ENG/ENA 101: Composition I – An Introduction to Expository Writing

LaGuardia Community College

ENG 101-0735 and ENA 101-0721

**With the move to distance learning, our class will be conducted mostly “asynchronously,” which means almost no mandatory meeting times when everyone must be online. I will notify everyone far in advance of any required meetings and will make exceptions for those with conflicts. Assignment deadlines must be met, however.

Professor: Cristina (Cristy) V. Bruns, Ph.D.
Email address: [email protected] Cell phone: ***
Office when college is open: Building E, Library, Room M

English Department: E-103 (718) 482-5656
Student Hours (formerly known as Office Hours): to be determined, and almost any time by appointment

The most important thing to remember in this semester of distance learning:
You students and I professor, we are all in this together, making the best of a not-great situation.

I wish we were able to meet in person! Since we are not, it means we are all figuring out how to cope with learning (and teaching) from home. I need your feedback, questions, suggestions, and even complaints to do my part well. You need my feedback, questions, instructions (but not complaints) to do your part well. By working together we will learn! So remember, email me or text me whenever you are confused or uncertain or have an idea to share. I’ll listen well and do my best to make this semester work well for you. This means that some of what we do or how we do it this semester may change as I try to make the class work better for all of us. I will always let you know. I am here for you!

College Catalog Course Description (ENA 101)
In this course students write coherent essays in varied academic formats, responding to culturally diverse materials and using appropriate technology. Students focus on critical and analytical skills and study aspects of argumentation including formulating theses; researching, evaluating, and documenting sources; and communicating persuasively. Three additional hours a week support students with lower placement scores. Admission is based on college placement test scores. Course meets seven classroom hours weekly.

The Focus of Our Class: What Do Stories Do?

This course is designed to assist you in writing clear and coherent essays that meet academic standards. Because writing matters most when it accomplishes some purpose, I’ve chosen a focus for the class to give purpose to our work this semester. What do stories do? It may not initially sound like an interesting or even an answerable question, but I’m intrigued by it, and, once you realize how stories are a part of almost everything in our lives, I think you’ll find it interesting too. Through the research and writing you and your colleagues in class do, you should be able formulate an answer to this question for yourself by the end of the semester.

Your Final Essay assignment will give you opportunity to work out and write out your own answer to the question.

Some of your writing this semester will draw on your own experiences and knowledge as well as the experiences and knowledge of others, others in this class and others who have written about issues related to stories and what they do. You will also do a research project on your choice of a topic of interest to you that involves stories in some form and their relationship to the world around them, to those who produce them or those who “consume” them. An effective way to give your research purpose and focus is to work to answer a question you wonder about related to the topic you choose. For yourself, then, writing becomes a way to learn, whether it’s realizing something you know already or adding to your knowledge as you learn from others. For the others in this class (myself included), your writing becomes a way for us to learn from you. And so together we will gain more understanding of the role that stories play in our society as we also learn how to write effectively according to academic standards.

Guiding Principles for this Class (important for distance learning and learning in person both)

1. With all our different backgrounds and experiences, every one of us has something to learn from each one of us and something to teach each one of us.
2. Our learning from one another in this class depends upon each of us reading the texts, doing the written work, and conducting the research and when assigned, the minimum and most important requirement of this class.
3. Attempting to impress impedes learning, one’s own and that of others.
4. Disagreement is welcome as it is an integral part of learning, but it requires an atmosphere of respect as we remember that we bring many very different perspectives to this class.

Technology Required

No books are required, but use of a computer with Internet access is essential. You will use our course ePortfolio/Digication site and email for correspondence and assignments. All assignments, readings, instructions, and mini-lectures will be posted on our class ePortfolio. Zoom will also be used for meetings.

—How to find our Course ePortfolio—

Log in to My LaGuardia using your LaGuardia user name and password.
Look for and click on ePortfolio/Digication.
You should then see the link for our ENG/A 101 class ePortfolio on that page. Click on it to get to our class ePortfolio where all homework assignments and other information and materials will be posted during the semester. Email me if you have questions: [email protected].

Course Learning Objectives
ENG 101 will …

1. Introduce process-based writing, including prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading, critiquing, and reflecting.
2. Enable students to read, write, and listen critically and analytically, including identifying a text’s major assumptions and assertions and evaluating its supporting evidence. (As part of this process of inquiry and problem solving, faculty will familiarize students with the concepts of audience, voice, context and purpose.)
3. Provide students with opportunities to write clearly and coherently in varied academic genres, rhetorical modes, and forms of argumentation using standard written English (SWE).
4. Provide early assignments that allow students to practice utilizing summation, paraphrase, quotation, and citation to create well-reasoned arguments.
5. Provide later assignments that enable students to develop research skills, most importantly the evaluation and synthesis of primary and secondary sources.
6. Enable students to formulate original ideas and relate them to the ideas of others by employing the conventions of ethical attribution and citation and avoiding plagiarism.
7. Enable students to complete essays that will increase in complexity, ranging in length from 600 to 1500 words.
   *ENA 101 will …
   *8. Provide students with individualized support and practice throughout all phases of the writing process to ensure the development of college-level writing skills to be successful in English 101.
   *9. Reinforce the reading and writing opportunities provided in English 101.
   *10. Provide students with additional time to develop a deeper understanding of the recursive writing process necessary for college composition.

Course Requirements and Grading Criteria

Low Stakes Assignments

These assignments will each receive one point if you email or post them on the day they are due, according to the instructions on our ePortfolio, and if they are thoughtfully done (as opposed to showing little evidence of thought). There is no partial credit, and I will only accept late assignments in this category if you discuss it with me. The percentage of these assignments for which you receive credit will become a portion of your final course grade. You should keep copies of all of these assignments, your notes on discussions, and your other work for the class in a course folder on your laptop or other device so you can review them at the end of the semester as you prepare for the Final Essay (and in case they get lost or accidentally deleted).

Free-writes Each week a brief free-write will be due, on any topic you choose. These will earn a point if they are submitted on time. Instructions will be on our ePortfolio.

Informal reflections or commenting on classmates’ reflections Specific assignments will be posted online to prompt you to reflect on some topic related to our class or your work in the class itself. These are brief writing assignments, usually about a paragraph long.

Check-ins Two or three times this semester I will ask you to write about how the class is going for you, as well as anything else you’d like me to know. I want to give you opportunity both to give me some feedback and to reflect on the class and your role in it. The only expectation I’ll place on these Check-ins is that they be at least half-a-page long. Only I (Prof. Bruns) will read these. You’ll email them to me and I’ll email a response.

Reading Reactions The course will include some reading assignments: short stories, essays about stories, and the syllabus. For each reading assignment you will write a brief Reaction, what your experience reading the selection was like and what you have to say in response. (It should be apparent in your Reaction that you finished reading the entire assignment.)

Graded Assignments

These assignments receive a letter grade based on how well they meet the criteria we discuss together. Specific instructions and criteria will be posted online and explained. Late assignments in this category will be accepted but will make future assignments worse as they build on each other. These assignments should be double-spaced and follow MLA format. All essays can be revised and will receive the grade that the improved essay deserves.

Essay 1: Stories in Your Life (600 – 900 words/ 2 – 3 pages) Early in the semester you will write an essay in which you describe the role played in your life by stories in any form. In your essay you will use a few of your classmates’ informal reflections posted online to give context to your own experiences. We will discuss possible forms of stories and how to construct this essay.

Essay 2: Using an expert’s writing on stories (600 word minimum/2 pages or more)
Midway through the semester you will write an essay in which you use a brief selection from a published work we’ve read about stories and their role as support for a claim of your own or as a counterargument.

Annotated Bibliography (2 – 3 pages) After choosing a topic related to stories as your focus, you will do some research and reading about that topic. Then you will create an Annotated Bibliography that reports on the sources you have found. This is a Works Cited list with an added paragraph for each source that explains the gist of the source, how reliable it seems, and how it helps your thinking about your research question, including one or two direct quotes from the source that are relevant and helpful.

Detailed Outline (2 – 3 pages) This outline will consist of the research question, thesis, and main sections of your research paper, including the main idea of each section and the quotes or evidence supporting each main idea that you plan to include in your research paper.

Research Paper (1200 – 1500 words/4 – 5 pages) Informed by your research about your chosen topic, you’ll write an essay in which you answer a question regarding your topic, supporting your viewpoint with evidence that includes use of at least three reliable sources. For this essay to earn a grade it must also include a Works Cited list.

Final Essay: What do stories do? (600 – 1200 words /2 – 4 pages) Drawing on everything we’ve done this semester as evidence, including your classmates’ research and writing, you will develop your own answer to our course question, organizing and writing an essay that pulls together what you learned this semester about what stories do.

Assignment Percentage of Course Grade

Low Stakes Assignments 20%
Essay 1 15
Essay 2 10
Annotated Bibliography 10
Detailed Outline 5
Research Paper 25
Final Essay 15

Below-Passing Writing
English 101 is an essential class that prepares you for the college-level writing you will do throughout your work on your college degree, and so it’s important that you master the skills this course teaches. Therefore, if you earn an F on any one of the three essay assignments or on the research paper and do not improve that grade by revising the assignment, you cannot pass the class.

Engagement Policy (formerly Attendance Policy) Since our distance learning class is mostly asynchronous, taking attendance doesn’t apply in the usual way. Instead I will keep track of your engagement with the class. Completing the regular low-stakes assignments, showing up for class discussions, or interacting with me by email or in Zoom discussions all count as your engagement in the course. Lack of engagement will affect your course grade because of missed or late assignments.

Withdrawing from Courses The CUNY policy on withdrawing from classes (dropping) has changed so that you can now withdraw from a class up to the last regular day of classes. This is a way to avoid earning an F in a class, but you must still withdraw from the class yourself.

Academic Honesty This class will be conducted in compliance with LaGuardia Community College’s academic integrity policy. All students of LaGuardia Community College are responsible for preparing and presenting original work. In accordance with the college’s policy, the penalty for plagiarized work ranges “from a grade of “F” on a given test, research paper or assignment, to an “F” in the course, or suspension or expulsion from the College.”
Please refer to your college catalog for a more complete discussion of Academic Honesty.
Declaration of Pluralism (from the College Catalogue)
We are a diverse community at LaGuardia Community College. We strive to become a pluralistic community. We respect diversity as reflected in such areas as race, culture, ethnicity, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, disability and social class. As a pluralistic community we will:
•Celebrate: individual and group diversity.
•Honor: the rights of people to speak and be heard on behalf of pluralism.
•Promote: inter-group cooperation, understanding and communication.
•Acknowledge: each other’s contributions to the community.
•Share: beliefs, customs and experiences which enlighten us about members of our community.
•Affirm: each other’s dignity.
•Seek: further ways to learn about and appreciate one another.
•Confront: the expression of dehumanizing stereotypes, incidents where individuals or groups are excluded because of difference, the intolerance of diversity and the forces of racism, sexism, heterosexism, homophobia, disability discrimination, ageism, classism, and ethnocentrism that fragment the community into antagonistic individuals and groups.
We believe by carrying out these actions we, as students, faculty and staff can achieve social change and the development of a society in which each individual can achieve her or his maximum potential.

Some Additional Information

Do you know about LaGuardia CARES? (Services may be different during these pandemic times.)
LaGuardia CARES (College Access for Retention and Economic Success) connects students with resources, referrals and local community services to overcome financial barriers, stay in school and graduate. LaGuardia CARES provides resources for daily living expenses, including food, healthcare, rent, utilities, childcare, emergency transportation, legal services, assistance with public benefits, and more! We have a food pantry and clothing closet. All of our services are free for LaGuardia students and their immediate family members.
LaGuardia CARES https://www.laguardia.edu/cares/ 718-482-5135 C-107

Do you know about LaGuardia’s Wellness Center?
The Wellness Center provides counseling and wellness services that support and assist you in your intellectual, emotional, psychological, and social development while coping with the challenges of college and life stressors. The Wellness Center offers free and confidential counseling in a safe environment where individual and cultural differences are valued and respected. Our services include: short-term individual counseling, crisis intervention, workshops, outreach and referrals to college community resources

Services:
Short-term Individual Tele-Counseling: Discuss personal concerns with a licensed mental health professional in a safe, confidential setting. Gain emotional support and learn coping skills and strategies to overcome specific challenges.
Phone and Video Consultation: Counselors are available to provide mental health information and resources as well as guide students with finding referrals. Contact [email protected] or 718-482-5471 to schedule a consultation.
Virtual Group Counseling: Share experiences, learn perspectives and practice new behaviors in a safe and supportive environment. Counseling groups are facilitated by one or more licensed mental health counselors in a small group setting. Contact [email protected] or 718-482-5471 to inquire about virtual groups.
Virtual Alternative Wellness Classes: Participate in these free classes to improve your mental, physical and spiritual health. Check the campus calendar for more details.
Wellness Center 718- 482-5471 [email protected] Room C-249

A message from the English department:
4 out of 5 employers consider writing and critical thinking to be key skills–but complain that only 1 in 5 graduates have them! If you enjoy reading and writing or simply want to improve your analytical skills, strengthen your vocabulary, and become an effective writer, sign up for a Writing and Literature Major. This major prepares you for academic success at four-year colleges while providing access to a range of professional opportunities, such as business, media, advertising, law, and politics, among others. We also offer tracks in Creative Writing and Journalism. Also, all the courses you take as a Writing and Literature, Creative Writing, or Journalism graduate will transfer to a variety of CUNY senior colleges. For more information, contact the program directors:

• Writing and Literature: Professor Lilla Toke, [email protected]
• Creative Writing: Professor Sonia Alejandra Rodriguez, [email protected]
• Journalism: Professor Meghan Fox, [email protected]

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Links:
Writing and Literature Major: http://www.laguardia.edu/WritingLiterature/
Creative Writing: http://www.laguardia.edu/CreativeWriting/
Journalism: http://www.laguardia.edu/Journalism/
To change major: https://www.laguardia.edu/uploadedFiles/Main_Site/Content/Registrar/docs/ChangeOfMajorAndConcentration-PlanAndSub-Plan.pdf

ENA/G 101 Course Outline and Key Assignment Due Dates
Fall 2020 (Distance Learning)
Detailed instructions, other assignments, and any changes will be posted on our class ePortfolio.
What Do Stories Do?
Learning from Our Life Experiences with Stories
Mon. 9/14 We begin …
Wed. 9/16 What we mean by “essay” and “story”
Mon. 9/21 Informal reflection about your experience with stories due on our ePortfolio.
Wed. 9/23 Strong draft of Essay 1 due for Peer Response
Mon. 9/28 No classes (Yom Kippur)
Wed. 9/30 Peer Response on Essay 1 due
Mon. 10/5 Essay 1: Stories in Your Life due

Learning from Reading Stories
Wed. 10/7 Reading stories: “La Conchita”
Mon. 10/12 No classes (Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day)
Wed. 10/14 Reading stories: “Mrs. Sen’s” (Irregular day: Monday schedule)

Learning from Experts’ Perspectives on What Stories Do
Mon. 10/19 Learning from experts: “The Power of Story”
Wed. 10/21 Learning from experts: Edward Said on narrative
Mon. 10/26 How to use a source (an expert’s writing)
Wed. 10/28 Essay 2: Using an Expert’s Writing due

Learning from Our Own Research
Mon. 11/2 Doing research – Research proposal due
Wed. 11/4 (to be determined)
Mon. 11/9 Annotated Bibliography due
Wed. 11/11 Notes on research due
Mon. 11/16 Detailed Outline due and Individual Conferences in place of class
Wed. 11/18 (to be determined)
Mon. 11/23 (to be determined)
Wed. 11/25 Strong draft of Research Paper due for Peer Response
** Thursday 11/26 Thanksgiving
Mon. 11/30 Peer Response on Research Paper due
Wed. 12/2 Research Paper due

So What Do Stories Do?
Mon. 12/7 What We’ve Learned – preparing for the Final Essay. Research Paper abstracts due.
Wed. 12/9 Final Essay due: What do stories do?
**Sun. 12/13 WITHDRAWAL PERIOD ENDS: LAST DAY TO DROP A CLASS
Mon. 12/14 Reading Day for studying (no classes—though other classes might need to have a final exam)

Finals Week
Wed. 12/16 Individual Conferences about grades … And we’re done!
Mon. 12/21 No class

For ENA101 Students
During our scheduled 3 hours per week, ENA students will sign up for a weekly 15-minute, one-on-one session with me for individual assistance with assignments and essay writing. Additional sessions are available as needed.