ENGL 112: Introduction to Academic Writing
The Public University in the Age of “Austerity”: Corporatization, Critical Thinking, Civil Disobedience, Social Media & Surveillance
Instructor: Gillian Jerome
Office Hours: Mondays noon – 2 p.m.
Email: gillian.jerome@ubc.ca Office: Buchanan Tower 414
Phone: (604) 822-6106
Syllabus for English 112 04N, 11N, 14M, Winter 2016
Writing One’s Self into an Education:
The Public University in the Age of “Austerity”: Corporatization, Critical Thinking, Civil Disobedience, Social Media & Surveillance
“We were also forbidden to go to Don Achille’s, but she decided to go anyway and I followed. In fact, that was when I became convinced that nothing could stop her, and that every disobedient act contained breathtaking opportunities.”
–Elena Ferrante, My Brilliant Friend
In this class the most important work we have to accomplish is writing. To achieve this, we’re going to think and write about education—a very topical matter for everyone. The process of becoming educated, when examined critically, is not simply a sentimental right-of-passage: it’s a deeply social, historical and political experience, especially when it happens at the university—an institution very much embedded in the “real world.” You’re here at university to “become educated,” but what exactly does this phrase mean? What is this institution called “the university”? Who belongs here? Who call the shots? Who is excluded?
How is the university funded? How do these shifts in its funding impact how we think, what we do and the ways in which we engage civically?
Our focus in the first two weeks will be on the shifts in funding to public education, away from the Humanities and toward “for-profit” education that emphasizes “marketable skills” in such subjects as business and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). We’ll look at what’s happening to the funding of universities in North America and around the world. Next, we’ll talk about how our capacity to think and read critically influences both our personal and public lives, and our ability as citizens to engage politically and assert dissent when necessary. We’ll briefly discuss a working definition of civil disobedience, the history of student involvement in social movements and focus on contemporary social movements, whistle blowing and social media. Finally, we’ll examine both state and corporate intervention in social movements organized—at least in part—-on social media (Occupy, Idle No More, Arab Spring, etc.) and talk about domestic and global surveillance systems, the ways in which we’re being watched and how corporate and state surveillance impacts our daily lives, the ways in which we engage politically and the strength of our purported “democracies.”
Learning Objectives
By the end of the course you should be able to:
- write grammatically correct English sentences
- identify and practice a range of writing styles
- understand what it means to think critically and do so often
- appreciate the value of reading and read often
- read, summarize and evaluate literary and academic prose
- distinguish salient features of scholarly and non-scholarly writing
- Identify differences in the methods, citation practices, and vocabularies of different academic disciplines
- select and evaluate research from the UBC library and integrate this research in an academically responsible way
- write summaries, proposal/research paper, and essay exam that make appropriate use of the characteristic styles and citation practices of scholarly writing
Course Materials:
Concise Canadian Writer’s Handbook
Course pack for ENGL 112: Jerome
A notebook
Course Requirements:
Participation 5%
Assignment #1: Argument January 26 +27 15%
Assignment #2: Summary February 11+12 10%
Assignment #3: Extended Research Proposal March 21+22 30%
Assignment #4: Research Short Talks final two weeks 10%
Final Exam (common to all sections) April__ 30%
Course Policies
Participation and Attendance:
Communities thrive in direct relationship to the engagement of the people who participate in them. We will come alive as a classroom community if everyone shows up and engages in each day’s discussion and work. Writing is both social and personal; for this reason our classes rely on group discussions and workshops, although students are accountable for their individual work. Missed in-class assignments will result in a grade of “F” unless alternate arrangements are made in advance. In accordance with First Year English Policies, missing 40% of classes will result in suspension from the final exam.
You will be graded on your contributions to class discussion. You will earn a 5/5 if you come to class always prepared (having read all required readings) and contribute thoughtful comments AND questions to class discussions in such a way that brings other people into the conversation as opposed to speaking in such a way that shuts others out. You’ll earn a 4/5 for doing this most of the time. You’ll earn a 3/5 for doing this sometimes. You’ll earn a 2/5 for doing this inconsistently. You’ll earn a 1/5 for doing this when you feel like it. You’ll earn a 0 on 5 for not doing this at all.
Paper format:
To receive full credit, all written assignments must be submitted on time, in the proper format (on 8 1/2 x 11 paper, with proper margins, 12 pt Times New Roman font, 1.5 or double spaced, and with a title page indicating your name, my name, the course number and section and date on the bottom right corner of the page), and with the required supporting materials. Be sure to keep a copy of any papers you hand in to me, in the unlikely event that I lose one, you will be asked to supply another copy or re-write the assignment.
Grading Criteria:
Your work will be graded on content, organization, style and mechanics. Your essay work will be evaluated on the organization and development of argument, content (research, clarity of thought and critical thinking), and mechanics (style, grammar, punctuation, spelling and reference format). Essays will be graded according to the English Department’s grading standards and penalized 10% per day (including weekends) for late submissions unless you have a doctor’s note.
You cannot receive a passing grade in this course unless you have submitted all major assignments and completed the final exam. If you ever have questions about my comments, evaluations or your grades, see me right away; do not let problems fester.
Writing Requirements:
Writing in Class
What is the point in teaching you the skills and concepts necessary to a particular genre of writing without asking you to practice? As your instructor, I believe the most important work I can do is to stand back and let you write. To this end, I will assign several small writing exercises so that you can work towards the very difficult, life-long work of becoming a good writer. Some of these assignments will be graded, and others will be attached to your journals and kept for your own development and self-evaluation.
Commonplace Books
The world’s greatest artists and thinkers kept notebooks called commonplace books to record reading notes, ideas, quotations, poems, proverbs, recipes, speeches, observations and defintions. People used them commonly starting in the 17th century in England (and two centuries before that in Italy) to remember what they read and learned.
You will use your commonplace books inside and outside of class primarily to take notes while reading but also to express your thoughts, develop your ideas, and practice writing. You will be asked to bring this book to every class because you will often be asked to write during class time to practice writing skills. The writing work you do in this book in class is meant to prepare you for tests, essays and exams; more importantly, it’s your private space to learn to think, read and write in more meaningful ways. Don’t hesitate to experiment and take risks: I encourage it.
Essays
You will write three different kinds of assignments for this class. These writing assignments are like piano exercises: you may not always want to do them, but the sooner you get to them, the more time you have to think carefully and revise. So while you may not change the world by writing an essay, you may change your habits, expand your knowledge, learn new skills, and develop as a thinker and writer. That’s a lot to achieve in a short span of time.
The real work of writing is revising. I recommend that you write several drafts for every assignment. It’s also useful to go to the UBC Writing Centre (www.writingcentre.ubc.ca at 604-822-9564) and schedule time with a tutor well in advance of an assignment due date. Our workshops will allow you to exchange drafts with a classmate for feedback. You can also schedule an appointment with me at least a week or two before the essay is due.
Tutorial Sessions:
Everyone can benefit from a one-on-one consultation with a writing tutor. Log on to www.writingcentre.ubc.ca and click on the Tutoring Services link to find out about their FREE tutorials, as well as the various paid tutoring services on campus. For general enquiries, call them at 604-822-9564 or email writing.centre@ubc.ca. I will also distribute a list of Writing Tutors that have been trained by the Writing Centre; you can hire these tutors privately and you must pay.
Disabilities Accommodation:
Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations to fully participate in course activities or meet course requirements must register with the Disability Resource Center. If you qualify for services through DRC, bring your letter of accommodation to me as soon as possible and I will be happy to sit down with you to discuss a suitable arrangement.
Office Hours:
These are designed for your benefit: it’s amazing and true! Come by and see me in Room 414 of Buchanan Tower. It would be especially helpful to you and me to bring the work in question with you.
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is subject to disciplinary action by the University. Please see the Calendar on the definition of plagiarism and penalties. Plagiarism is easily avoided if you acknowledge all sources, whether you quote directly or use someone else’s basic ideas. Citation guidelines are available in the Concise Canadian Writer’s Handbook
Please note:
You will be required to submit your final research paper to TurnItIn.com, a plagiarism detection database used by professors to assist in finding stolen intellectual property.
Grades:
UBC English Department Grading System
Percent Letter Grade
90-100 A+
85-89 A
80-84 A-
76-79 B+
72-75 B
68-71 B-
64-67 C+
60-63 C
55-59 C-
50-54 D
00-49 F
An “A” Paper:
This paper must be fully focused on the topic and consistently strong in structure, content, expression, mechanics and presentation. If the paper is based on a text or if it draws material from other primary or secondary sources, it must include full documentation in the MLA style. An “A” paper should contain an original and credible argument in response to the topic.
A “B” Paper:
This paper must be well-focused on the topic; its thesis must be well-supported by convincing evidence and explanations. The structure of a “B” paper must be strong and clear; its thesis must be specific and significant. If this paper contains errors of expression, they must be occasional rather than chronic, and they must not obscure meaning. A “B” paper based on research must be accurately documented in the MLA style. The principal difference between an “A” paper and a “B” paper is the quality and the level of argument. A “B” paper is less adventurous than an “A”; it may tend to rely more heavily on materials and arguments raised in lectures and discussions than an “A” paper would.
A “C-D” Paper:
A paper at this level is generally clear in its expression, but it is weaker in content and/or structure than a “B” paper. Its thesis may be vague (but still on topic); its transitions may be inconsistent; its evidence may be occasionally unconvincing or incomplete. Language errors in this category will be more frequent than those at the “A” or “B” level, but they will not be so serious or so chronic that they make a paper difficult or impossible to understand.
An “F” Paper:
A paper at this level will suffer from one or more of the following serious flaws: it may be off topic; it may lack a thesis; it may lack clear and adequate development and paragraphing; it may be deficient in presentation of evidence; it may contain serious and repeated errors in sentence structure, diction and grammar—-errors that obscure meaning.
A Grade of Zero:
Any paper that does not give complete or accurate credit for directly quoted material OR for ideas and arguments that the student paraphrased from another source must receive a grade of zero.
*Please note that after every class lecture, class discussion, you’re encouraged to make notes in your Commonplace Book. Note-taking in your commonplace book while reading assigned readings is mandatory. This is where you’ll also record comments, observations and questions to share with the class.
| Class Content | Homework (to be read/written on date listed) |
| Week 1 January 4-8
Introduction + syllabus Close reading
Lecture #1: The Humanities Crisis: What It Is and Why We’re Studying It Aristotle’s Ethos, Pathos, Logos |
Alligator River Story Quick Harmless-Taboo Scenarios + discussion about how people think morally and politically
“Teaching the humanities: vital to society?” by Nussbaum (on-line) “Lost in the Meritocracy” by Walter Kirn (CP) “The Real Humanities Crisis Is Happening at Public Universities” by Hunter and Mohammed (on-line)
|
| Week 2 January 11-15
Lecture #2: Millenials: What “They Say about “You” Discussion of Nussbaum, Hunter and Mohammed, Kirn
Argument: Claims, Warrants, Support
|
Start researching for your letter. Read widely about one of three topics: 1. Corporatization of the Canadian University 2. The Construction of the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline 3. The Politics of Water in Canada 4. Canada’s Response to the Syrian Refugee Crisis or 5. A topic of your choice |
| Week 3 January 18-22
Inductive and Deductive Reasoning Fallacies How to structure an argument Letter preparation How to integrate research
|
“Universities Head for Extinction” by J.M. Coetzee (on-line) “Don’t Send Your Kids to the Ivy League” by Deresiewicz (on-line) “The Coddled Kids Are Alright” by John K. Wilson (on-line) |
| Week 4 January 25-29
Monday, January 25th: class cancelled
Argument Test for ENGL 112 11N and 14M: January 26 ENGL 112 04N: January 27
Lecture #3: Critical Thought and the Good Life The University as Research Community
|
Argument Test (outline, references, etc)
Read Academic Writing Chapter 1 Laurel-Johnson Black, “Stupid Rich Bastards” Bartholomae, “Inventing the University |
| Week 5 February 1-5
Feature #1: The Representation of the Research Process Discuss Bartholomae + LJB
Feature #2: Multiple Levels of Generality Summary: Levels of language and mapping Discuss Davison + Price
|
Read Academic Writing Chapter 1 (CP)
Academic Writing Chapter 2: Summary and Citation “How do We Rate?” by Davison and Price Homework: stress, RVers and Creoles |
| Week 6 February 8-12
Take up: stress, RVers and Creoles Note-taking and Framing Feature #3: Topic Identification and Restatement; Feature #4: Framing, summary, citation, documentation
Summary Test ENGL 112 04N: Feb. 12 ENGL 112 11N and 14M: Feb 11
|
Summary work in class Homework: Annotate Davison and Price for the elements of the research process.
SUMMARY TEST |
| Week 7 February 15-19
Winter break
|
Singelton-Jackson et al. “Students as Consumers: Are they Buying what We’re Selling?”
|
| Week 8 February 22-26
Feature #5: Critical Stance and the Knowledge Gap Bring a movie review to class. Annotate and discuss Davison and Price + Greenberger for elements plus critical stance. Begin critical summary.
Introduce parameters for the research proposal. Introduction to research skills using UBC’s library system. Methods for Conducting Research Proposals: Student Examples
|
UBC library tutorial Greenberger et al. “Self-Entitled College Students” Bring a SHORT Georgia Straight or Globe and Mail movie review to class along with Davison and Price. We are using these texts in a compare/contrast exercise
|
| Week 9 February 29-March 4
How to draft a critical summary of Davison and Price, Greenberger et al., Singleton-Jackson Feature #6: Agency
Feature #7 Definition We will look at various examples of how definition is used in scholarship. Feature #8 Modals Discussion of articles.
|
Thoreau, “Civil Disobedience” Research Project: Introduction, Research Objective |
| Week 10 March 7-11
Trouble shooting Student examples
Lecture #4: Changing Notions of Civic Engagement; Students in Social Movements
|
Ludlow, “The Banality of Systemic Evil” (on-line) Goodman, “Data and Goliath: Bruce Schneier on the Hidden Battles to Collect Your Data and Control Your World” (on-line)
Research Project: Critical Summary
|
| Week 11 March 14-18
Lecture #5: Students, Activism, Entitlement, Social Media and Surveillance Research Lab |
Hustinx et al, “Monitorial Citizens or Civic Omnivores? Repertories of Civic Participation Among University Students”
Research Project: Discussion
|
| Week 12 March 21-25
Research Lab
|
Research Project: Conclusion
RESEARCH PAPERS DUE
|
| Week 13 March 28- April 1
Research Short Talks @ 15 minutes maximum.
|
*Be sure to bring your Short Talk Rubric to class so that your presentation can be evaluated. |
| Week 14 April 4- April 8
Research Short Talks @ 15 minutes maximum.
Exam Review
|
Don’t book flights between April 12-17, 2015.
.
Recent Comments