Merwin-ENG 101-Section 22 PDF

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ENG 101: VOICES: WRITING WORLDS OF PERCEPTION ENG 101; Section 22 Course Dates: Aug 20 – November 24 In-person Sessions: Tu 13:00-14:15 Zoom Sessions: Th 13:00-14:15 Classroom: Math & Science Center - N304 Course Zoom Link: https://emory.zoom.us/j/97228807485

Dr. Christopher D. Merwin [email protected] (I respond within 24-48 hours) Office: Callaway N207 Student Hours: https://calendly.com/christophermerwin/prof-merwin-office-hours Zoom Office Hours: https://emory.zoom.us/j/9231766167

COURSE DESCRIPTION How do we find ourselves through our writing? How do we perceive the world of others through their writings? How, as philosopher Walter Benjamin suggests, does our writing capture not only our thought, but also our interpersonal, institutional, and eco-social relations? Can we, as philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty believes, use language and writing to learn more about ourselves? This writing-intensive course aims to explore the theme of self-reflection, identity, and (self-)description through selected readings in philosophy, literature, contemporary journalism, poetry, tribal histories, memoires, and academic articles. We will read and respond to a variety of different writers who write in different modalities about themes of race, disability, sovereignty, and colonialism. Throughout the course we will develop and hone our own methods and styles of selfdescription while interrogating the ethical and social impacts that writing brings to bear. This class meets once per week in-person and once per week virtually via Zoom or an other online platform. You will also be responsible for engaging in online discussions and videos through the course’s Canvas site.

LEARNING OUTCOMES • • • •

Compose texts in multiple genres, using multiple modes with attention to rhetorical situations. Summarize, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate the experiences of others as you undertake in order produce your own self-expression. Practice writing as a process, recursively implementing strategies of research, drafting, revision, editing, and reflection. Understand writing as a complex process which improves our understanding of context, transforms our perspectives, deepens our understanding, and strengthens our connection to our communities and each other.

COURSE QUESTIONS

• How does our writing, and other modes of (self-) description, act as a prompt for self-reflection? How does describing our experiences serve to connect us to others? • How do questions of identity, community, inclusivity, and exclusivity impact our writing? Our reading? How does writing act as a vehicle for identity and community? • How does the writing and self-expression of others transform our own perspectives and self-understanding?

Philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty

COURSE FORMAT

This course has a blended in-person (synchronous) and online (asynchronous) format. We will meet: In-person, on campus, in Math & Science Center - N304, every Tuesday, from 1:00 to 2:15, from August 25th through November 24th. • Online, every Thursday, from 1:00 to 2:15, via https://emory.zoom.us/j/97228807485?pwd=ZWNqTVpaOTIyUVlMbHpGd2NaSHk5Q T09 • Our Zoom meeting passcode: 966520

•

From left to right: author Ta-nehisi Coates, author Deborah Miranda, and chef David Chang.

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REQUIRED TEXTS & RESOURCES 1. In the Bookstore Lunsford, Andrea A., Michal Brody, Lisa S. Ede, Beverly J. Moss, Carole Clark Papper, and Keith Walters. Everyone's an Author. Third edition. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2020. ISBN-13: 978-0393420814 2. Coates, Ta-Nehisi. Between the World and Me. New York: Random House, 2015. ISBN-13: 978-0812993547 3. Merleau-Ponty, Maurice. The World of Perception. New York: Routledge, 2004. ISBN-13: 978-0415773812 4. Miranda, Deborah A. Bad Indians: A Tribal Memoir. Berkeley, Calif.: Heyday, 2013. ISBN-13: 978-1597142014 5. Recommended, but not required. Lysaker, John T. Philosophy, Writing, and the Character of Thought. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2018. ISBN-13: 978-0226569567

Other materials will be made available either via Canvas or library course reserves.

COURSE TECHNOLOGY 1. Emory Canvas: https://canvas.emory.edu/courses/81036 2. Emory Zoom: https://emory.zoom.us/ You will need to log in with your Emory NetID for each of these. You will also need a version of Microsoft Word (only), Adobe Reader, and an up to date web browser, reliable internet, and a computer with speakers, microphone, and webcam. See the Emory Student Technology Recommendations. http://it.emory.edu/studentdigitallife/support/tech-recs.html You can find information on software discounts for Emory students here: https://it.emory.edu/catalog/computer-and-software/software-distribution.html

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GRADING & ASSIGNMENTS Several of the following assignments have multiple components, including written reflections. I will provide detailed assignment sheets well in advance of due dates, and we will discuss all assignments in class. Please note that our schedule may change (and thus the due dates listed below may change) as the semester progresses. I will inform you of such changes in class and via the course website. Assignment Reflective Writing & Literacy Narrative

% of Grade

Due Date

10%

•

Draft

Sep 3

•

Revision

Sep 8

“Home Cooking” Project

20%

•

Proposal

Sep 15

•

First Draft

Sep 17

•

Second Draft

Oct 6

•

Final

Oct 13

Bad Indians Presentation

20%

•

Draft

Oct 27

•

Final

Nov 3

Autoethnography

15%

•

Draft

Nov 17

•

Revision

Nov 24

Reflections

10%

Throughout

Participation & Informal Writing Assignments (In-class; Canvas Discussion Boards, etc.)

5%

Throughout

Portfolio, Revision, and Reflection Letter

20%

Final Exam Week

(Weights are subject to minor revision if necessary)

Reflective Writing & Literacy Narrative. This exercise is designed to help you express your own views and understanding of what writing and literacy is. What is writing for you? How do ideas like genre, audience, and rhetorical situation enter into your thinking about writing? How do you process your own sense of self through your writing? “Home Cooking” Project. Food is more than mere sustenance, food provides us with comfort, reminds us of home and our community, carries oral tradition and history, and says something about both 4

our environment and culture(s). After watching episode 3 “Home Recipes” of chef David Chang’s Netflix show Ugly Delicious, you will compose a video presentation which reflects on how you relate to food. Your presentation must consist of twenty different slides, each lasting exactly 20 seconds, for a total of 6 minutes and 40 seconds (a PechaKucha). Following the format of the Ugly Delicious episode, you will tell a story about some aspect of food as it describes you as a person and the various social, cultural, and historical nexuses which link you to your culinary choice. You are encouraged to be as creative as possible with the project and can include music, interviews, images, drawings, etc. but your presentation must have exactly 20 “slides” and may not be longer than 6 minutes and 40 seconds. Bad Indians Presentation. In small groups of three, you will collaboratively lead a presentation on our course textbook Bad Indians. Your group presentation must include a visual aid (PowerPoint or other), and should provide both a summary and a thesis or claim from the book. Additionally you will need to provide an explanation of the significance of the claim (why does it matter?), textual evidence and analysis, and broader connections to the themes of this course. Autoethnography. The theme of our course will culminate in a 6-8 page Autoethnography. This multimodal assignment may, and should, make use of self-reflective writing, academic articles, interviews, and should provide a self-reflective description of you from a variety of different authorial standpoints. You must propose and discuss your plan for your Autoethnography with me first. Arrangements will be made during the semester for each student to meet and discuss their ideas for their project. Reflections. Throughout the semester you will have the opportunity to provide three (3) reflections on both the readings and your own writing. These reflections are short (600-900 word), thoughtful, encounters that show both your ability to analyze the readings, the author and their style, and express yourself as a writer. Each of the reflections is tied to the major units of readings throughout the course. Participation & Informal Writing Assignments. Full attendance is essential. Aside from documented absences for school-related activities or religious holidays, you may miss three classes without incident. For every class you miss after the three, I’ll lower your participation score by 10 percent. If you miss any class periods as a result of the Add/Drop/Swap period, you are responsible for completing all reading and writing assignments from that time. Meet with me if you feel your situation warrants an exception to the course attendance policy. Bring appropriate documentation to our meeting. You will be asked to provide short responses to your peers or some of the readings on online fora throughout the semester. Doing so in a timely, thoughtful, and constructive manner is part of what good citizenship and participation entails. Portfolio, Revision, and Reflection Letter. The culminating writing project of this course will be to produce a writing portfolio of your work and learning over the semester. It will include a reflection letter that explains your theory of writing and how you came to that theory by achieving the learning outcomes of this course. N.B.: keep all drafts of all writing for the construction of your portfolio and as evidence for your theory of writing. An important part of this reflection process is learning how to think, talk, and write about writing in ways that will enable you to apply (or transfer) your learning from this 5

course to other contexts in which you communicate. To facilitate this metacognition, you will learn and use a set of rhetorical key terms throughout the semester as you reflect on the assignments you complete in this course.

Grading Scale A BD+

100-94 80-82 69-67

AC+ D

93-90 79-76 66-64

B+ C F

89-87 75-73 63 or lower

B C-

86-83 72-70

If you have concerns about a grade, I ask you to explain those in an email to the instructor. The email should articulate why you think your grade was not adequate.

Rubric I use a detailed rubric developed by Prof. Micah Lewin for assessing long form papers. You can see the criteria for this assessment in his extremely detailed grading rubric, here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8bgHt_KMbvAcjgxTG9zNGdVQVE

Emory professor (emeritus) Rosemarie Garland-Thomson (left) and poet Joshua Jennifer Espinoza (right).

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COURSE POLICIES Respect for Diversity. I am firmly committed to diversity and equality in all areas of campus life. In this class I will work to promote an anti-discriminatory environment where everyone feels safe and welcome. I recognize that discrimination can be direct or indirect and take place at both institutional and personal levels. I believe that such discrimination is unacceptable and I am committed to providing equality of opportunity for all by eliminating any and all discrimination, harassment, bullying, or victimization. The success of this policy relies on the support and understanding of everyone in this class. We all have a responsibility not to participate in or condone harassment or discrimination of any kind. Class rosters are provided me with students’ legal names. I will gladly honor your request to address you by a name or gender pronoun of your choosing. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records. Attendence: Attendance is essential. Aside from documented absences for school-related activities or religious holidays, you may miss three classes without incident. For every class you miss after the, three, your grade by one-third of a letter. If you miss any class periods because of Add/Drop/Swap period, you are responsible for completing all reading and writing assignments from that time. Meet with me if you feel your situation warrants an exception to the course attendance policy. Bring appropriate documentation to our meeting. Nettiquette. Just as you would in a physical classroom, you can expect to be treated (and so you should also treat others) with respect. This means that everyone is expected to listen and engage meaningfully with others in an orderly and polite manner. You should avoid misspellings, poor grammar, abbreviated words (like “u” for “you”), and emojis in your online posts. Our aim is to recognize and treat one another as professionals, both in person and online. You can find Emory’s netiquette guide here: http://college.emory.edu/oisp/remoteteaching/documents/netiquette.pdf Electronics. Since we are composing multimodally throughout the course, you are encouraged to bring to class and operate laptops, tablets, and smart phones. That said, I reserve the right to ask particular students to put devices away if they become distractions. Students found to be using their devices for purposes unrelated to the classroom will be counted absent for the day. Paper Drafts. I am happy to look over paper drafts in advance of the due date (first two paragraphs for thesis and argument structure). However, no student work will be read the day before an assignment is due. Communication. Email is the best way to contact me if you have questions or concerns. Generally, I will respond to all student email within 24 hours (although on weekends and holidays, it may take a little longer). Likewise, there may be instances when I will need to contact you by email. It is your responsibility to check your Emory-based email account at least once every 24 hours on weekdays. When you e-mail me, please include “ENG 101” in the subject of the e-mail. You should compose your e-mail professionally—i.e., you should employ a formal tone of voice, proofread for

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grammatical and spelling errors, and include both a formal salutation and closing including your name. E-Mail Submissions. For whatever reason, should you send me a file as an attachment over e-mail, please title it with your last name and the assignment name, number, &/or type. Ideally it would look something like: “You_Last_Name_Final_Paper_.docx”. Please do not send me a link to a cloud-based file but the actual file itself. Late work. All assignments are due by the time and date specified. I will not accept late work without granting advance permission via email, and permission is not guaranteed. Even with advance arrangement, late work will cause your grade for the assignment to decrease by one letter grade for each class period the assignment is late. Meet with me if you feel your situation warrants an exception to this rule. Bring appropriate documentation to this meeting. Office Hours. Please notify me in advance (in person or by e-mail) of your intentions to consult with me in office hours. While I am typically in my office for “drop-ins,” during busy times of the semester, I can assign you a specific time slot and avoid any waiting. Writing Assistance. Tutors in the Emory Writing Center are available to support Emory College students as they work on papers, discussion posts, websites, and other projects. Writing Center tutors work on idea development, structure, use of sources, grammar, and word choice. They do not proofread for students. Instead, they discuss strategies and resources students can use as they write, revise, and edit their own work. Tutors also support the literacy needs of English Language Learners; several tutors are ELL Specialists, who have received additional training. The Writing Center is located in Callaway N111. Fall hours are Mon-Thurs 11am-8pm, Fri 11am-5pm, and Sun 12-8pm. Learn more about the Writing Center and make an appointment through the EWC website: http://www.writingcenter.emory.edu/. Please review tutoring policies before your visit. A maximum of 2 appointments are allowed each week. Students need to bring hard copies of drafts to their appointments. Honor Code Statement. The Honor Code is in effect throughout the semester. By taking this course, you affirm that it is a violation of the code to cheat on exams, to plagiarize, to deviate from the teacher's instructions about collaboration on work that is submitted for grades, to give false information to a faculty member, and to undertake any other form of academic misconduct. You agree that the instructor is entitled to move you to another seat during examinations, without explanation. You also affirm that if you witness others violating the code you have a duty to report them to the honor council. Citation and Plagiarism. Student work is expected to be of original creation. For proper citation procedure, see: http://guides.main.library.emory.edu/c.php?g=49955&p=323972. For this class, it is sufficient to parenthetically note in the body of your essay the text title and page number. If you are interested in learning more about proper citation for this course, you are encouraged to look here: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org.proxy.library.emory.edu/tools_citationguide.html. It is always better to turn in an essay of your own creation, however last minute, than to plagiarize. All cases of plagiarism will be reported to the authorities. For further questions or clarification, please ask. 8

Counseling Services. Free and confidential counseling services and support are available from the Emory Counseling Center (404) 727-7450. This can be an invaluable resource when stress makes your work more challenging than it ought to be. http://studenthealth.emory.edu/cs/ Disability Assistance. Emory University makes reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. Students should provide documentation to the Access, Disabilities Services and Resources Office in 110 Administration Building of their disability related needs. For guidelines and information, please contact by email: [email protected]. Accessibility and Accommodations. I strive to create an inclusive learning environment for all. I am invested in your success in this class and at Emory, so please let me know if anything is standing in the way of your doing your best work. This can include your own learning strengths, any classroom dynamics that you find uncomfortable, ESL issues, disability or chronic illness, and/or personal issues that impact your work. I will hold such conversations in strict confidence. The Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) works with students who have disabilities to provide reasonable accommodations. It is the responsibility of the student to register with OAS. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive and that disability accommodations are not provided until an accommodation letter has been processed. Students registered with OAS who have a letter outlining their academic accommodations, are strongly encouraged to coordinate a meeting time with your professor that will be best for both to discuss a protocol to implement the accommodations as needed throughout the semester. This meeting should occur as early in the semester as possible. Contact the Office of Accessibility Services for more information at (404) 7279877 or accessibility@emo...