2. For Monday 7/20, 7p

For Mon 7pm:

  1. I’ve made some changes to the course syllabus. Please carefully read it, especially the “Core Course Assignments & Grading Section” (from the bottom of p. 1 to the top of page 3). In your response below, please list the 10 core assignments and the % of the final grade for each. Also, please post 1 question you have about the syllabus.
  2. Make a tutoring appointment by sending an email to citytechwritingcenter@gmail.com.
  3. Before you begin writing your Essay 2, read: Larry Elder, “Where’s Black Lives Matter When You Need Them?” ;  Bill McCarthy/PolitiFact, “Larry Elder Mislabels Stats on Fatal Shootings…”; “PolitiFact Tags Black Conservative Larry Elder as ‘Mostly False,’ But He’s Not” (activated CUNY library card needed to access). For now, you aren’t required to write anything about these articles. However, I do want you do try to answer as you read these questions: Does Elder agree with Kaba (the first reading we did) about the Black Lives Matter movement and what to do about police brutality?  Does Bill McCarthy agree with Larry Elder?  Why/why not?  Does the final article (by an anonymous author) agree with Bill McCarthy’s view of Larry Elder’s article?
  4. Write your Essay 1 assignment in a Google Doc saved to your Google Drive folder. Post a link to your Google Doc (link contains instructions for how to do this), being sure to categorize it as “Essay 1 Feedback.” To make sure you’ve posted correctly, go to the Essay 1 Feedback part of the website and you should see your post with your essay there.

In terms of organizing your essay, please try to use this format for now:

Paragraph 1: Introduce the topic, why it matters, and summarize 1 of the articles on BLM/Police Brutality that we’ve read.  Then also include YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT ARTICLE and YOUR THESIS (what you think should be done about racism/police brutality)

Paragraph 2: Explain 1 of your reasons why you think your THESIS (what you think should be done about police brutality) is right.  In your paragraph, please include an example (a story from your own life or that you’ve heard told by friends, on the internet, etc.) which helps your reader understand your reason for thinking your THESIS is right.

Paragraph 3: Explain 1 other (different/new) reason why you think your THESIS (what you think should be done about police brutality) is right.  In your paragraph, please include an example (a story from your own life or that you’ve heard told by friends, on the internet, etc.) which helps your reader understand your reason for thinking your THESIS is right.

Paragraph 4: Counterclaim. Here, I want you to explain at least 1 reason why someone might disagree with your thesis.  Then respond to this imaginary person who disagrees with you.  Defend your view!

Paragraph 5: Conclusion.  In this paragraph, I want you to restate your THESIS (don’t copy & paste it; now that you’ve gained new insight from writing the essay, you should have new language for explaining your Point of View).  Also explain the broader outcomes for society that you hope will happen if more people take up your thesis and act on it.

Lastly (optional), you can include any questions about your topic that you want to come back to in a future essay.

23 thoughts on “2. For Monday 7/20, 7p”

  1. Core Assignments and % of final grade
    1. 5 creative summaries — 10% of final grade
    2. 2 revised responses— 15% of final grade
    3. 2 persuasive essays— 30% of final grade
    4. Essay Feedback Comments— 10% of final grade
    5. Midterm— 15% of final grade
    6. Final Exam Essay— 20% of final grade

    Syllabus Question
    1. How many drafts do we need for ESSAY 1?

    1. Thanks, Paulina. There are two required drafts of Essay 1—1 that was due yesterday and 1 that will be revised using classmate feedback, due next Thursday in your Google Drive Portfolio.

      For this post, if you choose to revise, would you add some more details on what the different elements your 5 creative article summaries are supposed to contain? Thanks.

  2. “police brutality isn’t something that isn’t new,it goes back 1700’s,we had all this time to fix this but now people and groups of people want this to be changed “
    That sentence stood out to me because I like how it brings up that it’s nothing new, and that people didn’t care as much before it makes you wonder why.

    Something that could be revised, is talking more about how you want to make a change and end police brutality in the 2 paragraph.

  3. 1. A. 5 (five) 100-150 word creative summaries (of 5 assigned readings)(10%)
    2. B. 5 (five) 100-150-word written responses to prompts I post on openlab.
    3. C. 2 (two) revised responses (above), rewritten using feedback I will provide on openlab. (15%)
    4. D. 2 (two) persuasive Essays 500-600 word each
    5. 2 drafts of each essay (30%)
    6. E. 20 (twenty)Essay Feedback comment/10 for essay 1
    7. Essay feedback comment /10 for essay 2 (10%)
    8. F. Checkpoint Exam #1: Midterm (15%)
    9. G. Checkpoint Exam#2: Final Exam Essay (20%)
    Total Final Grade: 100%
    1. My Question about this syllabus is where this checkpoint essay exam is taking place.

    1. Thanks, Steph. A couple other “core assignments” left off of your list (you can add these if you choose to revise this assignment):
      –10 reading assignments
      –3 Zoom meetings
      –1 e-mail check-in with me
      –A link-shared Google Drive folder (your “portfolio”) containing all of your work for the course (to be reviewed by me at the end of the course)

      The Checkpoint Essay is what you did for Wednesday (the Midterm). There will be another final Checkpoint exam next Thursday (the last day of the course).

  4. 1) 5 creative summaries : 10%
    2)2 revised responses : 15%
    3)2 persuasive essays :30%
    4)Essay Feedback Comments : 10%
    5) Midterm :15%
    6)Final Exam Essay : 20%

    My question is what would happen if you missed one of the essays ?

    1. Shalamar, hi. Thanks for your notes.
      If you choose to revise this assignment, here are a few other “core assignments” left off of your list that you can add to your revised version:
      –10 reading assignments
      –3 Zoom meetings
      –1 e-mail check-in with me
      –A link-shared Google Drive folder (your “portfolio”) containing all of your work for the course (to be reviewed by me at the end of the course)

      Good question. You cannot pass the course if you miss one of the essays.

  5. #1) 5 creative article summaries/10% of grade
    #2) 2 revised essay responses/15% of grade
    #3) 2 500 word persuasive essays/30% of grade
    #4) Essay Feedback on Classmates/10% of grade
    #5) Midterm Exam/15% of grade
    #6) Final Exam/20% of grade

    Question: What would have been different if we we’re learning in person?

    1. Thank you, Aldo. You’ve posed an amazing question. I’ll give you my thoughts, but I’d really like to hear yours if you choose to revise/respond to this.

      So much would be different if we were learning in person. If we were in-person, we’d be able to make eye contact in class, we’d be able to gesture with greater ease in order to express ourselves and teach and learn; if we were in person, I suspect we would be laughing much more and with greater ease (at least I would… I think I’m funnier in person than on a computer…). We would also be able to read aloud from each other’s essays much more easily–instead of reading them in silence; we would also be able to give each other feedback more easily via conversation–in addition to writing. However, I will say that I think learning how to give feedback in writing helps your own writing more than simply talking. But clearly talking is fun and there would be so much more talking were we able to meet in person. Yeesh, now you have me really missing the classroom–the approach to teaching and learning is so different, so much more rich when we’re able to be in the same room.

      Anyway, if you choose to revise this assignment, here are a few other “core assignments” left off of your list that you can add to your revised version (in addition to your thoughts responding to your own question):
      –10 reading assignments
      –3 Zoom meetings
      –1 e-mail check-in with me
      –A link-shared Google Drive folder (your “portfolio”) containing all of your work for the course (to be reviewed by me at the end of the course)

      PS. I’m taking your essay link out of this thread because it is supposed to be it’s own separate post, categorized under “Essay 1 Feedback.” Thanks for understanding.

  6. Kenyah logan
    7/20/2020

    Core assignment and % of final grade
    1, 5 creative summaries — 10% of grade
    2, 2 revised responses— 15% of grade
    3, 2 persuasive essays— 30% of grade
    4, Essay Feedback Comments— 10% of grade
    5, Midterm— 15% of grade
    6, Final Exam Essay— 20% of grade

    My question is do you get graded for being on the zoom meetings?

    1. Thanks, Kenyah–good question. Attendance and participation in the Zoom meetings is required, so students who have missed the Zoom meetings will not be able to pass the course. So long as you attend and participate, you should be fine. In other words, your participation on Zoom is Pass/Fail.

      Anyway, if you choose to revise this assignment, here are a few other “core assignments” left off of your list that you can add to your revised version (in addition to your thoughts responding to your own question):
      –10 reading assignments
      –3 Zoom meetings
      –1 e-mail check-in with me
      –A link-shared Google Drive folder (your “portfolio”) containing all of your work for the course (to be reviewed by me at the end of the course)

  7. #1) 5 creative article summaries/10% of grade
    #2) 2 revised essay responses/15% of grade
    #3) 2 500 word persuasive essays/30% of grade
    #4) Essay Feedback on Classmates/10% of grade
    #5) Midterm Exam/15% of grade
    #6) Final Exam/20% of grade
    Question: To pass this class we have to finished all the assignments?

    1. Thanks, Lubna–good question. The answer is YES, all of the assignments are required to pass the class.

      If you choose to revise this assignment, here are a few other “core assignments” left off of your list that you can add to your revised version (in addition to your thoughts responding to your own question):
      –10 reading assignments
      –3 Zoom meetings
      –1 e-mail check-in with me
      –A link-shared Google Drive folder (your “portfolio”) containing all of your work for the course (to be reviewed by me at the end of the course)

  8. Atta Tariq
    Professor Monroe
    English 92
    July 17, 2020
    Essay- Police brutality
    Yes, We Mean Literally Abolish The Police, written by Mairame Kaba opened my eyes on the topic of police brutality and racism even more. It made me realize that I am not the only one who thinks the same as her or had the same ideas in their mind as she did. In the article the author is trying to point out to us the facts about the police and police brutality. She is trying to open our eyes and not blind us by thinking that the police are here for our safety. She states the facts about what recently has taken place the death of George Floyd. “Joe Biden wants to give police departments $300 MM” but what is the point of all this money when they are not using it on the right things. She also mentions that, “But efforts to solve police violence through liberal reforms like these have failed for nearly a century.” I agree absolutely 100% with what Mariame Kaba states in this article because she has been talking about things that have not been said. The most important thing to notice in this article, something that I found very interesting and amusing was when she said “Fewer police officers equals fewer opportunities for them to brutalize and kill people.” This really caught my attention because it is true, some police officers abuse their “power” and use it in the wrong. Protest did work somewhat, but I believe that we should take more action on police brutality and racism. Racism is still a major issue, just because slavery has ended does not mean that racism has ended. Racially profiling humans is a major issue in todays’ society and actions should be taken against it. The government needs to bring awareness on this topic.
    I have always been told that if something goes wrong or we are in trouble we should contact the police. Police are for our safety and are supposed to protect us but lately, it seems like we are safer without the police and the last people we should contact if we are in need of help is the police department. I did not know that me living in America I would still have to face “racial profiling” especially in this generation. I will share a personal incident that has happened with my family and I recently. This incident took place four months ago when we were coming back to New York City from Pakistan. There was a white family next to us on the immigration line. While they were already in line for immigration, the officer was staring at us like we did something wrong. He was done with the other white family in 5 minutes and called us. They took all of our passports and started going through our passports and whispering it was something that none of us ever witnessed before.. He almost took 25 to 30 minutes looking at our faces and matching the passport photos, then he started asking questions, such as: when you went to Pakistan? Why did you go there? How long did you stay there? all these random questions, which I think were not important. They had our tickets and could check for themselves but we still co operated with them, after that he started asking where we live in New York, which I also think was not necessary and he almost took an hour or more on us even though there was long line. My name has “Muhammad” in it, I guess that got them to become suspicious they took me into the interrigartion room and searched and did a background check just to find nothing on me but that I am a college student who just went to Pakistan to visit his family. I couldn’t say anything because I was terrified and my parents always taught me to never talk back to the American police, do nothing but what is said and co-operate with them. This incident has really changed my thinking of how racism has still not come to an end no matter what year we are living in. I will still be looked at by the eyes of a suspicious cop thinking I maybe a terrorist because of having “Muhammad” in my name.
    Another example of police brutality and racial profiling is when the George Floyd incident took place. An innocent black man’s life was taken by a white police officer thinking that Flyod had a fake check. The white cop put his on Floyds neck which caused him to choke and eventually caused him to die. Riots and protests had started because of this which caused the entire nation to question every police officer. There was also a viral video on social media on a black man who is actually a FBI agent being arrested. In the video the two white police officers are arresting the black FBI agent thinking he is the guy who they are looking for. Throughout the arrest he is questioning the police “you are assuming someone I am not” and kept telling them to look into his wallet and they’d know who he is and when they finally saw the identity card he was immediately released and no handcuffs on him. Throughout the entire video the man is telling people and the two white police officers that he is being racially profiled but they didn’t listen to him until they saw his ID card.
    I believe Racism still exists in different ways. However, some people say cops or other officers are just doing their job and there’s no racism. They mostly say “black people” do wrong stuff and get caught. Well, we all know it exists but sometimes is brushed off in a joke. We all need to know Humanity is the biggest religion. It is sad that we are still stuck on racism and judging others based on their looks and ethnicity. Every person has the right to freedom. All over social media, we saw videos where cops harass black people just because of their color which is called racially profiling.
    Racism still exists but in different ways, everywhere. We really need to stop judging each other by their race or color. Reading the article on police brutality was really an eye opener for me personally because the author stated facts and talked about things that were not being said by the media. Personal experiences and experiences that have happened with other people which were shown through videos on instagram, twitter and youtube are evidence about the fact that police brutality exists and it should be stopped. Police are using their power in the wrong and are causing some of the good police officers to be looked up as a bad one too. Not all cops are bad but after all that has happened it makes it hard to give any cop the benefit of the doubt. The government needs to take better action against this topic. Police if for our safety and to protect us not to harm us and be afraid of them.

  9. Core Assignments and % of final grade
    1. 5 creative summaries — 10% of final grade
    2. 2 revised responses— 15% of final grade
    3. 2 persuasive essays— 30% of final grade
    4. Essay Feedback Comments— 10% of final grade
    5. Midterm— 15% of final grade
    6. Final Exam Essay— 20% of final grade
    Syllabus Question: is late work accepted?

    1. Thanks for your response, Atta. Late work is accepted, but only on a case-by-case basis. This class goes by fast, so if you get behind on a lot of work it’s more likely you won’t be able to catch up on everything so as to pass. So late work is highly discouraged.

      If you choose to revise this assignment, here are a few other “core assignments” left off of your list that you can add to your revised version (in addition to your thoughts responding to your own question):
      –10 reading assignments
      –3 Zoom meetings
      –1 e-mail check-in with me
      –A link-shared Google Drive folder (your “portfolio”) containing all of your work for the course (to be reviewed by me at the end of the course)

  10. 1) 5 creative summaries : 10%
    2)2 revised responses : 15%
    3)2 persuasive essays :30%
    4)Essay Feedback Comments : 10%
    5) Midterm :15%
    6)Final Exam Essay : 20%

    My question – Was this course was mainly help us improve in our writing

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