Syllabus

Prof. James Wu; Office hours Monday 1-2pm, Namm 529

jwu099@gmail.com jwu@citytech.cuny.edu

 

Prerequisite: Eng 1101

 

Course description: This course focuses on college level writing on topics in the short story, essay, poem, and drama.   We will read literary works, discuss and write papers on themes including, New England, the American South, immigration, youth.

 

*Instructional objectives and course goals and outcomes

Grammar review; thesis, support, argument; methods of writing short essay, impromptu essay, longer research paper; methods of research, open source web, Cuny electronic library. MLA citation.

Students will be able to develop knowledge and understanding of the arts and literature through critiques of works of art, music, theatre or literature. We will practice this through discussion, short presentation, writing short thesis based and longer research based papers. Students will increase their writing skills through practice and revisions.

Measurement of outcomes will be evaluated in written assignments, exams and group presentation.

Attendance and lateness policy. Attendance is required for optimum performance in this class. City Tech policy is students may miss without penalty 10% of course meetings.   Repeated lateness negatively affects student performance and disrupts the class. Please make every effort to arrive on time.

 

Required texts: Literature for Composition **11th edition**, edited by Barnet, Burto, Cain, Nixon. Boston: Pearson publishers. 2016.

College-level Dictionary

Grammar Handbook

Open Lab: https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/groups/prof-james-wu-spring-2019-eng-1121/

* Major assignments and grading

*5-page Short paper, 30% (paper #1); Feb 25

*Group presentation: each student must join a group of 3 and make a 5- 10 minute presentation on one of the readings, or part of a reading; 10%

*Inclass midterm essay 15% (paper #2), March 25

*9-10 page (including MLA works cited page) research paper 30% (paper #3); April 15

*In class final essay 15% (paper #4); students must pass final exam to pass class

 

Required format for papers: all papers must be handed in, printed, typed, double-spaced with proper citations.Grades will be based on grammar, argument, correct citation. Revisions will be accepted and added to final grade.

 

Late papers will be accepted up to one week of due date. Revisions will be accepted two weeks after returned.

 

Course Schedule

Week 1. Jan 28 Robert Frost, Mending Wall, Design p. 824, The Most of It, p.823

 

Week 2. Feb 4 Junot Diaz, “How to Date a …” p.100. “Homecoming, With Turtle.” https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2004/06/14/homecoming-with-turtle Emily Dickinson, “I’m Nobody… p. 766; Wild Nights, p. 768, A Narrow Fellow 856; ,.

 

Week 3. Feb 11 Junot Diaz, William Faulkner “A Rose for Emily,” 451 “Barn Burning,” 1267.  Flannery O’Connor, “Good Man is Hard To Find.”

 

Week 4. Feb 18 William Faulkner, Shakespeare’s Hamlet Act 1.

 

Week 5. Feb 25 Paper 1. HamletAct 1, Barton “Promulgation of Confusion,” secondary source on Hamlet, p. 756

 

Week 6. March 4 Hamlet Act 2, Wells, “On the First Soliloquy,” secondary source on Hamlet, p. 759. Group presentations.

 

Week 7. March 11, Hamlet Act 2. Showalter, “Representing Ophelia,” secondary source on Hamlet. P761. Group presentations.

 

Week 8. March 18, Hamlet Act 3. Group presentations.

 

Week 9. March 25, Hamlet Act 4 Midterm in class essay

 

Week 10. April 1, Hamlet Act 5. Group presentations.

 

Week 11. April 8 Charlotte Perkins Gilman, “The Yellow Wall Paper,” 991. Previous readings, revisions, methods of composition. Group presentations.

 

Week 12. April 15 Grimm, Mother Holle, 1031. Research Paper 9-10 pages with works cited page. Group presentations.

 

Spring Break April 19-28

 

Week 13. April 29 Ambrose Bierce, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. Previous readings, revisions, methods of composition. Group presentations.

Week 14. May 6 Orwell, “Shooting an Elephant.” Previous readings, revisions, methods of composition. Group presentations.

 

Week 15. May 13. Group presentations. ( Finals May 16-22)

 

Week 16. May 20 Finals

 

* CityTech’s policy on academic integrity and plagiarism

“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.”