English ENG 1101 – 0105 Course Syllabus Fall 2020

Professor: Sarah Schmerler

Office Phone: (718) 260-5392

Office: Namm 519

Email: sschmerler@citytech.cuny.edu

Meeting Time: Mon + Thurs, 8:00AM-9:40AM

Online Location: https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/schmerler1101-0105-fall2020/

Office Hours: 11AM-12PM Fridays on Zoom

  COURSE WEBSITE: https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/schmerler1101-0105-fall2020/

Course Description: 

A course in effective essay writing and basic research techniques including use of the library. Demanding readings assigned for classroom discussion and as a basis for essay writing.

Prerequisite: 

CUNY proficiency in reading and writing 

Course Meetings:

This course will by both synchronous and asynchronous. This means: We will meet during regularly scheduled class times on Zoom for the first month of the semester, establishing a sense of community, and finding our rhythm of when to meet, and when to work apart. There will also be asynchronous (non-scheduled) instruction for his course. Our exact schedule will be determined.
Attendance will be taken on Zoom during live meetings, and, for asynchronous work, your postings and assignment posting times in OpenLab will count as your attendance. Always check our OpenLab course site

Learning Outcomes: 

It is expected that at a minimum, students in ENG 1101 will:

Read and listen critically and analytically in a variety of genres and rhetorical situations: Identify and evaluate exigencies, purposes, claims, supporting evidence, and underlying assumptions in a variety of texts, genres, and media.

Adapt to and compose in a variety of genres: Adapt writing conventions in ways that are suitable to different exigencies and purposes in a variety of contexts, including academic, workplace, and civic audiences. When appropriate, repurpose prior work to new genres, audiences, and media by adjusting delivery, design, tone, organization, and language.

Use research as a process of inquiry and engagement with multiple perspectives: Learn to focus on a topic and develop research questions that lead to propositions and claims that can be supported with well-reasoned arguments. Persuasively communicate and repurpose research projects across a variety of contexts, purposes, audiences, and media. Demonstrate research skills through attribution and citation gathering, evaluating, and synthesizing both primary and secondary sources. Learn how to use appropriate citation styles depending on disciplinary and situational requirements (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.).

Use reflection and other metacognitive processes to revise prior assumptions about reading and writing and transfer acquired knowledge into new writing situations. Students write reflections of their own reading and writing process from the beginning and throughout the semester with the intention to transfer their acquired knowledge about genre and composing practices into new writing situations.

Demonstrate the social and ethical responsibilities and consequences of writing: Recognize that first-year writing includes academic, workplace, and civic contexts, all of which require careful deliberation concerning the ethical and social ramifications concerning fairness, inclusivity, and respect for diversity. Write and revise for academic and broader, public audiences accordingly.

Compose in 21st Century Environments: Learn to choose among the most current and effective delivery methods for different composing situations. Students learn to compose in new media environments, including alphabetic texts, still and moving images, sonic, and mixed media compositions. Use digital media platforms appropriate to audience and purpose.

Self-Care Statement: 

There isn’t a handbook for the situation we are in right now as a state and a nation, and the resultant uncertainty can be stressful. We need to recognize the toll this situation might be taking on us and be compassionate with ourselves and with others. This semester, our priority will be to foster intellectual nourishment, social connection, and personal accommodation. And we will remain flexible, and if we have to, we will adjust to the situation (adapted from Prof. Brandon Bayne’s syllabus, UNC)

Course Website: 

This course will take place online (see our opening announcements for how to join our work and get on OpenLab). It is extremely important that you familiarize yourself with our website and find out where everything is. This is where you will find your assignments and post your homework as well as finished units.  This is how we’ll keep in touch, so please check in frelquently! You are responsible for being up-to-date and knowing what is on our course site.  Please contact me if you are having trouble!

Readings / Text: 

All course readings can be found on the course website.

Grading: 

Your grade will be split into two parts: The Final Portfolio, which will include revisions of all your major essays, and Homework/ Participation, which will include all class discussions, homework assignments and basically everything else you post online.  The Final Portfolio will comprise 60% of your final grade and Homework/ Participation will comprise 40% of your final grade.

Final Portfolio: 

Your Final Portfolio will be worth 60% of your final grade, with the grade breakdown as follows:

  • Unit One: 10%
  • Unit Two: 20%
  • Unit Three: 20%
  • Reflection: 10%
  • Total: 60%

Please note that you will be expected to revise units one and two for the final portfolio. When you resubmit these, you will be able to improve your grade.   

Participation/ Homework:

You’ll see that your participation and homework count for 40% of your grade in this class.  What does this mean? How is this calculated? Why is this such a high percentage?

Let’s look at that last question first: in this class, you’re graded almost as much on your weekly low-stakes assignments as you are on your high-stakes essay assignments. This is because in this class, you’re not learning how to write one particular paper, or how to do one particular thing, you are learning about the process of writing (and reading—and researching) and all of those things are the behind-the-scenes work, the homework.

The good news is this: I almost never grade you on grammar in your homework, unless we’re looking specifically at grammar. Your homework is a place for you to get your thoughts and ideas down in words. Here, we will work on research, brainstorming and organization.

How will participation/ homework be graded?

More or less, if you do it, you’ll get the credit.  You have to do it thoroughly and thoughtfully, and you have to do it in a timely manner. (If you’re having trouble with getting things done on time, please let me know.) Writing is largely about discipline and routine, so this is a good way to learn that– and to earn 40% of the credit for this course.

Attendance: 

One thing you may not know is that, in face-to-face classes, we take attendance for your sake as much as for our own. If someone isn’t coming to class, we worry they won’t succeed in a writing class– and that’s because, as I said above, writing is more about work and learning your own process than it is about magical talent. Even in an online class, you have to show up. Remember to just check in every day (or almost every day) to see what you need to catch up with. And, by the way, we do take attendance in online courses– we do it by calling attendance on Zoom during our synchronous meetings, and checking you’ve done the daily assignments you post, noting the time when you post them, for asynchronous work.

Writing Center:

For one-on-one help with your writing assignments, send an email to CityTechWritingCenter@gmail requesting an appointment. You will receive an automatic reply with information about available tutoring sessions.

UNIVERSITY POLICIES: 

Accessibility Statement:

 Your success in this class is important to me. We all need different accommodations because we all learn differently. If there are aspects of this course that prevent you from learning or exclude you, please let me know as soon as possible. Together we’ll develop strategies to meet both your needs and the requirements of the course.

I encourage you to visit or contact the Center for Student Accessibility to determine how you could improve your learning as well. If you need official accommodations, you have a right to have these met. //

College Statement on Accessibility: City Tech is committed to supporting the educational goals of enrolled students with disabilities in the areas of enrollment, academic advisement, tutoring, assistive technologies and testing accommodations. If you have or think you may have a disability, you may be eligible for reasonable accommodations or academic adjustments as provided under applicable federal, state and city laws. You may also request services for temporary conditions or medical issues under certain circumstances. If you have questions about your eligibility or would like to seek accommodation services or academic adjustments, you can leave a voicemail at 718 260 5143, send an email to Accessibility@citytech.cuny.edu or visit the Center’s website at  http://www.citytech.cuny.edu/accessibility/ for more information. 

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Statement:

 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.

Microsoft Office: 

The City University of New York provides Microsoft Office 365 for Education to students at participating colleges, including City Tech via the Microsoft Office in Education program. You sign in using your Blackboard credentials (this is different than your regular CityTech email) and have online access to MS Word, Powerpoint, Excel and other programs in the MS Office Suite. You may also be eligible to download the Suite to your computer.  For more information, see THIS LINK .