OVERVIEW AND SYNTHESIS

Week 1

WELCOME TO ENGLISH 1302

Ms. Drazan

Office: Rm 456

Email: judy.drazan@ttu.edu

Office hours: Tuesday 10-12, Thursday 12-3,

and by appt.

IMPORTANT POLICIES

Required texts:
First-Year

Writing: Writing in the Disciplines (2015-

2016)
The St. Martins Handbook (TTU E-Custom Edition)

All assignments you will turn in through Raider

Writer.
You may not recycle papers from any previous
classes.
Late assignments:
1-3

days late: 5 points will be deducted per day

late.
4 or more days late: starting on the fourth day, the
penalty increases to 10 points per day late.

IMPORTANT POLICIES
CONTINUED

Absences: You are given two unexcused

absences to use at your discretion. After your
second absence, 5% of your final grade will
be deducted for each additional absence.
Tardiness policy
Classroom Decorum:
No

cellphones or laptops allowed in the classroom.

Please do not eat during class.
If you must leave early, please let the instructor
know at the beginning of class.

Participation policy

PARTICIPATION ACTIVITY

On a separate sheet of paper, please write

your name and answer the following
questions,
(Please give me your best educated guess if
you do not know.)
What is synthesis?

What is a literature review?

How do you think the two are related?

SYNTHESIS IS

Analyzing two or more texts that share a

topic or interest.

Identifying grounds for grouping the textual

components.

Organizing this textual material under a

controlling theme.

Synthesis is the foundation for a literature

review.

QUESTIONS FOR INITIAL

READING

What is the major topic that is treated by all

the texts?
What subtopics run across some or all of the
texts?
Do the texts discuss a controversy or debate?
How do the texts talk to each other with
respect to the topic, subtopics, and/or
controversy?
More in-depth questions on page 155 in your
textbook.

GROUP ACTIVITY

Please get into groups of five.

As a group, listen to Welcome to New York by
Taylor Swift and take notes about what the song
is about.
Next, listen to Empire State of Mind by JayZ/ Alicia Keys and take notes about what the
song is about.
Then, note similarities/differences between the
songs and write a short synthesis of the songs.
Please write some of your findings on the
board.

SONGS

https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgbXiUH_9Q0
(Taylor Swift)
https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aR3PaRUaUQ
(Jay-Z/Alicia Keys)

CLASSROOM DISCUSSION

What are some similarities between the

songs?

Differences?

What was your groups synthesis of the two

songs?

BA1: PRE-SEMESTER
DIAGNOSTIC

Objective:To enable you to discuss your prior academic writing experiences and gain practice in some of
the reading and writing skills covered in this course.
Purpose: BA1 has two parts. Part one is designed to give you an opportunity to reflect on your prior
writing experiences and articulate them to your instructor. tell your instructor about your prior writing
experiences and discuss what you see as your strengths and weaknesses as a writer. Part two gives you an
opportunity to practice the type of synthesis of sources expected in college courses.
Description:To complete Part one, answer each of the following questions in paragraph form, being as
specific as possible as you discuss each topic:
1.What is your experience with academic writing? What types of writing have you done in the last few
yearsyou might discuss high school, college-level, or workplace writing, for example. Also, be sure to
include a discussion of your work in ENGL 1301 and how those assignments have assisted in strengthening
your writing skills.
2.What do you think your strengths are as a writer? Your weaknesses? (Note that your e-handbook
provides descriptions of many writing strengths and problemsrefer to it if you need to in discussing your
particular abilities). How do you intend to build on those strengths and overcome those weaknesses as
you complete this course and write in other college courses? What are your goals for this class?
Your response to Part one should be 250 300 words in length.
To complete Part two, read the following two essays linked here and discuss how the ideas presented in
each have impacted your own post-high school experiences, here at TTU or elsewhere. Youll be writing a
brief argument that synthesizes the content of these two sources in support of your discussion.TheSt.
Martin's Handbook: Chapter 12f, "Synthesizing Sources"will help you with strategies for synthesizing your
sources.
The Myth of Helplessness
What I Learned about School Reform
Your response to Part two should be 400-500 words in length.

BA1 SIMPLIFIED

Part 1: Answer questions about writing

experience, strengths/weaknesses as a
writer, and goals for this class.
250-300 words.
Part 2: Thoroughly read both essays. Use the
baseline questions to help find
similarities/differences between the two
essays. Synthesize the two essays in order to
support your argument about how the ideas
presented have impacted your own post-high
school experiences.
400-500 words.

EXAMPLE FORMAT OF BA1

Give brief overview of what the two essays

are about. State your argument.
While synthesizing the two essays, discuss
how the essays relate/do not relate to your
experience.
Briefly conclude.
Look at The St. Martins Handbook, 12f.

ANY QUESTIONS?

BEFORE YOU GO

By February 1, please read:

Chapter

1 and Chapter 2, pages 3-37, in FirstYear Writing.

Chapter 2 Rhetorical Situations, pages 23-39,
in The St. Martins Handbook.

Turn in BA1 by Friday, January 29 on Raider

Writer by 11:59:59 p.m.

Begin thinking about your literature

review/researched-argument topic.