Author Archives: Alison Lowenstein-Isaacs

Final Call to Action and Remix

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English 1121

Paper #2: Call to Action Research Proposal

 

Due Dates:

TBA: Research Memo/Annotated Bibliography

TBA: First Draft

TBA: Final Draft

 

Assignment Overview and Requirements:

 

For this unit, you will focus on inquiry-based research. Your first paper asked that you define and analyze a discourse community that either you’re a part of or that you have seen represented in the stories we have read. Now you are going to write a paper about an issue you’ve identified within a chosen discourse community or in another community that interests you.

 

In short, you are going to identify an issue in a community you’ve chosen to investigate, compile research on that issue, and present that research in a Call To Action.

 

The paper will require a variety of research, until you feel you’ve addressed the question you proposed. You will look at the relationship between your community and certain larger issues or topics that permeate it. This could mean either 1) an issue within the community or 2) the way in which practices or values of your community relate to society in general.

 

The parts of the assignment are as follows:

  • Research Memo DUE 

This will be a survey of your sources, essentially a professionalized annotated bibliography. You do not need an argument for this portion of the assignment but you do need to provide and in-depth analysis of each of your sources. This includes a summary of the most important content of the sources, as well as analysis of the rhetorical context and elements of the sources

  • Informative Call to Action Due 

In the final portion of the assignment, you will write a “call to action” in which you inform your audience of the issue you chose to investigate. After you have comprehensively described the issue, you will offer research-based assertions as to how your audience can begin to catalyze change surrounding the issue. This portion of the assignment should be 6-8 pages and must make studied use of your research (1500-2000 words).

  • Peer Letters and Reflection Due . Just like you did with the Portrait of the Discourse Community Essay.After you have completed the first draft, you will bring in three copies of your essay – one for me, and two for two of your peers. You will share these essays with your group, and, after reading each other’s essays, provide thoughtful, critical feedback. While you should provide suggestions for improvement, you should also consider this an opportunity to take cues from your peers and build a sense of community and solidarity. Note what you think works and what you think could use some work. You will attach a copy of the two peer letters to your final draft.

In addition to the letter you will write a reflection (500 words), after your paper has been graded. In this, you will explain:

  1. Why you chose to write the way you wrote
  2. What insights you’ve gained from the readings and your peers
  3. What you think worked and what you might improve on

English 1121

Paper #3: Call to Action Remix

Due Dates:

Proposal

First Draft

Project Due

In-Class Presentations

 

Assignment Overview and Requirements:

In the last paper, you discovered an issue in the discourse community, and now you are going to take action and get the word out to a specific audience. This assignment asks you all to re-think, or re-envision, one of the assignments you have written previously in the semester and to present it in a totally new genre, perhaps changing modes. For example, a revision that goes from a written essay to an audio podcast, website, graphic, video essay, rap album, or mixed modal. This assignment builds on the generic, rhetorical and audience awareness that students have worked on all semester long, asking them to consider what discourse community they are trying to reach and, not only what diction, but also what mode of delivery would be best for delivering that message. This “translation” is key to transfer, one of the core learning outcomes of this course. If students can take a message and transform it for different audiences and media, then they are well on their way to being able to transfer writing skills across fields, disciplines and discourse communities.

 

You could:

  • Create a presentation using Prezi with a specific audience in mind
  • Create a series of three or four social media posts (Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/etc.). You must include at least two images.
  • Design a poster for an organization somehow related to your topic that could be put up around campus
  • Design a flyer that the organization could hand out to students
  • An on-video interview with someone who is somehow relevant to your topic/thesis

 

Feel free to work on this as a group project!

 

Remember, what is important is that you are thinking about genre and audience and translating your essay into a genre/mode that is somehow better for your intended audience – that can be a different audience from the one you wrote the essay for. These projects should last about 5 minutes and should be accompanied by an 800-1000 word reflection that you will turn in to me before you leave. In that reflection, you should be writing about the concepts we’ve discussed in the course: rhetorical situation, genre, audience, purpose, etc. Find questions for the reflection below.

 

 

Questions for Reflection:

 

  • Who was the audience for this essay? What did you consider about them as you translated your essay from its written form into this multimodal version?
  • What are the weaknesses of the written essay genre for this audience? What are the strengths of this new multimodal genre?
  • Was it difficult to translate the essay from its written form into this new multimodal version? Why/why not? Reflect on the process of translation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final Discourse Community Paper

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English 1121

Paper #1: Portrait of a Discourse Community

 

Proposal/Conceptual Outline:

First Draft:

Final Draft:

 

Assignment Overview and Requirements:

Your first paper asks that you define and analyze a discourse community that either you’re a part of or that you have seen represented in the stories we have read. As we’ve read and discussed in class, a discourse community is a collection of people or groups that work towards a common goal through communication. This group develops a process for communication, a unique vocabulary of jargon, and a power structure tied to the source of their community. John Swales maintains that genres both “belong” to discourse communities and help to define them (Borg, 2003).  He outlined six characteristics of discourse communities: 1) common public goals; 2) methods of communicating among members; 3) participatory communication methods; 4) genres that define the group; 5) a lexis; and 6) a standard of knowledge needed for membership (Swales, 471-473).

 

Examples of groups can be employees at the same company, clubs at City Tech, Skateboarders, super fans, engineers, doctors, hospital patients, residents of a neighborhood, etc.

 

Identify a discourse community that you’re either a part of or that interests you.  Compose an insightful analysis of a discourse community using the material you have gathered from your research. Remember you’re describing a DC you’re a part of for an audience that knows nothing about them. What does the audience need to know?

 

I think it is useful to break the assignment into its chief components

 

  1. A descriptive look at your understanding of how the group functions as a discourse community, i.e. what are its “common public goals” and “mechanisms of intercommunication”?
  2. Plan, prepare for, and conduct an interview with a member/elder/expert from your community and write a report of the key takeaways and insights from the interview.
  3. An analysis of a single text or artifact of that discourse community, like an article or painting or film. (The key here is to think about how the DC uses its specific lexicon and “mechanisms of intercommunication” to meet its “common public goals” regarding a particular topic.)
  4. Ultimately, you will put steps 1-3 together into a descriptive report of your discourse community and one prominent genre within it. This should be 1,200-2,000 words and be accompanied by a 1-2-page reflection.

 

Part 2: Reflection

After you have completed the first draft, you will bring in three copies of your essay – one for me and two for two of your peers. You will share these essays with your group, and, after reading each other’s essays, provide thoughtful, critical feedback. While you should provide suggestions for improvement, you should also consider this an opportunity to take cues from your peers and build a sense of community and solidarity. Note what you think works and what you think could use some work. After gathering notes, write a letter to each of your group members responding to their paper with your comments and suggestions. You will attach a copy of letter to your final draft.

In addition to the letter you will write a reflection (500 words), also to be attached to the final draft. In this, you will explain:

  1. Why you chose to write the way you wrote
  2. What insights you’ve gained from the readings, the journals, and your peers
  3. What you think worked and what you might improve on

 

Guidelines and Paper Format

The paper follows MLA format and documentation-style sheet, with in-text citations and a works cited page.  There are different ways to think about approaching your paper.

 

If you choose prompt two, remember to write your paper as if your reader is not familiar with the story, but do not overly just summarize the plot. Although you will use some summary in your analysis, present your own interpretation using textual evidence for support. Present your interpretation and try to convince your reader why your particular reading reveals the discourse community in the story, one that you believe is significant. Quote briefly, but quotes should make up no more than about 15% of your paper.

 

I hope you enjoy writing this paper.  Don’t plagiarize (this can lead to an “F”): write your own essay.  Your ideas are good!   Give them a chance to develop.  Title your paper!

 

 

Paper Length and Format: 4-5 pages, double-spaced, typed, one-inch margins, no larger than 12 point font, New Times Roman or Garamond. Minimum of 1200 Words

 

 

Guidelines for Documenting Sources

 

You are not required to use outside sources for this assignment, but if you do, you must use MLA (Modern Language Association) documentation.  Refer to a reference style handbook such as Diana Hacker’s A Pocket Style Manual.  Also, the OWL (Online Writing Lab) at Purdue and The University of North Carolina offer especially good websites for documentation as well as writing papers in general.

 

 

Works Cited Page

 

Complete bibliographic information (author, title(s), publication information, should be listed on a separate “work (or works) cited” sheet.  This must be organized in alphabetical order by the author’s last name.  This appears after the conclusion of your essay.  For example:

 

Work Cited

 

O’Brien, Tim  “The Things They Carried” The Literary Experience

Bruce Beiderwell, Jeffrey M. Wheeler, .2nd ed. 

Boston: Cenage, 2016. Print. pp. 1277-1291

Criteria Excellent

A

 Proficient

B

 Developing

C

 Deficient

D
·      Development of Ideas         40%

  • Does the author respond fully to the prompt?
  • Does the author analyze a single text or artifact of that discourse community?

·      Are supporting points fully explained and supported with evidence and reasoning?

 

        
Organization                          40% 

  • Does the author include a clear beginning that pulls readers into the essay?

·      Are paragraphs organized in support of a single idea?

·      Is there a clear connection between each paragraph?

·      Is there a logical pattern of development in support of the main idea?

 

        
Mechanics and Usage             20%

·      Does the essay use a variety of sentence lengths and structures to create sentence fluency?

·      Does the essay use effective diction?

·      Does the essay avoid errors in grammar and syntax (particularly those we have covered in class)?

·      Is the essay formatted in MLA document style?

 

        

 

Final 1121 Syllabus

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English 1121: Writing Across Genres and Communities

CP20                                      

Professor Lowenstein

Email: ALowensteinisaacs@citytech.cuny.edu

Office: Pearl 313

Office Phone: 718-260-5399

Room: Monday and Wednesdays 12:30-1:45

Office Hours: Monday 11:00-12:00 and 5pm-6pm

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

 

Welcome to ENG 1121! This course builds on its prerequisite, ENG 1101. Together, we will explore and write within new genres, conduct research, and reflect on our writing practices. The big goal is that after you finish this sequence, you’ll be able to analyze and participate in genres inside and outside of higher ed. We’re aiming to build skills that will be useful in future coursework, the workplace, and in your personal lives. In other words, this course isn’t self-contained—we’re aiming to give you a toolbox of skills that you can apply across situations.

 

DEPARTMENTAL LEARNING OUTCOMES

 

These are the goals that all instructors in ENG 1101 and ENG 1121 want students to gain by the end of the sequence:

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. Adapt 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.

 

  1. 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 proper 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.)

 

  1. Use reflection and other metacognitive processes to revise prior assumptions about the writing processes and transfer acquired knowledge about effective reading and writing practices into new writing situations. Engage with reading and writing as a process including prewriting, writing, and continuous revision. Students write essays that demonstrate their reflection of their own 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.

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. Compose in 21st Century Environments: Learn to choose among the most current and effective delivery methods for different composing situations, including composing 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.

 

COURSE PROJECTS

 

Unit 1: Discourse Community Analysis- Choose a discourse community of interest to you and write a paper that explains its major features, analyzes an interesting sample from the discourse community, and explains how this knowledge will be useful to yourself and others. 

Unit 2: Call to Action Research Paper- Identify an issue within a discourse community that you belong to, conduct research, and write a paper that suggests a course of action related to the issue.

Unit 3: Call to Action Remix- Translate the call to action from a research paper into a genre that your discourse community uses/interacts with. 

 

Mini-Unit: Revision and Proofreading- Use feedback from me as well as revision and proofreading strategies to make your writing even more excellent. The mini-unit will prepare you to turn in a final portfolio of your writing.

 

 

 

 

 

GRADING

Attendance and participation- 20%- In terms of attendance, you should be in the classroom both physically and mentally. Missing more than 5 classes can result in a 0 in this section, and regular lateness/early departure can be subject to 1/3 of an absence.

In terms of participation, you should be completing all in-class assignments and peer review.

Writing Assignments- 30%

  • Low-stakes writing 10%- This includes writing-based homework, and writing assignments. They will be graded based on completion.
  • Unit projects 20%- This includes your major papers: the discourse community analysis, the call to action, the call to action remix, and the final reflection. They will be graded based on rubrics I will hand out. Please note that this means that each of your major papers, as well as the final reflection, is worth only 5% of your grade. Why? Because I want to see you revise—and the best versions of what you write will be the revised versions that appear in your final portfolio.

 

Final Portfolio (final drafts and author’s statement)- 50%- This is the key component of the course; it is equivalent to a final exam. You will use feedback from me, and revision strategies that we learn in class to write final drafts of your major unit projects. I expect you to revise significantly—focusing on “higher-order issues” like organization, development, and thesis rather than just on “lower-order issues” like grammar and punctuation. You will also write an author’s statement reflecting on your writing practices, what you’ve created during of the semester, and how you can apply knowledge from this course in future contexts.

 

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM ME

I’ll give you frequent feedback- You will get comments from me on your high-stakes writing, and I’ll also be giving you guidance on major projects as you draft. I will also conference individually with everyone in class twice during the semester.

I’ll teach transferrable skills- My goal isn’t just that you write the papers and do the work for this class—I want to introduce skills that you can use when you write and participate in new genres throughout your life.

I want to collaborate with you- I’m interested in co-creating this class with you. Together we’ll talk about what makes a good conversation, create a technology policy, and create rubrics together. I want it to always be clear why we do things in class—if the why isn’t clear, ask me to explain!

I’ll be a resource to you- If you have questions about the class, about City Tech, or about looking for jobs/internships, let me know! I’ll do my best to help you find the resources you need. Office hours are a great time to talk one-on-one!

 

COURSE POLICIES

Late work- Late writing related to your unit projects (not printed and brought in for peer review) will result in a 5% reduction in your final portfolio grade. Late portfolios are subject to a 10% reduction in the portfolio grade for each day that they are missing.

 

That said, I understand that emergencies happen. Please reach out to me well before (not 10 minutes before!) an assignment is due if a personal emergency will prevent you from turning in an assignment on time, and we can talk about a one-time 24-hour extension.

Missing class- If you miss class, assignments for that day are still due. Check in with a classmate about what you missed in class, and check the course calendar to see what is due on the day that you return to class.

 

It is important that you are in class for peer review days (3/2, 3/23, 4,27). If you miss these days, I highly recommend going to the Atrium Learning Center to work on your paper with a tutor.

Withdrawing from/dropping the course- I want to have you in class all semester, but if you feel that you need to withdraw, please come speak to me and your advisor. Keep in mind that you have to drop/withdraw officially through CUNYFirst and that there are dates on the academic calendar that indicate the periods in which you can drop and withdraw.

 

Email- Please reach out via your City Tech email with any course-related concerns, and I’ll get back to you within 1 business day.

 

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, please contact the Center for Student Accessibility at 300 Jay Street room L-237, 718 260 5143 or http://www.citytech.cuny.edu/accessibility/.

 

 

College Policy on Academic Integrity:  “Students who work with information, ideas, and texts 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 CUNY 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.”

 

What does that mean? Turn in your own work and ideas! When you use someone else’s ideas, cite them properly. Don’t turn in plagiarized work, as it can have serious consequences.

 

We will talk about proper citation in class, and if you have any doubts related to academic integrity, please reach out to me.

CAMPUS RESOURCES

Atrium Learning Center- Access free writing guides online, and visit a tutor in-person to work on your writing.

Phone: 718-260-5874

Location: 300 Jay St LG-18

Website: https://www.citytech.cuny.edu/alc/

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS

Readings- The Literary Experience

Bruce Beiderwell, Jeffrey M. Wheeler, .2nd ed. 

Boston: Cenage, 2016. Print.

Handouts

Supplies- Please bring a dedicated notebook for journaling and in-class writing.

 

 

Unit 1:Portrait of a Discourse Community           

        

2/3          Class introduction and review of syllabus. Read Anne Lamott “Sh**ty First Drafts.” Writing Response #1:Read the first half of Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried.” Write a 150-word response to the reading addressing any emotions or insights you had while reading the story.

 

2/5          Discussion on Discourse Communities and “The Things They Carried.” Writing Response #2: Read the rest of “The Things They Carried.” After discussing discourse communities in class, do you see how that concept relates to the story? Are the soldiers a part of a discourse community? Why? Why not? Write 200 words. Read the first part of “Navigating Genres” handout.

 

2/10        Discussion on “The Things They Carried” and “Navigating Genres.” Review Essay #1:  Assignment hand out. Writing Response #3: Finish reading “Navigating Genres.” Answer one discussion question following the reading. You can choose which one to answer! Response must be at least 150 words.

 

2/24        Presenting Outlines! Read NYT Op-Ed in class. Discuss Genre and Discourse Communities. Writing  Response #4: Read Richard Straub, “Responding to Work” Write a 150 word response.

 

2/26        Discussion on “Responding to Work.” Work on first draft of Essay #1.

 

3/2          First Draft Workshop

 

3/4          Hand in Paper #1! Discussion on Research and New Unit. Brainstorming a Research Question!

 

Unit 2: Call To Action

 

 

3/9          In-class reading and discussion on “Backpacks v. Briefcases” and identifying problems within a community. Start doing your research!

 

3/11        Library Visit!

 

3/16        Bring in Research Memo for Peer Review

 

3/18        In-Class reading and discussion of Mike Rose “Writer’s Block.” Write your papers!

              

3/23        First Draft Workshop

 

3/25        Hand in Paper! In-class discussion on Donald Murray “Internal Revision,” Writing Response #5: Read “The Yellow Wallpaper” and write 200 words on your thoughts on the ending.

 

3/30        Discussion on “The Yellow Wallpaper.” Writing Response #6: Read Nelson Graf, “Teaching Rhetorical Analysis to Promote Transfer of Learning.” Write 200 words reacting to the reading.  While addressing the reading, highlight a portion that stood out to you and write one question you have about that reading.

Unit III: Call to Action Remix

4/1          Discussion on “Writing for Transfer.” Discussion on Mentor Articles

 

4/6          Proposal for Final Project. Continued discussion on “Writing for Transfer.” Writing Response # 6: Bring in a mentor article, video clip, etc for your genre and write a 150 words explaining why you chose it. Be prepared to present this mentor article to the class. Write

 

 

4/8          Present mentor articles. Writing Response #7: Read Joyce Carol Oates “Where Are You   Going, Where Have You Been?” Write 150 word response to the reading addressing any emotions or insights you had while reading the story

 

 

4/20        Discussion on “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” and genres.

 

 

4/22        Discussion on genres, “Where Are You Going, Where You Have You Been.”  Discussion on assembling a Writing Portfolio.

 

 

4/27        In-Class Research and finalization of project

 

4/29       First Draft workshop

 

 

5/4          Paper #3: Call to Action Remix due today! In-class presentation day for remix projects more details to come on how we will present.

 

5/6          In-class presentation day for remix projects Write 1000 word author statement (guidelines will be handed out in class). Due 5/11.

 

**During these final two weeks, I will hold mini-conferences during class to discuss papers and grades**

 

5/11         In-class revision workshop: Bring in your discourse analysis paper with my comments to class call to action paper with my comments to class.

5/13         In-class proofreading workshop: Bring your most updated version of the call to action paper to class

5/18         Submit your completed portfolio today

 

5/20        Final Class Reflection.

 

              

 

Final Reflection and Portfolio

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Final Reflection 1121

 

Congratulations! You’ve completed a substantial body of work. Now it is time for you, as the title suggests, reflect on your work over the semester. For this final assignment, reflect upon the following questions:

 

What have you learned about yourself as a reader, writer and scholar this semester?

 

How will you be able to use what you have learned this semester and transfer that knowledge to other writing situations—either in college or in your community?

 

 

The Reflection should be a 1000 words.

 

As a way to begin your Reflection, look back through your compendium of work: in-class writing exercises, homework assignments, earlier reflections, essays/projects, and so on. As you browse through your work, ask yourself about and take notes on the following questions:

 

  • How would you compare/contrast work done early on in the semester to now?
  • What was your favorite/least favorite assignment and why?
  • What are some notable lessons or discussion posts that have stuck with you after completing certain assignments?
  • What changed in your writing (and reading and thinking) as the genres changed?
  • How did you make decisions in your assignments about content and genre?
  • Did you encounter any challenges or successes while working on your multimodal project?
  • What were your early assumptions/beliefs about yourself and writing? Have they since changed? Explain.
  • What was your experience revising assignments?
  • Was there any peer feedback that stands out to you and why?

 

Don’t simply answer the above questions in your final reflection; they are just meant to help you brainstorm ideas. Think about all of the essays we’ve read about writing this semester—some of them certainly hooked your interest while others… probably did not.  The ones that did were well-written, they had a point, the writer had a voice that you felt was worth listening to.  Try to do that in your own writing here.  Remember that this isn’t just you writing off-the-top of your head; this is a finished piece of writing.

 

You are also open to write this reflection in another genre. For instance, you can write this reflection as a guide, a how-to essay, instructions for succeeding in 1121, etc. If you do choose to write in another genre, you must still address the questions listed above and quote from each of the papers you are including in the writing portfolio. Think of this reflection as an introduction to your portfolio and take the reader on a journey focusing on your academic growth in this class. Don’t be afraid to be honest, if you didn’t find yourself liking a particular assignment, let the reader know.

 

 

 

Here’s what I will be looking for (and grading you on):

 

  • Attention to audience. You need to have a “so what?” Don’t just list off a bunch of random opinions about your writing—write an article about what you’ve learned. Think about who you are writing for (hint: it’s not just me).
  • Attention to organization. This does not have to be a traditional organization, but you should have paragraphs (not just a 1000 word paragraph, please) and some reason for why they’re in the order they’re in!
  • Evidence and analysis. If you tell me you learned something about yourself as a writer, show me proof! By proof, I specifically mean quotes from your own writing. All reflections should have at least three quotes from your own writing this semester. And, as usual, don’t just drop those quotes in there and expect your readers to figure out why you’ve chosen them. Explain why that passage is important to your readers and to your “so what?”
  • Proofread. Make sure it’s long enough. As usual, you can use whatever language you see fit to use, but make decisions about your language—that is, the words that are there should be there for a reason.
  • It’s gotta be on time. The reflection is due TBA and I don’t have any leeway because I need to turn grades in. Make sure to post it by then! You’ve probably never written anything like this before, so I’m sure you’ll want to get some feedback before you submit it with the final portfolio due on TBA (no late portfolios will be accepted)

 

Writing Portfolio 1121

 

Writing Portfolio: Spring 2020

English 1121 CP20

Due May 20th(no late portfolios will be accepted)

Congratulations! You’ve completed a body of work (about 6000 words!) and are ready to compile your writing portfolio.

What to Include:

The writing portfolio should include:

Discourse Community Paper

Call to Action Paper

Call to Action Remix/Artist Statement

The reflections you’ve written for the three papers and the final reflection for the semester.

You are more than welcome to include any other writing (in class writing, reading responses, etc.) that you felt stood out this semester.

With the exception of the final reflection, you must include a paragraph introduction before each writing sample.

How to Submit?

 

Email to me alowensteinisaacs@citytech.cuny.edu

 

All documents must be saved as YourFullName1121WritingPortfolio

You might have to submit your multimodal project under a separate file. Please title it YourFullName1121CP20MultiModal

 

Formatting 

The Writing Portfolio must be in Times New Roman and a 12-point font, double-spaced.

It must include:

Title Page (You can come up with a creative title if you’d like or you can just title it–“Your Name Writing Portfolio”)

 

Table of Contents with page #s

 

Paragraph intros before each new writing sample (you don’t need one for the final reflection)

Writing Portfolio Example
Page 1:

(Title Page)

Your Name Writing Portfolio

English 1121 CP20

Professor Lowenstein-Isaacs

 

Page 2:

These word count and page numbers are an example of how to format and aren’t reflective of real page counts

Table of Contents

2020 Reflection: Word Count: 1000 words (pages) 3-6

Discourse Community Paper and reflection: Word Count 1850  7-12

Call to Action and reflection: Word Count 2200  13-18

Call to Action Remix: Paper Artist Statement and reflection Word Count 1800  19-22

 

Word Count for Portfolio: 6,850

 

Page 3-6:

Final reflection about semester

 

Page 7:

Intro and paper #1

Example:

Intro:

The Discourse Community Paper was the first major writing assignment we were assigned. I found it to be a bit challenging because I couldn’t decide which discourse community to focus on, but eventually I settled on… (Just give us a summary of your paper and what you’ve learned from writing in this genre). The intro doesn’t need to be more than a paragraph.

 

Paper:

Word Count: 1350 words

Your Discourse Community Paper

By You

This would be your Discourse Community Paper…

 

Follow this format with the additional papers, and congratulations, you have completed your writing portfolio!

 

Revising: 

Please revise all pieces. Watch out for typos. A good idea is to read your work aloud before you submit it. I always catch typos when I read my work aloud.

 

Any questions? Let me know! I will go over this in our virtual class on May 11th.

 

Grading Criteria

 

The writing portfolio is 50% of your grade. 

 

You have received grades for the writing assignments included in this portfolio, but this is your final chance to rework them to increase your grade. You should only include your final draft of each writing assignment. I will grade the portfolio based on the criteria for those specific assignments (including the Final Reflection), but this is how I will grade the overall Writing Portfolio. 

 

 

  • Effort and Care. Did you do a thoughtful job of putting together the portfolio? Did you write introductions that both summarize the writing samples you have included, but also explain what you have learned from writing in that specific genre? Did you revise the pieces? Did you make sure they were polished before including them in the portfolio?
  • MUST BE ON TIME.I have wanted to be as flexible as I possibly can this semester, but the final portfolio is due May 20thand I don’t have any leeway because I need to turn grades in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final Unit 2 & 3

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English 1101 Paper #2: Research Report

Due Dates

Proposal/Conceptual Outline:

First Draft:

Final Draft:

In this unit, we are reading about the community around us. More specifically, we are reading and analyzing issues that are relevant to New Yorkers. You will choose a relevant topic that interests you, and report on a specific question you’d like to investigate within that topic.

Since the Unit 2 and Unit 3 papers are closely linked, in order to explain Unit 2, I have to talk about Units 2 + 3 together, because you’re going to have to use some foresight in the research decisions you make; there will be planning, trial, error, planning again. It’s all part of the process.

In Unit 3, you’ll be writing a document in a new genre, one you haven’t written in before, about what you’ve decided to research in unit 2. For example, you might write a manifesto, or a comic book. Maybe you want to write a speech addressing a problem you outlined or discovered in your research for Unit 2.

You don’t need to know exactly what you’re going to be doing in Unit 3 yet. HOWEVER, you’ll be doing some things in Unit 2 that you’ll need for Unit 3:

  1. Researching a question about a NYC community or issue that you are truly curious about. You will use some of your research from Unit 2 when you write Unit 3.
  2. Researching a variety of different genres, which will inform what you write in Unit 3.

So, Unit 2 will be an investigation into and report on a specific question about a topic that interests you. You will conduct research into various genres (4 sources), gather and evaluate the information in those sources, and present a report on your findings. For this assignment, you will not need a thesis statement; rather, I am asking you think investigate, analyze, and report what you have learned from your investigation. You may arrive at an answer to you initial question, or you may find you’re asking the wrong questions and will need to rethink your approach.

  1. Ask and develop specific question. This should be something you care about, something you’ve always wondered about – something that will keep you engaged, as you’ll be continuing this line of inquiry in Unit 3 as well.
  2. Have your question approved by me (REQUIRED). If you change your question, your new question must be approved. Due (You cannot change your question past TBA).
  3. Research, gather information on, and analyze 4 sources consisting of at least 3 different genres.
  4. Read and annotate sources with your question in mind. Take notes on the relationship between the source and your question. Consider throughout: what did I learn from this source? About my own process of thought? About my reading process? My writing process?
  5. Write your report. The best way to go about this is to write the report for each source, then write the intro and conclusion. Remember that format and appearance count, so give yourself time to proofread and make it look good!

Your analysis of each source must be at least 300 words – this is both content analysis AND rhetorical analysis, which we have discussed and will continue to discuss during this unit. In other words, you must analyze not only what the source says, but also who its intended audience is, what its history is, its purpose, etc. Remember, try to make this as interesting to your readers as possible. This gives you some leeway in choosing how you want to format your report, but make sure you consider what is best for your audience.

Example of how you might format this piece.

Intro

Summary and analysis of source #1. Be sure to mention the genre, audience, and purpose of the piece. You should insert your evaluation of the source. Also quote from the source.

Summary and analysis of source #2. Be sure to mention the genre, audience, and purpose of the piece. You should insert your evaluation of the source. Also quote from the source.

Summary and analysis of source #3. Be sure to mention the genre, audience, and purpose of the piece. You should insert your evaluation of the source. Also quote from the source.

Summary and analysis of source #4. Be sure to mention the genre, audience, and purpose of the piece. You should insert your evaluation of the source. Also quote from the source.

You might want to add a paragraph here addressing the problem you’ve uncovered while researching this question, and how you will address it in a new genre and why you chose that genre. You might still be deciding what genre you want to use, which is fine. You can also identify the problem and audience you might want to reach.

Conclusion.

The entire report, consisting of source analysis, introduction, and conclusion, should be at least 1800 words. 

Grading System

  1. Is your document readable and informative? Does it teach us about what you’ve learned, as it relates to question? Does it teach us, not only about the content of the sources you’ve chosen, but also the rhetorical situation surrounding those sources? In other words, is it a “good” source? Good for whom? Why?
  2. Did you do good research here? One of the main goals of the assignment is to learn something new about your topic AND to help you learn to find information on your own, to be applied to future situations. If you simply choose the first three options on Google, that’s not doing enough, and your topic will most likely not be as nuanced as it could be.
  3. Did you find sources in at least three different genres? Do the genres you chose “gel” with the content – that is, do the genres you chose make sense for the goals of both Units 2 and 3?
  4. Your report must look good, and must be organized in a way that makes sense to the reader you have in mind (and to me!).
  5. Is your language appropriate to the audience you have in mind? No matter how you chose to write it, the type of language you use (how it is written) must be consistent and must be appropriate to your audience. You should be able to explain with a good line of reasoning why you chose the language you chose.
  6. Cite your sources.

Paper #3: Writing in a New Genre

Proposal due:

First draft due:

Final draft due:

In this paper, you will be using your research from Unit 2 to compose in a new genre. You might want to write a declaration, a manifesto, a rulebook, a magazine article (from a particular publication), a comic book, a children’s book, short story, a video essay etc. The possibilities are virtually endless, except you must:

  1. Have a rhetorical understanding of the genre you choose
  2. Make use of the research you did in Unit 2

It would help you to have a specific example of the genre in which you choose to write. Perhaps you discovered the genre while you were doing research for paper #2. You might have written about this genre, in some form, so use the knowledge you already have, and the knowledge you will gain from further research, to craft the best version of a document in the genre you’ve chosen. If you are choosing to do something say in video or song, you must transcribe the words. Word Count: I want you to follow the rules of the genre and don’t want you to write to fulfill a word count. That said, the piece you write needs to be well-developed. I also want you to write at least a 500 word reflection on the paper. I will hand out a separate sheet with questions that need to be addressed in the reflection. Reflections are written and submitted once you receive a grade for the paper,

Some ways you might want to get started:

Question your intent. Think, “What do I have to say? Why do I care about this topic? What is the best genre for me to communicate what I have to say?”

Choose a genre you like and that you think best fits your intent. If you decide for instance that you want to talk about bodegas, or your bodega specifically, perhaps an exposé is best.

The point here is, the topic and genre should gel.

Steps

  1. Consider again how your research and genre analysis in Unit 2 has addressed/influenced your line of questioning. What do you want to say? Why is your topic important to you and to the community at large? Which genre is best suited to communicating your message?
  2. Once you’ve narrowed your focus/have chosen your genre, outline your argument. How will your support your general claim? What kind of sources would strengthen your argument?
  3. Conduct further research, if necessary, to support your claims/vision.
  4. Begin writing. Bring in research and the methodological knowledge you’ve gained from our investigation into genre and rhetoric. Look to your source/mentor text for ideas about structure.
  5. Incorporate reflection and feedback in order to improve the final product.

How will this be graded:

  • Accuracy of genre analysis-Did you identify the common elements of this genre?
  • Care and creativity- Did you put time and effort into the project?
  • Repurposing- The question/argument from your research paper is present

Paper #3: Writing in a New Genre

In this paper, you will be using your research from Unit 2 to compose in a new genre. You might want to write a declaration, a manifesto, a rulebook, a magazine article (from a particular publication), a comic book, a children’s book, short story, a video essay etc. The possibilities are virtually endless, except you must:

  1. Have a rhetorical understanding of the genre you choose
  2. Make use of the research you did in Unit 2

It would help you to have a specific example of the genre in which you choose to write. Perhaps you discovered the genre while you were doing research for paper #2. You might have written about this genre, in some form, so use the knowledge you already have, and the knowledge you will gain from further research, to craft the best version of a document in the genre you’ve chosen. If you are choosing to do something say in video or song, you must transcribe the words.

Word Count: I want you to follow the rules of the genre and don’t want you to write to fulfill a word count. That said, the piece you write needs to be well-developed. I also want you to write at least a 500 word reflection on the paper. I will hand out a separate sheet with questions that need to be addressed in the reflection. Reflections are written and submitted once you receive a grade for the paper,

Some ways you might want to get started:

Question your intent. Think, “What do I have to say? Why do I care about this topic? What is the best genre for me to communicate what I have to say?”

Choose a genre you like and that you think best fits your intent. If you decide for instance that you want to talk about bodegas, or your bodega specifically, perhaps an exposé is best.

The point here is, the topic and genre should gel.

Steps

  1. Consider again how your research and genre analysis in Unit 2 has addressed/influenced your line of questioning. What do you want to say? Why is your topic important to you and to the community at large? Which genre is best suited to communicating your message?
  2. Once you’ve narrowed your focus/have chosen your genre, outline your argument. How will your support your general claim? What kind of sources would strengthen your argument?
  3. Conduct further research, if necessary, to support your claims/vision.
  4. Begin writing. Bring in research and the methodological knowledge you’ve gained from our investigation into genre and rhetoric. Look to your source/mentor text for ideas about structure.
  5. Incorporate reflection and feedback in order to improve the final product.

How will this be graded:

  • Accuracy of genre analysis- Did you identify the common elements of this genre?
  • Care and creativity- Did you put time and effort into the project?
  • Repurposing- The call to action from your research paper is present

 

 

Final Literacy Narrative

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English 1101 Paper #1: Literacy Narrative

Due Dates

Proposal/Conceptual Outline:

First Draft:

Final Draft:

In this unit, we are investigating the place of language and writing in our lives. The goal here is to think through, in all of its nuance and contradictions, our varied experiences of language and writing – the ways in which the languages we speak contribute to a developing identity and sense of self/community, and the role writing (and reading) plays in this development. We want to think through personal experience, everyday life – the languages we use with friends, with relatives, immediate family, whomever else we may encounter in whatever context – and begin to consider how we use language differently in different contexts, often to a specific end. We want to begin to devise our own relationships to language. Through our readings, and as we consider our personal relationships to language and look critically at our own writing processes, we should begin to see how the world creeps in, how our everyday experiences of language, of writing, of being in school, are intimately connected to and reflective of the world at large and the institutions we inhabit.

Part I: Narrative (1000-1500 words)

To round out this unit, each of you will write an essay about a significant event in your experience as a writer/student. Consider what you’ve written in your observations: perhaps you want to expand on some of the things you have written there. Consider also the different ways the writers we’ve looked at write about their own experience as writers/speakers of language. You may want to write about:

  • An event in your educational career that was particularly formative;
  • A specific literacy/learning event that led you to become the thinker you are today;
  • The first time you had a profound experience related to language;
  • Your experience as a writer in this class so far, or in writing classes in general

You should talk about how the event shaped your relationship to reading and writing, or to school/education in general. Or else, you will want to talk about how your particular experience relates to some of the bigger social and cultural issues we discussed in class, such as race, the education system, standard English, etc. In any of these cases, you should reflect upon how your experience has enabled you to understand something specific about reading, writing, learning, or language AND how that understanding reflects on the communities/world you inhabit.

In this assignment you should seek to: describe your reading and writing processes, and the relationship between the two; gain a greater sense of how your personal experience of literacy, and how those experiences have shaped how you envision yourself as a writer in the current world; reflect on your own schooling and educational influences, and examine the social and technological issues involved in accessing language fluency; and explore understandings of the ethnic and cultural diversity of written English, as well as the influence of other registers, dialects, and languages.

This is not a 5-paragraph essay. This is you relating to your peers the story of whom you are as someone who belongs to a particular speech and/or writing community, and your history as a reader and writer. In that spirit, you can choose to format or write this in whatever way you think best communicates your story honestly.

You don’t have to choose a good event, or a happy one. You do not have to pretend. Write honestly, and with as much care as you can muster.

A note: this is not an excuse to write something unfocused or sloppy. You are allowed to be creative. You should absolutely be descriptive. Stay away from vague or general claims and clichés. It’s your life, you know it best and to the smallest detail – use that to your advantage.

Part 2: Reflection

After you have completed the first draft, you will bring in three copies of your essay – one for me and two for two of your peers. You will share these essays with your group, and, after reading each other’s essays, provide thoughtful, critical feedback. I will hand out a sheet with a list of questions to help guide you in your peer review. Note what you think works and what you think could use some work. You will attach a copy of the two letters and your first draft to your final draft.

Once you receive your grade, you will hand in a reflection (400 words). In this, you will explain:

  1. Why you chose to write the way you wrote
  2. What insights you’ve gained from the readings and your peers’ essays
  3. What you think worked and what you might improve on

 How Will You Be Graded?

  • organization of thoughts
  • concreteness of details
  • details support the greater narrative/argument

See attached formal rubric for more detailed explanation of grading

 

Criteria Excellent

A

 Proficient

B

 Developing

C

 Deficient

D
Development of Ideas         40%

·       Does the essay respond fully to the prompt by telling a story about your literacy? Includes reflection and analysis of your experiences, which attributes an overall meaning or lesson to the narrative?

  • Does the essay focus on a specific event or experience?

·       Are supporting points fully explained and supported with evidence and reasoning?

 

        
Organization                          40% 

  • Does the author include a clear beginning that pulls readers into the essay?

·       Are paragraphs organized in support of a single idea?

·       Is there a clear connection between each paragraph?

·       Is there a logical pattern of development in support of the main idea?

 

        
Mechanics and Usage             20%

·       Does the essay use a variety of sentence lengths and structures to create sentence fluency?

·       Does the essay use effective diction?

·       Does the essay avoid errors in grammar and syntax (particularly those we have covered in class)?

·       Is the essay formatted in MLA document style?

 

        

 

Final 1101 Syllabus

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English 1101: D127 Writing About Yourself & Your Communities

Professor Lowenstein

Email: ALowensteinisaacs@citytech.cuny.edu

Course Description

Welcome to ENG 1101! Together, we will write about both ourselves and the world around us. We will analyze new forms of communication, identify their rules, and write within them. The goal of this class (and ENG 1121, the second part of the First-Year Writing sequence) is to give you a toolbox of writing and communication skills that you can apply in your other coursework, in your job, and in your personal lives.

Departmental Learning Outcomes

These are the goals that all instructors in ENG 1101 and ENG 1121 want students to gain by the end of the sequence:

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. Adapt 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.

 

  1. 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 proper 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.)

 

  1. Use reflection and other metacognitive processes to revise prior assumptions about the writing processes and transfer acquired knowledge about effective reading and writing practices into new writing situations. Engage with reading and writing as a process including prewriting, writing, and continuous revision. Students write essays that demonstrate their reflection of their own 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.

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. Compose in 21st Century Environments: Learn to choose among the most current and effective delivery methods for different composing situations, including composing 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.

 

 

 

Online Expectations:

 

I will be posting an announcement and a discussion post on Mondays and Wednesdays. You must respond to the discussion posts and also keep up with the three papers that are due throughout the semester.

 

There will be weekly optional meetups on blackboard collaborate. I will also create discussion board threads for each paper, where you can interact with your classmates as you brainstorm ideas.

 

Course Projects

Unit 1: Literacy Event Narrative- Write a story about an experience that affected your literacy and a reflection on how that experience shaped you as a reader, writer, and/or thinker.

 

Unit 2: Research Paper-You will pick a topic related to a community that you’re a part of and conduct research on it using both general and scholarly sources. The research paper will include an annotated bibliography with citations of your sources and summaries of each source.

 

Unit 3: Communicating in a New Genre- Pick a mentor text in a genre that is interesting to you (blog post, opinion piece, documentary) and communicate what you learned from the annotated bibliography.

 

 

Grading

In-Class writing and class participation-10%

Writing Assignments- 40%

  • Low-stakes writing 15%- This includes writing-based homework, and in-class journaling and writing assignments. They will be graded based on completion.
  • Unit projects 25%- This includes your major papers: the Literacy Event Narrative, the Research Paper and Annotated Bibliography, the Communicating in a New Genre project and the Final Reflection. They will be graded based on rubrics. Please note that this means that each of your major papers is worth only 5% of your grade. Why? Because I want to see you revise—and the best versions of what you write will be the revised versions that appear in your final portfolio.

 

Final Portfolio (final drafts and author’s statement)- 50%- This is the key component of the course; it is equivalent to a final exam. You will use feedback from me and revision strategies that we learn in class to write final draft, which will be presented in a writing portfolio.

 

What you can expect from me

I’ll give you frequent feedback- You will get comments from me on your unit projects writing, and I’ll also be giving you guidance on major projects as you draft. I will also conference individually with everyone in class twice during the semester.

 

I’ll teach transferrable skills- My goal isn’t just that you write the papers and do the work for this class—I want to introduce skills that you can use when you write and participate in new genres throughout your life.

 

I want to collaborate with you- I’m interested in co-creating this class with you. Together we’ll talk about what makes a good conversation, create a technology policy, and create rubrics together. I want it to always be clear why we do things in class—if the why isn’t clear, ask me to explain!

 

I’ll be a resource to you- If you have questions about the class, about City Tech, or about looking for jobs/internships, let me know! I’ll do my best to help you find the resources you need. Office hours are a great time to talk one-on-one!

 

Course policies

Late work- Late unit projects will result in a 10% reduction on the grade for that projet. Late portfolios are subject to a 10% reduction in the portfolio grade for each day that they are missing.

 

That said, I understand that emergencies happen. Please reach out to me well before (not 10 minutes before!) an assignment is due if a personal emergency will prevent you from turning in an assignment on time, and we can talk about a one-time 24-hour extension.

 

Missing class- If you miss class, assignments for that day are still due. Check in with a classmate about what you missed in class, and check the course calendar to see what is due on the day that you return to class.

 

It is important that you are in class for peer review days (TBA). If you miss these days, I highly recommend going to the Atrium Learning Center to work on your paper with a tutor.

 

Withdrawing from/dropping the course- I want to have you in class all semester, but if you feel that you need to withdraw, please come speak to me. Keep in mind that you have to drop/withdraw officially through CUNYFirst and that there are dates on the academic calendar that indicate the periods in which you can drop and withdraw.

 

Email- Please reach out via your City Tech email with any course-related concerns, and I’ll get back to you within 1 business day.

 

 

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, please contact the Center for Student Accessibility at 300 Jay Street room L-237, 718 260 5143 or http://www.citytech.cuny.edu/accessibility/.

 

College Policy on Academic Integrity:  “Students who work with information, ideas, and texts 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 CUNY 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.”

 

What does that mean? Turn in your own work and ideas! When you use someone else’s ideas, cite them properly. Don’t turn in plagiarized work, as it can have serious consequences.

 

We will talk about proper citation in class, and if you have any doubts related to academic integrity, please reach out to me.

 

Campus Resources: Please note these can be accessed virtually during fall 2020.

 

 

Atrium Learning Center- Access free writing guides online, and visit a tutor in-person to work on your writing.

Phone: 718-260-5874

Location: 300 Jay St LG-18

Website: https://www.citytech.cuny.edu/alc/

 

 

Required Materials

Readings- This is a textbook-free course. I will upload all of your readings to blackboard as PDFs. Please print your readings and bring a physical, annotated copy to class on the day that the reading is due.

 

Supplies- Please bring a dedicated notebook for journaling and in-class writing.

 

Grades

My grades are due to the Registrar approximately 48 hours after the completion of the course’s scheduled final exam.  No work that is submitted after the end of the course (the scheduled final exam) will be considered in the final grade, except in the (very rare) case a student has received an Incomplete grade.

 

Incomplete grades can only be assigned if arrangements are made before the end of the semester, and require departmental approval; incomplete grades are reserved for very specific extenuating circumstances.

 

Confidentiality

Assignments and/or discussions in this class MAY awaken some feelings or memories of hardship.  It is recommended that you address such issues with a licensed mental health counselor located in the Counseling Office. If you share such hardships (e.g., via essays, email exchange, online networks, class discussion) during this course, your professor may consult, and/or share your personal information, with a licensed mental health counselor to address your hardship. The Counseling Office is in Namm 108.

 

Office Hours and Extra Help

 

Students who know they have trouble with any reading or writing assignment should come in as soon as possible. I hope to meet with each of you at least once during the semester, and final projects require individual meetings to discuss your work and ideas.  We can set up a time for a virtual meeting and I check my email daily, so feel free to reach out if you have any questions about an assignment or a lesson.

 

(Virtual) The Atrium Learning Center: I encourage all students to take advantage of the writing tutors at the Learning Center. This is an excellent recourse for writers of all abilities. ATRIUM LEARNING CENTER: Atrium Building G-18, Director: Judith Rockway, Phone: 718-260-5874. jrockway@citytech.cuny.edu

 

THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT REGARDING PLAGIARISM IS REQUIRED IN ALL COURSE SYLLABI AT CITY TECH:

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 at New York City College of Technology and is punishable by penalties, including failing grades, suspension, and expulsion.

 

CLASS SCHEDULE

Dates and assignments are subject to change

 

Unit I: Literacy Narrative

 

8/28        Class introduction and review of syllabus. Writing Response #1: Read Sandra Cisneros’ “Only Daughter” Write 150 word observation.

 

9/1          Discussion “Only Daughter.” Writing Response #2: Read Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue” Write a 150 word observation.

 

9/4          Discussion on “Mother Tongue.” Writing Response #3: Read “Learning to Read” by Malcolm X. Write 150 word observation. Paper #1 Assignment sheet handed out.

 

9/8          Discussion on “Learning to Read.” Writing Response #4: Read James  Baldwin “If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?” Write 150 word observation. 

                

9/11        Discussion on “If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What is?” Read article, Anne Lamott’s “Sh**ty First Drafts.” Write your paper!  Lab: Proposals

 

9/15        First Draft Workshop. Lab: Peer Review Process

 

Unit II: Current Issues in New York

9/22        Essay # 1 due. Watch documentary: My Brooklyn. Lab: Film discussion. Writing  Response #5: Read Kerry Dirk, “Navigating Genres” Answer Question #1

 

9/25        Discussion on “Navigating Genre.”  Response #6: Read Jessica Guerra “The Williamsburg Renaissance.” Write 150 word observation.

 

10/2        Discussion on “The Williamsburg Renaissance.” Lab: Brainstorming Assignment sheet #2 handed out.Assignment: Bring in a magazine or newspaper article about a topic you care about.

 

10/6        Discussion on magazine or newspaper article about a topic you care about. Writing   Response # 7: Write 300 words addressing how you went about researching the topic and why you chose this article. Do not upload to Blackboard. Print this observation and bring it to class.

 

 

10/9        Library Visit! Lab: Discussion on library visit and conducting research.  Writing Response #8: Read Colson Whitehead, “The Colossus of New York.” Write a 150 word observation.

 

 

10/12      Discussion on article handed out in class. Writing Response #9: Read “Richard Straub, “Responding-Really Responding-to Other Students’ work.” Write a 150 word observation.

 

10/16      Discussion on “Richard Straub, “Responding-Really Responding-to Other Students’   work” Lab: Reviewing Proposals

 

10/19      Write your first draft!

 

 

10/23        First Draft Workshop

 

Unit III: Final Project

 

10/27      Midterm Meetings Paper # 2 Due. Writing Response #10: Read Bronwyn T. Williams “Popular Culture is Killing Writing.” Write 150 word observation.

 

10/30      Discussion on Final Project and on “Popular Culture is Killing Writing.” Writing Response #11: Read Donald Murray, “Internal Revision.” Answer discussion question #1. Lab: Revision

 

11/3        Discussion on “Internal Revision.” Writing Response # 12: Bring in Mentor Text.  Write a 150 words explaining why you chose it. Print out and bring to class! Do not upload to Blackboard.

 

11/6        Presentations of Mentor Texts. Lab: First Steps in Final Project

 

11/10      Discussion on articles handed out in class. Writing Response # 13: Read Mike Rose “Writer’s Block” Write a 150 word observation.

 

11/13        Discussion on Writer’s Block. Lab: Grammar

11/17     Presenting your proposal

11/20     Developing ideas. Lab: Outlines

11/24      First Draft Workshop

 

12/1        In-Class presentations Lab: Revising

 

              

 

**During these final two weeks, I will hold mini-conferences during class to discuss papers and grades**

 

12/4        In-class revision workshop: Bring your writing for portfolio Lab: Discussion on author statements

12/8        In-class proofreading workshop: Bring your most updated version of all your writing

12/15      Submit your completed portfolio today Lab: Portfolio Review

 

12/18      Final Class

 

              

 

 

 

Final Reflection and Portfolio 1101

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Final Reflection 1101

 

Congratulations! You’ve completed a substantial body of work. Now it is time for you, as the title suggests, reflect on your work over the semester. For this final assignment, reflect upon the following questions:

 

What have you learned about yourself as a reader, writer and scholar this semester?

 

How will you be able to use what you have learned this semester and transfer that knowledge to other writing situations—either in college or in your community?

 

 

The Reflection should be a 1000 words.

 

As a way to begin your Reflection, look back through your compendium of work: in-class writing exercises, homework assignments, earlier reflections, essays/projects, and so on. As you browse through your work, ask yourself about and take notes on the following questions:

 

  • How would you compare/contrast work done early on in the semester to now?
  • What was your favorite/least favorite assignment and why?
  • What are some notable lessons or discussion posts that have stuck with you after completing certain assignments?
  • What changed in your writing (and reading and thinking) as the genres changed?
  • How did you make decisions in your assignments about content and genre?
  • What were your early assumptions/beliefs about yourself and writing? Have they since changed? Explain.
  • What was your experience revising assignments?
  • Was there any peer feedback that stands out to you and why?

 

Don’t simply answer the above questions in your final reflection; they are just meant to help you brainstorm ideas. Think about all of the essays we’ve read about writing this semester—some of them certainly hooked your interest while others… probably did not.  The ones that did were well-written, they had a point, the writer had a voice that you felt was worth listening to.  Try to do that in your own writing here.  Remember that this isn’t just you writing off-the-top of your head; this is a finished piece of writing.

 

You are also open to write this reflection in another genre. For instance, you can write this reflection as a guide, a how-to essay, instructions for succeeding in 1101, etc. If you do choose to write in another genre, you must still address the questions listed above and quote from each of the papers you are including in the writing portfolio. Think of this reflection as an introduction to your portfolio and take the reader on a journey focusing on your academic growth in this class. Don’t be afraid to be honest, if you didn’t find yourself liking a particular assignment, let the reader know.

 

 

 

Here’s what I will be looking for (and grading you on):

 

  • Attention to audience. You need to have a “so what?” Don’t just list off a bunch of random opinions about your writing—write an article about what you’ve learned. Think about who you are writing for (hint: it’s not just me).
  • Attention to organization. This does not have to be a traditional organization, but you should have paragraphs (not just a 1000 word paragraph, please) and some reason for why they’re in the order they’re in!
  • Evidence and analysis. If you tell me you learned something about yourself as a writer, show me proof! By proof, I specifically mean quotes from your own writing. All reflections should have at least three quotes from your own writing this semester. And, as usual, don’t just drop those quotes in there and expect your readers to figure out why you’ve chosen them. Explain why that passage is important to your readers and to your “so what?”
  • Proofread. Make sure it’s long enough. As usual, you can use whatever language you see fit to use, but make decisions about your language—that is, the words that are there should be there for a reason.
  • It’s gotta be on time. The reflection is due TBA and I don’t have any leeway because I need to turn grades in. Make sure to post it by then! You’ve probably never written anything like this before, so I’m sure you’ll want to get some feedback before you submit it with the final portfolio due on TBA (no late portfolios will be accepted)

1101 Writing Portfolio

Congratulations! You’ve completed a body of work (about 6000 words!) and are ready to compile your writing portfolio.

What to Include:

The writing portfolio should include the final drafts of all three papers:

Literacy Narrative

Research Report

Writing in a New Genre

The reflections you’ve written for the three papers and the final reflection for the semester.

You are more than welcome to include any other writing (in class writing, reading responses, etc.) that you felt stood out this semester.

With the exception of the final reflection, you must include a paragraph introduction before each writing sample.

How to Submit?

Email to me at alowensteinisaacs@citytech.cuny.edu

All documents must be saved as YourFullName1101D371WritingPortfolio

 

Formatting

The Writing Portfolio must be in Times New Roman and a 12-point font, double-spaced.

It must include:

 

Title Page (You can come up with a creative title if you’d like or you can just title it–“Your Name Writing Portfolio”)

 

Table of Contents with page #s

 

Paragraph intros before each new writing sample (you don’t need one for the final reflection)

Writing Portfolio Example
Page 1:

(Title Page)

Your Name Writing Portfolio

English 1101 D371

Professor Lowenstein-Isaacs

 

Page 2:

These word count and page numbers are an example of how to format and aren’t reflective of real page counts

Table of Contents

2020 Reflection: Word Count: 1000 words (pages) 3-6

Literacy Narrative/Title Word Count 1000 words and reflection 7-12

Research Paper/Title: Word Count and reflection 13-18

Writing in a New Genre/Title: Word Count reflection 19-22

Page 3-6:

Final reflection about semester

 

Page 7:

Intro and paper #1

Example:

Intro:

The literacy narrative was the first major writing assignment we were assigned. I found it to be a bit challenging because I don’t like to write about myself. However, after reading Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue,” I was inspired to write about… (Just give us a summary of your paper and what you’ve learned from writing in this genre). The intro doesn’t need to be more than a paragraph.

 

Paper:

Your Literacy Narrative

By You

This would be your literacy narrative…

 

Follow this format and congratulations you have completed your writing portfolio!

 

Revising:

Please revise all pieces. Watch out for typos. A good idea is to read your work aloud before you submit it. I always catch typos when I read my work aloud.

 

Any questions? Let me know! I will go over this in our virtual class on May 11th.

 

Grading Criteria

 

The writing portfolio is 50% of your grade.

 

You have received grades for the writing assignments included in this portfolio, but this is your final chance to rework them to increase your grade. You should only include your final draft of each writing assignment. I will grade the portfolio based on the criteria for those specific assignments (including the Final Reflection), but this is how I will grade the overall Writing Portfolio.

 

 

  • Effort and Care. Did you do a thoughtful job of putting together the portfolio? Did you write introductions that both summarize the writing samples you have included, but also explain what you have learned from writing in that specific genre? Did you revise the pieces? Did you make sure they were polished before including them in the portfolio?
  • MUST BE ON TIME. I have wanted to be as flexible as I possibly can this semester, but the final portfolio is due May 20th and I don’t have any leeway because I need to turn grades in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final Reflection 1101

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This is tweaked version of the one Christine shared with us.

Final Reflection 1101

Congratulations! You’ve completed a substantial body of work. Now it is time for you, as the title suggests, reflect on your work over the semester. For this final assignment, reflect upon the following questions:

What have you learned about yourself as a reader, writer and scholar this semester?

How will you be able to use what you have learned this semester and transfer that knowledge to other writing situations—either in college or in your community?

The Reflection should be a 1000 words.

As a way to begin your Reflection, look back through your compendium of work: in-class writing exercises, homework assignments, earlier reflections, essays/projects, and so on. As you browse through your work, ask yourself about and take notes on the following questions:

  • How would you compare/contrast work done early on in the semester to now?
  • What was your favorite/least favorite assignment and why?
  • What are some notable lessons or discussion posts that have stuck with you after completing certain assignments?
  • What changed in your writing (and reading and thinking) as the genres changed?
  • How did you make decisions in your assignments about content and genre?
  • What were your early assumptions/beliefs about yourself and writing? Have they since changed? Explain.
  • What was your experience revising assignments?
  • Was there any peer feedback that stands out to you and why?

Don’t simply answer the above questions in your final reflection; they are just meant to help you brainstorm ideas. Think about all of the essays we’ve read about writing this semester—some of them certainly hooked your interest while others… probably did not.  The ones that did were well-written, they had a point, the writer had a voice that you felt was worth listening to.  Try to do that in your own writing here.  Remember that this isn’t just you writing off-the-top of your head; this is a finished piece of writing.

You are also open to write this reflection in another genre. For instance, you can write this reflection as a guide, a how-to essay, instructions for succeeding in 1101, etc. If you do choose to write in another genre, you must still address the questions listed above and quote from each of the papers you are including in the writing portfolio. Think of this reflection as an introduction to your portfolio and take the reader on a journey focusing on your academic growth in this class. Don’t be afraid to be honest, if you didn’t find yourself liking a particular assignment, let the reader know.

Here’s what I will be looking for (and grading you on):

  • Attention to audience.You need to have a “so what?” Don’t just list off a bunch of random opinions about your writing—write an article about what you’ve learned. Think about who you are writing for (hint: it’s not just me).
  • Attention to organization. This does not have to be a traditional organization, but you should have paragraphs (not just a 1000 word paragraph, please) and some reason for why they’re in the order they’re in!
  • Evidence and analysis. If you tell me you learned something about yourself as a writer, show me proof! By proof, I specifically mean quotes from your own writing. All reflections should have at least three quotes from your own writing this semester. And, as usual, don’t just drop those quotes in there and expect your readers to figure out why you’ve chosen them. Explain why that passage is important to your readers and to your “so what?”
  • Proofread. Make sure it’s long enough. As usual, you can use whatever language you see fit to use, but make decisionsabout your language—that is, the words that are there should be there for a reason.
  • It’s gotta be on time. The reflection is due TBA and I don’t have any leeway because I need to turn grades in. Make sure to post it by then! You’ve probably never written anything like this before, so I’m sure you’ll want to get some feedback before you submit it with the final portfolio due on TBA (no late portfolios will be accepted)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paper # 3

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I used this for the first time this semester. I’ve noticed that most students chose to write short stories, op-eds and open letters.

Paper #3: Writing in a New Genre

In this paper, you will be using your research from Unit 2 to compose in a new genre. You might want to write a declaration, a manifesto, a rulebook, a magazine article (from a particular publication), a comic book, a children’s book, short story, a video essay etc. The possibilities are virtually endless, except you must:

  1. Have a rhetorical understanding of the genre you choose
  2. Make use of the research you did in Unit 2

It would help you to have a specific example of the genre in which you choose to write. Perhaps you discovered the genre while you were doing research for paper #2. You might have written about this genre, in some form, so use the knowledge you already have, and the knowledge you will gain from further research, to craft the best version of a document in the genre you’ve chosen. If you are choosing to do something say in video or song, you must transcribe the words. Word Count: I want you to follow the rules of the genre and don’t want you to write to fulfill a word count. That said, the piece you write needs to be well-developed. I also want you to write at least a 500 word reflection on the paper. I will hand out a separate sheet with questions that need to be addressed in the reflection. Reflections are written and submitted once you receive a grade for the paper,

Some ways you might want to get started:

Question your intent. Think, “What do I have to say? Why do I care about this topic? What is the best genre for me to communicate what I have to say?”

Choose a genre you like and that you think best fits your intent. If you decide for instance that you want to talk about bodegas, or your bodega specifically, perhaps an exposé is best.

The point here is, the topic and genre should gel.

Steps

  1. Consider again how your research and genre analysis in Unit 2 has addressed/influenced your line of questioning. What do you want to say? Why is your topic important to you and to the community at large? Which genre is best suited to communicating your message?
  2. Once you’ve narrowed your focus/have chosen your genre, outline your argument. How will your support your general claim? What kind of sources would strengthen your argument?
  3. Conduct further research, if necessary, to support your claims/vision.
  4. Begin writing. Bring in research and the methodological knowledge you’ve gained from our investigation into genre and rhetoric. Look to your source/mentor text for ideas about structure.
  5. Incorporate reflection and feedback in order to improve the final product.

How will this be graded:

  • Accuracy of genre analysis-Did you identify the common elements of this genre?
  • Care and creativity- Did you put time and effort into the project?
  • Repurposing- The question/argument from your research paper is present