English Writing Assignments

ENC-1102 ONLINE WRITING PORTFOLIO - ASSIGNMENT CHECKLIST PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW Your online writing portfolio will be a compilation of required writing assignments that you do during the semester - writing exercises, drafts, proposals, peer reviews, etc. The portfolio will count for 35% to 40% of the course grade (typically 40%, depending on the final number of assignments). Below is a short list of key policies: Assignments will be graded on a pass/fail basis. In other words, assignments will receive an "A" when they are completed and submitted on time. They will receive a "0" when they are not submitted on time. On occasion, an intermediate grade will be given when an assignment doesn't reflect enough effort or follow the instructions. Portfolio assignments must be submitted in Turnitin and submitted on time. Assignments that are not submitted on time will receive a grade of zero. There will be a universal “forgiveness policy” for two missing assignments (but no more) at the end of the term: A student’s two lowest portfolio grades will be removed. This “assignment checklist” will be updated periodically throughout the semester (usually every week), with detailed descriptions of (and due dates for) all of the required assignments. Students should access and review the “checklist” at the beginning of every week, in order to keep up-to-date with the required work. ASSIGNMENT LIST – Unit 1 1. (Due on or before Sun. January 13 at 11:00 P.M., Turnitin.com) THINKING ABOUT RESEARCH PROBLEMS - ANALYZING A SONG This will be your first graded portfolio assignment. To complete the assignment, read the lyrics to the song “Stay (Faraway, so Close)" by U2 (the lyrics are posted under “Reading Assignments for Unit 1” in the “modules” section of the course website). Write a response to the song that identifies the central issue that the song is about and the view the songwriter wants to express. (Use examples to support your points.) Conclude your response by discussing the following: Could any of the problems or issues that the song deals with be the subject of a research project (explain why or why not), and if so, what would be the goal or purpose of the project? Length: approximately 1 page.

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2. (Due on or before Monday January 14 at 11:00 P.M., Turnitin.com) THINKING ABOUT SONGS THAT ADDRESS ISSUES OF SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE Think of a song in any genre of music that addresses an issue or problem that affects many people’s lives, and therefore, has social significance. The song could be about a personal problem—for example, depression, substance abuse, or peer pressure—that has social significance because many people experience it. (Examples of songs that deal with these problems are “Sullen Girl” by Fiona Apple, “Situation Degenerates” by Earth Crisis, or “The Art of Peer Pressure” by Kendrick Lamar.) Or the song could be about a more public or political problem, such as war or immigration, that has social significance because it can profoundly affect people’s personal lives. (Examples of songs that deal with these problems are “Shock and Awe” by Neil Young or “Ilegal Y Qué?" by Los Crudos.) After thinking of a song, write a short description of it. Elaborate on the main issue or problem the song deals with, and why you think the songwriter wants to address it. What is the songwriter’s main view or argument? Consider also commenting on when you first heard the song, what impact it had on you, and why? Did it change your view or increase your awareness? Is there any evidence that the song has inspired people to act or advocate for change? To conclude this assignment, discuss whether or not the central problem or issue that the song deals with could be the subject of a research project for this course (and explain why). Tip To help you think of songs, review the music library on your smartphone or MP3 device, or visit an online music store and review albums by your favorite artists. You can also use sites like www.mldb.org, which allows you to search through over 23,000 albums by over 10,000 artists using key words like “war” or “love.” Length: approximately 1 page or more. 3. (Due on or before Wed. January 16 at 11:00 P.M., Turnitin.com) GENERATING SOME IDEAS FOR A FIELD RESEARCH ESSAY

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In Chapter 12 of your textbook, re-read the sections on pages 289 and 290, titled “Individual Task to Generate Ideas” and “Small-Group Task to Generate Ideas.” Then, based on the directions at the bottom of page 289, make a list of five (or more) topics, for which you might say – “I know more about [the topic] than [specific person or persons know].” After making your list, describe a) what you know about each topic, and b) some issues related to the topics – in particular, issues caused or perpetuated by people’s lack of knowledge, misconceptions, or ignorance. Finally, discuss if you could write an essay about any of the topics, and if so, which would you chose and why do you think the essay would be interesting and relevant to educated people like your classmates. Length: approximately 1 page or more. 4. (Due on or before Sun. January 20 at 11:00 P.M., Turnitin.com) RESPONDING TO TWO EXCERPTS FROM NICKEL AND DIMED BY BARBARA EHRENREICH Read the two excerpts from Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich (The file is posted under “Reading Assignments” in Canvas). After reading the two excerpts, answer the following questions: 1) Did you learn anything you didn’t already know from reading the two excerpts? What did you learn? 2) Did you find any of the information surprising or shocking? 3) What do you think was the writer’s main purpose in writing Nickel and Dimed? What did she want readers to think and feel? 4) Do you think she goes into too much detail about the two jobs, and her supervisors and co-workers? Would the excerpts be more effective if they were shorter? 5) In your view, what are the main reasons for low wages in America and the living conditions they create? Are there any realistic solutions to this problem? Length: approximately 1 or 2 pages.

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UPCOMING ASSIGNMENTS: [Week of Jan. 21.]

• PROPOSAL FOR YOUR FIELD-RESEARCH ESSAY Write a proposal for your field-research essay using the section-headings and instructions provided below:

Field Research Essay Proposal

1) Subject

Describe the subject of your essay – in other words, the person, place, event, community, or controversy, etc., that you will be writing about and researching.

2) The Main Issue or Problem You Will Address

Discuss one or more issues or problems that your subject raises and that your essay will address – for example, people’s misconceptions, ignorance, or indifference. What are the consequences of any of the above to those people and others?

3) Questions about the Main Issue or Problem List key questions about the main issue or problem that you will address in your essay and will give the essay a strong focus and goal.

4) The Central View (“Surprising” Thesis) You Will Present and Support What “surprising” thesis or insights do you expect to present and support? You may not know your specific thesis until you have done your “field research.” If that is the case, discuss the kind of “surprising” or revealing insights you are looking for or expect to find.

5) Source of Interest and Knowledge Elaborate on why this subject is of interest and importance to you, and what you know about it.

6) Reader-Relevance Assume your audience is a diverse group of educated readers like your classmates. Explain why you think your essay will be interesting and relevant to them. What impact does the main issue or problem have on their lives?

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7) Field Research Methods and Visual Illustrations/Enhancements (e. g., photographs) Discuss the “field research” (also called “primary research”) you plan to do and what you want to learn. (Common field research methods are: personal interviews; site visits and observations; focus groups; surveys; oral histories and testimonials; online discussion boards; lectures or speeches.) Also, discuss any visual illustrations like photographs or charts you might include in the essay to enhance the reading experience.

Important Reminders: Remember to use all of the above sections and headings in your proposal (the headings can be numbered as shown, or bulleted). Format the proposal in “business” style, rather than essay style – in other words, use single-spacing and block paragraphs. (These formatting instructions will be considered in the grading.) Grading note: Acceptance of the proposal will be indicated by the grade you receive for this portfolio assignment. An “A” means that the proposal has been accepted. If you receive a grade of “B” or below, that means that the proposal has not been accepted in its current form. You should consult with the instructor about improving, clarifying or changing your idea. Bring a copy of your proposal draft to the next class meeting. You may be asked to make a short presentation to the class or discuss the proposal with a group of your classmates. Length: approximately 2 pages or more.

• PER REVIEW OF A CLASSMATE’S PROPOSAL