Saturday December 23

 Dear Class:

I just submitted Final Course Grades.  To save time, I decided not to input in Blackboard and went directly to CUNY FIRST official grade submission.  You will find your Final Course Grade on CUNY FIRST.

As I reviewed in class:  The Final Portfolio Assignment makes up 70% of your grade.  Participation makes up the other 30%.  Participation = Contributions to discussion, including reading aloud activities, Open Lab HW Posts, Rough Drafts, following the writing process for each and every Major Unit Assignment, attendance for the FULL-ENTIRE CLASS period, submitting Major Unit Assignments and Open Lab HW assignments on time, being prepared with readings, extra-credit, tutoring attendance, Final Day Celebration.

To those who consistently kept up with the work all semester long and followed the writing process for each assignment, your final course grade reflects this.  Some of you shined on the revision work and many of you shined in the final Podcast Genre Project.   There were some AMAZING CREATIVE podcasts!  

A few words of wisdom as you go forth:

1. Continue to make a habit of reading your own work out loud.  And certainly, you want to make it your mission to build your vocabulary. The best way to do this is, like Malcolm X, to READ voraciously for pleasure.  Over winter break, find time to read something of interest every day for thirty minutes.  Keep up your reading of the New York Times.

2. Continue next semester to work on Patterns of Error (review on our Grammar Writing Skills page –always available to you):

• Beware of TMI sentences!
• Study how to form compound and complex sentences.
• Watch for sentence errors: run-on, comma-splices, fragments.
• Study how to form possessives (with an apostrophe) vs. plural nouns.
• Make references to pronouns (he, she, they, it) clear.
• Make clear paragraph breaks; avoid huge, long blocks of text.
• Remember to SHOW not just tell; create Theatre of the Mind with CSD concrete specific details.

4. Carefully read assignment instructions.  Make sure you understand the requirements. Then follow the directions.

5.  Keep up with the work (low stakes and high) and do not let yourself fall behind!

6.  Continue to go to tutoring center.

Thanks for your thoughtful Reflection Letters and all your work this semester.

Have a great winter vacation!

Best,

Prof.Wu

Thursday December 14

Almost at the finish line!  Keep up your spirits as you work on your Final Portfolio (study the Assignment carefully).

Remember to sign-up for a spot on the Final Day Celebration sign-up sheet.

FINAL CELEBRATION MONDAY DECEMBER 18

Be ready for the Final Celebration on Monday Dec 18, our last day.  Everyone will present their podcast project. Remember for your podcast, you were to plan for 3-10 minutes and aim for about 5-minutes.

Go to the sign-in sheet in the Google Drive "Final Day Celebration" to sign up for a spot and tell me the name of your podcast and how long it is.  

Your participation is required to receive a Final Grade for the course. Be on time and prepared to present at our Final Celebration

Monday Dec 11 post-class

Today I announced that I have extended the deadline for the Final Portfolio to Sunday Dec 17.   Please use the extra days to make sure your portfolio is indeed your strongest writing and to make your podcast the best it can be!

We went over the Final Portfolio Assignment on Assignments page.

We also went over the Final Course Reflection Letter Assignment, also on Assignments page.

Please read instructions very carefully as the Final Portfolio Assignment makes up 70% of your grade.  Participation makes up the other 30%.

Participation = Contributions to discussion, including reading aloud activities, Open Lab HW Posts, Rough Drafts, following the writing process for each and every Major Unit Assignment, attendance for the FULL-ENTIRE CLASS period, submitting Major Unit Assignments and Open Lab HW assignments on time, being prepared with readings, extra-credit, tutoring attendance, Final Day Celebration.

I will hold class in the 1102 computer lab on Wednesday for you to work on Portfolio.

FINAL CELEBRATION MONDAY DECEMBER 18

Be ready for the Final Celebration on Monday Dec 18, our last day.  Everyone will present their podcast project. Remember for your podcast, you were to plan for 3-10 minutes and aim for about 5-minutes.

Go to the sign-in sheet in the Google Drive "Final Day Celebration" to sign up for a spot and tell me the name of your podcast.  

Your participation is required to receive a Final Grade for the course. Be on time and prepared to present at our Final Celebration

 

Monday December 11

1. Today is the last day to withdraw.

2. For an excellent example of Creator Statement, please go to the Genre Project Resources page, and go to Poetry section to read Bithiah Visual Poem and Bithiah Poem and CREATOR STATEMENT.  I copy here:

Bithiah Visual Poem

Bithiah Poem and CREATOR STATEMENT

Sunday December 10

We meet in Computer Lab 1102 this week — both on Monday and Wednesday.   We will work on finishing anything you need to finish.  We will also look at the last item for your Final Porfolio: Final Course Reflection Letter.  You can see this on the Assignments page.

Next week Monday December 18 is our LAST DAY!  We will have a Final Celebration and everyone will present their podcast project.   (Remember for your podcast, you were to plan for 3-10 minutes and aim for about 5-minutes.)

Wednesday post-class December 6

HW3 Progress Report DUE Friday December 8:  Write a paragraph telling me how your podcast project is going. Use the questions below.  Title: Genre Project Progress Report – Your Name.  Category:  Project Report

• What parts/tasks have you completed?
• What do you still have to do to get it done?
• What obstacles are you encountering?
• What’s your timeline to meet the deadline?
• How do you feel about your project so far?
• Have you started work on the CREATOR’S STATEMENT? (remember this is part of the assignment too — scroll down for instructions.)

I am looking forward to see/hearing everyone’s podcast projects and learning from you on our Writing Celebration December 18!  Everyone will present their podcast.

HW 4 Final Revision Ideas for Education Narrative DUE Saturday December 9 (one paragraph, 5-7 sentences).  Title:  Final Revisions Ideas Ed Narrative–Your Name  Category:  Final Revision Ideas Ed Narrative

How, exactly, will you thoroughly revise your Education Narrative for your Final Portfolio?

• Return to your Unit 1 Education Narrative Google file and study my comments on FD #1.  Name two revision strategies that you plan to use. Refer to “Development Writing Strategies” handout (posted on Grammar/Writing Skills page).
• Remember, “fixing” grammar and clarifying wording are important, but if that’s all you do, you haven’t completed the assignment; a true revision takes in the big picture: development and organization.

You could write, for example,

After studying Professor Wu’s end comments on my FD 1, I plan to develop two more scenes at key points in my story, in Par. 4 and Par. 6.  Also, I plan to break up large blocks of dialogue by adding descriptive phrases.  I’ll experiment with starting my story at a more dramatic point and weaving some of the original material into the body of the story. I’ll meet with a tutor at the Writing Center to study complex and compound sentences (could be everybody here!) 

We meet next week in Computer Lab 1102 to work on the Final Writing Portfolio (due Dec 15 Friday hard deadline).

Wednesday pre-class December 6

I would like everyone to please type out their outline.  I will ask you to include your outline in your Genre Project Final Draft.  So your Final Draft of Unit 3 should include

• the Outline
• the Podcast (mp3 will be uploaded to GDrive as part of Final Portfolio)
• AND most importantly the Creator’s Statement.  I copy here from the Unit 3 Genre Project Assignment:

CREATOR’S STATEMENT

Explaining the rationale behind our actions and decisions is an important kind of reflective writing because it shows how you researched and thought about your conclusions.

Composers of all sorts often write a Creator’s Statement for their audience that explains their inspirations, intentions, and choices in their creative and critical processes. This helps the reader understand the process that led to the final product by providing insight into what the author set out to do, how they did it, and what they might do to further improve the piece.

A successful Creator’s Statement reflects your understanding of your chosen  written genre and audience (why you chose this method and who you chose to write to).

Your Creator’s Statement should address the following:

• INTENTION :  What was your intention for this project?
• Creation Process:  What was your process for creating this podcast?  What software programs did you use and what was that learning process like?
• Provide context. Give background on your composition, such as how you became interested in the topic, what were your inspirations?
• Discuss your specific rhetorical situation and related choices:  What audience did you choose for your podcast?  Why did you choose this audience?  What is the purpose of your podcast?
• Explain your choice of podcast as genre and how you worked within its conventions.  Explain how the podcast as a genre allowed you to communicate your ideas.  What elements of the podcast worked to your advantage in communicating your ideas?
• Reflect on how it went.  Look back at your podcast and evaluate the extent of your achievement.  Also note what you would have done differently or better. Are you proud and pleased with what you’ve written? Do you think you have been convincing and clear enough for your intended audience to understand your message and be influenced by your ideas?

*Note: This should be a clear document (one-page) that reflects on and justifies the writing choices you’ve made. Do not just merely answer each question in list form.

Grading Criteria for the Genre Project with Creator’s Statement:

• Follows the conventions and formatting of your chosen multimodal genre
• Integrates the research from your RAB (at least TWO references)
• Uses quotes and/or refers to specific data or facts from your research
• Uses tone, language, grammar and sentence structure appropriate for this genre
• Carefully proofread
• Submitted on time
• Follows the WRITING PROCESS: Open Lab HWs submitted on time and comments used to write the Final Draft.
• Worked with Writing Tutor

The entire final Portfolio -- revised Unit 1 Ed Narrative, Unit 2 RAB, and Unit 3 Genre (podcast project with Outline and with Creator's Statement) -- will be due December 15 Friday.  There are NO exceptions -- you must meet this deadline.  This is in order for me to meet CUNY's final grading deadline.  It is your student responsibility to meet deadlines; this allows me to be responsible and meet my deadlines.  There are consequences if you do not give me enough time to carefully consider your portfolio.

Monday pre-class December 4

I want to send out Kudos to Savion who wrote a good Project Outline!  What’s good about Savion’s outline?  He has clearly incorporated his newly gained knowledge from his RAB.  Let’s all take a look and learn from him.

We meet in 1102 Computer Lab today.

Sunday December 3

A few points as I read your HW 2 Genre Project Outline:

1. Please tell me what type of podcast you are creating!
2. Do not forget that you must incorporate the research you learned in your RAB with at least TWO solid points in your podcast.  I should see evidence of some solid research in your podcast.  Somewhere in your podcast – you must give some background.  This could be like a little report of what you have learned FROM YOUR RESEARCH or you can work your research in more creatively.  I suggest giving this as part of your intro or your ending or even in the way you handle your interview conversation.  If give this research in your intro, you can build on this in your middle section.  If you give this research in your ending, then you build upon things that were said in your Middle section and lead to a concluding note.  You can also demonstrate your research knowledge in the middle section in your conversation part.  Engage in conversation with your interviewee that shows you have done RAB research.
3. This podcast must show clear evidence that it comes out of Unit Two — so — if you could have made this podcast without doing the research project — then you need to rethink your podcast!
4. If you are doing an interview type of podcast, then your questions should come out of your research.  If doing more of a conversation, engage in convo that demonstrates your newly gained knowledge.
5. ALSO remember you must have a take-away.  What is the message that you want the audience to take away? You might close/end with a CTA Call to Action, a Challenge, a Final Question or something else.

Please download Audacity or Garageband (see first which one you like better) onto your computer and bring your computer to class tomorrow.

We are meeting in 1102 computerlab, but I am unsure whether it’s possible to download these software programs onto the school computers.  So I am suggesting that you bring your computers.

Saturday December 2

I have posted to the Blackboard your RAB grades.  Here is what I thought about as I evaluated your RAB:

• Content: Is it readable and informative? Does it teach us about the topic? Is it interesting?
• Continuity: There is continuity from top to bottom.  From RQ and Introduction to the Conclusion, there is continuity of thinking and ideas and choice of source material.
• Research: Did you dig deep? Were you open to being surprised and contradicted? Did you look further than the first three hits on Google for your sources?
• Genre: Remember that your three sources must be different genres.
• Presentation: Basically, can someone who is not you make sense of this visually? Did you use subheads for each part (or make other formatting choices) to help a reader make sense of your document?
• Citation: If you quote something in your introduction or conclusion that’s from one or more of your sources, be sure to cite it.
• Summary: If your summary was good, I did not need to read the article.  I knew what the article was about because your summary got the MIs and SDs.
• Reflection: interesting, thoughtful, original ideas — AND you are responding to the article.
• Rhetorical Analysis: You did not include unnecessary repeated points that belong in Summary or Reflection. You covered the necessary points.
• Grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, and fluency of writing.
• On Time and submitted to correct TWO places
• The Writing Process: You followed the writing process and did the Open Lab HWs and worked with tutors.

Thursday November 30

HW 2 Due Friday night December 1

• TITLE:  Outline Genre Project Podcast — Your Name
• CATEGORY:  Outline Genre Project

1. Write your outline for your Unit 3 Genre Project (everyone is doing a podcast).
2. ALSO — Post a picture of your Podcast Planning sheet

WRITE AN OUTLINE FOR YOUR PODCAST (use this format with the Roman Numerals and regular numbers)

This is a _______ podcast.  (What type of podcast you are planning? TELL ME HERE).

Plan for 3-10 minutes and aim for about 5-minutes.

I. The Intro:

Write out the entire paragraph of what you will be saying – word for word.  Include the What Who Why (THINK the 5 Ws) of your podcast.  Say the title of your podcast!  Yes, you need a title; we have been emphasizing this all semester.  Writing out the intro will help, so you won’t freeze up at the start of recording.  You want to feel confidant at the outset, so knowing exactly what you will be saying will help.  If you are planning to use sounds at the outset, then write:  Sounds of morning alarm going off, sound of coffee machine, family sounds in the background, voice-over saying ___.  Be specific!  If you are planning to drop in some important facts, write it here. If you plan to bring in an interviewee or two, write out WHO they are here and establish their credibility as a source on your subject/topic.  Remember that early on, you need to make the subject/topic of your podcast clear, so write that somewhere in your intro.

II. The Middle Part.   (NO need to write it out, instead give the bullet points.)

Here you will build on themes or ideas introduced in the beginning and aim to keep your audience’s attention. You can plan out the bullet points for research or background information. You can plan out bullet points for any narrative story that you will tell, guiding you as you speak out your narrative.  You can plan out the Qs or talking points that will guide your interview or conversation with your interviewee.

If this will be an informational podcast, pull out the research points from your research project.  If you will tell personal story, plan out the talking points that will move your story forward. This is similar to your education narrative; you need to have specific events that tell your story and move it forward.  If you are planning an interview or conversation, use the Effective Questions handout.  Be ready to ask follow-up questions. Try to get the person to open up and tell interesting perspective or stories.  Have a good conversation and learn from your interviewer.  However, be careful of letting the conversation stray from the topic; remember you are the guide; you are in control.  If you are writing a creative fictional podcast, have fun and write a short story or radio play that entertains and makes a point about your topic/subject.

Give your 5 – 10 bullet points / interview Qs / talking points

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

III.   The Outro:

Write out the entire paragraph of what you will be saying at the close – word for word.  What is the message that you want the audience to take away? You might plan a CTA Call to Action, a Challenge, a Final Question or something else.  If you plan to use sounds to signal closure, then write this in here.

This weekend you will gather your audio source material.

Use your phone or computer.

For your reference, just to familiarize yourself, I share my colleague Prof. Blaine’s presentation How to Create a Recording:  JBlaine How to create an interesting recording

Read:  Project Audio: Teaching Students How to Produce Their Own Podcasts

If using your phone:  Smartphones will need to have a sound recording app. On Android, students can download a free voice recording app like “RecForge II” or “Audio Recorder.” For iPhones, in the extras folder, find the “Voice Memos” app.

If using your computer to record audio, you can use Garageband or Audacity.  (You don’t need an outside microphone, you use your computer’s built in mic.)See below.

Download your audio as mp3 file and store on your computer.

Next week we will put together the podcast in the computer lab.

Here are some resources (you can find these all on Genre Project Resources page, scrolling down to the end).

1. Garageband — this program is already on your Mac.  Here is Garageband for PC:

• Make a podcast in Garageband
• Garageband tutorial

2.   Audacity– this program is free for both Mac and PC ; you can use your computer to record sounds and then edit them

• Audacity Tutorial
• Audio creator/editor:  https://www.audacityteam.org/ [easy to use with a full range of tools, lots of videos about how to use it]
• Make a podcast in Audacity:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl-WDjWrTtk

Sound: 

• Free music: https://www.purple-planet.com/
• Free sound effects: http://soundbible.com/free-sound-effects-1.html
• Here’s a review about free audio editing software https://www.techradar.com/news/the-best- free-audio-editor

Next week we will also do the Creator’s Statement which is also part of Unit 3 Genre project.  We will be finished with the Unit 3 Genre Project next week December 8 Friday.  

The entire final Portfolio -- revised Unit 1 Ed Narrative, Unit 2 RAB, and Unit 3 Genre (podcast project with Creator's Statement) -- will be due December 15 Friday.  There are NO exceptions -- you must meet this deadline.  This is in order for me to meet CUNY's final grading deadline.  It is your student responsibility to meet deadlines; this allows me to be responsible and meet my deadlines.  There are consequences if you do not give me enough time to carefully consider your portfolio.

Tuesday November 28

DO a listening survey of 3 or 4 different podcasts to get an idea of what is possible for your own podcast.  Choose —

• from the NYT article:  Making A Podcast That Matters, A Guide With Examples from 23 Students
• from the Mentor Text list (Genre Assignment Unit 3 Part VIII Option to Create a Podcast)

You are looking for a Mentor Text to guide you.  Remember you are analyzing the STRUCTURE of the podcast, the way it is put-together, so you can put-together your own podcast in a similar way.

HW1 Due Tuesday night (tonight):  You will choose one podcast to use as your Mentor Text.  In HW 1 do an analysis using Podcast Mentor Text Analysis guiding questions: Podcast Mentor Text Analysis HWPodcast Mentor Text Analysis HW

At the top of the HW, write the titles of ALL the podcasts that you listened to.  Remember there are a lot of mentor texts to explore.  I am encouraging you to get the best possible Mentor Text, so you must do a listening survey of 3 or 4 in addition to the ones we listened to in class.

I am making a change:  WE WILL ALL MAKE THE ACTUAL PODCAST. 

Instead of transcript on Wednesday (in computer lab, we meet in NAMM 1102) you will be working on an OUTLINE or SCRIPT (no longer a transcript).

What type of Podcast will you create?  Choose a mentor text that is the right type to guide you:

• Informational (all of the podcasts had elements of information)
• Personal (like “Day in the Life of an Anxious High Schooler” student podcast, like the “Cycles of Abuse” podcast by Destiny)
• Interview (like the Narcan student podcast)
• Conversational (like the Storycorps convo with mother and daughter of Holocaust survivors)
• Roundtable Panel Discussion (could be a group conversation with family or friends)
• Fictional/Theatre/Creative writing (like the “Alexa, Start of Robot Revolution” student podcast)

1. On Wednesday, you will make a Script or Outline in computer lab.
2. Over the weekend you will record audio clips for your podcast using your phone.
3. Next week, on Monday and Wednesday, we will meet in Computer Lab to use Garage band or Audacity to turn your audio clips into a podcast.

Do your best -- I am not expecting a professional quality podcast.  I will be looking for your intention, your passion, and your message.

Extra Credit Event:  opening reception of the "Americans and the Holocaust" exhibit, today at 4:30 pm in the Academic Building (the fancy building across the street!).  Write a one page report on the event and what you learned there!

Friday November 24, 2023

Enjoy your Thanksgiving long weekend.  No HW due today.

Instead prepare for Monday:

1. Bring your Podcast Planning sheet to class all filled out.
2. Study the Assignment Unit 3 Genre Project with Creator’s Statement. Focus on Part VIII Option to Create a Podcast. Listen to podcasts listed under Mentor Texts.
3. Read and study the NYT article (in Part VIII Option to Create a Podcast): “Making A Podcast That Matters, A Guide With Examples from 23 Students.” Listen to as many podcasts in this article as you can.
4. From all your listening — Choose ONE podcast to use as your Mentor Text. You will be choosing a podcast with a structure that you like.  Note that you are choosing it for its structure; you are choosing it for the way it is organized – NOT for the topic/subject.
5. Be ready to analyze your chosen podcast for its structure in class.

Wednesday November 22

1. Here again, is the final RAB checklist and what you will be graded on:

• RAB-Review-Checklist-1
• RAB Grading Criteria

I hope you have been studying the examples RAB Project Complete from previous students which are on the Research Projects Resources page.

2. RAB PROJECT COMPLETE FINAL DRAFT IS DUE TONIGHT by MIDNIGHT.  REMEMBER THAT ALL MAJOR UNIT ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE TURNED IN ON TIME!   YOU WILL SUBMIT YOUR RAB IN TWO PLACES.

• For the Google Drive, name your file:  First Name Last Name – RAB FD 1.
• So for example:  Jessica Castro – RAB FD 1
• For Blackboard use the same file name.
• Remember that presentation counts.  Use proper labelling for the three Source Entries and for all five parts within each Source Entry as we discussed in class.
• Use the proper header in the top left hand corner of your RAB first page

Jessica Castro

Prof. Wu

ENG 1101 Section 276

Unit Two RAB

November 22, 2023

Remember that you should have worked with the Writing Tutors.  I have been receiving confirmation emails from the tutors.  I am glad that many of you took advantage of this and I hope you found them helpful.

Tuesday November 21

Tutors are available today at a special pop-up session Ground Floor outside the computer center:  Drop by  — OR — reserve a spot using this link: https://forms.office.com/r/mGB1cLPfc9

Monday November 20

I have finished commenting on anyone that posted HW 8 on Source 3.  Go look! 

RAB UNIT TWO is due Wednesday 11/22.  TO TWO PLACES:  GOOGLE DRIVE and BLACKBOARD, as usual. 

Three more podcasts (all under 5 minutes) for your learning and listening.  Notice that these podcasts do NOT include interviews.  You do not have to do an interview.

1. Listen to Cece Benz’s first-person narrative podcast, “A Day in the Life of an Anxious High Schooler.”

2. In the podcast “Sexism at Lillian Osborne,” Kaia Janmohamed used cultural references and quotes from reporters, politicians and activists.  Note that this is a huge topic, but she narrowed her exploration of sexism to experiences at her own school.

3. Here is a podcast that uses fiction and theatre: “Alexa, the Start of the Robot Revolution” by Silas Bartol and Mila Barnes-Bukher.  If you like creative writing, this is an excellent example.

All three are from the NYT article Making Podcast That Matters:  https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/22/learning/making-a-podcast-that-matters-a-guide-with-examples-from-23-students.html

You can find this NYT article on the Unit 3 Genre Assignment.  Scroll down to Option (option VIII) to make  podcasts.

HW 1 (new Unit 3) will be due on Friday — the planning sheet for your podcast.  This is just a planning sheet; you may and you probably will make changes, but you need to get started thinking.  

Finally — no class on Wednesday — have a good Thanksgiving!

Friday November 17, 2023

This week, we went over everyone’s Source 3. We also studied the RAB examples for

• Source 3 of CNN video news clip “Anxious to Let My Features Show”
• Source 3 of the artistic short video by Massimiliano Jiang
• find on Research Project Resources page.

Today HW 8 is due.  Post your Source Entry 3

• Title RAB Source Entry 3
• Category RAB Source Entry 3
• Then comment on TWO student peers.

For this HW Source Entry 3, it is YOUR job to comment and help as peer editors.  Everyone must give meaningful comments to TWO student peers. Then you will use your peer comments to revise.

I have given extensive commenting on your work on Source Entries 1 and 2.  I will not comment extensively here.  You should now know what it takes to write a good Summary, a good Reflection, a good Rhetorical Analysis.  You should know how to use the Citation Machine and how to do the Quotables.  I am expecting you to show your learning by commenting and helping each other.

Reminder: The due date for the Entire RAB is November 22.

As you work on your Entire RAB, here is a checklist and grading criteria:

• RAB-Review-Checklist-1
• RAB Grading Criteria
• find on Research Project Resources page.

Monday we start on Unit 3.

Wednesday pre-class

We are finishing sharing our Source 3 today.  You still have to write Source Entry 3 and the Conclusion for the entire RAB.

We will preview and start Unit 3 on Monday.

We are behind in our schedule.   RAB entire complete is due next Wednesday Nov 22.  There will be NO revisions for Unit TWO.   I have already given extensive comments in the Open Lab HWs, as you have been building your RAB step by step, so use my comments to revise now and get to the tutors.  

Student comments have been lackluster.  Earlier I asked everyone to give meaningful helpful commnets.  Just saying “good work”. is not helpful.   Remember that peer commenting is part of your overall course grade.

Monday pre-class

Here are some global comments I have for everyone on your on-going work for Source Entry writings.

On Reflection Writing: I want to push you to write more interesting Reflections.

• What do you think now that you have read this article?
• Remember you must reflect on the MI main ideas in the article.  If you what you wrote in Reflection could have been written without reading the article, then you are on the wrong track!
• After you read the article, share it with your mom or dad or a friend or tell them a brief summary.  Then have a conversation.  Can you add some interesting ideas you got from your conversation?
• Can you add a personal connection?
• After reading the article, you should have some new ideas. The article should make you think – otherwise why did you chose it?  The more original ideas you have — the more you have to say on your RQ — the more material you will have to jumpstart Unit 3 Genre Project.  Remember these two units are connected.  So the more original thinking you do now — the more ideas you will have to work with when you start Unit 3.

On Summary writing:   

• HINT – If an article has subheadings, use the subheads to find one main point in each subhead section.  Then gather those points together to become your summary.
• USE the title of the source article. The words in the title are a clue to the MI of the article.  If the title is “Four Ways to Happiness,” then your summary should include a MI explaining the Four Ways.  If the title is “The Secret to Success: Hope Molecules,” then your summary should explain what Hope Molecules are and how that contributes to success.  It’s a MI!
• When I read your summary, I should know what the article is about.  I should NOT have to read the article myself!  SO — If you have written a good summary, there will be NO need to for me to read the article.
• OF course, you CANNOT put every single thing into the SUMMARY.  It is your job to select the MIs judiciously (using good judgement).  A summary should be proportionate in length to the length of the source.  A summary of a book is long, but a summary for a newspaper article should be a paragraph.

On Rhetorical Analysis

• Add the date of the article to your analysis.  This will help you decide if the information is current or not.  This makes sense especially in the case of choosing a source (an article is your source) that is dated from a few years back.

OVERALL

These Five parts are different and distinct.  SO for example — There should not be a bunch of quotes in the Rhetorical Analysis.  The quotes belong in the the Quotables Part V.  There should not be a lot of MIs in the Reflection or the Rhetorical Analysis.  The MI belong in the Summary! 

The writing needs to be clearly written. READ your writing out loud to yourself, to your mom, to a friend.  Read exactly what you have written.  You will hear the errors in your writing.  You will hear the words you left out.  You will hear what sounds off.

• WORK WITH THE TUTORS. Remember a total of TWO visits are required for this class.

Sunday November 12

I am surprised how many of you are NOT going to the tutors.  The RAB project is very difficult.  The tutors can help with summary writing.  They can help with reflection and rhetorical analysis writing.  

Saturday November 11, 2023

You are now searching for your Source #3 which is a non-print genre.  I have posted examples of Source 3 non-print genres that I found for my own RQ: How has the CV pandemic exacerbated xenophobia focusing especially on Anti-Asian hostility?  You will see that I found podcast, video, photography exhibit, news clips, and documentary.  I did not find a TEDtalk, but that would be good.  Later I will show the one that I chose to use from all that I found.  It’s important to search and find the best one that you want to write about because you will have to write a complete 5-part Source Entry, as you did for Source 1 (news or feature piece) and for Source 2 (opinion piece).

Go to the Assignment page and the sidebar for Assignment 2 RAB and you will see I have posted my examples at the top of that sidebar “Research Source Leads.”

MONDAY:  We meet in the classroom and everyone will come to the front and present what they will be using for their Source #3.  You must be ready to present.

Friday November 10, 2023

1. Looking ahead, so you can plan accordingly — The due date for the final entire complete RAB project is Wednesday November 22 before Thanksgiving.  We will do Source 3 next week.  Then we will cover the RAB Conclusion.  And we will be done!  As always, ALL MAJOR UNIT ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE TURNED IN ON TIME.

2. Open Lab HW 7 Due tonight FRIDAY

Complete Source Entry for your opinion piece, also called opinion editorial (all five parts properly labeled).  You are building your RAB in MSWord.  You will cut and paste the source entry into the Open Lab.  (You keep the original in your master copy on your computer, and you continue working on your other source entries there.)

• Title: RAB Source Entry 2 – Your Name
• Category: RAB Source Entry 2
• YOU MUST COMMENT ON TWO STUDENT PEERS. You MUST MAKE meaningful comments.  Peer commenting is part of your grade, as described in the class syllabus. NO meaningless comments.  Use the RAB handouts to come up with your on-point, constructive, and targeted peer comments.

 

2. Here are some global comments I have for everyone on your on-going work for Source Entry writings — You are revising your Source Entry 1, as you work on Source Entry 2.  You should be using the printed out materials from Research Project Resources page.  I have already been announcing these for weeks.  

On Reflection Writing: I want to push you to write more interesting Reflections.

• What do you think now that you have read this article?
• Remember you must reflect on the MI main ideas in the article.  If you what you wrote in Reflection could have been written without reading the article, then you are on the wrong track!
• After you read the article, share it with your mom or dad or a friend or tell them a brief summary.  Then have a conversation.  Can you add some interesting ideas you got from your conversation?
• Can you add a personal connection?
• After reading the article, you should have some new ideas. The article should make you think – otherwise why did you chose it?  The more original ideas you have — the more you have to say on your RQ — the more material you will have to jumpstart Unit 3 Genre Project.  Remember these two units are connected.  So the more original thinking you do now — the more ideas you will have to work with when you start Unit 3.

On Summary writing:   PRINT OUT YOUR SOURCE AND ANNOTATE IT!

• HINT – If an article has subheadings, use the subheads to find one main point in each subhead section.  Then gather those points together to become your summary.
• When I read your summary, I should know what the article is about.  I should NOT have to read the article myself!  SO — If you have written a good summary, there will be NO need to for me to read the article.
• OF course you CANNOT put every single thing into the SUMMARY.  It is your job to select the MIs judiciously (using good judgement).

On Rhetorical Analysis

• Add the date of the article to your analysis.  This will help you decide if the information is current or not.  This makes sense especially in the case of choosing a source (an article is your source) that is dated from a few years back.

 

3. OVERALL

The writing needs to be clearly written. READ your writing out loud to yourself, to your mom, to a friend.  Read exactly what you have written.  You will hear the errors in your writing.  You will hear the words you left out.  You will hear what sounds off.

WORK WITH THE TUTORS. Remember a total of TWO visits are required for this class.

4. You are searching for your Source 3.  Tomorrow, here in Announcements, I plan to give you a sampling of the non-print audio and visual sources I found for my own RQ: How has the coronavirus pandemic exacerbated anti-Asian hostility?  

On Monday we will meet in the classroom and EVERYONE WILL PRESENT TO THE CLASS WHAT THEY HAVE FOUND FOR SOURCE 3.  

Monday Nov 6 pre-class

Excellent RAB Source Entries from Dessire, Bri, Savion, and Sindy — Kudos!  Please everyone study their writings to gain insight on improving your own RAB writing.

We meet today in G 604.  I will be looking to see that you have your printed out and annotated source 2 — the opinion piece.

A point to all of you:  In the Reflection part, you must respond to the article's MIs.  If you have correctly identified the MIs in your Summary part, the next step is to "reflect" upon those Main Ideas specifically in the Reflection.   You cannot just write any old thing in the Reflection-- it must be a Reflection on the points from the article.

Thursday November 2

HW 6 Due Friday (tomorrow):  RAB Source Entry 1 for your news article or feature article.

• Title:  RAB Source Entry 1 — Your Name
• Category:  RAB Source Entry 1
• Put your Research Question RQ at the top of the HW.
• Put your Proposal (revised) after the RQ.
• Then write Source Entry #1
• Label all five parts clearly.
• Comment on TWO student peers work.  In this way, you will also be learning from each other and helping each other!

Reminder:  You are building RAB in your own MS Word file (NOT IN OPEN LAB — I have been advising you to do this from the beginning of the semester.  You have the master file on your own computer.)  So for this HW, you will cut and paste your Source Entry from your Word file into the Open Lab.

Look at my example RAB Source Entry 1 in the Student Works page.  It is also on the Research Project Resources page; you should have printed it out for your reference.

Late works will receive no feedback and no grade.

We will then start working on Source 2, your opinion editorial piece.  Have it printed out and annotated and ready to work on.  We meet in computer lab G604 on Monday.

Get to the tutors!

Wednesday November 1 pre-class

See you in G 604 today.  Scroll down.

These are a few reminders I have after seeing your work in the computer lab:

1. Many of you tell me you don’t know how to improve your RAB proposal, your summaries, your reflections, or Rhetorical Analysis writings.  I have given the lessons.  NOW it is up to you!

• Schedule a one-on-one appointment with Tutors!
• Printout and study resources from the Research Project Resources page.  This is your go-to reference page filled with how-t0’s and examples and step by step directions.
• Print out the RAB proposal (written by me — Notice the passion I show for the RQ I chose) and RAB examples (written by me and by exemplary students).   Study these examples and practice RLW — reading like a writer.
• You should have already printed out: the how-to’s for Summary and Rhetorical Analysis as well as the Unit Two Assignment.  Follow instructions!

2. Many of you are not reading announcements carefully!  Please remember — and this is the THIRD time I am explaining — that you are NOT to disturb your Final Draft; instead you must preserve it there and download to your own computer to work on it in your own Word or your own Google Drive. 

3. Your revision of Education Narrative Unit One Assignment is NOT due until the end of the term when you will submit it in the Final Writing Portfolio (to be discussed).  I give you this amount of time because it takes TIME to write a good revision.  And I expect a thorough and thoughtful revision (otherwise your grade will remain the same).

• Use the Education Narrative Resources sidebar (next to the Assignment One). 
• Remember there is a difference between Proofreading and REVISION.  Revision vs Proofreading
• Study the student Ed Narrative examples!  We read a few in class last time.
• Go to the tutors.
• RETHINK-REVISION-REIMAGINE.
• Use ARMS. ARMS for Writers

Monday October 31 post-class

Reminder that Wednesday we meet in Computer Lab on 6th Floor in General building. Go to the back of the Computer Lab to classroom G604.

Many of you need to do a lot of catch up work.  Remember that your first Source Entry (all five parts) for your Source 1 (news or feature article) will be due this Friday.  You should already have your chosen article for this Source 1 and you should be working hard on the RAB writing already.  Remember if you fall into the quicksand, it will be hard to pull yourself out.

I strongly suggest that you printout important items from the Research Project Resources page to use as reference as you build your RAB.

Sunday October 30

1. Tomorrow we will meet in Computer Lab on the Ground Floor to work on your RAB. Bring your ID to enter the Computer Lab.

• You should have revised your RAB Proposal Paragraph using comments in Open Lab.
• You should be “building” your RAB in MS word on your own computer file.  If you wish to work on your own computer, bring it.  Otherwise bring a flashdrive or email your work-in-progress to yourself, so you can work on it in Computer Lab.
• You should have printed out and read and annotated your Source 1 (news or feature piece) and at least chosen your Source 2 (an opinion piece).  Your sources MUST BE PRINTED OUT!
• You should have printed out any important Research Project Resources that you need for reference.
• I suggest that you arrive early at 11:00 or 11:30, so you can use the computer center to printout anything you need BEFORE class.

2. I have graded Wednesday’s classwork / group activity in the Google Drive. Those who did the work learned a lot by doing this group classwork and I saw big improvements in your understanding of how to write the different parts of the RAB Source Entry.

A few groups did not post their HW and that is NOT a good sign.  I fear you are not moving along in learning the skills necessary for this very difficult Unit TWO assignment.

3. I have collected all the group writings and created a complete RAB Source Entry — all FIVE parts — for “If Everyone Gets An A.” I added my own writing for Part 1 MLA Citation and Part 5 Notable Quotables.  I have attached the Source Entry here, so everyone can discuss this tomorrow.  Please read and study here; I suggest you print it out.  I will ask you to choose the best writing for each part Summary, Reflection, and Rhetorical Analysis. RAB Source Entry for If Everyone Gets an A student collaboration

Wednesday October 25 post-class

Here are the instructions for our group classwork activity on the opinion editorial piece “If Everyone Gets an A” which we did not get to finish.  Submit to the Google drive / Classwork folder tomorrow Thursday night:

• Name your file: Part 2 Summary or Part 3 Reflection or Part 4 Rhetorical Analysis
• In your document, at the top, list the group member names
• Then label Part 2 Summary (or whichever) and give your group’s paragraph.
• Double-space
• Proofread for errors
• Work on clarity of expression and proper sentence structure.
• Follow the how-to-handout or the proper questions for whichever part your group is assigned.

This weekend:

• You are revising your RAB proposal using my feedback.
• You are searching for the best articles (reliable sources!) for your Source 1 and Source 2.  Do not just pick the first ones that pop up in your search.
• You are printing out, reading, and annotating your sources carefully.
• You are also printing out the important handouts and examples from the Research Project Resources page, so you have them easily on hand as reference as you begin “building” your RAB project.

Coming soon: location for Monday’s class in the computer lab.

Tuesday October 24, 2023

1. Reminder:  You must NOT change your Education Narrative Final Draft in the Google Drive.  Remember I asked you to preserve your Final Draft as it is.  Instead, you should download your Final Draft with my comments into your own MS Word on your computer and revise there.  Later you will upload a new Final Draft 2 in the Final Portfolio.

2. Regarding the RAB Proposal HWs:  Many of you need to do a better job on following the Proposal Paragraph Template more closely.

3. Please go to the Research Librarian to get help on refining your RQs.  It’s getting late, so go NOW, and also get help finding reliable sources.

4. Kudos to Savion who wrote a good Rhetorical Analysis of our practice article “Schools Kill Curiosity” — Yayy!  Check his writing out on the Student Works page.  Notice how Savion wrote in an economical and direct manner.

5. Midterm grades will be posted by Friday.  Look for that in the Blackboard.

6. And a note on late HWs:  As written in the Syllabus, if your HW is late, it may not get my comments or get a grade.

Monday October 23 post-class

HW 5:  Now you will do Parts 4 and 5 for “Schools Kill Curiosity” – Due tomorrow Tuesday October 24.  Then you will have written a complete Source Entry — all five parts — for our practice article “Schools Kill Curiosity.”

• Title: Rhetorical Analysis and Quotables – Your Name
• Category: Rhetorical Analysis and Quotables
• COMMENT on two student peers. Your comments must be targeted, meaningful, and helpful.

For HW5, you will write Part 4 Rhetorical Analysis for “Schools Kill Curiosity” and choose three significant quotes from “Schools” for Part 5 Notable Quotables.  Please LABEL all parts!

(This is all copied from the Assignment sheet, so you have it on your print-out.)

Part 4:  Rhetorical Analysis.  Here you will consider genre, writing style, purpose, and author’s credentials.   Write one paragraph of 4-5 sentences.  Print out and use this Rhetorical Analysis Worksheet  RhetoricalGenreAnalysisWorksheet (also on Research Project Resources page)

* Describe the author’s writing style, tone, attitude.

* What is the author’s intended audience and purpose (reason for writing)?

* What is the genre? Is the genre effective? Does the choice of genre make sense for what the author wants to accomplish?

* Credibility: Is the author credible? Is the source (newspaper/magazine/organization) credible?  Explain why author and source are reliable.  Google the newspaper/magazine/organization and the author to find background facts.

Part 5 Notable Quotables

Quotations: Make a note of at least THREE  direct quotes from the source that you feel really exemplifies the document’s claims or interpretations or that you feel is important or useful in some way. Be sure to put the quote in quotation marks and note the page number.

“Put the quoted words here” (Smith 45).

Saturday October 21, 2023

Remember you are looking for Source 1 which should be a news or feature piece.  And you may start searching for Source 2 which should be an opinion piece.  REMEMBER TO USE NEW YORK TIMES or other reliable journalism sources AS INSTRUCTED IN THE ASSIGNMENT!

As you search for sources, let’s review the genres we are working to find:

A feature article is an in-depth article written to give information on topical events, people or issues of interest.  Written by an expert or a journalist, these texts provide background information on a newsworthy topic.  A feature article may show the writer’s personal slant or experience.

A news article is an article that covers a current affair or current event. It is an objective report on events that are happening right now in the world.

An opinion piece is an article that reflects the author’s opinion about a subject.  It is often persuasive and trying to convince the reader of the writer’s own perspective.

We will also write PART 4 The Rhetorical Analysis part for your Source Entry of our practice article “Schools Kill Curiosity.”

READ “Backpacks vs. Briefcases” by Lynn Bolin Carroll.  It’s a long article.  Focus on the part starting at the very bottom of page 49:  “So how do you apply this to a piece of rhetoric?” AND READ TO THE END.  Pay attention to subheading part “The Heart of the Matter — The Argument and to the discussion of ethos, pathos, logos.

Thursday October 17 – read to the end!

I have finished grading Education Narrative Unit One Assignment.  Grades are posted in Blackboard.  Comments are in your Google drive FD.

As you review your Ed Narrative, look at the Assignment and the Checklist / Peer Review sheet. Many essays did not meet the requirements.  Reading carefully and follow instructions is your responsiblity.  It is an important skill to learn.

A few students DID NOT POST to the Blackboard, so I cannot upload your grade.  A few students DID NOT SUBMIT to Google Drive, so I cannot comment on your paper.  FIX THIS NOW!  This is a clear sign that you are NOT reading Announcements or Assignments carefully or that you are not paying attention in class. 

Remember that ALL MAJOR UNIT ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED ON TIME AS WRITTEN ON THE SYLLABUS AND EXPLAINED IN CLASS. 

___________________________

We are fully immersed in Unit TWO Reflective Annotated Bibliography RAB now!

Please do not skip class.  I will be demonstrating and showing example RAB writings.  These presentations will help you understand what you will be writing.   The RAB is a difficult assignment with many moving parts.  If you fall behind or miss class, you will fall into the quicksand and there may be no way to pull yourself out.

Make sure you have your free New York Times and free Wall Street Journal digital subscriptions as a CUNYstudent:

https://guides.cuny.edu/libraries/newspapers  — link also found on our Home page.

We are learning about the FIVE parts of an RAB Source Entry:

• Part 1 MLA Citation
• Part 2 Summary
• Part 3 Reflection
• Part 4 Rhetorical Analysis
• Part 5 Notable Quotables

We are continuing to write a complete Source Entry – all five parts — for our practice article “Schools Kill Curiosity.”

So far, we have done Parts 1 MLA Citation and Part 2 Summary (HW 1)  We evaluated student examples of summary writing and we used the How to Write a Summary handout.  Look at the classroom activity on “Schools Kill Curiosity” on the Research Project Resources page to review.

NOW you should have a better idea of how to write a summary.  Go back and edit your Open Lab HW 1 Summary of “Schools.”

There are many new HWs due this weekend.

HW 2 due Friday (tomorrow October 20).  Now you will do Part 3 for “Schools Kill Curiosity”

• Title: Practice Reflection  – Your Name
• Category: Practice Reflection 
• COMMENT on two student peers. Your comments must be targeted, meaningful, and helpful.  Do not just write “Great” — this does not help.  Please make meaningful comments.

For HW2, you will write a Reflection (Part 3) for “Schools Kill Curiosity.”  You will comment on two student peers making meaningful helpful comments. (NO MORE pointless, meaningless “This is great!” comments.) 

(This is all copied from the Assignment sheet, so you have it on your print-out.)

Part 3 Reflection. The Reflection is perhaps the most important part, so don’t skimp here! I want to see your own original thoughts on “Schools Kill Curiosity.”  This is where you respond to the article and give your opinion. Choose any from this list of questions  to generate ideas for one paragraph of 4-5 sentences (your choice, no need to answer all):

* Do you agree or disagree with the information that the author presents? Why or why not? Be specific!* What did you learn from the text?

* Reflect on the new information you learned and ADD your own thinking. What further ideas, questions, thoughts do you have?

* Find a significant quote and discuss it.

* What questions do you have about what the author is saying? What don’t you understand?

* What other information do you need to look up to better understand this topic?

* If you could say something to this author, what would you say?

* What does this source tell you about your research question?

* Why did you select this source?

 

NOW — For HW 3 and HW 4 work on your own RQ.  Both HW 3 and HW 4 are due on Saturday October 21.

You have had ample time to finalize your RQ and to stop by the library to work with a library professor.  I hope you already did that.  Look at the Assignment Unit Two Sidebar — Research Source Leads where I have listed all topics and RQs from the class. If you are still searching for a good topic, I have listed other topics that might make good research projects from happiness to fashion on the Research Source Leads Sidebar.  Go Look!  I will continue to add resource leads for you all.  

HW #3 Your RAB Proposal Paragraph for your RQ. (If you have already posted it, you may revise it for clarity.) 

• Title: RAB Proposal Paragraph – Your Name.
• Category: RAB Proposal. 
• Then comment on TWO student peers.

This paragraph is your proposal which will later become your RAB introduction.  Address the following questions:

• What is the topic that interests you? Why does it interest you personally?
• What do you already know about it?
• What do you want to explore further and find out?

YOU MUST Use this example paragraph starter as a template for your RAB Proposal:

My research question is: ______? This topic interests me because ___. (good solid explanation, should be personal – 3 more sentences)  I already know that ______.  (3 more sentences). Some points that I plan to explore and find out more about are _________ (3 points).

THEN PUT LINK HERE (one article that you found as possible source — should be a news article or a feature piece). FOCUS ON FINDING NYTimes or WSJournal articles

1. Your proposal should explain a personal reasoning and connection to your RQ. Why are YOU personally interested in this RQ?  Your proposal is just that a proposal; therefore it is written BEFORE you do the research!  Your proposal should not have researching-sounding-speak.  Instead show your passion and curiosity.
2. Help and learn from each other: Comment on two of your classmate’s proprosal paragraph. DO NOT JUST WRITE “Great idea” – this does not help.  Please make meaningful comments.  You may make suggestions on a certain angle of the Research Question.  You may add a point about a subtopic or make a pointed question to add another dimension to the student’s RQ.  Please give targeted thoughtful commentary.  If you can’t, then choose another student peer to comment on.
3. Find one New York Times or Wall Street Journal article that looks good for your research question and add the link at the bottom of your post.  This should be a news article or a feature article.  Try googling “_____ your RQ and NYT” and see what comes up. (NYT = New York Times)
4. See my example proposal on the Research Project Resources page: LWU Proposal RAB

HW 4

Over the weekend, you will search for a news article or a feature article.  This will be Source 1 for your RQ.  You will likely find a lot of different possible sources.  Choose the best article.  Something that answers your RQ that is interesting to you.  You will print this article out and read and annotate.

• Title:  Annotated Source 1
• Category: Annotated Source 1
• No need to comment on two peers for this HW – Yayy!

So to repeat, find a News or Feature article for your Source 1.  

• SHOW ME the MLA citation for the News or Feature Article. (Use the “citation machine”)
• a picture of your annotated page for your News Article or Feature Article to show me that you have printed it out and that you have read and annotated it.

Monday October 16 post-class

For practice on summary writing, we are all reading the article, “Schools are Killing Curiosity.”  This week I am guiding you all on writing a complete Source Entry on this article (Remember the five parts of the Source Entry are MLA Citation, Summary, Reflection, Rhetorical Analysis, and Quotables).   We decided “Schools are Killing Curiosity”  is a feature piece, not a news piece and not an opinion-editorial.  We read, annotated, and practiced finding Main Ideas (MIs) and Supporting Details.  We used the handouts on How to Write a Summary and the GRAPHIC ORGANIZER FOR SUMMARY (both on the Research Project Resources page).

DUE Tuesday October 17.  Now using the work you did in class, you will write a summary on this piece “Schools are Killing Curiosity” for HW 1.  ALSO you will use the citation machine (on Research Project Resources page) to create the MLA Citation and put this upfront of the summary.  So you are doing Parts 1 and 2 for a Source Entry on “Schools are Killing Curiosity.”

• Title:  Summary Practice – Your Name
• Category: Summary Practice
• NO need to comment on two students posts for this HW.

  Part 1 MLA Citation
  
  (put your citation here)
  
  Part 2 Summary
  
  (put your summary here)

Friday October 13, 2023

I am working on grading your Final Drafts of Ed Narratives.

Meanwhile…

You are working on finding a good topic and research question that will keep you interested in both Units Two and Three.  You are free to keep looking around but by next week you should have your RQ down.   We will be writing the proposal next week.

• Think about how we tried to narrow down topics in class using subheadings.
• Think about how we tried to marrow down topics by creating a two-part question: How does ____ affect ___?   For example:  How does the food you eat affect your mood?
• Here is a video on how to narrow down a Research Question: https://library.citytech.cuny.edu/orientation/research-question-2

GO HAVE A LOOK —

I have made some changes on the Research Project Resources page.  You will find the Guardian article “Schools Kill Curiosity” now easily at the top of the page.  Remember that you are printing out, reading, and annotating this article for Monday.  You must have that all done and be ready to work on summary writing.  We will be writing an entire source entry (all five parts!) together on that article as a practice.

You will also see that I have updated the sidebar of the Assignment Two RAB page to list all your RQs and some possible source leads for your research.  I will keep adding there as I get to know your RQs.

ALSO FOR MONDAY, PRINTOUT from the Research Project Resources page under Templates for Summary Writing:

• Graphic Organizer
• How to Write a SUmmary by Prof Chajet

Sunday October 8, 2023

Your Final Draft #1 is due tomorrow night.

I hope you’re enjoying the long weekend and using the time to advance your Education Narrative.  Between now and tomorrow, you can push your Rough Draft forward by taking it through a true revision. Think about the big picture issues of development and organization, as well as sentence-level issues. Use the ARMS editing guide ARMS = Add, Remove, Move, Substitute, as well as tips from all the writing resources (see Open Lab sidebar next to Assignment Unit One) we’ve discussed in class, to help you.

Consider your tutor’s comments, your peers’ comments, and comments I’ve given you on Open Lab HWs.

Tomorrow (Monday) the College is closed. Tuesday will follow a Monday schedule.  We meet this week on Tuesday and Wednesday!

Due Monday, Oct. 9

FD#1 (Final Draft #1): three full pages minimum, 12-point font, double-spaced

• Give your paper a title, one that packs a punch!
• Develop two full scenes with dialogue.
• Make a connection (using a quotation) with one of our texts

Submit FD #1 to TWO places:

• Upload to Google Drive to your correct group folder (Remember No PDFs)
• Submit to Blackboard.
• label your document clearly:  your first name/last name FD#1
• For full submission guidelines, see the ASSIGNMENT.

Saturday October 7, 2023

Kudos to those who fulfilled the two-Peer-Reviews requirement for this Assignment.  Special shout out to Sindy, Bri, and Desiree who wrote thoughtful peer reviews for their fellow group members!

Now you working on revising your RD#1 and turning it into the FD#1 due Monday October 9.  (RD=Rough Draft and FD=Final Draft)

Many of you need to study the Assignment and the Checklist more mindfully; your rough drafts are missing required elements and you have not followed instructions carefully.   It is your responsibility as a student to follow instructions; you are being graded on that!

You will submit your Final Draft to TWO places (Due Monday October 9).

1. Google Drive (I will comment on your essay in GDrive.)
2. Blackboard on the Contents page (Bb has a private grading function and this is where I will put your grade.)

Late papers are not accepted for the Major Unit Assignments.  This is my class policy and it is written on the syllabus.

We meet on Tuesday and Wednesday next week and we will move on to Unit Two.  No class on Monday.

Thursday October 5

Please be studying:

1. The Unit One Education Narrative Assignment sheet
2. The Peer Review Check List

Peer Review Feedback to be completed by Friday night, October 6:

1. Comment fully on two group members’ Rough Drafts #1. Spend at least 30 minutes on each paper. 
2. In the Google Drive, use comment bubbles on the side to comment. At least FIVE thoughtful comments.  Use the Checklist to come up with your comments.
3. In the Google Drive of student paper you are reviewing — at the end of the document — you will also write end comments to the writer in the form of a letter.

Dear Jessica,

THEN one full paragraph, 7-9 sentences.

Sincerely,

Your Name

• If your peer comments are mindfully and well done, I will give you extra credit. Penalty if peer comments are underdeveloped, late, or missing (at least one-half letter grade on your Final Draft)
• If you are missing a paper in your group, reach out to your group member and request he/she expedite submission.

EVERYONE will then work toward turning this RD#1 into FD#1 due Monday October 9.

COMING SOON — I will make another ANNOUNCEMENT with reminders about the FD.

Tuesday October 3

Please see the Unit One Assignment for instructions on submitting your Rough Draft to Google Drive – due tonight. 

FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY!  This is part of your responsibility: to FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY.

Study and read through to the end of the ENTIRE Assignment carefully.  Requirements for the assignment are clearly explained in the Assignment.

Please bring TWO hard copies of your RD#1 to class on Wednesday.

Clarification for those students who asked questions about scene creation. 

• An example of a SCENE is the scene in the Malcolm X text when Malcolm outsmarts the prison guards to achieve his goal of reading and studying at night in his cell.
• An example of a SCENE WITH DIALOGUE is the scene in Amy Tan text when Amy speaks on the phone pretending to be her mother to the stockbroker.
• Another example of a SCENE WITH DIALOGUE is the scene we read yesterday in the Obama text when young Barry negotiates the argument between Gramps and Toots.

You are required to create at least two extended scenes.  One of your scenes should use dialogue.

There are more requirements for this Assignment; all are explained in the Assignment.

Monday October 2

BIG Q:  WHAT IS THE FOCUS OF YOUR ED NARRATIVE?  Can you put it into one sentence? What is your hero’s journey story?

Pls look at the Weekly Schedule — we are following it and we are on track.  So Rough Drafts due tomrrow Tuesday to the Google Drive.

• You should have your ASSIGNMENT PRINTED OUT and be studying it!
• We will discuss how to make a connection to the readings.
• We will look at sample student essays and RLW to see how these students used writing strategies.
• Look at the Ed Narrative side bar for Writing Resources on this Assignment.
• TUTORING IS A REQUIREMENT!
• You should be incorporating my teacher comments and use your tutor feedback to complete your Rough Draft.
• DO the handout exercises on Sentence Structure.

Tuesday September 26, 2023

I am working on commenting your HWs.  You should be choosing which of the 5 options you will pursue.

Everyone should be working on a Rough Draft of their Education Narrative.  Please printout and study the requirements for the assignment.

Bring your laptops to class if you want to write on computer during class time.

Tomorrow, we will study the opening scene of the Obama reading (BRING YOUR OBAMA PRINTOUT TO CLASS).  We will  see how Obama writes an interesting and engaging opening.   We will also look at a few other  scenes to study how he creates scenes with good description and good dialogue.  We are RLW — Reading Like a Writer.

Afterwards, we will then have time to write in class.  Please use the class time wisely because –

ROUGH DRAFT DUE:  Tuesday October 3.  Two full pages (top to bottom) is minimum.  (You can write more.)

FINAL DRAFT DUE: Friday October 9.  THREE full pages (top to bottom) minimum. 

STUDY THE ASSIGNMENT FOR FULL DETAILS.

• Get to the tutors.
• Study the example student Education Narratives. 

Saturday Sept 23

1. I see the meaningful and helpful comments you are giving each other – GOOD JOB everyone and keep up the good work!

2. Get to the Tutors — remember this is a requirement.

3. Here is HW 6 Due Monday 9/25 on Anne Lamott’s Shitty First Drafts:

Use the TITLE Shitty First Drafts – Your Name.  Then, check on the CATEGORY Shitty!

Part A.  From what Lamott has to say, is writing a first draft more about the product or the process? Explain.

Part B.  Find a quote (can be one sentence or a few sentences) from the essay that you feel is significant.  Copy it.  Then explain what it means in your own words.

Friday Sept 22

I have just posted TWO student examples HWS of the HW 5 which is announced below.  Look at Student Meryam and Student Amadou in Student Works.  Meryam and Amadou are my students from previous semesters.

Thursday Sept 21, 2023

PLS study the example-student-Ed-Narratives posted on the sidebar of the Unit One Assignment.  These are excellent student essays.  You will gain confidence that if these students can do it, so can you.

Yesterday we studied the TEDtalk speech by Adichie and her overarching message that you have the power to write your own story.  Have you had an experience when someone in your school life had a “single story” about you?  How did you handle that?  What steps did you take to improve that situation?

This is now Choice 5: Single Story on the Unit One Assignment.  If this writing prompt works for you, use it!

NOW is a good time to printout the Unit One Assignment Education Narrative and start reading it carefully.  There are five (5) options; you will choose one.

Start writing a working outline that maps out the events that will move your story forward.  A working outline is a plan for your essay – no worries – you may change it up later.

HW 5 DUE Friday Sept 22

Read the Unit One Assignment.  Choose one of the FIVE options from the Unit One Assignment: Mentor Quote, Saved, Between Two Worlds, Resilience, Single Story. (If you have already written HW 3 or 4 and you have chosen the writing prompt that works for you, then in this HW 5, you can continue with this same option/writing prompt.)

Use the TITLE that fits your writing choice: Mentor Quote, Saved, Between Two Worlds, Resilience, or Single Story.  Likewise, choose the CATEGORY that fits your choice. 

1. Give a short working outline.
2. Then choose one of the scenes you are planning to write and –

Write TWO paragraphs of a scene that you might use in your essay.  Reach back into your memory and think of the best scene or the best conversation that shows a significant part of your story. 

Try to create rich details and description in your scene:  THINK of Malcolm X’s scene of reading in the dim light of his prison cell floor while evading the night guards on patrol.  That’s a suspenseful scene that SHOWS his determination and courage to reach his goal of reading.  What a great scene!

–OR–

Try to create lively dialogue that shows what people said: THINK of Amy Tan’s dialogue of herself pretending to be her mom admonishing the NYC stock broker while the real mom was in the background prompting her in broken English.  That’s a funny scene that SHOWS young Amy navigating between two different worlds of English language.  What a great scene with dialogue!

Remember don’t just tell me: SHOW me!  Create THEATRE OF THE MIND for your reader!

BY Saturday, comment on TWO peers work. 

LEARN TO BE A GOOD FRIEND AND GOOD EDITOR.  I am making a change regarding your HW peer comments.  Study the type of comments I am giving back to recent student HW posts.  You must now start to give more meaningful feedback to your peers in your comments (for two peers again).  You can give ideas about places that are confusing, places that could be developed into a good scene, places where student can give dialogue, paragraph break suggestions.  This will serve you will as you go forward and write your own Ed Narrative.

Stay Tuned for HW 6 due Sept 25 Monday night on Shitty First Drafts by Anne Lamont.  No class on Monday, but you have this reading and HW due Monday night.

For Wednesday Sept 27, printout, read, annotate, and be ready to discuss the Obama reading.

Wednesday Sept 20

Please bring printed out transcript of the TEDtalk The Danger of a Single Story by Adichie with your annotations and be prepared to discuss.

MOnday Sept 18

Reminder:  today we are discussing Amy Tan’s Mother Tongue, so be ready with your printouted version.  You should have already read it and annotated and be ready to discuss.

Monday and Wednesday this week:

• ATan Mother Tongue
• CNAdichie The Danger of a Single Story (TEDtalk)
• The Danger of a Single Story (transcript) Chimamanda Ngozi

Group 4 — I am still waiting to receive your Master Vocab List on the GDrive — please follow through.

REMINDER:  in this class you are REQUIRED to visit the tutoring center TWO times:  Once for Unit 1 and Once for Unit 2.  Please make your appointment now and get started on the Ed Narrative.  Tutors can help with any stage of the writing process:  brainstorming, outlining and preplanning, the intro, the events that you will choose to put in your essay that make up the body, the conclusion, proofreading, grammar and sentence errors — they are all professors teaching this course so they know their stuff.  Use them!

Here is the booking site where students can make appointments with our team of tutors (https://citytech.mywconline.com/). To make an appointment, writers will need to register for a WCOnline account at that link above. Instructions on how to do that can be found on our new website (https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/ctwritingcenter/). Currently, we are working with writers through online, synchronous tutoring. Before a session, they should expect an email from the tutor with instructions and a link to a video chat platform.

This information is also on the Student Resources page under Tutoring.

Thursday Sept 14, 2023

Here is HW 4 Choice between Saved — OR — Between Two Different Worlds – OR Negative Mentor Quote

• Title Writing Task Between Two Worlds — Your Name
• Title Writing Task Saved – Your Name
• Title Writing Task Mentor Quote Negative – Your Name
• USE ONE OF THE 3 Titles that fits your writing choice
• THEN—Pick the Category that fits your writing choice
• By Saturday — Comment in a MEANINGFUL way on two student peers

 

THREE choices here — Choose one — WRITE TWO PARAGRAPHS

Choice 1 MENTOR QUOTE NEGATIVE:  This is another option for Mentor Quote.  Have you ever had a time when you had to overcome somebody’s mistaken perceptions of your ability?  Think of a time when a mentor or authority figure spoke to you using negative language that caused you pain.  Starting with the words themselves–give a quotation–how did these damaging words affect your educational journey?  Did they make you challenge those words and catapult you into action that turned into triumph?  This is what happened to Esmeralda Santiago.

“That’s not the way we do things here,” says Mr. Grant.  Yet Esmeralda challenges the way things are done at this school.  Have you had to prove yourself to someone or to yourself?  What steps did you take to triumph?

Choice 2 BETWEEN TWO WORLDS: Esmeralda Santiago arrives from Puerto Rico and enters an American school only to be placed in a learning-disabled class instead of the standard 8^th grade class although she is a bright student.  She must navigate between her 8^th grade class of outcasts and the English-speaking teachers and students at her school feeling out of place in both groups.

Have you had the experience of living “between two different worlds” or we might say of having two different identities?  How has this experience of being between two worlds shaped your educational journey?  Have you had “ambiguous” feelings or internal conflicted feelings–about language, culture, identity, gender, injustice, religion, or opportunities that affected your own educational journey?  In your educational life, have you had experiences of others stereotyping you based on any of the above?  What actions have you taken to address the conflict?  Or, how have you learned to live with it?

Be sure to explain to your reader exactly what the two worlds or two identities are.  You might be bi-lingual or bi-cultural, but you may also consider other worlds besides nationality–race, class, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, education, etc. 

Choice 3 SAVED:  Malcolm X saves himself learning to read.  He is determined to improve his vocabulary and practice reading at all costs deep into the night;  Colin Powell saved himself at college when he joined ROTC. He reveals that he was no star student and that he floundered without direction until he joined the ROTC student group. In the military he found comradery, purpose, and discovered leadership qualities that he didn’t know he had.  The ROTC led him to a successful army career; he become a US general and eventually to the high office of the United States Secretary of State under President Bush.

Describe a difficult moment in your educational journey.  In coming up with ideas, consider:  What experience or activity or school club has saved you and gave meaning and purpose to your school life?  Describe this activity and how you became involved.  What did you like best about this activity? How did this activity change you?  How did this activity effect your academics or change your attitude towards school?  What qualities about yourself did you discover in this process?  What important mentors or friends did you have in that community?  What skills did you learn from that activity that translate to your school performance?

Wednesday Sept 13

Here I post today’s discussion questions for When I was Puerto Rican:

Discussion Questions WhenPR

Please get all your HWs done.  This time I am giving a relaxed deadline so if you have missed HWs, now is the time to catch up and post them.  Read backwards through Announcements to see the HW instructions.

Tuesday Sept 12, 2023

1. Thanks to everyone who participated in our discussion of My American Journey by Colin Powell.  You guys were great!   Here are the class notes:  ClassDiscussNotes Colin Powell.  I have also posted these class notes under Readings.  And again shout out to Group 2: Diego, Sindy, Priyanka, LIsa, Diego, Dylan for an excellent Master Vocabulary List.  Everyone is able to see that on the Google Drive.

2. Pls organize yourself and printout ahead of time.  Look at the Weekly Schedule.

Suggestion:  Print out now the readings for tomorrow Wednesday and for the UPCOMING WEEK  — THREE READINGS to printout, annotate, and be ready to discuss:

For Wednesday tomorrow 9/13 – be ready to discuss:

• ESantiago  “When I was Puerto Rican” (page 101 The Place Where We Dwell)  CH03[1]

For next week Monday and Wednesday – print it out now, ahead of time.

• ATan Mother Tongue
• CNAdichie The Danger of a Single Story (TEDtalk)
• The Danger of a Single Story (transcript) Chimamanda Ngozi

3. Master Vocabulary List group work:

• Group 3 will do Esmeralda Santiago’s “When I was Puerto Rican.” Due to the Google Drive tonight (Tuesday night 9/12).
• Group 4 will do Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue.” Due to the GDrive Sunday night 9/17
• Group 5 will do Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “The Danger of a Single Story.”  This is a speech, a TEDtalk.  Use the transcript of the TEDtalk for the Vocabulary words.

Groups 1 and 2, you must still upload your Master Vocabulary List to the Google Drive ASAP!  Look at the example I passed out in class yesterday and the example that is posted in GDrive.

Monday September 11, 2023

• This is a somber day of remembrance for all of us New Yorkers.  It’s now the 12th anniversary.  Let’s take a deep breath and continue with the resilience that all New Yorkers have.
• I want to send a shout-out to Groups 1 and 2 who did a great job uploading their Master Vocab Lists to the Google Drive.
• And let’s all be ready to discuss Colin Powell’s “My American Journey” today.  See you soon.

SATURDAY Sept 9, 2023

Big thanks to everyone who is keeping up. I am proud of you all for doing the Open Lab HW.  I have been in the midst of an evolving family medical emergency, but I will read your HWs very soon.  The good news is that I will be back in the classroom on Monday and looking forward to being with you all.

I am keeping to our Weekly Schedule, so —

1. For Monday — Bring to class and be ready to discuss:

Colin Powell:  “My American Journey” Find in Open Lab course site under Readings (page 90-97)

• Printout, Read, Annotate, and Vocabulary (look up new words).
• Group TWO: Prepare Master Vocabulary for the reading. Due on the Google Drive by Sunday night. (group member names are in Announcement for August 30 Thursday)
• We will look at the writer’s use of details and descriptive language to SHOW and not just tell.
• We will continue our study of scene building.

2. I see some students have not yet successfully joined our class site. Everyone needs to be on the open lab and joined as a member to our class site.  Please make sure you are joined now while the class is still open and public.  Soon, I am going to switch our class settings to make it private.

Thursday Sept 7

Dear Class:

I am sorry I was not able to be with you yesterday.  I am sure you had a good class discussion on Malcolm X readings with Prof. Harris.

Here is the homework:  Due 9/8 Friday by midnight:  Open Lab HW #3 Mentor Quote.

And — Due 9/9 Saturday by midnight: Comment two other students’ posts, one paragraph each.

This HW post will be graded, 1-4.  4 means well-developed.  1 means underdeveloped.

Write two fully developed paragraphs, 6-7 sentences each (plus quotation of at least two sentences).  Use the title Writing Task Mentor Quote – Your First Name.  Check on the category Writing Task Mentor Quote. 

By Saturday, reply to two fellow students’ posts.

Here is the prompt for the Writing Task:

At the start of “Saved,” Chapter 11 of his autobiography, Malcolm X remembers the “electrical effect” the words of his mentor Elijah Muhammad had on him in prison.  He then expresses his frustration at not being able to use proper English in writing letters back to him. Malcolm’s desire to address his mentor respectfully using standard English inspires him to start his “homemade education.”

Think of a time a mentor or authority figure gave you positive encouraging words that moved you forward in your educational journey.  What were the precise words––and on what occasion did your mentor tell you these words?  What was the actual scene?  How did they help you move forward?  Start your piece with this quotation.  In what ways did your relationship with your mentor conform with or go against (“dismantle”) traditional hierarchies?  How do the lessons from this figure continue to impact you in college?

Conversely, think of a time when a mentor or authority figure spoke to you using negative language that caused you pain.  Starting with the words themselves–give a quotation–how did these damaging words affect your educational journey?

Your choice: positive encouraging quote OR a negative damaging quote.  Do not do both.

Remember to start your story (narrative) with the mentor’s own words–that is, with a quotation — as I do in my student work post (Student Lisa).   If the person is speaking in another language, consider using that home language.

Also remember you are a story-teller:  make it interesting!

CREATE THEATRE OF THE MIND — In the first paragraph of this free write, after giving the mentor’s quotation, be sure to set your piece in a particular place –- your living room?  your bedroom?  a classroom?  Also indicate the bigger setting, which country?  And indicate the time-line?  present day?  when you were ten?  a junior in high school?

Refer to:

• My example post (by Lisa) with quote from my father.  Find my example by going to any page of our site and seeing the Right Hand Side Search Bars.  You will see About, Site Content, Tag Cloud, Categories.  In the Category Search Bar, select the pull-down category “Writing Task Mentor Quote.”  Then you will see my instruction post and my example post and other student posts who have already done the Mentor Quote HW post.
• Leylah Fernandez (US Open Tennis Finalist)’s quote from teacher who told her to quit (NYTimes par 22).

US Open Tennis finalist Leylah Fernandez, 19 years old, of Canada said she had faced many doubts in her early career about her potential. She remembered a teacher in Canada telling her to stop playing tennis and just focus on her studies because she would “never make it.” 

“Now I’m laughing,” she said. “I’m just glad that she told me that because every day I have that phrase in my head saying that I’m going to keep going. I’m going to push through, and I’m going to prove to her everything that I’ve dreamed of, I’m going to achieve.”

Thursday August 30

1. Remember HW 1 Introduction is due by tomorrow Friday and your comments to two student peers due by Saturday. All on the Open Lab.

Great to those of you who have already done your Intros and to those of you already commenting and meeting each other online.  We are building community in this way.  I am looking forward to reading your introductions and finding out what interesting people we have in our class!

2. Now I am announcing HW 2 on Tips for College Success. We do not have class on Monday, but you have this HW due Monday night.

Open Lab HW 2: 

• Use the Title:  Success Tips – Your Name. 
• Use the Category:  College Success (remember always to click on only one category).
• Due Monday 9/4 by midnight.   
• Due Tuesday 9/5 by midnight: Comment on two student peers. 

Watch this presentation/slideshow on Tips for College Success. 

Don’t worry it’s not long, but what it is, is an invaluable list of nine (9) tips to help you do well this semester!  

Choose TWO tips that you will start using.  Explain why this tip is significant personally or why it speaks to you personally.  How will you use this tip in this class?  What will you do differently now?  You may want to explain what you used to do that you now realize needs changing.  Then do the same for your second chosen tip. Write one paragraph of 6-7 sentences for each of your TWO tips.

Present your HW clearly by designating:

Tip 1:

Tip 2:

3. Looking ahead to Wednesday 9/6, prepare the Readings on Malcolm X.

• Printout, Read, Annotate, and Vocabulary (look up new words).
• Group ONE: Prepare Master Vocabulary for the Malcolm X readings.* Due to the Google Drive by TUESDAY 9/5.

Everyone is responsible for bringing to class and being ready to discuss:

1. Malcolm X’s Chapter 11 of Autobiography of Malcolm X.  Chapter 11 is presented in two parts here:

• Ch11 Saved beginning paragraphs
• “Prison Studies: or Saved” (

2. NYT interview with LFishbourne (make sure you have your NYT account)

Malcolm X, Laurence Fishbourne and the Theater of Your Mind (NYT interview)

 

* Each group will do a Master Vocabulary list for an assigned Unit One reading.  You will be the experts for any word we do not know for that reading.

• Organize and collaborate with your group members.
• Upload one file to the Google Drive/Unit One/ Classwork/Master Vocabulary List.
• Look in the Google Drive to find an example Master Vocabulary List for “In Defense of the Classroom.” Use this as a model for your group work.

Here are the groups:

• Group 1: Joshua, Nyazia, Randy, Ronald, Taniesha
• Group 2: Sindy, Priyanka, Lisa, Diego, Dylan
• Group 3: Bri, Jeremiah, Desire, Dhanesh, Junior
• Group 4: Jahnice, Angel, Savion, Christinea
• Group 5:  Daniela, Kayla, Belinda, Zoila

Wednesday August 30 post-class

Good job to everyone for participating today and getting through the difficult theoretical essay How to Read Like A Writer!

If you have not done so, please scroll down and do the Email HW, using the proper email etiquette.

Here is HW#1 Introduction which is due on Friday.  Soon, I will announce HW2 on Tips for College Success which is due on Monday night and remind you of the reading due for Wednesday (9/6).  I will also give you the Group member breakdowns and remind Group One of the Master Vocabulary List that they are creating for Wednesday’s Malcolm X readings.

Due Friday 9/1 HW#1 by midnight: Introduction on OLab. 

• Aim for TWO full paragraphs plus picture/visual.
• To get some ideas, think abou the ice-breaker questions we used on the first day to introduce our group members to the class.
• Also look at my example post on the Student Works page, Intro – Lisa. (At times, I will write student example posts as Lisa on the Student Works page.)
• Write about anything you would like the class to know about you.  You can write about your name or tell us which name you prefer to be called.  You can write about your cultural heritage or your identity or your family’s influence on your education, your goals, your belief in yourself, your attitude toward the world. You can write about your interests or hobbies or major at City Tech, or your college goals. You can add a surprising fact, as I did in my Intro.
• Please add a visual element (photo).  If your photo is not self-explanatory, then give a sentence to explain your photo.
• Remember — make yourself the interesting person that everyone wants to get to know at the party!

HOW TO POST:  (You can always find these instructions on the Student Resources page under “Open Lab Support”)

• Go to the top menu bar.
• Click on the plus sign, then on post.  You will land on a writing page.
• Write in the Title:  Intro – your first name.
• Type in your writing where it says “Type.”
• Use the Plus sign in the space to add a picture.
• When finished, go to right hand sidebar and check on Category: Introductions.  (please always choose only ONE category).
• Then scroll up and click on Publish.
• If you need to edit, you can go to the Student Works page and find your post; then click on the edit option next to your post.

NOTE: You will be writing your own post. Some students confusedly posted as a reply to my example post; this is NOT correct.

Again I encourage you to start by writing on your own MS Word or your own GDrive and to keep a master copy of all your HWs.  Then to copy and paste into the OLab.

By Saturday 9/2 you should also — COMMENT ON YOUR PEERS WORK:  Let’s get to know each other! Read TWO classmates’ introductions and respond.  Write one FULL paragraph for each classmate. Suggestions:  You can choose a student who has a similarity with you.  You can ask questions.  You can share an observation.

Monday August 28 post-class

So good to meet all of you today and introduce ourselves to each other.  I noticed that many of you have already signed up as members on our class site.  Great!

We are off and running.  Please DO:

1. If you haven’t, please get your City Tech email up and running. Get your Open Lab (OLab) account and join our class as a member (instruction links on Home page).
2. Browse around our Open Lab (OLab) class site and explore what’s there and how to navigate your way. Pay attention to Home and Syllabus and Weekly Schedule pages.  Please print out the Weekly Schedule and the Syllabus as hard copies so you can easily find what we are doing.
3. There’s a lot of material on our Open Lab class site. I won’t expect you to know everything right away but get started now and familiarize yourself.
4. READ ANNOUNCEMENTS every day. Sometimes I post even when there is no class, so check regularly.
5. Join the Phone Text (10AM class) or Instagram (12noon class) account for the class.
6. Get your New York Times digital subscription and your Microsoft Office Suite — both free as a CUNY students. Links on the Syllabus.

Look at the Weekly Schedule and you will see —

For Wednesday:

• The assigned reading is “Read Like A Writer” by Mike Bunn. Printout and bring to class. Usually you will read and annotate and do vocabulary work ahead of class. However for this first reading, just printout and bring to class.  It is a difficult essay and 15 pages long!  But don’t worry, on Wednesday I will clue you in on the significant parts and we will go over the MI (main ideas) together.  SO you must have it and bring it to class.
• ALSO printout and bring to class the excerpt from Lynn Kilpatrick Decisions Dilemmas Decisions On Genre excerpt Lynn Kilpatrick

HW before Wednesday’s class:  Please read the syllabus.  Then, to practice proper email etiquette (you should have read about this in the syllabus, so I will be looking for the proper email format) send me an email to inform me that you have successfully read through the entire syllabus.

Friday August 25

Dear Students,

Greetings from Professor Lisa Wu, and welcome to ENG 1101 Section D 193 at City Tech!  I am your professor and I look forward to working with you this semester.

Our first day will be Monday August 28. We meet on Mondays and Wednesdays at 12noon to 1:40PM in Namm Building Room 519.  If you can, please come five minutes early at 11:55 AM.

I suspect many of you are tech-savvy. That’s great! If you are still getting used to our technology, not to worry — we will build community and help each other.  In this class, we will be using Open Lab, the City Tech digital community platform.  Homework, class readings, announcements and other important items will be posted on our Open Lab course website. It will be your responsibility to check the announcements daily.

Please get started and familiarize yourself with our course website.

If you can join our Open Lab course site as a member now, please do.  Click on Open Lab course site link.  You will land on the Home Page; read this page.  Then go to Let’s Get Started.  Please read the Announcements page and also read through the Syllabus.  Both Blackboard and Open Lab are now available to students.  In addition to checking Open Lab Announcements page, start now checking your City Tech email daily.  It’s very important to have your email up and running.

For help on all of these points go to the Student Resources page of this website.  Here I copy from Student Resources page:

• Quick Start Guide for Open Lab
• CityTech Email Instructions

If you have any questions or concerns, you may email me at lwu@citytech.cuny.edu.

Best Wishes,
Professor Wu