English 101-23 Syllabus Instructor: Lee Templeton

Fall 2001 Office: 01K Petty Science

MW 3:30-4:45 Office Phone: 334-3294

E-mail: wltemple@uncg.edu

• Mao II, Don Dellilo

This class is an introduction to college-level composition and reading. We will practice critical thinking skills, organization, editing and revision with emphasis on forms appropriate to collegiate writing. The main goal of English 101-23 is to develop confidence and skill in the writing process. Your work in this course will help prepare you to think and to write effectively in your other college courses, on the job, and in the world beyond college.

There is no escaping popular culture. We are faced with popular culture nearly every moment of our lives from television, movies, and music to billboards, bumper stickers, and magazines. Popular culture often reflects certain standards and beliefs that are representative of our society. The media and other pop culture components are part of a wealth of ideas and images that inform our daily activities. But what are these ideas and images really saying about ourselves and the world we live in?

Because of its ever-present nature and our familiarity with it, we will use popular culture as the focus for this course. Exploring popular culture in its many forms will allow us to develop our powers of critical thought, our writing, and our ability to exchange and articulate our ideas.

By the end of the semester, you will be able to:

- Interpret and evaluate argumentative discourse, including writing and speech.

- Construct cogent arguments.

- Communicate those arguments clearly, coherently and effectively.

- Locate, synthesize, and evaluate relevant information.

- Demonstrate an understanding of the aims and methods of intellectual discourse.

- Weigh evidence and evaluate the arguments of differing viewpoints.

Texts:

Common Culture: Reading and Writing About American Popular Culture, 3^rd edition, edited by Michael Petracca and Madeleine Sorapure

The Brief Holt Handbook, edited by Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell

Materials on On-line Reserve

Four 3-4-page essays

Journal (details to be given in class)

In-class writings

Group activities

Writing Portfolio (details to be given in class)

Individual Conferences

Since our focus is on writing as a process, I will evaluate and make extensive comments concerning each piece of writing you submit. I will assign a percentage grade to the second or third draft of each essay, which, combined, will account for 20% of your final grade.

Your final grade will be based on your completion of all course requirements, the writing portfolio, your class participation, and your overall effort to improve your reading and writing skills throughout the semester, not just when final papers are due.

The course grade is broken down like so: 15% for attendance, 10% for in class writing/journals/etc., 25% for the 4 essays, 10% for participation, and 40% for the writing portfolio.

Feel free to talk to me at any point about your progress in the course.

You are expected to be here and to be on time. This course involves a great deal of in-class discussion that is impossible to make up outside of class. If you miss more than three classes (excused or unexcused), I will subtract 5% from the Attendance portion of your grade for each absence. Excessive tardies and absences will significantly and negatively affect your grade, and if you miss work, you will not be allowed to make it up. If, however, you know that you will have to miss class, make arrangements with me prior to your absence. Deadlines will be adhered to strictly, and late work will be accepted only in the most extreme circumstances.

Since this course involves a significant amount of class participation and feedback, thoughtless and rude behavior (to your classmates or to the instructor) will not be tolerated. All work for this class must be done in the spirit of the UNCG Academic Integrity Policy, which can be fund in your student handbook.

Learning is an active process, and what you do affects the quality of your education. Your job as a student is to think seriously about writing, to read the assigned materials, to discuss the materials in class, and to write intelligently in response to what you learn and know. If you do these four things, you will find yourself a better writer, thinker, and student at the end of the semester.

Learning involves interacting with others. I expect each student to participate in discussion, for in these discussions you try out your ideas and arguments on a live audience, who will respond to your opinions and make you develop your points more thoroughly. I do not wish to lecture; I want you to participate in creating a learning community in the class by constantly responding to each other.

Finally, learning can only thrive in an atmosphere that encourages the honest and fair exchange of ideas. As I stated before, the taking of anothers ideas lying, cheating, and plagiarizing will not be tolerated by the University or myself. Please see me if you need any assistance.

Week I

Mon. 8/20: Introduction/Expectations

Wed. 8/22: Hand in "Letter to Lee"

In-class Writing Exercise

Elbow, "Freewriting" On-line Reserve

Week II

Mon. 8/27: In-Class Writing Exercise

Wed. 8/29: Conferences

Week III

Mon. 9/3: Labor Day Class Dismissed

Wed. 9/5: In-Class Writing Exercise

Pollack, "The Way We Are" p.482

King, "Why We Crave Horror Movies" p. 516

Week IV

Mon. 9/10: Hand in Journal

In-Class Writing Exercise

Ray, "The Thematic Paradigm" On-line Reserve

Writing Matters, "Narrative Writing" p.38-44

Wed. 9/12: Hand in Essay #1

Writing Matters, "The Writing Conference" p. 26-27

Week V

Mon. 9/17: In-Class Writing Exercise

Discuss Essay #2

Ewen, "In the Shadow of the Image" p. 40

Shames, "The More Factor" On-line Reserve

Wed. 9/19: Conferences

Week VI

Mon. 9/24: In-Class Writing Exercise

Murray, "The Makers Eye: Revising Your Own Manuscripts" On-line Reserve

Wed. 9/26: Hand in Revision of Essay #1

Workshop Essay #1

Week VII

Mon. 10/1: In-Class Writing Exercise

Bring in Magazine Advertisement

Williams, "The Fiction of Truth in Advertising" On-line Reserve

Leyner, "Eat at Cosmos" On-line Reserve

Wed. 10/3: Hand in Essay #2

In-Class Writing Exercise

Week VIII

Mon. 10/8: Fall Break

Wed. 10/10: Hand in Journal

In-Class Writing Exercise

Discuss Essay #3

Ehrenreich, "Spudding Out" p. 154

Kotak, "Television and Cultural Behavior" p. 157

Week IX

Mon. 10/15: In-Class Writing Exercise

Leyner, "The Mary Poppins Kidnapping" On-line Reserve

Delillo, "Videotape" On-line Reserve

Writing Matters, "Argument Writing" p. 49-56

Wed. 10/17: Conferences

Week X

Mon. 10/22: In-Class Writing Exercise

Workshop Essay #2

Wed. 10/24: Hand in Essay #3

In-Class Writing Exercise

Andrea Barrett story To Be Handed Out

Week XI

Mon. 10/29: In-Class Writing Exercise

Discuss Essay #4

Bloom, "Music" p. 245

Wed. 10/31: In-Class Writing Exercise

Bring in Recording of Song

Writing Matters, "Research Writing" p. 57-66

Week XII

Mon. 11/5: In-Class Writing Exercise

Wed. 11/7: Conferences

Week XIII

Mon. 11/12: Hand in Journal

Workshop Essay #3

Wed. 11/14: Hand In Essay #4

In-Class Writing Exercise

Week XIV

Mon. 11/19: In-Class Writing Exercise

Discuss Writing Portfolio

Wed. 11/21: Thanksgiving Break

Week XV

Mon. 11/26: In-Class Writing Exercise

Workshop Essay #4

Wed. 11/28: Conferences

Week XVI

Mon. 12/3: In-Class Writing Exercise

Workshop Portfolio

Wed. 12/4: In-Class Writing Exercise

Workshop Portfolio

Week XVII

Mon. 12/10: Hand in Writing Portfolio