ENG 099.0739
T MB 65 1:00-3:00 PM & B202 3:35-4:25 PM, TH E 273 1:00--3:00 PM
BASIC WRITING
Spring 2012 Semester
Professor: Dr. Luke Vasileiou Office: M 109C
Phone: 718-482-5694
Class website: http://heroicchoices.blogspot.com
Instructor website: http://faculty.laguardia.edu/lvasileiou
Instructor website: http://faculty.laguardia.edu/lvasileiou
Catalog Course Description:
Basic Writing is designed to introduce and develop college level writing proficiency through careful attention to the writing process. Emphasizing both the writing process and skills needed for timed and high stakes essays, such as the CATW, this course will prepare students for college level writing. Students will learn to employ argument in the short essay form to clearly express ideas in support of a position written in edited U.S. English.
Themes and Context of the Section:
We will examine the concept of the hero as someone who is always called to make difficult choices, sometimes going with and sometimes against the societal grain. The movies we will use as texts, The Matrix and Hero, and also short excerpts such as Plato’s “The Allegory of The Cave” explore the following philosophical questions:
§ To what degree do we control our own lives?
§ What is reality and what is illusion? How do we know?
§ Do we choose harsh realities over comfortable illusions?
As part of the Teaching and Learning networks at LAGCC, we will also be sharing our work with students in other classes and they will be sharing with us.
Required Reading Material:
A collegiate dictionary (your choice but not an electronic one)
Blog for this class (http://heroicchoices.blogspot.com) and materials on the class blog, instructor website, and also handouts
Other Required Materials:
1) A thumb drive (USB stick) for saving your work. (Anything that happens to your files is your own responsibility). 2) A folder to keep ALL your papers 3) Loose-leaf paper or a notebook 4) A stapler (any size) 5) Black or blue pens
Course Requirements and Grading Standards:
** You must pass the CATW with a score of 56 or more in order to pass the course.
For those who pass the CATW, the final grade in this course will be based on the blog work:
You will create your own blog, a public depository of your writings; each week there will be several blog assignments to complete. Your blog entries are a required part of the course and will be formally evaluated three times during the term (a series of blogs at each time) with a grade from 0 (F) to 100 (A+) based on the following criteria:
- Student Posted and Commented as Directed. Only Posts at a 250 word minimum receive credit --the limit is longer for CATW practice essays (20 points) *
- Posted and Commented on Time (20 points)
- Post is Appropriate to Assignment (20 points)
- Post is Clear and in Standard Edited English (20 points)
- Student Actively Engaged with Texts and Peers (20 points)
*some assignments may have a higher word limit. You will see that in the assignment directions where such is the case.
Important: Your average grade for the blog/online activities must be a “C--” (70) for you to qualify to take the CUNY Assessment Test in Writing (CAT-W) at the time I clear students for the test. You must also not have gone over the absences limit (tardies included) and must have taken at least 3 of the practice tests. Absences:
THERE ARE NO EXCUSED ABSENCES FOR THIS CLASS.
Per college policy, students have four hours (HOURS, not DAYS) of absences counting from the first day of classes, regardless of when the student registered. Any HOUR in which you come in late or leave early counts as a tardy. After 20 minutes I no longer count tardies and you are absent for the hour. I count you present only once you have taken your seat and turned off and put away all electronic devices. You are absent until you do so and also you are counted absent if I see you with such a device in class. Three tardies count as an absence. Use your FOUR hours only for serious reasons. Students who miss more than 4 hours of class will fail the course and will be denied entry to the CATW exam. Writing Lab is included as part of English 099 Attendance.
Late and Missed Work:Late work loses the timeliness points of the blog rubric. You will not be allowed to make up any CATW practice tests (there are 4 and you need to take at least 3).
Academic Honesty:
All students of LaGuardia Community College are responsible for preparing and presenting original work. In accordance with the college’s policy on student responsibilities, the penalty for papers which are plagiarized and for any cheating during exams is immediate course failure. Please refer to your college catalog for a more complete discussion of Academic Honesty.
Classroom Behavior:
If you disrupt class, text on your cell phone, fall asleep in class etc, I will count you absent. The same applies on days you do not have the necessary course materials with you. All of your classmates have the same rights you do to an environment conducive to learning, so nobody will be allowed to act in ways that disturb learning; students who demonstrate behavior that obstructs others’ learning and/or instruction will be asked to leave and will be counted absent.
A Final Note:
The language of the syllabus is austere, because it is a worst-case scenario, and a legal document. Overwhelmingly, none of these things happen, and class is an enjoyable experience. So, take the tone of this document to mean, “What would happen if,” but not what I expect this semester will be like. Also, I am here to help you, and I can work with any difficulties and problems may arise. The only students I cannot help are the ones I do not see, so please do not stop coming to class (and my office for individual help) no matter the situation. Welcome to English 099!
ENGLISH 099 COURSE CALENDAR
NOTE: You are responsible for any changes to the calendar announced in class and posted on the class blog schedule. Certain blogs not yet scheduled include activities with other sections at LaGuardia
WEEK 1
T 6 March Syllabus and Course Introduction. Diagnostic CATW
Lab: Begin discussing “Hype.”
TH 8 Survey. Continue discussing “Hype.” Go over directions. Blog 1: Type Diagnostic.
WEEK 2
T 13 Annotating a reading. Conclude discussion of “Hype” in class. Discuss evidence. Look at sample responses. Writing a summary. Summarizing “Hype.”
Lab: Invention techniques.
TH 15 Blog 2: Revised diagnostic. Discuss thesis. Blog 3: Type summary of “Hype.”
WEEK 3
T 20 Excerpt from The Republic : “The Allegory of the Cave.” Discuss and annotate.
Lab: Main points for summary of “The Allegory of the Cave.”
TH 22 online work. Blog 4: Summary of “The Allegory of the Cave.”
WEEK 4
T 27 Discuss reasons for supporting thesis. Go over CATW directions as given by test administration. Discuss historical examples of illusory “caves.” Assignment for Thursday: Watch The Matrix (we will not watch it in class).
Lab: Invention techniques, practice.
TH 29 Blog 5: “Historical and Personal Illusions.” Discuss The Matrix. Evaluate Summary of “The Allegory of the Cave.” (POSSIBLY CROSS-EVALUATED).
FIRST SET OF BLOG EVALUATION AT THIS POINT
WEEK 5
T 3 April CATW practice test 1
Lab: Discuss CATW practice 1 and kinds of evidence used.
TH 5. Blog 6: Type CATW practice 1. Discuss transitions between paragraphs. Model paragraphs for CATW 1.
WEEK 6
Spring Break
WEEK 7
T 17 CATW practice test 2
Lab: Discuss CATW practice 2 and kinds of evidence used.
TH 19 Body paragraphs: reasons and evidence. Blog 7: Revise CATW Practice 1. Blog 8: Type CATW Practice 2
WEEK 8
T 24 Movie: Hero
Lab: Model paragraphs for CATW 2
TH 26 Discuss Hero and connections to other text. Blog 9: “The Hero in Hero”
WEEK 9
T 1 May CATW Practice 3
Lab: Discuss CATW practice 3 and kinds of evidence used.
TH 3 May Model paragraphs for CATW 3. Blog 10: Type CATW Practice 3.
SECOND SET OF BLOG EVALUATION AT THIS POINT
WEEK 10
T 8 May Downshifting: levels of specificity in body paragraphs.
Lab: Error Analysis Sheets
TH 10 Generate, in groups, ideas for responses to article handout. Use of source text and incorporating text. Blog 11: Revise CATW Practice 2.
WEEK 11
T 15 CATW Practice 4
Lab: Discuss CATW practice 4 and kinds of evidence used.
Lab: Discuss CATW practice 4 and kinds of evidence used.
TH 17 Blog 12: Revise CATW Practice 3. Blog 13: Prepare an individual writing plan based on previous practice tests.
WEEK 12
T 22 CATW actual test
TH 24 CATW actual test Blog 14: Type CATW Practice 4
WEEK 13
T 29 Prepare for ENG 101 (no lab today)
TH 31 Prepare for ENG 101. Post-survey. Blog 15: Reflection on blogger and blogging.
THIRD SET OF BLOG EVALUATION AT THIS POINT
WEEK 14
T 5 June Reading day
TH 7 results (it is possible we may have these on Tuesday—I will let you know when you take the exam)
