Please read over the course syllabus and comment on this BLOG POST by listing three SPECIFIC questions that you have about our syllabus. For instance, “Why are we reading x instead of y?”; “Why do exams count for only 10% of grades in this course?”; etc. ALSO: Please reply to at least one person’s BLOG post, either by answering his/her question, or by expanding on one of his/her questions.
I have three questions based on the syllabus.
1: Is it required to buy the ebook edition of ” Technology: A Reader for Writers”?
2: If so, how much will that cost if I buy or rent it?
3: Why does this course has it own website?
Sheldon, Thanks so much for your questions! You are not required to purchase or rent _Technology: A Reader for Writers_. It is ON RESERVE at the City Tech college library (here is the call number: T10.7 .R53 2015). However, like many of the recommended books for the course, it is a useful and interesting book. It costs about $20 to rent the book or to buy a used copy: https://redshelf.com/book/257271/technology-a-reader-for-writers-257271-9780190246112-johannah-rodgers You can also buy it used in the City Tech College bookstore (I think).
Your third question is quite interesting to me and, as a result, I would like to know your reasons for asking it ;). For the moment, I will assume that you are asking it because not every class at the college has its own web site on the “Open Web.” I decided to house the main site for our course on the Open Web, as opposed to Bb or the City Tech Open Lab, for two reasons, first, because this makes it very easy for students to access. The Open Web, unlike Bb or the Open Lab is not password protected. Second, I find it to be a much more efficient way for me to create, store, and revise my syllabi and assignments. Are you familiar with the term “platform”? It is a fairly broad and often ambiguous term, but to the extent that the Google Sites on the Open Web, Bb, and Open Lab are each platforms, I prefer using Google Sites to the other two.
All best,
Prof. Rodgers
Yeah, my math class also has it own site for homework ( WebWork). Then my two other CST classes are through OpenLab. Thanks for the reply!
The cost of the book is 20$ to rent .
The Three Questions I have for the syllabus are:
1) What is Rhetoric?
2) Why don’t we read for than just 1 book?
3) Why do we need to Purchase a English Handbook?
Chadel,
Thanks for these questions. Since one of your assignments for next week is to read about the term rhetoric, I don’t want to spoil the surprise for you. We will discuss the various definitions of rhetoric at length during our next class. Regarding your second question, could you re-write your question? I’m afraid that in its current form I am not certain that I understand what you are asking. Finally, regarding your third question, you don’t need to purchase an English handbook if you decide to use one of the freely accessible online Handbooks.
All best,
Prof. Rodgers
About the syllabus :
1) Would you say the workload for this course is more than the average ENG 1101 course? Or about the same?
2) Can you elaborate on what you expect to see when you collect our Course Notes?
3) Is there a specific reason that the tuition policies at CUNY only give students one day to decide if they are capable of doing this for the next three months?
Kyle,
Thanks for these excellent questions. Re: 1/ the workload for ENG1101 is supposed to be consistent across sections. With so many sections, it is hard to make sure that the workload is exactly the same on any given week. However, overall, it is similar. (I realize that is a pretty vague and general answer. I guess the best way to answer your question is to tell you that the workload is supposed to be the same across all sections and that whether or not that is true in practice is open to question). Re: 2/ I assign the course notes so you will become accustomed to doing so in all of your classes, so you have a record of what we talked about on any given day, and so you can organize your own thoughts from each class session. I would suggest aiming for 1-2 pages of notes from each class session. Re: 3/ Thanks so much for bringing this issue up! This policy drives faculty members crazy and is just terrible for students. It is for purely bureaucratic reasons related to record keeping and financial aid that this policy is in place. If I were an undergraduate at CUNY, I would place this at the top of my list of issues that I believe should be changed ASAP. As far as I’m concerned, it is a policy that serves only the interests of the institution and not at all in the best interest of students and their overall educational experience.
I have three questions based on the syllabus.
1. What is the best hand book to buy?
2. What is the hardest part about the syllabus?
3. What is the most important book to get first ?
Chemar,
Thanks for these! If you want to invest in an English handbook in print, I would recommend buying a copy of “Good Writing Made Simple” because it was written specifically for City Tech students. However, if you tend to use the web for most reference materials, I would use a combination of the Purdue OWL and the Norton handbook. The Open Access English Handbook that I’ve put together is also a good place to start in order to see what types of online resources are available. The most important thing, of course, is to “buy” or invest in a handbook that works for you! 2/ Wow. This is a tough question. By hardest, do you mean the most intellectually challenging? The most time consuming? The most annoying? I could discourse at length on this question, so I’ll have to restrain myself. For now, I’ll say the hardest part of the course is understanding why and how it is a foundational one for the rest of your educational endeavors even if it will seem, at times, to be nothing more than a reiteration of “stuff” you think you already know.
All best,
Prof. Rodgers
Questions about syllabus:
1. Are you going to use both blackboard and course web site for assignments?
2. Can we use phone dictionary instead hard copy?
3. Are we allow to use dictionary in exam?
Thanks, Mohammed: 1/ We will be using our course web site, the Open Lab, and Bb for our course. Each one has a specific purpose. I will post the assignments on our course web site, you will respond to the assignments on our Open Lab site, and I will post your grades via Bb. 2/ Yes. However, please make sure you know which edition of the digital dictionary you are using, i.e., title, publisher, date published, where the content being published is originally from. 3/ I’ll respond to that question once you let me know the specific reasons why you might want to use a dictionary for an exam.
All best,
Prof. Rodgers
I had the same question about using my phone as a dictionary, however with my laptop instead. Thanks for beating me to it and getting that clarified!
Questions about syllabus:
1. Are Reading and Writing Assignments (RWA) due every Tuesday?
2.What are the exact books you require us to get?
3. Are journals collected only at the end of the semester?
Thanks for these questions, Samuel. 1/ Yes. You will bring them with you to class each week. 2/ You are not required to purchase any books. However, if you prefer to use print-based, as opposed to web-based, texts, you may want to purchase an English handbook in print and a print-copy of _Technology: A Reader for Writers_, from which many (though not all) of our course readings are published. 3/ Yes.
Questions about the syllabus
1. How do we sign up for a second class session?
2. Which book would you prefer we get for the class?
3. We have a notebook for notes, but we also work on here. Which class type will be used most often ? digital or manual ?
I was also wondering about the second class session. Do we have to sign up for something else or is it part of our open lab assignments?
Nandi,
Regarding your first question, I’m assuming you are talking about our “virtual” class meeting and not our writing lab session, which forms the second part of our Wednesday meeting. You do not need to “sign up” for the second class session since I am able to monitor when/if you have been online for that automatically!?!? 2/ please see above. 3/ in this class we will be engaging in manual, mechanical, and digital acts of writing.
All best,
Prof Rodgers
Questions about the Syllabus:
1: I am aware that we can read ahead on reading assignments; however, would you recommend doing that? Would it be a good way to be on top of this class?
2: Why are essays impacting our grades more than the midterm and final?
3. Why do each department have different polices with attendance?
Tyra,
These are excellent questions, and I have quite a bit to say about each one of them, so I’m thinking that we may need to discuss these in class. For now, here is my brief and partial response: 1/ The syllabus is subject to change so I recommend just staying with the assigned readings and writing assignments for the week we are in. There are lots of self-directed reading/writing projects that you can undertake for extra credit for this course. We have not talked about them yet, but we will. Engaging with those is a better outlet for your energy than “reading ahead” with the weekly assignments. 2/ In a college writing class, the essays that you write are more important than exams. We have yet to talk much about writing as a process, but this is a crucial part of every writing project. Exam writing is a very specific kind of writing that you could say conflates drafting and revision processes. As a result, I think of the exams in our class at least in part as essay drafts than as anything else. I also consider them practice for taking other essay exams. 3/ They should not. Beyond that, the only answers I can give are jokes at the expense of the CUNY and City Tech administrations.
All best,
Prof. Rodgers
Questions about the syllabus:
1. For our learning journal, will you be collecting it to grade? I started writing it on loose leaf and I was wondering if you rather it be in a notebook so it’s easier to hand in.
2. For the reading and writing assignments, can we choose which way to hand it in or will you tell us how you want it?
3. Will we be graded on our final writing portfolio?
Hello Anika this is collin: from what i grasp from the syllabus “ON THE ASSIGNMENT, you will submit in one of two ways: a/ by submitting the assignment via Blackboard, or b/ by printing out a copy and handing it in. If printer access is an issue for you, please come talk to me.” if anybody has a something in addition please share if im wrong.
Thanks, Collin!
Anika, Thanks for these questions. Since I’ve responded to some version of some of them (see above), I’m going to keep my answers to your post short: 1/ I will be collecting the journal. The format you use for keeping the journal is up to you. However, you need to be able to hand it in to me in some kind of readable form; 2/ I will tell you how to hand them in; 3/ yes!.
All best,
Prof. Rodgers
I have three questions according to the syllabus.
1.Our journal assignment will be graded on the last day of the class?
2. On my school schedule, it says this is an online class, I thought it means that we don’t have to go to class on Wednesday, I am very confused.
3. Do I need to buy every book?
Thanks for these questions. Since I’ve responded to some version of all of them (see above), I’m going to keep my answers to your post short: 1/ I will collect journals at midterms and during the last week of our course; 2/ it is a hybrid class; 3/ see above.
All best,
Prof. Rodgers
Questions about the syllabus:
– Are we required to take our handbooks to class each time?
-Will announcements and assignments also be available on blackboard?
-Which are the books that we are required to purchase?
Angie, Thanks for these questions. Since I’ve responded to some version of all of them (see above), I’m going to keep my answers to your post short: 1/ no; 2/ no; 3/ see above.
All best,
Prof. Rodgers
I also had similar concerns to the second questions.
I have 3 questions
1)_ are we going to use these handbook in class?
2) is the journal going to be part of our final grade?
3) are we going to use laptops in the claasroom ?
Thanks for these! Re: 1/ yes, as a reference book. 2/ yes. 3/ some students may want to use their laptops or tablets or phones in class at specific times. however, in general, we will be mostly writing by hand during class time.
Questions about the Syllabus-
1)Will you be checking the journals each week or until the end of the semester?
2)Will there be workshops for students who need extra help?
3)Do we need to bring dictionaries every time we meet?
Omayra,
Thanks for these great questions. Regarding 1/ please see the answers posted above. 2/ Yes! One on one writing tutoring is available five days a week at the City Tech Learning Center on the ground floor of the atrium building. You are encouraged to work with a writing tutor on a weekly (or daily ;)) basis! 3/ No.
1) If we are to ever need to look up a word while in class, is it ok to use our phones as a dictionary?
2)Does the journal have to be a separate book, or can I use looseleaf from my book?
3) Are we going to have a lot of quizzes/exams?