Syllabus


📛 instructor: Prof. Vyshali Manivannan (she/her/hers)
📞 W + đŸ“© E: See Syllabus on D2L
🕑 office hours: By appointment on M 12pm-3pm, W 1pm-3pm, Th 10:00am-4:30pm, and Tues whenever we don’t meet. Refer to the Calendar on D2L to schedule an appointment.
💬 asynchronous chat: D2L Classes or Slack DM (responses within 48 hours between 9am-5pm
✅ By remaining enrolled in the course, you agree to adhere to the policies outlined in this syllabus.

đŸ‘‹đŸŸ WELCOME STATEMENT

I’m Prof. Mani (pronounced “money”), and I want to warmly welcome you to ENG 120: Critical Writing. I feel I can’t do so without acknowledging the elephant in the room: the COVID-19 pandemic has not abated, and people from many parts of our city, state, country, and the world are still suffering from the public health crisis. You may be reeling from loss and lack of closure. You may be at-risk and anxious about how to navigate physical spaces. You may feel confused by virtual ones. You may be a freshman worried about and resentful of how the pandemic will alter your college experience. You may be distance learning at home with relatives, saddled with familial responsibilities you wouldn’t have to deal with in a dorm, in an environment unconducive to learning. You may have had bad experiences with remote classes in the past and therefore believe you won’t learn well in online settings. You may be caring for a sick loved one. You may be an essential worker. You may be all or none of the above. I acknowledge this to say that we are learning in unprecedented times, and our learning will reflect the need for flexibility, adaptation, collaboration, and empathy. Together we’ll reimagine what remote learning, writing, and revising looks like for us as a class in this unusual situation while getting to know each other and building community.

âœđŸŸ COURSE DESCRIPTION

This class emphasizes critical thinking, reading, and writing and the development of argument and analysis as you work with a variety of literary and nonfiction texts. You’ll learn to approach the writing, revising, and editing of well-organized and coherent analytical essays as a series of tasks and to develop strategies for effectively accomplishing each stage of the writing process. In addition, you’ll learn methods of documentation, the use of library and Internet resources, and the synthesis and integration of primary and secondary sources into your own essays. This class is a seminar and workshop, meaning that its success depends on your consistent, constructive participation, openness, and considerateness. Regardless of your skill level or background, you belong here. Don’t be afraid to reveal your weaknesses and your strengths.

📋 COURSE OBJECTIVES

  • Demonstrate critical analysis by producing writing that reflects and articulates careful thought, depth of insight, well-developed ideas, and clear purpose
  • Apply rhetorical knowledge and audience awareness by writing in a variety of informal and formal genres
  • Effectively use reading and research to develop ideas, including identifying, evaluating, and synthesizing primary and secondary sources; appropriately integrating sources into writing to serve a variety of purposes; and using a variety of sources including (but not limited to) web-based sources, library sources, and field work (such as observations or interviews)
  • Adapt writing processes to discover and generate ideas, navigate a number of stages of formal writing projects (planning, revising, editing, and so forth), and critique your own and your peers’ writing through workshops
  • Apply academic conventions at the sentence and paragraph level, including punctuation, grammar, spelling, usage, style, word choice, and citations
  • Stumble on unexpected learning objectives along the way!

📚 MATERIALS, SPACES, RESOURCES

D2L Classes
Material organized in weekly modules under Content/Table of Contents		Syllabus & Calendar (this document)Labor-Based Grading Contract (LBGC)AnnouncementsVideo lecturesReadingsAssignment guidelinesHandouts & worksheetsSubmission dropboxesGrades
Course Bloghttp://eng120s21.profmani.com Weekly agendasEssay feedback postsWriting resourcesTech guidesSyllabus, LBGC, Assignment Guidelines
SlackInvitation link posted to D2L Classes Week 1 moduleDiscussion questionsWriting homeworkGroup chatsDirect messages
ZoomSynchronous class sessionsFeedback conferences with me Peer conferences with each other
Google Docs/Microsoft OneDriveCreate a Gmail if you don’t have one. OneDrive is available through Pace.Peer review

 đŸ’» ASSIGNMENTS

You’ll be assigned both high- and low-stakes writing, where low-stakes or informal writing assignments are designed to give you time and space to work through a text or complex idea, and high-stakes writing consists of larger assignments and evolves through peer collaboration, analytical writing, and revision. High-stakes writing will also involve the development of a writing process. Nothing in this class should feel like “busy work,” as all minor writing assignments are meant to take you step by step through each unit, and many—with some necessary modifications—are designed to be included in your essays.

Low-stakes writing assignments include writing exercises on Slack, like discussion posts, revision plans after instructor feedback conferences, field notes for your virtual ethnography, and reflective writing due at the end of each unit. Instructions will be given to you in class on the course blog.

High-stakes writing assignments include your major essays: the Discourse Community Narrative (Unit 1), the Rhetorical Analysis of a Cultural Artifact (Unit 2), and the Virtual Ethnography (Unit 3). Essay guidelines are posted to Blackboard under “Course Assignments & Rubrics” and to the course blog under “Assignments.” Expect to write 3 drafts of each high-stakes writing assignment, workshop your drafts with peers, and consult with me and Writing Center tutors. You’ll also be expected to substantially revise your projects using peer and instructor feedback.

📎 COLLABORATIVE WRITING & PARTICIPATION

As this class uses labor-based grading, your grade is largely participation and effort, some of which will be measured by how “vocal” you are (out loud or in our Slack or Zoom chat) during synchronous sessions and how frequently you post and reply on Slack. You will be expected to participate in small group discussions, writing groups, and class discussions, all of which will happen in Zoom sessions or on Slack. You will generally be teamed up with 3-4 other students, in randomized breakout rooms and permanent workshop groups that will be assigned by our first draft workshop. If you are someone who likes to talk, make a point of giving others the space to share their ideas. If you are more shy or anxious about speaking up, challenge yourself to share your opinions with the people around you. Participation does not mean simply talking in class, but making substantive contributions and listening and responding to what others say. To receive full credit for any assigned work or synchronous session, come to class prepared and be ready to engage with your peers and with me.

đŸ™đŸŸ WHAT I EXPECT FROM YOU

I value enthusiastic participation in the form of risk-taking and experimentation, off-the-cuff opinions and well-thought-out comments, and connections between class material and your prior experiences. I have a lower tolerance for unnecessary amounts of goofing off during class activities and resistance to practicing new skills and engaging with new ideas. Overall, I expect you to push yourself to learn, a process that I recognize takes many forms.  As part of this, I expect that you’ll:

  • Read everything! Especially because this is an online class, it’s important for your success that you closely read and frequently refer to all course documents, assignment guidelines, blog posts, and communications from me
  • Communicate early and often about unexpected situations that might impact your ability to engage in the course
  • Attend regularly (and communicate promptly if you can’t) and be attentive
  • Make time to read, write, reply, and revise
  • Contribute substantively and productively to discussion, whether out loud on Zoom, in the public Zoom chat, and/or on Slack channels
  • Complete your assignments punctually, with attention, care, and creativity
  • Conduct yourself respectfully in the classroom
  • Be respectful and use appropriate email etiquette when emailing or direct messaging me (i.e., identify yourself, your course section, your questions)
  • Work towards excellence, not perfection—don’t be afraid to experiment, fail, and improve
  • Assume responsibility for reviewing general feedback posts after each draft and revising your essays accordingly; coming to feedback conferences prepared to discuss the specifics of my feedback and your draft; and coming to every conference and appointment you’ve scheduled with me
  • Actively ask for clarification or assistance if you need it in advance of a deadline, via class participation, Slack DM, or email (i.e., don’t passively wait for me to come to you)
  • Check your email, Blackboard, and Slack daily, since this is how I’ll communicate with you outside of our synchronous class sessions. Make sure to forward your Pace email account to the one you use on a daily basis if your Pace account isn’t your primary one
  • Ask your classmates for missed content if you’re absent, since we do important work every day
  • Submit work on time and in the appropriate file format
  • Accept that I respond as promptly as I can but rarely before 9:00 or after 5:00 and not as promptly on weekends

I allow food and drink during class time provided it doesn’t interfere with your ability to participate and doesn’t distract others. If you need to get up and stretch, feel free to do so. We will take short breaks during class time as well. Additionally, I expect that when we disagree in class, as we inevitably will, we will do so in a calm and courteous manner, targeting ideas, not individuals. Bigoted, ableist, incendiary, or otherwise offensive language will not be tolerated.

đŸ‘ŒđŸŸ WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM ME

From me, you can expect:

  • An interest in your projects and how the writing skills you’re acquiring connect to your other classes or jobs
  • An enthusiasm for challenging your views and habits of writing and critical engagement with the world around you
  • A personalized approach to teaching process-oriented writing (i.e., real-world examples culled from my experiences as a novelist, scholar, and professor)
  • An ability to adapt to the flow of discussions, pursue interesting tangents, and create learning scenarios that might initially seem disorganized or quirky but will demonstrate the skills at hand
  • A willingness to accommodate your learning style(s), disability-related issue(s), and/or accessibility issues (with the expectation that you’ll accommodate mine)
  • A desire to celebrate our accomplishments this semester, whether they pertain to class or not
  • A desire to help you!

You may always reach out to me with any concerns or questions. I do ask that you wait at least one day before contacting me about material I have just handed back, as we are all human and can become emotional over things as personal as writing. Also, keep in mind that different courses take different approaches to teaching the same skill sets, so the assignments in our class might not align exactly with the assignments in a different class.

⚖ ACADEMIC INTEGRITY CODE

I also expect you to follow the Academic Integrity Code in the Student Handbook which supports honesty and ethical conduct in the educational process. The short version is: Do your own work, and if you use sources, cite them. The first violation of academic integrity will earn an F for the assignment; the second instance of plagiarism results in failing the course. While I expect and allow you to use or adapt writing homework into your essay drafts, it is a violation of academic integrity to reuse writing across essay units without permission, just as it is to invent research data. As noted in the Code, all violations of academic integrity will be reported to your academic adviser and the Academic Conduct Committee.

♿ ACCESSIBILITY & ACCOMMODATION STATEMENT

The university’s commitment to equal educational opportunities for students includes providing reasonable accommodations for the needs of students with disabilities. The Office of Disability Services (ODS) for the Westchester campuses is located in the Administration Center. To request an accommodation for a qualifying disability, a student must self-identify and register with Lisa Ciccone, Coordinator of Disability Services, who can be contacted by email at lciccone@pace.edu or by phone at 914-773-3710. Only the Coordinator of Disability Services is authorized to evaluate a disability and arrange for an accommodation. Moreover, no one is authorized to contact the Coordinator of Disability Services on behalf of a student. That said, please talk to me about any difficulty you might be having that may impact your performance in this course as soon as it occurs and before it becomes unmanageable. 

The ODS FAQs can be found here, and the checklist for the registration process at the Westchester ODS website can be found here. Information about other support services on campus can be found here.

I see particular forms of assessment and surveillance as strange and invasive, so you:

  • Don’t need to keep your camera on at all times
  • Don’t need to look at your screen at all times
  • Don’t have to stay in one seat or room at all times (as long as you are within earshot, can be heard when you speak, or bring your device with you)
  • Don’t have to sit at a desk or other “professional” space, or dress “professionally” as long as you are fully dressed. Choose clothes and locations that are comfortable and conducive to learning for you!
  • Don’t need to ask permission to go to the bathroom or get up for any other important reason (if you expect to be chronically coming and going, please apprise me of your situation in advance)

That said, I ask that you do use your camera if and when you are able so that we can get to know each other “face to face.” Please upload a photo of yourself to your Zoom account so when your camera is off, your peers and I can still put a face to your name. (See the Tech Guide for directions on how to do this.)

đŸš„ SAFETY STATEMENT

If you feel you have experienced a threat to your safety or if you have been sexually assaulted, there are resources available at the University to assist you. You should be aware that faculty (like me) are non-confidential resources and have an obligation to report any information about sexual assault to the University’s Title IX/Affirmative Action Officer, Lisa Miles, who may be reached at 212-346-1310 or amiles@pace.edu. The Title IX/Affirmative Action Office is responsible for investigating violations of the sexual misconduct policy. Go here for more information about the sexual misconduct policy. You should also be aware that the university also has a number of confidential resources that are listed below:

  • The Pace University Counseling Center, Administration Building, 2nd floor, 914-773-3710
  • Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Education, Elm Hall, 914-597-8783, fire@pace.edu 
  • University Healthcare, Paton House, ground floor, 914-773-3760

Other confidential resources can be found here.

✐ THE WRITING CENTER

The Writing Center will offer online appointments for the Spring 2021 semester. They will offer workshops led by writing consultants on a variety of topics and some one-on-one appointments depending on their current staffing. Writing consultants will be able to collaborate with you using Zoom. Consultants will not proofread any work, but they will ask thoughtful questions and offer strategies to help make you a better writer. You’re encouraged to bring writing from all disciplines and at all stages of the writing process, from outlines to completed drafts, as well as non-academic and personal works.

You are required to use the Writing Center twice during the semester—this means two hour-long sessions or four half-hour sessions. You may use the Writing Center for another class to receive course credit for this one—just ask the consultant to email me so that you receive credit for the session. Remember to make this clear when attending online Writing Center workshops and meetings. Making appointments online requires creating an account on the Writing Center website. It’s best to make appointments early as they fill up fast and you’re expected to go at least twice. Visit the website to make an account, see the list of workshops, and find writing tips and resources. To view videos and workshop recordings, visit their YouTube channel. I prefer that you make appointments at the Pleasantville Writing Center, but if you’ve waited too long, I’ll accept appointments at the NYC Writing Center as well.

📔 LEARNING ASSISTANCE CENTER

For extra practice and individualized attention, you should visit the Learning Assistance Center on the third floor of Mortola Library. Learn more here or contact LAC at LACplv@pace.edu or 914-773-3721.

📱 FINAL THOUGHTS

Let me reassure you that online classes don’t have to be a death sentence for your learning or your GPA. It’s probably not that you “do poorly” in a virtual setting, but that you haven’t experienced an online course that delivers content designed for a virtual setting instead of a face-to-face one. To ensure your success, we will be clear, communicative, and accommodating. If you have questions or concerns, are uncertain regarding an assignment or a deadline, or feel you are not receiving adequate support and need to speak with me about your progress, let me know! My “door” is always open during my scheduled office hours; I can offer appointments outside those hours; and I am more flexibly available on Slack throughout the week. Don’t hesitate to contact me so we can resolve whatever issue you may be facing. No problem is too big or small and there’s no such thing as a stupid question. My job is to support you as best as I can while teaching you about critical thinking and writing, and the only way I can do this is if I know what you need. I look forward to teaching you and learning from you during this semester!