Welcome

(read this posting in its entirety. See the bottom for Wednesday's instructions)

As the class blog for EN 150W (Section AM3WA) 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, before each class. These will be due by 9pm the night before class (Sunday and 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 9 p.m., this portion of your grade will suffer. And if you cannot work that much writing into your schedule, you should consider another course.

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 right. 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, read the first section of the Chandler on Genre ('The Problem of Definition'), and 'The Purpose of This Creature Man' by Lee K. Abbott. Then, in a 250-500 words, post a response in which you consider one work (a movie, for example) which you think of as part of a genre. Give the genre, and write a few paragraphs why you think the work fits the genre. That is, what expectations of the genre does it meet? Be sure to discuss specific scenes and moments from the work.

Post all responses as separate posts, not comments to my post.