English 1010-025 Course Page

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This is the course web page for English 1010 Section 025.

This page contains announcements and links relevant to this course, as well as on-line copies of all major course hand-outs. Check back for updates on your own as well as when directed to by the instructor.

November 17: Our reading for Wednesday is, like our Plato reading, online, and can be found here. Even better, it's not Plato. It's a chapter, "Language," from Murray Edelman's posthumous book The Politics of Misinformation. You can probably guess from the title why we're reading it.

November 14: As discussed in our last class, our next reading is another selection from Plato (yes, I hear you groaning, but then I applaud your resolve to get through it anyway and demonstrate that, yes, you can do this, and it didn't even hurt that much), an excerpt from books II and III of The Republic available online here as well as from a link in the right-hand column. Also, I'm posting below a few random links to recent news articles that are relevant to this class. No, you don't have to read them, but I honestly think you'll be impressed with the background knowledge you can bring to them as you read them. Maybe you could even make reference to them in a bar, or something, and score (or whatever).

FDA tackles advertising in social media!
Google Books archiving and copyright!
Comcast trying to buy NBC!
Ah! Ah! News websites looking more like TV than newspapers!

November 10: At long last, we wrap up Lessig with chapter 13, “Eldred” p.213-247. Because I wanted it to be special, this is our longest Lessig reading yet. Ok, that's not actually the reason, that's just how it worked out, so please plan accordingly. In addition, as discussed in class, for Wednesday, please complete the following activity:

1) Read the two paper introductions I handed out in class. If you were not in class, you can print this and the first two pages of this (download the PDF from the link), and you will have what I handed out. After reading them, please mark them up to indicate where, if at all, you see the authors engaging in the three moves descrbed in the Swales model we have previously discussed (and which you can find here), i.e. draw a line indicating where you see move 1, move 2, etc.

2) After marking them up, compose a short (1 page) response indicating the similarities and differences you see between the two introductions, and perhaps comment on which you see as the stronger of the two.

November 7: Two things to note: 1) Monday's reading, our penultimate chapter from Lessig, is chapter 12, “Harms” p.183-207; 2) most of you have scheduled conferences on paper #3 with me for Monday or Wednesday of this week. If you signed up but are unsure of your time, please get in touch with me.

November 3: Please note that we are reading two chapters from Lessig for Wednesday, "Recorders," p.95-99, and "Collectors," p.108-115.

November 1: Monday's reading is another chapter from Lessig's Free Culture, “Piracy” p.62-79. Note that the second half of class (or so) will involve a walk to the library for an information literacy session in one of the mediated classrooms there. And, if you've not already turned in your draft of essay #3, or made other arrangments, the due date for that draft is tomorrow.

October 27: Our Lessig reading for Wednesday's class is chapter two of Free Culture, "Mere Copyists," p.31-47. As compared to our previous readings in Lessig, you will likely find a few rather familiar themes arising, though Lessig's treatment of them has, of course, a slightly different angle. Also, reminder: the official due date for the first draft of essay #3 is next Monday, though I will gladly accept drafts in my mailbox on Friday, if you have one ready.

October 24: Monday's reading is our next in Lessig, chapter one, "Creators," p.21-30. The plot thickens (slightly). In addition, I have posted the details of Essay #3, as discussed in last Wednesday's class, via a link in the right-hand column of this page. You may also get to it from this link.

October 20: Reminder, Wednesday's reading is the "Introduction" to Lessig's Free Culture, p.1-13.

October 16: With Monday's reading we start on our next book, Lawrence Lessig's Free Culture, a contemporary analysis of the impact of media and technology (and law) on culture. The assigned reading for Monday is exceedingly short, just the preface to the book, p.xiii-xvi. As such, I am hopeful that you will both read it and be ready to make observations about it in terms of how it is similar to and different from some of our other readings, in terms of content as well as how it is delivered. Also, should you desire to be amused (against Postman's wishes), you might check out this clip of Lessig being interviewed (so to speak) about his latest book with Stephen Colbert. Oh, and enjoy the ad that prefaces it as your indirect payment for the truth today.

October 13: Our reading for Wednesday is the second of the two Walter Lippmann chapters we are covering, "The Buying Public." You can access it via this link or by drilling down through the course reserves link in the right-hand column of this page. It is shorter and I think more accessible than the first chapter, so hopefully it won't quite as burdensome. Do read it if you can. Also, by now you should have received notification from me as to whether you will have to take the midterm during the second half of class on Wednesday. Please email/call with any questions.

October 9: The draft of essay #2 is due today, per the schedule, in my mailbox in the CLAS building before it closes (as I usually suggest, try to get there before 5 or 6pm, just to be safe). The reading for Monday is posted online as a course reserve: the first chapter of Walter Lippmann's book Public Opinion, the chapter titled "The World Outside and the Pictures in Our Heads," which can be reached via this link or by drilling down through the course reserves link in the right-hand column (you'll have to scroll down). No response is assigned.

October 5: Today's reading, of course, is BAAA, and a 1-2 page response to the reading is due in class. Our reading for Wednesday, an excerpt from Plato's Republic, is available online here as well as via a link in the right-hand column (you'll have to scroll down to find it). And, again, the guidelines for essay #2 are available via a link in the right-hand column as well.

October 1: Welcome to October! A link to the guidelines for essay #2 is now available in the right-hand column of this page, as well as right here. For Monday, please read all of BAAA and compose a 1-2 page response on your reading. And one last reminder that the revision (with your draft included) of essay #1 is due in my mailbox in the CLAS building by Friday evening.

Sept 29: Our final Postman reading is for Wednesday's class, “Future Shlock” p.162-174. Reminder: some of you have conferences scheduled for Wednesday, all of which will be held in my office in CLAS 238. Revisions of essay #1 are due, along with your original drafts, in my mailbox on Friday.

Sept 24: All of you who turned in papers should have them back at this point, and have signed up for a conference. Conferences, as noted in class, are mandatory. All conferences will be held in my office, CLAS 238. Monday's reading is our penultimate Postman, “The Conservative Outlook” p.103-115. The revision of paper #1 is due next Friday. I have also posted via a link in the rightmost column the sample academic paper titles that I presented in class on Wednesday, for your reference as you revise. Have a good weekend, and bring any questions you may have about revision either to your conference with me or to class on Monday.

Sept 22: Our next Postman reading, which is for Wednesday's class, is "The Educationist as Painkiller," p. 82-96. Interesting title, given that education itself is often described as painful by those who undergo it.

Sept 17: Reminder: the draft of essay #1 (on metaphor) is due tomorrow in my mailbox in the graduate student mailroom on the 2nd floor of the CLAS building, just past the English Dept office. My mailbox is located above my name in the set of boxes near the window. I recommend trying to get it in before 5pm, as I don't know when they lock the doors. You're probably safe until somewhat later, if you're the gamblin' type. Our reading for next Monday is Postman's essay “A Muted Celebration,” p.53-65. No response is assigned.

Sept 15: Please be sure to read the next Postman essay, "The News," p. 72-81, for Wednesday's class. Also, for reference, here's a link to a youtube video of the Axe(TM) commercial referenced in class today. Check out that dandruff! Like chunks of the ceiling!

Sept 13: If you get a chance, you might want to have a look at this youtube clip of an old "Ring Around the Collar" commercial to put Postman's "Parable" essay in context (at least in terms of its writing). Also, if this is your first time back to this page since last class, be sure to read the entry below as well.

Sept 10: Our next reading, for Monday, is Postman's essay “The Parable of the Ring Around the Collar” p.66-71 in Conscientious Objections. As discussed in class, please take some time prior to next class to start looking into the text you might use to write our first formal essay, which is due next Friday. And, again, if you would like to conference with me during my office hours, please drop me a note in advance just so I know who/how many people to expect and can plan accordingly.

Sept 3: Reminder, our reading assignment for next Wednesday's class is the second Postman essay, "Defending Against the Indefensible," p.20-34 in Conscientious Objections. As discussed in class, you'll want to pay particular attention to the passages in which Postman talks about metaphor, as they will be key to understanding the purpose behind the first formal essay assignment. No response is assigned for this reading. Lastly, as promised, a link to an online copy of the first essay assignment is now available in the right-hand column of this page. Have a good weekend!

Aug 31: Welcome. As noted in today's class, and per the reading schedule, the reading assignment for Wednesday's class is the first essay in Neil Postman's book Conscientious Objections: "Social Science as Moral Theology," p. 3-19. In addition, please compose a 1-2 page informal response to the reading in which, at least in part, you discuss what you understand Postman's arugment to be in this essay and talk a little bit about his style, that is, how he presents his argument. You may type or handwrite your response. Again, this is informal, and feel free, in addition to the above, to make any observations you like in terms of your response to Postman's essay. Please have it ready to turn in Wednesday at class.

English 1010-025 Syllabus

English 1010-025 Schedule

Paper Transition Presentation

Paper Introduction Presentation

Sample Academic Paper Titles

Essay 3 Revision Grading Rubric/Checklist

Essay Assignments

Formal Essay #1: Metaphor

Formal Essay #2: Postman

Formal Essay #3: The Big Paper

Short Response Assignments

Response #1: Understanding Postman