Course Description: This first-year writing course is designed to help motivated students become discerning readers and thinkers, informed citizens, and effective speakers and writers. The course requires reading, discussing, and writing expository and argumentative prose and carrying out responsible research.

Many of the readings that will inspire the semester's discussion, writing, and research treat international and cross-cultural issues. Encountering diverse representations of and opinions on contemporary world problems and conflicts, students will analyze and evaluate techniques of exposition, argument and persuasion. They will also increase their awareness of cultural values and reexamine attitudes towards those who differ in background and belief.

Syllabus

Texts: Fulwiler and Hayakawa, The College Writer's Reference, 3rd ed.
Mary Shelley, Frankenstein (1818 text), 2nd ed.
Ann Watters, Global Exchange: Reading and Writing in a World Context (Prentice Hall, 2004)

Date	Topic
23 Aug	Introductions & Assignments
25 Aug	- Read & think about "Two Views: Women and Veils", GE 113. - Read & consider "Analysis of an Image", GE 12-13. - In-Class Writing (Bring pens and paper to class.)
30 Aug	- Read and study Nagala, "Om: Hinduism in American Pop Culture: Global Strategy or Sacrilegious Mistake?" GE 148. - Outline the essay and bring your (draft) outline to class.
1 Sept	- Summarize Nagala's essay; bring summary to class. - Prepare the discussion questions following each essay; make notes in your journal as appropriate. - Assignment of Paper I: Evaluative Analysis of "Cultural Relativism and Universal Rights", due Thursday 15 September.
6 Sept	- Read Pearl, "Rock Rolls Once More in Iran", GE 137. - Read Islam Online, "Fatwas: McDonald's and Barbie Dolls", GE144. - Prepare the discussion questions following each essay.
8 Sept	- Review the previous readings and be prepared to evaluate the expository and argumentative techniques in each. - Read and study "Analyzing Texts and Images", and "An Approach to Analyzing Texts", GE 5.
13 Sept	- Read and prepare to discuss Fluehr-Lobban, "Cultural Relativism and Universal Rights", GE 161 - Make journal notes and prepare to discuss the questions at the end of the essay 6). (166)
15 Sept	- Paper I (Evaluative Analysis of "Cultural Relativism and Universal Rights") due in class on this date. - Be prepared to present your paper to the class. - Assignment of Paper II (6 October) - Assignment of Paper III (due 27 October) - Conference Sign-Up
20 Sept	- Read and prepare to discuss Epping, "What is Globalization?" GE 192-94 - Read and prepare to discuss Iyer, "The Global Village Finally Arrives", GE 195. - Prepare to discuss the questions that follow each essay
22 Sept	- Discussion of Paper I; bring Reference to class. - Read and prepare to discuss Campbell, "Blood Diamonds", GE 208ff - Read and prepare to discuss Oxfam., "Women's Weaving Project", G.E. 214. - Consider the questions that follow each essay.
27 Sept	- Above Assignments from Chapter IV continued - Class reports on Web-site logs. - Review Paper II & III assignments - Assignment of Papers IV & V
29 Sept	- Read and prepare to discuss Annan, "The Politics of Globalization", GE 200. - Prepare to discuss the questions (207).
4 Oct	- Pre-Writing for Paper II - Introduction to Argument by Definition
6 Oct	- Paper II: in-class writing; bring pens and test booklets to class.
11 Oct	- Read and prepare to discuss Freeman, "Gender and Power", GE 282. - Read and prepare to discuss Hochschild and Ehrenreich, "Global Woman", GE 297. - Consider the questions following each essay.
13 Oct	- Discussion of Paper II; above assignments continued.
18 Oct	- Shelley, Frankenstein Try to have the novel read by today.
20 Oct	- Frankenstein continued; attend opening of Frankenstein exhibit at Booth Library, Thursday evening.
25 Oct	- Frankenstein - class discussion concluded
27 Oct	- Paper III due in class--Presentations as scheduled - Review of Assignments of Paper IV and V. - Conference Sign-Up for Week XII
1 Nov	- Paper III Presentations continued - Discussion of Paper III - Discussion of Research Topics
3 Nov	- Research Day--NO CLASS MEETING - Conferences next week
8 Nov	- Prospectus for Research Project due in class. - Read and prepare to discuss Huntington, "The Clash of Civilizations?" GE 227. - Consider the questions on 250- 251. - Read and prepare to discuss Said, "The Clash of Ignorance," G252. - Prepare to discuss the questions at the end of the essay.
10 Nov	- Above Assignments continued
15 Nov	- Read and prepare to discuss Keen, "Apparitions of the Hostile Imagination," GE 400. - Read and prepare to discuss Twain's "The War Prayer",. GE 407f. - Consider the questions at the end of each essay. - Research presentations scheduled - last week of semester (The schedule will be posted on my office door.)
17 Nov	- Paper IV due in class; be prepared to present your paper in class.
25 Nov	- Thanksgiving - no class
29 Nov	- Read and prepare to discuss Souza, "In Praise of American Empire", GE 84. - Read and prepare to discuss Boniface, "Reflections on America as a World Power: A European View." - Look at the cartoon "America's World" from The Economist (90) - Consider the questions following the cartoon and each essay.
1 Dec	- Above assignments continued - CONFERENCE SIGN-UP - Research Presentations in Class as scheduled ** Last chance for review of draft of Paper V during my office hours today. Be sure to schedule your EWP conference by today. Last day to schedule the conference is 1 December. Required documentation conferences scheduled for Week XVI--class will meet as usual. (Bring at least four sources--books or photocopies of articles or Web material, and your printed and fully documented paper to your conference.)**
6 Dec	Paper V due in class on this date or by 5:00 p.m. (for those who are in class!) in my office Those who speak on Thursday should be sure to keep extra copies of whatever materials needed for their oral presentations!
8 Dec	- Research Presentation in Class as scheduled - FAREWELLS

Grading Calculation

Daily Preparation, Participation, Oral Presentation of Papers, In-Class Written Assignments=25%
Papers I, II, III = 30% (10% each)
Paper IV = 15%
Research Presentation = 5%
Paper V (Research Paper) = 25%

One University, One Book
This year's one book is Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Please attend as many of the presentations and events related to this book as possible.

Journal Assignment
Keep a separate notebook, journal, and/or blog for 1091G in which you outline articles and write both initial and considered responses to reading assignments and class discussion. Also use your journal or blog to document your tracking of a non-U.S. Web site throughout the semester (see page 3 of Global Exchange). From time to time you will be asked to write written responses in class, and you should add them into your journal when they are returned; you will also be asked to report on what you have found on your non-U.S. Web site(s). Use your journal or blog also to list new words that you encounter and wish to include in your permanent vocabulary. Record reading and research other than course assignments; use your journal or blog as a source of material for your papers. I will not review or grade blogs or journals (although I will be happy to discuss entries or material with you at your request).

Contact person: Anne Zahlan, arzahlan@eiu.edu.