No Assignment for Monday, 12/17

There is no reading assignment for Monday. As a reminder, please note that your final draft of Assignment #3 is due on Wednesday; we will have a short wrap-up session on that day.

Assignment for Wednesday, 12/12

For Wednesday, read (and summarize if you'd like) The Neocon Persuasion, by Irving Kristol. The article can be found online here.

Assignment for Monday, 12/10

For Monday, read this interview with former Catholic preist James Carroll about "American fundamentalisms." Feel free to summarize; we will discuss it in class.

No Assignment for Monday, 12/3

There is no reading assignment for Monday. We will take part in a grading exercise instead.

Please remember that first drafts of your essays are due on Wednesday.

Writing Conference Schedule

As a reminder, we will NOT have class on Monday and Wednesday, Nov. 26 & 28. Instead, you will meet with me individually in conference to discuss your thesis and outline for Essay Assignment #3. The schedule is as follows:

Monday, November 26
10:00-10:15am (MAN 503): Raia
10:15-10:30am (MAN 503): Daly
10:30-10:45am (MAN 503): Hallinan
10:45-11:00am (MAN 503): Jaeger

Wednesday, November 27
10-10:15am (MAN 503): Taylor
10:15-10:30am (MAN 503): Fimognari
10:30-10:45am (MAN 503): Berman
10:45-11:00am (MAN 503): Zeolla
11:00-11:15am (MAN 503): Szyman
11:30-11:45am (NGT 456): Edwards
11:45am-12:00pm (NGT 456): Kinnear
12:30-12:45pm (NGT 456): Doring
12:45-1:00pm (NGT 456): Mattsey
1:00-1:15pm (NGT 456): O'Rourke
1:15-1:30pm (NGT 456): Azucey
1:30-1:45pm (NGT 456): Blanco

See you then. Enjoy your holiday weekend.

Essay Assignment #3

Argumentative Essay

Assignment: Using the texts we have read (or watched) this semester, answer the following question:

What makes America exceptional?

Your essay should be 5-7 pages, double-spaced, and typed with 1” margins. You should use appropriate citation formatting from the texts.

Objectives: The goal of this essay is to help you develop your own thesis-driven argument about the course content. Rather than responding to one or more specific readings, you are expected to respond to a specific question and to use a variety of course material to support your answer. Over the course of the semester, you have become qualified through in-depth study of American exceptionalism to take your own position on relevant questions, and to support your position with the ideas and opinions of others as accessed through class readings.

I suggest that you follow these steps in completing the assignment:

1. After reading the assigned question, begin by jotting down your initial reactions to it. Based on your own understanding of the course topic, how would you answer this question? It is highly recommended that you begin rather informally, jotting down as many ideas as you can with regard to the assigned question. Do not concern yourself at this early stage with constructing a focused and coherent answer.
2. As you begin to respond to the assigned question, you may also begin to take note of which specific class readings seem most relevant to this question. In thinking about the assigned question, which readings come to mind? Can other class readings be connected to this question, even if it may not be their central focus?
3. In reviewing your initial responses to the assigned question, look for common threads that can serve as a starting point for formulating a thesis. Your ultimate goal is to articulate your answer to the assigned question in a clear sentence that can serve as the thesis statement for your paper.
4. With a preliminary thesis statement in hand, begin to identify which class readings will be most helpful for supporting this statement. Begin to look at each reading in more detail to determine exactly what parts of the reading are most relevant to your thesis. Make note of specific sections that can be incorporated into your paper as evidence.
5. Prepare a tentative outline that lists the points and corresponding textual evidence you plan to use to support your thesis.
6. Once you have an outline, you are ready to start writing your first draft.

Deadlines: As with previous assignments, I will ask you to draft a one-sentence thesis statement. However, I also want you to construct a reasonable well-defined outline as well. The thesis-and-outline will be due IN CONFERENCE with me on either Monday, November 26 or Wednesday, November 28. (A sign-up sheet for conference times will be available in class a week ahead of time.) We will meet one-on-one for a 15-minute conference concerning your thesis, evidence, and supporting arguments as described in the outline.

Based on availability, you can decide which of the two days you will meet with me, but be aware of the trade-offs involved. For example, meeting Wednesday gives you more time to complete your outline, but leaves you with less time for revision. If you absolutely cannot make the scheduled meeting times, contact me to arrange an alternative meeting time.

Your first draft of the essay is due in class on Wednesday, December 5. Again, if you cannot make it to class, you need to make alternate arrangements with me. You MUST attach the thesis-and-outline statement page we discussed in conference. I will provide comments on the drafts and return to you the following Monday (12/10).

Your final draft is due on Wednesday, December 19, at the beginning of class. You should attach your first draft AND your thesis-and-outline, because I will want to track how the essay has been revised.

Just to be clear, these again are the deadlines:

Monday, Nov. 26/Wednesday, Nov. 28
Thesis and Outline Due IN CONFERENCE

Wednesday, December 5
First Draft Due (w/ thesis/outline attached)

Wednesday, December 19
Final Draft Due (w/ 1st draft & thesis/outline attached)

Grading: Grading will be based on the criteria provided in your syllabus. However, FIVE additional considerations will also be factored into your grade:

• If you do not meet with me in conference to discuss your thesis and outline, I will deduct a full letter grade from your grade for the assignment.


• If you do not submit your first draft in class on Wednesday, December 5, I will deduct a full letter grade from your grade for the assignment.


• If you hand in your final draft late, without a valid and documented excuse, I will deduct a full letter grade from your grade for the assignment. However, you should also note that if you do not leave me enough time to grade the paper before the semester ends, you will receive an “F” for the assignment.


• If you do not attach your thesis/outline to the first draft, or the first draft to the final draft, I will deduct a third of a letter grade from your grade for the assignment for each offense.


• In general, you should revise extensively between the first draft and final draft. A lack of revision will be reflected negatively in the final grade.

Assignment for Monday, 11/19

For Monday, we're going back to our old friend Tocqueville. Read the following sections in Chapter XVII (17), "Principal Causes which Serve to Maintain the Democratic Republic in The United States":

• Indirect Influence of Religious Opinions upon Political Society in The United States
• Principal Causes which Render Religion Powerful in America

Feel free to summarize. And remember that you can find the Tocqueville text online (see the links on the right-hand side of this webpage).

Assignment for Wednesday, 11/14

Read John Winthrop's famous speech, "A Model of Christian Charity," (often called the "city on a hill" sermon). The text is available here. This reading is a challenging one (it was written in 1630) and not all parts are germane to our discussion, but do your best to read (and, if you'd like, summarize) it.

Assignment for Monday, 11/12

REMINDER: There is no class on Wednesday, November 7. Instead, you should make sure you see your advisor and plan your courses for next semester.

On Monday, November 12, your final drafts are due for Essay Assignment #2.

No Assignment for Monday, 11/5

There is no assigned reading for Monday. I'll return your paper drafts at the end of class, and we will participate in another writing exercise.

Assignment for Wednesday, 10/31

For Wednesday, read Ira Leonard's "Violence is the American Way," available here. You should also prepare a summary for this reading, as you may run out of time to complete your required 5 before the semester ends. (Summary guidelines can be found in the "Course Materials" links on the right-hand side of this webpage.)

Assignment for Monday, 10/29

The first draft of your essay is due in class on Monday. Make sure you ATTACH the THESIS STATEMENT with my comments that I handed back to you on Wednesday.

Assignment for Wednesday, 10/24

There's no assigned reading; instead, bring your thesis for Assignment #2 to class again on Wednesday.

Assignment for Monday, 10/22

Bring TWO COPIES of your one-sentence thesis statement for Essay Assignment #2. We will also discuss Bowling for Columbine.

Essay Assigment #2

Essay Assignment #2

Comparative Analysis Essay

Assignment: Write a short essay that offers a comparative analysis of two of the authors we’ve read (or watched) this semester. Use any TWO of the following texts:

• Moore, Bowling for Columbine
• Turner, “The Significance of the Frontier in American History”
• Lipset, “Still the Exceptional Nation?”
• Tocqueville, Democracy in America

[NOTE: If you use Tocqueville, I suggest you focus on EITHER the arguments he makes in Chapter XVII on manners and customs, OR the arguments he makes in Chapter XVIII on race.]

Your essay should be 4-5 pages, double-spaced, and typed with 1” margins. You should use appropriate citations from the texts (we will discuss citation formats in class).

Objectives: The goal of this essay is to help you make the transition from a critical response of one text (the first essay assignment) to a comparative analysis of two different texts. Once again, you will need to offer a thesis statement and supporting textual evidence, and you will need to employ critical reading skills (to provide a close and detailed reading of the texts) and critical thinking skills (to formulate a response to the texts). For this assignment, however, you will not only analyze each text individually, but in relation to each other.

I suggest that you follow these steps in completing the assignment:

1. Review the first text (or your notes on it) to understand its central argument and the points it uses to support its thesis.

2. Review the second text (or your notes on it) to understand its central argument and the points it uses to support its thesis.

3. Once you have a clear understanding of each text, move towards a comparison of the readings. What common ideas/topics do they address? What similarities or differences are there in their approach to these common ideas/topics? Where are their major points of agreement? Where are their major points of difference? Write down preliminary answers to these questions.

4. Move from these general questions towards one statement that summarizes how these separate readings relate to each other. This statement (your preliminary thesis) will provide the foundation upon which your discussion will be built.

5. Once you’ve identified a preliminary thesis statement, prepare a tentative outline that organizes each of the points you will use to support your thesis according to one of the structural models discussed above. This outline should identify what textual evidence you plan to use in support of your ideas. There are generally two recommended ways to organize comparison essays:

• Identify the specific points that will support your thesis and discuss the relevant section of each reading that pertains to this supporting point. Thus a full discussion of supporting point number one would include a detailed analysis of each reading as it relates to this point. This would be followed by a full discussion of supporting point number two, number three, etc. In this model, each reading is discussed at multiple points throughout the paper.
• Each reading is discussed separately and fully as it relates to the topic. This format can be problematic in that it limits the amount of direct interaction between the separate readings. Students need to be careful to employ a comparative approach even as they discuss each essay separately.

6. Once you have an outline, you are ready to start writing your first draft. Write the draft based on the outline, but do NOT feel that you have to slavishly follow it. If, while writing the essay, you discover alternative points or different ways of structuring your argument, modify the outline to match.

Deadlines: I will ask you to first draft a one-sentence thesis statement. This statement should clearly identify the texts you will use for the paper, and how you are going to compare the two. TWO COPIES of this statement are due in class on Monday, October 22. If, due to an emergency, you cannot come to class on Monday, make arrangements with me to deliver the thesis by Monday morning through alternative means. We will give each other feedback on our thesis statements in class, and I will return additional feedback on Wednesday (10/24).

Your first draft of the essay is due in class on Monday, October 29. Again, if you cannot make it to class, you need to make alternate arrangements with me. You MUST attach the thesis statement page I returned to you the previous Wednesday. I will provide comments on the drafts and return to you the following Monday (11/5).

Your final draft is due on Monday, November 12, at the beginning of class. You should attach your first draft, because I will want to see how much you have revised the essay since your draft. You can attach either a clean copy of your first draft or, preferably, an edited copy with notations (yours and/or mine).

Just to be clear, these again are the deadlines:

Monday, October 22:
One-Sentence Thesis Due (2 copies)

Monday, October 29:
First Draft Due (w/ thesis attached)

Monday, November 12:
Final Draft Due (w/ 1st draft attached)

Grading: Grading will be based on the criteria provided in your syllabus. However, FIVE additional considerations will also be factored into your grade:

• If you do not bring two copies of the thesis statement to class on October 22, I will deduct a full letter grade from your grade for the assignment.
• If you do not submit your first draft in class on Monday October 29, I will deduct a full letter grade from your grade for the assignment.
• If you hand in your essay late, without a valid and documented excuse, I will deduct a full letter grade from your grade for the assignment.
• If you do not attach your thesis statement to the first draft, or the first draft to the final draft, I will deduct a third of a letter grade from your grade for the assignment for each offense.
• In general, you should revise extensively between the first draft and final draft. A lack of revision will be reflected negatively in the final grade.
  
  

Assignment for Monday, 10/15

There is no assignment for Monday, except to come to class ON TIME. We will watch Michael Moore's film, Bowling for Columbine, on both Monday and Wednesday. Be prepared to come actively ENGAGE the film - take notes, write down questions, etc.

Until then, enjoy your weekend.

Writing Conference Schedule

Just in case you forget where and when you're supposed to be meeting me:

Monday, October 1 (MAN 503)
10:00am: Szyman
10:15am: Raia
10:30am: Hallinan
10:45am: Kinnear
11:00am: Edwards

Monday, October 1 (NGT 456)
11:30am: Baldasare
12:00pm: Mattsey
12:15pm: Jaeger

Wednesday, October 3 (MAN 503)
10:00am: Fimognari
10:15am: Azucey
10:30am: Taylor
10:45am: Zeolla
11:00am: Berman

Wednesday, October 3 (NGT 456)
11:30am: O'Rourke
11:45am: Daly
12:00pm: Blanco
12:15pm: Doring

See you then.

Assignment for Wednesday, 9/26

There actually is NO assignment for Wednesday. Just keep plugging away on your essays. We'll spend some time discussing how the assignment will be graded --and have a few more things to say about capitalist America.

No Assignment for Wednesday, 9/26

'nuff said. Just keep working on your essay assignment.

Focused Freewriting Assignment

Focused Freewriting

As part of your contributions to class participation, I have already asked you to complete a number of in-class writing assignments. This current assignment, like the others, will not be graded, or even collected and looked at by me. However, unlike the others, this is a recurring assignment that will be a part of almost every class. From today forward, you will write for the first five minutes of the class period. Understandably, you might ask in response: about what should I write? I will write a question on the board at the beginning of each class; the question often (although perhaps not always) will be related to the reading and topic for the day’s discussion.

You will address this question using a technique known as focused freewriting. When you freewrite, you put your pen to paper and write nonstop for a set period of time. The point is not to worry about grammar, spelling, or organization, but instead to “think aloud” on paper. Write as fast as you can. If your mind suddenly dries up, just write “relax” or some other key word over and over again until a new thought enters your mind. Whatever you do, keep writing. (Of course, you can stop long enough to uncramp your hand.)

The purpose of this assignment is not to improve your writing skills, at least not directly –although any practice at writing, even if “exploratory,” may help with such skills. Instead, the aim here is to stimulate thinking about issues, questions, and problems raised by the question of American exceptionalism. This writing is intended for YOU, and you alone, so the standard features of formal writing, such as organization, sentence structure, and neatness do not matter. (While it is possible that, from time to time, I may ask for volunteers to read from their freewriting, response will be optional. I will always be sure to let you know BEFORE you start freewriting if I expect you to share it with others.)

Writing of this type can help students become more productive and focused thinkers. Research has shown that regular “journal” writing such as this can help students see that an academic field is an area of inquiry and controversy rather than just a series of facts to be mastered. The more you find yourselves asking questions and questioning answers, the more you will think like a true scholar rather than a passive trainee.

Remember, this will be an ongoing assignment. Unless I specify otherwise, you will need to freewrite at the beginning of each class. You are welcome to devote a separate notebook to your freewriting exercises and keep it as a kind of a class journal. Or you could scribble on various scraps of paper and toss them after class (although I think that you might find them useful in the future, at least for generating paper ideas). What you do with your freewriting is up to you. Still, I hope and expect that this exercise will help better prepare you for class discussion.

Time: 5 minutes at the beginning of each class (unless otherwise specified)

Essay Assigment #1

Essay Assignment #1

Critical Response Essay

Assignment: Download, and read, “A Look at American Exceptionalism,” by Norwegian journalist Martin Sellevold. The article is available here. After reading the article, write a short essay that offers a critical response to Sellevold’s argument. You need to first IDENTIFY his argument (something you have already done for your summary assignments), and then EVALUATE this argument. Is the author’s thesis persuasive or not? Is his reasoning flawed? Does he need additional evidence?

Your essay should be 3-4 pages, double-spaced, and typed with 1” margins. There is no need to include citations because, in this case, I know exactly what source you are using. However, if you quote from the article, please format the quotation properly.

Objectives: The goal of this essay is to help you make the transition from summarizing a text to offering a critical response, complete with thesis statement and supporting textual evidence. You will need to employ critical reading skills (to provide a close and detailed reading of the text) and critical thinking skills (to formulate a response to the reading). These critical reading and thinking skills provide the foundation for critical writing.

I suggest that you follow these steps in completing the assignment:

1. Read the whole work, noting key ideas and concepts (either annotating the text itself or keeping your own notes).
2. Determine the essay’s thesis and the main points that the author uses to support this thesis. Write a preliminary summary of each of these main points.
3. Formulate a (tentative) opinion about the essay with regards to the author’s success or failure in supporting the thesis. NOTE: This is different from agreeing or disagreeing with the author's thesis. Form an opinion regarding how effectively the author argues his/her point, whether you agree with it or not.
4. Move from a general reaction to the essay towards a more focused statement about it. In other words, edit the thoughts you formulated about the essay into one statement (your preliminary thesis statement).
5. Once you’ve identified a preliminary thesis statement, prepare a tentative outline that organizes each of the points you will use to support your thesis. This outline should identify what textual evidence you plan to use to support your ideas.
6. Once you have an outline, you are ready to start writing your first draft. Write the draft based on the outline, but do NOT feel that you have to slavishly follow it. If, while writing the essay, you discover alternative points or different ways of structuring your argument, modify the outline to match.

Deadlines: Your first draft of the essay will be due IN CONFERENCE with me on either Monday, October 1 or Wednesday, October 3. (A sign-up sheet for conference times will be available in class a week ahead of time.) We will meet one-on-one for a 15-minute conference concerning the draft. You should bring TWO COPIES of the draft paper (you will read one copy while I read the other).

Based on availability, you can decide which of the two days you will meet with me, but be aware of the trade-offs involved. For example, meeting Wednesday gives you more time to complete your first draft, but leaves you with less time for revision. If you absolutely cannot make the scheduled meeting times, contact me to arrange an alternative meeting time.

Your final draft is due on Wednesday, October 10, at the beginning of class. You should attach your first draft, because I will want to see how much you have revised the essay since your draft. You can attach either a clean copy of your first draft or, preferably, an edited copy with your notations (and, in some cases, mine).

Just to be clear, these again are the deadlines:

Monday, October 1/Wednesday, October 3
First Draft Due (2 copies)

Wednesday, October 10
Final Draft Due (w/ 1st draft attached)

Grading: Grading will be based on the criteria provided in your syllabus. However, four additional considerations will also be factored into your grade:

• If you do not meet with me in conference to discuss your first draft, I will deduct a full letter grade from your grade for the assignment.
• If you hand in your essay late, without a valid and documented excuse, I will deduct a full letter grade from your grade for the assignment.
• If you do not attach your first draft to the final draft, I will deduct a third of a letter grade from your grade for the assignment.
• In general, you should revise extensively between the first draft and final draft. A lack of revision will be reflected negatively in the final grade.

Assignment for Monday, 9/24

Besides starting work on your Essay Assignment, read (and, if you want, summarize) Seymour Martin Lipset's article, "Still the Exceptional Nation?" I handed out copies in class. If you missed class, however, you can obtain a copy from the online holdings of the library; it was published in the Winter 2000 issue of the Wilson Quarterly (Winter 2000, Vol. 24, Issue 1, beginning p. 31).

Assignment for Wednesday, 9/19

The title of this post is actually a misnomer: there is no assignment for next time. Make sure you are caught up on your reading, however, as we may continue our discussion of race if we have time.

Assignment for Monday, 9/17

Please read Tocqueville, Chapter XVIII (18), "The Present and Probable Future Condition of the Three Races Which Inhabit the Territory of the United States." You do not have to read the entire chapter, which is very long, but only the first third of it. Specifically, read:
-- All of the introductory section
-- All of the section titled, "The Present and Probably Future Condition of the Indian Tribes which Inhabit the Territory Possessed by the Union"
-- The beginning of the section titled, "Situation of the Black Population in the United States, and Dangers with Which Its Presence Threatens the Whites," up until the discussion of Ohio and Kentucky. (Stop reading at the paragraph that begins, "The State of Kentucky was founded in 1775, the State of Ohio only twelve years later.")

Let me know if you have any questions about what to read. As a reminder, please note that you can feel free to summarize this reading.

Assignment for Wednesday, 9/12

For Wednesday, you will read something that was written a little more recently than Tocqueville - although only by about 60 years or so. Please read Frederick Jackson Turner's famous essay, "The Significance of the Frontier in American History." First presented in 1893, the entire essay is available online here; however, you only need to read the second half of the essay, beginning with this paragraph:

"Having now roughly outlined the various kinds of frontiers, and their modes of advance, chiefly from the point of view of the frontier itself, we may next inquire what were the influences on the East and on the Old World. A rapid enumeration of some of the more noteworthy effects is all that I have time for."

If you end up printing the essay, this means that you only need to print/read from around page 8 to 15. (I don't think you'll find the footnotes helpful, so don't bother with them either.)

ALSO: Make sure you look over the Summary Guidelines we discussed in class, and especially read the Sample Summary that was handed out (and also available here). You may not have read the original reading that it summarizes, but the sample should give you a general idea of what I'm looking for in a summary. Bring any questions about the sample, or summaries in general, to class on Wednesday; you will need to summarize the next assigned reading over the weekend.

Assignment for Monday, 9/10

In Tocqueville's Democracy in America, read Volume 1, Chapter XVII, "Principal Causes which Tend to Maintain the Democratic Republic in the United States." Please note that you do NOT have to read the entire chapter; there are some sections about religion that we will likely read later in the course, plus some stuff about Europe that we will not. Instead, read the first paragraph, and then the materials following these sub-headings:

• Accidental or Providential Causes Helping to Maintain a Democratic Republic in the United States
• Influence of the Laws upon the Maintenance of a Democratic Republic in the United States
• Influence of Manners [or Mores or Customs] upon the Maintenance of a Democratic Republic in the United States
• The Laws Contribute More to the Maintenance of the Democratic Republic in the United States Than Do the Physical Circumstances of the Country, and Mores [Manners] Do More Than the Laws

That will give us plenty to talk about. Enjoy your weekend.

Syllabus

Writing Seminar I: American Exceptionalism
Fall 2007
Writing Seminar # WRIT 101 13

Course Description

The goal of this course is to introduce you to the MMC academic community while you practice college-level reading, writing and critical thinking skills necessary for both your scholarly and professional lives. You will explore a topic from several perspectives, acquire a basic understanding of several academic disciplines, and learn to appreciate the advantages of interdisciplinary study. Through a series of written assignments, you will become comfortable with the recursive process of professional-level composition, including invention, drafting, revision, peer feedback, and editing.

This particular seminar is taught by a political scientist, and so focuses on a specific political question: What makes America different from other developed nations? Attempts to answer this question are sometimes lumped together using the term, “American exceptionalism.” Alexis de Tocqueville, a French author writing during the early 19th Century, is often credited with coining the term (although it did not actually appear in his writing). But inspired by Tocqueville’s groundbreaking study of the American character, scholars often use the term when proposing various characteristics—such as individualism, egalitarianism, and religious fervor—that distinguish the United States from its European forebears.

Exceptionalism goes beyond scholarly study, however; the term also refers to an ideology. Due to its resources, national character, or even divine providence, this ideology suggests, America is empowered (some say burdened) with a special role in world affairs. Often implied in this view is the idea that America is not only different from the rest of the world, but superior. The current Iraq War was fueled, if not directly inspired, by such notions. Therefore, an understanding of American exceptionalism is crucial for comprehending today’s central events.

In this course, we will critically evaluate a number of versions of American exceptionalism, from Tocqueville to contemporary political scientists; from religious believers to liberal skeptics; from neocons to filmmaker Michael Moore.
Outcomes/Objectives

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

1. Participate more fully in the rigors of collegiate academics.
2. Appreciate the value of in-depth exploration from several disciplinary perspectives.
3. Read college-level texts with confidence.
4. Engage in intensive critical thinking and writing.
5. Understand and apply the recursive composition process.
6. Compose effective academic essays.

Required Texts

Students are encouraged to purchase the following books:

Democracy in America
Alexis de Tocqueville
Harper Perennial Edition (2006)
ISBN: 9780061127922

The Brief Penguin Handbook
Lester Faigley
Second Edition (2005)
ISBN: 9780205585731

Both books are available from Shakespeare and Company (939 Lexington Avenue, at 69th Street). In addition, a number of less expensive used copies of the Handbook may be available online, but make sure to purchase the correct edition.

The Tocqueville can be found in a variety of formats, including free hyper-text editions (see here). However, many editions, including the free online version, use a different translation than the Harper, which may make it hard for you to follow along in class. If you purchase online or elsewhere, I encourage you to get the Harper edition described above. Overall, wherever you get your textbooks, make sure that you can get the book in a timely fashion.

Additional readings will be assigned throughout the semester through the use of handouts, library access, and online links at the course website. Readings will be assigned at the end of each class, and also will be posted on the class website.

Course Requirements

• Come to class prepared. Complete all required readings beforehand, and bring your textbook/readings to class.
  

• Participate. Attend class regularly and on time—you cannot participate if you are not present—and join your colleagues in critical analysis of the assigned readings. In order to encourage participation, you will be asked to complete the following assignment:
  

• Summaries. Write five (5) one-page summaries of assigned readings throughout the course of the semester. Guidelines for summary writing will be distributed during class. In general, you can submit summaries whenever you would like, with the following restriction: the first summary will be a required assignment, with a specific deadline in early September. I encourage you to WRITE ALL OF YOUR SUMMARIES EARLY – do not wait until the end of the semester, or you may run out of time to complete your required five.
  

• Complete all other written assignments:
  

• Critical Response Essay (3-4 pages). In this paper, you will go beyond mere summarization and offer a critical response to one of the course readings.
  

• Comparative Analysis Essay (4-5 pages). You will be asked to provide a comparative analysis of two of the texts we will examine in this course. (Please note that “text” here should be interpreted broadly to include films.)
  

• Argumentative Essay (5-7 pages). In this paper, you will develop a thesis-driven argument that answers a specific question about the course material.
  

• For each assignment, you will be required to submit at least one draft and, in some cases, other preliminary materials before the final draft is due. Guidelines for each assignment will be distributed in class at appropriate times (see “Course Schedule” below).
  

• Participate in individual conferences when required (sometimes outside regularly scheduled class times, though not on different days). Sign-up sheets will be posted about a week beforehand.
  

• When directed by the Instructor, participate in Writing Labs and/or individual tutoring sessions at the Center for Academic Advancement (CAA). The Writing Labs target all areas of writing instruction, and require a series of five one-hour meetings with a CAA tutor on five consecutive weeks. At the end of the lab, the tutor will provide a written assessment of the student’s progress. A student who has been referred to the CAA, and who does not complete the required lab component or tutoring sessions, will not receive a passing grade for the course.

Grading

Your grade will be based on your written work and your class participation. Course requirements will be weighted as follows when calculating your grade:

Participation: 25%
Submission of all required summaries establishes a base participation grade of B. Failure to submit a summary (including missing your deadlines for the first two summaries), will lower this grade by one-third of a letter grade. Excessive lateness or absences also will lead to grade reductions, while frequent and thoughtful contributions to class discussion will have the opposite effect.


Critical Response Paper: 20%
Compare/Contrast Paper: 25%
Critical Analysis Paper: 30%
-----------------------------------
Total for all Papers: 75%
A one letter grade penalty will be imposed upon late papers without valid documentation (e.g., medical emergency). A similar penalty will be imposed on submitted work that is missing required components (e.g., an outline).

Grading criteria for written assignments are as follows:

A: Expresses complex, independent thought with grace, clarity and force. Its purpose is clear from the start: it contains a thesis that is imaginatively, logically, and precisely developed. Not only is the paper organized, the organization does not seem mechanical or imposed. Any source material included is balanced and smoothly integrated into the essay. Each topical paragraph has a controlling idea, solid detail, and smooth transitions. The sentences are varied in length and structure. The writer chooses concrete, specific words and uses them correctly, employing diction that is distinctive and mature, with effective metaphors and analogies for clarity and emphasis. The essay contains no colloquialisms, clichés, or trite expressions. It is virtually free of grammatical and mechanical errors.

B: Contains a clear thesis statement supported with good examples. The writer controls the essay’s development by arranging the examples supporting the thesis in an orderly and logical fashion. The essay is well-organized, but transitions are sometimes strained. Any source material included is smoothly integrated, and some independent conclusions are drawn. Each topical paragraph has a controlling idea and good supporting detail. The sentences are usually varied. The word choice is generally correct. The writer often goes beyond the automatic word choice to find one more precise and effective. The paper is generally correct mechanically, though there are some problems with complex grammar and punctuation traps.

C: Contains a recognizable thesis and adequate development. Though the paper has some interesting parts, the interest is not uniformly maintained and the purpose is not always clear. There are very few errors in sentence structure by the sentences are not varied. The word choice is generally correct, but the range of words is limited, and in some cases the wording is abstract and imprecise. Source material included is relevant but not carefully integrated. This essay also has errors in syntax, spelling and punctuation. More importantly, it lacks an original, significant purpose or point of view.

D: Meets only the minimum requirements of college writing. The writer approaches the topic in a conventional and predictable manner. The essay lacks imagination and insight. Though it still contains a thesis, it is poorly or mechanically developed. It also lacks adequate support of generalizations. Source materials are cited improperly, are not directly relevant, and/or overwhelm the essay. Some principle of organization is apparent but it is not successful followed. The diction is often imprecise and monotonous. The writer uses vague, ordinary words and relies on clichés and jargon. The essay contains sentence fragments, run-on sentences, and numerous basic errors in syntax, agreement, reference, spelling, and punctuation.

Incomplete grades will be assigned only for a valid and documented cause, for a length of time specified by the instructor when the documentation is accepted.

Academic Integrity

Students should be aware of the college’s policies regarding cheating, plagiarism and any other kind of academic misconduct as outlined in the MMC Academic Honesty Policy. These policies will be discussed briefly during the first class. Students who have questions or concerns about their written work should discuss these with the instructor before submitting any assignments.

Special Needs

Any student who is learning disabled, whose primary language is other than English, or who has other special needs and may thus require special accommodations should notify me immediately.

Course Schedule (subject to change)

D	Date	Writing Skills	Content	Assignments
W	9/5	Introduction
M	9/10	Summaries, thesis	Egalitarianism	Summary assigned
W	9/12
M	9/17			Summary #1 due
W	9/19	Critical response, outlines		E#1 assigned
M	9/24	Summaries	Capitalism
W	9/26
M	10/1	NO CLASS - CONFERENCES		E#1 - first draft due
W	10/3	NO CLASS - CONFERENCES
M	10/8	NO CLASS - COLUMBUS DAY
W	10/10	Comparison	Capitalism	E#1 - Final draft due
M	10/15		Violence
W	10/17			E#2 assigned
M	10/22	Thesis		E#2 - thesis due
W	10/24	Citations	War
M	10/29			E#2 - first draft due
W	10/31
M	11/5	Comparison	Religion
W	11/7	NO CLASS - ADVISEMENT DAY
M	11/12		Religion	E#2 - final draft due
W	11/14	Argumentation		E#3 - assigned
M	11/19
W	11/21	NO CLASS - THANKSGIVING
M	11/26	NO CLASS - CONFERENCES		E#3 - thesis/outline due
W	11/28	NO CLASS - CONFERENCES
M	12/3		Neocons
W	12/5			E#3 - first draft due
M	12/10
W	12/12		Debates
M	12/17
W	12/19	Research	Conclusions	E#3 - final draft due

Tocqueville Online

As mentioned in the syllabus, the Tocqueville text assigned for the course can be found online. A free hyper-text version is available from the University of Virginia's American Studies department. A number of formats also are available from Project Gutenberg.

You are welcome to use these editions. However, TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING:

• These online versions may use a different translation than the one we have in class. This may make it hard for you to follow along in class discussions.
• Moreover, you should bring your readings to class with you. Assuming you do not store a copy of the online text on an electronic device (laptop, smartphone, etc.), then you will need to print out sections of the text and bring them to class.

Please keep this in mind when deciding what version of the text you will use.

Summary Guidelines and Sample

Summary Guidelines for the course are available here. (This link will lead you to a website for another course, but do not be alarmed: the guidelines also apply to this course.) Similarly, a Sample Summary is available here.