ENGL 101 Fall 2008: Week #5 Preview

Monday, October 20, 2008

Week #5 Preview

This week, we'll be working on developing Essay #2 (due Monday, 10/27, for peer review) as well as continuing work on seminaring and notebooks. On Weds. and Thurs. this week, we'll do some work on MLA documentation, and to prepare for that work, I'd like you all to read p. 69 in TCWOW, "Children Left Behind." (That will also put you ahead on seminar prep, but I don't need your notebook entry by Weds.; I just need you to be familiar with the article for quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, and citing practice.)

Monday, I also handed out information on how to write a "thank you" letter, something I encourage you to send to your interviewees (or those you job shadowed). You will need to include a typed copy of your thank you letter(s) in the appendix of your final portfolio; however, I'm happy to take a look at what you've done before that if you'd like advice on how to improve.

As I mentioned in class today, I'm not where I'd hoped to be on commenting on Essay #1 due to a funeral (and related activities) this past weekend. My goal is still to finish the essay grading by Friday, but the reality is, I may need another weekend to get them all done. I'll do my best . . .

Finally, here are the additions to your notebook for this week:

From Troubleshooting, two entries, one "revision"-related (Ch. 8 or a chapter in Part III) and one "editing"-related (a chapter in Part IV).
Essay #2 pre-writing (you choose the type of pre-writing and/or outlining you prefer)
Entries for each reading (see list below) out of TCWOW (four total entries)

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Assignment Notebook Content

Essay #1 pre-writing and notes from career research
Troubleshooting Intro. + Ch. 1 entry
Troubleshooting Ch.2,3,4 entry
Troubleshooting Ch. 5,6,7 entry
TCWOW: Entries for each of the four readings in Ch. 1 ("Valuing Work")
Essay #2 pre-writing/research notes/rough outline
Troubleshooting self-selected chapter entry from Part III (or Ch. 8)
Troubleshooting self-selected chapter entry from Part IV
TCWOW: Entries for each of the four readings in Ch. 2, "Work and Family Life"
Essay #3 pre-writing
TCWOW: Entries for each of the three readings in Ch. 3 ("Working with Technology")
Troubleshooting: Ch. 28, 29, 30 entry
TCWOW: Entries for each of the three readings in Ch. 4, "The Working Poor"
TCWOW: Entries for each of the four readings in Ch. 5, "Working for Change"

Essay #3 (Career Issue-Based Essay) Assignment

Essay #3: Career Issue-based Essay

For your final major essay in the class, you should select an issue (a controversy) or a problem related to your career of interest. You may choose to write an “argument” essay, in which you take a side or encourage readers to take action, or you may choose to write a “literature review,” an essay which explores different viewpoints on the issue you selected, but does not ultimately advocate for a particular position. (Both types of essay are described on back.)

Whichever type of essay you choose to write, you need to select an issue or that is debatable, meaning that there must be a difference of opinion about the topic you are choosing, and researchable, meaning there is supporting evidence to back up your views from credible sources of information vs. from personal experience and observation. (You are welcome to also include personal experience and observation, but it does not count as one of your required sources.)

Essay Requirements:
3 – 5 pp. typed (formatted according to specifications on p. 4 of syllabus)
Minimum of 4 credible sources (at least two “secondary” sources), properly cited in-text and on a Works Cited page using MLA documentation.

Due dates:
Peer response – 11/10/08 (Mon.; bring 3 copies!)
Teacher response – 11/13/08 (Thurs.; include a cover letter)

Argument essay:
An argument is a position or point-of-view supported by reasons and evidence. The goal of an argument is usually to convince others to change their beliefs or their actions. Unlike the career report, this issue-based essay will include your opinion and perspective, but you need to back up your beliefs with credible reasons and appropriate examples, facts, statistics, and expert testimony (informed opinions). Section A of A Writer’s Reference describes argumentative writing in more detail. There are three types of arguments you can select from for this essay: position (taking a side), proposal (problem-solution), or causal (cause-effect).

Review of Literature Essay/Exploratory Essay:
In a literature review or exploratory essay, rather than taking a side, you investigate various aspects of or perspectives on your selected topic and develop a report that organizes these varied viewpoints into a cohesive whole that deepens your and readers’ understanding of your topic. The goal is use your research, summary, and analysis skills to critically examine various stakeholders in and/or arguments surrounding this issue.

Cover Letter Instructions

Cover Letter
For each major essay this quarter, you will attach a cover letter to your revised draft for teacher review. Your cover letter should be typed (about 1 – 2 pp., double-spaced) and should include a greeting (i.e. Dear Carolyn). Write in complete thoughts/sentences and develop your ideas with specific details. Please try to respond to the following in your letter:

· What are you trying to accomplish in this essay? What is your focus or theme?
· Describe your writing process for this essay. How did you get started (i.e. pre-writing techniques)? How did you get organized? What did you struggle with (and how did you deal with any problems you had along the way)? Did anything surprise you while writing this essay?
· What feedback (i.e. peer review) did you receive on this essay? What are some of the specific compliments and suggestions your received? How did you make use of the feedback of others as your revised?
· Look through Part III and/or Part IV of Troubleshooting and select one applicable chapter to read/discuss. Which chapter(s) did you choose and why? What strategies did you find useful and why? How did you apply one or more of these strategies to your essay (and how did it work)? Are there other areas you would still like to work on as you revise?
· What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of your essay at this point? (In other words, what do you like best, and what are you unsure of or unhappy with in this essay?)
· What kind of feedback would you like from me? Do you have any specific questions you’d like me to respond to?

Essay #2 (Career Report) Assignment

Essay #2: Career Report

A report is a type of explanatory writing. One of the main distinctions between explanatory (or expository) writing and other types of writing is that explanatory writing is objective. You will focus on giving the facts in the third person and will avoid including your personal experience or your opinion in the essay.

For this assignment, you will be explaining some aspect of the career you are choosing to research. Like the “Profile” essay, your “Career Report” will need to have a clear focus or theme, but this time that focus will be communicated in a clear thesis statement in the introduction of your essay. You cannot tell readers everything about the career you are researching, so you will have to focus in on a key concept or a few related concepts. Perhaps you will want to focus on “benefits,” and you can demonstrate the monetary benefits as well as the emotional or promotional “rewards” the job offers, or you could expand this idea to “benefits” and “challenges.” Perhaps you want to focus on “Becoming a _________”; then your report will focus more on the education, training, and other qualities or experiences that are important to people going into that field. Another focus may be clarifying what the job is—the duties or responsibilities one would expect if going into this job. You could also choose to focus on “surprising” aspects of the job (things the average person would not realize about the job or ways in which the job is different than one would think). A few of you may opt to “compare and contrast” two careers (if you are exploring more than one career or variations on a career, such as a Pediatric Nurse vs. an Emergency Room Nurse). Again, you will need to narrow your focus to a few key areas of connection and dissimilarity. It is possible to develop more than one concept in your report; however, all aspects of the job you discuss should be closely related and should fit together in one cohesive report (united by a clear thesis). Whatever focus you choose, be sure to develop your ideas in paragraphs form using explanation and evidence (research). For the most part, lists are not appropriate for this essay.

Audience/Purpose: As you write, aim your essay towards other students interested in pursuing the career you selected. Your job is to teach them more about some aspect of the field.

Requirements:
· 3 – 5 pp.
· Essay must have a clear career focus/thesis; topics included must be clearly related (headings are optional) and must be discussed objectively. (Use third person pronouns!)
· 3 – 4 sources minimum; you must include both “primary” (firsthand—i.e. interviews, job shadowing, academic advisor visits, etc.) and “secondary” (researched—i.e. WOIS, reputable online sites, pamphlets, books, magazines or newspapers, etc.) sources.
· Sources must be cited correctly in text and on a Works Cited page using MLA documentation.

Due dates:
· Peer Response: Oct. 27 (Mon.) – bring 3 copies of typed draft!
· Teacher Response: Oct. 30 (Thurs.) – include cover letter and peer review sheets

Essay #1 (Profile) Assignment

Essay Description:
A profile is something like a snapshot; it creates a vivid picture, a clear impression, but it doesn't tell the whole story. For essay #1, your profile may focus on the person whom you interviewed or job shadowed or the job itself or a place, i.e. the workplace or a four-year college campus. (Most profiles focus on a person.) Whatever you choose, it is important that you focus your essay on a clear “dominant impression” or “controlling theme” and select details that will help “show” that impression/theme to readers. As you write, remember that a profile is NOT a biography; it is NOT an interview summary or transcription; it is NOT a job description. A profile should present one aspect of a person or the workplace that you want to share with readers and should use description, narration, examples, explanation, and dialogue to develop your theme/dominant impression. As you write, keep reflecting on your work to ensure that you "show vs. tell" (create a mental picture using sensory imagery) and that you stay focused on ONE aspect or view of the person you interviewed (or his or her job or workplace). You should plan to include useful quotes from the interview or job shadowing to bring out "voice" in your essay, but do not write it in question and answer form. Integrate the dialogue into your narration. YOU are responsible for developing this dominant impression; the quotes are simply one tool to do that.

The Interview:
Try to complete your interview (or job shadowing) face-to-face; however, IF your interview subject lives too far away, you may do e-mail interviews (or recorded phone interviews). The disadvantage, of course, is that you will not be able to “see” details about the person/workplace or “hear” the voice of the interviewee, so it will be much harder to develop a detailed, vivid essay that communicates a single dominant impression/controlling theme.

For a successful interview, you should bring in a detailed list of questions—ideally, questions that will serve your needs for essay #1 and #2 (essay #2 will be a report, an explanation of some aspect(s) of the job you are exploring)—and feel free to add or skip questions or gather additional information that you think of as you interview. In your interview, you should plan to record the interview AND take notes. Recording enables you to listen again to the interview and find useful quotes or recall details you may forget at the time; it also allows you to have a freer, more natural conversation because you do not have to write down every word the person says. In addition, if you do not have to write down everything the person says, you can focus your note-taking on other useful aspects, such as describing the work place, the person’s appearance, your impressions, etc. After the interviews, you will be writing “thank you” letters to your interviewees, so be sure to write down his or her address.

Essay Requirements: See syllabus! (3 - 5 pp.)

Due dates:
Interviews/job shadows should be completed by the beginning of week #3 (or no later than 10/7/08)
Peer review – 10/13/08 (Mon.)
Teacher review – 10/16/08 (Tues.)

Final draft due in final portfolio.

COURSE SCHEDULE

Week #1 (Sept. 22 – 26, 2008)
· Intro. to course & syllabus
· Life planning/career interest surveys and activities
· Writing sample?
· Intro. to computer lab (and WOIS?)
· Intro. to profile essay (Essay #1)
· Intro. to Seminar Work and reader, The Changing World of Work
· Readings: Troubleshooting: Intro. & Ch. 1; WR: Ch. 1
· If time, summary practice
· If time, develop interview questions
· Notebook: Include one entry for Troubleshooting Intro. and Ch. 1

Week #2 (Sept. 29 – Oct. 3, 2008)
Classes canceled W,Th,F – instructor out of town for a conference
***Use missed class time to complete interviews/job shadowing/campus visits AND to visit the Advising Center (C164, Deccio)—bonus points if you bring back signed slip of meeting with a counselor before 10/7/08. Information Literacy Workshop?
· In class: complete any remaining Week #1 activities
· Independently: complete interviews/other career profiling activities (for essay #1 & essay #2)
· Readings: Troubleshooting: Ch. 2, 3, & 4; handout on Profile Writing (+ sample profiles?)
· Notebook: Include entry for Troubleshooting chapters as well as notes from interview/job shadowing (or campus visit)

Week #3 (Oct. 6 – 10, 2008)
Classes canceled Monday – English Dept. Retreat
Classes canceled Th & F – instructor out of town for a conference
***Use missed class time to complete Career Research (interviews, etc.), to visit Writing Center—bonus points if you schedule and complete a consultation before 10/13/08, and to meet with Seminar Groups. Information Literacy Workshop?
· Bring copy of program worksheet/Majors Brochure from Advising Center (of your career of interest)
· Discuss readings (Troubleshooting)
· Read sample profile essays
· Prewriting/drafting profile essay (Essay #1)
· Readings: Troubleshooting: Chs. 5, 6, & 7; TCWOW: Ch. 1 selections (due for seminar next week)
· Notebook: Include entries for Troubleshooting chapters and for EACH selection from Ch. 1 of The Changing World of Work; also include Essay #1 pre-writing

Week #4 (Oct. 13 – 17, 2008)
· Profile rough draft due/Peer review (Monday)
· Submit Writing Center “artifact” or consultation form (Monday)
· Lab: Revision plan/Cover letter
· Revised profile essay (with cover letter) due for teacher response (by Thursday)
· Review Seminar Process
· Intro. to career report (If needed, complete job shadowing/interview/tour)
· Seminar #1: “Valuing Work” (Friday)
· Readings: Troubleshooting: Read Ch. 24; Select at least ONE chapter out of Part III, “A Guide to Revising” (and discuss in Essay #1 Cover Letter); TCWOW: Ch. 2 selections (due for seminar next week)
· Notebook: Include entry for EACH selection from Ch. 2 of The Changing World of Work

Week #5 (Oct. 20 – 24, 2008)
· Revise profile essay (for portfolio; revision activity?)
· Discuss revision activity (handout)
· Brainstorm important elements to “report” in Essay #2/Research WOIS and/or begin drafting career report (computer lab time)
· Continue summary practice (add paraphrase and quotations)
· Intro. to “thank you” letter/send letters to those whom you interviewed and/or job shadowed
· MLA citation practice
· Seminar #2: “Work and Family Life” (Friday)
· Develop revision plan/cover letter for revised Essay #2
· Readings: Troubleshooting: Select either Ch. 8 or one or more chapters out of Part IV (Editing); select a new chapter out of Part III (Revising); TCWOW: Ch. 3 selections (due for seminar next week)
· Notebook: Include entry for Troubleshooting chapter; include entries for EACH selection from Ch. 3 of The Changing World of Work; also include any Essay #2 pre-writing and research notes

Week #6 (Oct. 27 – 31, 2008)
· Career report rough draft due/Peer Review (Monday)
· Career report presentations?
· Intro. to issue-essay
· Research strategies/evaluating sources?
· Continue summary practice and MLA documentation practice
· Revised career report (with cover letter) due for teacher response (Thursday)
· Seminar #3: “Working with Technology” (Friday)
· Readings: Troubleshooting: Select one new chapter out of Part III (Revising) AND Part IV (Editing); TCWOW: Ch. 4 selections (due for seminar next week)
· Notebook: Include entry for Troubleshooting chapters; include entries for EACH selection from Ch. 4 of The Changing World of Work

Week #7 (Nov. 2 – 7, 2008)
· Revise career reports (for portfolio; revision activity?)
· Issue-based essay research (lab)
· Seminar #4: “The Working Poor” (Friday)
· Readings: Troubleshooting: Select one or two new chapters out of Part IV (Editing); Read Ch. 28, 29, & 30; TCWOW: Ch. 5 selections (due for seminar next week)
· Notebook: Include entry for Troubleshooting editing chapter AND for Chs. 28 - 30; include entries for EACH selection from Ch. 5 of The Changing World of Work; include any Essay #3 pre-writing and research notes

Week #8 (Nov. 10 – 14, 2008)
· Issue-based essay rough draft due/Peer Review (Monday)
· Revise issue-based essay/ Develop revision plan/cover letter for revised Essay #3
· Issue presentations?
· Intro. to final portfolio
· Revised issue-based essay due for teacher response (Thursday)
· Seminar #5: “Working for Change” (Friday)
· Readings: Troubleshooting: Select one more new chapter out of Part III (Revising) and Part IV (Editing)
· Notebook: Include entry for Troubleshooting revising and editing chapters

Week #9 (Nov. 17 – 21, 2008)
No day classes on Weds. – Advising Day
Classes canceled Th & F – instructor out of town for a conference
· Revise issue-based essay for final portfolio
· Intro. to final portfolio
· Intro. to short pieces, “Career/Education Writing” (resume, cover letter, etc.)
· Begin drafting short pieces (lab)
· Short pieces due for peer review (Thursday or Friday) – arrange a time to meet with your group; be prepared to hand in signed peer review forms next week
· Strongly recommended: Visit Writing Center on Thursday or Friday or on Monday or Tuesday of next week to revise/edit short pieces (no teacher review of short pieces)

Week #10 (Nov. 24 – 26, 2008)
Classes canceled M & Tu – instructor out of town for a conference
No classes on Thursday or Friday – Thanksgiving Holiday
· Turn in peer review sheets on short pieces (Weds.)
· Portfolio cover letter pre-writing
· Review all portfolio requirements

Week #11 (Dec.1 - 5, 2008)
· Reflective cover letter peer review (Mon.)
· Portfolio work day (Tuesday in lab)
· Optional conferences
· Portfolio peer review (Thursday)
· If time, style & editing workshop
· Course, self- evaluations
· FINAL PORTFOLIO DUE DEC. 5, 2008 by 1:00 p.m.!

ENGL 101 Syllabus (Abridged)

LOOKING AHEAD: Your Education and Career
ENGLISH 101: English Composition I
Fall Quarter 2008
5 credits (Basic Skills: Written Communication)

Instructor: Carolyn Calhoon-Dillahunt
Office: G183
Office Hours: M,W 1:00 – 2:00 p.m., Tu,Th,F 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., or by appointment
Office Phone: 574-4832
e-mail: ccalhoon@yvcc.edu (home e-mail: bdccd@embarqmail.com)

Course Description:
In the first of two college-level courses, English 101, students will learn to write clear, unified, coherent, and well-developed essays of increasing complexity. These essays may be about literary and nonliterary texts, or they may rely upon such texts as points of departure for the discussion at hand. Through reading, writing, and discussion, students will learn to critically examine their own assumptions and opinions and to consider the facts and reasoning of others. When documenting sources in their essays, students will use the basic citation methods of the Modern Language Association. Students successfully completing English 101 should be adequately prepared to succeed in the second college-level composition course, English 102.

Required Texts/Materials:
Required Textbooks: A Troubleshooting Guide for Writers (5th ed.) by Barbara Fine Clouse; The Changing World of Work by Marjorie Ford
Recommended Text: A current English handbook, i.e. Diana Hacker’s A Writer’s Reference
Spiral Notebook or 1” ringed binder for assignment journal
Thin, ringless binder for portfolio

Class Environment:
This writing course is not a lecture course; it is participatory—interactive and collaborative. This puts a greater responsibility on you, as a student, to be prepared each day, so that you can be an active part of the class and so that you can learn! It also brings the added responsibility of listening well and communicating and participating respectfully. As good critical thinkers, we may disagree with one another, but personal attacks or learning disruptions are completely unacceptable.

To maintain and safe, productive, and ethical learning environment, please respect others, the facilities, and college policies; a few reminders: no food or drink in the computer labs/classrooms; use computer lab for class purposes only (no personal e-mail, MySpace, web surfing, etc.); turn off cell phones during class time (no texting). See the “Code of Students Rights and Responsibilities” for additional information.

Career Research:
During the first week of class, you will be completing career interest surveys to help you select a career of interest to research. As part of your Essay #1, you will be interviewing/observing a professional in your field of interest (or a place). As part of your Essay #2, you will be gathering information by doing at least one of the following (in addition to WOIS and other internet research):

Touring a 4-year college campus, particularly the dept. of interest, or a place of business
Job shadowing an individual
Interviewing/surveying people in the field

Participation /Attendance:
10% of your final grade will depend on your active participation and regular attendance. This class is designed to be collaborative and interactive; therefore, regular attendance, active participation, and respectful behavior are essential to be successful in this class. Participation in peer and teacher review play a major role in this aspect of your grade.

Missing more than five days of classes (approximately 10% of the course) will result in a final grade penalty and can result in an administrative withdrawal from the course. Excessive tardies or early dismissals or frequently coming to class unprepared will also result in a grade penalty.

NOTE: All assignments should be submitted on the day due whether you can come to class or not. If you cannot attend class, send your work with a friend, put it in my mailbox, or send it to me via e-mail on its due date. Late work will be penalized or will not be accepted. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to find out about and complete any missed work. I can be much more accommodating of personal problems or illnesses if you promptly communicate with me.

Assignment Notebook:
As a means of enhancing discussion of readings and practicing writing skills, you will be keeping a notebook of assignments related to readings and writing assignments. Your entries may be neatly handwritten or typed.
For each essay, you will use your notebook as a place to complete pre-writing and to jot down notes related to your research; at times, in-class writing activities will also be included in notebook. Directions for these assignments will be explained in class.

For each chapter/set of chapters out of Troubleshooting, you should address the following: (1) what inspired you to select this chapter (if self-selected) OR what surprised you/what did you learn from this chapter?; (2) what strategies did you find the most helpful and why?; and (3) how did you or how do you plan to apply these strategies to the essay you are currently working on?

For each selection out of The Changing World of Work, you should develop a “reaction chart” to prepare you for the subsequent seminar. This “reaction chart” required the following elements: (1) a BRIEF (one paragraph) summary of the selection, which includes author, title, and main point/purpose of article; (2) Lists of the following (in complete thoughts/sentences: a.) what you found particularly engaging, surprising, effective, informative, etc. about the reading; b.) what you found particularly challenging, disturbing, problematic, frustrating, etc. about the reading; (3) Quote and cite one or two passages from the reading you believe are important and merit further analysis/discussion; (4) Identify one or two questions related to the reading or theme for discussion during seminar.

Your assignment notebook will be turned in 3 – 4 times during the quarter (bring on seminar days) and will be graded using an A/S/U/F scale based on completion and effort/critical thinking. This activity accounts for 10% of your grade in this course.

Seminar:
Seminars are student-led discussions about class readings. Students will be divided into groups, and each group will be responsible for taking the lead of a class discussion of essays related to the topic of “work” during the quarter; however, in order for the seminar to be successful, all students must come to class prepared. This means that you have read all the reading selections for the week and have spent time thinking and writing about those selections. You must bring your completed notebook to each seminar session, and you will be evaluated on your involvement in the discussion, both as a contributor, furthering the discussion with relevant questions and comments (based on the text), and as a listener who allows others space to talk and who responds directly and respectfully to the ideas of others. This activity, which will be evaluated both individually and as a group, accounts for 10% of your course grade.

Essays/Essay Requirements:
There will be three major essays and several shorter pieces required for English 101. Essay #1 will be a profile of a person (or possibly a place) in your field of interest (based on an interview or observation). Essay #2 may be completed individually or collaboratively; it will be a report describing the job/field you are interested in (based on interviews or job shadows and research). Essay #3 will be an issue-based paper (using sources), analyzing or arguing an issue related to the career you are interested in. Although you will select which essays you wish to showcase in your final portfolio, all three essays must be completed to receive credit for your portfolio.

Essay requirements are as follows: 3 – 5 pp., typed (12 point), double spaced with heading, title, and page numbers. Handwritten drafts will NOT be accepted for peer or teacher review. All essays must go through a process of development, including prewriting, peer and teacher review, and revision and editing. Essays that have not been through peer/teacher review will NOT be accepted in the final portfolio. (NOTE: If you miss a peer response, you may regain partial credit by working on your draft with a consultant in the Writing Center and submitting evidence of that consultation with your draft.)

Comprehensive Portfolio:
Content:
1. Cover letter (learning reflection)
2. Profile essay or career report
3. Issue essay
4. Appendices:
Career/Education writing (select ONE of the following):
· "Career"--job application or application letter, resume and cover letter, and copy of each thank you letter sent
· "Continuing Education"—application, college entrance exam essay or scholarship essay, vita, and copy of each thank you letter sent
· "Undecided"--a "Writing in the Disciplines" creative piece or a comparative piece of several different career and/or college options, a resume, and a copy of each thank you letter sent
Annotated Revision of essay NOT showcased for evaluation in final portfolio
The final portfolio is worth 70% of your grade in the course.

Course Grading:
The breakdown of your final grade is as follows (be sure to refer to previous descriptions to determine requirements):
10% Attendance/Participation
10% Notebook
10% Seminar
70% Final Portfolio

Academic Honesty:
Plagiarism is using someone else’s ideas or words as if they were your own. Taking credit for someone else’s work is dishonest and carries with it severe penalties, ranging from failure of the assignment to failure of the course, or even suspension. If you have questions during the year about how to appropriately give credit to another person for their ideas or words, please see me. Refer to p. 31 of the Yakima Valley Community College 2008-2009 Catalog or the current Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities for more plagiarism information.

Course Adaptation:
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please talk with me about this as soon as possible.