set up an appointment during my office hours.

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Links

Grammar, Writing, and Research Papers:
Prentice Hall�s iPractice	Study Guides and Strategies
Patterns for a Purpose	How to Write a Research Paper
Online English Grammar	More on Writing a Research Paper
A Guide to Grammar & Writing	MLA-Style Citations
Another Guide to Grammar and Style	Getting an A on an English Paper
Plagiarism.org	TurnItIn.com
The Grammar Curmudgeon	Society for the Preservation of English Language and Literature
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