    |
Course Descriptions for WRI 101 & WRI 102
WRI 101: First Year Writing
Offered Every Semester
Prerequisite : Placement
First Year Writing offers writing support for FSP First Seminar and WRI 102 Academic Writing. A zero-credit, ungraded, repeatable studio courses, First Year Writing must be taken concurrently with FSP or with WRI 102. May be repeated.
WRI 102: Academic Writing
1 Course Unit
Offered Annually
Academic Writing offers students the opportunity to develop, advance, and practice skills in the production of academic prose. Within a framework of sophisticated readings, highly coordinated writing workshops, and instructor feedback, students practice the modes of writing necessary to succeed in college. Students read critically, cultivate habits of effective and ethical research, practice conventions of documentation, and use information technologies. Topical readings may vary among sections.
WRI 102 is offered in thematic sections. Descriptions of sections offered in Spring 2010 are listed below:
Monday/Thursday Classes:
10:00-11:30 WRI 102-13, Schwartz, Mike. “Body Image and Visual Media”
12:30-1:50 WRI 102-14, Schwartz, Mike. “Body Image and Visual Media”
How do media images (from advertisements, magazines, television, film, etc.) featuring often-idealized human bodies shape our perceptions of our own bodies? Our perceptions of what is “ideal,” “normal,” “feminine,” and “masculine”? What kinds of effects do such images have on us? By examining essays concerned with the visual representation of bodies in American culture as well as by analyzing actual media images, students will develop arguments about the complicated relationship between media images and our collective and individual ideas about our gender and sexual identities.
10:00-11:20 WRI 102-17, Brock, Adam. “The Evolution of the American Dream”
2:00-3:20 WRI 102-18, Brock, Adam. “The Evolution of the American Dream”
In this course we’ll follow the evolution of the American Dream from the end of World War II to the present. What is the American Dream and how is it portrayed in popular culture? How have historical and sociological factors influenced who has lived this dream and who has been excluded from it? How have recent events caused us to reconsider the dream? Students will develop arguments to these questions by analyzing sources that will include literature, scholarly articles, film, and music.
12:30-1:50 WRI 102-05, Hustis, Harriet. “The Forms of Argument”
This section will focus on how to research, organize, develop and write the different kinds of arguments most often used in academic discourse (definition, causal, evaluation and proposal arguments). Students will be encouraged to develop their own topics to analyze and investigate.
12:30-1:50 WRI 102-21, Oliver, Scott.“The Waves of the Internet: From Privacy to Piracy”
2:00-3:20 WRI 102-22, Oliver, Scott. “The Waves of the Internet: From Privacy to Piracy”
In today's society, the internet is at the forefront of everything from entertainment to education. The internet has streamlined information exchange, making it easier for individuals to communicate. But how does this affect the growing concerns surrounding piracy and privacy? Has this technology already become a moral and economic tsunami? By exploring copyright and privacy issues and, to a lesser extent, the various culture-circles (P2P sites, Wikipedia, Hulu etc.) springing up around the globe, students will develop arguments centered on the debate over information access and ownership.
12:30-1:50 WRI 102-23, Gicking, Jessica. "Celebrity Obsessions"
In 1966 John Lennon said of the Beatles, “We’re more popular than Jesus
now. I don’t know which will go first — rock ‘n’ roll or Christianity.”
Pop culture and celebrity interest has increasingly become an obsession
in America over the years. From clothing choices to political opinions,
celebrities help shape how people view themselves and the world around
them. In a secular society have celebrities become our displacement for
idol worship? Has celebrity worship replaced religious worship? How much
of a cultural effect do celebrities have? In this course we will use
scholarly articles, magazine and newspaper articles, as well as visual
media to look at the American obsession with celebrities, and critically
assess how our starry-eyed obsession affects society.
Tuesday/Friday Classes:
10:00-11:20 WRI 102-15, Deaver, Karen. “Weird New Jersey?”
In this class we will investigate place, and in particular New Jersey, from new perspectives. What, if anything, is Weird about New Jersey? What role do myths and stereotypes play in determining our identity? Together we'll explore some of the political, social, and cultural issues that stem from our hometowns, and how we can most effectively address our concerns. Students will write a persuasive letter to the editor and argue their points of view on a variety of New Jersey-related topics.
10:00-11:20 WRI 102-02, Goldschmidt, Mary. “Reading the New York Times”
This section of Academic Writing is for students who like to read, and who want to develop the habit of reading a newspaper to stay informed about our contemporary world. We will focus on the paper’s news analysis, editorials, opinion pieces, and investigative journalism in order to see argumentation in action. Students will blog regularly on selected articles to understand and evaluate the persuasive strategies being used. Students will also choose a current topic from the paper to research in more detail, and then conduct their own argument that analyzes how various viewpoints on that issue are conveyed in different forums such as websites, policy briefings, and academic scholarship.
10:00-11:20 WRI 102-03, Hubbard, Janet. “Food, Glorious Food”
12:30-1:50 WRI102-04, Hubbard, Janet. “Food, Glorious Food”
Affordable, plentiful food is now more readily produced and availablethan it ever has been--formerly, tending and procuring enough food for one's family took up huge portions of a person's life and resources. Students will write argumentative papers thatexamine the current cheap abundance of food and its costs to society and individualsin terms of health, pollution, and social abuses.
10:00-11:20 WRI 102-06, Nevius, Jim. “Sports and Virtual Sports”
12:30-1:50 WRI 102-07, Nevius, Jim. “Sports and Virtual Sports”
Students will read essays that pertain to current issues and controversies in sports, collegiate and professional, as well as 'virtual sports,' ie. video games. Various sides of issues such as Title IX, violence in gaming, and use of controlled substances in sports will be presented, and the students will be asked to write essays which engage in the arguments surrounding these issues. The course will culminate with an essay covering a topic and controversy relating to sports and virtual sports, chosen by the student.
10:00-11:20 WRI 102-25, Ringer, Nina. “The Argument of Film”
12:30-1:50 WRI 102-26, Ringer, Nina. “The Argument of Film”
We will focus on the implicit visual arguments that films make through a structure of shots, point of view, framing, acting and editing. In order to create more explicit written arguments about these films, we will also study the structure of argument, including claim, support and logic.
4:00-5:20 WRI 102-24, Schaffner, Joe. “Consuming Food, Consuming Ideas”
Our class will examine the one form of consumption in our consumer society that we all, regardless of income and taste, partake in daily: eating. After all, it’s a biological fact that we have to eat. But our situation as consumers burdens us with the constant decision of what to eat, and can even generate anxiety over the impact our choices will have on the environment, our health, and, yes, even society at large. Class readings and writing assignments will emphasize eating as a social act and the many controversial debates surrounding this complex form of consumption. Carnivores, omnivores, and vegetarians all, I cordially invite you to our feast.
Monday/Wednesday Evening Classes:
5:30-6:6:50 WRI 102-16, Hunter, Jennifer.“Travel Texts and Contexts”
Students in this class will debate the preconceived notions that follow a traveler—taking into account food, culture, religion, politics, and economics—and examine how those opinions shape the travel experience as well as the visited places. Why do we travel? Is there such a thing as an authentic travel experience? We will formulate arguments for our writing assignments based on various travel texts (from the humorous to the political to the adventurous), including essays, logs, articles, and other media such as photo essays and advertising.
5:30-6:50 WRI 102-01, Michael, Belinda. “Race and Gender in Disney Films”
This course examines the many debatable issues regarding race and gender that have been raised by Disney films. Class activities will involve analyses of criticism on several movies, in-class writing workshops, and debates on controversial topics with which we can all identify.
5:30-6:50 WRI 102-08, Morse, Tina. “For Students, By Students”
7:00-8:20 WRI102-09, Morse, Tina. “For Students, By Students”
Topics for the course are chosen by the students of the previous semester. These topics have included, the Internet, South Park, and Going Green. Students will write argumentative essays that explore the issues pertaining to the chosen topic and its affect on society.
5:30-6:50 WRI 102-19, Scott, Angela. “Principles of Leadership”
7:00-8:20 WRI 102-20, Scott, Angela. “Principles of Leadership”
Students who are interested in gaining a foundation in leadership studies are invited to explore the complex concept of leadership. By examining class readings and discussing hypothetical scenarios, we will work together to understand the process of leadership and debate the many controversies in the field. We will consider leadership theories and approaches, delve into research on leadership, examine leadership themes in texts, and consider how all of this applies to real world situations – including your own life!
Thursday Evening Classes:
5:30-8:20 WRI 102-10, Golden, Matt. “Arguing About Sports”
*Please Note this Class only meets once a week on Thursdays
Those of us with more than a passing interest in sports know the topic is one that frequently spurs debate. We analyze, evaluate, compare, and attempt to persuade one another regarding players, teams, and a range of related issues. That is precisely what we will do in this class--debate issues with a connection to sports. Sports will be the subject matter we use to refine the skills needed in making an effective argument. Readings will provide background on the academic writing process as well as topics in sports that will serve as the basis for course assignments.
