NYU Professor Heiser Sylllabus Writing I FA21 PDF

Preview

Summary

this is the syllabus for Writing as Exploration from Professor Erin Heiser....

Description

New York University Liberal Studies Program Fall 2021 Instructor: Erin Heiser Email: [email protected] Course number: WREX-UF 101-064, TR 9:30AM-10:45AM Tuesdays and Thursdays WREX-UF 101-107, TR 11:00AM-12:15PM Tuesdays and Thursdays In Bobst LL 140 Weekly office hours: Wednesdays from noon to 1 PM Wednesdays from noon to 1 PM On Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83497508892 and Thursdays from 2-3 PM on Zoom: Join URL: https://nyu.zoom.us/j/97392255902

Or by appointment. You may join either session regardless of which section you’re in.

Writing I: Writing as Exploration. Welcome to Writing I. We are living through a very difficult time in our city, country, and world, and trying to adapt. In our class, we will prioritize intellectual nourishment, community, and humanity. If you have any concerns about the course or if there is any situation preventing you from participating, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Course Description: We begin from the premise that all writing is conversation and that no one writes in a vacuum. When writers write, they are joining a conversation already in progress. Throughout this course you will be considered a “writer.” Try to think of yourself as a writer even if it’s not a label you would normally ascribe to. Throughout the term, we will learn how to write about our own experiences and ideas and also how to respond to ideas others have voiced, as we reflect on ourselves, our own experiences, and the world around us (both the local and the global). Reading and writing are important companions. Our class discussions and our writing will be spurred by studying a variety of texts in different mediums or genres - texts that are chosen both by the professor and by the students themselves. Learning Objectives: Writing I has two main objectives: first, to develop your self-confidence and fluency by engaging you in the use of writing to express, explore, and develop ideas through a variety of forms, including both informal writing (free writing, online discussion forum

writing, etc.) and formal writing (essays); and second, to engage you in practicing the same kinds of critical and analytical skills you’ll use throughout your time at NYU. Throughout the course we will focus on the elements of effective writing, including the ability to craft sophisticated and nuanced essays. We will also learn to read texts with an eye towards analyzing them both for their content and also their structure. Course Meetings: This course will meet twice a week for an hour and fifteen minutes. These meetings are required and attendance will be taken every session. You will have weekly informal writing assignments that will be posted on our course site. In most cases these will be short - one or two paragraphs. Many times, I will ask you to respond to each other’s writing there. We will work on developing community both in the classroom and in our online space. This work is also required! Discussion and Writing Workshop: Your formal essays will go through multiple drafts with input from me as well as your peers. You will be asked to read your writing out loud in pairs or small groups throughout the semester. Throughout the term the sessions will be divided into various activities: Discussion time, Lesson time, Workshop time. This is NOT a lecture course. In other words, you are expected to participate fully every session. Sharing your own ideas and experiences and adding your voice to our discussions will enrich our class community. Course Website: https://app.perusall.com/courses/writing-1-writing-as-exploration/_/dashboard This course make use of the Perusall platform. Your homework and messages from me will be on this website. All the course readings and the discussion forums can be found there as well. The course does have a Bright Space site where you can access the syllabus and zoom links should you need to (in case you temporarily lose your Perusall username or password). I will post announcements and send emails from BS, but other than that, we will not be making much use of BS in this course. It is extremely important that you familiarize yourself with our course site and find out where everything is. This is where you will find your assignments and post your weekly homework, drafts and finished papers. (we will go over all of this in class together). Checking EMAIL AND the Course Site: Additionally, you are expected to check your NYU email AND our course site on a regular basis. (pretty much daily). Course Tools and Required Materials: You need to buy nothing for this class. Most texts for this class will be found on perusall.com. You can sign up here! https://app.perusall.com/home

Enter CODE: HEISER-799P2 to join our site. https://app.perusall.com/courses/writing-1-writing-as-exploration/_/dashboard We will read a variety of texts in different genres including texts by Langston Hughes, Ocean Vuong, Colson Whitehead, Debbie Irving, and more. We will also view chapters from the book, They Say/I Say: the Moves that Matter in Academic Writing by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein Grading Breakdown : Unit 1 -formal essay 20% 1st draft due 9/30, final draft due 10/5 Unit 2 -annotated bibliography 20% 1st draft due 10/21, final draft due 10/26 Unit 3 -genre of your choice 20% 1st draft due 11/23, final draft due 11/30 Final Reflection Essay 10% Due 12/7 Class Participation 30% (Discussion board work, In-class Exercises/class participation) Active participation in class discussions and the online discussion forum is crucial. Contributing thoughtful comments and questions to the class discussion in person and in the online forum, shows you’re making an effort. It’s important that you “show up” in these spaces because that is where the real learning occurs. In this class, you’re not learning how to write one particular paper, or how to do one particular thing, you are learning about the process of exploration through writing and reading—and researching and sharing ideas in conversation. How will class participation be graded? More or less, if you participate in the workshops and engage in conversation during class, both in person and online, you’ll get the credit. In terms of the discussion forum - you have to do it thoroughly and thoughtfully, and you have to do it in a timely manner. (If you’re having trouble with getting things done on time, please let me know.) Late Paper Policy: Major assignments are due during class time on the due date. If you are having difficulty completing a major assignment please talk to me before it is due. Revision Policy: Revising is a big part of this course. See “writing workshop” above. Students who receive a B or lower on their papers may revise for a better grade. Required texts: There are no texts to be purchased for this course. All texts will be made available to you through our course site. Grade range: http://www.nyu.edu/students/student-information-andresources/registration-records-and-graduation/transcripts-certifications-

grades/grades.html A Excellent A- Excellent B+ Very Good B Good B- Good C+ Satisfactory C Satisfactory C- Acceptable D Not an acceptable, passing grade in the GLS program F Failing A = 100-93 A- = 92-90 B+ = 89-86 B = 85-83 B- = 82-80 C+ = 79-76 C = 75-70 D = 69-60 F = 59 Course Rules and University Policies: Absence Policy If you plan to miss any classes for religious observance this semester, please let me know their dates by the end of the first week of the term. You will not in any way be penalized for such absences, but I may require you to submit any work due for these classes in advance. Students who are subject to a mandatory quarantine should speak to me as soon as possible about the possibility of switching to remote learning during the quarantine period. In accordance with program policy: Please furnish me with a written explanation if you miss more than two consecutive classes. If you miss more than four classes for reasons besides religious observance, your Class Participation grade will fall. ‘Once you incur 4 unexcused absences, you will be deducted 5 points off your Class Participation grade for each subsequent unexcused absence. Be aware that I will contact the Advising Office to make further inquiries should you miss four consecutive classes. You cannot pass the course if you miss six classes for any reason (excluding religious observance). Please note that habitual tardiness is a problem and can influence your class participation grade. Respect

Whether we’re discussing in the classroom or on the online forum, respect is of the utmost importance. Please remember to be kind. It’s perfectly acceptable to disagree or challenge each other as long as it’s done respectfully and in the spirit of moving the discussion forward.

Academic Integrity Plagiarism is the word-for-word reproduction of another writer’s work or ideas; paraphrasing without proper attribution also constitutes plagiarism. Neither will be tolerated in this class. Please see the discussion of plagiarism in the Academic Integrity Guide for more detailed information. Penalties for plagiarism range from a failing grade for a paper or a course to dismissal from the University. Plagiarism is not, however, the only form of academic dishonesty:  Any violation of or attempt to circumvent a course, program, or university academic policy is considered a breach of academic integrity. Examples include, but are not limited to, cheating on an examination; attempting to gain an unfair advantage over other students on graded work; or facilitating any of these acts on the part of other students.  In addition, course materials such as syllabi, assignments, and test questions belong to the instructor and may not be reproduced or shared in any fashion without the instructor’s explicit written permission; failure to do so without written permission constitutes a punishable breach of academic integrity.  Should remote instruction become necessary, remote learning on online platforms includes a commitment NOT to: 1) record video or audio, 2) take screenshots, or 3) quote texts or chats from the course without explicit consent from the instructor and fellow students. It forbids capturing, reposting, sharing, or distributing in any form other participants' conversations, opinions, or course materials (including presentations, quizzes, and exams). The penalty for plagiarism and other violations of academic integrity in this class will result in a failing grade. Third-Party Software In this class, we will be using the Perusall platform. The use of this software is for educational purposes only. This is a third party software, which means that it is not an NYU-supported service that has data privacy, FERPA, and security protections in place (like your NYU Gmail, NYU Brightspace, etc.). I will structure assignments so that no highly sensitive information is needed to use the tool, but please note that we are subject to the terms of use set by the platform's developer: https://app.perusall.com/legal/terms If you have any concerns about the platform, please let me know as soon as possible. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

Liberal Studies shares NYU’s commitment to “an inclusive community in which every member feels they have a rightful place, is welcome and respected, and is supported in their endeavors.” We expect students to work toward this shared goal. You are invited to bring forward any concerns about diversity, equity, or inclusion to your instructor, your advisor, or other faculty member. For further resources that might be useful to you, see https://liberalstudies.nyu.edu/content/nyu-as/liberalstudies/student-life/diversity-equityinclusion.html, and NYU’s resource page: https://www.nyu.edu/students/studentdiversity---inclusion.html. Bias Response Line The Bias Response Line (BRL) provides a mechanism through which members of our community may share experiences and concerns regarding instances of bias, discrimination, or harassing behavior that occur within our community. The BRL is located in the Office of Equal Opportunity and will be monitored by experienced administrators. NYU students, faculty, administrators, and staff may report incidents to the BRL by calling 212-998-2277 or emailing [email protected]. Wellness Exchange The Wellness Exchange is the University's extensive health and mental health resources designed to address your needs. You can call a private hotline 212-443-9999, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which will put you in touch with a professional who can help to address day-to-day challenges as well as other health-related concerns. These might include medical issues, academic stress, depression, sexual assault, anxiety, alcohol and other drug dependence, sexually transmitted infections, eating disorders, and others. Student Accessibility Students who believe that they may need accessibility accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the Moses Center for Student Accessibility at (212) 998-4980 as soon as possible to better ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. For more information, see the Moses Center website: https://www.nyu.edu/students/communities-and-groups/student-accessibility.html. The Writing Center Students who feel they could benefit from additional writing help are encouraged to utilize the NYU Writing Center, which will be open for both remote and in-person consultations. In-Classroom Safety Protocols Students must adhere to all NYU safety protocols in the classroom, including mandatory mask-wearing, social distancing, and completing a daily COVID screener on the day of class. You will also be assigned a seat for the duration of the term at the beginning of the semester. Please consult the NYU Returns website, the Classrooms and Classes page, and the Provost’s Communication to the Faculty for the Fall 21 Semester for further information. Remote Instruction Contingency Plan

In the event that the university mandates a switch to an all-remote mode partway through the semester, we will initially plan on meeting as a full class over Zoom during our regularly scheduled class period. I will email the class as soon as possible to confirm these details and the Zoom link. Following that first class meeting, further modifications to the weekly schedule during the period of remote instruction will be posted to NYU Brightspace as needed. A switch to fully remote instruction will not change the assessment components or percentages on which your final grade will be based, though it is possible that the format of certain assignments will need to be adapted for a fully remote environment. Any such modifications will be communicated to the class ahead of time. Schedule of major assignments due: Unit 1 -formal essay 1st draft due 9/30, final draft due 10/5 Unit 2 -annotated bibliography 1st draft due 10/21, final draft due 10/26 Unit 3 -genre of your choice 1st draft due 11/23, final draft due 11/30 Final Reflection Essay Due 12/7...