ENG 102

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An Open Letter to Public School Teachers: We Apologize

Your profession has been vilified, scapegoated, mined for profit, and deprofessionalized. On behalf of graduates of public schools, parents of children in public schools, those who value public education and teachers unions, we apologize....

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Essay #3: The Open Letter or Critical Letter to the Contrary Faction

o·pen let·ter (noun):a critical letter directed at a specific individual or representative of a group but intended for publication/wide distributed

often polemical in nature; in other words, a contentious argument that is intended to establish the truth of a specific understanding and the falsity of the contrary position.

derived from the Greek polemikos, meaning warlike, hostile

To reiterate, an open letter is a vehicle for…

vehemently critiquing something you find appalling

specifically, arguing the absurdity/falsity of the appalling behavior/person  (while bolstering your own position)

In order to write an opinionated, critical, and persuasive letter to the opposition, you’ll need to include the following components:

A provocative, evocative salutation

A serious (or seriously irritating) catalytic incident

Can be ripped from the headlines or personal experience

Can be established by a claim made by the opposition in an interview OR a personal anecdote/scenario

A clear position (claim)(i.e. what you believe to be the truth, the crux of the problem)

A succinct body that address the following:

background on the issue (history and/or facts

a cataloguing of the un-truths being perpetuated (policies, practices, lies

a debunking of the un-truths (suggested behavior, alteration of practices…)

an identification of what’s at stake, i.e. the possible repercussions if the policy/behavior goes unchecked, if people don’t heed your advice

A closing signature w/hashtag

Additionally, your letter needs to employ:

the appeals of ethos, pathos, logos

a consistent first-person voice

a consistent second person addressee

a consistent tone, which could be classified as one of the following:

mild to moderate to biting sarcasm

playful

serious

morose/mournful

Other Requirements:

between 500-750 words in length

A minimum of two documented sources

In-text citations

A reference page at the end of your Tumblr post

Possible venues for publication:

Open Letter Community: Stories that Matter: http://opnlttr.com/

McSweeney’s Internet Tendency: http://www.mcsweeneys.net/columns/open-letters-to-people-or-entities-who-are-unlikely-to-respond

Downtown Devil Opinion Page: http://downtowndevil.com/contact-about/

AZ Republic Opinion Page: http://static.azcentral.com/help/contact/

Due Dates:

T 12/2: Rough Workshop (300-400 words due)

F 12/5: Final Draft posted to your Tumblr identified as Essay #3 - Open Letter

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These OWL resources will help you develop and refine the arguments in your writing.

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Evaluation Checklist

Identify and comment on the strength/weakness of each of the following:

Intro: ▪ introduce subject matter explore definitions/interpretations of art explore definitions/interpretations of your genre

▪ provide context info on the work being evaluated = artist, time period, piece

▪ state your claim X is art because it meets criteria A, B, C, and D

Body: ▪ provide support/evidence for your claim part 1: define/explain key terms (like “skill”) and substantiate your criteria (3-4 paragraphs, depending on how many criteria you have)

part 2: evaluate/analyze your subject criterion by criterion in order to prove that it meets the criteria (3-4 paragraphs, depending on how many criteria you have)

▪ identify and refute the opposition when necessary 1: identify the most controversial points you’re making (any section) 2: anticipate the opposition’s challenge/refutation of your point/claim 3: attempt to refute the opposition by pointing out its flaws, reiterating the strength of your point, etc.

Conclusion: (re)state your findings look to the future of the genre, artist, or art work comment on public reception

▪ In-text CITATIONS required throughout: see Purdue OWL

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These OWL resources will help you learn how to use the American Psychological Association (APA) citation and format style. This section contains resources on in-text citation and the References page, as well as APA sample papers, slide presentations, and the APA classroom poster.

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The severest critics of contemporary art are coming not from outside the art world but from its very heart.

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ENG 102 Syllabus

ENG 102: First Year Composition (FYC) 

Fall 2014

TTH 1:30-4:15

UCENT 

Instructor: Michael Pfister

Office: 

Office Hours:  

Phone:

E-mail: [email protected]

COURSE DESCRIPTION

All of the writing projects for ENG 102 demand an understanding of rhetorical strategies and techniques – the ability to identify and analyze them in a variety of texts and effectively implement them in your own persuasive writing.  

Topical parameters and themed units will be provided to facilitate both the research and writing processes, to help guide you through some of the most controversial socio-cultural and compelling arenas in contemporary society.  In addition, various research strategies and techniques will be covered in class as well as APA style and documentation guidelines.

OWL (Online Writing Lab at Purdue) 

You will be expected to complete three major writing projects during the course of this semester as well as several in-class writing assignments (varying in both length and difficulty), reflections, drafts, and draft revisions that will facilitate the completion of your longer projects.  Thus, success in this class will only come as a result of regular attendance, attentiveness, and a great deal of effort.  

REQUIRED TEXTS

Lunsford, Everything's an Argument

COURSE OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES/GOALS

The composition program at ASU supports the national standards of the Council of Writing Program Administrators for FYC. Accordingly, FYC students should be working toward mastery of the following:

Rhetorical Knowledge

▪ Focusing on a purpose 

▪ Responding to the needs of different audiences 

▪ Responding appropriately to different kinds of rhetorical situations 

▪ Using conventions of format and structure appropriate to the rhetorical situation 

▪ Adopting appropriate voice, tone, and level of formality 

▪ Understanding how genres shape reading and writing 

▪ Writing in several genres 

Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing

▪ Using writing and reading for inquiry, learning, thinking, and communicating 

▪ Understanding a writing assignment as a series of tasks, including finding, evaluating, analyzing, and synthesizing appropriate primary and secondary sources 

▪ Integrating their own ideas with those of others 

▪ Understanding the relationships among language, knowledge, and power 

Writing Processes

▪ Using the multiple drafts approach to create and complete a successful text 

▪ Developing flexible strategies for generating, revising, editing, and proof-reading 

▪ Understanding writing as an open process that permits writers to use later invention and re-thinking to revise their work 

▪ Understanding the collaborative and social aspects of writing processes 

▪ Learning to critique their own and others' works 

▪ Learning to balance the advantages of relying on others with the responsibility of doing their part 

▪ Using a variety of technologies to address a range of audiences 

Writing Conventions

▪ Learning common formats for different kinds of texts 

▪ Developing knowledge of genre conventions ranging from structure and paragraphing to tone and mechanics 

▪ Practicing appropriate means of documenting their work 

▪ Controlling surface features as syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling. 

Composing in Electronic Environments

▪ Using electronic environments for drafting, reviewing, revising, editing, and sharing texts

▪ Being able to locate, evaluate, organize, and use research material collected from electronic sources, including scholarly library databases; other official databases (e.g., federal government databases); and informal electronic networks and internet sources

▪ Understanding the differences in the rhetorical strategies and available tools for both print and electronic texts 

COURSE POLICIES & REQUIREMENTS

Course Materials 

The syllabus, as well as all other course materials (except for daily class notes) will be available on Tumblr.  

All APA guidelines and tutorials will be posted to Tumblr.

All Assignment Prompts for the major essays will be posted to Tumblr.

All workshopping guidelines/revision suggestions will be posted as announcements either before or during the class period in which they are applicable.

Submission of Work

You will also be required to submit daily/in-class writing, outlines & opening paragraphs, and rough drafts to the appropriate Discussion Forum on your own Tumblr (all of which are labeled by week and assignment name when applicable).  

All final drafts will be submitted to Tumblr, unless otherwise indicated by instructor.

Late Writing Projects

All assignments, including the four major essays and their corresponding drafts, must be submitted to Blackboard before the class period in which they are due in order to receive the fullest possible credit.  Late essays will be penalized 5% for every day (not class period) they are late. 

Revision

All opening paragraphs and rough drafts will be workshopped one-on-one; thus, ample feedback will be provided.  Criteria/checklists for the opening paragraphs and rough drafts will also be posted to BB on the day of the workshops.  Therefore, revision of final drafts (after a grade has been awarded) will not be allowed unless extenuating circumstances are established.   

Grading Breakdown 

Tumblr Posts  20% (including final reflection)

Definition 20%

Evaluation Argument (APA) 20%

Open Letter  20%

Participation 20%

OVERVIEW OF THE MAJOR PROJECTS

Project One: Definition

A 1-2 page definition of one of the following concepts. Your focus should be on something unconventional that fits into the larger category you choose. For example, if I chose Art, I might look at Graffiti. You should start with a general definition of the term and move into how it specifically relates to your focus. You should draw on both primary and secondary research and incorporate stakeholders into your overall argument. You may wish to begin with a simple statement on your term that you then explain and/or qualify.

Project Two: Evaluation Argument 

Evaluations are based on well-established and well-supported criteria, a set of standards by which the success of something – a piece of writing, a speech, a film, a work of art – can be measured.  Ultimately, the goal of this type of argument is to evaluate something – a work of “art” in this case – using legitimized criteria, to essentially establish its inclusion in a particular category or genre.  Hence, this, like assignment three, is a two-fold argument, one that requires thoughtful establishment of criteria by which your subject will be evaluated as well as a convincing evaluation of the subject per the criteria.

Project Three: Open Letter 

Final Project: Critical Self-Assessment & Revision 

At the end of the semester, you will craft a critical essay in which you assess your achievement of multiple criteria from the Course Objectives (listed above).  You will also be required to revise the essay that you use to substantiate your performance/growth/achievements.   

STANDARD POLICIES (DPC)

Class Attendance Because writing classes involve intensive and critical class work, attendance and participation will impact your overall grade for the course.  If you know you’re going to be absent for any reason, please contact the instructor via e-mail.  Only those who contact the instructor in advance (and can produce documentation) will be allowed to make up in-class work, though there will be a deduction.  

Since this is a two day per week class, you are allowed a maximum of FOUR absences.  A fifth absence (unless ALL absences have been accompanied by legitimate documentation) may result in a final course grade of “E.”

An absence means you are not in class on a day we meet face to face, have not participated or have only partially participated in class or in a fully online course day, or are substantially late to class.  According to university policy, students who are registered but do not attend any of the first week of classes may be dropped.

Instructor Absences

If I need to cancel class for any reason, I will post a cancellation notice to Blackboard and/or send the class an e-mail if possible.  However, if you come to class and I am not here within 15 minutes of the start of the class period, please assume that class is cancelled.

Time Commitment, Time Management

You must come to each class prepared. To achieve the goals and outcomes intended for this course, you must work steadily both in class and on your own. Time management is an important element in writing and thus an important concern for you in this course. You should plan to spend 2 to 3 hours outside of class for every hour in class.

The Public Nature of Class Writing and Discussions All class writing and discussions take place in either the public forum of the classroom or on Blackboard, so when you voice opinions, adopt positions, or provide feedback, please do so responsibly and respectfully, considering the possible effect on others.   Academic Integrity 

In the Student Academic Integrity Policy manual, ASU defines plagiarism as “using another’s words, ideas, materials or work without properly acknowledging and documenting the source. Students are responsible for knowing the rules governing the use of another’s work or materials and for acknowledging and documenting the source appropriately.” 

Consequences for cheating, plagiarizing, and any other form of academic dishonesty include failure for the assignment, probable failure for the course, disciplinary referral to the Dean, and possible expulsion from the University. The University Academic Integrity policy is located at http://provost.asu.edu/academicintegrity. If you have questions about when and how to cite source information, please see me and/or the Writing Center. 

Original Work All writing for this class must be written for this class. Re-using a paper you wrote for another class or purpose (e.g., high school, college, job) constitutes academic dishonesty. Classroom Expectations and Behavior Since this is a college class, behavior should be in accordance with a collegial university environment. Please treat your classmates, the instructor, and the learning environment with respect. Inappropriate and/or disrespectful behaviors, as well the consequences for said behaviors, vary per instructor, but can range from loss of participation points to mandatory conferencing with the instructor and/or her/his supervisor, at which time consequences will be determined.

Grading (Corresponds to Blackboard Grade Center)

Grading for writing projects will follow ASU Downtown Writing Program standards, which are based on content, organization, expression, and mechanics. To compute project and course grades, the following values are assigned to the standard letter grades of A through E.

Please Note: You must submit ALL major assignments in order to pass this course.

*This course is offered by the School of Letters and Sciences. For more information about the school, visit our website: https://sls.asu.edu/. If you have questions or concerns, please send your inquiry to [email protected].

DOWNTOWN STUDENT RESOURCES

Counseling Services   

ASU Counseling Services offers confidential, personal counseling and crisis services for students experiencing emotional concerns, problems in adjusting, and other factors that affect their ability to achieve their academic and personal goals.

Historic Downtown Post Office, Room 206

[phone]

AFTER HOURS/WEEKENDS: Call EMPACT’s 24-hour ASU-dedicated crisis hotline: [phone]

https://eoss.asu.edu/counseling

Disability Resources

Disability Accommodations: Qualified students with disabilities who will require disability accommodations in this class are encouraged to make their requests to me at the beginning of the semester either during office hours or by appointment. NOTE: Prior to receiving disability accommodations, verification of eligibility from the Disability Resource Center (DRC) is required. Disability information is confidential.

Establishing Eligibility for Disability Accommodations: Students who feel they will need disability accommodations in this class but have not registered with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) should contact DRC immediately. Their office is located on the first floor of the University Center Building, Suite 160. DRC staff can also be reached at [phone] (V) and at [email protected]. Their hours are 8 to 5, M-F. Eligibility and documentation policies can be viewed at https://eoss.asu.edu/drc.

Health Services

Nursing & Health Innovation Building, 500 N. 3rd St., Suite 155

[phone]

Additional health services information: https://eoss.asu.edu/node/577

Student Advocacy and Assistance

Student Advocacy and Assistance guides students in resolving educational, personal and other campus impediments toward successful completion of their academic goals. Student Advocacy and Assistance links students with appropriate university and community resources, agencies, and individuals, collaborates with faculty and staff in the best interest of the students, and follows through to bring efficient closure to student concerns.

[phone], [email protected]

http://campus.asu.edu/downtown/student-advocacy

Writing Center

ASU Writing Centers offer a dynamic, supportive learning environment for undergraduate and graduate students at any stage of the writing process. Tutors from a wide range of majors help students hone writing skills and gain confidence in their writing. ASU students can schedule a 30-minute in-person appointment for one-to-one writing tutoring. Writing tutoring for walk-ins may be limited and is subject to tutor availability. Appointments are encouraged.

Historic Downtown Post Office, Room L1-34 (lower level)

[phone]

https://studentsuccess.asu.edu/writingcenters

CLASS SCHEDULE 

Note: The following class schedule is tentative and subject to change; however, no exceptions to the above policies will be made, so please familiarize yourself with them.

Week One

TH 10/16: Intro to course policies, objectives, and schedule.

Week Two

T 10/21: Introduction to Rhetoric

TH 10/23: Ethos, Pathos, Logos

Week Three

T 10/28:  Logic and Logical Fallacies; In-class exercise (identifying and writing logical fallacies)

TH 10/30: Employing Sources; In-class exercise (summary, paraphrase, and quotation); Discussion of Assignment Prompt for Essay #1 (Definition)

Week Four

T 11/4: In class work on Essay #1

TH 11/6: Peer workshop, Essay #1. introduction to Essay #2 - Evaluation

Week Five

T 11/11: Veterans Day, no class

TH 1/13: Essay #1 due

Week Six

T 11/18: Work on Project 2

TH 11/20: Rhetorical strategies overview, in-class workshop for Project 2; In class revision work on Project 2; Tumblr Post 1 & 2

Week Seven

T 11/25: Final Draft of Essay #2 Due; In-class reflection; Introduction to the Open Letter; Assignment #3; Tumblr Post 3

TH 11/27: Thanksgiving Holiday, no class

Week Eight

T 12/2: Assignment # 3 In class workshop and revision

TH 12/4: Assignment #3 Due; In class reflection assignment final (Tumblr Post #4 & #5); course warp-up

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Essay #1 - Argument of Definition

Your first assignment in our class will be an argument of definition. This assignment is your own 1-2 page definition of one of the following concepts. Your focus should be on something unconventional that fits into the larger category you choose. For example, if I chose Art, I might look at Graffiti. You should start with a general definition of the term and move into how it specifically relates to your focus. You should draw on both primary and secondary research and incorporate stakeholders into your overall argument. You may wish to begin with a simple statement on your term that you then explain and/or qualify.

A successful definition will:

Discuss the nature of the term (i.e. where does it come from, how does it culturally circulate?)

Consider the implications of term

Suggest the source(s) or cause(s)

Discuss implications

Avoid fallacies

focus on how an unconventional X fits into the larger category Y

You will be defining one of the concepts below or that we come up with in class denotatively, historically, connotatively, popularly, etc.

Music

Love

Freedom

Heroism

Art

Revolution

Additional Requirements:

Format and post to Tumblr with at least 2 images.

1000-1200 words

Timeline:

11/6 - Argument, research and opening paragraph in class

11/11 - Full Draft / In class peer workshop

11/13 - Rough draft & Polished draft due via Tumblr post

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Tumblr Posts

Post 1 - Follow the directions in your course text on p. 6. (20pts)

Post 2- Evaluation opening paragraph w/ 2 images. (20pts)

Post 3 - Open Letter Analysis (20pts)

After reading the Huffington Post article- Open Letter to Public School Teachers, address the following in your Tumblr-

 Identify the appeals used within each paragraph (ethos/cred, pathos/emotion, logos/logic/hard evidence)

Identify the Claim

 Identity the appeal used most frequently

 Identify the appeal that gives the most credibility/backbone/legitimacy to the argument

Due: 12/4@11:59pm

Post 4 & 5 - Final Reflection (40pts)

For your final portfolio post you should do the following. This will count for post 4 & 5 (40pts).

500ish word critical reflection that highlights the work you have done this short semester and the rhetorical concepts you applied to your work. 

Due: 12/8@11:59pm

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Essay #2: Writing an Evaluative Argument

Overview

In order to evaluate something, you must first establish and validate a set of expectations – criteria – for the genre to which your evaluation subject belongs.  Since we’re evaluating something within the realm of art, you’ll need to establish criteria for art, though you might also want to consider the specific genre to which your subject belongs (e.g. painting, photography, performance, utilitarian, etc.).

Once you’ve chosen a piece of controversial “art,” something unconventional that either meets or doesn’t meet your criteria, you’ll need to evaluate it per your criteria.

Organization

Regardless of the type of argument you’re writing, keep in mind that all sound arguments follow a similar, logical organizational model…and here’s ours:

 Introduction

introduce subject matter (art, your genre, general expectations within the genre, etc.)

provide context pertaining to the work being evaluated (artist, date, movement)

state your claim: X is art because it meets criteria A, B, C, and D

Body

establish, define, and justify/validate each criterion (2 Ps)

remember to use a variety of appeals (in the following order) when possible (ethos, logos, pathos)

re-introduce your subject and evaluate/analyze it criterion by criterion (2 Ps)

remember to use a variety of appeals (in the following order) when possible (ethos, logos, pathos)

identify and refute the opposition when appropriate, i.e. after you’ve made a controversial claim/point

Conclusion

conclude with a reiteration of your claim/findings as well as some closing thoughts on your evaluation, your subject matter, the nature of art, etc.

 Additional Requirements:

Minimum of THREE sources (excludes Wikipedia – one art encyclopedia ok)

Suggested list of sources includes… 

Essays from the Metropolitan Museum of Art database:  http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hi/te_index.asp?i=26

Art Encyclopedias

http://www.artcyclopedia.com/

http://www.artlex.com/

http://www.artnet.com/

NYT Article (other art-oriented articles from the NYT)

Formatting:

Standard font and typeface

APA Formatting

cover page

page numbers and running title

proper in-text citation

correctly formatted reference page

Additionally, your opening paragraph should be formatted for Tumblr with at least 2 images that correspond with your argument. You should identify this as Post #3.

Due Dates

TH 11/20: Rough Draft Workshop Group (draft due)

T 11/25: Final Draft of Essay #2 due @11:59pm

Important- to submit your final draft:

APA formatted

Name your file first initial lastname_eng102P2 (for example, my file would be mpfister_eng102P2

Emailed as an attachment to [email protected]

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Do you miss the days when blogging seemed simple and exciting? Have you ever stared at the blank text input field in WordPress until you began to fill with dread? While WordPress, Movable Type and similar blogging engines certainly make it easy to set up a blog with a robust content management system, sometimes the …

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The Beginner's Guide to Tumblr

Depending on how you want to utilize the platform, this guide will help you move from a Tumblr novice to power blogger.