FALL 2021 ENGLISH 1101 OL 10

Professor:  Sarah Schmerler

Email: sschmerler@citytech.cuny.ed

Course Site:  https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/schmerlereng1101ol10fall2021/

Course meeting times: Mon and Wed, 8:00AM–9:40AM on Zoom

Weekly office hours: Fridays 12:00PM–2:00PM on Zoom

Zoom links: Links for all classes and office hours are posted on our OpenLab Course Site under ZOOM LINKS. Here is a Short Link to Join First Class on Aug 25: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84221120427?pwd=U0U4K0hwMExaMWJDSnpudExrakFiZz09

Meeting ID: 842 2112 0427
Passcode: 102192

Welcome:

Welcome to City Tech and English 1101. We are living through a very difficult time in our city, country, and world, and trying to adapt. In our class, we will prioritize intellectual nourishment, community, and humanity. If you have any concerns about the course or college, or if there is any situation preventing you from participating, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Know that I am here to work with you.

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.

Every City Tech (and CUNY) student takes Composition I, which features reading and writing assignments. This course will provide a strong foundation for your other studies and give you skills that will transfer to your major discipline as well as to your life after you leave City Tech. We will work on communicating effectively, building an argument, adapting your writing for different needs and situations, interpreting and responding to a text, and incorporating and citing secondary source material. We will be reading pieces both for their inherent literary value and also as models for our own writing projects. Together, we will share our unique ideas and experiences and create a supportive community of life-long learners.

Prerequisite: 

CUNY proficiency in reading and writing

Course Meetings:

This course is SYNCHRONOUS, namely, it will meet twice a week online for an hour and forty minutes on Zoom (Mondays and Wednesdays, 8:00AM-9:40AM). Attendance of course meetings is REQUIRED.
You will have homework due each week. I will post all the work for each week by 1:00PM every Tuesday on our OpenLab site under WEEKLY ASSIGNMENT FOLDERS. Homework is also required.

Course Website: 

This course will take place online. Our homework and messages from me will be on this website. 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 on the website daily! You are responsible for being up-to-date and knowing what is on our course site. You are also responsible for checking your CityTech email daily. Please contact me if you are having trouble!

 

Course Tools and Required Materials:

  • A computer with fully functioning microphone and videocam
  • Access to and use of GoogleDocs and GoogleDrive. (I will create a folder on GoogleDrive with your name on it dedicated to this class. This is your STUDENT FOLDER and will house your assignment drafts and portfolio. If you don’t have GoogleDrive, you can’t access this folder!)
    ● Access to a strong WiFi connection (essential for participation in this class)
  • Access to, and familiarity with, Zoom
  • Access to OpenLab (you should consider bookmarking important pages on our site like READINGS, ZOOM LINKS, and WEEKLY ASSIGNMENT FOLDERS for easy access!)
  • A City Tech e-mail account
    ● An English Style Guide (either in print or Online)
  • A dictionary (print or Online)
  • Access to an Etymological Dictionary (Online)

(On our website you will find  link to IT services with helpful downloads of Zoom, GoogleDrive, and other softwares)

+●One more thing: good old-fashioned pen and paper. We are going to be doing a lot of writing.

Grading Breakdown:

Unit 1                                                                                                 20%

Unit 2                                                                                                 20%

Unit 3                                                                                                 20%

Final Reflection                                                                                   10%

Low-stakes Writing (Homework and In-class Exercises)                  30%

 

You’ll see that “low-stakes writing” counts for 30% of your grade in this class. What does this mean? What is “low-stakes writing?” How is this calculated? Why is this such a high percentage?

in this class, you’re graded almost as much on your weekly low-stakes assignments as you are on your high-stakes essay assignments. A lot of this is the stuff we do in class as well as the less formal stuff you do at home. This means you have to be in class to get credit for it, and you have to keep up with the day-to-day to get that 30%

 

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.

 

How will low-stakes writing 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 30% of the credit for this course.

Late Paper Policy:

 

Major essays are due before class begins on the due date.  If you are having difficulty completing a major assignment please talk to me before it is due. I am here to help you. My extension policy is: If you write me an e-mail, tell me the specific assignment for which you are requesting an extension, and give me a new due date that you can truly manage to honor, I will consider your request! Also, when you request an extension, please be sure to include your course’s Section # in the e-mail.

 

Revision Policy:

In this course, you can—and will!– revise all major units for your final portfolio (see Unit 4: Final Portfolio). Your new grade entirely replaces your old grade. You can also revise your units sooner than that if you feel you’d like more feedback. Please come see me during office hours if you’re confused about my comments or you’d like additional feedback.

 

University Policies:

Accessibility Statement:

City Tech is committed to supporting the educational goals of enrolled students with disabilities in the areas of enrollment, academic advisement, tutoring, assistive technologies, and testing accommodations. If you have or think you may have a disability, you may be eligible for reasonable accommodations or academic adjustments as provided under applicable federal, state and city laws. You may also request services for temporary conditions or medical issues under certain circumstances. If you have questions about your eligibility or would like to seek accommodation services or academic adjustments, 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:

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 in The City University of New York and at New York City College of Technology and is punishable by penalties, including failing grades, suspension, and expulsion. The complete text of the College policy on Academic Integrity may be found in the catalog.

Support Resources:

College Writing Center:

Online writing tutoring is available through the Writing Center at City Tech! I encourage you to utilize their services. Keep in mind you’ll need to make an appointment ahead of time. It’s unlikely they’ll be able to squeeze you in at the last minute, especially during busy times, so plan ahead!

Advisors:

The transition to college is challenging for everyone. It is helpful to periodically reflect on how you are doing in your classes, and how your anticipated area of study (major) is progressing, as well as to plan next steps. Academic advisors are able to help you navigate these paths. If you are in SEEK or ASAP or have declared your major, you have an assigned advisor with whom to schedule appointments. Others should seek out appointments with Dr. Julian Williams, Director of Liberal Arts & Sciences, jwilliams@citytech.cuny.edu.

 

English 1101 Learning Outcomes  

 

Departmental 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.

 

CUNY Pathways Learning Outcomes:

A course in this area must meet all of the following learning outcomes. A student will:

  • Read and listen critically and analytically, including identifying an argument’s major assumptions and assertions and evaluating its supporting evidence.
  • Write clearly and coherently in varied, academic formats (such as formal essays, research papers, and reports) using standard English and appropriate technology to critique and improve one’s own and others’ texts.
  • Demonstrate research skills using appropriate technology, including gathering, evaluating, and synthesizing primary and secondary sources.
  • Support a thesis with well-reasoned arguments, and communicate persuasively across a variety of contexts, purposes, audiences, and media.
  • Formulate original ideas and relate them to the ideas of others by employing the conventions of ethical attribution and citation.