Syllabus
English 1101 English Composition I, Fall 2023
Section 08: TR 9:30-10:45 a.m., Arts & Sciences 368
Section 09: TR 11:00-12:15 p.m., Arts & Sciences 368
Professor
Dr. Alex E. Blazer
478.445.0964
Office Hours: TR 12:30-1:45 p.m. and T 3:30-4:45 p.m., Arts & Sciences 330 and Microsoft Teams, appointment preferred
The undergraduate course catalog describes English 1101 as "a composition course focusing on skills required for effective writing in a variety of contexts, with emphasis on the personal essay and also including introductory use of a variety of research skills." In accordance with both our public liberal arts university's vision and values, this particular section will use the course reader, Reading the World, to explore seminal ideas about education, human nature, law, class, and ethics. We will also employ the course rhetoric, They Say / I Say, to learn effective ways to explain, discuss, and debate these concepts. The dialectical trajectory of the course will be to reflect upon the self, engage a dialogue with a text, and then comment upon (if not also engage) the world: self + text + world. In other words, first, each of us will analyze a key aspect of what makes us who we are; then, each of us will appreciate and interrogate an in-class article; next, we will make an argument about how a classical idea from an in-class article functions in contemporary American society; and, finally, we will go beyond both the textbook and the country to research, present, and compose a final project that analyzes a self-selected issue that is significant not only to oneself, but also American and around the globe. Besides informal writing and peer response, assignments include a personal analysis that uses readings about education to reflect upon one's life; a summary and evaluation of a text, an argumentative analysis about how an important idea really operates in America, and a research project about an issue broached in class discussion.
Our course topics include
- Strategies for college-level writing, including vocabulary, grammar, style, purpose and audience;
- Revision;
- Basic research methods for college-level work, including an introduction to library resources;
- Analysis of texts orally (class discussion) and in writing.
As a result of completing this course, students will learn
- To acquire an ability to write organized, clear, correct, and purposeful prose;
- To understand the principles and strategies of argumentation and analysis;
- To acquire sensitivity to written and oral language as a means of understanding how we relate as individuals to the larger community;
- To grasp the essential nature of research and how to synthesize research in writing so that the insights and documentation are logical and clear;
- To understand through the use of textual models how writing and reading are means for connecting the writer to contemporary culture and its diverse problems and conditions.
Skills practiced in this course include
- critical thinking;
- analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of information;
- written and oral communication;
- teamwork; and
- time management.
Our democracy needs citizens who can comprehend and assess complex issues presented across a wide array of media and who can judge and mediate distinct, divergent perspectives. Employers desire graduates who can write and communicate well; who can analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information; who have organizational, time management, and teamwork skills; and who appreciate diverse viewpoints. The courses and programs in the Department of English, which is the cornerstone of a liberal arts education, will help you practice these skills and become a lifelong learner and informed citizen.
Students must earn a grade of C or better in English 1101 in order to take English 1102.
required (Amazon or University Bookstore)
Austin, Reading the World, 4th ed.
Graff and Birkenstein, They Say / I Say, 5th ed.
required (GeorgiaVIEW)
Assignments and Grade Distribution
informal writing and peer response, 5%
In order to practice aspects of critical thinking and analytical writing, you will write 2 page informal responses to essays in our textbook. In order to help you and your peers become better writers, you will respond to the first drafts of peers' formal papers.
personal reflection, 15%
In this 4-5 page personal reflection, you will reflect upon an important issue in your own experience.
summary and evaluation, 25%
In this 4-5 page page dialogue between Self and Text, you will summarize and evaluate the key argument of one of the texts from Reading the World. This essay will be drafted and revised.
analysis and argument, 25%
In this 4-5 page dialogue between Text and World, you will summarize how one issue is ideally theorized in one article from Reading the World and then analyze and argue how you see that topic really functioning in American today with the help of two contemporary scholarly publications. This essay will be drafted and revised.
research project, 30%
In this research project demonstrating the full dialectic of Self, Text, and World, groups of three or four will select a topic personally important to them that has been broached by the course texts and class discussion, research that issue more deeply and more contemporaneously with the support of scholarly sources found outside the course reading list, and then present their findings to the class in a 20-25 minutes group presentation. Finally, each group member will compose a 6-8 page research paper defining her individual (as opposed to her group's) analysis of the topic and arguing her informed position within the world. Use this spreadsheet calculate your course grade.
Technology
We will use the course site for the syllabus schedule and assignment prompts; supporting documents include an attendance record, a course grade calculation spreadsheet, FAQ, a GeorgiaVIEW walkthrough, a guide to literary analysis, a research methods guide, and paper templates. We will use GeorgiaVIEW for assignment submission and the course packet; if you experience technical issues with GeorgiaVIEW, contact the Center for Teaching and Learning at ctl@gcsu.edu or 478.445.2520. Check your university email for course-related messages. Use an online backup or cloud storage service to not only save but also archive versions of your work in case of personal computer calamities.
Attendance
Because this liberal arts course values contemporaneous discussion over fixed lecture, regular attendance is required. In courses that meet two days per week, there will be a one letter final grade deduction for every unexcused absence beyond three; furthermore, any student who misses seven or more classes for any reason (excused or unexcused) will be dropped from the course and fail. In courses that meet one day per week, there will be a one letter final grade deducation for every unexcused absence beyond two; furthermore, any student who misses four or more classes for any reason (excused or unexcused) will be dropped from the course and fail. I suggest you use your skip days both cautiously and wisely; and make sure you sign the attendance sheets. Habitual tardies, consistently leaving class early, texting, and web surfing will be treated as absences. Unexcused absences include work, family obligations, and scheduled doctor's appointments. Excused absences include family emergency, medical emergency, religious observance, and participation in a college-sponsored activity. If you have a medical condition, extracurricular activity, or job that you anticipate will cause you to excessively miss class, I suggest you drop this section. The CDC COVID isolation and exposure calculator can be found here. The university absence policy can be found here. You can check your class attendance record here.
MLA Style and Length Requirements
An import part of writing in a discipline is adhering to the field's style guide. While other disciplines use APA or Chicago style, literature and composition follow MLA style. Assignments such as in-class exams, discussion board responses, informal/journal writing, and peer review may be informally formatted; however, formal assignments and take-home exams must employ MLA style. One-third of a letter grade will be deducted from a formal paper or take-home exam for problems in each of the following three categories, for a possible one letter grade deduction total: 1) margins, header, and heading, 2) font, font size, and line-spacing, and 3) quotation and citation format. A formal paper or take-home exam will be penalized one-third of a letter grade if it does not end at least halfway down on the minimum page length (not including Works Cited page) while implementing 12 pt Times New Roman font, double-spacing, and 1" margins. Each additional page short of the minimum requirement will result in an a additional one-third letter grade penalty. Before you turn in a formal paper, make sure your work follows MLA style by referring to the MLA style checklist. Feel free to use these templates that are preformatted to MLA style.
Late Assignments
We're all busy with multiple classes and commitments, and adhering to deadlines is critical for the smooth running of the course. There will be a one letter assignment grade deduction per day (not class period) for any assignment that is turned in late. I give short extensions if you request one for a valid need at least one day before the assignment is due. I will inform you via email if I cannot open an electronically submitted assignment; however, your assignment will be considered late until you submit it in a file I can open. Because your completion of this course's major learning outcomes depends on the completion of pertinent assignments, failing to submit an assignment that is worth 15% or more of the course grade within five days of its due date may result in failure of the course. Failing to submit a final exam or final paper within two days of its due date may result in failure of the course.
Academic Honesty
The integrity of students and their written and oral work is a critical component of the academic process. The Honor Code defines plagiarism as "presenting as one's own work the words or ideas of an author or fellow student. Students should document quotes through quotation marks and footnotes or other accepted citation methods. Ignorance of these rules concerning plagiarism is not an excuse. When in doubt, students should seek clarification from the professor who made the assignment." The Undergraduate Catalog and Graduate Catalog define academic dishonesty as "Plagiarizing, including the submission of others' ideas or papers (whether purchased, borrowed, or otherwise obtained) as one's own. When direct quotations are used in themes, essays, term papers, tests, book reviews, and other similar work, they must be indicated; and when the ideas of another are incorporated in any paper, they must be acknowledged, according to a style of documentation appropriate to the discipline" and "Submitting, if contrary to the rules of a course, work previously presented in another course," among other false representations. As plagiarism is not tolerated at GCSU, "since the primary goal of education is to increase one's own knowledge," any student found guilty of substantial, willful plagiarism or dishonesty may fail the assignment and the course. This course uses plagiarism prevention technology from TurnItIn. The papers may be retained by the service for the sole purpose of checking for plagiarized content in future student submissions.
Writing Center
Writing consultants will work with any student writer working on any project in any discipline. To learn more about Writing Center locations, hours, scheduling, and services, please visit here. Send questions to writing.center@gcsu.edu.
Required Syllabus Statements
Additional statements regarding the Religious Observance Policy, Assistance for Student Needs Related to Disability, Student Mental Health, Student Rating of Instruction Survey, Academic Honesty, Student Use of Copyrighted Materials, Electronic Recording Policy, Academic Grievance or Appeals, and Fire Drills can be found here.
- For each class period, read, take notes on, and be ready to discuss the assigned articles from Reading the World (Austin #-#) and They Say / I Say (Graff #-#). Links denote activities to be completed or materials to be introduced in class. Boldface links denote assignments due in GeorgiaVIEW by the start of class for informal writing), during class for peer response), or by 11:59 p.m. for paper drafts.
- This schedule is subject to change.
Week 1 |
T, 8-22 |
|
R, 8-24 |
Education Tzu, "Encouraging Learning" (Austin 3-11) Seneca, "On Liberal and Vocational Studies" (Austin 11-8) Graff, Preface and Introduction (Graff xiv-18) |
|
Week 2 |
T, 8-29 |
Douglass, "Learning to Read" (Austin 22-8) Woolf, "Shakespeare's Sister" (Austin 29-34) Graff, 1 They Say (Graff 19-31) Austin, 10 Reading Ideas (Austin 532-45) |
R, 8-31 |
Anzaldúa, "How to Tame a Wild Tongue" (Austin 35-46) Nussbaum, "Education for Profit, Education for Democracy" (Austin 47-56) Graff, 2 Her Point Is (Graff 32-46) |
|
Week 3 |
T, 9-5 |
Mencius, "Man's Nature Is Good" (Austin 65-70) Tzu, "Man's Nature Is Evil" (Austin 71-80) Graff, 3 As He Himself Puts It (Graff 47-56) Austin, 11 Generating Ideas (Austin 546-57) Writing Center Tutor Visit |
R, 9-7 |
Hobbes, from Leviathan (Austin 81-6) Arendt, from The Human Condition (Austin 87-92) Graff, 4 Yes/No/Okay, But (Graff 57-71) Austin, 12 Structuring Ideas (Austin 558-73) In Class Activity 2: Organizing the Personal Reflection Paper Informal Writing 2 Brainstorming the Personal Reflection Paper Due |
|
Week 4 |
T, 9-12 |
Tzu, from The Tao te Ching (Austin 289-300) Thucydides, "The Melian Dialogue" (Austin 301-8) Graff, 5 And Yet (Graff 72-81) |
R, 9-14 |
Writing Day: Bring your laptops |
|
Week 5 |
T, 9-19 |
De Pizan, from The Treasure of the City of Ladies (Austin 314-21) Machiavelli, from The Prince (Austin 322-30) Graff, 6 Skeptics May Object (Graff 82-95) Austin, 13 Supporting Ideas (Austin 574-95) |
R, 9-21 |
Madison, "Memorial and Remonstrance against Religious Assessments" (Austin 334-41) Al-Hakim, from The Sultan's Dilemma (Austin 342-9) Graff, 7 So What? Who Cares? (Graff 96-106) |
|
|
T, 9-26 |
King, "Letter from Birmingham Jail" (Austin 350-66) Tutu, "Nuremberg or National Amnesia: A Third Way" (Austin 367-76) Graff, 8 As a Result (Graff 107-22) Austin, 14 Synthesizing Ideas (Austin 596-608) |
R, 9-28 |
Wealth, Poverty, and Social Class "The Law Code of Manu" (Austin 380-4) Epictetus, "To Those Who Fear Want" (Austin 385-9) Graff, 9 You Mean I Can Just Say It That Way? (Graff 123-37) |
|
Week 7 |
T, 10-3 |
Chü-I, "The Flower Market" (Austin 390-2) Malthus, from "An Essay on the Principle of Population" (Austin 393-400) Graff, 10 But Don't Get Me Wrong (Graff 138-48) Austin, 15 Incorporating Ideas (Austin 609-29) |
R, 10-5 |
Gandhi, "Economic and Moral Progress" (Austin 401-9) Sanger, "The Case for Birth Control" (Austin 409-15) Graff, 11 What I Really Want to Say Is (Graff 149-71) |
|
Week 8 |
T, 10-10 |
|
R, 10-12 |
Writing Day: Bring your laptops |
|
Week 9 |
T, 10-17 |
Menchú, from I, Rigoberta Menchú (Austin 419-24) Stiglitz, "Rent Seeking and the Making of an Unequal Society" (Austin 425-32) Graff, 12 I Take Your Point (Graff 172-6) Austin, 16 Revising and Editing (Austin 630-6) |
R, 10-19 |
Paper 2 Peer Response Groups 1-3 ***Only students in Groups 1-3 attend class today at the assigned times |
|
Week 10 |
T, 10-24 |
Paper 2 Peer Response Groups 4-6 ***Only students in Groups 4-6 attend class today at the assigned times |
R, 10-26 |
Ethics and Empathy Confucius, from the Analects (Austin 436-44) The Quran, "The Chambers" (Austin 445-8) Graff, 13 Don't Make Them Scroll Up (Graff 177-86) |
|
Week 11 |
T, 10-31 |
Shantideva, "The Way of the Bodhisattva" (Austin 449-55) Smith, from The Theory of Moral Sentiments (Austin 456-62) Graff, 14 What's Motivating This Writer? (Graff 187-202) |
R, 11-2 |
Bentham, "The Principle of Utility" (Austin 463-8) Buber, from I and Thou (Austin 472-8) Graff, 17 The Data Suggest (Graff 250-68) In Class Activity 6: Brainstorming the Analysis and Argument Paper |
|
Week 12 |
T, 11-7 |
Bloom, from Against Empathy (Austin 487-500) Adichie, "Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions" (Austin 501-9) Graff, 18 Analyze This (Graff 269-88) |
R, 11-9 |
No Class: Writing from Home |
|
Week 13 |
T, 11-14 |
|
R, 11-16 |
Research Groupwork: All students attend |
|
Week 14 |
T, 11-21 |
Research Groupwork: All students attend |
R, 11-23 |
No Class: Thanksgiving Holidays |
|
Week 15 |
T, 11-28 |
|
R, 11-30 |
||
Week 16 |
T, 12-5 |
|
R, 12-7 |
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Finals |
T, 12-12 |
|
R, 12-14 |