Hi class,

For homework: Read these three articles in our textbook: Wallis and Steptoe, Powell, and Lubrano. All are in Chapter 3. Then, in your notebook, write a sentence or two that nails down the main idea of each article. You might want to state what you think each author’s Intellectual Home might be.

Also, please change the due dates for Essay 1. First draft is due in class on Wednesday, Sept. 21. Final draft is due in class on Monday, Sept 26.

Cheers,

Prof. Scanlan

Here is the sentence that we worked on in Lab:

As I walked through the tattered tan door to Namm 1107, I noticed my teacher preparing for today’s lesson at his large desk about to write tasks on the fairly new chalkboard, but then I couldn’t help but to look around the room and observe the diverse book bags and open notebooks around me.

Best,

Prof. Scanlan

Hello Students!

This site will grow and develop during the semester, just like you will grow and develop as critical readers and writers.

As we get to know each other, I believe that you will find that I am very fond of reading, and I am interested in new digital technologies. In particular, I like to examine digital tools that can help students work more efficiently. One such digital tool is Wikipedia. Hardly a week goes by when a friend, or a parent of a college student, or a colleague rips into Wikipedia (a new digital research tool) for its flimsy research, its weak documentation, its biased approach. Well, I’ve always thought that Wikipedia keeps gaining ground on other encyclopedias, and it looks like it has truly reached the tipping point, especially when esteemed historian William Cronon gives it the thumbs up:

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/02/one-of-the-nations-top-historians-decides-its-time-to-embrace-wikipedia/252576/

Try this exercise: look up the terms “immigration”and “Brooklyn Bridge” on Encyclopedia Britannica and Wikipedia and tell me which one is more complete with more footnotes and more resources.

Next, here is a small photo of the textbook that we will use this semester:

Please use the ISBN to get the correct version of this book. ISBN: 9781465228314

If you have any questions, please let me know via email:

sscanlan@citytech.cuny.edu

Best wishes,

Prof. Scanlan