exit exam room info, and... rising seas?!?

Okay, I received the Exit Exam room assignment this evening. Here it is:

4135 Boylan
Tuesday 12/15 from 10:30a-12:30p

Should you, for any reason, be unable to attend this date/time, the make-up exam will be held on Thursday, 12/17 @ 10:30a-12:30p in 3420 Boylan

Questions...? Email me.

So, in addition, I found this little ditty about global warming today on NPR. It's interactive, informative, and may inspire ire... enjoy!

http://www.npr.org/news/graphics/2008/jan/flooding/index.html

practice exit exam, knapp discussion for extra credit, and Wed. 12/9

You need be aware of some procedures for the Practice Exit Exam this upcoming Monday to ensure you can make the most of the allotted 75 min. time period.

Upon arriving in class Monday immediately approach my desk to receive the second essay and some lined paper on which you will compose the exam.

You will have the entire class period to read, outline your paper, and write it. I would suggest, in the interest of time, that you only compare and/or contrast one or two main points (items) between authors. This can be accomplished in the 75 min. window; should you endeavor to write a "full" essay you may find yourself without time to finish.

The Practice Exam is not graded. However, I will look over each exam and provide any necessary comments and/or criticisms as I see fit, returning these on Wednesday 12/9.

While on the topic... next Wed. 12/9 I will not be able to attend the entire class period and will have to leave approx. at 2:50p to, lo and behold, take an exam of my own! Yikes! The end of the semester gets us all, no? Still, you must attend class for it will be devoted to three important things:

1. Collection Revisions #4 and #5
2. Returning of Practice Exams
3. Peer Group Discussions of Exit Exam Article #1 (Schlosser, "Why McDonald's Fries Taste So Good")
   

When we must depart from the classroom, you are welcome to stay for the remainder of the class period to continue discussing Schlosser's article. Remember you are all allowed to talk about this essay with each other to increase comprehension, gather possible points of comparison and contrast, and finally to share notes and annotations with each other. I am not, under any circumstances, allowed to discuss the essay with you.

So, use this opportunity next Wednesday wisely. You are in a university setting now which means that the responsibilities (and perks) of true adulthood are upon you. Our class, and further your Learning Community, is a viable resource of peers who have a great amount of academic insight to impart. Learn from each other. Work towards the common goal of passing this Exit Exam by preparing.

---

Given that we only discussed the Knapp article for half an hour today in class, I wanted to offer a space for you all to continue the discussion in preparation for the Practice Exit Exam this upcoming Monday.

As an incentive... for every post/reply you make to this thread I will discount one day's absence. You must provide at least one "new" citation in your comment to gain credit. By "new" I mean that you must offer a different quotation and/or a different explanation/reading/interpretation to gain credit. Remember, if you're replying specifically to one author include "Re:NAME" in your comment.

Topics for suggested discussion:
-- anxiety and its connection, according the Knapp, to anorexia
-- cultural stereotypes and the feminine ideal
-- prevalent rhetorical devices used in Knapp's essay
-- agreement/disagreement with Knapp's views, claims, generalization, etc.
-- any personal reactions or responses to this piece
-- any connection of this piece to other themes discussed thus far in the course

final revisions and Practice Exit Exam Reading #1

Please note these final changes to the schedule. I wish to give you a full week to revise Essay #4, and will be handing back the first draft this Wed 12/2. Therefore, your revisions of Essay #4 & 5 will be due on the last day of class, 12/9.


Seg 6 – Final Exam Preparation
W12/2: essay 5 seg 5; read Knapp essay for Practice Exit Exam
M12/7: Practice Exit Exam
W12/9: revision 4 essay 4; revision 5 essay 5; student Exit Exam First Essay discussions
M12/14: (no class – reading day)


I am providing the First Practice Exam Reading as an electronic copy. Therefore, you must print this article on your own and read it before class on Wednesday, 12/2. Follow this link to gain access to the pdf file. Email me if you are having trouble accessing the document and I'll email it to you via attachment.

reminder! film screening in the library

This is just to remind everyone that on Monday, 11/30 we will be meeting in the Library, room 242, for a screening of Al Gore's documentary film An Inconvenient Truth.

Be sure to bring your Coursepack, as we will be discussing the Moser and Thompson articles, as well as the Kallman and Gore articles posted on this blog in preparation for your last major writing assignment, Essay #5, due 12/2.

library requirement

Okay folks, so as the semester draws to a close I must inform you that I have only received one student's certificate of completion regarding the Library Orientation Program. I handed out flyers concerning this requirement many weeks ago, and I recently announced the following information to the class this previous Monday (11/23). Taken directly from the English Department's statement,

All English I students at Brooklyn College are required to take an Introduction to the Library English I Library Orientation Program.

Therefore, given that virtually the entire class has been negligent in fulfilling this necessary task, I feel compelled to reward you if participate and to penalize you if you fail to do so. I am instituting the following conditions regarding this required formality:

The Library Orientation Program will count as one Article Paper grade, bringing the total of Article Papers to five. Recall that Article Papers count as 25% of your final grade. Thus, this one, final paper counts as 5% (or one-twentieth) of your overall English I course grade.

If you attend the Library Orientation Program and hand in your certificate of completion no later than 12/18 to my mailbox in the English Department (2308 Boylan), then you will receive an A on the fifth Article Paper.

If you fail to attend the Library Orientation Program and you do not hand in the certificate, then you will receive an F on the fifth and final Article Paper.

Of course, should you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter, please feel free to email me. Note: you need to sign up for an orientation session before attending; you may do so by speaking with a clerk at the Library Reference/Circulation Desk located on the first floor. You are encouraged to visit the website prior to attending: http://dewey.brooklyn.cuny.edu/library/help/loop

essay #5: the penultimate frontier

Essay #5
• Due Date: Wednesday, 12/2/09
• Length: three to six typed and stapled pages
• Formatting: one-inch margins; 12pt. font, Times New Roman; MLA citation
• Grade: a standard letter grade will be given


I am giving you two options for this assignment:

I. Moser presents the eight-stage Movement Action Plan on page 128 of the Coursepack. How can you utilize this MAP as a lens through which Thompson’s article, “Responsibility…” can be analyzed? In other words, how do some of the philosophies, theories, notions, and ideas—e.g., those concerning nature and man’s relationship to nature, wilderness v. wildness, excessive civilization and the post-natural world, etc.—presented in Thompson’s text connect to the current debate on global warming and environmental repair? How have these ideas influenced our current beliefs about climate change? Where might the dynamic of social movement lead these ecological debates in the future? Lastly, to draw from Moser’s text, how might “ignoring [these] internal dynamics […] possibly lead to failure” (129)?

II. Compare and/or contrast at least two of the following five article choices: (i) Moser and (ii) Thompson, from the Coursepack; (iii) Kallman and (iv) Gore, which were posted on the blog; and (v) the essay you researched and chose for Article Paper #4.

enviro articles for reading and possibly for AP#4

The following two articles are merely for you to reference, in hopes of increasing your knowledge about the current global warming debate and environmental crisis. These articles also may be used as your source for your ARTICLE PAPER #4, due Wed. 11/25.



Two New Visions for America's Energy Future
By Matt Kallman
Published: 07-22-2008
Source: http://earthtrends.wri.org/updates/node/323


Speaking before an enthusiastic crowd at a sold-out DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., former Vice President Al Gore issued a challenge to "repower America." Gore's challenge is undoubtedly ambitious: he wants the entire U.S. electricity sector to shift to zero-carbon sources like wind, solar, and geothermal in the next 10 years.

While many energy experts reacted to his challenge with skepticism, Gore believes that he has set an "achievable, affordable and transformative" goal. He noted that whereas the price of fossil fuels like oil, coal and natural gas rise as demand increases, the price of wind, solar and geothermal will decrease as renewable energy demand expands. Currently, fossil fuels provide more than 90 percent of electricity in the United States (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. U.S. electricity generation by source, 2007.

Oil, coal, and natural gas provide more than 90 percent of the United States' electricity.

As for as the short time horizon he has established, Gore remarked that "ten years is about the maximum time that we as a nation can hold a steady aim and hit our target." He then referenced the Apollo space program, which put a man on the moon only eight years after President Kennedy set his own ten-year goal.

Many observers also noticed a slight if apparent shift in Gore's thinking. While he had until recently focused on climate change as the single defining "planetary emergency" of our time, his new talking points underscore that most solutions to the climate crisis overlap with solutions to our energy security, fossil-fuel dependence, and economic recession. He now highlights the "common thread" between these our economic, environmental, and national security problems, saying, "We're borrowing money from China to buy oil from the Persian Gulf to burn it in ways that destroy the planet."

Gore emphasized that one of the prerequisites for his vision of a clean energy future is a massive overhaul and expansion of the United States' electricity transmission infrastructure. The majority of the country's renewable resources are located far from most large cities. Winds blow strongly through the flatlands of the Midwest, and the sun shines brightly in the deserts of the Southwest, but both areas are home to few electricity demand centers.

Another recent "energy challenge" also emphasizes the important of renewing America's transmission infrastructure, but comes from an unlikely source. T. Boone Pickens, a well-known Texas oilman and prospector, made a fortune in fossil fuels but is now a leading advocate for wind power. Wary of transferring $700 billion annually to oil-exporting nations, Pickens is primarily motivated by security concerns. He has repeatedly said that he is not an environmentalist, but is out to make money, and sees a bright future for zero-emission electricity generation. His new plan calls for producing all of the country's electricity from wind power, and shifting natural gas reserves for use in automobiles. Mesa Power, his energy company, has already begun development of a multibillion-dollar, 4 MW wind farm in Texas.

Neither challenge will be easy to meet. The political and economic barriers to widespread adoption of carbon-free electricity generation are great. Solar and wind, which experiencing rapid growth in the past few years, are nonetheless growing from minuscule base when compared with fossil fuels.

Yet some see a shifting paradigm. Ever-higher oil prices are pushing up natural gas prices, and even cheap and dirty coal has seen some price rises. Legislation imposing a price on carbon went to the floor of the U.S. Senate for the first time this year, and may become law when a new administration enters office in January. These factors, when coupled with an economy in recession, may provoke the needed investment in clean sources of electricity – and, perhaps more importantly, may bring political will in line for a "repowered" American future.




The Climate for Change
By Al Gore
Published: 11-9-2008
Source: The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/09/opinion/09gore.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink


The inspiring and transformative choice by the American people to elect Barack Obama as our 44th president lays the foundation for another fateful choice that he -- and we -- must make this January to begin an emergency rescue of human civilization from the imminent and rapidly growing threat posed by the climate crisis.

The electrifying redemption of America's revolutionary declaration that all human beings are born equal sets the stage for the renewal of United States leadership in a world that desperately needs to protect its primary endowment: the integrity and livability of the planet.

The world authority on the climate crisis, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, after 20 years of detailed study and four unanimous reports, now says that the evidence is "unequivocal." To those who are still tempted to dismiss the increasingly urgent alarms from scientists around the world, ignore the melting of the north polar ice cap and all of the other apocalyptic warnings from the planet itself, and who roll their eyes at the very mention of this existential threat to the future of the human species, please wake up. Our children and grandchildren need you to hear and recognize the truth of our situation, before it is too late.

Here is the good news: the bold steps that are needed to solve the climate crisis are exactly the same steps that ought to be taken in order to solve the economic crisis and the energy security crisis.

Economists across the spectrum -- including Martin Feldstein and Lawrence Summers -- agree that large and rapid investments in a jobs-intensive infrastructure initiative is the best way to revive our economy in a quick and sustainable way. Many also agree that our economy will fall behind if we continue spending hundreds of billions of dollars on foreign oil every year. Moreover, national security experts in both parties agree that we face a dangerous strategic vulnerability if the world suddenly loses access to Middle Eastern oil.

As Abraham Lincoln said during America's darkest hour, "The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew." In our present case, thinking anew requires discarding an outdated and fatally flawed definition of the problem we face.

Thirty-five years ago this past week, President Richard Nixon created Project Independence, which set a national goal that, within seven years, the United States would develop "the potential to meet our own energy needs without depending on any foreign energy sources." His statement came three weeks after the Arab oil embargo had sent prices skyrocketing and woke America to the dangers of dependence on foreign oil. And -- not coincidentally -- it came only three years after United States domestic oil production had peaked.

At the time, the United States imported less than a third of its oil from foreign countries. Yet today, after all six of the presidents succeeding Nixon repeated some version of his goal, our dependence has doubled from one-third to nearly two-thirds -- and many feel that global oil production is at or near its peak.

Some still see this as a problem of domestic production. If we could only increase oil and coal production at home, they argue, then we wouldn't have to rely on imports from the Middle East. Some have come up with even dirtier and more expensive new ways to extract the same old fuels, like coal liquids, oil shale, tar sands and "clean coal" technology.

But in every case, the resources in question are much too expensive or polluting, or, in the case of "clean coal," too imaginary to make a difference in protecting either our national security or the global climate. Indeed, those who spend hundreds of millions promoting "clean coal" technology consistently omit the fact that there is little investment and not a single large-scale demonstration project in the United States for capturing and safely burying all of this pollution. If the coal industry can make good on this promise, then I'm all for it. But until that day comes, we simply cannot any longer base the strategy for human survival on a cynical and self-interested illusion.

Here's what we can do -- now: we can make an immediate and large strategic investment to put people to work replacing 19th-century energy technologies that depend on dangerous and expensive carbon-based fuels with 21st-century technologies that use fuel that is free forever: the sun, the wind and the natural heat of the earth.

What follows is a five-part plan to repower America with a commitment to producing 100 percent of our electricity from carbon-free sources within 10 years. It is a plan that would simultaneously move us toward solutions to the climate crisis and the economic crisis -- and create millions of new jobs that cannot be outsourced.

First, the new president and the new Congress should offer large-scale investment in incentives for the construction of concentrated solar thermal plants in the Southwestern deserts, wind farms in the corridor stretching from Texas to the Dakotas and advanced plants in geothermal hot spots that could produce large amounts of electricity.

Second, we should begin the planning and construction of a unified national smart grid for the transport of renewable electricity from the rural places where it is mostly generated to the cities where it is mostly used. New high-voltage, low-loss underground lines can be designed with "smart" features that provide consumers with sophisticated information and easy-to-use tools for conserving electricity, eliminating inefficiency and reducing their energy bills. The cost of this modern grid -- $400 billion over 10 years -- pales in comparison with the annual loss to American business of $120 billion due to the cascading failures that are endemic to our current balkanized and antiquated electricity lines.

Third, we should help America's automobile industry (not only the Big Three but the innovative new startup companies as well) to convert quickly to plug-in hybrids that can run on the renewable electricity that will be available as the rest of this plan matures. In combination with the unified grid, a nationwide fleet of plug-in hybrids would also help to solve the problem of electricity storage. Think about it: with this sort of grid, cars could be charged during off-peak energy-use hours; during peak hours, when fewer cars are on the road, they could contribute their electricity back into the national grid.

Fourth, we should embark on a nationwide effort to retrofit buildings with better insulation and energy-efficient windows and lighting. Approximately 40 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States come from buildings -- and stopping that pollution saves money for homeowners and businesses. This initiative should be coupled with the proposal in Congress to help Americans who are burdened by mortgages that exceed the value of their homes.

Fifth, the United States should lead the way by putting a price on carbon here at home, and by leading the world's efforts to replace the Kyoto treaty next year in Copenhagen with a more effective treaty that caps global carbon dioxide emissions and encourages nations to invest together in efficient ways to reduce global warming pollution quickly, including by sharply reducing deforestation.

Of course, the best way -- indeed the only way -- to secure a global agreement to safeguard our future is by re-establishing the United States as the country with the moral and political authority to lead the world toward a solution.

perform your internet agency and vote by replying to this post!

Just to get an idea out there...

On Monday, 11/30, we are scheduled to watch Al Gore's documentary film An Inconvenient Truth during the class's normal meeting time. This film will cut into a majority of the time we have to discuss the similarities and differences between the Moser and Thompson essay's that day. That being said, the essay from Seg 5 is due the following class period, Wed. 12/2.

As an alternative, I'd be willing to screen the film (at the same location in the library) that evening after your last class in James Hall at 4:55p; this would allow the entirety of the normal class period (@ 2:15p) to be devoted to a comparison/contrast discussion of Moser and Thompson. Also, we'd be able to finish the entire film (80+mins), rather then 50mins or so we otherwise see.

Indeed, this change would make the film session "optional", but I'd encourage all to come, as anything you see in the film and make note of could be cited as secondary support in your subsequent essay! Plus, I find the film to be particularly informative, offering a broader knowledge of the impact our modern lives have on the entire biosphere, and the time frame in which we as a species has to react.

So, I propose a vote.

Please reply to this post, with yea!, for the evening film screening or nay! to keep the screening during the normal class meeting time. (I would have said that we could just vote using the "claps and snarls", but there is the possibility of voting more than once this way...)

segment five readings & final exam prep

Seg 5 – The Environmental/Global Warming Debate
W11/18: essay 4 seg 4; revision 3 essay 3; in-class reading of CP, Dourmana, p. 106f
M11/23: CP, Moser, p.85-105
W11/25: article paper 4 seg 5; CP, Thompson, p.108-128
M11/30: film screening at library (meet in room 242, second floor); journal #8

Seg 6 – Final Exam Preparation
W12/2: essay 5 seg 5; revision 4 essay 4
M12/7: journal #9
W12/9: revision 5 essay 5
M12/14: (no class – reading day)

Seg 7 – Final Exam Week
F12/18: last day to turn in your library orientation completion certificate to my mailbox in the English Department (room 2308, Boylan Hall)
T12/15-12/21: exact test date, time, and location is TBA

revision of essay #3 is mandatory!!!

This is just a friendly reminder that Revisions of Essay #3 are required, and therefore mandatory to be turned in this Wednesday (11/18), along with Essay #4.

Please feel free to email me with questions concerning your revisions!

Good luck!

essay #4

Essay #4
• Due Date: 11/18/09
• Length: three to six typed and stapled pages
• Formatting: one-inch margins; 12pt. font, Times New Roman; MLA citation
• Grade: a standard letter grade will be given


I am giving you two options for this assignment:

I. Either defend/agree or attack/disagree with Truss’s argument(s) concerning punctuation and language. In your paper you must trace how Truss develops and reiterates this argument throughout the chapters we read in class; that is, supply evidence from as many chapters as possible.

II. Compare and/or contrast the Segment 4 Coursepack essays by authors Braden and Westlake.

Should you choose to utilize your article from Article Essay #2, you may only use it as secondary, supporting evidence.



General tips:

I have noticed that many students’ thesis statements are too general and not direct. Therefore, be specific and directly name the things you wish to compare and/or contrast between the two authors/texts.

• Here is a good thesis statement from the first round of Essay #3, “In the article ‘Title’ by Andrew Fiala, he explains the concept of jus as bellum or justice after war as does Marian Eide in her article ‘Title’. Eide writes from a feminist point of view and she discusses the position of women in war. She also discusses how just war and late feminism discourse are used to justify war. Andrew Fiala focuses more on the justification of war and pacifism. The similarity between the two articles is the idea of jus post bellum. The differences are that Fiala speaks more to the justification of war and Eide speaks of gender roles and feminist perspectives”

• Another example I deem to be quite direct and to the point is the following, “In ‘Title’, author Andrew Fiala suggests that citizens are not capable of fulfilling this position of what constitutes a justifiable war. He argues that instead, a citizen’s responsibility is to hold their leaders accountable for their policies and actions regarding just war. In ‘Title’ Bat-Ami Bar On constructs her thesis through a feminist lens by putting forth a call to Americans to not just look at war through the traditional ‘white-male’ perspective. The two authors both suggests that war is sometimes necessary and that ethics should not be brought into the conversation regarding war because often justice can be achieved through un-ethical warfare also known as, jus post bellum.”

• To begin thinking of ways to compare and/or contrast authors/texts, identify two or three issues, points, or items that you can discuss; for example, both Fiala and Eide discuss the “item” of pacifism. Crucially, how they each authors approaches pacifism and what they have to say about the “item” determines if they can be compared or contrasted.

Concerning the bodies of these essays, be sure to double check your body paragraphs.

• Examine each paragraph’s topic sentence, evidence, and transitional statements. Be sure that you are saying exactly what you mean to say and that the paper flows from paragraph to paragraph.

• Make sure that your body paragraphs are in the correct order; that is, the order outlined by the thesis statement.

In the conclusion, you can offer your opinion of the issues at hand, or even better, you can connect the present essays in question to other essays that we have read or to issues that we have discussed before in the class.

article paper #3

On 11/11, Article Paper #3, will be due.

Here are some possible topics to guide your article search:

• information on punctuation issues
• the influence of technology on language, either spoken or written
• language preservation(ists)
• a historical fact about punctuation/language change and transformation
• a scholarly review of Truss's text Eats, Shoots and Leaves
• pedagogical methods to teaching grammar/punctuation
  

Feel free to comment to this posting with a possible topic idea that you're interested in pursuing!!!

journal #7

Respond to one, or all... it's your call.

What are your initial reactions to Truss’s text? Do you find her argument plausible, or is she just a stickler who is wasting her time and energy? How much does "proper" punctuation matter to you?

What about "internet speak"? That being, the "modified" writing of system (sometimes) employed when composing electronically. Should it be allowed? Should there be "rules" when it's acceptable to be used and when not?

Did you ever receive grammar/punctuation instruction formally, informally, or via self-study? Narrate your experience and how it has influenced your writing skills.

impt. updates

Hello All,
Here are the important updates I mentioned today in class. Please feel free to email should you have any questions. Or better, stop by my office hours tomorrow or Wednesday morning.

s.
--------------------------
Note that my office hours tomorrow will not begin until 2:15p, as I will be in a meeting.

Changes to the dates of assignments:

Essay #3 extended until Wednesday 11/4
Revision of Essay #2 extended until Wednesday 11/4
Journal #7 will be due Wednesday 11/4 too

Article Paper #3 moved to Wednesday 11/11

Updates to reading assignments:
Today in class we began to read the Truss's text, "Introduction--p.1-34". If you did not get through these pages, please complete the introduction, as well as p.68-102 for Wednesday, 11/4.

For Monday 11/9, read p.103-176.

For Wednesday 11/11, read CP, Braden, p.58-64

For Monday 11/18, read CP, Westlake, p.65-84

article paper #2 (10/28)

For class tomorrow, Wed. 10/21, please bring your first Article Paper so that we can review some vital issues and so that I can provide constructive remarks to the class.


For the second Article Paper, I would like you to follow the same format as the first assignment. Therefore, review the rubric for the first Article Paper if you need guidance.

Here are some general observations and criticisms I noticed from the first round of assignments that I'd like to share with you:

• in the introduction some were lost as to the direction and scope of their paper; be sure to compose effective intros which seek to accomplish what they set forth

• many students failed to draw a parallel between their quotes and the subsequent explanations; thus, I wanted most students to offer more in terms of explanation of their evidence and support

• many students left their quotes without proper introduction or prior explanation; remember, you cannot simply plop a quote into your paper, it needs to be adequately foregrounded.

• statements like “I believe that”, or “in my opinion” can be avoided; be more direct and just state that it is!

• offer/focus more on your analysis than your summary, as the former is more fruitful in terms of academic writing

journal #6 (10/26)

This next journal has been pushed back to Monday, Oct. 26 to allow you all adequate time to complete it. Also, you'll notice that the next Article Paper is due on Wednesday, Oct. 28th. Hence, you may wish to begin your external article research sooner than later.


Now, on with the journal assignment...

By the time this journal is due you should have read the three essays provided for Segment Two (Fiala, Bar On, Eide). Having done so, state your position on the just war front in regards to America's current military involvement(s). Do you feel that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are, have been, or will be justified? How so? Use one, two, or all three of the authors we have just read to support your statements and claims. If you can or feel compelled to do so, reply to a student's comment by offering further support/agreement or even a rebuttal/rejection.

Other things to consider regarding the topic: How do you view the theory of just war? Can such a theory even exist in our current technological, mechanical, pan-national globe when contrasted to the world of the past? What must we consider for a war to be just? And, crucially, who must we ask for justification and definition of warfare?

Other things to consider regarding the reading: How have one or all of these authors influenced your understanding and conception of war? Do you tend to agree/disagree with one over the other? What is a common thread that exists among two or all three of these authors?

updates and announcements

Hello All,

Please make note of the reading assignments which have been updated on the appropriate blog page here. Also note that some due dates have been shifted to allow more "space".

Notice that by 10/21 you should have purchased a copy (available only at Shakespeare and Co.) of the required textbook Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss. If you fail in retrieving this text before the 21st, the bookstore cannot guarantee it being in stock. Luckily, Lynne's book is common and can be found at most major bookstores throughout the city. Just be sure to have a copy on hand as soon as possible.

And do not forget to send me e-copies (via email attachment) of your memoir revisions TODAY by 5:00pm for submission to the first-year student publication!

That's all for now...
s.

essay #2 and revision #1

Please forgive the delay in this posing; however, such postings only exist to supplement the materials handed out in class.

Essay #2
• Due Date: 10/14/09
• Length: three to six typed and stapled pages
• Formatting: one-inch margins; 12pt. font, Times New Roman; MLA citation
• Grade: a standard letter grade will be given

For this assignment, I ask that you write a formal essay that compares and/or contrasts at least two of the readings from segment two; these include the three articles assigned from the Coursepack: Nelson, Moore, and Taylor.

The Shapiro article, entitled “Obama Toughens States Secrets Privilege” posted on the blog, and your article from Article Essay #1 may only be used as secondary, supporting evidence.

General tips:

• In your introductory paragraph:
o Be sure to name the titles and the authors of the works you plan on comparing and contrasting.
o You must have a thesis statement that identifies not only the order, but also the specific points which you plan on founding your discussion.

• In your body:
o Be sure that each paragraph is following the “course” or “path” set by the introduction; that is, ask yourself:
-- How does each body paragraph highlight, illustrate, or expand upon the main idea of the thesis?
-- How does each body paragraph provide further evidence in support of your thesis?

• In your conclusion:
o Be sure to summarize your paper’s main point(s), drawing the reader to a natural close.
o Should you wish to include any personal experience, the place is here in the conclusion.
o You may wish to offer “what’s next”; that is, ask yourself:
--What are the implications of essay and/or the essay’s thesis?
-- How can/will the things you discuss be implemented in the future?
-- What is the next step you will take?
-- How will this writing affect the larger, greater, external world beyond?

Other important tips and requirements:
• Should you quote any reading or text we have read thus far, be sure to properly cite each source using parenthetical citation. Use the handout on citation for assistance. You may also use the MLA section within Hacker’s Writer’s Reference for further assistance with this necessary requirement.
• A “Works Cited” page or bibliography is not needed for this paper, but be sure to reference the page numbers from the Coursepack not the page numbers from each individual article.
• Should you have any questions regarding this assignment, please email me as soon as possible.



Revision of Formal Essays
• Due Date: essay revisions are due when the subsequent essay assignment is due
o e.g., your revision of Essay #1 is due when your first “draft” of Essay #2 is due, in this case: 10/14/09
• Length: three to six typed and stapled pages
• Formatting: one-inch margins; 12pt. font, Times New Roman; MLA citation
• Grade: a standard letter grade will be given which will be averaged with the mark conferred on the “draft”

For this assignment, I ask that you rewrite the first “draft” of your formal essays and hand them in when the subsequent essay assignment is due.

In your revisited paper you need to accomplish the following requirements to receive credit:
1. You must attach the original draft-copy, or copies should there be multiple, of the essay you are revising.
2. You must revise the paper for both global and local errors.
3. You must consider revisions and corrects beyond the ones that I have offered. That is, I want to see that you have engaged with your essay on a deeper level and have attempted to located the major and minor places where revision and improvement can take place.

impt. reminder

Please, everyone DO NOT FORGET to bring TWO UNMARKED COPIES OF YOUR FIRST ESSAY assignment tomorrow to class! One more time: you should bring the memoir essay or the Obama/Du Bois/Washington essay -- ESSAY #1 -- TO CLASS TOMORROW!!!

If you fail to do this then you will not be able to participate in the PEER-EDITING ACTIVITY; thus, you'll be excused from class.

reminder, memoir submissions

Please make note that October 16th is the deadline for memoir/essay submissions to this year's edition of Telling Our Stories, Sharing Our Lives. The woman responsible for compiling these documents has asked for them via electronic submission, a.k.a. via email attachment.

Therefore, should you desire to submit your essay please email me with it attached by the 15th. Last minute requests on the 16th are not guaranteed to make the deadline if they are sent to me after 5pm.

I encourage each and every student to submit their essays, as I believe that each of you has a distinct voice worth projecting out into the world... either verbally or written. I would also encourage you to revise your essay, not only to resubmit for a second-round grading to me on 10/14, but moreover to increase your chances of being accepted into the publication. Feel free to bring your essay (either paper or e-copy) to me during office hours, or go to the Learning Center for peer assistance.

That is all for now, I suppose.
Good luck with your revisions and submissions!
Get them to me by the 15th of Oct. at the latest.

article assignment website links

Hey, is anyone else having trouble connecting to the websites to the articles?

If anyone knows any other websites I would appreciate it as I can't get to any of the websites.

thanks,

Nick

journal #4 (9/30) and #5 (10/5)

If you haven't read CP Nelson and Moore, as well as the post entitled "Obama Toughens State Secret Privilege" yet, do so before completing these journal entries.

#4 - due by Wed. 9/30
#5 - due by Mon. 10/5

I've wanted to add another avenue to these assignments, and so we'll be trying it out this time around. As an additional requirement to this assignment I'd like you to complete the following, each in a separate comment/reply. Yes, that means you'll have to post twice. So, I'll count this as two journals.

1. Identify in which "camp" you reside on the issue(s) surrounding the Patriot Act and other post-9/11 legislation as it is presented by these readings. Here I'm looking for you to argue your position with efficiency; i.e., short and to the point.

Here I'd really like you to explain your feelings and thoughts about this topic and the authors you have just read. Using their writing and arguments, and your own experiences and knowledge of this topic describe your informed opinion or stance. Consider the following for guidance: How have you arrived at your opinion? On what points do you agree/disagree with the authors we've read? What evidence will you cite to back up your argument?


2. Respond to one other student's comment, citing how they have constructed their opinion or stance. Did they use the strongest evidence they could have? Do they adequately explain how their evidence supports their opinion or stance? How did they succeed? How could they improve?

I know that it may take a moment for statements to build up before you can re:comment (that is, reply to comment). Therefore, I will be joining in on the "chat" to help get things going!

post-9/11 court secrets!?!

Obama Toughens State Secrets Privilege

by Ari Shapiro

National Public Radio (NPR)
September 23, 2009

(direct link to this article)

The Justice Department on Wednesday unveiled a new set of rules for when the government can claim it is protecting state secrets in court.

The Obama and Bush administrations have both been criticized for the way they have invoked the state secrets privilege, which essentially lets the government tell a judge to throw out a case because a trial would expose information that compromises national security.

Among other things, the new rules say that in order for lawyers to make a state secrets claim, a government agency must convince the attorney general and other top Justice officials that releasing information would "cause significant harm to national defense or foreign relations."

In a statement, Attorney General Eric Holder said this will "provide greater accountability and ensure that the state secrets privilege is invoked only when necessary and in the narrowest way possible."

ACLU Attorney Ben Wizner has argued cases against government lawyers who claimed state secrets. The new rules make him hopeful.

"But," Wizner says, "even as they are rolling out this new policy, they are simultaneously demanding that federal courts throw out lawsuits brought by torture victims, including my clients and victims of illegal surveillance, citing the state secrets privilege."

The new policies take effect Oct. 1. It is not clear whether they will change the administration's position in Wizner's case or others already filed.

It is also unclear what impact this will have on pending legislation that would restrict state secrets claims.

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) is one of the bill's sponsors. "We want the privilege, but we don't want it misused," Leahy said. "We have to have mechanisms to guide its application, and today's announcement marks progress."

Leahy said he would still like to see more involvement from a judge to make sure the privilege is invoked in a responsible way, but he called the new rules movement "in the right direction."

Wizner says even if these new policies are perfect as written, there is still a major shortcoming. "These reforms, even if they're meaningful, will last no longer than the Obama administration," Wizner says.

For that reason, he hopes Congress moves legislation despite the new guidelines.

Even as the Obama administration trumpeted a break with the Bush administration on the issue, officials pushed to continue Bush-era policies on the state secrets issue.

Three parts of the USA Patriot Act expire at the end of the year, and the Obama administration wants to extend them. At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday, Leahy, the panel's chairman, and other Democrats said they think the law needs more protections for civil liberties.

For example, Leahy pointed to one expiring provision that lets investigators secretly take business records, broadly defined. Investigators could seize computers, for example, or financial records. Seizures could encompass "any tangible thing at all," said Leahy, "even if it meant it closed down your small business."

"And the government is almost always guaranteed success," Leahy said, because the law as written presumes the government is correct when it claims business records are relevant to an investigation.

Other parts of the law that are set to expire include the "roving wiretap" provision, which lets the government continue eavesdropping on someone who repeatedly changes cell phones, and the "lone wolf" provision, which lets the government spy on an independent terrorist under the same rules that apply to members of a terrorist group.

Some Democrats have introduced legislation that would scale back the three parts of the law that are up for renewal.

David Kris of the Justice Department told senators he cannot yet state the administration's position on those proposals, but he said the administration wants to work with the committee "to try to see if these tools can be sharpened."

the “article paper”

• Due Date: first is due Monday, 10/5; three subsequent assignments to follow
• Length: one to three pages
• Formatting: one-inch margins; double-spaced, 12pt. font, Times New Roman; MLA citation
• Grade: a standard letter grade will be given

For this assignment I ask that you do some brief, outside research. These short papers essentially summarize and analyze the thesis, main argument, and content of an article or essay located within an “approved” academic source. (Check the WR for the meaning of summary and/versus analysis.) Ultimately, I’d like you to find an article or essay that corresponds to the subject matter being discussed in the class at the time the assignment is given. If you choose to do so, you may compare and/or contrast your article with one previously read in the class.

For this first article essay, the topic or subject matter is The Patriot Act and Post 9/11 Legislation. Therefore, articles which address issues of and surrounding the Patriot Act and other legislation enacted during the last eight years regarding civil liberties and/or terrorism, the aftermath and fallout of 9/11 upon American politics, culture, and society, et cetera, will serve as “good” articles to write about. Articles that do not deal with this subject matter directly should be avoided, as they are outside the scope of the topic and the issues being discussed by the class. Such “poor” articles will receive no credit.

In your 1-3p paper you need to accomplish the following requirements:
1. In the introduction name the article, the author, and the source of publication.

2. Summarize the author’s thesis and the article’s main points in one or two paragraphs. It is highly recommended that you quote the author’s thesis statement verbatim; explaining why you think it is the thesis of the text.

3. Analyze and explain in one to two paragraphs how you see this article “fitting in” with the subject matter currently being discussed in class. Ask yourself:

a. How does this article comment upon what we’e been talking about?

b. Does it offer a new viewpoint that we have not encountered yet?

c. Does it agree or support any of the views, articles, or authors we’ve read thus far? How so?

d. Does it disagree, challenge, or refute any of the views, articles, or authors we’ve read thus far? How so?

e. How does the author support his or her argument and claims? Facts and statistics? Personal experience? Other texts via quotation? (cf. WR, p.26-31 for a list of rhetorical devices that authors commonly utilize)

4. Attach a printed copy or photocopy of the article to the end of your document. If you fail to do this you will not received any credit for the assignment.


Below is a list of some, but indeed not all, “approved” academic sources, databases, and search engines. Be sure to examine the quick links on the sidebar of the blog for these sites too!

• Academic Search Complete
• the BBC
• EBSCO Host
• Environmental News – Guardian UK
• Google Scholar
• J-STOR
• the OED
• the New York Times
• NPR
• Project MUSE

Note: any of the databases appearing on the Brooklyn College Library Databases website also qualify as “academically approved” sources. Go to the following website for the complete list of databases available to you as a student of this institution; this link also appears on the course blog and is listed as BC Lib Databases.

--> http://dewey.brooklyn.cuny.edu/resources/databases.jsp

Note: Wikipedia is not an approved academic source and will not under any circumstances be accepted as such. That is to say, any article derived from an unapproved source will not be counted; the assignment will receive no credit.

my office hours

Okay folks, so I have finally confirmed my office hours for this term and can finally announce them with accuracy. Listed at the end of this post are the days and times that you'll be able to find me in 3308 Boylan Hall. I am available to discuss any matter concerning our course, the readings, written assignments, etc. You can always come to just chat about school and your classes in general too...

It is important to know that 3308B is the Philosophy Dept main office. Ask for me at the front desk if you do not see me immediately, as the office is large and I am most likely somewhere within. But wait... Prof. D is an English guy, right? Then why is he in the Philosophy office and not the English office for Pete's sake? It is true that I teach for the English Dept, but it is also true that I tutor Philosophy students in their reading, writing, and research techniques each semester. Hence, my location in the Philosophy offices.

My hours are:
Mondays 9a-2p
Tuesdays 1p-5p
Wednesdays 9a-2p

your memoirs... published?!

Students of English I,

Each year the English Department publishes Telling Our Stories, Sharing Our Lives, a collection of writing inspired by the common summer reading and generated by students of English I. We are excited to be beginning this process again and will be sending out details about submissions in the near future, so be on the lookout for forthcoming information from your professor. In the meantime, we wanted to send along a link to the new (and not entirely finished) webpage to accompany the publication.

http://www.thenextinline.com/tos3/index.html

This link allows you the opportunity to view the work of students from previous years. While, most of the entries fall under the category of memoir, we welcome new and creative approaches too!

essay #1

This rubric has been ever so slightly revised in order to clear up the few typos I mentioned in class. So please read over it thoroughly. And, as always, email me with questions and/or concerns regarding this assignment.


• Due Date: 9/23/09
• Length: three to six typed and stapled pages
• Formatting: one-inch margins; 12pt. font, Times New Roman; MLA citation
• Grade: a standard letter grade will be given

For this assignment I ask that you choose one of the two following options; you may choose only one: (1) write a memoir/autobiography of your own life, or the life of an immediate family member or close relative; (2) write a formal essay which compares and/or contrasts at least two of the readings from segment one, these include Du Bois, Obama, and Washington.

Tips for Option 1:
• Choose to focus on one specific event, or series of inter-related events that illustrate or discuss a similar theme, issue, problem, or challenge that you and/or your family has encountered
• Tell a story of emigration, travel, quest, pilgrimage, or journey
• Share your religious beliefs and how they have affected your life
• Discuss a hobby, passion, ritual, or habit that has helped shape you as an individual
• Celebrate a family member or close friend of yours that has either passed or is alive
• Discuss a moment of particular strife or challenge; that is, offer details concerning a life-lesson, if you will

Tips for Option 2:
• Theme(s) or issue(s) that you have discovered to be common between the authors and/or texts you have chosen is a good place to begin your comparison
• To contrast, offer the ways in which the authors are different; focus on their overall argument, goals, desires, etcetera…
• Use class notes to supplement your evidence and support, if need be
• It would behoove you to read the following post, regarding formal essay/paper descriptions. I posted this early in the term. It describes how your essays and papers will be graded, based on their qualities, aspects, and characteristics.


General tips:
In your introductory paragraph:
-- Be sure to introduce the overall point(s) or purpose of the memoir or essay; that is, what is it that you are trying to share with your audience, what are you trying to argue, and why?
-- You may wish to identify who your possible audience may be in this introduction, and how this memoir or essay will affect them should they read it.
-- Remember, you are not writing this essay for me, your professor. Imagine that you will “publish” it via one form or another to an imagined audience outside of this classroom.

In your body:
-- Be sure that each paragraph is following the “course” or “path” set by the introduction; that is, ask yourself: how does each body paragraph highlight and expand upon the main idea or thesis offered by the essay’s beginning? How does each body paragraph provide further evidence in support of your argument or purpose?

In your conclusion:
-- Be sure to summarize your paper’s main point(s)
-- Also, you may wish to offer “what’s next”; that is, ask yourself, what are the implications of the memoir or essay that you have written? How can/will the things you discuss be implemented in the future? What is the next step you will take? How will this writing affect the larger, greater world?

VIP! Should you quote any reading or text we have read thus far, be sure to properly cite each source using parenthetical citation. Use the handout on citation for assistance. You may also use the MLA section within Hacker’s Writer’s Reference for further assistance with this necessary requirement. A “Works Cited” page or bibliography is not needed for this paper.

Note: You will have the option to revise this first essay, due at the time of Essay #2. The revised grade with be averaged with the first grade to obtain a mean score which will be recorded as your final grade for this paper. This revision option remain for each paper submitted for this course!

reading for 9/14 and journal #3

For Monday please read Chapter XIV of Booker T. Washington's Up From Slavery. This chapter is vital because it includes the "Atlanta Exposition Address", which Washington delivered at the Cotton States and International Exposition in September of 1895. During this speech Washington outlines his philosophy regarding "the great and intricate problem" of Negros in the post-slavery South. To help you complete this journal assignment, I've offered some guiding questions and comments below. Use them if you'd like or follow your own direction...

Pay attention to Washington's overall argument and how it is supported. How does he mean to "cure" the Negro problem of the late 1800's? What does he advocate for? What is his attitude, his mood, his means of approach? Compare and contrast your observations with those made when reading WEB Du Bois and Barack Obama's memoir. How do these three social advocates differ? How are they the same? Which author and/or text do you find more compelling? Why?

Remember to parenthetically site any quotations that you offer!

Monday's reading passage can be found on the web here. If you're interested in the other chapters contained within Washington's autobiography look for the following link-bar located towards the top of the page:

Booker T. Washington > Up from Slavery > XIV. The Atlanta Exposition Address

Click the title and you're off to the beginning, with information about the author and the text. It even includes a table of contents.

If you're interested in downloading and printing a Word Document version of the Washington selection, you can do so here.

You may also find Chapter III of Du Bois's Souls to be illuminating... as it is a direct response to Washington's social theories.

journal #2 (9/9)

After reading the Du Bois selection, consider responding to some or all of the following questions in this journal entry:

What is the argument that Du Bois is trying to make in "Of Our Spiritual Strivings"? How do you think Du Bois's concept of double-consciousness applies to Barack Obama's text? Think about the way Obama describes his feelings, thoughts, and emotions throughout the first section, "Origins". In what ways does Obama react to the various life-changing situations he experiences? What events in Obama's life relate to some of the things that Du Bois discusses nearly a century earlier?

Do you think that double-consciousness, as described by WEB Du Bois, can be extended beyond the" polarized" races of black and white? Is there the possibility of a triple-, multi-, or poly-consciousness? How does this "fragmented" consciousness affect the individual? How does ownership and/or possession factor in here?

Explain your answer using either course text, if not both, as support. Draw from personal experience too, if you can, when answering these questions. Be sure to cite the appropriate page numbers if you quote something!

WEB Du Bois - The Souls of Black Folk

For this upcoming Wednesday, 9/9, please read the first chapter "Of Our Spiritual Strivings" in Du Bois's text The Souls of Black Folk, which I will distribute during our class meeting today, 9/2. I have included a link to the entire text, should you be interested in reading further. I would highly, highly recommend that you read the next two chapters "Of the Dawn of Freedom" and "Of Mr. Booker T. Washington and Others". You'll find many things illuminated between Du Bois' words, feelings, and argument with that of Obama's sentiments and general narrative in his text Dreams.

While the document may indeed be read below, perhaps it would be easier to find the book in the original context on Google Books... To do this click on the "More about this book link". Follow that to pop-up page. There you should see a headline named "Book overview". You're going to click the link titled "Read this book". Also, conveniently you can download the book, in its entirety, as a PDF document.

Enjoy!

new hw/assignment shortcut added & library reminder

Hey everyone. Just some vip fyi...

I've added a new shortcut to the schedule of readings and written assignments to the right-hand side taskbar. It's right under the email roster and syllabus shortcuts. I will be vigilant in keeping this schedule current, so check the blog frequently for reading homework and the due dates of written assignments and journals.

Also, don't forget tomorrow 9/2/09 we meet in the library, room 242 at our regularly scheduled meeting time.

journal #1 (9/2)

What are some expectations and goals that you have for this first semester? Describe your feelings about your upcoming college experience, or your college experience thus far. We’ll revisit these at the end of the term.

important dates this fall term and disabilities disclaimer

1. Thursday, September 3 - Last day to add a course
2. Thursday, September 10 - Last day to file Pass/Fail application
3. Thursday, September 17 - Last day to drop a course without a grade
4. Thursday, October 15 - Last day to file for Fall 2009 Graduation
5. Wednesday, November 11 - Last day to apply for withdrawal from a course with a W (non-penalty) grade
6. Thursday, November 12 - Last day to resolve Spring/Summer 2009 Incomplete grades
7. Thursday, November 12 - Last day to resolve Spring/Summer 2009 ABS grades


Statement in reference to the Center for Student Disability Services:

In order to receive disability-related academic accommodations students must first be registered with the Center for Student Disability Services. Students who have a documented disability or suspect they may have a disability are invited to set up an appointment with the Director of the Center for Student Disability Services, Ms. Valerie Stewart-Lovell at 718-951-5538. If you have already registered with the Center for Student Disability Services please provide your professor with the course accommodation form and discuss your specific accommodation with him/her.

formal essay/paper descriptions

The descriptions below detail the qualities of certain “types” of papers. These are for your benefit. They were adopted from descriptions published by Princeton University and Harvard College.

The Unsatisfactory Paper. The D or F paper demonstrates that the writer does not understand the relevant text(s) at hand. There is no thesis, or the thesis is not clearly defined. Overall, this type of paper is underdeveloped, disorganized, and it does not fulfill the requirements of the assignment. This type of paper is filled with mechanical, grammatical and spelling errors, indicating that the writer did not proofread or revise their work. The result is unsatisfactory.

The Mediocre Paper. The C paper shows that the writer has a limited grasp of the text(s) at hand. The thesis is usually broad, vague, or obvious. The thesis does not advance an argument that anyone might care to debate. The paper does not show that the writer is interacting with the text(s) because it fails to offer any quotations and/or textual evidence. While there may be some organizational structure to the paper, it does not demonstrate that the writer has complete control over this structure. This type of paper meets some of the assignment’s requirements, but not all. There are some mechanical, grammatical and spelling errors. The paper may have been proofread; however there is little evidence that suggests it was revised. The result is mediocre.

The Acceptable Paper. The B paper illustrates that the student has a strong understanding of the text(s) at hand. The thesis is developed, meaning that it is narrow in scope and worth arguing. There are numerous quotations present within the body of the paper, and the writer demonstrates a thoughtful analysis of the things being quoted. This textual evidence is relevant and it advances and supports the thesis. The paper is well organized, and the reader can easily follow the flow of the paper. This type of paper meets all of the assignment’s requirements. There are no mechanical, grammatical and spelling errors. Furthermore, the paper suggests that the writer has proofread and revised the work. The A paper has all of the qualities of the B paper, but in addition this type of paper is lively, well paced, interesting, and even exciting to the reader! The thesis is fully developed and is completely fulfilled by the body of the paper. By reading an A paper, the reader gets the sense of the writer’s mind at work, engaging with the text(s) to create a piece of writing that fulfills the assignment at hand while, importantly, going beyond those requirements to offer something more. This result is acceptable.

intro: how to join and participate

As a member of Prof. D'Amato's English I course it is your responsibility to join this e-journal blog and, crucially, to participate throughout the semester. You will do this in two ways: (1) submitting comments to posts of at least 150 words, and (2) sometimes writing your own posts.

Importantly, this site will also serve as a message board from me to you. I will most likely have to pass on important information regarding class meeting times, assignment deadlines, changes in the syllabus, etc. throughout the term. Therefore, be sure to check this site frequently, if not at least once daily, to be sure you are current with the goings-on of the class.


Okay, so what's next?
Below I am going to detail how to join this blog and how to contribute. If you are unfamiliar with using blogs have no fear, Blogger is quite user-friendly in my opinion and you should catch on quick. Remember you can always email me with questions and you should email me immediately if you are having trouble with the site. For those who are quite internet savvy, disregard this most-likely redundant information; you may wish to glance in brief, however, to see how things will specifically function on this site.


How to Join
Email me, (prof.damato@gmail.com), with your email address so that I can invite you! From there you'll receive a link allowing you to gain authorial access. Follow the link and you'll have the opportunity to use an existing online identity (e.g., an email account) or to create a new username and password and officially join Blogger and the course e-journal.

If you have one of the various online accounts which qualify as OpenID you can join Blogger effortlessly, just use your existing account's log-in information.

This webpage offers some comprehensive information on OpenID, as does this one. But the long and short of it is this: "OpenID allows you to use an existing [online] identity to sign into multiple websites, without needing to create new passwords [or usernames]." Some of the OpenID identities accepted by Blogger are: AOL/AIM, LiveJournal, TypeKey, Wordpress, and Gmail or any other Google-related identity.

From now on you'll use the username and password you select or create to log into this blog before you add a comment or a post. So write it down or email it to yourself so you do not forget this information.


How to Comment & Post
First, you must log in.

To comment to any post click on the post's title or on the "## comment" link at the bottom of the post. You can also click on the post's title found under the archive tree on the right side of the site. At the bottom of the post you'll find an editable text box. Remember to write at least 150 words! You can offer something in response to the main post thread, or you can reply to a comment written by another student. If the debate gets intense enough then you, or I for that matter, may decide to move the discussion into a new thread all its own.

To post a new topic or thread once logged in, go to the top of the site and at the right of your email address/username on the navbar you'll see a link titled "new post". This is your ticket. Once you've arrived at the post-editing screen you'll notice it's a bit more complicated than the comment box; yet, think of it like a word document screen and you'll catch on quickly.


More Editing & a Disclaimer
If you happen to know html and/or java scripts you can use these to edit your posts to a greater degree---adding images, video, links, and more.

If a student should choose to add media to a post, keep in mind that inappropriate material will be subject to immediate removal. Depending on the level and degree of inappropriateness, the student faces disciplinary action such as receiving a zero on the assignment (minimum) or being reported to the Dean of Student Affairs (maximum). Please see the Division of Student Affairs website concerning the disciplinary process and other such information.


In Closing...
Be sure to bookmark this site on your personal computer so that you can check the blog frequently. As I recommended above, at least once a day you should be visiting. While you are required to only submit one writing per e-journal assignment, you may write as much at you wish on this blog. Contributing more does not necessarily guarantee you "bonus points" or "extra credit", but extra effort certainly weighs heavily on your overall class participation.

Remember, the point of this blog is not only for you to submit a weekly journal entry, it serves as a birthplace for written ideas. The things discussed and argued here will undoubtedly come up in class, and should, so feel free to reference the blog's content while we are in the classroom. Paper topics and angles of argumentation will also present themselves here. This is a vital component and goal of this site: for students to test and share ideas with one another, furthering understanding of specific subject matter thereby deepening one's ability to discuss the course's texts and topics.

I hope to get an email from you soon so that you can join our community to a further extent by contributing commentary and content to our blog!

class email roster

Please reply to this post by offering any revisions/corrections to the the email address that you check most frequently. The purpose for this list is so that not only myself but also your classmates can easily reach you via an email message at any time, for any number of academic reasons.

[[[current as of 9/23]]]

CHUBAK, ADAM -- chu41@aol.com
COHEN, MICHAEL -- mcrock91@aol.com
DAVIDSON, LATRICIA -- latricia25@hotmail.com
DIAZ, SAMUEL -- samueldiaz25@gmail.com
DIN, HIFZA -- lilconvallaria11@hotmail.com
FAJARDO, VINCENT -- goodolvj@yahoo.com
FASANO, NICOLAS -- nfasano36@gmail.com
FITZPATRICK, DANA -- crazylady62191@aol.com
GITTENS, MAKAYA -- m_a_gittens@yahoo.com
GOTHELF, SARAH -- sarahg615@aol.com
JAGNINSKI, ISABELLE -- izzy@ny2no.com
KOLENOVIC, ALEN -- kolenovic@gmail.com
LOPEZ, CENDY -- clopez6536@yahoo.com
MISHIYEVA, LIYA -- liya1115@hotmail.com
OSMAN, FATEMA -- smileef92@aol.com
SULLIVAN, KEVIN -- Kmsullivan1991@yahoo.com
VELEZ, ELIZABETH -- evelez91@gmail.com
VERGARA, CHRISTIAN -- retropill@hotmail.com
ZHOU, JULIA -- jzhouerm@hotmail.com

schedule of readings and written assignments

[[[current as of 11/16]]]
[[CP page numbers refer to the packet, not to the individual article]]
[items listed in bold signal major assign/req due that day]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

M8/31: intro to course; distribution of syllabus; discussion of goals, expectations, and requirements

Seg 1 – Obama and Double-Consciousness
W9/2: blog library trip (room 242, second floor); begin rereading the first section, "Origins"; journal #1
M9/7: (no class – cc – labor day)
W9/9: read "selection from Souls of Black Folk"; journal #2
M9/14: reread second section of Dreams, "Chicago"; read "selection from Booker T. Washington"; journal #3
W9/16: reread third section of Dreams, "Kenya"; essay 1 rubric distributed

Seg Break
M9/21: class canceled; purchase EngI Coursepack from Far Better Copy; purchase Hacker's Writer's Reference, if you haven't already, from Shakespeare and Co. Booksellers
W9/23: essay 1 seg 1; research methods library trip (meet in room 242, second floor); article paper rubric distributed; no reading today, bring your Writer's Reference and Coursepack

Seg 2 – The Patriot Act and Post-9/11 Legislation
M9/28: (no class – cc)
T9/29: (conversion day - Monday's classes meet today) WR, p.3-18, 57-63; CP, Nelson p.2-6
W9/30: WR, p.24-31; CP, Moore p.7-10; journal #4
M10/5: article paper 1 seg 2; CP, Taylor p.11-17; journal #5
W10/7: please bring two unmarked copies of essay #1 to class for a peer-editing session; essay #2 rubric distributed; revision rubric distributed; WR, p. 18-23, 355-369

Seg 3 – The Argument for Just War
M10/12: (no class – cc)
W10/14: (conversion day - Monday's classes meet today) essay 2 seg 2; revision 1 essay 1
M10/19: CP, Fiala p.18-35
W10/21: CP, Bar On p.36-44; VIP please purchase Truss's Eats, Shoots & Leaves from Shakespeare & Co. by this date!
M10/26: CP, Eide p.45-60; journal #6
W10/28: article paper 2 seg 3

Seg 4 – Language Preservation vs. the Facebook Era
M11/2: Truss, p.1-34, "Introduction"
W11/4: essay 3 seg 3; revision 2 essay 2; journal #7; Truss, p.68-102, "That'll Do, Comma"
M11/9: Truss, p.103-176, "Airs and Graces", "Cutting a Dash", "A Little Used Punctuation Mark"; journal #7 performed in class!!!
W11/11: article paper 3 seg 4; CP, Braden, p.58-64
M11/16: CP, Westlake, p.65-84

Seg 5 – The Environmental/Global Warming Debate
W11/18: essay 4 seg 4; revision 3 essay 3; in-class reading of CP, Dourmana, p. 106f
M11/23: CP, Moser, p.85-105
W11/25: article paper 4 seg 5; CP, Thompson, p.108-128
M11/30: film screening at library (meet in room 242, second floor); journal #8

Seg 6 – Final Exam Preparation
W12/2: essay 5 seg 5; revision 4 essay 4
M12/7: journal #9
W12/9: revision 5 essay 5
M12/14: (no class – reading day)

Seg 7 – Final Exam Week
F12/18: last day to turn in your library orientation completion certificate to my mailbox in the English Department (room 2308, Boylan Hall)
T12/15-12/21: exact test date, time, and location is TBA

course syllabus v1.2

[[view and download the file here]]

English Composition I
Confronting Contemporary Issues, Composing in an Academic Voice
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Fall 2009 MW2AF (0572)
2154 Boylan M&W 2:15 – 3:30p


Steve D’Amato
prof.damato@gmail.com
3308 Boylan M&W (10a – 2p), and by appt.
syllabus v.1.2

Required Texts & Materials:
-- A notebook, accompanied by your favorite pen and pencil.
-- D’Amato. ENG1 Coursepack. 2009.
-- Hacker, Diana. A Writer’s Reference with Writing in the Disciplines. 6th Edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007. ISBN: 0-3124-7167-X
-- Obama, Barack. Dreams from My Father. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2004. ISBN: 1-4000-8277-3
-- Truss, Lynne. Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation. New York: Gotham Books, 2006. ISBN: 1-5924-0203-8
Note: your textbooks can be purchased only from Shakespeare & Co.; the Coursepack only from Far Better Copy

Course Description & Goals
The purpose of this course is for you to develop and improve your skills as a writer within academia. The saying that “practice makes perfect” cannot be more suitable when used in this context. This course is a workshop in expository writing focusing on strategies of, and practice in analytical reading and writing about texts, on fundamentals of grammar and syntax, and on writing as a process of invention, revision, and editing. In order to become a better, trained writer you must read and write, and frequently at that. Therefore, I have set the following goals for this term. Please keep in mind that these are benchmarks both I, as your professor, and you, as the student, should be continually striving to meet.

(1) Display correct grammar and spelling in your writing, in both formal and informal contexts
(2) Summarize an author’s position on a particular subject or issue; i.e. identify their thesis
(3) Compare the point of view of one author or text with that of another
(4) Understand and, crucially, compose effective thesis statements
(5) Use textual evidence to support your arguments
(6) Effectively organize your papers by including an introduction, a structured body, and a conclusion
(7) Use your personal experiences as viable examples in your writing
(8) Proofread and revise your own work
(9) To enjoy the writing process and its outcome

Course Requirements & Grade Distribution
I. e-journal (25%) – To complete this requirement I ask that you (i) join this class’s online blog; (ii) frequently submit and/or reply to posts as prompted; (iii) participate by writing at least 150 words. Each journal entry is due on the specified day, before the class convenes at 2:15p. The weblog may be found at: http://profdamato.blogspot.com/

II. Article Reviews (25%) – You must do brief, outside research to fulfill these assignments. These short (1-3p) papers summarize the thesis and content of an article or essay located within an “approved” academic source (e.g. J-STOR, ProjectMUSE, Google Scholar, the OED, the BBC, et al.). Note: Wikipedia is not an approved academic source! The selected article must discuss or address the topic corresponding to the syllabus. If you choose to do so, you may compare and/or contrast your article with one read previously by the class. Importantly, to receive credit the outside article or essay must be cited properly according to MLA format, printed, and attached at the end of your paper.

III. Essays & Essay Revisions (50%) – These are the bulk weight of the course: formal essays that display an effective thesis statement and sound organization, thus illustrating comprehension and thoughtful engagement with the required texts. These should typically be no shorter than three pages in length and no more than six. Outside sources, other than a dictionary, are neither recommended nor encouraged and must be approved prior to final draft submission.

IV. Exit Exam (Pass or No-Pass) – Given at the end of the semester, this two-hour written exam requires you to compose an organized formal essay in which you compare and contrast two articles that debate a common topic, theme, or issue. You must pass this exam in order to receive credit for English I and move onto English II.

V. Attendance and Participation – As a university student, coming to class prepared is vital. Similarly, remaining attentive, taking notes, and joining in-class discussion are vital means to obtaining the most out of this course. If your participation is poor or excellent it may affect your final grade by as much as one letter down or up, respectively.

Possible Final Grades
In accordance with departmental policy, the following final marks may be conferred in English I:
-- Standard letter grades A through C- will be given to any student who completes the majority of the course’s requirements. If a student’s work is less than a C- but higher than an F, the final grade becomes an NC.
-- A mark of NC—or no-credit—is a non-passing, non-punitive grade that requires the student to retake the course and strengthen his or her writing skills in a subsequent term. Each student at BC may attempt English I three times.
-- The grade of WU or F is given if the student fails to meet a majority of this course’s requirements, if the student is excessively absent or tardy, or if the student’s written work or classroom conduct is of poor and unsatisfactory quality.
-- Note: an unofficial withdrawal, or WU, will become an F six weeks after the term has closed unless appropriate action is taken by the student to resolve the withdrawal with the appropriate Brooklyn College academic office(s).

Class Policies
1.) Please bring the Writer’s Reference (WR), your notebook and a writing implement to every class meeting. Other relevant texts, e.g. Coursepack (CP), Obama’s Dreams (OD) or Eats, Shoots & Leaves (ES&L), should be brought as they are needed. Coming to class prepared is essential. If you are not prepared I may dismiss you from class.
2.) You are allowed three absences. If you miss more than three class meetings you risk being dropped from the course. Likewise, tardiness is not acceptable. Be on time. If you are consistently late I will be forced to take disciplinary action. If you must be absent due to religious observation please email me in advance, indicating dates/times and you will not be marked absent. Of course, if extenuating circumstances (i.e. medical or family matters) arise during the term that will impede your ability to attend class on a regular basis, please email me or see me during my office hours as soon as possible so we can work something out.
3.) All written work should be typed, double spaced, and stapled with your name clearly visible at the top of the first page.
4.) Plagiarism will not be tolerated in any shape or form. Don’t try it. I will catch you. Bad things will happen.
The faculty and administration of Brooklyn College support an environment free from cheating and plagiarism. Each student is responsible for being aware of what constitutes cheating and plagiarism and for avoiding both. The complete text of the CUNY Academic Integrity Policy and the Brooklyn College procedure for implementing that policy can be found at this site: http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/bc/policies. If a faculty member suspects a violation of academic integrity and, upon investigation, confirms that violation, or if the student admits the violation, the faculty member MUST report the violation.
5.) Late papers receive a deduction of one letter grade per day. Please, hand them in when they are due.

Academic Help & Tutoring
There is a wonderful wealth of academic help available to you at Brooklyn College. You can always email me or come see me during my office hours so that we can discuss the class and your writing. But perhaps you’d like to take another route… On the first floor of Boylan Hall, in room 1300 is the Learning Center. Here you will find writing tutors—as well as tutors who specialize in other subjects—who are more than willing to answer those pressing questions and alleviate those nagging concerns you might have about an individual assignment. If you feel that you need the advice of a peer, I strongly encourage you to visit the Learning Center and schedule an appointment. You’ll be glad you did.

Evaluation Criteria for Written Work
In this course your essays will be graded in the manner detailed below. Please read over this information carefully so that you fully understand what is expected of you. These terms apply to each individual assignment and to the class as a whole. Think of them as goals which you should consistently be working towards throughout your coursework in English I.
It is important to remind you that this page should serve as a reference guide for you. After you finish an assignment, look over these criteria and ask yourself the following questions. These questions are not only pertinent for you to consider for your own good, but also because they are the questions that I will be asking myself when I grade your work.
• Have all the assignment’s requirements been fully answered and fulfilled?
• Is the work appropriately and fittingly named or titled?
• Is there a thesis clearly presented within the introductory paragraph?
• Does the paper follow the structure outlined or suggested by the thesis?
• Is the body of the paper structured in a logical, flowing, and organized manner?
• Does the student show a clear understanding of the relevant text(s) at hand?
• Does the student provide quotations or evidence from the relevant text(s) at hand?
• Does the student analyze and adequately explain the textual evidence to illustrate and prove his/her point?
• Are the referenced sources parenthetically cited according to MLA format?
• Does a bibliography or Works Cited page appear at the end of the document in proper MLA format?
• Is there a conclusion to the paper?
• Does the conclusion reiterate and explain the paper’s thesis and main point(s)?
• Does the conclusion offer something new that has not been addressed in the paper?
• Is the student’s work free from grammar and spelling mistakes?
• Does the paper show signs that it has been proofread and revised by the student?

Note: This syllabus and its contents are subject to change and modification at any point during the term; before any changes take effect, you (the student) will be notified either in writing (hard copy), via the course weblog (electronic posting), or via a class-wide email message with the new syllabus attached (electronic copy). Compare version numbers on the top-right of the first page to stay current.