Thursday, May 14, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Integrating Quotations
Here is a useful illustration of an effective way to integrate quotations into your paper.
| 1. Locate the passage you want to quote and identify the text you want to include in the quotation. | Original Passage In his effort to break with Marge, Nick had been unable to go beyond sulking conversation, so that she took the initiative and immediately and decisively rejected him when he said that love wasn't fun anymore (81-82). The switching of traditional masculine and feminine roles is striking (for 1916) and clearly warrants the reference in Nick's reverie in 'A Way You'll Never Be' to 'the great Gaby' and 'the far side of the taxi' (obvious plays on F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and This Side of Paradise). Hannum, Howard L. "'Scared Sick Looking at It': A Reading of Nick Adams in the Published Stories." Twentieth Century Literature. |
| 2. Add quotation marks or, if the quotation is long, set the text in a block. If you modify the passage, use ellipses and brackets appropriately. | "In his effort to break with Marge, Nick had been unable to go beyond sulking conversation, so that she took the initiative and immediately and decisively rejected him when he said that love wasn't fun anymore" |
| 3. Identify the sources of the quotation and the location, such as the page number. | As Howard L. Hannum observes, "In his effort to break with Marge, Nick had been unable to go beyond sulking conversation, so that she took the initiative and immediately and decisively rejected him when he said that love wasn't fun anymore" (47). |
| 4. Avoid "orphan quotations" by providing a context for your quotation. Introduce the quotation and indicate how it relates to your argument. | As Howard L. Hannum observes, Marjorie is the one who officially ends the relationship: "In his effort to break with Marge, Nick had been unable to go beyond sulking conversation, so that she took the initiative and immediately and decisively rejected him when he said that love wasn't fun anymore" (47). Marjorie fearlessly confronts Nick about his feelings and remains stoic when faced with his jarring words. |
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Research Papers!
I have once again extended the deadline for the Research Papers. You may have until Wednesday, May 13.
The Final Draft (Due May 13th)
Please submit in a large envelope (with your name on it) in this order
1. Outline: this should reflect the final structure of your paper. It should be typed.
2. The paper
3. Works Cited page in MLA format
4. On the same page or subsequent page, present a list of “Works Consulted” if there are sources you read but did not end up using in your paper (only list sources you actually read)
(Staple these first four items together)
5. A copy of your proposals w/ my comments.
6. A copy of your progress report w/ my comments
7. A copy of your short research paper w/ my comments
8. A copy of short research paper w/ peer review comments
9. Copies of your sources, clearly labeled and in alphabetical order, matching your “Works Cited” page (for books, just submit copies of the pages you cited from). Please staple each source separately, writing or circling the author’s name on the first page of each stapled packet. Also, please highlight or underline the ideas you quoted or paraphrased, and write, in the margin of the source, the page number of your paper where I can find that quote or paraphrase.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The Things They Carried: Reading Schedule
Although we will not have time to discuss each story in class, you should be prepared to discuss your responses to the reading. Bring your questions!
5/4 "Love," "Spin," "On the Rainy River,"* "Enemies," "Friends,"
5/6 "How to Tell a True War Story,"* "The Dentist," "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong," "Stockings," "Church"
5/11 "The Man I Killed,"* "Ambush," "Style," "Speaking of Courage," "Notes"
5/13 "In the Field," "Good Form," "Field Trip," "The Ghost Soldiers," "Night Life," "The Lives of the Dead"*
5/18 Final Exam
*stories with asterisks will most likely be discussed in class
5/4 "Love," "Spin," "On the Rainy River,"* "Enemies," "Friends,"
5/6 "How to Tell a True War Story,"* "The Dentist," "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong," "Stockings," "Church"
5/11 "The Man I Killed,"* "Ambush," "Style," "Speaking of Courage," "Notes"
5/13 "In the Field," "Good Form," "Field Trip," "The Ghost Soldiers," "Night Life," "The Lives of the Dead"*
5/18 Final Exam
*stories with asterisks will most likely be discussed in class
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Tim O'Brien
There are many many online resources for The Things They Carried.
Stories:
The Things They Carried
How To Tell a True War Story
The Author, Tim O'Brien
Tim O'Brien
Tim O'Brien at Wikipedia
"The Things they Carried" (short story) at Wikipedia
Audio Interview w/ Tim O'Brien
Stories:
The Things They Carried
How To Tell a True War Story
The Author, Tim O'Brien
Tim O'Brien
Tim O'Brien at Wikipedia
"The Things they Carried" (short story) at Wikipedia
Audio Interview w/ Tim O'Brien
Monday, April 20, 2009
Research Paper: Updates, new due dates, guidelines
Research Paper
Updates, new due dates, guidelines
Short Research Paper
• *new due date* Monday April 27th
• 4-5 pages (1200 words)
• uses 3 sources
• Do not use encyclopedia type sources (if you do, it will not count as one of your 3)
• At least one source should be a book
• Try to use at least one scholarly article
• You may use interviews, but only as one of your required sources.
• Worth 5% of your final grade
Long Research Paper
• *new due date* Wednesday, May 13th
• 7-9 pages
• Uses six sources
• Include a copy of all your sources (you can copy relevant pages from the books you use)
• Worth 20% of your final grade. About ½ of your grade will be awarded based on how well the paper is written; the other ½ will be awarded based on the quality of your sources and how well you use them in your paper.
Possible Structure for long paper
• Introduction: Explain your interest in the issue, provide overview of the problem or question, end with thesis
• Problem or Question: explain and define the problem or question by giving specific examples of it, perhaps individual cases and situations as well as facts and statistics.
• Source of the problem/ reason for the question: how has this problem developed or what has caused it? (Note: the problem and its sources could be combined into one section).
• Consequences of the problem/ question: What are the typical results or consequences of this problem? What are the typical responses to the question?
• Possible solutions: What solutions have been applied to this problem?
• Conclusion: What have you learned from your research? What have you proven to us about this problem? Your focus and your thesis and your conclusion will probably be on why this problem matters and what should be done about it.
Possible structure for short paper
• The short research paper will be a reduced version of the suggested outline. You might do a shorter version of every point OR you might simply explore the problem/question, its sources and consequences, and save the possible solution for your longer paper.
Sources
• Length is a good indicator or what is useful. A one page interview is too short; an in-depth interview would be more useful. Similarly, a book review would be too short or superficial; a scholarly article or full chapter from a critical study would be valuable.
• Luria Library “Online Research Databases”
• Google Scholar
• Davidson Library at UCSB
The Final Draft (Due May 13th)
Please submit in a large envelope (with your name on it) in this order
1. Outline: this should reflect the final structure of your paper. It should be typed.
2. The paper
3. Works Cited page in MLA format
4. On the same page or subsequent page, present a list of “Works Consulted” if there are sources you read but did not end up using in your paper (only list sources you actually read)
(Staple these first four items together)
5. A copy of your proposals w/ my comments.
6. A copy of your progress report w/ my comments
7. A copy of your short research paper w/ my comments
8. A copy of short research paper w/ peer review comments
9. Copies of your sources, clearly labeled and in alphabetical order, matching your “Works Cited” page (for books, just submit copies of the pages you cited from). Please staple each source separately, writing or circling the author’s name on the first page of each stapled packet. Also, please highlight or underline the ideas you quoted or paraphrased, and write, in the margin of the source, the page number of your paper where I can find that quote or paraphrase.
Updates, new due dates, guidelines
Short Research Paper
• *new due date* Monday April 27th
• 4-5 pages (1200 words)
• uses 3 sources
• Do not use encyclopedia type sources (if you do, it will not count as one of your 3)
• At least one source should be a book
• Try to use at least one scholarly article
• You may use interviews, but only as one of your required sources.
• Worth 5% of your final grade
Long Research Paper
• *new due date* Wednesday, May 13th
• 7-9 pages
• Uses six sources
• Include a copy of all your sources (you can copy relevant pages from the books you use)
• Worth 20% of your final grade. About ½ of your grade will be awarded based on how well the paper is written; the other ½ will be awarded based on the quality of your sources and how well you use them in your paper.
Possible Structure for long paper
• Introduction: Explain your interest in the issue, provide overview of the problem or question, end with thesis
• Problem or Question: explain and define the problem or question by giving specific examples of it, perhaps individual cases and situations as well as facts and statistics.
• Source of the problem/ reason for the question: how has this problem developed or what has caused it? (Note: the problem and its sources could be combined into one section).
• Consequences of the problem/ question: What are the typical results or consequences of this problem? What are the typical responses to the question?
• Possible solutions: What solutions have been applied to this problem?
• Conclusion: What have you learned from your research? What have you proven to us about this problem? Your focus and your thesis and your conclusion will probably be on why this problem matters and what should be done about it.
Possible structure for short paper
• The short research paper will be a reduced version of the suggested outline. You might do a shorter version of every point OR you might simply explore the problem/question, its sources and consequences, and save the possible solution for your longer paper.
Sources
• Length is a good indicator or what is useful. A one page interview is too short; an in-depth interview would be more useful. Similarly, a book review would be too short or superficial; a scholarly article or full chapter from a critical study would be valuable.
• Luria Library “Online Research Databases”
• Google Scholar
• Davidson Library at UCSB
The Final Draft (Due May 13th)
Please submit in a large envelope (with your name on it) in this order
1. Outline: this should reflect the final structure of your paper. It should be typed.
2. The paper
3. Works Cited page in MLA format
4. On the same page or subsequent page, present a list of “Works Consulted” if there are sources you read but did not end up using in your paper (only list sources you actually read)
(Staple these first four items together)
5. A copy of your proposals w/ my comments.
6. A copy of your progress report w/ my comments
7. A copy of your short research paper w/ my comments
8. A copy of short research paper w/ peer review comments
9. Copies of your sources, clearly labeled and in alphabetical order, matching your “Works Cited” page (for books, just submit copies of the pages you cited from). Please staple each source separately, writing or circling the author’s name on the first page of each stapled packet. Also, please highlight or underline the ideas you quoted or paraphrased, and write, in the margin of the source, the page number of your paper where I can find that quote or paraphrase.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Research Paper Progress Report
Please write one page desribing your progress on your Research Paper. There is no set form for this progress assignment, but here are some questions that might help you focus your report:
1.) Have you found the answers to the questions that you came up with for your research proposal? What are they?
2.) If you haven't found the answers you were looking for, have you come up with new questions? What are they?
3.) What sources have you consulted? Describe whether or not they have been helpful.
4.) Provide a thesis/plan
1.) Have you found the answers to the questions that you came up with for your research proposal? What are they?
2.) If you haven't found the answers you were looking for, have you come up with new questions? What are they?
3.) What sources have you consulted? Describe whether or not they have been helpful.
4.) Provide a thesis/plan
Monday, April 6, 2009
Calendar Update
WEEK 10*
*You must take the English120 exam during this week
NATURE
4/6 Draft of Paper # 3 due for peer review
HW: Read intro to “Nature” WI Ch. 6
Read “The Sunless Sea” (Carson) WI 577-595\
4/8 Paper # 3 due
HW. Read “Nonmoral Nature” (Gould) WI 597-611
Answer Questions for Critical Reading
WEEK 11
4/13 Research Paper Progress Report Due
Prepare for paper # 4 (group work and discussion)
4/15 Paper # 4 in class (timed essay)
WEEK 12
4/20 Review Guidelines for Paper 5
4/22 Draft of Paper # 5 (short research paper) due for peer review
WEEK 13
4/27 Paper # 5 (short research paper) due
4/29 TBA
The Things They Carried (O’brien)
WEEK 14
5/4 The Things They Carried (O’brien)
5/6 7 The Things They Carried (O’brien)
WEEK 15
5/11 Paper #6 (long research Paper) due
The Things They Carried (O’brien)
5/13 The Things They Carried (O’brien)
5/18 FINAL EXAM (paper #7) 2-4 p.m.
*You must take the English120 exam during this week
NATURE
4/6 Draft of Paper # 3 due for peer review
HW: Read intro to “Nature” WI Ch. 6
Read “The Sunless Sea” (Carson) WI 577-595\
4/8 Paper # 3 due
HW. Read “Nonmoral Nature” (Gould) WI 597-611
Answer Questions for Critical Reading
WEEK 11
4/13 Research Paper Progress Report Due
Prepare for paper # 4 (group work and discussion)
4/15 Paper # 4 in class (timed essay)
WEEK 12
4/20 Review Guidelines for Paper 5
4/22 Draft of Paper # 5 (short research paper) due for peer review
WEEK 13
4/27 Paper # 5 (short research paper) due
4/29 TBA
The Things They Carried (O’brien)
WEEK 14
5/4 The Things They Carried (O’brien)
5/6 7 The Things They Carried (O’brien)
WEEK 15
5/11 Paper #6 (long research Paper) due
The Things They Carried (O’brien)
5/13 The Things They Carried (O’brien)
5/18 FINAL EXAM (paper #7) 2-4 p.m.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Paper #3
Essay # 3
Draft Due for peer review Monday April 6
Paper due Wednesday April 8
What I’m looking for:
Length 900-1100 words (3-4 pages)
Independent intellectual effort and thoughtfulness
A clear and wel1-focused thesis that is specific and interesting
A clear scheme of organization: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion
Unified paragraphs with topic sentences and strong transitions between paragraphs
Backing up your ideas with examples rather than summarizing/generalizing
Quotes that are integrated in way that demonstrates close, thoughtful reading
Skillfully constructed sentences
Evidence of reflection and revision
Proper use of MLA citation and documentation (i.e. in-text citation and a works cited page)
Plato
1. What does the allegory of the cave imply for people living in the world of the senses. To what extent are people like (or unlike) the figures in the cave? To what extent is the world we know like the cave?
2. Plato opens by talking about the extent to which we are enlightened. What is the effect on our enlightenment of the allegory he presents? What does an understanding of the allegory cause us to realize about ourselves?
Freud
1. To what extent do you think children’s love/hate of their parents is normal? Freud implies that such feelings exist in all children. Do you think that is likely? If so, what would contribute to those feelings? Should children worry about them? Or are they just normal feelings resulting from their having very little power in the family setting? Argue a case that suggests that the mental states Freud describes are essentially normal and nothing to worry about.
2. In another essay, Freud says that dreams are expressions of one’s wishes and fears and can be “inserted into the chain of intelligible waking mental acts.” If you have had a recent dream that you know can be connected to events in your waking life, describe the dream carefully and make the connection clear. What is the relation of that dream to your waking life? How do you interpret it? Does it seem to involve wishes, fear, or shame? How might Freud interpret this dream?
Gilligan
1. In reference to paragraph 34, establish what you see as the current sex-role stereotypes that appear to be accepted by those people you know best. What is the prospect in the future for a breakdown of these stereotypes? Do you feel optimistic that there will be progress in dealing with the stereotypes? Do you know people who are comfortable with them? Do you know people who are uncomfortable with them? What seem to be their views?
2. Gilligan refers to several fairy tales, such as “Sleeping Beauty” and “Snow White.” Each one portrays women in a passive role. Choose a fairy tale or popular narrative that you feel either supports Gilligan’s views about the distinctions between men and women, or contradicts them. Analyze the fairy tale/narrative for its deeper meaning in the same fashion that Gilligan analyzes certain tales. Do you think fairy tales shape gender beliefs in the young? Should they? Will you read these fairy tales to your children?
Got an idea? Run it by me.
Draft Due for peer review Monday April 6
Paper due Wednesday April 8
What I’m looking for:
Length 900-1100 words (3-4 pages)
Independent intellectual effort and thoughtfulness
A clear and wel1-focused thesis that is specific and interesting
A clear scheme of organization: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion
Unified paragraphs with topic sentences and strong transitions between paragraphs
Backing up your ideas with examples rather than summarizing/generalizing
Quotes that are integrated in way that demonstrates close, thoughtful reading
Skillfully constructed sentences
Evidence of reflection and revision
Proper use of MLA citation and documentation (i.e. in-text citation and a works cited page)
Plato
1. What does the allegory of the cave imply for people living in the world of the senses. To what extent are people like (or unlike) the figures in the cave? To what extent is the world we know like the cave?
2. Plato opens by talking about the extent to which we are enlightened. What is the effect on our enlightenment of the allegory he presents? What does an understanding of the allegory cause us to realize about ourselves?
Freud
1. To what extent do you think children’s love/hate of their parents is normal? Freud implies that such feelings exist in all children. Do you think that is likely? If so, what would contribute to those feelings? Should children worry about them? Or are they just normal feelings resulting from their having very little power in the family setting? Argue a case that suggests that the mental states Freud describes are essentially normal and nothing to worry about.
2. In another essay, Freud says that dreams are expressions of one’s wishes and fears and can be “inserted into the chain of intelligible waking mental acts.” If you have had a recent dream that you know can be connected to events in your waking life, describe the dream carefully and make the connection clear. What is the relation of that dream to your waking life? How do you interpret it? Does it seem to involve wishes, fear, or shame? How might Freud interpret this dream?
Gilligan
1. In reference to paragraph 34, establish what you see as the current sex-role stereotypes that appear to be accepted by those people you know best. What is the prospect in the future for a breakdown of these stereotypes? Do you feel optimistic that there will be progress in dealing with the stereotypes? Do you know people who are comfortable with them? Do you know people who are uncomfortable with them? What seem to be their views?
2. Gilligan refers to several fairy tales, such as “Sleeping Beauty” and “Snow White.” Each one portrays women in a passive role. Choose a fairy tale or popular narrative that you feel either supports Gilligan’s views about the distinctions between men and women, or contradicts them. Analyze the fairy tale/narrative for its deeper meaning in the same fashion that Gilligan analyzes certain tales. Do you think fairy tales shape gender beliefs in the young? Should they? Will you read these fairy tales to your children?
Got an idea? Run it by me.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Course Calendar Update
ENGLISH 110 CALENDAR UPDATE
Please keep in mind that this calendar is tentative. I will distribute post calendar revisions as I adapt instructions and materials to meet your needs. I will also assign supplemental reading, activities, and exercises throughout the semester.
WEEK 5
JUSTICE
2/23 Paper #1 Due
Group Reading Exercise "The Black Sheep" by Italo Calvino
HW: Read “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (King) WI 171-189
Read Intro to “Justice” p 114-117
2/25 Discuss King
HW: Read “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions” (Stanton) WI 161-168
Read “A Theory of Justice” (Rawls) WI 195-204
Answer "Questions for Critical Reading"
WEEK 6
3/2 Bring English 120 Workbook to class
HW: Read “Composing Paragraphs” PH p43-60
3/4 Assign Paper # 2
HW: Review “MLA Documentation” (Ch. 21) in PH p245-299
WEEK 7
3/9 Thesis & Plan for Paper # 2 due
MIND
3/11 HW: Read Intro. to “Mind” WI p 437-443
Read “ The Allegory of the Cave” (Plato) WI 443-453
Answer "Questions for Critical Reading"
WEEK 8
3/16 Paper #2 due
HW: Read “The Oedipus Complex” (Freud) WI 469-478
Answer "Questions for Critical Reading"
3/18 Research Proposal Due
HW: Read “Woman’s Place in Man’s Life Cycle” (Gilligan) WI 797-817
Answer "Questions for Critical Reading"
WEEK 9
3/23 Assign Paper # 3
3/25 Citation Exercise Due
*****
3/30 Spring Break
4/1 Spring Break
*****
WEEK 10*
*You must take the English120 exam during this week
WEEK 10*
*You must take the English120 exam during this week
NATURE
4/6 Draft of Paper # 3 due for peer review
HW: Read intro to “Nature” WI Ch. 6
Read “The Sunless Sea” (Carson) WI 577-595\
4/8 Paper # 3 due
HW. Read “Nonmoral Nature” (Gould) WI 597-611
Answer Questions for Critical Reading
WEEK 11
4/13 Research Paper Progress Report Due
Prepare for paper # 4 (group work and discussion)
4/15 Paper # 4 in class (timed essay)
WEEK 12
4/20 Draft of Paper # 5 (short research paper) due for peer review
4/22 Paper # 5 (short research paper) due
WEEK 13
4/27 TBA
4/29 TBA
The Things They Carried (O’brien)
WEEK 14
5/4 Paper #6 (long research Paper) due
The Things They Carried (O’brien)
5/6 7 The Things They Carried (O’brien)
WEEK 15
5/11 The Things They Carried (O’brien)
5/13 The Things They Carried (O’brien)
5/18 FINAL EXAM (paper #7) 2-4 p.m.
Please keep in mind that this calendar is tentative. I will distribute post calendar revisions as I adapt instructions and materials to meet your needs. I will also assign supplemental reading, activities, and exercises throughout the semester.
WEEK 5
JUSTICE
2/23 Paper #1 Due
Group Reading Exercise "The Black Sheep" by Italo Calvino
HW: Read “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (King) WI 171-189
Read Intro to “Justice” p 114-117
2/25 Discuss King
HW: Read “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions” (Stanton) WI 161-168
Read “A Theory of Justice” (Rawls) WI 195-204
Answer "Questions for Critical Reading"
WEEK 6
3/2 Bring English 120 Workbook to class
HW: Read “Composing Paragraphs” PH p43-60
3/4 Assign Paper # 2
HW: Review “MLA Documentation” (Ch. 21) in PH p245-299
WEEK 7
3/9 Thesis & Plan for Paper # 2 due
MIND
3/11 HW: Read Intro. to “Mind” WI p 437-443
Read “ The Allegory of the Cave” (Plato) WI 443-453
Answer "Questions for Critical Reading"
WEEK 8
3/16 Paper #2 due
HW: Read “The Oedipus Complex” (Freud) WI 469-478
Answer "Questions for Critical Reading"
3/18 Research Proposal Due
HW: Read “Woman’s Place in Man’s Life Cycle” (Gilligan) WI 797-817
Answer "Questions for Critical Reading"
WEEK 9
3/23 Assign Paper # 3
3/25 Citation Exercise Due
*****
3/30 Spring Break
4/1 Spring Break
*****
WEEK 10*
*You must take the English120 exam during this week
WEEK 10*
*You must take the English120 exam during this week
NATURE
4/6 Draft of Paper # 3 due for peer review
HW: Read intro to “Nature” WI Ch. 6
Read “The Sunless Sea” (Carson) WI 577-595\
4/8 Paper # 3 due
HW. Read “Nonmoral Nature” (Gould) WI 597-611
Answer Questions for Critical Reading
WEEK 11
4/13 Research Paper Progress Report Due
Prepare for paper # 4 (group work and discussion)
4/15 Paper # 4 in class (timed essay)
WEEK 12
4/20 Draft of Paper # 5 (short research paper) due for peer review
4/22 Paper # 5 (short research paper) due
WEEK 13
4/27 TBA
4/29 TBA
The Things They Carried (O’brien)
WEEK 14
5/4 Paper #6 (long research Paper) due
The Things They Carried (O’brien)
5/6 7 The Things They Carried (O’brien)
WEEK 15
5/11 The Things They Carried (O’brien)
5/13 The Things They Carried (O’brien)
5/18 FINAL EXAM (paper #7) 2-4 p.m.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Call for Student Papers for 6th Annual SBCC Student Conference
I thought some of you might find the topic of this year's Student Conference interesting. Possible topic for your research paper?
6th Annual SBCC Student Conference
Mirroring Faith, Mirroring Science: Reflections
on the Structures That Shape Our World
Friday,
April 24, 2009
11:30-2:30 BC Forum
FREE
LUNCH at 11:30
Please note that all SBCC Student Conference topics are intentionally
broad.
We want as many students as possible to be able to say something about
the topic.
The ideas below, then, are simply an opening salvo of possibilities.
If you or your student have another idea, so much the better. Please
feel free to contact me if you have any questions:
Short films showing faith and/or/vs. science in action.
Student composed music that somehow encapsulates faith or science, or
that alternates between the two.
The art of faith (paintings, in particular) is much deeper than that of
science: why?
In what way is/isn't faith the same as religion?
What is the role of judgment in both faith and science?
Both faith and science depend on theorizing that which cannot be proven
(yet): why are we so willing to allow this for science but not for
faith?
At what point is a social science a science, and how do or don't they
speak to the issues of faith? Why?
Who are the New Atheists, and why should we care?
Many religions explicitly state that theirs is the way to God. How,
then, can religions co-exist while still adhering to this tenent?
Must faith and science be opposed?
How do we inhabit the shadowy realm in which faith and science overlap?
Is the battle between faith and science (is there a battle?) a
necessary, useful tension within our society?
Science as Savior: examine science fiction and futuristic work.
Receeding Christiantiy: why are some religions admired, and other
receed in popularity?
Examining the faith-full: how do people of various strong religious
beliefs function in secular America?
Scientific Prophecy: what counts as proof to the lay public in certain
scientific debates, such as global warming?
What do you think the role of religion should be in 21st century
America? Why?
Are new sciences, such as nano technology, blending the bounaries
between faith and science?
Historically, what has been the role of God?
Compare religions on the inerrancy of key texts and examine the
consequences of that inerrancy.
Cult v. Religions v. New Religions: How do new religions emerge?
When--and can--a cult become a religion?
Expressions of faith: the response of the arts to the movement of
faith.
And so on--please encourage your students to be as creative as possible.
Papers should run about 5-6 pages--so in some ways they are an overview
to some of the more substantive topics suggested here.
Submission deadline: Thursday, April 9 at 5:00 pm. IDC 311.
Electronic submission to Prossor@sbcc.edu
6th Annual SBCC Student Conference
Mirroring Faith, Mirroring Science: Reflections
on the Structures That Shape Our World
Friday,
April 24, 2009
11:30-2:30 BC Forum
FREE
LUNCH at 11:30
Please note that all SBCC Student Conference topics are intentionally
broad.
We want as many students as possible to be able to say something about
the topic.
The ideas below, then, are simply an opening salvo of possibilities.
If you or your student have another idea, so much the better. Please
feel free to contact me if you have any questions:
Short films showing faith and/or/vs. science in action.
Student composed music that somehow encapsulates faith or science, or
that alternates between the two.
The art of faith (paintings, in particular) is much deeper than that of
science: why?
In what way is/isn't faith the same as religion?
What is the role of judgment in both faith and science?
Both faith and science depend on theorizing that which cannot be proven
(yet): why are we so willing to allow this for science but not for
faith?
At what point is a social science a science, and how do or don't they
speak to the issues of faith? Why?
Who are the New Atheists, and why should we care?
Many religions explicitly state that theirs is the way to God. How,
then, can religions co-exist while still adhering to this tenent?
Must faith and science be opposed?
How do we inhabit the shadowy realm in which faith and science overlap?
Is the battle between faith and science (is there a battle?) a
necessary, useful tension within our society?
Science as Savior: examine science fiction and futuristic work.
Receeding Christiantiy: why are some religions admired, and other
receed in popularity?
Examining the faith-full: how do people of various strong religious
beliefs function in secular America?
Scientific Prophecy: what counts as proof to the lay public in certain
scientific debates, such as global warming?
What do you think the role of religion should be in 21st century
America? Why?
Are new sciences, such as nano technology, blending the bounaries
between faith and science?
Historically, what has been the role of God?
Compare religions on the inerrancy of key texts and examine the
consequences of that inerrancy.
Cult v. Religions v. New Religions: How do new religions emerge?
When--and can--a cult become a religion?
Expressions of faith: the response of the arts to the movement of
faith.
And so on--please encourage your students to be as creative as possible.
Papers should run about 5-6 pages--so in some ways they are an overview
to some of the more substantive topics suggested here.
Submission deadline: Thursday, April 9 at 5:00 pm. IDC 311.
Electronic submission to Prossor@sbcc.edu
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Interesting Article from Washington Post. What is your take?
Where Is Our Radical Youth?
By Ron Charles
Sunday, March 8, 2009; B01
In 1969, when Alice Echols went to college, everybody she knew was reading "Soul on Ice," Eldridge Cleaver's new collection of essays. For Echols, who now teaches a course on the '60s at the University of Southern California, that psychedelic time was filled with "The Autobiography of Malcolm X," "The Golden Notebook," the poetry of Sylvia Plath and the erotic diaries of Anaïs Nin.
Forty years later, on today's college campuses, you're more likely to hear a werewolf howl than Allen Ginsberg, and Nin's transgressive sexuality has been replaced by the fervent chastity of Bella Swan, the teenage heroine of Stephenie Meyer's modern gothic "Twilight" series. It's as though somebody stole Abbie Hoffman's book -- and a whole generation of radical lit along with it.
Last year Meyer sold more books than any other author -- 22 million -- and those copies weren't all bought by middle-schoolers. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, the best-selling titles on college campuses are mostly about hunky vampires or Barack Obama. Recently, Meyer and the president held six of the 10 top spots. In January, the most subversive book on the college bestseller list was "Our Dumb World," a collection of gags from the Onion. The top title in January was "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" by J.K. Rowling. Their favorite nonfiction book was Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers" about what makes successful individuals. And the only title that stakes a claim as a real novel for adults was Khaled Hosseini's "A Thousand Splendid Suns," the choice of a million splendid book clubs.
Here we have a generation of young adults away from home for the first time, free to enjoy the most experimental period of their lives, yet they're choosing books like 13-year-old girls -- or their parents. The only specter haunting the groves of American academe seems to be suburban contentment.
Where are the Germaine Greers, the Jerry Rubins, the Hunter Thompsons, the Richard Brautigans -- those challenging, annoying, offensive, sometimes silly, always polemic authors whom young people used to adore to their parents' dismay? Hoffman's manual of disruption and discontent -- "Steal This Book" -- sold more than a quarter of a million copies when it appeared in 1971 and then jumped onto the paperback bestseller list. Even in the conservative 1950s, when Hemingway's plane went down in Uganda, students wore black armbands till news came that the bad-boy novelist had survived. Could any author of fiction that has not inspired a set of Happy Meal toys elicit such collegiate mourning today? Could a radical book that speaks to young people ever rise up again if -- to rip-off LSD aficionado Timothy Leary -- they've turned on the computer, tuned in the iPod and dropped out of serious literature?
Nicholas DiSabatino, a senior English major at Kent State, is co-editor of the university's literary magazine, Luna Negra. As a campus tour guide, he used to point out where the National Guard shot students during the May 1970 riot. But the only activism he can recall lately involved anti-abortion protesters and some old men passing out Gideon Bibles. "People think we're really liberal," he says, "but we're really very moderate." Submissions to the lit mag so far this year are mostly poetry and some memoirs about parents. "The one book that I know everyone has read," he says, "is 'I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell.' " So, no uprising unless the bars close early.
Perhaps this shouldn't surprise us. A new survey of the attitudes of American college students published by the University of California at Los Angeles found that two-thirds of the freshmen identify themselves as "middle of the road" or "conservative." Such people aren't likely to stay up late at night arguing about Mary Daly's "Gyn/Ecology" or even Robert Pirsig's "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance."
Professor Eric Williamson -- a card-carrying liberal in full tweed glory -- argues that "the entire culture has become narcotized." An English teacher at the University of Texas-Pan American, he places the blame for students' dim reading squarely on the unfettered expansion of capitalism. "I have stood before classes," he tells me, "and seen the students snicker when I said that Melville died poor because he couldn't sell books. 'Then why are we reading him if he wasn't popular?' " Today's graduate students were born when Ronald Reagan was elected, and their literary values, he claims, reflect our market economy. "There is nary a student in the classroom -- and this goes for English majors, too -- who wouldn't pronounce Stephen King a better author than Donald Barthelme or William Vollmann. The students do not have any shame about reading inferior texts."
Roger Kimball, editor and publisher of the New Criterion, marches in the other direction -- he has no complaints about the market economy -- but he arrives at the same dismal appraisal of the academic culture. Universities and colleges "enforce an intellectually stultifying, politically correct atmosphere that pretends to diversity," he complains. "One of the results of this is a notable uptick in superficiality and a notable uptick in the anesthetizing of that native curiosity that was once a prominent feature of the adolescent mind."
I want to start humming that classic middle-age rant from "Bye Bye Birdie": "Why can't they be like we were,/Perfect in every way?/What's the matter with kids today?"
But maybe young people's reading choices reflect our desire to keep them young. David Farber, author of "The Sixties Chronicle," says that the way Americans think about the age of maturity has shifted considerably. "There's much more an emphasis now on kids thinking of themselves as kids, even into their early to mid-20s," he says. "But in the '60s, they thought of themselves as agents of historical change. The sit-ins, the civil rights movement, the possibility of being drafted focused the mind. The contagion of protest made everyone think of themselves as possible demonstrators."
That spirit is still alive and well, even if it's not reflected in their favorite book titles, according to Mike Connery, who writes about progressive youth politics for the Web site Future Majority. He doesn't see a generation of vampire-loving boneheads. "Young people today express their politics in very different ways than they did in the '60s, '70s and '80s," he says. Yes, they love Meyer's "Twilight" series -- even his fiancee is "obsessed" with it -- but that's just for escape. "People don't necessarily read their politics nowadays. They get it through YouTube and blogs and social networks. I don't know that there is a fiction writer out there right now who speaks to this generation's political ambitions. We're still waiting for our Kerouac."
But is anyone really waiting? As young people shift toward the Internet and away from exploring their political activism in books, the blood drains from their shelves. For the Twitter generation, the new slogan seems to be "Don't trust anyone over 30 lines." What you see at the next revolution is far more likely to be a well-designed Web site than a radical novel or a poem. Not to be a drag, man, but that's so uncool. For those of us who care about literature and think it still has much to offer, it's time to start chanting, "Hell, no! We won't go!"
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Paper # 2
English 110
Detorie Spring 2009
Assignment # 2
Paper Schedule:
3/4: Paper Assigned
3/9: Typed Thesis and Plan due for Peer Review (bring 2 copies)
3/16: Final Draft due at the beginning of class
Your purpose in this paper is to state and explain an idea based on a topic given below. You should first explore the topic, using some of the methods discussed in your Penguin Handbook. Your exploration should lead to a working thesis and a tentative plan for developing the thesis. Bring two typed copies of your thesis and plan to class on 3/9. After we review these plans in class, you will write a first draft. The final draft, revised by your own careful review, is due on 3/16.
What I’m looking for:
Length 900-1200 words (3-5 pages)
Independent intellectual effort and thoughtfulness
A clear and wel1-focused thesis that is specific and interesting
A clear scheme of organization: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion
Unified paragraphs with topic sentences and strong transitions between paragraphs
Backing up your ideas with examples from the text
Quotes that are integrated in way that demonstrates close, thoughtful reading
Skillfully constructed sentences
Evidence of reflection and revision
Proper use of MLA citation and documentation (i.e. in-text citation and a works cited page)
Choose one of the following topics:
1. In “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” King says that to defy or evade the law is to invite anarchy (para. 20). Explain what King means by this in the context of his letter. Look up anarchy in a good dictionary or an encyclopedia. Would anarchy be less or more desirable than the conditions that existed in Birmingham in the 1960s? Be sure to include quotes from the letter to support and illustrate your position.
2. In a sense, Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s “Declarations of Sentiments and Resolutions” represents an agenda of things that must be done to help establish the equality of women. How do you think Stanton would feel about the condition of women today? Would she feel that there is anything that remains to be done today? Is there enough progress being made in these areas? Be sure to include quotes from the Declaration to support and illustrate your claims.
3. In “A Theory of Justice,” John Rawls coins several phrases that many commentators have found useful: “justice as fairness,” “the veil of ignorance,” “primary goods,” and “the original position.” Describe and evaluate the most interesting idea that Rawls raises for you in his thoughts about the nature of justice. Decide whether it should guide people in their choices in a society and, if possible, describe how it could be put into effect. Be sure to use quotes from the article to support and illustrate your claims.
4. Write a letter in which you address an injustice. Just as King aligns himself with Paul’s letters in the Bible, attempt to align yourself with King. You may do this by drawing comparisons between the injustices King describes and/or the way in which he describes and addresses those injustices. You must use sources (King’s article and additional sources re: the injustice you are addressing) to support and illustrate your claims.
5. Got an idea? Run it by me.
GOOD LUCK!
Detorie Spring 2009
Assignment # 2
Paper Schedule:
3/4: Paper Assigned
3/9: Typed Thesis and Plan due for Peer Review (bring 2 copies)
3/16: Final Draft due at the beginning of class
Your purpose in this paper is to state and explain an idea based on a topic given below. You should first explore the topic, using some of the methods discussed in your Penguin Handbook. Your exploration should lead to a working thesis and a tentative plan for developing the thesis. Bring two typed copies of your thesis and plan to class on 3/9. After we review these plans in class, you will write a first draft. The final draft, revised by your own careful review, is due on 3/16.
What I’m looking for:
Length 900-1200 words (3-5 pages)
Independent intellectual effort and thoughtfulness
A clear and wel1-focused thesis that is specific and interesting
A clear scheme of organization: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion
Unified paragraphs with topic sentences and strong transitions between paragraphs
Backing up your ideas with examples from the text
Quotes that are integrated in way that demonstrates close, thoughtful reading
Skillfully constructed sentences
Evidence of reflection and revision
Proper use of MLA citation and documentation (i.e. in-text citation and a works cited page)
Choose one of the following topics:
1. In “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” King says that to defy or evade the law is to invite anarchy (para. 20). Explain what King means by this in the context of his letter. Look up anarchy in a good dictionary or an encyclopedia. Would anarchy be less or more desirable than the conditions that existed in Birmingham in the 1960s? Be sure to include quotes from the letter to support and illustrate your position.
2. In a sense, Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s “Declarations of Sentiments and Resolutions” represents an agenda of things that must be done to help establish the equality of women. How do you think Stanton would feel about the condition of women today? Would she feel that there is anything that remains to be done today? Is there enough progress being made in these areas? Be sure to include quotes from the Declaration to support and illustrate your claims.
3. In “A Theory of Justice,” John Rawls coins several phrases that many commentators have found useful: “justice as fairness,” “the veil of ignorance,” “primary goods,” and “the original position.” Describe and evaluate the most interesting idea that Rawls raises for you in his thoughts about the nature of justice. Decide whether it should guide people in their choices in a society and, if possible, describe how it could be put into effect. Be sure to use quotes from the article to support and illustrate your claims.
4. Write a letter in which you address an injustice. Just as King aligns himself with Paul’s letters in the Bible, attempt to align yourself with King. You may do this by drawing comparisons between the injustices King describes and/or the way in which he describes and addresses those injustices. You must use sources (King’s article and additional sources re: the injustice you are addressing) to support and illustrate your claims.
5. Got an idea? Run it by me.
GOOD LUCK!
Monday, March 2, 2009
course grades
GRADING (subject to change)
Essay 1 (3-4 pages or 900-1200 words) 10%
Essay 2 (3-4 pages or 900-1200 words) 10%
Essay 3 (3-4 pages or 900-1200 words) 10%
Essay 4 (in-class , about 3 pages or 900 words) 10%
Essay 5 (short research, 5 pages or 1500 words) 5%
Essay 6 (7-8 pages or 2100-2400 words) 20%
Essay 7 (final exam, about 3 pages or 900 words each) 10%
Participation (includes attendance, quizzes, peer review) 15%
Homework (typed answers to questions) 10%
Essay 1 (3-4 pages or 900-1200 words) 10%
Essay 2 (3-4 pages or 900-1200 words) 10%
Essay 3 (3-4 pages or 900-1200 words) 10%
Essay 4 (in-class , about 3 pages or 900 words) 10%
Essay 5 (short research, 5 pages or 1500 words) 5%
Essay 6 (7-8 pages or 2100-2400 words) 20%
Essay 7 (final exam, about 3 pages or 900 words each) 10%
Participation (includes attendance, quizzes, peer review) 15%
Homework (typed answers to questions) 10%
Friday, February 27, 2009
Links and Notes
Hi Everybody! Here are the links I said I would post:
Voter Fraud in Isla Vista?
Wikipedia article on Rodney King
Also, here is an interesting article about Obama's rhetoric.
Also, here is a little video about Elizabeth Cady Stanton:
Have a great weekend!
Voter Fraud in Isla Vista?
Wikipedia article on Rodney King
Also, here is an interesting article about Obama's rhetoric.
Also, here is a little video about Elizabeth Cady Stanton:
Have a great weekend!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Quotes for Close Reading
"More money is put into prisons than into schools. That, in itself, is the description of a nation bent on suicide. I mean, what is more precious to us than our own children? We are going to build a lot more prisons if we do not deal with the schools and their inequalities." -Jonathan Kozol
"Prejudices, it is well known, are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilized by education; they grow there, firm as weeds among rocks." –Charlotte Bronte
"Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them." –James Baldwin
"Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war." –Maria Montessori
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” –Nelson Mandela
“Leaders are more powerful role models when they learn than when they teach.” -Rosabeth Moss Baker
“If the rich and all the church people should send their children to public schools they would feel bound to concentrate their money on improving these school until they met the highest ideals” –Susan B. Anthony
“Why should society feel responsible only for the education of children and not for the education of all adults of every age?” Erich Fromm
“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.” – Plutarch
“Education is the progressive discovery of our own ignorance.” Will Durant
“The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” B.B. King
“Education is what remains when one has forgotten everything one has learned in school.” Albert Einstein
“I suppose it is because nearly all children go to school nowadays, and have things arranged for them, that they seem so forlornly unable to produce their own ideas.” –Agatha Christie
“Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense.” Gertrude Stein
“Study without desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in.” Leonardo DaVinci
“Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper of self-confidence.” Robert Frost
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Paper # 1
English 110
Detorie Spring 2009
Assignment # 1
Paper Schedule:
2/4: Paper Assigned
2/9: Typed Thesis and Plan due for Peer Review (bring 2 copies)
2/11: Draft due for Peer Review (bring 2 copies)
2/18: Final Draft due at the beginning of class
Your purpose in this paper is to state and explain an idea based on a topic given below. You should first explore the topic, using some of the methods discussed in your Penguin Handbook. Your exploration should lead to a working thesis and a tentative plan for developing the thesis. Bring two typed copies of your thesis and plan to class on 2/9. After we review these plans in class, you will write a first draft. Bring two typed copies of your first draft to class on 2/11. The final draft, revised in light of the advice you get from your peers and your own careful review, is due on 2/18.
What I’m looking for:
Length 900-1200 words (3-5 pages)
Independent intellectual effort and thoughtfulness
A clear and wel1-focused thesis that is specific and interesting
A clear scheme of organization: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion
Unified paragraphs with topic sentences and strong transitions between paragraphs
Backing up your ideas with examples from the text
Quotes that are integrated in way that demonstrates close, thoughtful reading
Skillfully constructed sentences
Evidence of reflection and revision
Choose one of the following topics:
1. How would Lao-Tzu critique the society in which you live? What would he recommend to you as worthwhile behavior and what would he condemn? Base your answers on an analysis of the advice Lao-Tzu gives in the Tao- te Ching. Would you find it possible to argue against his critique and maintain a worthwhile and virtuous path for yourself?
2. What form of government would Machiavelli feel is most stable and desirable? Base your answers on an analysis of the recommendations Machiavelli gives his prince. Consider his views of individuals in society and their roles and responsibilities in regard to the prince. What governments of today might satisfy Machiavelli’s demands for the way a state should operate?
3. Compare Lao-Tzu’s view of human nature with Machiavelli’s. Consider how this view shapes the ultimate purpose of government, the obligation of the leader to the people being led, and what seems to be the main work of the state. Which view do you favor? Why?
4. Compare the advice of Machiavelli or Lao-Tzu with the behavior/politics of a leader – past, present, or fictional – who you think exhibits the qualities described by Lao-Tzu or Machiavelli (pick one). Be sure to back up your argument with examples from both the text and the behavior/policies of the leader you describe. (Note: by “fictional” I mean a character from a story, not a leader who you have invented for the purpose of this essay).
GOOD LUCK!
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