Friday, September 14, 2012

Rubric for Essay #1 Posted

Please visit the Schedule, Readings, & Rubrics page to obtain an e-copy of the Rubric for Essay #1. Download and save this document and bring it to class Thursday. We will review this assignment in detail the next time we convene.

In the meantime, enjoy your long weekend.
s.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

(#2) Let's Argue Over Cell Phones

After going over the reading in the Bedford Handbook (p.67-75), fulfill this e-journal by answering the following prompt via a comment posted below.

Argue for or against the use of cell phones in two paragraphs, using a different pattern of organization or rhetorical device in each. Be sure to head each paragraph with a label that identifies which pattern or device you are employing to argue your point. Some paragraphs may contain more than one device, such as the sample provided below, but you still need to compose two separate paragraphs. While you do not have to refer to either of the articles we have read so far in this assignment, you may wish to try your hand at paraphrasing and quoting. Just be sure to properly cite any textual references according to MLA format! (Due 9/20)



(Example & Narration)
Cell phones are the most convenient invention ever and I’m sure many would agree. For example, they make parents less worried because their children can get in contact with them right away. I remember that when I first started high school I didn’t have a cell phone. My parents knew I got out of school at 3 pm, which I did, but this one day I was delayed because I had to buy a new MetroCard. After some time when by and my parents didn’t find me home they began to worry. My dad drove all over looking for me, but he couldn't find me. When I finally got home I called his cell to find out where he was and he was so happy to hear from me. Still, if I had a cell phone then I could have called my parents to let them know where I was, what I was doing, and why I was going to be late coming home.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

How to Join and Contribute

As a member of our ENG 125 course it is your responsibility to join this e-journal blog and, crucially, to participate when asked throughout the semester.

Importantly, this site will also serve as a message board from me to you and you to me. I will most likely have to pass on important information regarding class meeting times, assignment deadlines, changes in the syllabus, etc. throughout the term. Therefore, be sure to check this site frequently, especially on days before and after we meet for class, to be sure you are current with the goings-on of the course.


Okay, so what's next?
Below I am going to detail how to join this blog and how to contribute. If you are unfamiliar with using blogs have no fear, Blogger is quite user-friendly and you should catch on quick. Remember, you can always email me with questions. What you should do is email me immediately if you are having trouble with the site, for journal entries may be submitted via email and handed in hard copy the day they are due if such internet hiccups arise.


How to Join
Via email you'll receive a link allowing you to gain authorial access to this blog. Follow the link and you'll have the opportunity to create a new Google username and password and officially join Blogger and the course e-journal. If you already use Gmail, you can use your existing account log-in information without having to create anything new. Please use your last name as your username!

From now on you'll use that username and password you select or create to log into this blog before you add a comment or a post. So write it down or email it to yourself so you do not forget this information!


How to Comment and Post
First, you must log in.

To comment to any post click on the post's title or on the ## Comments link at the bottom of the post. You can also click on the post's title found under the archived posts on the right side of the site. At the bottom of the post you'll find an editable text box. You can offer something in response to the main post thread, or you can reply to a comment written by another student. If the debate gets intense enough then you, or I for that matter, may decide to move the discussion into a new thread (i.e., post) all its own.

To post a new topic or thread once logged in, go to the top of the site and at the right of your email address/username on the navbar you'll see a link titled "new post". This is your ticket. Once you've arrived at the post-editing screen you'll notice it's a bit more complicated than the comment box; yet, think of it like a word document screen and you'll catch on quickly.


More Editing and a Vital Disclaimer
If you happen to know HTML and/or java scripts you can use these to edit your posts to a greater degree---adding images, video, links, and more.

If a you should choose to add media to a post, keep in mind that inappropriate material and language will be subject to immediate removal. Depending on the level and degree of inappropriateness, the student faces disciplinary action such as receiving a zero on the assignment (minimum) or being reported to the Dean of Student Affairs (maximum). Please see the CUNY Computer User Responsibilities webpage for information concerning such disciplinary processes.


In Closing...
Be sure to bookmark this site on your personal computer so that you can check the blog frequently. As I recommended above, nearly once a day you should be visiting our e-journal. While you are required to only submit one writing per e-journal assignment, you may write as much at you wish on this blog. Contributing more with extra effort certainly weighs positively on your overall class participation!

Remember, the point of this blog is not only for me to impart important class announcement nor for you to just submit a weekly journal entry; rather, it serves as a birthplace for written ideas. The things discussed and argued here will undoubtedly come up in class, and should, so feel free to verbally reference the blog's content while we are in the classroom. Paper topics and sites of argumentation will also present themselves here. This is a vital component and goal of this site: for as we test and share ideas with one another, we further understanding of specific subject matter, thereby developing and deepening our ability to discuss the course's texts and topics to a greater degree.

I hope you join as soon as possible so that you can begin adding to your classroom e-community by contributing commentary and content to what is now our new ENG 125 course blog!

Accessing Your York College Student Email

Visit this FAQ site for questions and answers regarding the initial activation and access to your York College Student Email account.

The direct link to your email appears on this blog's left sidebar under On-Campus Links for future convenience.