“What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure.

” –Samuel Johnson

"All there is to writing is having ideas. To learn to write is to learn to have ideas."--
Robert Frost

“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” –Jack London

English 101 “One New World”: Writing about Globalization

Fall 2008 Instructor: James Borton

Class Schedule English 101 (section 007) Tue./Thur.
Time: 8:00- 9:15 Room 145
Instructor: James Borton
Office: Arts & Letters Bldg. Room 106
Tel. 803- 938-3849 mobile: 203 216-7583
Email: bortonj@uscsumter.edu; asiareview@yahoo.com
Office Hours:Tue./Thur. 11:00- 1:00
____________________________________________________________________

Required Texts (all available at the USCB College Bookstore)

G. H. Muller, The New World Reader (Houghton Mifflin)
Eds. John Langan & Janet M. Goldstein English Brushup Fourth Edition
Webster’s /Oxford Dictionary
You will also need to have a “portfolio” folder/notebook.
Helpful online links:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ Excellent source for overall English Composition.
http://wordsworth2.net/writing/academicpapers.htm Guidelines for academic papers.

Note: As a courtesy to your instructor and to your classmates, please turn off all cell
phones upon entering the classroom.

Student Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the semester, all students will demonstrate an ability to:

• Develop a piece of writing from informal free writing to final polished draft;
• Address different rhetorical situations;
• Effectively use a variety of research strategies, including but not limited to,
texts, web resources, interviews, and observations;
• Formulate a controlling idea and/or research question for a paper;
• Focus and develop papers through relevant evidence, examples, illustrations,
research, and reasoning;
• Construct organizational plans for academic essays and use appropriate sources;
• Write in appropriate style and voice for different audiences and rhetorical
situations;
 • Master the use of MLA guidelines for research papers;

Course Objectives:

* Encourge a positive attitude toward reading and writing.

* Introduce the writing process.
* Focus on the development of ideas and details using appropriate paragraphing
* Improve grammar and mechanics.
* Help students’literal, figurative, critical and informational skills.
* Demonstrate an ability to revise and edit.
* Revise writing for "the big picture": ideas, purpose, development, and structure.
* Work as a community of writers--reading critically and responding constructively to
one another’s drafts and participating in group activities and discussion to the extent
required by individual instructor.
* Document sources using MLA or another universally-accepted style of documentation.

Techniques of Student Learning- How We Get There:

This course focuses on the development of sophisticated composition skills, particularly

as they are employed in the creation of logical written arguments. Good, solid writing
grows naturally out of devotion to three types of honest work: understanding and
employing the rules of the English language; understanding and employing the various
techniques of logical thinking and writing; and practicing the craft of written composition
regularly. With the preceding ideas in mind, this course will make use of the following
specific methods of learning:
 careful reading and consideration of the ideas and terms presented in the New
World Reader text;
 thoughtful exploration of information sources to increase your knowledge of the
issues you select to write about;
 regular creation of a variety of assigned writings for submission;
 regular communication with your instructor and peers to clarify concepts and
obtain feedback;
 student-led group discussion of the ideas presented in the assigned essays;
 instructor-led group discussion of the terms and concepts of composition; and
 peer critiques on drafts of all essays.

Course Description:
English 101 introduces students to the basic rhetorical skills needed to write
effectively at USC Sumter and beyond. In this particular version of this course we will
undertake a critical engagement with writings on globalization, the rapidly advancing
integration of the world’s economic, cultural, transportation, and communication
systems. Our discussion and in-class work will be focused on writing with clarity and
effectiveness about these issues. This semester we’re going to be spending our time
together helping you develop and hone your reading, writing, and research skills. The
course is therefore organized around a sequence of assignments that will enable you to
develop your abilities through extensive writing, revision, and discussion of ideas.
We’ll be taking an in-depth look at all aspects of the writing process—generating
questions and ideas, organizing and focusing those ideas, drafting, revising, and
editing—so that you can become more aware of the choices available to writers and
the effects those choices have on the reader. Along the way, we will also be building
your vocabulary and honing your grammar skills. Class sessions will be conducted in a
student-centered forum with frequent peer essay workshops in preparation for a final
portfolio. Note: Preparation requires thoughtfully reading the texts, writing down key 
points and/or questions, and being willing to share your thoughts and reactions during 
class discussion.  Discussions become difficult and quite boring when all members of 
the class have not read the assigned texts.  Respect yourself as a necessary member of 
this   academic   community,   as   well   as   your   fellow   classmates,   by   being   prepared 
everyday.  Please note that many in-class writing exercises assume (and depend upon) 
your having read the assigned material.   Review your syllabus frequently, and plan 
your workload accordingly. 

Course Format and Requirements:

First and foremost, this course is going to require a LOT of participation on your part. 
Discussion is the main format of this class, so it is absolutely imperative that students 
come to class prepared to share their opinions and insights on the assigned readings and 
on their own and each other’s drafts­in­progress. This is not a lecture class. 

3 Multiple­draft essays: 40% 
Students will write 3 multiple­draft essays, each of approximately 3­4 pages (double –
spaced) in length or 600 words.  For one of these essays, students will be required to 
incorporate outside research material.  Detailed assignment sheets and criteria for success 
will be distributed for each essay approximately 2 weeks in advance of the final draft due 
date.    
Research paper/bibliography: 10% (separate handout on this research assignment.)

Final Portfolio: 15%
One of our main goals this semester is for you to put together a successful portfolio of 
your writing.  Your final portfolio, handed in during the last week of class, will consist of 
revised versions of the three multiple­draft essays you will write during the course of the 
semester.  Representing your very best work, the grade you earn for your portfolio 
constitutes the largest portion of your grade for the course.  Here are some guidelines for 
the final portfolio:

• All writing included in the portfolio must be produced as part of English 101 
coursework during the semester in which the student is being evaluated.
• All of the assigned essays must have been completed and turned in over the 
course of the semester before a student’s final portfolio can be considered.
• All portfolios must contain three revised essays.
• All draft material for essays must be handed in to me during the semester; no 
essay can be included unless I have seen it in draft form and approved it for 
inclusion in the portfolio.
• All writing must be computer­generated.

In­class essays: 10%
Students will be asked to several short in­class essays.  With the exception of the first, the 
prompts for each of these essays will always relate to one or more of our assigned 
readings. 

Quizzes and peer­review work: 10%

Final Exam: 15%
The final exam will consist of two parts: a vocabulary test based on words from our 
semester’s assigned readings, and a key terms identification based on the material read in 
the NWR.

Students will also be asked to read and comment on each other’s drafts­in­progress. 
Completed peer review forms will be handed in with final drafts. 

Attendance Policy:
Students are allowed up to three class absences throughout the course of the semester. 
Additional absences will result in one complete letter grade reduction. If you are ever 
unsure about how many classes that you have missed, please see me. If and/or when you 
need to miss class, you are responsible for contacting me to see what you have missed and 
to also speak with one of your classmates.

A Word About Plagiarism:
The University Catalog is very explicit in its description and prohibition of plagiarism.  In 
part, the policy reads: “Plagiarism is the failure to acknowledge indebtedness.  It is always 
assumed that the written work offered for evaluation and credit is the student’s own unless 
otherwise acknowledged.  Such acknowledgment should occur whenever one quotes 
another person’s actual works, whenever one appropriates another person’s ideas, 
opinions, or theories, even if they are paraphrased, and whenever one borrows facts, 
statistics, or other illustrative materials unless the information is common knowledge.” 

Students are expected to acquaint themselves with the policy on plagiarism and to avoid 
committing it at all costs.  Students risk failing the course if they commit plagiarism.

Essay Format: I require that you type or print from a word processor all out-of-class
essays, double-spaced, with 1” margins. Your essay must have a title, and if you borrow
words or ideas from another source, you must include correct in-text documentation and a
bibliography or works cited list. Please staple your papers together in the upper left-hand
corner. No covers, please. Please use Times New Roman 12 point font.

Course Schedule

Thursday 8/21 Introduction to the course: Globalization & the End of Babel
Syllabus & introductions: Discussion of an Image from New World Reader.
Tools for the development of critical reading and thinking. Diagnostic. Brief writing.

1st week
Tuesday 8/26 Entering the Global Conversation: What are “they” saying? Are We
Listening?
Read: NWR pp. 1-16, “Introduction: Entering the Conversation”
Thomas Friedman, “Prologue: the Super-Story” New World Reader (hereafter: NWR)
161–168. Read pp. 6-14 English Brushup. Discussion of thesis statement. Narrative
writing exercise. Check out this website:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/545/01/. Discuss Renns writing model
Literary luminary leaders handouts.

Thur. 8/28 Reading & Understanding Your History of the World

Read pp. 112- 116 in NWR. Be prepared for in-class writing. Think about a clear thesis
statement in response to question no. 6 on page. 116. Also, read pp. 20-23 NWR.
Expository writing. Assignment for Tues. 9/2 produce a (2) page draft double-spaced
computer generated essay of reflection from the NWR question no. 6 on p. 116. *
Underline thesis statement in this narrative writing assignment. For this assignment,
please use 1st person. Select discussion leaders for next week’s assignments. Handouts on
thesis statements/mapping-out ideas. Assign discussion leaders.

2nd week Multiculturalism: Personal Narratives

Tue. 9/2 Read pp. 55-61 NWR “American Dreamer.” Be able to write a summary of the
essay. Class discussion. Peer review of writing assignment. Read Brushup pp. 20-24 on
subjects and verbs. Handouts.  Vocab. Quiz. Class leaders assigned. Feedback on first 
writing assignment exercise. Peer review/handouts. 

Thur. 9/4 Read pp. 31- 37 NWR “The Way to Rainy Mountain” by N. Scott Momaday.
English Brushup more about verbs pp. 32-36. Handout verbs of attribution. Discuss
narrative and descriptive qualities of the essay. Use of figurative language. Assign
discussion leaders.

3rd week The Challenge of Globalization

Tue. 9/9 Study and examine the various images of Globalization found after p. 160 in
NWR. Also read the essay, “The Global Village Finally Arrives” by Pico Iyer in NWR pp.
168-172. Assign class discussion leaders. Show You Tube video “Shift Happens”.
Formal essay reading prompt (follow-up to first informal writing exercise.)
Reflection/narrative essay.

Thur. 9/11 Globalization cont. Read “The Noble Feat of Nike” by Johan Norberg in
NWR pp. 173-180. Be ready for quiz/discussion.Read English Brushup pp. 32-36 Verbs.
Active vs. Passive. Understanding transitions in writing. Handouts. Assign discussion
leaders for next week.

4th week Tue. 9/16 Global English: Language & Cultural Continuity
Read NWR Richard Rodriguez “Go North, Young Man” p. 65-74 & Amy Tan’s “Mother
Tongue” pp.77-83, pp. Explain use of comparison & contrast. Be prepared for class
discussion groups. Handouts-Understanding Argument & Persuasion. Assign discussion
leaders. Handout Op-ed “ Common language essential for a truly United States” by
Kathleen Parker. Assign discussion leaders. Essay #1 Personal Narrative Due.

Thur. 9/18 Meet at Anderson Library for introduction to bibliography/research paper.

Read in NWR pp. 504- 511. Handouts. Assign discussion leaders for James Baldwin’s
essay for next week.

5th week Global English cont.

Tue. 9/23 Read James Baldwin’s “If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What
is? in the NWR pp.91- 95 example of use of definition; also examine the use of
arguments in this essay construction. English Brushup pp. 41-46. Assign discussion
leaders for Thur. Handouts/report on “Use of Technology & Impact on Writing” for
discussion next class.

The Digital Revolution:Will It Bring Us Together?

Thur. 9/25 Read NW “The Electronic Gap” pp. 345-350 Begin to think about a thesis
statement for “The Electronic Gap” Or how does MySpace.com encourage community or
communication? Or does it contribute to anything positive as a student in the university?
Assign class discussion leaders.

6th week Digital Revolution

Tue. 9/30 Read in NWR pp. Esther Dyson’s “A Map of the Network Society” pp. 350-
356 and read in English Brushup pp. 51-55 Sentence Types. More on use of MySpace.
Expect in-class writing assignment. Assign discussion leaders for next week. Vocab.
Exam. Examine the issue of whether the Internet builds community. Research topic
due (one-page, specifically two-three double-spaced paragraphs
proposal. )

Digital Revolution Cont.

Thur. 10/2 Read in NWR James Gleick’s “Big Brother Is Us” pp. 356-363. Be prepared
to discuss the issue of Internet privacy and national security. Be prepared to list pros/cons
on this sensitive issue. Handouts on what is an argumentative essay. Youtube on writing
an argumentative essay. Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQXge5d3z5Q Assign
discussion leaders. Revision #1 essay due.

7th week Digital Revolution Cont.

Tue. 10/7 Impact of Web in your life and world. Read Thomas Friedman’s “Webbed, 
Wired, and Worried” in NWR pp. 364­366 & Michiko Kakutani’s “Fear, the New Virus of 
a Connected Era.” pp. 367­­371. Vocab//discussion. Go to 
http://www.digitaldivide.org/dd/digitaldivide.html. Also, go to 
www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/247/report_display.asp Read carefully and print out if you 
need to for next week’s class. Be prepared to discuss on Tue. Class groups divide into 3­4 
groups focus on a specific theme/issue.

Thur. 10/9 Fall Break no class.

8th week
Tue. 10/14 Class workshop for preparation of key ideas for #2 Essay. Discuss Pew
Summary on “Writing, Technology and Teens.” Handouts for discussion on “Digital
Divide” for Thursday’s class.Vocabulary quiz. Assign discussion leaders for next class
meeting. Read English Brushup pp. 115- 119. Reader Prompts for Essay #2.*

Thur 10/16 The Global Environment

Read: NWR Introduction “The Fate of the Earth” to Ch. 10 in NWR pp. 389- 391.And
Rachel Carson’s “The Obligation to Endure.” pp. 391- 3977. Read in English Brushup
pp. 73-78 Avoid run-on sentences. Exercises/ Quiz.
9th week Global Environment
Tue.10/21 View Al Gore’s Film An Inconvenient Truth.
Read NWR Bill McKibben’s “Driving Global Warming” pp. 401- 405.
Handout The New Yorker article, “The Island in the Wind” by Elizabeth Kolbert.
Discussion leaders. Research bibliography due (minimum 7 sources,
(magazine articles, books, academic articles) * Note: only (one-two)
online sources allowed. Check MLA style.

Global Environment Cont.

Thur. 10/23 An Inconvenient Truth cont. Read Annie Dillard’s “In the Jungle” in NWR 
pp. 405­ 415, 2nd Essay Revision Due.    Discuss The New Yorker article. How to 
summarize a major article. Assign discussion leaders. Essay No. 2 due.

10th week Global Environment
Tue. 10 /28 Read Jane Goodall’s “Digging up the Roots” in NWR pp, 410­ 414. Essay 
prompts for 3rd assignment. Read in English Brushup pp. 155­159. Exercises. Assign 
discussion leaders.  Vocabulary exam. Distribute George Orwell handouts in advance of 
reading.

Thur. 10/30  The Clash of Civilizations

Read NWR introduction to Chapter 7 and and George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant”
on pp 263-272. Read English Brushup pp. 175-180. Assign discussion leaders.

11th week Global Relationships between Men & Women

Tue. 11/4 Read in NWR “Life on the Assembly Line” pp. 150- 159. Practice mapping out
ideas exercise. Begin to think about a job or a time specific event in your own life when
you were exploited. Be able and wiling to share with class. Writing strong & unified
paragraphs. Handout on Muslim women and their struggle for basic rights. Assign
discussion leaders. Reader prompts for essay #3.

Thur. 11/6 Read NWR “The Storyeller’s Daughter” on pp. 431-436. Discuss handout,
“What Liberation.” YouTube –images of Muslim women. English Brushup pp. 175­179. 
Assign discussion leaders.  Note: Research essay outline and first draft due.

12week
Tue. 11/11 Read “Simpson Agonistes” in NWR pp.251-262. Read English Brushup pp.
115- 120. Examine vocabulary. Group discussions. Use of quotations. Expect quiz on
proper use of punctuation marks. Assign discussion leaders.

Thur. 11/13 NWR “Arranged Marriages Get a Little Reshffling” pp. 119-123 and pp.
128- 129. Handout sign-up sheet for student conferences scheduled for next week. Essay
#3 due.

13th week Student Conferences

Tue. 11/18 Student conferences. Bring in portfolios and journals with essays and
revisions, extra credit etc..

Thur. 11/20 Student conferences. Bring in portfolios and journals with essays and
revisions.
14th week Global Relationships cont.

Tue. Nov. 25 Group discussion on process of writing the research paper. Vocab. Exercise.
Final research paper due. Handout Peter Singer essay, “Ethics for One World”
http://confines.mty.itesm.mx/articulos1/SingerPING.pdf for discussion
on Tue. 12/2. Assign leaders.

Thur. Nov. 26 Thanksgiving holiday.

15th week
Tue. Dec. 2 Discussion of Peter Singer’s essay, “Ethics for One World.” Be prepared to
write or compose a cogent and complete e-mail or letter to him about his ideas in advance
of the holidays. Be able to write a concise 2 paragraph summary of the article. Examine
and explain the thesis of the essay.
Thur. 12/4 Last day of class. Vocabulary drills and review English Brushup and final
exam preview.
Final Exam: Tue. Dec. 11 * 9:30- 11:00 a.m.