English 1 (005)--Jamieson
Daily Schedule
Click on the date to find out what you'll be doing in class and for homework on any given day!
Jan 28 Feb. 2-4 Feb. 9-11 Feb 16-18
Feb. 23-25 Mar. 2-4 Mar. 9-11 Mar. 13-21
Mar. 22-25 Mar 30-Apr 1 Apr. 6-8 Apr. 13-15
Apr. 20-22 Apr. 27-29 May 4-6 Mainpage
                Mid-term portfolio due date                 Final portfolio due date


Jan.  28 (Thur):   Introduction to the course, texts (The Longman Handbook, and The New York Times), the focus of the class, and the weekly written dialogues.
Homework:  (Due Tuesday) Writing sample & individual writing program outline:
• describe yourself as a writer, include a narrative of your writing process (what you do before and during the time you are working on a paper) and how you feel about writing.
• in one sentence describe two aspects of your writing with which you are satisfied, then, in a second sentence, describe two aspects of your writing that you would like to strengthen this semester.
• Read Chapter 1 "On Being a Writer and a Reader" in The Longman Handbook (p. 2-9) and make excellent notes.  Write a brief (1-2 paragraphs) summary of the advice you find there.  Write a 1-2 sentence response to what you have just read.


Feb.    2 (Tue):  Reading newspapers on-line.  Scanning the "front page," selecting stories, understanding the structure of news articles.  Read The Times  and The Star-Ledger  on-line and compare style and assumptions the writers make about their audience and the extent of their background knowledge, education level, etc.
   Homework:  Read Chapter 3 "Strategies for Active Reading" in The Longman Handbook (p. 20-24) and make excellent notes.  Write a brief (1-2 paragraphs) summary of the advice you find there.  Write a 1-2 sentence response to what you have just read.

Feb. 4 (Thur):  When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can).
Summary Writing:  We will examine a summary from today's New York Times  on-line and you will practice writing one of your own.  How does the author's stance influence the way this piece works? How can you summarize the information in the piece without including any of the bias?
    [For more information on summary writing, see the class on-line resources.]
Homework:  Select two important news stories from today's and Friday's or Saturday's New York Times  (i.e.: one that appears near to the front)  and write a 250 word summary of each.  Bring two copies, typed, double spaced, to class Tuesday along with a print-out of each article you summarized.

   **First weekly dialogue due to me via e-mail by midnight Friday (tell me about one of the stories you selected.  Why did you find it interesting?  What is your response to it?)


Feb. 9 (Tue):  When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can).  Discussion of summary topics.  List of topics on the board.  What is the stance of the newspaper on each topic?  How can you tell that?  Do the authors all seem to take the same position?  How can you tell?  How did your position influence the way you wrote your summaries?  Selection of five or six stories that will be tracked for the next two weeks.  Students will divide themselves into groups of three or four based on their interest in those topics and will visit the library in those groups next week to find out more material on the topic and to preapre for Research Assignment #1..
    ***Sign up for library visit Feb. 15-19.
Writer's workshop: summary.  Discussion of how to revise summaries.  Each student will revise one of the summaries another has written, reducing it to 150 words.
Homework:   Write a 150 word summary of an article from today's Times  (or other on-line newspaper) on your topic, and write another on Wednesday on the same topic.  Bring both to class Thursday, along with a printout of the articles you summarized.

Feb. 11 (Thur):  When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can).
Writer's workshop: summary continued if necessary.
Summarizing tables and graphs.  Look at the table and the graph on the web resources page, and practice summarizing the data in class.  Add it to your portfolio.
Homework:  Revise all of your summaries ready to hand them in on Tuesday.  (Put them in a manila folder and include the printouts of the articles you summarized.)

   **Friday, midnight:  Second weekly dialogue due.


  Library Visit this week (Mon 15-Fri. 19).  Find background material to help you understand the history and complexity of the topic you have selected. 


Feb. 16 (Tue): Hand in portfolio of summaries and original documents. When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can).   Synthesis writing:  We will discuss both synthesis within articles (quotations, sources, etc.) and synthesis of several articles in general and background syntheses and in other college-level papers. Working in your groups, find an on-line story on your topic in the New York Times  or another on-line newspaper that synthesizes sources (using quotations, reports, "experts," etc.) and analyze whether it uses those sources to "simply" report or whether it takes a stand.  Save the article to your LAN folder, and make notes on how objective the coverage is.  note: save these notes, they will be very useful later.  Brief discussion of tonight's homework assignment.
[For more information on synthesis writing, see the class on-line resources.]
Homework:    Write a synthesis paper that can be one of two things (This is Synthesis Paper #1.).  Whichever you select, your purpose is to introduce the story to someone else in the class who has not been following it and provide as much information as you can in the most practical way.  (In addition to information, you may use whole sentences from your summaries as necessary.)  There are two basic structures you can adopt for such an assignment, and depending on the story one will probably work better than the other.  They are:
    (1) a narrative of the way the story has developed since you began to follow it with paragraphs organized chronologically, each with a topic sentence that identifies the stage/event the paragraph will discuss, and information in the paragraph from several sources (cited).   or
    (2) a basic introduction to the story telling us about the people involved and the events that have occurred, organized by character or pertinent information rather than chronologically.  Each paragraph will begin with a topic sentence that identifies what the paragraph will discuss, followed by information from several sources (cited).  Bring your narrative and all the articles you found to class on Thurs.
    Continue to follow your story in the Times  today and Wednesday and print out any articles on the topic your group selected.

Feb. 18 (Thur):  When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can).  In class collaboration workshops.  Students will work with group members on perfecting each other's drafts.  Look at peer review questions.  What must a synthesis achieve?  Do these syntheses do that?  Why?  Does the organizational pattern selected work?  Why?  What else do you need to know?  How might the topic sentences work more effectively?   Brief discussion of the second synthesis paper to be written this weekend.  (This is Synthesis Paper #2.)
Homework:   Revise your introductory synthesis.
Now look at the background information you gathered in the library (and over the Internet).  Write a second synthesis, this time on the background to the story you are following (a background synthesis).  Your thesis is "In order to really understand the events surrounding [your topic] it is necessary to understand [list the points you believe are necessary] because [state why]."  In the paper, write a paragraph for each thing that you believe we need to understand.  Each paragraph will begin with a topic sentence informing us what this detail helps us to understand, followed by a synthesis of the sources you found on that aspect of the topic.  In addition to information, you may use whole sentences from the introductory synthesis if necessary.
    Both syntheses are due in class Tuesday.

   **Friday, midnight:  Third weekly dialogue due.


Feb. 23 (Tue):    When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can). Discussion of the two synthesis papers.  What situations might call on you to write one or the other type?  Which was easier?  What problems and questions do you have?  Synthesizing information from tables and graphs:  Take the table and the graph that you summarized on 2/13 and synthesize the information from the two sources in two ways.  (1) as a report of the information, and (2) to support an argument about the information.   Add this to your portfolio.
Homework:  Perfect synthesis papers, due in class Thursday in a portfolio accompanied by the syntheses you wrote in class today, your drafts and revisions, all notes, and print outs/Xerox copies of the synthesized sources.

Feb. 25 (Thur):  Hand in Synthesis Portfolio.  When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can).
Comparison writing:  We will discuss comparison and the different stances we see in various news articles from The National Review,  The New Republic, and Newsweek. Work with your group to describe and analyze the stance of the contemporary sources you found when you went to the library (or since then).  You should have thorough notes and the beginning of a comparison of each by the end of today's class.  Brief discussion of the paper topic.  (This is Comparison Paper #1.)
    [For more information on comparison writing, see the class on-line resources.]
Homework:  Write a draft of Comparison Paper #1, a paper in which you compare the different stances people in the media take on your topic, and bring it to class Tues.

   **Friday, midnight:  Fourth weekly dialogue due . 


Mar.  2 (Tue):   When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can).  Draft of Comparison Paper #1 due in class.
Discussion of mid-term portfolio, evaluation, and introductory essay.  Brief discussion about which two papers you will select.  (The portfolio is due Friday 12th at 5pm.)
Homework:  Revise your comparison paper and hand it in by 6pm FRIDAY in a manila folder along with all of your drafts, your notes, and print-outs/Xeroxes of your sources, and the comparison of tables and graphs we will do in class Thursday.

Mar. 4 (Thur):   When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can). Draft of Comparison Paper #1 due in class.
Discussion of the perfect comparison essay--organization, style, audience, etc.  Working with the guidelines on the Web Resources page, we will compare different strategies for comparison paper outlines.  How well does each present the information?  How might different organization change the way you read the piece?  How does the writer's stance influence the way he or she organizes an article?  How do we introduce comparisons?  Topic sentences, etc. Review the editing questions.
. SIGN UP FOR MEETING WITH INSTRUCTOR MONDAY MARCH 8.
 Homework:  Read pp.125-130 "Using Special Purpose Paragraphs" in The Longman Handbook  and make excellent notes.  Write a brief (1-2 paragraphs) summary of the advice you find there, and a 1-sentence response to what you have just read.  Now apply this advice to the comparison paper due tomorrow.

   *Friday, 6 pm.  Comparison paper due at my office.
   **Friday, midnight:  Fifth weekly dialogue due . 


Mar. 8 (Mon):  Meet with instructor to discuss comparison paper and revisions for mid-term portfolio.  Show up on time and don't be late . . .


Mar.  9 (Tue):   When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can).
Contined work on comparison papers as a result of yesterday's meeting!  Check out this example of comparison from Time Magazine found by Millie--we will discuss it in class. We will review introductions and conclusions, topic sentences, in-text citation, and the works cited page in class.  If you need to work on citation of electronic sources, check out this web site (scroll down and use the index and it will tell you everything you need to know!)
Homework:  Work on making your portfolio totally beautiful  based on class discussion and your meeting with me! (Due Friday by 5pm.)  Don't forget that the Writing Center can help you (call x3617 for an appointment). Click here to see a description of the portfolio.

 Mar. 11 (Thur):  When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can). As you prepare your portfolio, make sure you don't plagiarize!
Introduction to Comparison Assignment #2.  Everyone will read the Times from the day he or she was born and select a story that seems particularly dated.  In this paper you will compare what we knew then with what we know now and so draw conclusions about the two different time periods.  Your thesis will focus on what your comparison reveals about the differences between then and now.
Sign up for meeting times Monday 22 or Tuesday 23 to collect your mid-term portfolio and discuss the grade.
Homework:  Perfect your portfolio ready for tomorrow! Click here to see a description of the portfolio.
Go to the library, read the paper and select a story that seems relevant for this assignment.  Print it out and begin making notes.   Work on comparison paper #2-- what do people know about it now?  What do they believe?  You should have a decent draft (i.e.: one that has an introduction and a conclusion as well as a "middle") by the Thursday after the break
    •  Work on perfecting the two papers you will hand in for your mid-term portfolio and your preface.
   **Thursday, midnight:  Sixth weekly dialogue due . 


Mar. 12 (Fri): Mid-term portfolio due by 5pm to the English department office (109 S.W.Bowne)
   Homework:  Have a good break.  Read the newspaper!


March 13-21 Spring recess -- no classes


Monday 22-Tuesday 23 conferences to collect and discuss the mid-term portfolio.  Don't forget to show up!

Mar. 23 (Tue):    When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can).  In class work on the comparison paper (#2).  Student may be drafting the paper, conducting research, or asking questions.
Homework:  As you read the Times today and tomorrow, pay attention to the writing strategies employed by the various journalists and pick out some different strategies you see in use.  Work on your comparison paper.  You should have a decent draft (i.e.: one that has an introduction and a conclusion as well as a "middle") by the Thursday.

Mar. 25 (Thur):  no class today--use this class period perfect your comparison paper (smart students work together...).   Don't forget to read the New York Times on-line.
Homework:  Work on your comparison paper.  The perfected paper is due in class on Tuesday as part of a comparison portfolio (in a manila folder that includes all of your work on comparison [including the first comparison paper handed in on March 6 and any revision of it you did for the mid-term portfolio], your notes, and your sources--either printed out or Xeroxed.)

   **Friday, midnight:  Seventh weekly dialogue due. 



Mar. 30 (Tue):    Bring a draft of your comparison paper to class today.  When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can). Check out the news quiz and see how much you remember about what you've read!!
Introduction to final research project: You have two options for this paper.  Discussion of potential topics, issue to be explored, etc.  If more than one person wants to work on the same topic for option 2 that is fine (just let me know who is doing what).
Homework:  Go to the library and begin your research assignment.  Every person/group must have a topic by Thursday's class.
• Read Chapter 6 "Considering Your  Readers" in The Longman Handbook  (p. 56-67) and make excellent notes.  Write a brief (1-2 paragraphs) summary of the advice you find there.  Write a 1-2 sentence response to what you have just read.

Apr.    1 (Thur): Hand in comparison paper in a portfolio which also contains all of the other comparison writing we have done.When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can).  Check out the news quiz and see how much you remember about what you've read!!  Tell me the topics each of you have selected.  In class writing on why that topic is significant to you and why you'd like to know more about it.  Save this to the LAN and hand in a copy to me via the K-Drive.  Introduction to research proposals.  Begin writing a research proposal for your paper.
Homework:  Complete the research proposal you started in class today and bring it to class Tuesday.
•  Continue note-taking via the Internet and/or the library (remember to divide up the labor if you are working in a group).  You will need to have found 20 potential sources by Tuesday 6th so make a list of what you find and start reading those that seem to provide the best background to the topic.

   **Saturday, midnight:  Eighth weekly dialogue due. 



Apr.   6 (Tue):  Basic bibliography of 20 possible sources due in class today (no excuses!).   When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can).  Check out the news quiz and see how much you remember about what you've read!!  Discussion of annotating sources.  Demonstration of annotation using extracts from The New York Times.
Homework:  Read "The annotated bibliography" in The Longman Handbook  (pp. 846-848) and check out the Web Link, then begin writing your own annotations.  The first four (on background) are due in class Friday. (you'll need to read the texts before you can annotate them...]

Apr.  8 (Thur): First four annotations are due in class today (no excuses accepted).   When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can). Check out the news quiz and see how much you remember about what you've read!!   In class we will discuss annotations and synthesis writing as part of a larger paper.
Homework:  Read two sections from Chapter 52, "Writing Informative Papers" in The Longman Handbook  (pp. 827-834 and pp.840-844) and make excellent notes.  Write a brief (3-4 paragraphs) summary of the advice you find there. Now write an informative synthesis (review of the literature) on the background information we need to know to understand your longer research paper (you must use at least three sources).  [Check out the Web Link on "Background Synthesis" too.]  This is due in class TUESDAY.
** To hand in work via the k:drive, save it under YOUR NAME in the relevant folder ("annotaions" for the annotated bibliography, and "background synthesis" for the background synthesis).  See guidelines for how to save work there if you need help!
   **Friday, midnight:   Ninth weekly dialogue due. 



Apr. 13 (Tues):  Synthesis of background information due (at least three sources).  When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can). Check out the news quiz and see how much you remember about what you've read!!
Bring your copy of The Longman Handbook.   Discussion in class of how to build a longer paper beginning with the background synthesis.  We will also discuss working with sources, brainstorming, and developing ideas.  We will work through the material in Chapter 4, "Planning" (pp. 28-44).  Select one of the methods of generating ideas and use it to brainstorm for your paper.
Homework:  Continue generating ideas for the paper.  [Check one of Purdue's on-line handouts for more ideas.]  Read the first section of Chapter 50, "Writing Argumentative Papers" in The Longman Handbook  (pp. 757-779) and think about the arguments you might make in your research paper based on what you have read so far.  Continue readings and annotating sources (the remaining six annotations are due Thursday 15th).

Apr. 15 (Thur):  Bring your copy of The Longman Handbook.  Final annotated bibliography due in class (no excuses accepted).  In class we will discuss critical thinking, working through the material in Chapter 50, "Using critical thinking to strengthen your argument" (pp. 780-789), examples from those old tables and graphs!.
Homework:  Write a first draft of your paper (at least five pages including an introduction, a conclusion, and a works cited list).  Due in class Monday.

   **Friday, midnight:  Tenth weekly dialogue due. 



Apr. 20 (Tues):   When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can).  Check out the news quiz and see how much you remember about what you've read!!  First draft of final research paper due in class--print out two copies, one for you and one for me.  I will collect it and return it when we meet later this week.  All papers must be turned in on time today--no excuses short of hospitalization will be accepted!  Discussion of topic sentences, introductions, and conclusions.
       Sign up for an appointment to meet me either Wed., Thurs., or Friday.
Homework:  Read two sections from The Longman Handbook ,  "Using topic sentences" (pp.97-111) and "Effective Paragraphs:  Developing Ideas" (pp. 112-125) and make excellent notes.  Write a brief (3-4 paragraphs) summary of the advice you find there. Now apply what you have learned to your draft.  Write a brief analysis of what you need to do to make your draft better, and then write all over the draft you printed out for yourself.  Consult other sections of The Longman Handbook as you need them (use the index!).  Bring your marked up draft and your analysis to your meeting with me.

Apr. 22 (Thur):   No class today.  Conferences with the professor on the progress of your paper  (Bring your marked up draft and your analysis to the meeting).   Don't forget to read the New York Times on-line (carefully). Check out the news quiz and see how much you remember about what you've read!!
 Homework:  Revise your paper as a result of your own analysis, my comments, and our discussion.  Bring a new and improved draft to class Tuesday.
   **Friday, midnight:  Eleventh weekly dialogue due.


Apr. 27 (Tues):   When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can).  Check out the news quiz and see how much you remember about what you've read!!  Discussion of  introductions, conclusions, and the development of an argument.  Discussion of thesis refinement, practice thesis enthymemes, and discussion of organization and revision outlines.
Homework:  Read whichever section on revising and editing in the Longman Handbook  is most appropriate based ion our discussions and the papers I have returned so far (check out the contents on the inside cover) and revise your paper one last time!

Apr.   29 (Thur):   When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can). Check out the news quiz and see how much you remember about what you've read!!   Bring an almost perfect paper to class today and also bring the Longman Handbook .  Class discussion about use of sources and group editing of papers to check that sources have been correctly paraphrased, summarized, quoted and cited.  Discussion of the ways to compile a works cited list (see Longman Handbook  pp. 645-692).
Homework:  Final revision of the paper.  Make it totally perfect!  Put all of your drafts, notes, annotations, lists, scraps of paper, etc. into a portfolio along with the final draft of the paper and bring the whole lot to my office by 8pm
Tuesday May 4th

   **Friday, midnight:  Twelfth  (final) weekly dialogue due. 



May   4 (Tues): When you get to class, open the on-line syllabus, check the assignment for the day, and then scan the New York Times on-line (arrive early if you can). Check out the news quiz and see how much you remember about what you've read!!   Bring an almost perfect paper to class today and also bring the Longman Handbook .  Class discussion about use of sources and group editing of papers to check that sources have been correctly paraphrased, summarized, quoted and cited.  Discussion of the ways to compile a works cited list (see Longman Handbook  pp. 645-692).
Homework:  Hand in your paper to my office by 8pm tonight (in a portfolio as described above).  Then get some sleep (you could revise the comparison paper ready for Monday too...)!

May   6 (Thur): LAST CLASS.  "Analyzing your progress as a writer"  Final in-class writing assignment. Final farewells, evaluations, overall discussion about how the class went.
Homework:  Work on your final portfolio--due Monday by 5pm.



May 10 (Mon): Final portfolio due by 5pm to the English department office (109 S.W.Bowne)
          * Note--this is extended from the original Friday deadline!
Here's a reminder of the content of the portfolio and the way we'll grade it (i.e.: here's the answer to "how do I get an A?")
Homework:  Sleep.....


Thursday 13 and Friday 14 conferences to collect and discuss the final portfolio and your fional grade for the course.  Don't forget to show up!

No final exam.
    That's it.
       You're done.
             Have a great summer...
                       BYE. . .
 
 
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