Welcome:

Welcome to City Tech and English 1101. In our class, we will prioritize intellectual nourishment, critical thinking, written expression, community, and humanity. If you have any concerns about the course or college, or if there is any situation preventing you from participating, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Know that I am here to work with you.

Course Description:

A course in effective writing and basic research techniques including use of the library. A selection of weekly readings are assigned for classroom and online asynchronous daily/weekly discussion and as a basis for essay writing and other writing projects.

Every City Tech (and CUNY) student takes Composition I, which features reading and writing assignments that will help prepare you for college and beyond. Together we will work on communicating effectively, building an argument, adapting your writing for different needs and situations, interpreting and responding to a text, incorporating and citing secondary source material. We will be reading pieces both for their inherent literary and informational value and also as models for our own writing projects. Sharing your own ideas and experiences and adding your voice to our discussions will enrich our class community. It is also required.

Prerequisite: 

CUNY proficiency in reading and writing

Course Meetings:

Our class is in-person, Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:00- 1:40 PM. in N-517. Our presentation and discussion of the course material and readings (no cost) will take place in class, AND on our OpenLab site.  Know that I am available to, want to, and will help to support your work in this course, through email any time (I respond daily), and weekly Zoom office hours at 10:00 AM each Wednesday. Check your City Tech email every day!

You will spend some time writing in each class session. You will have readings and homework online on our OpenLab site every week, and be required to post to our discussion area on a weekly basis.  I will post all the work for each week  by Monday, though more discussion topics may be added during the week. Students should regularly respond to each other’s comments in our discussions on the OpenLab site, as well as reply to my comments on your discussion posts.  We will work on developing community in our online written community– by writing our own posts, and responding to others so we create dialog.. This responding and replying online is also required!

Course Website: 

This course will take place in-person, and have an online discussion component. Our syllabus and weekly schedule of assignments  are posted on our OpenLab class site. Our homework and messages from me will be both given in class and on our OpenLab website.  It is extremely important that you familiarize yourself with our website and find out where everything is. This is where you will find your assignments and post your homework as well as finished unit major assignments.  In addition to email, this is how we’ll keep in touch, so please check in on the website daily! You are responsible for being up-to-date and knowing what is on our course site. You are also responsible for checking your CityTech email daily. Please contact me if you are having any trouble or can’t participate for any reason!

 

Course Tools and Required Materials :

• All required texts, videos and readings for this class will be linked from our “Schedule” in the info menu on our OpenLab class homepage, or posted in the discussion area for that week’s discussion topics.
• The New York Times (create a free Academic Pass account with your City Tech email)

 

Grading Breakdown :

Unit 1                                                                        20%

Unit 2                                                                        20%

Unit 3                                                                        20%

Final Reflection and Portfolio                                                                            10%

Weekly attendance and participation online in our discussion area         30%

 

You’ll see that “Weekly attendance and participation online” meaning your daily/weekly discussion posts and replies to me and your classmates counts for 30%of your grade in this class. 

in this class, you’re graded 30% on your weekly contributions to our discussions. These discussions are NOT only in the classroom. This means you have to be online, posting to our discussion area to get full participation credit, and you have to keep up with the day-to-day to get that 30%. Because students may become ill or need to miss class time due to Covid-related issues (Please do NOT come to class if you are experiencing ANY symptoms of illness)  your online posts may represent some of your attendance for the class, and weekly participation online is required for ALL STUDENTS.

Our class is about what we read and discuss every day, each week, and that is represented by your thoughtful and developed written online posts to our discussion area as well as participation in the classroom. This is related to, but separate from your major assignment unit projects. 

 How will discussion posts be graded?

More or less, if you do it, you’ll get the credit. You have to do it thoroughly and thoughtfully, and you have to do it in a timely manner for full credit. (If you’re having trouble with getting things done on time, please let me know.) Writing is largely about discipline and routine, so this is a good way to learn that– and to earn 30% of the credit for this course. 

Late Paper Policy:

Major essays are due in class on the due date, or submitted by email to me BEFORE class on the due date.  If you are having difficulty completing a major assignment please talk to me before it is due. I want to help. Please take advantage of The Writing Center’s free tutoring well in advance of the due date. https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/ctwritingcenter/

 

Revision Policy:

In this course , you can—and will!– revise all major units for your final portfolio (see Unit 4: Final Portfolio). Your new grade entirely replaces your old grade. You can also revise your units sooner than that if you feel you’d like more feedback. Please come see me during office hours if you’re confused about my comments or you’d like additional feedback.

 

University Policies:

Accessibility Statement:

City Tech is committed to supporting the educational goals of enrolled students with disabilities in the areas of enrollment, academic advisement, tutoring, assistive technologies, and testing accommodations. If you have or think you may have a disability, you may be eligible for reasonable accommodations or academic adjustments as provided under applicable federal, state and city laws. You may also request services for temporary conditions or medical issues under certain circumstances. If you have questions about your eligibility or would like to seek accommodation services or academic adjustments, you can leave a voicemail at 718-260-5143, send an email to:  Accessibility@citytech.cuny.edu, or visit the Center’s website at  http://www.citytech.cuny.edu/accessibility/ for more information.

Academic Integrity:

Students and all others who work with information, ideas, texts, images, music, inventions, and other intellectual property owe their audience and sources accuracy and honesty in using, crediting, and citing sources. As a community of intellectual and professional workers, the College recognizes its responsibility for providing instruction in information literacy and academic integrity, offering models of good practice, and responding vigilantly and appropriately to infractions of academic integrity. Accordingly, academic dishonesty is prohibited in The City University of New York and at New York City College of Technology and is punishable by penalties, including failing grades, suspension, and expulsion. The complete text of the College policy on Academic Integrity may be found in the catalog.[9]

Diversity Policies:

City Tech Diversity and Inclusive Education Syllabus Statement:

This course welcomes students from all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. In accordance with the City Tech and CUNY missions, this course intends to provide an atmosphere of inclusion, respect, and the mutual appreciation of differences so that together we can create an environment in which all students can flourish. It is the instructor’s goal to provide materials and activities that are welcoming and accommodating of diversity in all of its forms, including race, gender identity and presentation, ethnicity, national origin, religion, cultural identity, socioeconomic background, sexuality and sexual orientation, ability, neurodivergence, age, and etc. Your instructor is committed to equity and actively seeks ways to challenge institutional racism, sexism, ableism and other forms of prejudice. Your input is encouraged and appreciated. If a dynamic that you observe or experience in the course concerns you, you may respectfully inform your instructor without fear of how your concerns will affect your grade.  Let your instructor know how to improve the effectiveness of the course for you personally, or for other students or student groups. We acknowledge that NYCCT is located on the traditional homelands of the Canarsie and Lenape peoples.

Support Resources:

College Writing Center:

Online writing tutoring is available through the Writing Center at City Tech! I encourage you to utilize their services. Keep in mind you’ll need to make an appointment ahead of time. It’s unlikely they’ll be able to squeeze you in at the last minute, especially during busy times, so plan ahead!

Advisors:

The transition to college is challenging for everyone. It is helpful to periodically reflect on how you are doing in your classes, and how your anticipated area of study (major) is progressing, as well as to plan next steps.Once advisement begins, you will be assigned a faculty advisor. During this period, if you have not been emailed and/or you do not see your advisor/appointment on CUNYFirst, go to your major’s homepage; there, you will find advisement details that will include contact information, as well as dates and times.

 

English 1101 Learning Outcomes:

 

Departmental Learning Outcomes:

It is expected that at a minimum, students in ENG 1101 will:

Read and listen critically and analytically in a variety of genres and rhetorical situations: Identify and evaluate exigencies, purposes, claims, supporting evidence, and underlying assumptions in a variety of texts, genres, and media.

Adapt to and compose in a variety of genres: Adapt writing conventions in ways that are suitable to different exigencies and purposes in a variety of contexts, including academic, workplace, and civic audiences. When appropriate, repurpose prior work to new genres, audiences, and media by adjusting delivery, design, tone, organization, and language.

Use research as a process of inquiry and engagement with multiple perspectives: Learn to focus on a topic and develop research questions that lead to propositions and claims that can be supported with well-reasoned arguments. Persuasively communicate and repurpose research projects across a variety of contexts, purposes, audiences, and media. Demonstrate research skills through attribution and citation gathering, evaluating, and synthesizing both primary and secondary sources. Learn how to use appropriate citation styles depending on disciplinary and situational requirements (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.).

Use reflection and other metacognitive processes to revise prior assumptions about reading and writing and transfer acquired knowledge into new writing situations. Students write reflections of their own reading and writing process from the beginning and throughout the semester with the intention to transfer their acquired knowledge about genre and composing practices into new writing situations.

Demonstrate the social and ethical responsibilities and consequences of writing: Recognize that first-year writing includes academic, workplace, and civic contexts, all of which require careful deliberation concerning the ethical and social ramifications concerning fairness, inclusivity, and respect for diversity. Write and revise for academic and broader, public audiences accordingly.

Compose in 21st– Century Environments: Learn to choose among the most current and effective delivery methods for different composing situations. Students learn to compose in new media environments, including alphabetic texts, still and moving images, sonic, and mixed media compositions. Use digital media platforms appropriate to audience and purpose.

 

CUNY Pathways Learning Outcomes:

A course in this area must meet all of the following learning outcomes. A student will:

 

• Read and listen critically and analytically, including identifying an argument’s major assumptions and assertions and evaluating its supporting evidence.
• Write clearly and coherently in varied, academic formats (such as formal essays, research papers, and reports) using standard English and appropriate technology to critique and improve one’s own and others’ texts.
• Demonstrate research skills using appropriate technology, including gathering, evaluating, and synthesizing primary and secondary sources.
• Support a thesis with well-reasoned arguments, and communicate persuasively across a variety of contexts, purposes, audiences, and media.
• Formulate original ideas and relate them to the ideas of others by employing the conventions of ethical attribution and citation.