Course Description
First–Year Composition Mission Statement
First-year composition courses at CCNY teach writing as a recursive and frequently collaborative process of invention, drafting, and revising. Writing is both personal and social, and students should learn how to write for different purposes and audiences. Since writing is a process of making meaning and communicating, FYC teachers respond mainly to the content of students’ writing as well as to recurring surface errors. Students should expect frequent written and oral responses on the content of their writing from their teachers and peers. Classes rely heavily on a workshop format. Instruction emphasizes the connection between writing, reading, and critical thinking; students should give thoughtful, reasoned responses to the readings. Both reading and writing are the subjects of class discussions and workshops, and students are expected to be active participants in the classroom community. Learning from each other will be a large part of the classroom experience.
Course Learning Outcomes
- Explore and analyze, in writing and reading, a variety of genres and rhetorical situations.
- Develop strategies for reading, drafting, collaborating, revising, and editing.
- Recognize and practice key rhetorical terms and strategies when engaged in writing situations.
- Engage in the collaborative and social aspects of writing processes.
- Understand and use print and digital technologies to address a range of audiences.
- Locate research sources (including academic journal articles, magazine and newspaper articles) in the library’s databases or archives and on the Internet and evaluate them for credibility, accuracy, timeliness, and bias.
- Compose texts that integrate your stance with appropriate sources using strategies such as summary, critical analysis, interpretation, synthesis, and argumentation.
- Practice systematic application of citation conventions.
Required Text
Bullock, Richard. The Norton Field Guide to Writing. 4th Ed. New York. Norton: 2016.
Blackboard
We will have a course Blackboard for this semester. Additional required readings and materials will be posted on Blackboard. Writing assignments will all be posted to Blackboard.
Please Note: You must use your CCNY email address in Bb (log in to the CCNY Portal, click Blackboard, then Update Email in the Tools menu). If you add a non–CCNY domain email address in this window, you will not receive important course announcements.
Course Policies
Plagiarism and Academic Integrity
Plagiarism is copying and using other people’s words without proper acknowledgment or citation as it is indicated in the CUNY Policy on Academic Integrity. All writing submitted for this course is understood to be your original work. Plagiarism is unacceptable and has serious consequences that can include a failing grade. In cases where I detect academic dishonesty (the fraudulent submission of another’s work, in whole or part, as your own), you may be subject to a failing grade for the project or the course, and, in the worst case, to academic probation or expulsion. You are expected to read, understand, and adhere to CCNY’s Policy on Academic Integrity, which is available here:http://www1.ccny.cuny.edu/current/upload/Academic-Integrity-Policy.pdf .
Student Code of Conduct
All student members of the College community are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that demonstrates mutual respect for the rights and personal/academic well being of others, preserves the integrity of the social and academic environment, and supports the mission of the College. The College has an inherent right to address behavior that impedes, obstructs, or threatens the maintenance of order and attainment of the aforementioned goals by violating the standards of conduct set forth in the University student conduct policies noted below as well as other policies that may be established by the respective Schools, Global Sites, and administrative offices of the University. The goals of the CCNY Community Standards are:
- To promote a campus environment that supports the overall educational mission of the University
- To protect the University community from disruption and harm
- To encourage appropriate standards of individual and group behavior
- To foster ethical values and civic virtues
- To foster personal learning and growth while at the same time holding individuals and groups accountable to the standards of expectations established by the Code of Conduct: http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/studentaffairs/community-standards.cfm
Attendance
Students are expected to attend every class session of this course and to be on time. If you miss five classes, your final grade will be dropped by one-half of one letter (a 90 to an 85, for example). If you miss six classes, your final grade will be dropped one full letter. If you miss seven classes, you will not be able to pass the course. Consistent late arrivals and early departures will have a negative impact on your grade. I will notify you by email if course absences (for full or partial classes) are having an impact on your grade. If you have special circumstances, please see me. I’m happy to work with you to help you complete this course.
Electronic Devices
Computers and tablets are permitted for class related activities and taking notes. The instructor reserves the right to revoke this privilege if laptops and tablets are used for purposes outside the realm of this course.
Food and Drinks
Drinks and snacks are permitted but be sure to clean up after yourselves.
Student Support Services
The Writing Center
http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/writing/
The CCNY Writing Center offers a supportive learning environment where students can have one-on-one tutoring sessions with writing consultants. It is a great resource for you to obtain extra help as you write and revise your papers. They DO NOT proofread your papers, but offer assistance on improving certain aspects of them. They also offer ESL tutoring. To set up an appointment or semester-long sessions, contact them in person at the Writing Center, which is located in the NAC, 3rd floor plaza or call (212) 650-8104.
Gateway Advising Center, NAC 1/220
http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/gateway/
Students without a declared major can receive academic advising, especially if you have questions about your course of study, core requirements, etc.
AccessAbility Center Tutoring Services, NAC 1/218
http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/accessability/
Provides one-on-one tutoring and workshops to all registered students with learning or physical disabilities.
SEEK Peer Academic Learning Center, NAC 4/224
Phone: 212-650-5786; email: seekpals@ccny.cuny.edu
Offers counseling and peer tutoring for students in need of academic and financial support who have registered for the SEEK Program.
Assignments and Grade Weights
Literacy Narrative & Reflection 10%
Exploratory Essay & Reflection 15%
Researched Critical Analysis & Reflection 20%
Digital Portfolio 25%
Short Writing Assignments 20%
Class Participation/ Peer Review 10%
Reflection/Self-Assessment Assignments (grade weight varies across assignments): A Reflection/Self-Assessment is assigned after every essay assignment, preparing you to write a Self-Reflection essay at the end of the semester. One goal of the course is for you to reflect on your writing in order to heighten your awareness of what you know about writing and to give you a vocabulary for discussing it. In these reflections, you should make use of the rhetorical terms we discuss throughout the semester to describe your own work. For each reflective assignment, you should describe your own essays in terms of its genre (what are its characteristic features), exigence (what need motivated the writer), purpose (what did the writer hope to accomplish), audience (who is the potential audience for the essay), context (what is the writer’s rhetorical situation? what is the relationship between the writer, her audience, and the medium?). You should also describe how each assignment has helped you to achieve the Course Learning Outcomes. These short reflections will prepare you to write the final Self-Reflection. Grade weights for essay Reflections/Self-Assessments factor into your overall grade for that assignment.
Peer Review (grade weight varies across assignments): Group work is an important and regular part of this class. You will be grouped with other students to workshop drafts of your assignments throughout the semester. It is important that you attend class in order to get the most out of your peer review sessions. Your ability to give and receive feedback will be important to the revision process and ultimately to your grade.
Blackboard Discussion Posts: Throughout the semester you are tasked with participating in our online discussion forum on Blackboard. You will respond to class readings and other prompts and are also asked to respond to your classmates’ posts. Blackboard is a way for us to begin and continue conversations about our work outside of the class period. Our online discussions may prompt class discussions and may also provide the quieter students in the group with the opportunity to participate in the class dialogue.
Portfolio Mini Presentations: The last few class meetings of the semester will be reserved for you to workshop then present and discuss your Self Reflection and Portfolio assignments.
Journal: In order to improve as writers we must write often. You will be writing a weekly journal. Your journal entries can be as formal or informal as you like. The goal is to get comfortable with writing and to write freely.
Schedule of Classes
| Date | In Class | Assignments |
| Monday, August 28th | Introductions
Review Syllabus |
Due 08/30
BB Post |
| Wednesday, August 30th |
Assign Essay #1 Literacy Narrative Key Features
|
Due 09/06
Read NFG Chapter 10 and 27-28 |
| Monday, September 4th | LABOR DAY NO CLASS | |
| Wednesday, September 6th | Generating ideas and drafting | Due 09/11
Literacy Narrative First Draft |
| Monday, September 11th | Literacy Narrative Peer Review | Due 09/13
Read NFG Chapters 5-9 BB Post |
| Wednesday, September 13th | Self-reflections and rhetorical situations | Due 09/18
Literacy narrative Self-Reflection Read NFG Chapters 29- 31 |
| Monday, September 18th | Editing and Revising
Assign Essay #2 |
Due 09/25
Literacy Narrative Final Draft Read NFG Chapter 12 |
| Wednesday, September 20th | NO CLASSES SCHEDULED | |
| Monday, September 25th | Key Features of the Exploratory Essay | Due 09/27
Read NFG Chapter 34 |
| Wednesday, September 27th | Invention Workshop- Selecting a topic and generating a thesis | Due 10/02
BB Post |
| Monday, October 2nd | (cont.) Invention Workshop- Selecting a topic and generating a thesis | Due 10/4
BB Post |
| Wednesday, October 4th | (cont.) Invention Workshop – Selecting a topic and generating a thesis | Due 10/11
Exploratory Essay First Draft |
| Monday, October 9th | COLUMBUS DAY NO CLASS | |
| Wednesday, October 11th | Exploratory Essay Peer Review
|
Due 10/16
Exploratory Essay Self-Reflection Read NFG Chapter 13 |
| Monday, October 16th | Key Features of the Researched Critical Analysis
Assign Essay #3 |
Due 10/18
Read NFG Chapter 20 BB Post |
| Wednesday, October 18th | Writing a proposal | Due 10/23
Proposal (250 words) for Researched Critical Analysis |
| Monday, October 23rd | CCNY Library Visit | Due 10/25
Read NFG Chapters 52 and 15 BB Post |
| Wednesday, October 25th | Research and MLA citations
Annotated Bibliography |
Due 10/30
Exploratory Essay Final Draft Read NFG Chapter 11 |
| Monday, October 30th | Analyzing Texts | Due 11/01
BB Post |
| Wednesday, November 1st | Analyzing Texts | Due 11/06
Annotated Bibliography |
| Monday, November 6th | Arguing a position | Due 11/08
BB Post |
| Wednesday, November 8th | Arguing a position | Due 11/13
Researched Critical Analysis First Draft |
| Monday, November 13th | Researched Critical Analysis Peer Review | Due 11/15
Researched Critical Analysis Self-Reflection |
| Wednesday, November 15th | TBD | Due 11/20
TBD |
| Monday, November 20th | TBD | Due 11/22
TBD |
| Wednesday, November 22nd | Final portfolios and reflections | Due 11/27
Read NFG Chapter 32 BB Post |
| Monday, November 27th | Workshop on Presentations | Due 11/29
Read NFG Chapter 58 BB Post |
| Wednesday, November 29th | Workshop on Presentations | Due 12/04
Researched Critical Analysis Final Draft posted on Blackboard and emailed to me before the start of class |
| Monday, December 4th | Final Presentations | Due 12/06
BB POST |
| Wednesday, December 6th | Final Presentations | Due 12/11
Work on portfolio |
| Monday, December 11th | Final Presentations | Due 12/13
Final Portfolio |
| Wednesday, December 13th | READING DAY |
