Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Extra Credit

Just a reminder for all those doing the extra credit . We are looking for an annotated bibliography consisting of 5-6 sources having to deal with happiness and education. Any kind of source is fine, but it would be best to deal with scholarly articles, newspaper or magazine articles or books. New media such as blogs and videos are ok, but try to lean more towards printed materials. You can email Alan directly at alan.ramos@live.lagcc.cuny.edu Remember this is due by next Wednesday 12/15. Thanks!

ePortfolio

http://www.laguardia.edu/eportfoliosso/iLogin.aspx

Final Presentations

You will give a presentation on your topic to the class.  This will be your final exam, worth 10 points of your final grade. 

Since it will only be 4-6 minutes long, (no one will have more than 6 minutes) you will need to prepare a shorter and more concise version of your research.  Some of your ideas will not fit ideally into this time frame - its ok to cut a lot.

I will look for a custom-prepared presentation: DO NOT SIMPLY READ FROM YOUR PAPER and be sure your presentation is the right size/length.

Students must use handouts (1 page, prepare 20 cc) AND on-screen slides to help classmates follow their points.

Students must speak slowly, clearly and loudly.

All class members must be present with their handouts ALREADY printed and all graphic documents loaded onto thumb drives BEFORE CLASS.  There is no "extra time" for lateness, printing things out and no room for error.  There will be no "do overs".  Lateness will significantly hurt your grade as it is disrespectful to your peers.

Be forewarned: the class may run until 1245 this day.

A grading rubric can be found here.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

VOTES ARE IN :)

Hello

By a very wide margin (6-1), your class has voted to give presentations as a "final" exam.  We will be working on these in class Weds after you turn in your paper.

Best,
Dr. M

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Important Year End Info

Here is some critical info about the way the class will progress over the next 2 weeks!

1. Papers - final versions of your research paper are due next week, printed out and posted on the web.  Be sure to follow MLA style throughout and to include a works cited page.  The are due at 1030 sharp, lateness will count (aka this is an important day to be on time and to plan in advance in case of tech breakdown, broken printers or delayed subway train).

2. Final exam.  You will have a final exam on weds 12/15 at 10:30am.  My goal is to have you synthesize the/one important aspect of your research and represent it in a condensed way.  There are two ways we can do this - Please vote:

Option A: a 1000-word in-class essay version of the paper you wrote.  It will be shorter and you will write from memory (aka no research in front of you).  You will not be able to look at or use your paper as you write this.

Option B: an oral presentation of 5-10 minutes on your paper.  You may chose to use visual aids (power points, audio recordings, etc.)  You will be graded on how effective you are.

Whichever option gets the most votes from the group will be formalized as the final by Friday.  We will discuss this final next week.

3. Grades.  As of today, 50% of the grade is in.  Blog grades are now closed.  However, I've been unable to access several blogs (James, Shaq and Jessica).  If you want to know how you are doing, let me know by email: emccormick@lagcc.cuny.edu

I have also had to change the grading structure since we were not able to do much coaching this semester.  The coaching grade has been split between the research paper and the final exam.

Ok, that covers the most critical parts.

Enjoy your rainy day off :)
Dr. M

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Quoting + Sandwiches

If you would like to review the slide show on quotation, you can click here.


If you want to look over different citation styles for your paper, you can go here or here.


Bread (intro/orientation) + filling (your quotation) + bread (analysis/explanation/connection)


Is a Wandering Mind an Unhappy One?

Is a Wandering Mind an Unhappy One?

This is a pretty great article about how - when our minds wander - we become less happy than when we focus.

For those of you with an iPhone, there's also an ap....

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

This weeks Blog Assignment

On your own blog, write a 400-word response that answers both of the following questions:

1) What did  peer editing 101 essays teach you about the writing process and about editing in general?  How did you feel about writing responses - especially ones that were "critical" of some element of the other writer's work?

2) Will this effec the way you edit your own work?  How?  Are there things you will look for as you review this weekend? 

Editing Day

Respond to the essays on your assigned 101 students blogs.

Be sure to comment on

+thesis
+intro
+orgrnization
+selection of evidence
+quoting "style"
+body paragraph development
+conclusions.


Here is a list with your assigned mentees!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Want to transfer? Have a high GPA (3.50 +)? Would $30,000 help?

The Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Program awards up to $30,000/year to about 50 exceptionally promising students from across the country who will begin their studies at a 4-year institution in Fall 2011.  LaGuardia may nominate up to 4 students to compete for these awards.

Your help in recruiting potential nominees is crucial to our efforts (mailouts, e-blasts, workshops and the student network) to ensure that eligible students are aware of this opportunity and receive support to complete their application to be nominated.

MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
*   Be a current student at an accredited US community college or two-year institution with sophomore status (about 42 college credits) by December 31, 2010, or a recent graduate (since spring 2006) who has not begun studies at a 4-year institution.
*   Plan to enroll full-time in a baccalaureate program at an accredited college or university in fall 2011.
*   Have a cumulative undergraduate grade-point average of 3.50 or better on a scale of 4.0 (or the equivalent).
*   Have significant unmet financial need.

The Selection Criteria include:
*   Academic Achievement and Critical-Thinking Ability
*   Unmet Financial Need
*   Will to Succeed
*   Breadth of Interests and Activities

Details of the first JKC session:
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
4:30pm – 5:30pm
E-260
Students should bring their Degreeworks audit, resume and a print-out of the application.

Students who wish to be considered for nomination must meet the deadline of NOON, MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2010.  Full application instructions (attached) can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/notes/honors-program-laguardia-cccuny/2011-jack-kent-cooke-undergraduate-transfer-scholarship/437378666159.  It will also be available on the Honors Program website and E103-V (among other offices) over the next weeks.

Often, students may be intimidated by the application process of major scholarships, or do not dare to aim high.  Please do seek out and encourage eligible students to apply for this.  Sometimes, all it takes for a student to make the leap is recognition and an encouraging word from a faculty or staff member.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Poets, Novelists, Songwriters, Screenplay Authors and anyone just interested in writing?


The Creative Writing Club will be meeting every Wednesday from 2-4 in M317. We share writing, do writing games, and are planning for several events this year. All students from all areas of the college are welcome. You don't have to think of yourself as a writer; just have an interest in writing and meeting some great students.

Leader: Dr. Laura Tanenbaum
Assistant Professor of English
M120F
ltanenbaum@laguardia.edu
(917) 710-7341

Sunday, September 26, 2010

How do you grade my work on the Blog, Anyway?

Hello everyone,

Here's a quick peek at my "secret" - a grading rubric for blogs.  It definately will let you know what I look for when I grade your blog work. I'm also posting this as a "Course Doc."

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0ApfN4Tn3sDzsdDRDYUZHVEN3YlZNSEQzSkg5Szg4R2c&hl=en&authkey=CKL9nNoN

There is a slightly different rubric for "papers" which I will hand out soon.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Homework

Hi - Just to recap

1) I want at least 300 words (and 400, 500 or even more are ok) describing the research project you will be doing in 103.  Give me the background (is it a revision, a joint project for another class, or a fresh start).  What are your working research questions?  What books/articles etc do you need to read?  etc. etc.

This should be posted on your own blog* (students who missed class should create a blog on blogger using their own name as the blog title - If you can't do this independently, contact me ASAP)

2) The document for your other teacher (if applicable) is a link below

3) Comment sincerely and in depth on at least 2 other students' blog entries.  If someone already has a lot of comments, find others who are more in need.  Spread it around :)

NOTE - some of the blogs go to a subscribe to a RSS feed type of page.  Who knows why.  To get to the blog, just go up to the address bar and erase "/feeds/posts/default" and refresh.  That should solve the issue!

Good Luck!!!!

2)

The document to share for the faculty with whom you are co-writing

https://docs.google.com/document/edit?id=1hdx9ejamd5kh3UZg7Ca_2n60qQY6kEaPbCAORnpuibo&hl=en

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

CLass Meeting - NEW ROOM

Hi Everyone! 

Well, I STILL have not heard officially where we are meeting!

So lets all meet in M200 L  - As of Tues PM at 1030, this is what the Registrar has listed.  If it changes, we can all walk to the appropriate room together.

Dr. M

Friday, September 17, 2010

Extra Credit Option

Do you speak Arabic, Russian, Turkish, Jamaican Patois, Bambara, Nepali, Hindi, Tibetan, Bengali or Urdu?

Do you speak any other language?

The school is working on translating a poem by the US Poet Laureate (who is coming to LaGuardia!!) into many different languages to present to her as a gift.

If you attend (and get a faculty member to sign a note saying you were there) I will give you +1 on your final grade.  This could tip the scales.... for example, it your final average is an 89 (B+) it would be an 90 (A-)

Collective Translation
Wednesday Sept 22
2:15-4:45 pm
Room E-103

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Homework

It was great to meet you all today - I'm sorry we had so many room mix ups.  It should be straigtened out in a few days and I'll post the correct room on this blog.

This week I'd like you to do two things as homework.

1) Decide - in writing - which paper you will be working on this semester.

2) Comment on the Sir Ken Robinson video we saw (you'll need to sign in, so if you don't use gmail/google, its a good idea to start by setting up an account there first to use this semester).  PLEASE POST YOUR FULL NAME - OR AT LEAST FIRST NAME AND LAST INITIAL -  SO I CAN GIVE CREDIT :)

Friday, September 10, 2010

Welcome to Class!!

Hello 103 students!

Your syllabus is posted (follow the link on the low right hand side under course docs/ helpful links) if you want an advance peek at it.

See you on Weds!