Assignment Schedule

Week 1

Introductions, syllabus

Week 2

Review of pre-writing strategies and elements of the essay

freewriting

brainstorming

listing

principles of essay writing: thesis and support

Week 3

Active Reading

Discussion of Chapter 1

Critical Thinking, Analysis and Response Papers

Focus: Black Men and Public Space- Staples p 223

Online discussion in lab

Assignment- Post any unfinished questions to blog

Week 4

Discussion of Writing Genres Chapter 2

Discussion of Black Men and Public Space

Assignment: Response Paper

Lab: Rhetoric & Rhetorical Choices

Week 5

Argument:

Online and in-class discussion of texts:

How to Survive the Age of Distraction p 566

Is Google Making us Stupid? p 574

Pediatrics Gets it Wrong about “Facebook Depression” p 644

Alone Together p 593

Assignment: One page rhetorical analysis or reflection on each reading (2 of each style)

Essay 1, draft 1

Reflect on your relationship with social media and write an argument that explains, epitomizes and illustrates its impact on people of your generation. (4-5 pg)

Week 6

Discussion of texts

Essay 1 draft, 1 due

Writing lab- workshop + Draft time

Week 8
Essay topics

Essay 1 draft 2 due

Week 9

The Narrative Essay

“What Shamu Taught Me About a Happy Marriage” p138

“June” from Reviving Ophelia p 311

“The Waltz” p 298

One page rhetorical analysis or reflection on each reading (2 Rhetoric, 1 Reflection)

Essay 2: Discuss a relationship you have with another person in a way that uses a narrative to explore the good, the bad or the ugly about your bond. (4-5 pg)

Week 10

First draft of Narrative Essay due Tuesday

Narrative Essay- Draft 1 due

Continued Discussion of narrative texts

Writer's Workshop + Revision 

Week 11

The Relationship Status Update p 123-126

From The Relationship Cure p 146-158

When We Hurt the Ones We Love:… p 183

Week 12

Exemplification:

You’re Wearing That? p 163

Online and In-class Discussions of texts

Week 13

Week 15
Inequality and (Un)Happiness in America p 389
+Reflection paper on text

Thanksgiving-no class

Write an argument about happiness addressed to the audience of your choosing. To what extent might it be possible to become happier?
Due ____________

Week 16

When is eating a social issue

In Your Face: How the Food Industry Drives Us to Eat p 481
+ Reflection paper

From The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the American Appetite p 493
+ Rhetorical Analysis

The Vegetarian Delusion p 545 & Eating Vegetarian and Making a Difference p 548

+ Reflection paper

Week 17

Essay 3: Due

Discuss the importance of food in relation to your culture (any aspect of it). How has increasing social awareness of current food issues—e.g. Monsanto, organic, whole foods, factory farming—affected your relationship to food or impacted your consumption of food.

Discussion and writer’s workshop

Week 

Final draft of essay 3 due

Class presentations

Week 

Class presentations