Thursday, September 18, 2014

Post #2: The Syllabus

For this post, read the syllabus, and post one question you have about the class (the syllabus, the assignments, etc).  I will not be reading the syllabus out loud on Saturday, but I will be answering all of your questions . . .

55 comments:

  1. After reading the syllabus I noticed that we don't have a final. Is this correct?

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    1. Will we be meeting on campus other than saturday?

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    2. This will be our only face-to-face meeting as a class.

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  2. What exactly does "participating on the course blog" mean? Commenting on the posts or commenting and replying to the other comments? Since it is 15 percent of our grade.

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    1. That is exactly what it means. Participating on the course blog is the way for you to keep active in the course (and for me to know that you are keeping active). This will also ensure you approach writing as a process and no assignments are rushed through at the last minute (since you will be posting parts of your essay for certain blog posts).

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    2. You won't need to reply to other comments unless I specifically direct you to do so. In other words, there is no need for anyone to post a response to someone else's question.

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  3. The syllabus says that there is a course on MyWritingLabPlus. I logged in for the first time and was unable to find it. Where would I find this course on this particular website?

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    1. MyWritingLabPlus is a program available to all CSUB students; you pay for it through your student fees. The program is designed to help with grammar and mechanics issues, though there are other features as well. I am not requiring MyWritingLabPlus as part of English 305, but I do encourage you to take advantage of the program if you have specific writing areas you would like to improve. You can find more information online here (http://www.csub.edu/mwl/AboutUs.html), and the MyWritingLabPlus headquarters is located in the Classroom Building. Their staff can answer all of your questions in person.

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  4. On the syllabus there was no mention of extra credit. Will there be a chance for extra credit?

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  5. For the essays I am aware that we will post peer comments/reviews to three other classmates' essays. How long do our responses towards the student's essay have to be? Should they be at least one paragraph or a short coherent one?

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    1. You will be posting these responses through Turnitin.com. Basically, you will be answering specific questions, such as "How could the essay's introduction be more effective?" A question like that should be answered in a sentence or two. In general, you'll have to answer around ten questions per essay.

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  6. If we are required to complete tutoring for our essays will it be after we have turned in the rough draft so that our final draft will be more presentable or will it be after we turn in the final draft and get a grade for it? If it is after the final graded paper, will the paper be graded again?

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    1. The language about tutoring is the language the English Department uses on all writing classes. This is an upper-division writing class, so I will not require anyone to go to tutoring (I may recommend it, though). If someone did go to tutoring, they should do so before the final draft. I grade the essays once, so the final draft should be your best permutation of that specific task.

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  7. In regards to Individual, Drop-In Tutoring Requirement, will you require us to go to the Writing Resource Center? And if so, where is it located?

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    1. I will not require it, but if I see a student whose work would improve from tutoring, I will recommend it. The Writing Resource Center is located in Administration East (I'll point it out on Saturday). Their website is here: http://www.csub.edu/wrc/

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  8. For essay #2, what type of photographs are going to be used to compare and contrast with from the J. Paul Getty Museum? Will we be using our own?

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    1. We will be talking about this on Saturday, but you will be comparing other students' photographs. Each of you will send me a photograph you have taken that has some merit (either artistically or for what it has captured). Your essay will compare professional photographers' photographs to your non-professional/amateur photographs.

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    2. I forgot to put my name on this blog. Sorry.

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  9. Besides Essay 1, are the last two essays submitted to turnitin.com and that is how we get credit? or do we also submit it on blackboard?

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    1. You will submit your essays to Turnitin.com, not Blackboard. I will use Blackboard to disseminate lecture materials (if we can call these electronic documents "lectures), but you will not need to submit anything to Blackboard for this course.

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    2. My name is Vincent Villalpando by the way, forgot to use my name

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  10. How do I find the syllabus? I'm a new student to this course, and I don't seem to be able to find your course on Blackboard.

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    1. I have to add people manually, but you should be able to see it now in Blackboard.

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    2. I was wondering where do we submit our essays so others can review them?

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  11. Where do we meet for the orientation tomorrow? Besides the book, syllabus, and course info printed from blackboard, is there anything else we should bring tomorrow?

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    1. We will meet in CB (classroom building) 101. There is nothing you'll have to bring tomorrow, other than yourself.

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  12. Which format do you prefer APA or MLA? WIll we be turning in assignment on my writing lab too? or just on turnitin.com?

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    1. I am fine with either APA or MLA, so use whichever format is most familiar to you. You will be turning in assignments to me through Turnitin.com.

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  13. How much time will we have to finish the in-class essay?

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    1. You will have two hours to complete the in-class essay.

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  14. I know there are three essays we have to complete. Can we drop the lowest scoring essay?

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    1. This essay has three essays (the in-class essay, the academic analysis, and the personal reflection). You have to complete all three, and all three factor into your grade.

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  15. Just to be clear, are both the rough draft and final draft submitted to turnitin.com? Will we have an opportunity after we revise our rough draft to have it looked at again before turning in a final draft?

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    1. You will submit the rough draft and the final draft as separate assignments through Turnitin.com (with a gap in days between the drafts), so you will absolutely have the opportunity to revise your rough drafts.

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  16. Are we suppose to respond/comment to other student's introductions to the "Task One" in this blog?

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  17. The syllabus states that our final draft of the formal argument is due Saturday September 20th, so will we be starting and completing this essay when we meet or will the due date be set for a later date?

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    1. You will be starting and completing this essay today.

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  18. Is there any deadlines as to when we should reply/comment to your questions on this blog?

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    1. Yes, I will generally provide deadlines as to when each blog needs to be completed.

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  19. Is there any other times that we will have to meet in class?

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    1. No, this is the only time we will meet as a class, but I will be in my office during my office hours to meet with anyone who wants to discuss their work in person.

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  20. any of our draft need turn to turnitin for get the paper credit or only the final one?

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  21. After you have finished grading our essays, will we be able to get them back with comments and notes from you? or just the grade?

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    1. I will return the first two essay with comments, notes, and a grade. For the last essay, which is due during the final week of class, I will just be providing a grade.

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  22. Martin Cueto
    Where do we submit our essays to be reviewed by our peers?

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  23. Will you always send us an email that a blog post is due or will the announcement be on blackboard?

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    1. Sorry I forgot to put my name for this post, my name is Sarah Summers.

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  24. Will we get further instruction regarding the personal essay and what you are looking for as far as the theme of getting lost?

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    1. Yes, as we get closer to that assignment, I will be giving you a thicket of ideas.

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