Erica Meltzer 39;s The Critical Reader
Sherley
This class is an introduction to college level composition in expository writing strategies. . Throughout this course you will not only read and analyze a variety of written texts, but you will also read and analyze multi-media texts (ie. Images, music, short video clips). You will practice your critical reading skills and apply these skills to your own cirtical writing. Much of our class time will be spent going through the writing process both independently and in groups for workshopping. You will use the skills you developed throughout this course, and the texts to complete a final exam at the end of the term.
It is my personal goal to help each of you achieve the level of success necessary to move forward in your schooling. In doing such, it is imperative you put in the necessary work and take advantage of all English 1010 has to offer (ie. the writing skills necessary to pass most of the classes you will take in your schooling career).
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is not tolerated. If you are caught plagiarizing on an assignment, you will fail the assignment, and perhaps even the class. You may also be subject to disciplinary action by the college. Please read Brooklyn Colleges statement on Plagiarism below.
Students With Disabilities: In order to receive disability-related academic accommodations students must first be registered with the Center for Student Disability Services. Students who have a documented disability or suspect they may have a disability are invited to set up an appointment with the Director of the Center for Student Disability Services, Ms. Valerie Stewart-Lovell at 718-951-5538. If you have already registered with the Center for Student Disability Services, please provide me with the course accommodation form and discuss your specific accommodation with me.
The D or F paper either has no thesis or else it has one that is strikingly vague, broad, or uninteresting. There is little indication that the writer understands the material being presented. The paragraphs do not hold together; ideas do not develop from sentence to sentence. This paper usually repeats the same thoughts again and again, perhaps in slightly different language but often in the same words. The D or F paper is filled with mechanical faults, errors in grammar, and errors in spelling.
The C paper has a thesis, but it is vague and broad, or else it is uninteresting or obvious. It does not advance an argument that anyone might care to debate. "Henry James wrote some interesting novels." "Modern cities are interesting places."
The thesis in the C paper often hangs on some personal opinion. If the writer is a recognized authority, such an expression of personal taste may be noteworthy, but writers gain authority not merely by expressing their tastes but by justifying them. Personal opinion is often the engine that drives an argument, but opinion by itself is never sufficient. It must be defended.
The reader of a B paper knows exactly what the author wants to say. It is well organized, it presents a worthwhile and interesting idea, and the idea is supported by sound evidence presented in a neat and orderly way. Some of the sentences may not be elegant, but they are clear, and in them thought follows naturally on thought. The paragraphs may be unwieldy now and then, but they are organized around one main idea. The reader does not have to read a paragraph two or three times to get the thought that the writer is trying to convey.
The B paper is always mechanically correct. The spelling is good, and the punctuation is accurate. Above all, the paper makes sense throughout. It has a thesis that is limited and worth arguing. It does not contain unexpected digressions, and it ends by keeping the promise to argue and inform that the writer makes in the beginning.
The A paper has all the good qualities of the B paper, but in addition it is lively, well paced, interesting, even exciting. The paper has style. Everything in it seems to fit the thesis exactly. It may have a proofreading error or two, or even a misspelled word, but the reader feels that these errors are the consequence of the normal accidents all good writers encounter. Reading the paper, we can feel a mind at work. We are convinced that the writer cares for his or her ideas, and about the language that carries them.
* If for some reason you receive a non-passing grade on one of the five essays, you will be able to revise the essay based on feedback. If the revision is sufficient and the essay meets criteria, the grade you earned will be changed.
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