ENGLISH 2

 

 

 

Texts and Equipment

Gerrard, Strategies and Sources for Composition (APS)

Hwang, M Butterfly

A hardbound dictionary

A paperback dictionary to bring to class

Hacker, A Writer's Reference (or other grammar handbook)

Two 3 1/2" double-sided, double-density (or high density) floppy disks

 

 

Course Description

This is a course in reading, analyzing, and writing academic discourse. You will study and write about issues of race, gender, and language, focusing specifically on two historical topics and one literary work: the system of racial segregation in the South, the 1963 boycott of retail businesses in Birmingham, Alabama, and the play M Butterfly.

 

The course functions as a writing workshop—rather than a series of lectures; that is, much of the analysis, writing, editing, and collaborating that you do will take place during class time. Come to class prepared to work: always bring your books, disks, and drafts with you. Regular attendance is compulsory. You cannot make up a missed class.

 

Our classroom is also a computer lab, where you will be using a Macintosh computer, Microsoft Word, electronic mail, and other software to plan, compose, revise, and discuss your papers. You will also need access to a computer outside of class, so if you don't have your own computer, be sure that you have time to work in the computer lab on campus.

 

 

Requirements

• 3 analytical papers, at least 2 drafts each

• 2 summaries

• short writing assignments, many of them computer-based

• participation in planning and peer draft groups

 

 

Grading

75%           final drafts of 3 analytical papers (25% each)

25%           coursework (attendance, group work, completion of all in- and out-of-class assignments)

SCHEDULE

 

UNIT 1: SEGREGATION

 

Registration week

 

Th 9/26     Class:        Introduction; freewriting

Home:       APS: "The Segregationist Mentality," Dallek, Clark, Wright, Angelou; oral reports; APS 1-3; bring disk T 10/1

 

 

Week 1

T 10/1       Class:        Discuss readings (historical background); approaches to

Paper 1; oral reports

Home:       APS: Baldwin, Smith, Yoshimeki; Civil Rights Timeline; Amendments 13, 14, and 15; oral reports

Th 10/3     Class:        Oral reports; Humnet discussion

                  Home:       Paper 1, draft 1; APS 51: Elements of Style—E-mail Update

 

 

Week 2

T 10/8       Class:        Videotape: “Awakenings”; Humnet discussion

Home:       Paper 1, draft 1; APS 5 (thesis)

Th 10/10   Class:        Paper 1, draft 1 due; discuss Paper 1, revising techniques; thesis

Home:       APS 6-9 (development);  bring 3 copies of Paper 1 to class T 10/15; APS 48-50 (working with other writers)

 

 

Week 3

T 10/15     Class:        Paper 1, revising techniques; peer editing

Home:       APS 13-15 (organization; introductions)

Th 10/17   Class:        Paper 1, revising techniques; edit groups

Home:       APS (sample student papers)

 

 

UNIT 2: BIRMINGHAM, 1963

 

Week 4

T 10/22     Class:        Discuss sample student papers; grading standards

Home:       APS: Salisbury, Wallace, Hampton/Fayer, Gutwillig, "White Reaction to the Birmingham Truce Agreement," Kennedy, Beals; oral reports; Paper 1, draft 2

Th 10/24   Class:        Paper 1, draft 2 due; videotape: “No Easy Walk”; oral reports;

                                    approaches to Paper 2

Home:       APS: "Public Statement …," "Sidebar: King," King, "Notes … Birmingham Jail"; write summary; bring summary to class on disk and in hardcopy

 

 

Week 5

T 10/29     Class:        "Letter from Birmingham Jail" group assignment; summary due

Home:       Paper 2, draft 1

Th 10/31   Class:        Paper 2, draft 1 due; revising techniques; Prewriting Stacks:                                   Brainstorming

Home:       APS 19-20; bring 3 copies of Paper 2 to class T 11/5

 

 

Week 6

T 11/5       Class:        Revising techniques; edit groups

                  Home:       APS 21-23, 25-27 (stylistic revision),

Th 11/7     Class:        Stylistic revision

Home:       Paper 2, draft 2; APS: "Background to War," historical background, Current; M Butterfly;; write summary; bring summary to class on disk and in hardcopy

 

 

UNIT 3: M BUTTERFLY

 

Week 7

T 11/12     Class:        Paper 2, draft 2 due; summary due; discuss readings; in-class

                                    writing; approaches to Paper 3

Home:       Paper 3, preparation 2, answer questions; APS 33-34 (punctuation and style)

Th 11/14   Class:        Humnet discussion-M Butterfly; stylistic revision

Home:      

 

 

Week 8

T 11/19     Class:        Film: M Butterfly

Home:       Paper 3, draft 1

Th 11/21   Class:        Paper 3, draft 1 due; revising techniques; Prewriting Stacks:

                                    Planning an Argument

                  Home:       Revise paper 3; bring 3 copies of Paper 3 to class T 11/26

 

 

Week 9

T 11/26     Class:        Paper 3 revision strategies; edit groups

Home:       Revise Paper 3

Th 11/28   Class:        Holiday

Home:      

 

 

Week 10

T 12/3       Class:        Paper 3 revising strategies; style review

Home:       Paper 3, draft 2

Th 12/5     Class:        Paper 3, draft 2 due; style review

Home: