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EWRT 2
EWRT 2
Sec 11 & 12 –Winter 2007
Critical
Reading, Writing, and Thinking
Instructor: Prof. A. Arefi Voicemail:
864-8999 ext. 3050
Office: L-41A E-mail: aaa7068@fhda.edu
Office Hours: Tuesdays 12:30-1:30
p.m. Website: http://faculty.deanza.edu<;wbr>/arefiazin/
Course Introduction:
This course is designed to
help students develop critical thinking skills and practice the application
of those skills in expository, analytical, interpretive and argumentative
writing based on critical reading of written, visual, and other nonverbal
texts. We will explore divergent viewpoints on current issues, using
popular culture and mass media as our tools. We will also focus on images,
icons and actions, alongside literature and essays in order to get beyond
the literal “surface” readings.
Course Objectives:
Students will hone their critical
thinking skills by gathering materials, planning, and writing effective
analytical essays and other less formal writings. The essays will use
proper logic, demonstrate organization, coherence, and will be well
supported. Students will recognize, compare and evaluate alternative
points of view, values, and meanings, including those of outside resources.
Course Requirements:
- Regular attendance
and active participation in class discussions.
- Keeping up-to-date
on the assignments and readings.
- Four papers, one of
which is a research paper
- Presentations and group
work
- Keeping a Journal/Writing
Assignments
- Unannounced quizzes
and in-class assignments
Required Texts:
- A Course Reader, available
from the instructor.
- The Bluest Eye,
Toni Morrison, available at any bookstore or online (amazon.com)
- The Pocket Handbook,
Kirszner & Mandell, eds. Or your choice of a grammar guidebook
Course Evaluation:
| Assignment |
Percentage |
| Papers
|
30% |
| Final
Research Paper |
20% |
| Quizzes |
10% |
| Journals |
10% |
| Advertising
Portfolio |
10% |
| Participation/Attendance |
10% |
| Group
Work/Presentations |
10% |
| Total |
100% |
Grading Scale:
100-95% = A, 94-90 = A-, 89-85%
= B, 84-80=B-, 79-75% = C, 74-70=C-, 69-60% = D, 59%-below = F
Course Assignments:
Journal/Writing Assignments.
You will keep a course journal in which you write responses to particular
discussion questions or ideas discussed in class or to specified readings.
You will write some of your journal entries in class, but others will
be given as homework. I will collect and evaluate them towards the end
of the quarter. Our section of EWRT2 will be taught as a hybrid
course, with one class session (Fridays) taking place at home. It is
imperative that you do the writing assignment for that Friday in order
to receive a passing grade for the course. While the journals and writing
assignments are not as formal as your papers, they still need to follow
paper formats (see “papers”) and they must be written clearly.
Quizzes.
These quizzes measure your preparation for class and your understanding
of class lecture and concepts covered. Quizzes will be given at the
beginning of the class period so do not be late. They are meant
to reward you for your preparation and your on-time attendance.
Participation.
You are expected to come to this class prepared with paper, pen, appropriate
text, having completed the reading and all assignments due, and ready
to participate in discussion. Whether as a class or if you are
in small groups, your contribution is required and necessary.
Papers. You will be
required to write four papers during the course. In each of these essays
you should pay close attention to style and mechanics and implement
the writing skills we discuss in class. You must demonstrate your critical
thinking abilities. Your papers should be typed, double-spaced, 12-pt
font, with one-inch margins all around. Each essay must be organized
and written clearly. Careful proofreading and correct grammar and punctuation
usage are crucial. Three to five pages is appropriate for each. Use
MLA format. Papers are due at the beginning of the class.
Course Policies:
Plagiarism.
Plagiarism is using someone else’s words or ideas in direct quote,
paraphrase, or summary form and submitting them as your own.
I expect no copying or cheating whatsoever, at any time, by any student.
IF YOU EVER FEEL BOGGED DOWN BY WRITER’S BLOCK OR FRUSTRATED WITH
AN ASSIGNMENT IN ANY WAY, COME TALK TO ME! IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT
YOUR WRITER’S VOICE AND WANT TO SOUND BETTER ON PAPER, COME TALK TO
ME! Plagiarism is often committed on accident, by people who want to
sound better or by those who do not know how to correctly incorporate
and cite research into their papers. But these are not excuses for it.
Plagiarism, whether intentional or not, is always wrong. Plagiarism
may result in automatic failure of the course.
Attendance: Attendance
every day is required. You should come to class on time and prepared.
If you have to be absent, please call to excuse yourself. If you
have three unexcused absences, I will assume that you have withdrawn,
and give you a W. Repeated tardiness will equal absences.
Late work: As a rule,
I do not accept late work, since it is unfair to those who turn in their
work on time. However if an emergency arises and you notify me, I can
make exceptions. If the late work is accepted, it will have points deducted.
Respect:
In class we will be discussing a lot of issues and each individual person's
opinion must be respected. You are to listen to each other and be considerate
of one another at all times. You can disagree with someone, but always
in a respectful manner.
Disruptive behavior may result
in being dropped from the class. As part of that, please remember to
turn off cell phones and pagers, as they are disruptive to the class.
If your cell phone does go off, you are to bring treats for the class
the next day J.
And finally…
Welcome to EWRT 2! I am sure we
are going to have a great and productive quarter!
Note: This greensheet is subject
to change with advanced notice.
Daily Assignments and Deadlines
Week 1: American Media &
Icons
Monday January 8th:
Introduction
Tuesday January 9th:
Olds, “The Death of Marilyn
Monroe”
Wednesday January 10th:
Hoelterhoff, “The Royal Anniversary:
Elvis Presley’s Fiftieth”
Journal #1: Who are you a
fan of? What does it mean to be a fan?
Thursday January 11th:
Iyer, “Selling Our Innocence
Abroad”
Week 2:
American Media & Icons
Monday January 15th:
Martin Luther King Jr.’s
Birthday NO CLASS
Tuesday January 16th:
Engle, “What Makes Superman
So Darned American?”
Wednesday January 17th:
Ebert, “Great Movies”
In-class Movie: Children of
Heaven
Journal #2: Answer the Q’s
about Children of Heaven
Thursday January 18th:
In-class Movie: Children of
Heaven
Week 3:
E-mail & Technology
Monday January
22nd:
Paper writing techniques
Tuesday January
23rd
Draft of Paper #1 Due
Peer Editing
Wednesday
January 24th:
Paper #1 Due
Negroponte, “Being Asynchronous”
Kleinfeld, “Check Your E-mail;
You May Be Fired”
Thursday
January 25th:
Nixon, “Please Don’t E-mail
Me about This Article”
Boland, “In Modern E-mail Romances,
‘Trash’ Is Just a Click Away”
Week 4:
E-mail & Technology
Monday
January 29th:
Klein, “A Reunion? Relax. You’re
Invisible”
Volk, “Technology Makes Me Mad”
Journal #3: Write a humorous
essay about technology disappearing from your school.
Tuesday
January 30th:
Gordinier, “What Your Email
Etiquette Says About You”
O’Brien, “How to Be a 21st
Century Gentleman”
Wednesday
January 31st:
Barry, “MsPtato and RayAdverb:
A Story of Love On-Line”
Thursday February 1st:
(Last day to drop a course with a “W”)
In-class Movie: The Parlor
Week 5:
Advertising
Monday
February 5th:
Draft of Paper #2 Due
Peer Editing
Tuesday
February 6th:
Paper #2 Due
Solomon & Gajilan, ”A Tale
of a Tail”
Journal #4: Write your reactions
to the Altoids ad.
Wednesday
February 7th:
Follis, “Mad Ave.”
Parker-Pope, “Custom-Made”
Visit: http://adbusters.org/spoofads<;wbr>/index.php
Thursday
February 8th:
Creating Spoof Ads (from Adbusters.com)
Week 6:
Advertising
Monday
February 12th:
Leo, “The Selling of Rebellion”
Elias, “Under the Influence”
Lehner, “Sex in the Ice Cubes”
Tuesday
February 13th:
Simon, “Advertising and Utopia”
Wednesday
February 14th: St. Valentine’s Day
Simon, “Advertising and Utopia”
Thursday
February 15th:
Journal #5: Focusing on ads
from yesterday and today.
Advertising Portfolio Due;
Present Advertising Portfolio
Week 7:
Movies with a Message
Monday February 19th:
President’s Day NO CLASS
Tuesday February 20th:
In-class movie: An Inconvenient
Truth
Wednesday February 21st:
In-class movie: An Inconvenient
Truth
Thursday February 22nd:
Discussion. Pick your own “Movie
with a Message” to watch
Week
8: Television
Monday February 26th
Henry III, “The Meaning of TV”
Robinson, “TV Can’t Educate”
Cross, “Shadows on the Wall”
Drexler, “Don’t Touch That
Dial”
In Class: TV Debate
Tuesday February 27th:
Article on “Reality Television”
Poniewozik, “How Reality TV
Fakes It”
Wednesday February 28th:
In-Class Movie: The Truman
Show
Journal #6: Answer the Q’s
about The Truman Show.
Thursday March 1st:
In-Class Movie: The Truman
Show
Week 9: Trash
Culture: Enquirer/Cosmo
Monday March
5th:
Simon, “Tragedy, the Enquirer,
and the Critics”
Bring The Enquirer,
The Globe, and People to class for discussion
Journal #7: Write a cover story
for The Enquirer.
Tuesday
March 6th:
Simon, “Tragedy, the Enquirer,
and the Critics”
Wednesday
March 7th:
Simon, “Cosmopolitan
and the Woman’s Coming-of-Age Novel”
Bring Cosmo & related
women’s magazines to class for discussion
Journal #8: Write a critique
of the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine.
Thursday
March 8th:
Draft of Paper #3 Due
Peer Editing
Week 10:
The Bluest Eye
Monday March 12th:
Paper #3 Due
Pg 1-33
Tuesday March 13th:
Pg 34-58
Wednesday March 14th:
Pg 59-93
Thursday March 15th:
Pg 94-131
Journal #9: Reactions to Morrison’s
assertion that physical beauty and romantic love are destructive. (pg
122)
Week 11:
The Bluest Eye
Monday March
19th:
Pg 134-163
Research Paper Topic Due
Tuesday March 20th:
Pg 164-192
Research Paper Outline Due
Journal #10: Write your reactions
to Soaphead Church’s letter to God.
Wednesday March 21st:
Pg 193-End, Afterword
Thursday March 22nd:
Research Paper Draft Due
Peer Editing
Week 12
Monday March 26th:
Research Paper Final Draft
Due.
Students will give a brief presentation
about their research paper
Final Exam:
Section 11 (10:30 class): Friday
March 30th @ 9:15-11:15 a.m.
Section 12 (11:30 class): Tuesday
March 27th @ 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
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