Welcome

(read this entire post, the instructions for wednesday are at the end)

As the class blog for EN 110 (Section 8M4WB) at Queens College,this blog will be our primary means of general communication. Be sure to check it after every class, as much of the time this will be the only place to learn about the readings and assignments due for the next meeting (that is, don't assume that my not mentioning anything due next class means there isn't anything due the next class).

In addition, you will be required to post here a response of approximately 250-500 words, as well as a one or two paragraph comment on a classmate’s earlier response, once per week. These will be due by 8 p.m. the night before class (generally Tuesday), and are critical to your grade. We will use them to generate our in-class discussion, and they will also make up a portion of your participation for the course. This cannot be stressed enough--if posts are not here by 8 p.m., this portion of your grade will suffer.

More importantly, use this space for writing about the readings for the course, the class discussions, and for commenting on one another's responses. While formality is not overemphasized here, be sure to be as clear (spell as you might on a paper and not as you might on a phone) and intelligent as you can manage, and be specific about the texts you are writing about (that is, quote them). Also, when writing about another student's response, be respectful but also thoughtful ('Kelly was totally right!' is less useful than what Kelly's comment make you think).

You'll find a copy of the syllabus to the left. I will try to make changes to it as we go, but it's best not to assume that it is up to date, and to look to these posts for changes and adjustments to the course.

For Wednesday, type up the in-class writing that you did on Monday and post it here. Post everything for this course as its own post, not as a comment (except when you are commenting on another student's post, which you won't be doing today). After you've typed up your in-class writing, find an article on the story you wrote about in class, and paste the link below your comment. Then write one short paragraph commenting on how well you remembered the story, in relation to the newspaper or other media version. All this must be posted by 8pm on Tuesday night.

Lastly, read the New Yorker article (the link is to the left) on the My Space Suicide Hoax before class Wednesday, and be prepared to discuss it. Don't forget to bring a copy with you to class.