English 1A: College Composition Spring 2009
The most erroneous stories are those we think we know best - and therefore never scrutinize or question. –Stephen Jay Gould
What kind of world would we live in if no one questioned what they already knew or believed? From Aims of Argument
It is not the writer's task to answer questions but to question answers. To be impertinent,
insolent, and, if necessary, subversive. –Edward Abbey
Instructor: John Johnston Office hours: MW 11:30-1:00; TH 10:35-1:00
Email: John-Johnston@redwoods.edu Office: FM 200D
Telephone/voice mail: 476-4305
Contacting your instructor: The best way for you to contact me is via email. Doing so enables me to send to you any course documents handed out in class or PowerPoint presentations we discussed. When you email me, be sure to put ENGLISH 1A in the subject heading so I don’t mistake your email for junk mail and delete it.
· Gage, John T. The Shape of Reason: Argumentative Writing in College 4th ed. NY: Pearson, 2006.
· Graff, Gerald and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say/I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing. NY: Norton, 2006.
· Daily (including weekends) access to an internet-connected computer.
· Obsessive commitment to being on time and prepared.
· Burning curiosity.
· Boundless enthusiasm.
· An unquenchable thirst for knowledge.
· Steadfast dedication to your learning.
Welcome to what can be an exciting and deeply rewarding (and fun!) course. Before we begin discussing specific requirements, I’d like to give you a sense of the overarching ideas behind this course and its goals. A number of years ago, I overheard two students talking with one another on the breezeway outside my office door. “That stir-fry I made last night was da bomb,” one said. He then went on to describe in careful detail what was in the meal. “Got any left?” asked the other. “Yeah, mega. Let’s get a bunch of beers and polish it off after class.” When I turned to see who these two were, I was a bit surprised: they were two of the best students I had in a very difficult, sophomore-level humanities class the previous semester. I was surprised because I had never heard them talk like this before. In class discussions and in their essays, they both used “elevated,” precise language and spoke carefully and contemplatively. Now, here they were talking in slang with a kind of New-Jerseyesque inflection in their voices. More striking, though, was that in class they seemed to have zero tolerance for trivial or “empty” discussions and comments. They, along with other students in that class, had consistently used their essays and our class discussions to push past the obvious and ordinary to “deeper,” much more intellectually satisfying levels of complexity. In class, they seemed to hunger not for stir-fry and beer but for fresh ideas and insight into difficult, unresolved issues.
The scene was a delightful one for me because it illustrated how adeptly these students were able to balance and enjoy different parts of their lives. They recognized (as you probably recognize) that the questions one asks, the answers one offers, and the ways one offers those answers differ depending on the situation/context. This doesn’t mean we are imposters or hypocrites or schizophrenics; it simply means that we understand, respect, and control the unique conventions that govern different rhetorical situations (a rhetorical situation is the total environment in which a purposeful conversation takes place). Having this understanding, respect, and control certainly enriches our lives (imagine how exhausting and limiting it would be to be stuck in formal intellectual postures 24/7). And at least equally important to enrichment, having this understanding, respect, and control empowers us (imagine how terrifying it would be to be excluded from important conversations because we lack the “tools” for engaging meaningfully in those conversations).
The purpose of English 1A is to introduce students to the foundational intellectual tools of inquiry and reason that allow them to participate meaningfully in the reasoned, intellectual discussions (often called “academic inquiries”) that take place in our culture’s richest sources of knowledge: our colleges and universities. In this course, you will learn to develop or further develop your ability to think philosophically (this is key); to use reason and inquiry to deepen your understanding of complex issues; and to communicate your insights and judgments effectively to an audience. We will practice finding and responding to genuine “questions at issue” (another key concept). We will work to develop and sharpen the habits of mind that characterize college students. We will develop the reading, research, thinking, and writing skills that allow you to communicate your insights into important issues to an academic audience. By the end of the semester, you should be more confident in your ability to know what questions to ask, how to ask them, how to explore answers to them, and how to communicate effectively your discoveries and ideas.
Struggling: It is a requirement of this course that you struggle. Your books and I are not simply going to present a body of information for you to consume and then regurgitate on exams or in reports. You are not going to learn some magic formula for writing essays. I’m not going to lecture to you about the meaning of an issue, and I’m not going to tell you “the way it is” or expect you to know “the way it is” (although I do want you to figure out what, if anything, is worth believing about a topic based on thoughtful consideration of what is known about it). As I described above, this is a course focused on learning how to use reasoning to wade our way through and communicate about messy, complicated, unresolved issues. We will explore deep and complex historical, moral, cultural, philosophical, and political questions, and if you don’t struggle with these, it means you’re either a god (in which case we’ll make an exception) or a human being thinking about these things only superficially. In other words, if you don’t struggle, it probably means you are not thinking. And if you’re not thinking….well, how can you write something that offers fresh insight if you’re relying only on what you and others already know?
Reading: The pattern that’s emerged over the years is clear: those who carefully and actively read their course texts score higher on their essays and exams than those who read them only superficially (those who “skim” the reading or who read for the “gist” tend to score far below their potential and usually don’t understand why). Write in your books (doing so doesn’t affect the buyback price at all) and on your handouts. Make notes of what you read and bring questions about what we’ve read to class. The more actively you read, the more you’ll learn and the better you’ll perform. If you find yourself falling behind in your reading, don’t suffer in silence. Come talk to me, and hopefully, we can figure out a way to keep you from becoming swallowed up.
Computer: You must have regular access to an internet-connected computer. Very few students who could not access computers on evenings and weekends have successfully completed this course because all assignments are word processed and much of what we do requires use of our course webpage and online research databases. Talk with me ASAP if you anticipate computer access problems (seriously: don’t underestimate the importance of computer access).
Essays: If you honestly and rigorously grapple with questions that matter, you will gain insight into the reading, the issues we discuss and, ultimately, the world you live in and the ideas that shape our understanding of it. The arguments you’ll write this semester are opportunities to explore and present your questions and discoveries.
Although all of the essays we write will be analytical arguments, there are four different kinds of essays you’ll write this semester: 1) Timed, in-class essays. These essays will be in response to our reading and discussions and your research, and you will draft, compose, and edit them in class; 2) One out-of-class expository argument. This essay responds to an issue we read about and discuss in class, and you’ll plan, write, edit, and revise this essay outside of class. 3) One, out-of-class source-based essay that correctly integrates information and quotes from a CQ Researcher report; 4) One extended, MLA documented, researched argument that uses information you’ve gathered from subscription databases.
IMPORTANT NOTES ON ESSAYS:
*In-class essay cannot be revised/rewritten after submitted.
*Your first two out of class essays will receive comments and grades. You may, if you choose, consider my feedback and rewrite ONE of these essays one time after it has been graded and resubmit it for reevaluation (you must attach the previous, commented-on/graded draft and a bulleted detailed description of what you’ve done in the revision to your rewrite). I will raise your grade if the draft is better, but I will not lower your original grade if the revised draft is inferior. Rewrites are due by the beginning of the last class meeting, and you cannot rewrite an essay if you did not turn it in by the scheduled due date unless you have written documentation of a medical, legal, or family emergency that prohibited you from meeting the due date. Late essays will be lowered one half letter grade for each day late (please pay attention to these last two sentences).
*Your research essay is due on the last class meeting of the semester. Late research essays will not be accepted. Your research essay is the most heavily weighted assignment of the semester because it is the only single assignment that requires you to demonstrate your knowledge of all core English 1A skills and competencies (think of the research essay as something like a comprehensive final exam). Commit to doing everything you can to produce an essay that truly reflects your skills as a college writer and thinker.
Quizzes and Question Cards: We will frequently have quizzes on the day’s reading at the beginning of our class meetings and/or take-home quizzes or question cards due at the beginning of our class meetings. Sometimes, we will have quizzes at the end of class on material we discussed that day. If you are late or absent or leave class early for any reason (and I do mean any reason) and you miss a quiz, you will receive a “0” for the quiz. Take home quizzes and question cards are due in class at the beginning of class on the due date and will not be accepted after that. In addition to question cards not being accepted after the class meeting in which they due, they will not be accepted unless you attend the entire class meeting at which they are due (in other words, you cannot turn them into my mailbox and then not come to class).
Exams: Given in class at midterm and at the end of term, these exams are short answer and fill-in-the-blank and involve identification of argument features, analysis of arguments, and grammar/logic problems. If you know you are going to miss an exam, notify me at least 24 hours before the scheduled exam time so we can arrange for you to take it in the ASC. If you miss the exam without notifying me ahead of time, you must present me with written documentation of a medical, legal, or family emergency in order to take a makeup.
MLA Format: Essays brought to workshop and essays turned in for comments and grades must be double-spaced and typed in accordance with MLA guidelines (MLA format is described in the MLA formatting handout linked to our course webpage).
www.turnitin.com: In addition to the stapled, hard copies of each of your essays that you submit, you will also submit electronically each of your essays to www.turnitin.com. Instructions for using turnitin.com—including course ID and password—are available on our course webpage (see “Turnitin.com Instructions” link). At the end of the semester, the recorded grades for any essays that have not been submitted to turnitin.com will be deleted from the gradebook and you will receive a “zero” for the essay.
Note: I will not accept essays that are not stapled.
Attendance: In order to establish an atmosphere of community and camaraderie, everyone must be here regularly, on time, and prepared. Each of you brings a unique perspective to this course, and you should be here regularly not just to do the work but to share your insights as well. You can inspire us. However, if you miss three classes in a row without contacting me or if you miss more than four meetings in the semester, I may stop accepting your work and/or drop you from the class. Don’t depend on me to do this, though. If you have missed three in a row or a total of four, it is your responsibility to protect your transcript and initiate an official withdrawal. Any student who is not withdrawn is still enrolled, and final grades reflect a student’s current level of activity and achievement. I cannot sign withdrawal slips after April 3, 2009 without documented extenuating circumstances (things like being in a coma and so forth), and I am required to issue grades for all enrolled students at the end of the semester. Do not have your academic transcript blemished by an F for a class you stopped attending.
Plagiarism: Offering someone else’s words or ideas as if they are your own (whether you do this intentionally or unintentionally) is plagiarism and will not be tolerated. Any assignment with plagiarized material may receive an F. Substantial or repeated plagiarism and cheating may result in an F for the course and possibly suspension from the college. We’ll discuss in class how to avoid plagiarism.
Grading: The grading for this course breaks down as follows: Points Earned Course Grade
Out-of-class Essay #2 20 points 89-87 B+
Research Essay 30 points 86-83 B
Exams 25 points 82-80 B-
Quizzes and Question Cards 5 points 79-77 C+
76-70 C
69-60 D
Checking Your Grade
It is your responsibility to check your grade regularly and keep informed about your course performance (You can access a complete, current breakdown of your grade by clicking the “Check My Grade” link on the English 1A homepage). You should save ALL returned graded work in case I neglect to enter the grade or enter it incorrectly.
Special Needs: If you have special needs due to a verifiable physical, psychological, or learning disability, you are legally entitled to appropriate accommodations. The college offers a variety of services to support students with special needs, and you should talk with me as soon as possible if you would like my help with arranging accommodations to ensure your success in this course. I’m eager to help in whatever ways I can.
Theme: Questioning, Thinking, and Anti-Intellectualism
Focusing Question: What is a question and how do college writers use questions?
Course intro; syllabus.
PATH #1: Discuss pages 2-5 & 8-10 (Discourse Communities) in The Shape of Reason; “Dimensions of Thinking” (attached to syllabus); “Deep Thinkers Missing in Action” (linked)
Week of January 26 (Days 3&4)
Focusing Question: Where does argument begin?
PATH #1: Discuss Noisy, Naked, Stinky Smokers readings (linked)
Question Card #1 due
Bring print out of out-of-class essay #1 prompt to discuss
Week of February 2(Days 5&6)
Workshop: Parallelism and Illogical Wording
Week of February 16 (Days 9&10)
Essay #1 Due at the beginning of class
PATH #2: Discuss assigned readings and question cards
Pages 12-17 & 26-29 The Shape of Reason; discuss “All Animals are Equal” (linked in Path #2)
Take Home Quiz #1
Week of February 23 (Days 11&12)
Focusing Question: What about those who think differently?
Theme: Handling differing points of view
Ch. 4 in They Say; pages 42-52 in Shape of Reason; discuss Essay #2 & CQ Researcher; QAI and Thesis workshop
Discuss “Communication: Its Blocking and Its Facilitation” (linked in Path #2), Chapters 2 (“Her Point Is”) & 3 (“As He Himself Puts It”) &
5 (“And Yet”) & 6 (“Skeptics May Object”) in They Say, I Say;
Essay #2 Due
Review for midterm exam
Midterm Exam (bring an annotated copy and a blank copy of “The Warrior Culture” linked in Path #2)
Week of March 9 (Days 15&16)
Prepare for in-class essay #1
In-class essay #1
Week of March 16
Week of March 23 (Days 17 & 18)
Focusing Question: What role does research play in inquiry?
Theme: Using the Library Databases
Take Home Quiz #4, #5& #6; Discuss essay #3; Print, read, and annotate “Looking Good..”, “Safe and Sorry,” & “News of America’s Decline…” (Path #3); Using the library and course web page and evaluating arguments
Week of March 30 (Days 19 & 20)
Theme: Evaluating Sources
Week of April 6 (Days 21 & 22)
Discuss chapter 6: “Giving Reasons” in The Shape of Reason
Discuss preparing for research system quiz
Research system quiz
Revealing the Assumptions of Enthymemes
Chapter 10: The Art of Metacommentary” and review chapter 2: “Her Point is” in They Say, I Say
Week of April 13 (Days 23 & 24)
Theme: Integrating Sources
Citation quiz
Week of April 20 (Days 25 & 26)
Research essay workshop: bring four, typed, completed copies of a rough draft of essay #3 (worth 4 quizzes)
Print and read student samples “Intelligent Design,” “Conscription Controversy,” (Path #3) and “Children Need to Play Not Compete” (handout)
Week of April 27 (Days 27 & 28)
Focusing Question: What does it mean to be a “college writer”?
Discussion of question at issue for in-class essay #2
Week of May 4 (Days 29 &30)
In-class essay #2
Review for final exam
Week of May 11 (Day 31)
Final Exam
Rewrites of one essay due (Optional)
Research Essay Due