ENGLISH 101.2681: T 915-1115/ C 716 & TH 915-1115/ C 452
ENG 103.2682: W 1030-1230/ C 245
LIB 110.2685: W 1-2pm/ C 709
Media Lives
Spring I 2011 Semester
Professor: Dr. Luke Vasileiou Office: M 109C
E-mail: lvasileiou@lagcc.cuny.edu Office Hours: T, TH 11:30-12:30 &
W 9:15-10:15
Phone: 718-482-5694
Class website: http://heroicchoices.blogspot.com
Instructor website: http://faculty.laguardia.edu/lvasileiou
Section Description:
Our species, Homo Sapiens, is defined by the Latin words for “knowing human.” Our thirst for knowledge defines us, and philosophical questions regarding the ethical boundaries and obligations we have, the ideologies we believe in and their origins, as well as larger ontological questions have been with us since the beginning of recorded human writing. In this class we will explore how these questions are dealt in contemporary society through film and other media. We will use this thematic context to write papers that combine our personal experience, the shared cultural experiences popular culture offers, and the expertise we employ when we conduct research to expand our own thinking and develop our arguments. As part of the Teaching and Learning networks at LAGCC, we will also be sharing our work with students in other classes and they will be sharing with us.
ENG 101 Description:
In this course students focus on the process of writing clear, correct and effective expository essays in response to materials drawn from culturally diverse sources. Emphasis is placed on using various methods of organization appropriate to the writer’s purpose and audience. Students are introduced to argumentation, fundamental research methods and documentation procedures. Students write frequently both in and out of class. Admission to this course is based on college placement scores.
ENG 103 Description:
This course gives students intensive instruction and practice in library research and writing a staged, formal essay. Students will learn how to choose an appropriate research topic, pose a research question, and outline, organize, and integrate source material into their essays without plagiarizing. They will find and evaluate both print and on-line sources and practice taking notes, summarizing, paraphrasing, quoting, using in-text citations, and creating a Works Cited.
LIB 110 Description:
LIB 110 is a one-hour integrating seminar used to tie together the content material of the Liberal Arts Cluster. This class does not meet at the regularly scheduled time unless otherwise indicated by the instructor. Rather, the 12 hours are used in blocks for fieldtrips, viewing films, special events, and research at activities. Attending LIB 110 events is a required part of the cluster—your grade for LIB 110 is determined solely on attendance.
Required Books:
Schneider, Susan, Ed. Science Fiction and Philosophy. Oxford: Blackwell, 2009. Print.
ISBN: 1405149078. Also a collegiate dictionary (your choice but not an electronic one)
Required Materials:
1) A thumb drive (USB stick) for saving your work. (Anything that happens to your files is your own responsibility). 2) A folder to keep ALL your papers 3) A stapler (any size) 4) Black or blue pens 5) A manila folder used to submit major essays and sources (source folder) 6) Your BLOG for this class as well as the class blog at http://medialives.blogspot.com/
Your duties and My duties:
My duty is to help you succeed, and I will do this both in class and out of class in my office. Come and see me with any problems. Do not just disappear and stop coming because the only students I cannot help are the ones I do not see. We can work with any other difficulties. You should come to class, be on time, take notes, take work in class (group work, discussions, postings) seriously, ask questions, and turn in work on time. My set goal is for all of you at the end to pass the class with the best grade possible for you.
Web-log (or “Blog”) and Workshops
Each week you will be expected to participate in the web-log (blog) assignments and workshops as indicated by the instructor. Participation in the online discussions is a required part of the course and serves as the basis for all other class activities. Online discussions will be graded based on weekly participation as evaluated in three sets of blogs (200 points each) during the term.
Blog Set Evaluation
Post and Comment as Directed (20 points)
Post and Comment on Time (20 points)
Post is Appropriate to Assignment (20 points)
You Actively Engaged with Texts and Peers (20 points)
Your Posts are Clear and Use Standard Edited English (20 points)
Essays and Rewrites
You must pass a draft of all essays in this class including the final in-class essay (no rewrite). Essays are due on the designated date whether they are submitted online, in hard-copy, or both. All late essays automatically drop one letter grade (10%) for each business day they are late beginning with the due date. Late penalties apply to the revised paper as well. Papers may never be submitted via email or email attachment.
Course Requirements and Grading Standards:
ENG 101:
For those that pass the Final In-Class Essay, the grade will be averaged using the following scale:
Percentage of Grade
Blogs & Short Essays (will also be blog assignments) 60 % Multiples entries per week; Blogs graded in three sets, essays marked P/F. F essays must be revised. The revised one will count in the grade
Special Projects 20% Field Trips, Activities, Tests
Major Research Essay 20% End of semester research essay
Final In-Class Essay for ENG 101 PASS/FAIL
ENG 103: Your Grade will be based on your major research essay (60%) and the Archives project essay (40%).
Guidelines for the 103 Essays
All out of class drafts and assignments must be typed (including early drafts).
Use standard Word margins on each side of the paper. Use one side of the paper only. Use 12-point Times New Roman font. Do not use a title page. Papers should have the following information on their first page (upper left-hand corner):
Your name
ENGL 103—XXXX(replace XXXX with section number)
Dr. Vasileiou
Assignment
Date
Then, the next line will be your title, centered and in bold font. The title should be more original than “x assignment” or “my paper.” Do not skip lines anywhere else in the essay (indicate the beginning of a new paragraph by a five-space indentation). Do not number the first page, but number every subsequent page with the following information in the top right hand corner (header):
last name 2
Staple the paper and put it in a manila folder for submission, together with all necessary materials (prewriting, first draft, possible peer feedback, and copies/printouts of all sources). Remember to staple the works cited to the paper as it is a required part of any research paper.
Absences:
Per college policy, students have six hours (HOURS, not DAYS) of absences counting from the first day of classes, regardless of when the student registered. Use these hours only for serious reasons. Any HOUR in which you come in late, leave early, or leave the classroom for more than a couple of minutes counts as half an absence. Refusal to participate in any class activity (including exercises and journals) will result in an absence for the day. I take attendance as soon as class begins. If you come in late, you must come in at the end of the class and ask me to change the absences to ONE hour instead of two. Otherwise you will be left with the full two hours count. No other absences over the limit are allowed (meaning, no “excused absences”). Therefore, use these hours only when you need them and do come on time. Any student who has exceeded the six hour limit before midterm will be advised to drop the class as their grade at that point can only be an F.
Academic Honesty:
This class will be conducted in compliance with LaGuardia Community College’s academic integrity policy. All students of LaGuardia Community College are responsible for preparing and presenting original work. In accordance with the college’s policy on student responsibilities, the penalty for papers which are plagiarized and for any cheating during exams is immediate course failure. Please refer to your college catalog for a more complete discussion of Academic Honesty.
Classroom Behavior:
If you do not pay attention and instead talk to people around you, text on your cell phone, fall asleep in class etc, I will penalize you with an absence for that hour. The same will be true for having an electronic device turned on during class time. I will not announce this in class so as not to put you on the spotlight, but you can be sure I have noted and marked such behavior. All of your classmates have the same rights you do to an environment conducive to learning, so nobody will be allowed to act in ways that disturb the learning process; students who demonstrate behavior that obstructs others’ learning and/or instruction will be asked to leave (or will be removed) and will be counted absent.
A Final Note:
The language of the syllabus is austere, because it is a worst-case scenario, and a legal document. Overwhelmingly, none of these things happen, and class is an enjoyable experience. So, take the tone of this document to mean, “What would happen if,” but not what I expect this semester will be like. Also, I am here to help you, and I can work with any difficulties and problems which may arise. The only students I cannot help are the ones I do not see, so please do not stop coming to class (and to my office for individual help) no matter the situation. Welcome to Media Lives!
