I have a sense that perhaps the majority of you do not check your Sac State email. I sent a note about this blog earlier this month and so far have only two followers...:-) Below is the course outline for those of you who are following me...you will receive a hard copy on the first day and all the explanations you need.
English 20, Section 3
Summer 2010
July 13 – August 19; TWR 1:00-3:20 pm – Calaveras 135
Instructor: Catherine Fraga
Email: sacto1954@yahoo.com
Office hours: (Calaveras 149) TWR, noon-12:50 pm OR BY APPT.
COURSE DESCRIPTION (FROM CSUS CATALOG): ADVANCED WRITING THAT BUILDS UPON THE CRITICAL THINKING, READING, AND WRITING PROCESSES INTRODUCED IN ENGL 1A AND ENGL 2. EMPHASIZES RHETORICAL AWARENESS BY EXPLORING READING AND WRITING WITHIN DIVERSE ACADEMIC CONTEXTS WITH A FOCUS ON THE SITUATIONAL NATURE OF THE STANDARDS, VALUES, HABITS, CONVENTIONS, AND PRODUCTS OF COMPOSITION. STUDENTS WILL RESEARCH AND ANALYZE DIFFERENT DISCIPLINARY GENRES, PURPOSES, AND AUDIENCES WITH THE GOALS OF UNDERSTANDING HOW TO APPROPRIATELY SHAPE THEIR WRITING FOR DIFFERENT READERS AND DEMONSTRATING THIS UNDERSTANDING THROUGH VARIOUS WRITTEN PRODUCTS. NOTE: WRITING REQUIREMENT: A MINIMUM OF 5,000 WORDS. PREREQUISITE: COMPLETION OF ENGL 1A OR ENGL 2 OR EQUIVALENT WITH A C- OR BETTER; SOPHOMORE STANDING (MUST HAVE COMPLETED 30 UNITS PRIOR TO REGISTRATION). UNITS: 3.0.
Required Texts & Materials:
The Unwanted (a memoir)
By Kien Nguyen
Karma and other Stories
By Rishi Reddi
• Two blue (or green) books.
• Lined notebook paper with a clean, straight edge.
• Stapler.
• Access to a computer. Important information will be posted on the course blog:
English20Summer2010.blogspot.com. In addition, many of the readings will be items found on the Internet.
Recommended Text:
Any writing handbook that, at a minimum, offers information on MLA research documentation.
Newly updated MLA format is available free online at:
http://library.csus.edu/guides/rogenmoserd/general/mla.html
Classroom Policies:
1. Attendance is especially important during this summer school course, which meets a total of only 18 days. Classroom discussions prepare students for all writing assignments, and your fellow students and I need your input in order to make this class more complete and enjoyable.
2. YOU MUST TYPE AND DOUBLE SPACE ALL OUT OF CLASS WORK
3. In all fairness to other students, out of class essay assignments and homework must be handed in on time. I do not accept late work. Period. In-Class Journals cannot be made up; you must be present AND ON TIME in order to complete the Journal in class.
4. You’re responsible for finding out what you missed if you are absent. I will provide you with a class roster for your convenience. If you miss class, ALWAYS ASSUME YOU HAVE MISSED SOMETHING IMPORTANT.
5. My policy on EXTRA CREDIT is…I do not believe in extra credit. In short, “real” life outside the university does not operate on the extra credit option. You earn the grade you receive. It really is a fairness issue.
6. ABOUT REVISIONS: you have the option to revise one or both of your two out of class essays. If you choose to revise, you must submit the revision with the original within one week of receiving the graded essay back. No exceptions. An essay with unacceptable errors might be an essay you choose to revise.
A note on classroom etiquette:
If you feel you cannot survive each class session without the use of your cell phone, iPod, or laptop computer, please do not enroll in this class. (I own all three of these devices, and value each of them, but I do not plan on using them during my classroom time with you. Simply, it is the highest degree of rudeness and disrespect.) If I see you busy texting, etc. I will not hesitate to ask you to leave until you finish your crucial business. (IF THERE IS A COMPELLING REASON THAT YOU MUST KEEP YOUR PHONE ON VIBRATE FOR AN EMERGENCY PHONE CALL THAT MAY OCCUR DURING CLASS HOURS, PLEASE INFORM ME BEORE CLASS.) We only meet 18 days. I plan to give you my full attention for those 2 hours and 20 minutes and I expect the same from all my students.
HOW YOUR GRADE IS EARNED:
See attached grade roster. Do not discard any assignments that are graded and returned to you until the semester is over.
Theme: The Significance of Home
• We will consider home as our course-long theme. The significance of home – as a place of beginnings, as a starting point, as a place of comfort, regret, anguish, joy, personal growth, and loss – fuels a meaningful, intriguing collection of themes. Home is a base from which all of us emerge.
• Most of us have pre-conceived notions of home as a place of love, comfort, security. For millions of children, however, these definitions do not fit their reality of home as a place to escape: escape from cycles of poverty, mistrust, abuse.
• The course will explore not only home as a safety net, but also the illusions we have of home perpetuated by Madison Avenue advertising agencies.
• What are our expectations of home? Again, does our “real” home live up to the expectations society has created? How do different cultural values and priorities play a role in determining what home should and should not be? Attempting to answer these questions is the task I have set for us during this semester.
• What does it mean to leave home for the first time? What does it mean to be rootless, without a home?
• Finally, how can we reconnect to the earth as home, knowing full well that the lives we have created for ourselves impact the finite planet all of us call home?
• We view at two films which explore the theme of home. These films will allow us to observe and witness concepts we have read about and discussed. Most films can be interpreted in a multitude of ways.
Class Schedule:
(Please note: This schedule is subject to change at a moment’s notice. Please bring this schedule and your textbooks and appropriate handouts to every class session.)
Each time a reading assignment is given, you are expected to arrive to class having read the assignment, whether or not there is a question and comment (Q/C) assignment due. If it is an assignment from the Internet, please bring a hard copy to class on the day it is assigned to have been read.
NOT EVERY ACTIVITY IS LISTED ON THIS CLASS SCHEDULE. It is not unusual to have a quick quiz over reading material. There will be no prior announcement for these quizzes.
If there is a “Q/C” after the assignment, you are to bring a minimum of one question (optional) and one substantial comment (mandatory; commentary must be a minimum of 8 sentences in length), typed and double-spaced, due on the day the reading is due, ON EACH INDIVIDUAL READING ASSIGNED FOR THAT DAY. For example, if you are assigned two poems to read, you will write a commentary on each of the two poems, for a total of two commentaries.
If homework is submitted in an incorrect format and/or if it has an unacceptable error, it will receive no points and cannot be made up.
Tuesday, July 13
• Introduction to the Course
• Course Outline (handout)
• Unacceptable Errors (handout)
• Question & Comment homework explained (handout)
• Oral presentation assigned (handout)
• Discussion: How to Read and Evaluate Poetry
• Reading Packet of Poetry #1 distributed
Wednesday, July 14
• Read Reading Packet #1 (Q & C #1 due)
• Group Exercise #1 in class
• In-Class Journal #1
• Reading Packet of Poetry #2 distributed
Thursday, July 15
• Out-of-class Essay #1 assigned in class
• Read Reading Packet of Poetry #2
• Distribute Reading Packet of Poetry #3
Tuesday, July 20
• Read Reading Packet of Poetry #3
• In-Class Journal #2
• Group Exercise #2
Wednesday, July 21
• View film in class
• Discuss film and prepare for In-Class Essay 1 on Thursday
Thursday, July 22
• In Class Essay #1 (bring blue or green book to class)
• Discussion: How to Read and Evaluate Short Fiction
Tuesday, July 27
• Out of Class Essay #1 due today
• Out of Class Essay #2 assigned today
• Group Exercise #3 in class today
• Read “Justice Shiva Ram Murthy” and “Lakshmi and the Librarian”
(in Karma)
Wednesday, July 28
• In-class Journal #3
• Read “The Validity of Love” and “Bangles” (in Karma) (Q & C #2 due)
Thursday, July 29
• In-Class Journal #4
• Read “Karma” and “Devadasi” (in Karma)
• Discussion: How to Read and Evaluate an Essay
Tuesday, August 3
• Read Essay Packet #1 (Q & C due)
• Group Exercise #4 in class
Wednesday, August 4
• Read Essay Packet #2
• In-Class Journal #4
Thursday, August 5
• Out of class Essay #2 due today
• Read Essay Packet #3
• If you have not already, you should begin reading The Unwanted after class today. You will note that beginning next week, we will be discussing the memoir in class. Pages due to be read are indicated for each day.
Tuesday, August 10
• For today, you will have read from the beginning through pg. 136 in The Unwanted
Wednesday, August 11
• Read pgs. 139-176 in The Unwanted
• View film in class
Thursday, August 12
• Read pgs. 177-216 in The Unwanted
• In class Essay #2 on film viewed yesterday (remember blue/green book)
Tuesday, August 17
• Read pgs. 217-end of book. (The Unwanted)
• Concluding discussion of book in preparation for take home test.
• Take home test on The Unwanted distributed
Wednesday, August 18
Take home test on The Unwanted due today
Thursday, August 19
• Last day of class; grade roster check; oral presentations
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