Where the Grickle Grass Grows

Final Exam Reflective Essay

2008-04-24T08:34:00.000-07:00

Your final exam will be a reflective essay in which you write about your experience in this course. Your essay should have three major parts:

I. Response to theme.

First, read Lisa Cullen's article "It's Inconvenient Being Green." In the piece, Cullen suggests that the media-wide focus on "going green" has affected her in both negative and positive ways. You may quote from Cullen's piece in order to defend, argue against, or qualify her claim. In doing so, consider the ways that this sustainability-focused class has changed your perspective or reinforced old ideas about what it means to "go green." In this section of your essay, refer to specific things you've learned, where your research has taken you, and what changes you've made in your life (or hope to someday) regarding sustainability.

II. Rhetorical choices

One of the goals of this class is to become aware of the rhetorical devices that are in our everyday lives. Every day, we are saturated by commercials, brand names, and varying agendas that dominate our landscape. This occurs not only when we walk out of the door, but also when we turn on our computers, read a book, when we speak to others, read a magazine article, listen to music, or look at a webpage.

Write about your process of learning rhetoric in this class and how you used rhetorical choices to: 1. analyze scholarly sources and websites, and 2. read your chosen book and work on Essay #4.

How did you decide on your audience? How did this inform your composition process? (For writing, you can think of all the strategies that we discussed during the course of this class: appeals, fallacies, types of claims, defining terms, deepening claims, counterarguments, transitions, stylistic fluency)

Were you successful in achieving your purpose? Why or why not?
How did ethos, pathos, and logos affect your own pieces?

III. Composing process

Choose one of the major essays (Essays 1-4) you wrote and discuss your composition process. Here are some questions that you might want to consider regarding your composition process. You don’t need to answer “all” of them; there is no right way to discuss your learning/composing process.

• How did you choose your topic(s)?
• What did you learn about yourself while completing the project?
• What did you learn about composing? Be specific and give examples from your work to show what you learned.
• How did your vision change with your drafts? Why did you make, or not make changes?
• How was the conference helpful? How did your instructor's commentary change your work?
• What was the strongest part of your essay? Feel free to incorporate quotes from your essay.
• How did the premise of this class (sustainability) affect your composing process? You can talk about topic, research, etc.

In order to successfully compose this reflective essay, you should speak specifically about your experiences. Avoid vague and abstract phrasing. Refer to your work, to the sources you used, the lectures you heard, etc. The reflective essay should read like a cohesive whole, so use transitions to connect each section to the one that comes before. Tackle the three components in any order you think works best.

Feel free to bring all of your drafts, materials, sources, etc. to class on the final exam day. In addition, you may bring any notes and outlines that will help you draft the reflected piece during the final exam.

You should aim for roughly 1,500 words to adequately reflect on your experiences (about 5-6 pages).

Section 059 will have their final on Friday, April 2 from 9:00-11:30 am in room 3143

Section 092 will have their final on Saturday, April 3, from 9:00-11:30 am
in room 3130 (NOTE THE ROOM CHANGE! THIS IS NOT OUR USUAL LAB!)

CR # 7: A Plan of Action

2008-04-09T06:19:00.000-07:00

For your last CR, please draft a plan of action for your final research paper. Your plan should include:

Your Issue: Identify the issue you will be researching. Describe its relevance to sustainability, and clearly state your position on it. Explain exactly which aspects of the issue you will and won’t address in your paper. Create a list of three to a dozen items that clearly identifies the points you intend to cover. Remember that fewer points, covered thoroughly, are better than more points, covered inadequately.

Your Purpose: Using an active, “key task” verb, relate the effect you intend to have on your target audience. (Examples of key task verbs include persuade, demonstrate, educate, inform, motivate, convince, teach, compare, contrast.) Make sure the verb matches your intended purpose. If you present factual information with little interpretation, “inform” may be appropriate. If you present information plus your interpret or agenda, “convince” or “motivate” will be more appropriate.

The Obstacles: First, identify any potential problems or barriers outside of the research paper itself that might interfere with your stated purpose. Why might your audience not go along with your position or carry out your recommendations on the issue? Obstacles could include an audience bias against your position; a lack of access to information necessary to make your point; inadequate funds, personnel, or time for your audience to carry out your recommendations; and laws or regulations prohibiting the course of action you suggest. Then, identify any potential problems or barriers within the paper itself. Will sources be difficult to find? Will an interview be tricky to negotiate? Etc.

The Source: Your paper will have numerous sources. One on which I hope you will rely on a great deal is the book you've chosen to read this semester. In this section of your plan, write a detailed abstract of that book.

The CR is due at the end of class.

Majora Carter

2008-04-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

The video

Watch the speech by Majora Carter on environmental justice linked above. Then, in small groups, imagine that you must interview Carter for your research paper. Draft ten questions. Then see how they compare with the interview linked below.

The interview

Essay #4: The BIG One

2008-04-03T09:26:00.001-07:00

The Set-Up: You’ve been asked to read a book-length work for this semester. Here is where the book comes into play. Hopefully, you’ve learned about a new aspect of sustainability from your book. . Much of the new thinking regarding sustainability requires a new way of thinking, too, or a different set of principals, if you will and the books you’ve selected reflect this new vision.

Prompt: Respond to the book in a 10-12 page research paper. The research paper assignment requires you to engage meaningfully with multiple sources and then organize, analyze, and synthesize information from those sources to develop an original argument.
You will need to use two scholarly sources, one website, and one interview, to support a claim that is original and argumentative about a sustainability issue.

Criteria: You should use MLA style, and Times New Roman 12 pt font. The paper should be 10-12 pages when double-spaced. You must have a proper Works Cited page which includes, minimally, two scholarly sources, one website, an interview, and, of course, your book selection.

An introduction and two body paragraphs are due for peer review on Wednesday, APRIL 16th.
A rough draft should be turned in at the end of class on Friday, APRIL 18th.
Conferences are Monday APRIL 21st-Wednesday APRIL 23
Paper is due on Monday, APRIL 28th.

Schedule Essay #4

2008-04-03T09:25:00.000-07:00

SCHEDULE OF CLASS MEETINGS: ESSAY 4

M- April 7 Majora Carter Interview

W-April 9 “Eden Changes” p. 449

F-April 11 Meet in HC 3143 to work on paper plans/CR #7 due at end of class

M-April 14 “Second Coming” p. 412

W-April 16 Introduction and two body paragraphs due for peer review

F-April 18 Reenvision of Essay #3 due

M-April 21 Conference

W-April 23 Conference

F-April 25 Meet in HC 3143 to wrap up work on Essay #4

M-April 28 LAST DAY OF CLASS. Essay #4 due, final exam preparation

FINAL EXAM: ENGL 1120 092 Saturday, May 3, 9:00-11:30
ENGL 1120 056 Friday, May 2, 9:00-11:30

Essay #3: Consumerism

2008-03-26T09:28:00.001-07:00

Skills: Using counterarguments
Website analysis/evaluation
Incorporating multiple sources

The Set-Up: Our readings for this section will focus on consumerism and how it affects sustainability initiatives. The accumulation of possessions is certainly an aspect of the American Dream, however, an endless appetite for material goods can throw a wrench into solutions for sustainability. In presenting arguments, each writer we will read will also address the counterargument. This is a good technique to adopt in your own writing. In speculating and writing about these issues, it’s usually a useful idea to bring out both the good and the bad aspects of a solution, though one will probably get greater emphasis.

Prompt: Essay 3 asks you to engage with two* of our readings for this unit, and then combine information from those sources with your own ideas to coherently and logically develop a thesis.

You may write about the essays directly, analyzing how the authors interpret similar data differently and/or employ different emphases to suit their purposes. Or, you may write about a related topic concerning consumerism and sustainability and use the two readings as support.

In addition, you are asked to use one website and one scholarly source in your paper as further support. You must also address one or more counterarguments to your thesis in your paper.

Questions to Consider: How does consumerism affect specific sustainability initiatives? How might consumerism be put to good use in regards to the environment? How have the realms of business and sustainability begun to overlap in contemporary U.S. culture? What do popular purchases reflect about contemporary culture? How has shopping online capitalized on an atmosphere that encourages ill-considered purchases? How is technology use linked to consumerism?

Example topics: You might compare the ritual detachment from one’s “stuff” at Yom Kippur (from Rabbi Schnur’s “Barbie Does Yom Kippur”) with George Carlin’s observations in “A Place for Your Stuff” in order to make a point about the wastefulness of American culture.
OR

You might think about the ways that a business like BP, for example, has made efforts to “go green” and use “Dirt: A Social History” by Terence McLaughlin and Richard Simon’s “The Shopping Mall and the Formal Garden” to argue that business and sustainability are two fields that can go hand in hand.

Criteria: You will need to search electronic databases for at least one scholarly source related to your topic, and scour the internet for a website that is also related to your topic. The website you choose should fit the criteria for a good source we learned about in class and in the library. Your paper will also need to refer to two of the pieces we read for class. Hence, your works cited page will have a minimum of 4 sources on it (2 from our readings, 1 website, and 1 scholarly source).

You should use MLA style, and Times Roman or Courier 12 pt font. The paper should be 6-7 pages when double-spaced. You must have a proper Works Cited page. A rough draft should be ready for Wednesday March 26th FOR SECTION 056 and Friday, March 28th FOR SECTION 092, and a final draft is due Friday, April 4th FOR BOTH SECTIONS.

*NOTE: While we will go over three specific readings in class, you should take the time to read all of the essays on the topic of consumerism we’ve collected for you. These will be made available to you as soon as possible.

Link for Book on Reserve (Essay #3)

2008-03-26T09:20:00.000-07:00

Every Day, Every Where: Global Perspectives on Popular Culture is on reserve at the library for you, should you want to use the other essays in there (chapter 9). The link above will take you to the book's Amazon page where you can gather more info.

Here's what your MLA Works Cited should look like for each essay used:

Author of Essay. "Name of Essay." Every Day, Everywere: Perspectives of Popular Culture. Ed. Stuart Hirschberg, T. Hirschberg. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2002. Pages used.

New Wal-Mart Story

2008-03-25T19:10:00.001-07:00

Wal-Mart is in the news again regarding employee healthcare. Follow this link for the story.

In Class Consumerism Activity

2008-03-24T08:02:00.000-07:00

After listing items and services purchased during Spring Break on the board, and categorizing them as "essential" or "non-essential," divide into small groups to answer the following questions:

1) Why do college students buy what they buy?
2) How much influence do you think peer pressure and advertisements have on your spending?
3) Where are the products listed on the board manufactured? Where do these products go when you are done using them?
4) Who profits from your consumption?
5) What impact does your consumption have on other people, the planet, yourselves?

CR #6: Media Fast

2008-03-10T09:03:00.000-07:00

CR #6: 24-Hour Electronic Media Fast (Experiment)

Theory: One of the best ways to examine any addiction is to remove the source and analyze the response to that removal. That is what we will do with TV, Radio, and Internet usage. This will not be easy – but the best learning is often a difficult process that will then stay with you.

Components: Personal experience, observation, critical analysis

Step One: Between now and the next class, refrain from TV and Internet usage for 24 consecutive hours. If you cheat (check email, listen to your favorite radio talk show personality or use your car radio, watch the Weather Channel, anything!), you must begin your 24-hour cycle again. Please do not cheat – cheating will hamper the honesty of your results and weaken the strength of your analysis.

Step Two: Take notes during your 24-hour e-media fast. Start a mini-journal the minute you start the fasting clock – what are your assumptions about this experiment? How hard or easy do you anticipate this experiment will be? How do you plan to spend your media-free time? As the 24-hour cycle continues (remember, eight of these hours will be spent sleeping!), continue noting your reaction, especially when the urge strikes to check your email or look something up online, or your favorite show is on and you have to miss it. How does it feel? And most importantly, WHY do you think you are having that particular reaction?

Step Three: Use your notes as reference for a short essay (CR #6) relating and examining your experience with this experiment. Answer the following: Which of the three electronic mediums did you miss the most and why? What obstacles did you encounter to this fast (ie, your family wanting you to watch a program, your friends teasing you or not understanding, etc.) How close were your assumptions prior to starting to the actual lived experience of going without electronic media for 24 hours? Why was this experiment hard or easy for you? How did you spend your time? And why did you choose to spend your time that way? What did you learn from this experiment?

You will turn in your answers in the form of a CR on Friday, March 14

Hint: Dig deep – go beneath the surface when asking and answering “why.” This is hard to do and requires time, concentration, and effort. Your discoveries will likely be an eye-opening reward!

Schedule Essay #3

2008-03-03T10:48:00.000-08:00

FOR SECTION 092 (Mrs. Acevedo)

W-March 5 “The Culture of Consumerism,” Juliet B. Schor

F-March 7 Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price

M-March 10 Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price

W-March 12 “How Not to Use the Fax Machine and the Cellular Phone,” Umberto Eco

F-March 14 Meet in library for 3rd session with Dr. Buchanan, CR #6 due

March 17-21 Spring Break

M-March 24 “A Place for Your Stuff,” George Carlin, Reenvision of Essay # 2 due

W-March 26 “The Shopping Mall and the Formal Garden,” by Richard Simon

F-March 28 Meet in 3143, Rough draft of Essay #3 due

M-March 31 Conferences

W-April 2 Conferences

F-April 4 Essay #3 due

FOR SECTION 056 (Ms. Fletcher)

SCHEDULE OF CLASS MEETINGS: ESSAY 3

W-March 5 “The Culture of Consumerism,” Juliet B. Schor; SHORT FILM The Story of Stuff

F-March 7 FILM WAL-MART: The High Cost of Low Price

M-March 10 FILM WAL-MART: The High Cost of Low Price

W-March 12 “How Not to Use the Fax Machine and the Cellular Phone,” Umberto Eco

F-March 14 Meet in library for 3rd session with Dr. Buchanan, CR #6 due

March 17-21 Spring Break

M-March 24 “A Place for Your Stuff,” George Carlin; in-class activity; Reenvision of Essay # 2 due

W-March 26 Meet in 3143, Rough draft of Essay #3 due

F-March 28 Conferences

M-March 31 Conferences

W-April 2 Workshop

F-April 4 Essay #3 due

CR #5: Book Selection Update

2008-02-16T08:06:00.000-08:00

In a 500 word response, please discuss the book you've selected for your final research paper. Explain why you made your selection and how the book may help in your research. Remember that the final research paper is on a topic of your choosing. You may also take the time in this CR to elaborate on possible topics for your paper. DUE Monday, February 18.

Essay #2: Arguing for the Environment on Film

2008-02-11T08:04:00.000-08:00

SKILLS:
Analysis of two sources
Searching subject specific databases

The Set-Up: After viewing “Grizzly Man,” a film about the life and death of wildlife preservationist Timothy Treadwell, and reading a variety of essays that deal with human interaction with the natural world, we may begin to see patterns in the way people argue for environmental issues on film and in writing. One productive strategy for developing a deeper understanding of any topic is to engage with a range of arguments that address it, and then to closely and critically examine the key points of disagreement between them.

Prompt: Essay 2 invites you write a 5-6 page essay that analyzes the argument for environmental preservation in "Grizzly Man" and one of the following movies: "Erin Brockovitch", "Happy Feet", "The Candidate", or an environmental film of your choice (visit The Grinning Planet for an extensive list of environmental films). You must use information from at least two scholarly sources you located using subject specific databases, to support the essay.

Questions to Consider (i.e. potential theses): Consider the different perspectives of the relationship between humankind and nature. At what point does a conservationist go “too far”? How does popular media shape American attitudes towards conservation? Can you apply rhetorical strategies to a film? If so, what is the claim of each movie? How does it defend its claim? What is the value of activism and passion? Is it valuable even when that passion is misguided?

Criteria: You will need to search subject databases for two scholarly sources related to your topic. You will also have to choose one of the movies above (or one of your choosing) and watch it carefully, comparing and/or contrasting the argument the film presents with "Grizzly Man". Your paper will need an original thesis that attempts to explain how your chosen film imparts its message. You should use MLA style, and Times Roman or Courier 12 pt font. The paper should be 5-6 pages when double-spaced, but you may play with the margins and line spacing to save paper. You must have a proper Works Cited page. A rough draft should be ready for Friday, February 22, and a final draft is due Monday, March 3rd.

CR #4: Matt Williams' Talk

2008-02-08T09:58:00.000-08:00

Directions: Write a 1-2 page rhetorical analysis and evaluation of the sustainability talk given by Matt Williams. First, explain the basics of Williams rhetorical situation (what he’s arguing and to whom he’s making this argument). Next, evaluate how successfully he makes his argument by closely analyzing the various rhetorical choices he has made (every word in his talk and every bit of logic he used was a choice—the question is, was it the right choice?). You should be making an overall judgment concerning the persuasiveness of this talk (he was successful/unsuccessful), using specific examples as support for your assertions (show how particular rhetorical tactics he used are strong or weak, overdone or ignored, etc.). Think about the kinds of things we’ve been discussing in class, and that you used in the first paper.
Remember to cover the following when applicable:

• Consideration of rhetorical situation:
• Purpose
• Audience
• Persona
• Use of rhetorical appeals
• Ethos
• Pathos
• Logos
Guidelines:
• 1-2 pages (you’ll probably need 2 to cover everything sufficiently)
• MLA format (1 inch margins, 12 pt. TNR font, double spaced, etc.)
• Offer a thesis that states your evaluation of his argument
• Organize into paragraphs. I’d suggest some sort of brief opening and closing paragraphs, along with well developed body paragraphs that each prove a particular point about the talk.
• Use specifics rather than generalities. Point the reader to particular moments in the talk that prove what you are arguing.
• And as always, proofread!

Due Wednesday 2/13

*We will also be using Williams’ talk as a springboard for discussing good sources. Did you notice how he kept mentioning the credibility of his data sources? Does that sound like one of the appeals to you? (There’s a hint for your CR).

CR #3 and Focus the Nation

2008-01-28T08:40:00.000-08:00

You will have time off this Wednesday to attend one session of FOCUS THE NATION, a day of talks about sustainability and climate change held at the AU Hotel and Conference Center. Please one of the sessions held on Wednesday, then write up your reaction to the session in a 500 word CR, due at your conference.

Here is the schedule:

SCHEDULE FOR FOCUS THE NATION AT AUBURN
JAN 30, 2008
AU Hotel and Conference Center

9:00 – 9:10: Introduction and Context

9:10 – 10:30: Opportunities in Business and Finance
 The Big Picture: Paul Bobrowski, Dean AU College of Business
 Finance and Climate Change: Claire Crutchley, AU Dept of Finance
 Real Estate and Green Building: Harris Hollans, AU Dept of Finance
 Green Business: Peter Stanwick, AU Dept of Management

10:30 – 11:00: Break

11:00 – 12:15: Faith and Climate Change Panel
 Rich Penaskovic, AU Religious Studies
 Michael Friedman, Auburn Jewish Community
 Diana Jordan Allende, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
 Nick Holler, United Methodist Church
 Libba Stinson, Grace United Methodist
 Nighet Ahmed, Auburn Islamic Center
 Frank Covington, First Presbyterian Church

12:15 – 1:00: Lunch Break

1:00 – 2:00: Spring Break 2050: The Future of the Gulf Coast
 Sea Level Rise in the Gulf of Mexico: Conner Bailey, AU Dept of Ag. Economics and Rural Sociology
 Sea Warming: Ken Halanych, AU Dept of Biological Sciences
 Gulf Coast Real Estate and Development: Michael Robinson, AU School of Architecture

2:00 – 3:15: Understanding Climate Change
 Physics of Climate Change: Steve Knowlton, AU Dept of Physics
 Chemistry of Carbon: Orlando Acevedo, AU Dept of Chemistry
 Climate Change in the Past: Dennis Ruez, AU Dept of Geology and Geography
 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): Matt Williams, AU Sustainability Initiative

3:15 – 4:30: Solutions
 Consumption: Katie Brock, AU Dept of Consumer Affairs
 Energy: Sushil Bhavnani, AU Dept of Mechanical Engineering
 Agriculture: Norbert Wilson, AU Dept of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology
 Architecture: Christian Dagg, AU School of Architecture

Evening:
6:00 – 6:30: Dr. Jay Gogue, President, Auburn University
Address to the Community on AU and Climate Change

6:30 – 7:30: Panel Discussion with Local and State Political Figures and Auburn Students

Panelists: Jim Buston, Joe Turnham, AL Rep. Pebblin Warren, AL Rep. Greg Wren
Auburn Students: Nikki Allen, Anna Czachurski, Rafael Egues, Alexander Pfeiffenberger

Tips for Writing Essay #1

2008-01-22T08:25:00.000-08:00

Essay #1 asks you to ANALYZE a written piece for its RHETORICAL SITUATION. Your THESIS should grow out of this analysis, in that the rhetorical tools selected by the author point to a particular trend, train of thought, sympathy, agenda, or motive for writing that piece.

Select a piece that is fairly lengthy. A 1-2 page article is probably not long enough. Editorials would make good choices since the author is at liberty to reveal his or her persona.

Consider ALL of the following when analyzing the piece you've selected:
1) Organization: How is the work organized? Does the author present a simple claim that is later deepened? If so, how is that achieved? What evidence is given first? Last? Why in that order?
2) Purpose, Persona, Audience: The WHY, WHO and FOR WHOM of the piece is important to figure out. Often, your thesis may be derived from answering these questions.
3) Fallacies: This is an argumentative failing. Where does the piece fall short? Why? Do you think it was purposely done?
4) Appeals: How has the author employed LOGOS, ETHOS and PATHOS? Are these used correctly or poorly?
5) Diction: What does the author's word choice say to you? Does he or she reveal any bias?

You must address all of these to some degree in your paper if you are going to fully analyze the rhetorical situation of your selected piece. Essays that don't address all of these in some way can earn no higher than a C. Essays earning an A will speak to the rhetorical situation AS WELL AS defend an original thesis concerning either the selected piece itself, or the sustainability issue being discussed using the selected piece.

Obviously, you must have at least one source which to analyze, but you may use more than one if you'd like, either for comparison/contrast purposes, or as support for sustainability issue you've chosen here.

Critical Response #2: Rhetorical Situation Analysis

2008-01-17T08:38:00.000-08:00

Put on your toolbelt! It's rhetorical analysis time!

The two letters distributed to class on Friday are from a book called WRITING TO CHANGE THE WORLD by Mary Pipher. In the book, Pipher describes a meadow in her native Nebraska that is slated to become a motocross park. The two letters are written to the County Board, composed of a group of older, male Nebraska landowners.

For CR #2, determine which is the most effective letter for that particular audience. In making that decision, I want you to do a brief rhetorical analysis of each letter. Decide what the simple claim is, if and how it is deepened in any way, what kind of evidence is being used, who the persona of the letter is, as well as what particular diction (word choice) stands out as persuasive. One of these letters fared far better than the other in the County Board. Use your rhetorical "toolbelt" to decide which one it was.

CR #2 is due Wednesday.

Essay #1: Analyzing an Argument

2008-01-14T05:42:00.000-08:00

ENGL 1120 Spring 2008
Essay 1: Analyzing an Argument

The Set-Up: In the first few weeks of class we will have read Henry David Thoreau’s “Where I Lived and What I Lived For,” as well as Edward Abbey's "The First Morning." Both authors offer different approaches to defining nature. Thoreau seems to argue for simplicity, suggesting the following: “Let us spend one day as deliberately as Nature, and not be thrown off the track by every nutshell and mosquito’s wing that falls on the rails.” Thoreau believed in a hands-on approach to living in and preserving the natural world.

Meanwhile, Abbey suggests that nature is best defined by "suppressing the personification of the natural." He argues that nature should be "devoid of all humanly ascribed qualities." For Abbey, the preferred method was "hands-off."

Now, think about the sustainability issue you’ve chosen. How have different groups or individuals attempted to make change regarding that issue? What rhetorical method are they using? What kind of audience do those methods address? What is their purpose? What kind of persona do they present to the world? Do they appeal to passion, authority, or logic in making their claims?

Prompt: Essay 1 asks you to search the library database for popular media sources related to the sustainability issue of your choice, then identify a source on which you'd like to focus. From there, you evaluate and analyze the argument and write an essay that discusses the rhetorical strategies used. If you find fault with the argument, you may propose a more effective method of argument for the sustainability issue you’ve chosen.

Example: Imagine you have chosen to research the fur industry. You might compose an essay that evaluates an article in TIME Magazine called "Fur Passion" about the organization PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and the way in which they conduct their campaigns. What are the strengths of that essay? The weaknesses? You would decide the purpose, audience, and persona used in the essay, as well as the various appeals used. You might note any language which betrays bias or gives clues about the rhetorical tools being used. After analyzing the source, you might decide that the rhetorical tools used seem to suggest a kind of sympathy towards PETA. Once you determine HOW that sympathy is revealed, and determine WHY it might exist, you'll find you have a good, working thesis.

Criteria: You will need to search electronic databases for popular media sources related to your topic. Identify ONE source on which you’d like to focus, and develop your own analysis and evaluation in a four to five page paper. Your paper will need an original thesis that is thoroughly defended using at least one source. You should use MLA style, Times Roman or Courier 12 pt. font, 1 inch margins. Your paper should have a proper Works Cited page. A rough draft of the paper is due Monday, January 28th. The final draft is due Wednesday, February 6th.

Edward Abbey's "First Morning"

2008-01-12T08:36:00.000-08:00

Monday we will discuss Edward Abbey's "First Morning" (e-text here for those without a book). Please read, in addition, this interview with Edward Abbey. I think you'll have a clearer picture of who this writer was after reading the interview.

Seven Generations from Now

2008-01-11T18:56:00.000-08:00

“Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
– Washington State Department of Ecology

While a themed course in composition may feel a bit limiting to begin with, a wide range of scholarship is crucial to sustainability studies. The varieties of interests and majors in this class will serve to strengthen our discussions and deepen our understanding of sustainability.

Students from last semester researched some of these topics:
Eco-fashion
BP's "green" marketing campaign
Elephant conservation
Wild Mustang preservation
Sustainable food systems
Hybrid vehicles
Emotions in Great Apes
Radicalism in the Environmental Movement
Overfishing
California Desert Protection Act
Greenwashing
Green business strategies
Things Fall Apart and the Sustainability of African Tradition
"Selling" Climate Change
The Benefits of Building Green
Small Town Alabama and Sustainability
Sustainable Art
...and many, many more. No two students had the same idea!

Writing and rhetoric cannot be separated from place and environment. So, perhaps it is best to begin at home. What are the places you identify with? The Iroquois Indians anticipate the impact of their decisions seven generations into the future. What will the places you come from look like seven generations from now? How about your chosen field of study? Can the practices in your field be sustained at this rate?

Senegalese ecologist Baba Dioum says that “In the end, we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we have been taught.” When considering research topics, think about the things you love and wish to conserve. That's a good place to begin.

For our first CR, we've asked you to bring a picture of a place that defines nature for you. In 500-600 words, describe this place and why it resonates with you. You may decide the place is beautiful, or sad, or invigorating, or hilarious. You might tell the story of that place, or discuss what the future of that place might be. The possibilities of this are open to you, so have at it. CR #1 is due on Monday, January 14. Please single space your CR and attach your photograph with a paper clip.

Before you begin, figure out your ecological footprint here. Surprised at what you find?

2008-01-08T07:34:00.000-08:00

The Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve off of HWY 147 North in Auburn.

As we get ready to start discussing sustainability and potential research topics within that framework, we must first DEFINE sustainability. Sustainable Washington has organized a set of definitions here. Read them carefully for class on Monday, and ask yourself which one resonates the most with you? Why?

On Friday we will discuss the sustainability initiative on Auburn's campus, as well as brainstorm potential topics for your first paper. We will be meeting in HC 3143.

Welcome to ENGL 1120

2008-01-07T08:46:00.001-08:00

Dr. Seuss' classic book, The Lorax, poses interesting questions: Who is responsible for the environment? Does human ambition "trump" environmental awareness? While there has been much hoopla over the recent documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth" (which we will spend some time on in this course), Seuss shared the same vision a long time ago.

As student writers and researchers, we will examine the ways that authors have tackled issues of sustainability. If Thomas Jefferson is right in saying that "the earth belongs to each...generation during its course, fully and in its own right," then current environmental crises are in your hands to remedy, or worsen.

Our readings this semester have sustainability as a central theme, and the research you do for this course will will also relate to sustainability in some way.

For now, we will consider the Onceler's advice:

Finally, here is the syllabus for ENGL 1120. PLEASE NOTE, students in section 056 will have a different schedule for Essay #3.

Course: ENGL 1120 Section 092, MWF, 1:00-1:50, Haley 3104

Instructor: Chantel Acevedo
Office: 9078 Haley Center
Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00-12:00 pm
Email: chantel.acevedo@auburn.edu

English 1120: Freshman Composition II
Sustainability: The Landscape of Argument

This section of ENGL 1120 will be a bit different from most other sections of 1120. Our readings this semester have sustainability as a central theme, and the research you do for this course will also relate to sustainability in some way.

Perhaps you recall Dr. Seuss' classic book, The Lorax,, which poses interesting questions: Who is responsible for the environment? Does human ambition "trump" environmental awareness? While there has been much hoopla over the recent documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth,” Seuss, and thinkers like Thoreau and Emerson, shared the same vision a long time ago.

As student writers and researchers, we will examine the ways that authors have tackled issues of sustainability. If Thomas Jefferson is right in saying that "the earth belongs to each...generation during its course, fully and in its own right," then current environmental crises are in your hands to remedy, or worsen.

The overall goal of this course is to help you develop your proficiency at using writing processes, with more attention on the research process. In this course, we’ll learn to evaluate the sources we use, employ the research process to develop and support claims, apply correctly the mechanics of documentation, and further develop your critical reading skills. While this is primarily a writing course, we will be doing lots of reading. Remember that reading and writing go hand in hand. The essays we read will serve as models for the work we do.

COURSE POLICIES

Course texts: Saving Place and Easy Writer, 3rd Edition

Attendance: Prompt and consistent attendance is crucial to your performance in this class. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class. You are permitted three unexcused absences. Absences beyond the three allowed by the university may result in a grade of FA, or failure due to absences. If you know ahead of time that you are going to be absent or late to a class, you must notify me in advance. If your absence was unforeseeable, please let me know as soon as possible. Excused absences are described in the Student Guidelines. It is up to you to find out what you missed and determine late due dates and make-up work. Work missed to unexcused absences and tardiness may NOT be made up.

Tardiness: Students arriving more than five minutes after class has started are considered late. Three instances of being late equal one unexcused absence.

Course etiquette: The classroom atmosphere should be one in which students feel both relaxed and safe. Be polite and respectful to your fellow students and to your instructor. Drinks and snacks are fine (except in the computer labs) as long as they don’t distract you or your classmates. All cellular phones should be silenced and kept out of sight. If you are expecting an emergency call, please let me know before class begins, and sit near an exit so you can handle the situation out of sight and with the least amount of distraction.

Plagiarism and/or cheating: Plagiarism and/or cheating: Cheating and plagiarism are serious violations of the Student Academic Honesty Code and will be treated according to the procedures outlined in the Tiger Cub. Of particular importance for English students is the following section of the code, which prohibits:
The submission of themes, essays, term papers, tests, design projects, similar requirements or parts thereof that are not the work of the student submitting them. When direct quotations are used, they should be indicated, and when the ideas of another are incorporated into a paper, they must be appropriately acknowledged. Almost every student has heard the term "plagiarism." Nevertheless, there is a danger of failing to recognize either its full meaning or its seriousness. In starkest terms, plagiarism is stealing--using the words or ideas of another as if they were one's own. If, for example, another person's complete sentence, syntax, key words, or the specific or unique ideas and information are used, one must give that person credit through proper documentation or recognition, as through the use of footnotes.
It is also a violation of academic honesty to have others (roommates, family members, paid consultants) materially assist you in the actual writing of essays. It is acceptable practice to have a peer review your work and make suggestions for improvement; in such cases, you should always include a footnote or endnote acknowledging those contributions. However, if someone else composes or rewrites part of your essay and you do not formally indicate that this has occurred, it is cheating and a violation of academic honesty. It is also cheating yourself of the opportunity to learn by doing.
You are responsible for asking your instructor any questions you may have about honest use of sources or proper documentation.

Grading/grades: To pass this course, you must satisfactorily meet all requirements. Grades on your written work are meant to reflect the quality of your work. When figuring your overall grade, I will use the following breakdown:

Four major essays are worth 20% each. These will require the use of sources and proper citation and documentation.
Critical responses make up 10% of your final grade.
The final Exam is worth 10%

The following scale will be used to evaluate major papers you write for this course:

A+ 100 C+ 78 F 59 and below
A 95 C 75
A- 92 C- 72

B+ 88 D+ 68
B 85 D 65
B- 82 D- 62

Final grades will be calculated on the following scale:

A 90-100, B, 80-89, C 70-79, D 60-69, F 59 and below.

Late papers: All assignments must be handed in on time. Papers will be penalized one full letter grade per class day. Students with excused absences should see me concerning makeup work.

Accommodations for students with disabilities: Students who need accommodations are asked to arrange a meeting with me during office hours the first week of class or as soon as possible if accommodations are needed immediately. If you have a conflict with my office hours, an alternate time can be arranged. Bring a copy of your Accommodations Memo and an Instructor Verification Form to the meeting. If you do not have an Accommodation Memo but need accommodations, make an appointment with The Program for Students with Disabilities, 1244 Haley Center, 844-2096.

Email: You are expected to check your Auburn email account daily for updates and are responsible for any information relayed via email. I will answer email as soon as possible, but keep in mind that I may not check my account late at night.

Nondiscrimination Policy: AU has a policy of nondiscrimination and a grievance procedure for those who feel that they have been victims of discrimination. Complaints should be addressed to the Office of Affirmative Action, Suite 13 in the Quad Center, 844-4794.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Essays: We will be writing four major essays. The first asks you to analyze an argument and discuss how the goals of that argument are achieved. The second essay invites you to compare and contrast two sources in order to make a point about the two sources. The third essay builds upon the second, by including the analysis of several sources, and the fourth is a 10-12 page research paper requiring you to engage meaningfully with multiple sources and develop and original argument.

Essay format: Normally, your papers should be typed or word-processed, double-spaced, on one side of paper only, with margins of 1 inch all around. Use standard fonts with an 11 or 12 point size. Place your name, instructor, course number, and date in the upper right-hand corner of the first page. No separate title page should be used. Place your title above the text on page one. The title should not be underlined, italicized, etc. Page one need not be numbered, but all subsequent pages should in the upper right hand corner. Fasten pages with a paper clip or staple.

Re-envisions: You may revise (or re-envision) either essay if you’ve earned a B- or lower. I call it re-envisioning because you must do more than just fix typos or mechanical errors in your revision. When re-envisioning, you are reconsidering the shape of the essay, the argument you posed, and, in effect, overhauling the piece.

To qualify for a re-envisioned grade, you must 1) conference with me concerning your paper, and 2) attach a 500 word reflection to your essay, in which you describe your process of re-envisioning. What did you change? How did you approach composing differently? What makes your paper stronger now? There are firm due dates for re-envisions. Please note these on the syllabus.

Critical responses: In this course, you will respond to the readings from Saving Place, as well as from handouts, in one to two page responses. These responses will be written both in and out of class. In reacting to the readings, you should consider what the author was trying to do and whether you think the work was successful in achieving its goal. You should feel free to respond creatively or analytically. They will be graded on a simple scale of 1-10 (10 being the best you can do). I will be looking for original and sophisticated thought as well as a polished presentation.

Book selection: For your research paper, you will select one book that will serve as a source. You must select the book early on in the semester and read it carefully. You will be asked to update me on the progress of your reading. A list of books is attached here, but you may choose one on your own after clearing the title by me.

Conferences: Attendance at conferences is considered mandatory in the same manner as class attendance. You must prepare three questions ahead of time concerning your work and bring these to the conference. In effect, YOU lead your own conference. Missed conferences will count as an unexcused absence, and two points will be deducted from your essay grade.

Library sessions: We will have three library sessions with Dr. Bob Buchanan this semester, as well as guest speakers. Attendance is mandatory for these sessions.

Materials: Please bring your textbook to class every day. Also, please keep a folder for all of your research sources.

Class blog: We will be hosting a class weblog at http://nomorethneeds.blogspot.com/. We’ll post supplemental material on this site and will notify you when it is updated. We will also put links to important readings, so please bookmark the site. Also, feel free to comment on the site and get a dialogue going with your classmates.

Final Exam: ENGL 1120 092 Saturday, May 3, 9:00-11:30

Suggested Books for Research Papers (summaries from Amazon.com)

Guns, Germs and Steel, Jared Diamond
Most of this work deals with non-Europeans, but Diamond's thesis sheds light on why Western civilization became hegemonic: "History followed different courses for different peoples because of differences among peoples' environments, not because of biological differences among peoples themselves." Those who domesticated plants and animals early got a head start on developing writing, government, technology, weapons of war, and immunity to deadly germs.

The Earth Knows my Name, Patricia Klindienst
Klindienst celebrates gardens created by immigrants who resisted the intense pressure to assimilate into mainstream American society, in a lyrical account of her three-year journey to collect the stories of ethnic Americans for whom gardening is tantamount to cultural endurance. Survivors of the Pol Pot regime fled the killing fields of Cambodia for the healing fields of New England, while the Yankee inheritor of land wrested generations ago from Native Americans during the infamous Pequot Massacre of 1637 atones for that atrocity through the simple act of sharing seeds of corn with the tribe's descendants. Klindienst profiles 15 valiant and thoughtful gardeners intent on preserving their native birthright and on restoring and protecting their adopted land, individuals and families evincing a stewardship that not only resists cultural absorption but also sustains an ecological imperative.

Mid Course Correction, Ray Anderson
Mid-Course Correction is the personal story of Ray Anderson's realization that businesses need to embrace principles of sustainability, and of his efforts, often frustrating, to apply these principles within a billion dollar corporation that is still measured by the standard scorecards of the business world. While the path has proved to have many curves, Interface is demonstrating that the principles of sustainability and financial success can co-exist within a business, and can lead to a new prosperity that includes human dividends as well.

The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific, J. Maarten Troost
At 26, Troost followed his wife to Kiribati, a tiny island nation in the South Pacific. Virtually ignored by the rest of humanity (its erstwhile colonial owners, the Brits, left in 1979), Kiribati is the kind of place where dolphins frolic in lagoons, days end with glorious sunsets and airplanes might have to circle overhead because pigs occupy the island's sole runway. Troost's wife was working for an international nonprofit; the author himself planned to hang out and maybe write a literary masterpiece. But Kiribati wasn't quite paradise. It was polluted, overpopulated and scorchingly sunny (Troost could almost feel his freckles mutating into something "interesting and tumorous"). The villages overflowed with scavengers and recently introduced, nonbiodegradable trash. And the Kiribati people seemed excessively hedonistic. Yet after two years, Troost and his wife felt so comfortable, they were reluctant to return home.

The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan Quinn
Pollan (The Botany of Desire) examines what he calls "our national eating disorder" (the Atkins craze, the precipitous rise in obesity) in this remarkably clearheaded book. It's a fascinating journey up and down the food chain, one that might change the way you read the label on a frozen dinner, dig into a steak or decide whether to buy organic eggs. You'll certainly never look at a Chicken McNugget the same way again.Pollan approaches his mission not as an activist but as a naturalist: "The way we eat represents our most profound engagement with the natural world."

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, William McDonough, Michael Braungart
Paper or plastic? Neither, say William McDonough and Michael Braungart. Why settle for the least harmful alternative when we could have something that is better--say, edible grocery bags! In Cradle to Cradle, the authors present a manifesto calling for a new industrial revolution, one that would render both traditional manufacturing and traditional environmentalism obsolete. Recycling, for instance, is actually "downcycling," creating hybrids of biological and technical "nutrients" which are then unrecoverable and unusable. The authors, an architect and a chemist, want to eliminate the concept of waste altogether, while preserving commerce and allowing for human nature.

Ecology of a Cracker Childhood, Janise Ray
The scrubby forests of southern Georgia, dotting a landscape of low hills and swampy bottoms, are not what many people would consider to be exalted country, the sort of place to inspire lyrical considerations of nature and culture. Yet that is just what essayist Janisse Ray delivers in her memorable debut, a memoir of life in a part of America that roads and towns have passed by, a land settled by hardscrabble Scots herders who wanted nothing more than to be left alone, and who bear the derogatory epithet "cracker" with quiet pride.

Ray grew up in a junkyard outside what had been longleaf pine forest, an ecosystem that has nearly disappeared in the American South through excessive logging. Her family had little money, but that was not important; they more than made up for material want through unabashed love and a passion for learning, values that underlie every turn of Ray's narrative. She finds beauty in weeds and puddles, celebrates the ways of tortoises and woodpeckers, and argues powerfully for the virtues of establishing a connection with one's native ground.

NOTE: You are not limited to these titles alone. The ones here cover business, health, design, agriculture, ethnic studies and history, so there are many you might go with here. BUT, you should really choose a book that speaks to your research interests within the scope of environmental writing. See me if you have something else in mind.

SCHEDULE OF CLASS MEETINGS: ESSAY 1

W-January 9 Course Introduction

F- January 11 “Definitions of Sustainability,” Meet in HC 3143

M-January 14 CR #1 due. “The First Morning” Edward Abbey, p. 379

W-January 16 “Where I Lived and What I Lived For” Henry David Thoreau, p. 364

F-January 18 Meet in library for 1st session with Dr. Buchanan

M-January 21 Excerpt from “Writing to Change the World”, Fallacies and Appeals

W-January 23 “MLA Style,” Easy Writer, p. 196-231, CR #2 due.

F-January 25 “Save the Whales, Screw the Shrimp,” Joy Williams, p. 203, Meet in HC 3143.

M-January 28 Rough draft of Essay #1 due.

W-January 30 Attend one FOCUS THE NATION talk (CR #3 due at your conference)

F-February 1 Conferences

M-February 4 Conferences

W-February 6 Essay #1 due. Speaker Matt Williams in class

SCHEDULE OF CLASS MEETINGS: ESSAY 2

F-February 8 Class cancelled

M-February 11 “Eco-Defense” Edward Abbey, p. 91, Believing Game , and “Environmental Ed 101”, handout. Doubting Game.

W-February 13 CR #4 due. FILM “Grizzly Man”

F-February 15 FILM “Grizzly Man”

M-February 18 “Come Quick! I’m Being Eaten by a Bear!” Cynthia Dusel-Bacon, p. 353, CR #5 due, Reenvision of Essay #1 due.

W-February 20 Meet in library for 2nd session with Dr. Buchanan

F-February 22 Rough draft of Essay #2 due. Meet in HC 3143 to continue work on essay.

M-February 25 Conferences

W-February 27 Conferences

F-February 29 Meet in HC 3143 to continue work on essay.

M-March 3 Essay #2 due

SCHEDULE OF CLASS MEETINGS: ESSAY 3

W-March 5 “The Litany and the Heretic” handout

F-March 7 “What Now for Our Feverish Planet?” and “Limousine Liberal Hypocrisy” handouts

M-March 10 “The Other Road” Rachel Carson, p. 425

W-March 12 FILM: “An Inconvenient Truth”

F-March 14 FILM: “An Inconvenient Truth”

March 17-21 Spring Break

M-March 24 CR #6 due. Reenvision of Essay #2 due.

W-March 26 Library session with Dr. Buchanan.

F-March 28 Meet in HC 3143 to work on Essay #3

M-March 31 Conferences

W-April 2 Conferences

F-April 4 Essay #3 due

SCHEDULE OF CLASS MEETINGS: ESSAY 4

M-April 7 “Living Like Weasels” Annie Dillard, handout.

W-April 9 “Food: The Ultimate Resource” Paul Ehrlich, Annie Ehrlich, p. 215

F-April 11 “The Pleasures of Eating” Wendell Berry, p. 230, Meet in HC 3143

M-April 14 CR #6 due, in class book review.

W-April 16 Introduction and two body paragraphs due for peer review.

F-April 18 Reenvision of Essay #3 due. Meet in HC 3143 to work on Essay #4

M-April 21 Conference

W-April 23 Conference

F- April 25 Meet in HC 3143 to wrap up work on Essay #4.

M-April 28 LAST DAY OF CLASS, Essay #4 due, final exam preparation

Final Exam: ENGL 1120 092 Saturday, May 3, 9:00-11:30