English 106
Spring 2009
English 10600-400-18730
www.english106.wordpress.com
Instructor: Nancee Reeves
E-mail: nreeves@purdue.edu
Office: Heavilon 310E
Office hours: Monday 2:30-3:30
Monday: HEAV 109
Tuesday (conferences): HEAV 223
Wednesday: ENAD 130
Thursday: HEAV 109
Friday (conferences): HEAV 223
Required Texts:
The Best American Essays 2008, Editor Adam Gopnik
Available at Vonn’s or any bookstore or online.
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
Any edition is fine. Available at Vonn’s or any bookstore or online.
Maus I: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman
Any edition is fine. Available at Vonn’s or any bookstore or online. Make sure you get Maus I, not Maus II.
Style Manuel:
Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/
Course Description
It has been argued that the main function of writing is to explore who we are; to document our identity and to better understand the identity of those around us. This semester we will explore how writing, and other forms of composition, help us define who we are, and how other people have used composition to document their reality and the reality that they see around them. We will analyze fiction and non-fiction, memoir writing, documentaries, zines, poetry, and interviews for these qualities and we will produce writing that expresses our identity and that of other. During this process you will learn to become an effective college writer, and learn the skills necessary to succeed as a writer in both your future classes and career.
Class Blog
Weekly assignments, activities, reading, or general announcements will always be on the class blog. Always check the blog before class. If you miss a day please check the blog and see what you missed. Write me if you have questions about the assignment after reading the blog. You will be responsible for turning in on time an assignment given on a day you missed class.
Every student will have their own personal blog, which will link to our main class blog. Blog writing will assigned in class on Wednesday and will be due by 10am the following Thursday. Blog entries must be at least 500 words and should be informal and personal. On days that we write our blogs during class students are expected to spend the whole class period writing.
Attendance and Participation
Your attendance and participation are crucial to getting the most out of this course. You may miss 5 classes during the semester without penalty. Any additional class missed will result in the lowering of your final grade by one letter. You are expected to participate energetically in class discussions; I cannot give you credit for having prepared for class if you never speak in class.
Late Work
I may allow an extension on a particular project, but you must make arrangements with me AT LEAST 24 hours before the project. If you fail to do so, your project will be accepted at a penalty proportional to its lateness. Unless otherwise stated, a project is due at the beginning of class on the due date assigned.
Tardies and Cell Phones
Please avoid coming to class late or leaving early; it is disruptive to both teacher and students. If this becomes a problem you grade will be affected. Cell phones must be off, not on silence or vibrate, for the duration of class. Students with ringing phones will be counted as absent for that day. Also, anyone text messaging will be counted absent for that day. More than 5 absences will result in a lowered grade.
Conferences
One of the unique aspects of English 106 at Purdue is its conferencing component. Generally, I will meet with each student for 10 minutes every other week. During your conference, you will have the opportunity to show me drafts of your project and/or go over any concerns you may have about the projects or the class in general.
Academic Integrity
Purdue students and their instructors are expected to adhere to guidelines set forth by the Dean of Students in “Academic Integrity: A Guide for Students,” which students are encouraged to read here: http://www.purdue.edu/ODOS/osrr/integrity.htm.
If you have any questions regarding these issues, please see me before you turn in the draft in question. Following a meeting with me, any evidence of intentional plagiarism will result in a failing grade for the course, and I will refer you to the Dean of Students’ office.
Statement About Disabilities
Students with disabilities must be registered with Adaptive Programs in the Office of the Dean of Students before classroom accommodations can be provided. If you are eligible for academic accommodations because you have a documented disability that will impact your work in this class, please schedule an appointment with me as soon as possible to discuss your needs.
Course Requirements
Participation, Attendance, and Short Writing Assignments (30%)
During several of our meetings you will be asked to respond to various topics in the form of an informal response paper or blog entry. I will assign a topic for you to consider, and you will write a 2 to 3 page typed response. This may be either an in-class or take home assignment. You can expect that class discussions will stem from your various responses to the topic. The quality and quantity of your participation in-class, which is naturally linked to your attendance, will also affect your grade. I will be keeping tracking of student’s participation. It is not possible to get an A in this class if you do not participate.
Project 1: Subculture paper (10%)
Our first project for this class will be a research project on the subculture of your choice. There are hundreds of subjects to choose from! Pick a subculture that you find interesting or that you have always wanted to learn about. The more interesting the topic to you, the more fun you will have with this assignment. However, it must be a subculture that you are not a part of. Three sources are required for this paper, one of which must be a 1st person account from a person who is a part of the subculture. Other sources can come from newspapers, magazines, reputable websites, books, documentaries, and interviews. No encyclopedias, no wikipedia, and no junk websites. This paper should be 4 pages and include at least 2 graphics.
Project 2: Rhetorical analysis of a documentary (15%)
This project asks you to analyze the rhetorical strategies of a documentary. You will consider the ways in which the filmmaker employs sounds, images, film techniques, etc. to present their argument, and determine the rhetorical soundness of these techniques. We will be watching The King of Kong, a documentary film that records a subculture. For this assignment, you will objectively analyze the film’s ability to document its topic, and ultimately conclude if the film is successful at capturing reality. Is the film respectful of its subjects and what responsibility does it have toward those subjects? The aim of the project is to identify the filmmaker’s thesis, and to analyze the rhetorical strategies and film techniques used in order to develop the film’s thesis. Keep in mind your earlier blog on your personal subculture. Would you want your subculture to be view through the same lens?
Project 3: Into The Wild (25%)
Into The Wild is the memoir of Chris McCandless written by Jon Krakauer. You will read this book and write a paper that analysis how successful Into The Wild is at documenting the reality of its subject, and how the identity of both McCandless and Krakauer is shown throughout the narrative.
Project 4: Document your own reality: Zine project (20%)
For your final project you will document your own reality and identity through the production of a zine. You may choose any subject for your zine; your very choice will be a reflection of your identity. All zines must be a mix of writing and graphics, but this is your only criteria. Your zine may be as elaborate or as simple as you wish.
Additional Information about Papers
All papers must be typed, double-spaced, in 12 pt. Times New Roman font, with one inch margins (the default on most computers). All papers should adhere to MLA guidelines for formatting and citation. I will give you detailed guidelines for each assignment that outline my expectations for the project. Always keep an electronic copy of every paper you hand in.
