E N G L I S H 150.

023 C O M P O S I T I O N II
MEDGAR EVERS COLLEGE
THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
SPRING 2010
Professor: Erin Harte
Class Time and Location: Tuesdays and Thursdays – 4:55 P.M. -6:05 PM, S 208
Office Hours: Thursdays – 2:00PM-4:00PM, and by appointment, 1015 N
Email: eharte@brooklyn.cuny.edu
Class website: www.eharte.weebly.com

Course Description:
This New York City-themed course aims to further develop the critical thinking,
reading, writing and research skills introduced in English 112. We will write research
papers using both the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the American
Psychological Association (APA) styles. The course will have three sections – Where
We Live, Who We Are and Where We’re From. Each section aims to give a voice
and a context to us as individuals and as a community of New Yorkers. The goal for
each of the readings is to consider the larger framework of narrative – what makes
up who we are? Through reading, analyzing and discussing various texts / media,
along with independent research, we'll learn how we might put our own narratives
on the page.

Objectives:
• Analyze, discuss and write about a range of disciplines using appropriate terms
• Carry out primary & secondary research and apply conventions of MLA & APA
documentation styles
• Summarize, quote and paraphrase assigned readings & research materials,
avoiding plagiarism
• Analyze literal & figurative language and use concrete and abstract reasoning
effectively
• Make statements of fact and provide and evaluate evidence and reasoning for
such statements
• Work effectively as a member of a learning community engaged in intellectual
dialogue
• Analyze and interpret the themes of the course and make connections across
disciples

Participation and Attendance:

We will function best and enjoy ourselves the most if we are a collaborative
community. This course requires extensive reading, writing and discussion, so your
attendance factors heavily into your participation grade. The Internet and posting to
our class website are integral are integral parts of this class. If you are not prepared
to do extensive writing, to actively participate in class discussions and small-group
work, or to utilize the technology required, this might not be the class for you.

Grading:
Participation – 20% - (Attendance, discussion, posting 10 reading responses to
discussion board, completion of in-class writing assignments)
Presentation - 10%
Small Writings & Small Writing Responses – 10% - (3 small Writings and 21
online responses –respond to 7 students per Small Writing Assignment)
Essays – 30%
Final Research Paper – 15%

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 E N G L I S H 150.023 C O M P O S I T I O N II
MEDGAR EVERS COLLEGE
THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
SPRING 2010
Source Sheets – 5%
Midterm Exam – 10%

Reading Responses / Discussion Groups

You must post responses to 10 of the readings on the class discussion board.
Responses should be approximately 200 words and will be graded for completion,
not content. However, your response should indicate you have read the material.
You may choose to respond to any of the readings over the course of the semester,
but to get credit for a response, you must post your response before we discuss
the reading in class. That means, you can’t do all 10 the last week of class. Plan
ahead. Additionally, I will assign you to discussion groups. When it is your group’s
turn, come to class prepared to fully discuss one paragraph of one of the readings
for that date.
Course Materials:
Most of the readings for this class are available on our class website:
www.eharte.weebly.com. Links to the readings or media are provided. You should
complete the readings and prepare to discuss them BY the dates on the syllabus.
You are responsible for printing and bringing to class copies of any texts below
that not in our books or course packets. The only exceptions to this will be a few
selections on Google Books or the audio-visual media and I will tell you in class if it
constitutes an exception to the always print-it policy.

Some of the readings come from: Lopate, Phillip, Editor, Writing New York: A
Literary Anthology. Available at the MEC bookstore and on reserve, and partially
online.

Other Books and Materials Include:

• Diaz, Junot The Breif and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
• Hacker, Diana, A Writer’s Reference, 6th edition. Available at the MEC bookstore.
• A notebook to use as a journal
• Looseleaf paper, for in-class assignments
• A dictionary
• A folder to use as a portfolio (and to hold handouts!)
• Details Matter

Assignments:
All papers must be typed, double-spaced, in 12pt. Times New Roman font, with one-
inch margins. Please include your name, the course number and section, and the
date at the top of the first page, with page numbers on all following pages. No
cover or title pages are necessary. All papers must be submitted in hardcopy. I
will not accept papers via email. I accept late papers only one (1) class after
the due date. However, this paper will automatically be dropped a letter grade.
Beyond that, I will not accept late papers. Being absent is not an excuse for a late
paper – but, please note that I would prefer you come to class without a paper and
turn it in a day late, than to miss class because you don’t have your paper. If you
miss a class, please check the class web site to ensure you are prepared for the
next class or email me if you have questions. Whenever a graded paper is returned
to you, and you have any questions or would like to discuss your work, please feel
free to visit me during my office hours.

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 E N G L I S H 150.023 C O M P O S I T I O N II
MEDGAR EVERS COLLEGE
THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
SPRING 2010

Midterm/Final:
You are required to take 2 departmental tests: a midterm and a final exam. These
are based on readings I will give you prior to the exam. You must pass the final
exam in order to pass the class, however passing the exam does not
guarantee a passing grade for the class.

CUNY PROFICIENCY EXAMINATION: If you have completed between 45-60 credits, you are
required to sit and pass the CUNY Proficiency Exam (CPE). You have only three
chances to do so. Each scheduled exam after you have reached 45 credits counts
as a failure if you do not sit for the exam. For more information about this
requirement and a schedule of workshops, please contact Ms. Ray Bartholomew.
Her office is room B-2039-A; her telephone number is 718.270.5137; her email is
rbartholomew@mec.cuny.edu.

PLAGIARISM: I will not tolerate plagiarism in my classroom. If you plagiarize an essay,

you will receive an automatic F and be in danger of failing the course. Plagiarism is
the presentation of someone else’s ideas, words or artistic, scientific, or technical
work as one’s own creation. Using the idea or work of another is permissible only
when the original author is identified. Paraphrasing and summarizing, as well as
direct quotations, require citations to the original source. Plagiarism may be
intentional or unintentional. Lack of dishonest intent does not necessarily absolve a
student of responsibility for plagiarism.
Syllabus: Researching and Writing About Our Lives

Please note that we will do our best to follow this schedule. However, it may change throughout the semester and readings may be
supplemented. If you miss a class, please check our class website, send me an email or ask a classmate about the assignment.

Readings will be discussed in class on the dates listed below, so you should have printed and read them prior to our class. Be sure to
find and print the readings early to avoid last-minute problems. You must bring a copy of the reading with you to class. Homework
listed below are due the following class.
Week Date Assignment
1 1/28 Introduction – Review Syllabus – Interview

Homework: Purchase texts and journal - post comment on course website

Where We Live
2 2/2 Keller, Helen – I Go Adventuring – p. 505
Kazin, Alfred – A Walker in The City – p.731 -737 or
Link for part 1 and Link for part 2

Homework: Source Sheets: Neighborhood

2/4 Auster, Paul – Auggie Wren’s Christmas Story or Audio
Runyon, Damon – Sense of Humor p. 604

Homework: Small Writing One

3 2/9 Atlantic Avenue Tunnel
Flatbush Dutch Reformed Church Graveyard

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 E N G L I S H 150.023 C O M P O S I T I O N II
MEDGAR EVERS COLLEGE
THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
SPRING 2010
Architecture as Community Service: The African Burial Ground

Homework: Small Writing One Comments

2/11 Neighborhood Presentations
4 2/16 Neighborhood Presentations– 1st Paper Due
2/18 No Class. All Medgar Evers Classes Follow a Monday Schedule
Who We Are
5 2/23 Didion, Joan - Goodbye to All That p. 886
Fitzgerald, F. Scott – My Lost City p. 569

Homework: Small Writing Two

2/25 Wharton, Edith – The Background p. 580
Kincaid, Jamaica – “Putting Myself Together” – New Yorker, link TK

Homework: Small Writing Two Comments

6 3/2 Quindlen, Anna - Homeless
McKibben, Bill - Homeless Men

Homework: Source Sheets

3/4 Twain, Mark - "Personals" vs. Craigslist
This American Life and Overheard in NY

Homework: Final Research Paper Proposal Due

7 3/9 Kine, Starlee – Unkindness of Strangers
Greenberg, David – Where Have All the Looters Gone?

3/11 2nd Paper Due (Draft) – Bring 2 Copies to Class for Peer Review - Writing Workshop
8 3/16 Film: Lee, Spike - 'Do The Right Thing'

2nd Paper Due (Revision/Final Version)

3/18 Film: Lee, Spike - 'Do The Right Thing'

9 3/23 Review Midterm Exam Readings – To Be Distributed in Class and Online

3/25 Midterm
10 3/30 No Class – Spring Break
4/1 No Class – Spring Break
Where We’re From
11 4/6 Hooks, Bell – Writing Autobiography – link TK
Beatty, Paul – What Set You From, Fool

Homework: Source Sheets

4/8 Tuchman, Gaye & Harry G. Levine, Safe Treyf: New York Jews and Chinese

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 E N G L I S H 150.023 C O M P O S I T I O N II
MEDGAR EVERS COLLEGE
THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
SPRING 2010
Food
Trillin, Calvin – Local Bounty: Grandfather Knows Best

Homework: Small Writing Three

12 4/13 Danticat, Edwidge - "We Are Ugly, But We Are Here"
Danticat on Writing – link TK

Homework: Small Writing Three Comments

4/15 Kothari, Geeta - "If You Are What You Eat, Then What Am I?"
Lee, Chang Rae – Coming Home Again
13 4/20 3rd Essay Draft – Bring 2 Copies to Class for Peer Review
Writing Workshop
4/21 No class - Last Day to Drop Class with a W Grade
4/22 3rd Essay Final Draft Due
14 4/27 Diaz, Junot – The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Novel)
4/29 Diaz, Junot – The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Novel)
15 5/4 Diaz, Junot – The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Novel)
5/6 Review Final Exam Readings – To Be Distributed in Class and Online
16 5/11 Review Final Exam Readings – To Be Distributed in Class and Online
5/13 Last Day – Research Paper Due - Final Exam Readings – To Be Distributed in Class and
Online
TBD Exit Exam

EXPECTATIONS FOR WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS

The A Paper
The A paper is lively, well paced, interesting, even exciting. The paper has style and
sentence variance. Everything in it seems to fit the thesis exactly, but it does more
than just support the thesis, it discusses it. Good writing is like having a
conversation at a coffee shop – don’t try to be overly formal, tell me the story in
your voice and infuse it with your opinions. You’ll have to support those opinions,
but make it your own. It may have a proofreading error or two, or even a misspelled
word, but these should, for the most part be the normal accidents all good writers
encounter. Reading the paper, I should be able to tell that you’ve thought about the
work you’re discussing and that you care about how you’re discussing it.

The B Paper
The B paper has an agenda, and it approaches the discussion of that agenda in a
well-organized way that’s fully supported by evidence or opinions. Some of the
sentences may not be as finely crafted as those of an A paper, but the writing
should be clear, and the thought should feel like it flows naturally. The paragraphs
may be unwieldy now and then, but they’re organized around one main idea. I
should be able to read through this paper and understand what the writer is trying
to convey. It should be mechanically correct, including accurate spelling and
punctuation. Again, papers shouldn’t be sloppy, but a mistake or two won’t ruin
your grade.

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 E N G L I S H 150.023 C O M P O S I T I O N II
MEDGAR EVERS COLLEGE
THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
SPRING 2010
The C Paper
The C paper has a thesis, but one that’s vague or broad. Most thesis worth arguing
are something that you find interesting and C paper might have a thesis like “Jane
Austen wrote some novels about women,” or “New York is an interesting city.” The
thesis in the C paper might by expressing an idea but doesn’t justify, support or
refute it. Personal opinion is often the engine that drives an argument, but opinion
by itself is never sufficient. It must be defended. The C paper needs more evidence
or the evidence doesn’t appropriately support or flow with the argument, or it lacks
evidence altogether. Even if it has a clear and interesting thesis, a paper with
insufficient supporting evidence will be a C paper. The C paper often has
mechanical faults, errors in grammar and spelling, but please note: a paper without
such flaws may still be a C paper.

The Unsatisfactory Paper*

There is little indication that the writer understands the material being presented or
hasn’t sufficiently engaged with the material for purposes of discussion. The
paragraphs don’t have a logical flow, meaning that the ideas don’t develop from
one sentence to the next. This paper may contain repeated ideas in slightly
different language. The D or F paper is filled with mechanical faults, errors in
grammar, and errors in spelling.

* Grading criteria adapted from a list by Lewis Hyde, edited by Sue Lonoff, with
thanks to Richard Marius's writing handbook. Copyright © 2002, 2003 by the
President and Fellows of Harvard College.