CEEL 0977: Read, Think, Write: Approaching the College Essay

Summer@Brown Pre-College Programs

Course Dates: July 8-July 19, 2019

Course Meeting Times: Monday-Friday 9am-11:30am; Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 1pm-2:30pm
Course Location: Sayles Hall 005
CRN: 11196

Course Instructor: Benjamin Fancy

Email: email@brown.edu
Office Hours: Mondays 12pm-1pm & Wednesdays 2:30pm-3:30pm
Office Hours Location: Rockefeller Library (10 Prospect St.), main lobby

Teaching Associate: Laurin Williams

Email: email@brown.edu
Office Hours: Tuesdays 2:30pm-3:30pm, Thursdays 2:30-3:30pm
Office Hours Location: Rockefeller Library (10 Prospect St.), main lobby

I. Course Description:
This course is designed to prepare students to write at the university level. Students will be familiarized
with the process of writing (and rewriting) through pre-writing activities; outlining; writing and editing a
first draft; and finally, producing a final, proofread essay. Course readings have been chosen with the
goal of stimulating critical thinking, acquainting students with the conventions of American academic writing,
and providing students with models for effective writing. Grammar and syntax are discussed as needed.
Students will learn to produce thesis-centered essays in which they demonstrate an ability to read critically,
analyze an argument, and engage with that argument by making use of their own critical voice.
Course readings from the textbook are designed to provide building blocks that students will use in
structuring their own essays. These readings are grouped with secondary texts that exemplify the skills
covered by the textbook. Assignments include a personal essay (one which may be used as the basis for a
college application essay) and an analytical essay. Class time will be devoted to discussing readings, in-
class writing activities, small group work, and writing workshops. In addition, through field trips, students
will become acquainted with university resources that are designed to help them with their writing (such as
the Writing Center and the university libraries).

II. Course Goals and Outcomes:

During this course, students will:
• Develop skills that will allow them to write effectively in English at the university level in a variety of
disciplines.
• Hone their ability to read, write, and think critically.
• Practice the craft of writing as a multi-step process, including prewriting, drafting, and revision.
• Become better acquainted with the conventions of American academic writing.
• Practice different genres of writing, including the personal and the analytical essay.
• Produce a personal essay that may later be used as part of their college applications.
• Compose cogent, thesis-centered essays in which they engage with and evaluate an author’s argument,
experimenting with counterarguments and other rhetorical tools.
• Workshop and constructively critique their own writing and their classmates’ writing.

III. Course Materials:

All materials are available for purchase at the Brown Bookstore (244 Thayer St.).
• They Say, I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing, 4th edition (Graff, Birkenstein, and Durst).
ISBN: 978-0393935844. New: $29.35. Used: $22.00.
• Coursepack of Assigned Readings: $18.00.

IV. Grading Policy:

This course is graded pass/fail (S/NC). To pass the course, receive a favorable evaluation, and earn a
course completion certificate, you must participate actively in class discussions, activities, and workshops,
complete all required readings and assignments by the deadlines indicated. Although you will not receive
a letter grade for the class as a whole, individual assignments will receive letter grades (and pluses or
minuses): A, B, C, or no credit (NC). You must maintain an average of C- or better in order to pass the
course. Think of these grades as just one of several ways for you to track your progress and gauge your
preparedness to write at the university level; what is more important is the written feedback that you will
receive on each assignment.

V. Overview of Assignments:
The grade breakdown for each category of assignments is as follows:
Participation & Reflective Writing: 35%
In-Class Group Presentation: 15%
Essays: 50% (2 essays, 25% each)

V.i. General Expectations:

Over three weeks, students will spend 2½ hours each morning in class. Required reading, reflective
writing, and other homework (including writing, researching, and revising the two formal essays and
preparing the in-class presentation) is expected to require approximately 3 hours per evening, with some
evenings requiring more work and others requiring less.
This class meets in the mornings on Monday-Friday from 9am-11:30am and in the afternoons on
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 1pm-2:30pm. Attendance is required at all class meetings.
The morning sessions will be focused primarily on discussion. The goals of these meetings are to
stimulate your critical thinking skills through discussion of readings in a variety of genres and styles that
should serve as models and inspiration for your own writing.
The afternoon sessions are designed to serve as workshops in which you refine a specific skill related to
writing or researching. On three occasions, this will involve taking a field trip: first to the Writing Center
(on Tuesday, July 10) and later to the Rockefeller Library (Thursday, July 12). Please meet at the location
indicated on the syllabus on those days. On other occasions, we will meet in our normal classroom (Watson
Institute, room 112).

V.ii. Participation:
Your daily participation is crucial to the course. This includes not only attendance, but also active
participation in class discussions. We will aim to create an encouraging environment in our classroom, within
which we will actively engage with the assigned text(s) each day through a variety of different types of
activities, such as close readings, group discussions, and reflective writing. Your active engagement is
important both to your own understanding of the text and that of your classmates. Students must contact
the instructor before class if an absence is anticipated; absences will only be excused for illness or other
exceptional circumstances. Any unexcused absence may result in a grade of NC and will be reported to
the program director.
You will self-evaluate your participation twice during the course, once at the end of each week. This will
provide you with the opportunity you to reflect about your progress in the course and any areas you might
be able to improve on.

V.iii. Daily Reflective Writing

As this is a writing class, we will write often. In addition to two polished essays, you will also take notes,
outline, freewrite, and produce drafts. To practice writing as a process, you should take careful notes on
each of the assigned readings. This can take whatever form you wish; maybe you like to take notes in the
margins, or perhaps you work best when you write on a separate sheet of paper. However you decide to
work, your notes will prepare you for the other kinds of writing that we will be doing both in- and outside
of class.
In class, you will complete frequent in-class writing assignments designed to help you formulate your
thoughts on the assigned readings. Sometimes the topics will be specific; other times you will have more
freedom to choose your topic. These daily responses are for your eyes only; you will not be required to
share them with anyone, including the instructor. The goal of these writing assignments is to help you
prepare for in-class discussions by having you respond directly to the text(s) and formulate your ideas.
These short assignments might also serve as the basis for your personal or analytical essay topic.

V.iv. In-Class Presentation:

In class on Friday, July 13, students will be placed into groups to prepare their in-class presentations,
which will be given the following Monday, July 16. Each group will be assigned a recently-published
article that deals with issues that impact American college students today: gender, race, food, technology,
education, sports, and/or the Internet. These readings can be accessed online by following the links in the
schedule of readings.
Students will work together the following weekend to prepare a presentation that highlights the main
points of the article; examines one or more of the article’s main points in depth; and captures the
audience’s attention and incites interest in the topic. Following each presentation, the presenters will lead a
short group discussion with their classmates based on the topic presented.

V.v. Two Essays: Personal Essay & Research Essay

The personal essay (approx. 650 words) focuses on a significant personal experience from the writer's
past, in which the writer tells a story, reflecting on the experience and drawing meaning from it. Its key
features include a dramatic event or episode; vivid details and narration; and an interweaving of
narration with reflection on and interpretation of the essayist's experience.
The research essay (approx. 1000 words) will be an in-depth analysis of one or two texts of your
choice, based on the readings covered in class (or others, with the approval of your instructors). In this
essay, you will analyze your chosen text, drawing from other materials provided in class, including lecture
notes, discussions, and supplementary texts. You will compose a well-organized, thesis-centered essay that
is thoroughly supported with evidence from the text and appropriate secondary sources. You should
choose a topic that is interesting to you; consider looking to your daily response papers to determine your
topic. If you cannot think of a paper topic, then your instructors will help you identify one.
Each of these two formal essays will undergo a mandatory two-draft process: the first version will be
reviewed by your peers during an in-class workshop and by one of your instructors, who will read the
essay outside of class and return it to you with comments and suggestions for your revision. This first version
will receive detailed feedback without a grade; the second version will be graded. Please note, however,
that it is expected that the first version be as polished as possible so that you can fully benefit from peer
review.

VI. Inclusivity/Diversity Statement:

Achieving excellence in liberal education requires a commitment to diversity in the broadest sense. This
means embracing not only a range of intellectual perspectives, but also a diversity of people. By choosing
to enroll in this course, students acknowledge their commitment to maintaining a respectful learning
environment that is free of misogyny, homophobia, xenophobia, racism, and prejudice of any other kind.
It is essential to acknowledge, nevertheless, that as this course is designed for non-native speakers of
English, miscommunications may result as part of the language learning process. It is expected that students
will treat their classmates with mindfulness and compassion as our guiding principles, assuming the best of
intentions as we learn from one another.

VII. Academic Honesty:

 As Pre-College students, you are expected to adhere to Brown’s Academic Code, which reads, in part:
“Academic achievement is evaluated on the basis of work that a student produces independently. A
student who obtains credit for work, words, or ideas that are not the products of his or her own effort is
dishonest and in violation of Brown’s Academic Code. Such dishonesty undermines the integrity of academic
standards of the University.” Infringement of the Academic Code will result in a grade of NC and will be
reported to the program director.

VIII. Policy on Laptops and Cell Phones:

Unless you need them for a specific reason related to your individual needs as a student, you should not
use your laptops or cell phones in class unless otherwise instructed to do so. (If there is a reason why you
need to use one of these items in class, please consult with the instructor.) Please make sure to bring the
coursepack and textbook to class every day, take detailed notes on the readings before coming to class,
and take careful, handwritten notes during class.

IX. The Writing Center and Support for English Language Learning:
The Writing Center, located on the 5th floor of the Sciences Library (201 Thayer St.), is an excellent
resource for this class, and it is available for personalized help while you are enrolled at Brown as a
summer Pre-College student. The Writing Center is open from 2pm-8pm Mondays through Thursdays.
Experienced tutors can help with all stages of composition, including brainstorming a topic, paper structure,
and sentence-level issues. Please note that you must make an appointment in advance to use the Writing
Center. Click here for more information or to make an appointment.
Writing Center tutors are trained to work with students who speak English as a second language.
However, if you would like to request support specifically related to English language learning, you may
also make an appointment to meet with Ms. Sara Gramley, Assistant Director for English Language
Support, by emailing her at ellwriting@brown.edu.

X. Extracurricular Activities:
It is essential that you remain focused on your coursework during your three weeks here at Brown;
however, I do encourage you to take advantage of the extracurricular activities offered by the Pre-
College programs. For information about upcoming events, please consult their Guidebook: you may
download the app here (on your iOS or Android phone).

XI. Schedule of Readings and Assignments:

See the list of assignments in the course summary below, or click here for a general overview.
In addition to the assigned readings, you should come to class prepared to write a reflective
paragraph response at the beginning of each class to help you prepare for discussion and organize your
thoughts.
Please note that the schedule is subject to change as needed. Any changes will be announced in class
and posted here. Note on abbreviations: TSIS = They Say, I Say (textbook); CP = course pack of readings.

WEEK ONE
Date Meeting Topic Readings & Tasks
Monday
Morning Introduction
7/8
Read before class:
Tuesday Why We à Orwell, “Why I Write” (CP)
Morning à Didion, “Why I Write” (CP)
7/9 Write
à International Writers’ Blog: read Edwin Jeng, “Writing at
Brown, or, Heavy Gates and Exclusive Side Doors”
 Workshop: Nothing to prepare.
Tuesday
Afternoon Writing Meet at the Sciences Library (take the elevator up to the 5th
7/9 Center floor).
Read before class:
Wednesday à They Say, I Say: Ch. 9
Morning Style & Voice
7/10 à Graff, “Hidden Intellectualism” (TSIS pp. 244-251)
à Rose, “Blue-Collar Brilliance” (CP)

Workshop: Personal essay, first draft due; please submit the first draft
Wednesday
Afternoon Personal of your essay on Canvas before class begins.
7/10 Essay Please bring your laptops for this class meeting.
Read before class:
Thursday Attributing
Morning
Sources à They Say, I Say: Ch. 1, 2 & 3
7/11
à Zinczenko, “Don’t Blame the Eater” (TSIS pp. 241-243)

Thursday Workshop: Nothing to prepare.

Afternoon University
7/11 Libraries Meet in the lobby of the Rockefeller Library (10 Prospect St.)

Personal essay due; please submit the final version of your

essay on Canvas before class begins.
Friday What They Read before class:
Morning Say, What
7/12 You Say à They Say, I Say: Ch. 4 & 5
à Mantsios, “Rewards and Opportunities: The Politics and
Economics of Class in the U.S.” (CP)

WEEK TWO
Date Meeting Topic Readings & Tasks
In-class presentations
Please read each of the following short news articles
(including the one your group has been assigned to present):
à Beauchamp, “It’s actually very strange for sports games to
begin with the national anthem”
Monday Writing à Glaude, Jr., “The real ‘special snowflakes’ in campus free-
Morning
7/15 Today speech debates”
à Jack, “It’s hard to be hungry on spring break”
à Manjoo, “How the Internet is loosening our grip on the
truth”
à Novak, “I was wrong about the ‘alt-right’”
à Simons, “Don’t like what a woman is saying? Call her ugly”
Read before class:
Tuesday Why It
Morning
Matters à They Say, I Say: Ch. 6 & 7
7/16
à Singer, “The Singer Solution to World Poverty” (CP)

Tuesday Workshop: à Nothing to prepare.

Afternoon Object à Meet at the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology (21
7/16 Writing Prospect St.)
 Read before class:
Wednesday Connecting à They Say, I Say: Ch. 8
Morning
7/17 the Parts à King, “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (CP)
à Obama, “Eulogy for Clementa Pinckney” (CP)

Workshop: Research essay, first draft due; please submit the first draft
Wednesday
Afternoon Research of your essay on Canvas before class begins.
7/17 Essay Please bring your laptops for this class meeting.
Read before class:
Thursday Writing on à They Say, I Say: Ch. 15
Morning
7/18 Literature à O’Connor, “Everything That Rises Must Converge” (TSIS pp.
272-291)
Meet in our normal classroom.
Thursday Workshop:
Afternoon Before the workshop, read the highlighted sections from:
7/18 On Grammar
à Chang, “Chinese Speakers” in Learner English (handout)
Friday Research essay due; please submit your essay on Canvas
Morning Conclusion
7/19 before class begins.