English 1110.02H – Honors First-Year English Composition
Literature as a Lens
Autumn Semester 2012, section 0010 (Sem 9993)
Christiane Buuck
Class meets:
8-9:20am
WF: Journalism 353
Office hours: Wednesday 11:30am-12:30pm, 1:45-2:45pm
Fridays 11:30am-12:30pm, and by appointment
Office: Denney 469
Contact: [email protected]
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
“A sentence is a shape that thought takes.”
-Writing Analytically, Rossenwasser and Stephen
“ Great literature is simply language
charged with meaning
to the utmost possible degree.”
-Ezra Pound
Have you ever thought there was only one “right” way to read a story, poem or essay? Or have you ever
been told that a poem or essay or story has only one “right” meaning? If you have you ever found these
ideas frustrating, restrictive or intimidating, you are in the right place.
Lots of people believe that there is one - and only one - way to read a text. In this literature-based section of
English 1110 we will discard that notion. Instead of asking “what does this story/poem/essay mean?” we will
ask “how does this story/poem/essay make meaning?”. By reframing the question we can approach literature
from an analytical and multifaceted perspective. You have probably already done analytical thinking and
writing in your academic careers (comparing and contrasting essays are an example). In this class we will
take your innate analytical abilities a step further. The writing and thinking skills you develop this semester
will prepare you for the work of the university and will make you better writers, thinkers and debaters in your
everyday lives. By the end of this course you’ll be able to argue and support the ideas that any text can have
many meanings, that a text can uncover, frame or explode cultural realities, and that it can reveal something
important about the world in which it was created.
While this is a literature-based section of First-Year English, it is first and foremost a writing course, one that
professes that good thinking is good writing. To that end, you will develop your skills in academic research
and analysis through an original research project. You will identify an area of interest within our course
theme and you will find a primary source (a poem, short story, piece of flash fiction, short nonfiction, scene
from a play) to analyze, develop analytical research questions, explore secondary texts, and make claims
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that are connected to the evidence you have discovered. During the research process, you will also be
preparing for the English 1110 Symposium by working on your own BACKtalk, a 5-minute presentation
consisting of 15 images, each accompanied by 20 seconds of text. As you create your BACKtalk you will be
asked to consider the nature of your research, the relationship between visual and written text, and the
complexity of sharing what you have learned with a public audience. Over the course of semester, you will
also write many informal assignments including BACKposts. These responses will provide additional practice
at key skills and serve as the basis for several classroom activities and discussions.
The “honors” designation to this course assumes you already possess a depth and sophistication of
intellectual curiosity in thinking and writing that we will continue to hone through the lively exchange of ideas
in class, the construction of focused, logical and coherent arguments, and the pursuit of in-depth research.
This course places value on creativity, close reading and analysis of print, audio and visual texts, rhetorically
sensitive composition, and strong workshopping and revision skills.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE GENERAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM
Writing and Communication
Students are skilled in written communication and expression, reading, critical thinking, oral expression
and visual expression
Level One (1110)
Expected Learning Outcomes:
1. Students communicate using the conventions of academic discourse.
2. Students can read critically and analytically.
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REQUIRED MATERIALS
Readings posted to Carmen site
th
Rosenwasser, David and Jill Stephen. Writing Analytically 6 Ed. Boston: Thomson, 2012.
Access to all readings during each class meeting, either in hard copy or digitally
Paper and pen or pencil for informal writing assignments in class
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Analytical Research Project:
50%
During the semester, you will complete several major assignments designed to build on each other
intellectually and conceptually. They are collectively called the ARP, and these are the four consecutive
steps:
• Step 1: Primary Source Analysis – 10%
You will develop analytical claims about primary evidence and develop research questions that will yield
compelling insights about primary materials in future writing.
• Step 2: Annotated Bibliography – 5%
Here you will use the library’s resources to find timely, useful and credible secondary sources that will
help you revise and extend your analysis in the PSA, and you will document these in an annotated
bibliography using the MLA works cited format.
• Step 3: Secondary Source Integration – 10%
The sources you find in step 2 will allow you to rethink, revise and extend your analytical claims in the
Primary Source Analysis. You will effectively integrate this secondary source evidence into your work.
• Step 4: The Research Conference
We will meet outside of class to discuss your plans to extend, revise, and finalize your work.
• Step 5: The Analytical Research Paper – 25%
In this last step of the Research Project you will write a strong, nuanced, clearly-written and wellorganized analysis of your primary source and make a claim about what your primary source reveals
about a larger societal issue. You will develop an analytical claim that is supported by primary and
secondary evidence and will cite your evidence properly in MLA format.
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Informal Writings, BACKtalk Posts, Symposium Active Listening Response
20%
These short assignments will relate in practical ways to the analytical work of the ARP and will help you
prepare for and respond to the English 1110 Symposium presentations. BACK Posts will be posted to the
class Carmen discussion forum.
English 1110 Symposium BACKtalk Presetation
25%
The English 1110 Symposium is an opportunity for you to bring one or more of the ideas you are exploring in
your Analytical Research Project to a public audience. The BACKtalk will be a 5-minute presentation
consisting of 15 images, each accompanied by 20 seconds of text. The Symposium will take place during
weeks 12 and 13 of the semester, during which you will take a break from working directly on your ARP.
Participation
5%
Please note that letter grades are used for all assignments in this course. The numeric equivalents comply
with the OSU Standard Grading Scale:
A
93
A90
B+
87
B
83
B80
C+
77
C
73
C70
D+
67
D
60
COURSE POLICIES
Attendance is important to the success of this class and to your development as a writer. Therefore, each
unexcused absence after three will result in the lowering of your final grade by a third of a grade. Excused
absences, such as those for documented illness, family tragedy, religious observance, or travel for intercollegiate athletics, will not affect your grade. It is your responsibility to contact me as soon as possible if you
know you will miss class. It is program policy that seven unexcused absences will automatically result
in failure for the course.
Tardiness is disruptive to the classroom environment and prevents you from fully participating and
assimilating the information and materials discussed in class. Excessive and repeated tardiness will lower
your participation grade.
Communication. Be in touch. E-mail is an important part of our communication throughout the semester. I
do my best to respond to e-mails within 24 hours, though it may take me longer on weekends. E-mails
written to me, or any instructor, should follow proper correspondence etiquette:
Include the subject of the e-mail in the subject line. Begin the email with a salutation (Hello, Ms. Buuck, or
Dear Ms. Buuck). Write complete sentences and proofread them (this is a writing class after all), and sign off
with your name. “Netiquette” is an important skill to master for all professional correspondence.
Classroom Community: Everyone should feel welcome, respected and safe in the classroom. Discussion
of readings, ideas and our own writing are at the center of everything we do in this class. We will frequently
work with sensitive issues that demand that we discuss and interact with respect and maturity. A side note
on technology: Unless they are being used for a specific class-related purpose, cell phones should be
turned off and put away during class. If you text-message during class, you’ll be asked to leave and will be
given an unexcused absence for the day.
Plagiarism is the unauthorized use of the words or ideas of another person. It is a serious academic offense
that can result in referral to the Committee on Academic Misconduct and failure for the course. Faculty Rule
3335-5-487 states, “It is the responsibility of the Committee on Academic Misconduct to investigate or
establish procedures for the investigation of all reported cases of student academic misconduct. The term
‘academic misconduct’ includes all forms of student academic misconduct wherever committed; illustrated
by, but not limited to, cases of plagiarism and dishonest practices in connection with examinations.
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Instructors shall report all instances of alleged academic misconduct to the committee.” In addition, it is a
violation of the student code of conduct to submit without the permission of the instructors work for one
course that has also been submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of another course. For additional
information, see the Code of Student Conduct at: http://studentaffairs.osu.edu/resources/.
Student Work should be turned in at the time indicated on the syllabus and in the format designated on the
assignment sheet.
1. Draft assignments: Failure to turn in an assignment draft on time will result in the deduction of onethird of a letter grade on the final version of the paper (for example, B+ to B). I do not give
feedback on late draft assignments. Workshop feedback is considered a draft assignment.
2. Final graded assignments: Late submission of a final graded assignment will result in the deduction
of one full letter grade for each day past the due date (for example, B+ to C+).
The grade will not be affected when a draft or final graded assignment is late for reasons that would result in
an excused absence. If you know you will miss a class when an assignment is due, contact me as soon as
possible in advance of class to arrange for prompt submission of the assignment.
Class Cancellation Policy: In the unlikely event I need to cancel class, or class is cancelled due to an
emergency, I will contact you via email and will request a cancellation notice be posted on the classroom
door. I will contact you as soon as possible following the cancellation to let you know what will be expected of
you for our next class meeting. Always assume that readings and assignments will move forward as they
appear on the syllabus.
RESOURCES
The Ombudsman of the Writing Programs, Matthew M. Cariello, mediates conflicts between instructors
and students in Writing Programs courses. His autumn 2012 office hours in Denney Hall 441 are Monday 13pm, and by appointment. Phone 292-5778; email [email protected]. All conversations with the
Ombudsman are confidential.
The Director of First-Year Writing at Ohio State is Edgar Singleton. E-mail: [email protected].
The OSU Writing Center is available to provide free, professional writing tutoring and consultation. You may
set up an appointment by calling 688-4291 or by dropping by the center at 475 Mendenhall Laboratories. If
you are interested in on-line writing advice, visit the OWL (On-Line Writing Lab) at
www.cstw.osu.edu/writingcenter . You can also visit the Younkin Success Center in Building 052 at
1640 Neil Avenue where you can walk in without an appointment.
Counseling and Consultation Services provides a wide range of resources for undergraduate students.
For more information call 292-5766.
Students with disabilities that have been certified by The Office for
Disability Services will be appropriately accommodated. If you
need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability, contact
me to arrange an appointment as soon as possible. At the
appointment we can discuss the course format, anticipate your
needs and explore potential accommodations. I rely on the Office
for Disability Services for assistance in verifying the need for
accommodations and developing accommodation strategies. The
Office for Disability Services is located in 150 Pomerene Hall, 1760
Neil Avenue; telephone 292-3307, TDD 292-0901
http://ods.osu.edu/
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The Digital Media Project (DMP) is the division of the English department that manages, troubleshoots, and
supports English department classrooms and equipment. You can use the DMP’s resources throughout the
semester for class projects. The DMP general office is located in Denney 324, and offers equipment
borrowing and program support from friendly, expert staff. The DMP Mac lab is located in Denney 343, and
is available for use during designated lab hours (see “DMP Studio Hours” at http://dmp.osu.edu).
The Student Advocacy Center was established to help answer student questions. The SAC can direct you
to the appropriate departments and people, familiarize you with university policies and procedures, and give
you guidance as you look at ways to solve problems and make choices. Their aim is to help you become
better informed so that you can focus on your classes. 1120 Lincoln Tower, 1800 Cannon Drive. Office
hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Telephone: 292-1111; e-mail: [email protected].
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DAILY SCHEDULE
The syllabus is subject to change. All changes will be announced in class and updated on Carmen.
Week 1
W 8/22
In class: Introductions and course overview. First-Day Writing. What is analysis? Poem.
Th 8/23
First-Day Writing due by noon to Carmen dropbox “First-Day Writing”
F 8/24
Reading due:
Week 2
W 8/29
-WA Ch. 1 pp. 5-16 “Introduction, Tips for Managing the Writing
Process.”
-Jamaica Kincaid, “Girl,” available on Carmen. Have access to a
copy of this reading in class.
In class: Preview ARP. Effective summary. Finding primary sources. Analysis as archeology.
Moving from observation to interpretation: preview the toolkit. BACKpost assignment.
Reading due:
Writing due:
-WA Ch. 2 pp. 23-52 “Toolkit of Analytical Methods.”
-Write a summary of WA Ch 2. Bring a hard copy of this summary
to class (maximum one page, single-spaced, typed).
In class: Using “the toolkit” to analyze prose poetry. PSA assignment.
F 8/31
Reading due:
-Shirley Jackson, “The Lottery” on Carmen. Have access to this
reading in class.
-Sourcing and Citing Images reading available on Carmen.
In class: Using “the toolkit” to analyze a short story. Citation refresher - MLA v. crediting
copyrighted images online.
Week 3
W 9/5
Reading due:
F 9/7
Reading due:
Week 4
W 9/12
Reading due:
F 9/14
Reading due:
-essay available on Carmen TBA. Have access to this reading in
class.
-Barnet and Cain, “What is Interpretation?” available on Carmen
Writing due:
-BACKpost 1 due before class
In class: Using “the toolkit” to analyze an essay. Considering the importance of genre in
analysis. Choosing primary sources for the ARP.
-“On Rhetoric in English 1110” available on Carmen.
-sample BACKtalk available on Carmen.
Research due:
-bring two possible primary sources to class.
In class: Evaluating and summarizing primary sources. Creative Commons. Rhetorical
analysis.
-WA Ch. 3 pp. 53-66 “Five Analytical Moves,” 74-82 “Ethos and
Analysis”
Writing due:
-BACKpost 2 due before class
In class: Organizing analytical ideas – moving toward a focused PSA.
-WA Ch. 4 pp. 85-103 “Analytical Toolkit 2,” 151-153 “Making
Common Topics more Analytical”
Writing due:
-Compose questions you have about anything we’ve worked on so
far. Bring a hard copy to class.
In class: Research question activity. Questions about the PSA?
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Week 5
W 9/19
Reading due:
F 9/21
Reading due:
Week 6
W 9/26
Research due:
F 9/28
Reading due:
Week 7
W 10/3
F 10/5
Week 8
W 10/10
F 10/12
Week 9
W 10/17
-WA Ch. 5 pp. 111-113 “Pitch, Complaint, Moment,” pp. 117-119
“Reading Against the Grain”
In class: Primary Source Analysis workshop. Formulating research questions.
-WA Ch 13 pp. 267-281 “Using Sources Analytically,” Ch. 14 pp.
306-309 “MLA Style and Integrating Quotations”
Writing due:
Primary Source Analysis due to Carmen dropbox “Primary Source
Analysis” before class.
In class: Getting started with research; Introducing the Annotated Bibliography and
Secondary Source Integration (SSI); Search terms. Pitch, complaint, moment.
-sample secondary sources available on Carmen. Have access to
these in class today.
Reading:
-sample BACKtalks available on Carmen (these are here in
preparation for BACKpost 3)
In class: Evaluating and working with secondary sources; Understanding annotated
bibliography and MLA content and style.
-sample cool but problematic secondary source available on
Carmen.
Research due:
-research possible secondary sources for your work. Find at least
one possibility and have access to this source in class today
Writing due:
-BACKpost 3 due before class
In class: Evaluating Secondary Sources (popular v. scholarly and everything in between).
Reading due:
Writing due:
-WA Ch. 6 pp. 138-142 “Context and Interpretation”
-Bring a draft (hard copy or digital) of your annotated bibliography to
class today for workshop.
In class: Annotated bibliography workshop and MLA fine-tuning.
Reading due:
Writing due:
-WA Ch. 8 pp. 165-174, 187-189 “Evidence v. Claims.”
-Annotated Bibliography to Carmen dropbox “Annotated
Bibliography” before class.
In class: Integrating secondary sources. Interpretation and claims.
Reading due:
-WA Ch. 10 pp. 223-224 “10 on 1 Template”
Writing due:
-BACKpost 4 due before class.
In class: Extending interpretation, moving toward claims. 10-on-1. Passage-based
freewriting to converse with sources.
Reading due:
-WA Ch. 11 pp. 227-236 “Evolving Thesis,”
Writing due:
-Draft of SSI for workshop. Have a copy for class today.
In class: SSI workshop. ARP assignment. Thesis statements.
Reading due:
-WA Ch. 12 pp. 255-265 “Recognizing and Fixing Weak Thesis
Statements”
Writing due:
Secondary Source Integration due to Carmen dropbox
“Secondary Source Integration” before class.
In class: conference sign-up. Thesis development. Making your thesis complex and your
argument compelling.
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F 10/19
Reading due:
-WA Ch. 15 pp. 326-337, 345-347 “Forms and Formats,” Ch. 16 pp.
349-366 “Intros and Conclusions”
Writing due:
-Bring a possible thesis statement to class today.
In class: Thesis revision: What do I have to say, anyway, and why does it matter? Mapping
arguments. Symposium assignment.
Week 10 - Conferences
Writing due:
-BACKpost 5 due before your scheduled conference.
W 10/24
Class cancelled for conferences
F 10/26
Class cancelled for conferences
Week 11
W 10/31
Reading due:
F 11/2
Writing due:
-BACKtalk scriptwriting handout available on Carmen.
-Sample BACKtalks on Carmen.
In class: ARP intros and conclusions.
ARP best possible draft due to Carmen dropbox “ARP draft” by
11:59pm. Have access to this draft in class.
In class: ARP/symposium workshop
Week 12 – Symposium
Weeks 12 and 13:
Writing due:
W 11/7
F 11/9
-BACKpost 6 due within 48 hours of presentation (see BACKpost
assignment sheet and symposium schedule for details.)
In class: Symposium Panel 1
In class: Symposium Panel 2
Week 13 - Symposium
W 11/14
In class: Symposium Panel 3
F 11/16
In class: Symposium Panel 4
Week 14
T 11/20
W 11/21
F 11/23
Week 15
W 11/28
F 11/30
Writing due:
-BACKpost 7 due by 11:59pm
University closed in observance of Thanksgiving holiday (Happy Thanksgiving)
University closed in observance of Columbus Day
Writing due:
-Revised draft of ARP – have access to a copy in class today.
In class: ARP fine tuning workshop. Evaluations.
Writing due:
-ARP due by 11:59pm to Carmen dropbox “ARP Final Draft”
In class: ARP lab and last class
There is no final exam for this course.
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