Introduction
Copyright Jodie Childers
Teaching First-Year Writing at QCC
English 101 (Composition I) and English 102 (Composition 11/Introduction to Literature) are the gateway courses for all QCC students (Digital Art and Design and New Media Technology students take EN-103 in place of EN-101. These courses offer most students their first college-level practice in skills such as analysis, textual interpretation, and synthesis of multiple sources–all important skills for their future college success. In general, all faculty teach at least one of these courses every semester.
Here are the definitions of both courses from the QCC catalog:
EN-101; English Composition I (3 class hours 1 recitation hour 3 credits) Prerequisite: A score of 480 on the SAT, or 75% on the New York State English Regents, or a passing score on the CUNY IACT Writing and Reading tests. Note: Credit will not be given to students who have successfully completed EN-103. This course focuses on the development of a process for producing intelligent essays that are clearly and effectively written; library work; 6, 000 words of writing, both in formal themes written for evaluation and in informal writing such as the keeping of a journal. During the recitation (conference) hour, students review grammar and syntax, sentence structure, paragraph development and organization, and the formulation of thesis statements.
EN-103; Writing for New Media (3 class hours 1 recitation hour 3 credits) (This course is required in lieu of EN-101 for: A. A. S. Degree Program in Digital Art and Design (D. A. D. ); New Media Technology Certificate Program; A. A. S. Degree in New Media Technology. ) Prerequisite: a score of 480 on the SAT, or 75% on the New York State English Regents, or a passing score on the CUNY IACT Writing and Reading tests. Note: Credit will not be given to students who have successfully completed EN-101. Students will study and practice writing in Digital Media. They will concentrate on producing clearly and effectively written formal essays with the goal of learning how to communicate in the World Wide Web and e-mail environments. Particular attention will be given to the process of writing, including the use of informal writing strategies. Proficiency in standard grammar and syntax, sentence structure, paragraph development and organization, and the formulation of thesis statements will be stressed in the context of preparing essays, arguments, hyperlinked and other new media documents.
EN-102; English Composition II: Introduction to Literature (3 class hours 1 recitation hour 3 credits) Prerequisite: EN-101. Continued practice in writing combined with an introduction to literature: fiction, drama, and poetry. During the recitation hour, students review basic elements of writing; analytical and critical reading skills; and research strategies.
Although these are separate courses, we view them as if they had one continuous arc because, aside from a few transfer students, all of our students will take both courses at some point in their QCC education. One way of making connections between the two courses is to analyze and explore genre with our students. The catalog definition of EN-102 specifies a study of genre (at least fiction, poetry and drama), but this study should probably begin in EN-101. Although the essay is a mandated part of EN-101 (though definitely not the only genre permissible), students should be educated that the term "essay" is an umbrella term which shelters many subgenres such as the five-paragraph themes, summary, analysis, exploration, argument, reflection.
Students should learn, as both readers and writers, that the world of texts is a world of genres, of writing and reading "situations." Rather than teach the myth of the "academic essay" (again, an umbrella term that fragments and breaks down as we move across disciplinary lines), students should learn that part of writing is learning to meet reader expectations (or to challenge those expectations fruitfully.) As a result, students need to learn to read critically and reflectively, identify genre and rhetorical situations, ask fruitful questions of texts and imagine how they could insert themselves into the conversations that those texts engage. Lee Ann Carroll and others have shown in their research that it's unlikely that we have the ability to prepare every student for every single writing situation. Therefore, perhaps the next best thing is to have them read and write in as wide a variety of genres as possible, to make them aware that they are engaging in dialogue with other texts which share similar rhetorical moves.
It's true that, like most complex endeavors that involve multiple persons working toward one or more goals, teaching is inherently a sloppy enterprise. This, perhaps, is both its biggest boon and biggest shortcoming. However, we should probably put as much thought as possible into our teaching in order to make the hard work that takes place in a classroom pay off. The aim of this manual is two-fold: 1) to help both new and seasoned instructors conceptualize, rethink, develop, and execute their first-year writing courses at QCC and 2) to offer a set of "best practices," documents and assignments that our professors have created for their 101and 102 courses. Hopefully, this text will both help you in the creation of your own courses, while at the same time informing you about how we in the English department view first-year writing at Queensborough.
How to Use This Book:
We have compiled documents composed by several professors in this department to create this guide. Many of these documents are actual texts handed out to students (e. g. sample syllabi and assignments).
Good luck with your courses and please feel free stop by and speak with us at any time if you have questions or if you just want to share what you're doing in your classroom.
Best,
John Talbird, Writing Program Coordinator
Rob Becker
Jodie Childers
Beth Counihan
Jean Darcy
Mike Dolan
Joan Dupre
Barbara Emanuele
Laurel Harris
David Humphries
Susan Jacobowitz
Daniel Paliwoda
Linda Stanley, emeritus
We would also like to thank Bruce Naples, Executive Director of Academic Computing and eLearning, for the many hours he devoted to helping us to transpose the original paper version of our handbook into this digital format. And thanks also to Aradhna Persaud and Ashley Grant of the ACC who cheerfully helped with the technical and detail work.