Texts:
Atwan, Convergences
Mulderig, The Heath Handbook
Brief editorial on football (for week 2)

Course Policies

Attendance and Class Participation:  These are required. This is neither a correspondence course nor a spectator sport. Absences will affect your final grade, possibly resulting in dropping from A to B, B to C, C to D, D to. . . well, you get the idea.  Each unexcused absence will lower your final grade by 20 points out of 1000 points—that is 2% out of 100%.

Peer Reading: Each formal essay (except the final essay) you submit to me will first be peer-read. A group of your classmates will read and comment upon your essay, giving you feedback in an attempt to help you make your paper as strong as it can be before I see it for the first time. You will, in turn, do the same for them. The copy submitted for peer-reading must be typed or word-processed and must be as well-prepared as if you were going to submit them to me for immediate grading—no doing a half-baked job on this; you will only be hurting yourself if you do not take this process seriously. 

Unexcused absence on a peer-reading day will result in a triple penalty—60 points out of 1000.

Essay Submissions: Each essay must be turned in no later than the pre-announced due date. Submission via e-mail attachment is acceptable, as long as the file is in a standard Microsoft Word-compatible format.

Late Work:  Work will be accepted no later than 1 week after the original due date (except for the final essay, which must be submitted on time). The late work will be penalized one full letter grade, and no student may turn in more than 1 late assignment.

Revision:  Each essay (except the last one) may be revised once. There is no reason why—with help from your peers in class and from me—that you should not be able to produce the quality of writing which will allow you to earn the kind of grade you want.

Plagiarism:  This is stealing. If you do this on an essay (using a friend's work and pretending it is your own, or quoting from a book or other source without citing that source), and I catch you, you will receive an F for that assignment.

Assignments

1. Journal—100 points.  A basic notebook, in which you will do in-class writing, as assigned.
2. Three Informal Essays--100 points apiece, 300 points total. These are brief, 2 page, assignments given in response to various readings. These will be typed/word-processed (double-spaced, 12-point font, normal 1.25 inch margins all around).
3. Three Formal Essays--200 points apiece, 600 points total. These are longer, 3-4 page, assignments that ask you to respond to complex issues arising from the course readings. These will be typed/word-processed (double-spaced, 12-point font, normal 1.25 inch margins all around). The first two of these essays will go through the peer-reading process.  

Evaluation Standards

 An "A" essay shows deep thought, attention to detail, and critical thinking. It is well organized and flows naturally, leading the reader through the subject easily.  Sentences show variety and planning, and paragraphs are carefully put together.  The essay is engaging and interesting to read, and the treatment of the subject is original and intriguing. Clichés, triteness, and "stilted" language are absent. Finally, an "A" essay displays no mechanical, spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors—it has been written as carefully as a letter of application for a job, and has often been revised several times.

A "B" essay possesses most (but not all) of the qualities of an "A" essay.  The "B" essay typically shows a fair amount of thought, attention to detail, and some evidence of critical thinking. It may have slight organizational problems; it may have a few mechanical, grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors, or it may employ clichés or trite language in a few places.

A "C" essay is an average effort. It displays most (but not all) the qualities of a "B" essay, with additional problems in thought, organization, and expression. Triteness or clichéd language may be present, or the treatment of the subject, though competent, may be uninteresting or unoriginal. Mechanical and/or spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors are a consistent problem. The essay is understandable and the reasoning adequate.

A "D" essay is below average. In a "D" essay, difficulties with structure, organization, or content make the essay difficult to follow. The treatment of the subject may be inadequate, or the reasoning seriously flawed. Problems with mechanics, grammar, punctuation, and spelling interfere seriously with the essay's effectiveness.

An "F" essay is one in which all of the problems listed in the "D" essay are severe enough to make the paper incomprehensible.

Schedule (Subject to Change)

Week 1

Thursday, 9/12: Introduction to the course.

Work due for today: Obtain materials and textbooks.

Week 2

Tuesday, 9/17: Work due for today: Read Introduction to Convergences, pp. xxviii-xxxviii (the Messsage, Method, and Medium sections).15-minute in-class writing, and discussion of major concepts.

Thursday, 9/19: Work due for today: Read Introduction to Convergences, pp. xxxix-lvi (remainder of the chapter). Discussion of brief editorial on football in terms of this section's major concepts.

Week 3

Tuesday, 9/24: Work due for today: Read Convergences, pp. 2-10. Discussion of Cindy Sherman's photographs.

Thursday, 9/26: Work due for today: Read Convergences, pp. 50-56. Discussion of Sally Mann's photograph and Melissa Harris essay on Jessie Mann (the girl facing the camera).

Informal essay #1: Look at both the Cindy Sherman photo (on pp. 8-9) and the Sally Mann photo (on p. 51). What do these two photographs have in common? How does the difference in ages of the two photographic subjects affect the way you look at each image? This essay is due 10/1, and should be 2 pages, typed/word-processed.

Week 4

Tuesday, 10/1: Work due for today: Informal essay #1. Read Convergences, pp. 34-35.Discussion of Judith Ortiz Cofer.

Thursday, 10/3: Work due for today: Read Convergences, pp. 42-44. Discussion of Anne Sexton.

Formal essay #1: Write in response to Writing, Researching, Collaborating #3 on p. 76. This essay is due for peer-reading 10/8, and should be 3-4 pages, typed/word-processed.

Week 5

Tuesday, 10/8: Work due for today: Draft of Formal essay #1. Essay is to be revised and turned in by 10/10.

Thursday, 10/10: Work due for today: Formal essay #1.

Week 6

Tuesday, 10/15: Work due for today: Read Convergences, pp. 158-160. Discussion of Franz Kafka.

Thursday, 10/17: Work due for today: Read Convergences, pp. 131-134. Discussion of Bill Clinton.

Informal essay #2: Consider both the Kafka and Clinton readings. Each uses narrative as a means of expressing ideas. Write an essay in which you define narrative (What is it? How does it work? What is its purpose?), and then analyze the way Kafka and Clinton use narrative to make their points. Assume that Clinton is an example of the "nobles" Kafka refers to, then discuss how Clinton uses the "Laws" that Kafka discusses in his text. This essay is due 10/22, and should be 2 pages, typed/word-processed.

Week 7

Tuesday, 10/22: Work due for today: Informal essay #2. Read Convergences, pp. 141-145. Discussion of Mark and Riis.

Thursday, 10/24: Work due for today: Read Convergences, pp. 84-89. Discussion.

Formal essay #2: Write in response to Writing, Researching, Collaborating #1 on p. 168. This essay is due for peer-reading 10/29, and should be 3-4 pages, typed/word-processed.

Week 8

Tuesday, 10/29: Work due for today: Draft of Formal essay #2. Essay is to be revised and turned in by 10/31.

Thursday, 10/31: Work due for today: Formal essay #2.

Week 9

Tuesday, 11/5: Work due for today: Read Convergences, pp. 352-357. Discussion.

Thursday, 11/7: Work due for today: Read Convergences, pp. 358-363. Discussion.

Informal essay #3: In light of the readings for this week, write an essay in which you both define what it means to be either a man or a woman in your world, and analyze the effects of that definition. How is your life shaped by being male or female? What expectations do you think others have of you? What opportunities or limits do you face being a male or female today? This essay is due 11/12, and should be 2 pages, typed/word-processed.

Week 10

Tuesday, 11/12: Work due for today: Informal essay #3. Read Convergences, pp. 441-448. Discussion.

Formal essay #3: The ancient Greek philosopher Plato once argued that the only entertainments that should be allowed in a perfectly just society would be those things that specifically recommended positive moral behavior and attitudes. Plato argued this position because he believed that what people see or hear (in the form of entertainment) influenced what they did in real life. Think of some of your favorite movies, books, television shows, and songs. Pick three examples (each one from a different category--i.e. one song, one movie, etc.), and describe the message you find therein. Do you agree that entertainment affects your behavior and attitudes. Why or why not? This essay is due for peer-reading 11/14, and should be 3-4 pages, typed/word-processed.

Thursday, 11/14: Work due for today: Draft of Formal essay #3. Essay is to be revised and turned in by 11/19

Week 11

Tuesday, 11/19: Work due for today: Formal essay #3.