The final quiz will be available from 9:00 Monday, December 16 through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, December 18. Once the quiz has closed, it will not be reopened. To access the quiz, navigate to your Brightspace homepage. Click on the “Review Quizzes” module and select “Final Quiz.”
Celeste Conway
Welcome to Week 15 of our course. This is the last week of the Fall 2024 semester. For Section 1104, Wednesday is the final day of Zoom classes. This week, we will finish our reading of The House on Mango Street. There is a final discussion board this week. The final quiz will be available from 9:00 Monday, December 16 through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, December 18. Once the quiz has closed, it will not be reopened.
Welcome to Week 14 of our online class. This week will begin our reading of the short novel The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. There are two more weeks of class. The last day of class is Saturday, December 14th. For Section 1104, the last Zoom meeting is Wednesday, December 11th. There is no discussion this week. There is no quiz this week.
Welcome to Week 13. This week, we will be exploring the writing of Raymond Carver, known for his precise and pared-down writing style. There is a discussion board this week. Note: For Section 1104, there is no Zoom meeting on Wednesday as the college follows a Friday schedule that day. Thursday is Thanksgiving, and I wish you all a very happy holiday.
Welcome to Week 12 of our course. This week we will be reading Joyce Carole Oates’s chilling work “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” with its subtle echoes of “Little Snow White.” If there is time, we will also be reading another “predator story,” which raises interesting questions about the nature of protagonist and antagonist. Please complete the course evaluation that was sent to you. It is open until December 13th. There is no quiz this week. There is no discussion board this week.
Welcome to Week 11 of our course. This week we will finish our exploration of fairy tales and then pause to review the requirements for the final research paper. There is no quiz this week. There is a discussion board. Note: There is no Zoom class this Wednesday and no Wednesday office hour. If you need to speak to me, please see me at my Monday hour or email to set up a mutually convenient meeting time.
Welcome to Week 10 of our online course. This week we will be exploring the genre of fairy tales. We’ll be reading several works centered on the Snow White Story. These include the fairytale “Little Snow White” by the Brothers Grimm and the poem “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” by Anne Sexton. An excerpt from the book The Uses of Enchantment by famed psychologist Bruno Bettleheim, will add much to think about with respect to themes and symbolism. Note: There is no quiz this week, and there is no discussion board. If you want to improve your Essay 2 grade, please see Activity 8 on this week’s page. This substitute essay will be due Sunday, November 10th.
Welcome to Week 9 of our online course. This week we will be reading “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by American writer Flannery O’Connor. This marks the mid-point of the Fall semester. Please review your progress in the Grade Center. There is a discussion board this week. Note: There is a midterm quiz this week, which covers all material from Weeks 1 through 8. It is a 25-question multiple-choice quiz and carries the same weight as all other quizzes.
Welcome to Week 8 of our online course. This week we will finish reading Oedipus the King and enlarge our discussion of the play. Be sure to complete Quiz 6 by midnight, Sunday, October 27. There is no discussion board this week.
Welcome to Week 7 of our online course. This week will be exploring one of the great tragedies of Western literature, Oedipus the King. I look forward to reading your comments in the discussion board as we examine the complex character of the doomed king and ponder timeless questions about self-determination and fate. There is no quiz this week. There is a discussion board this week. For Section 1104, there is no Zoom meeting on Monday. However, there will be Zoom meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday. J
Welcome to Week 6 of our online course. This week we will be completing our segment on poetry. Readings will include examples of lyric, dramatic, and narrative poems. Quiz 6 will be open from 9:00 Monday, October 7 through Sunday, October 13. There is no Discussion Board this week. Essay 2 is due Sunday, October 13th.
Welcome to Week 5 of our course. This week we are starting a segment on poetry. This week you will be introduced to the iconic form of the sonnet. Be sure to participate in the Week 5 Discussion Board. There is no quiz this week. Notes: Deadline for all drafts (late first drafts and revisions) for Essay 1 is Sunday, October 6th. The college is closed from Wednesday, October 2 through Friday, October 4. There is no Zoom meeting for Section 1104 on Wednesday.
Welcome to Week 4 of our online course. This week we will be reading a selection of short works from the 19th Century that feature women protagonists: “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin and “The Necklace” by Guy De Maupassant, along with the Emily Dickinson’s poem “The Wife.” We will also read a 20th Century story by Egyptian writer Alifa Rifaat. I think you’ll enjoy these stunning works, which express the unspoken longings of married women in patriarchal societies. There is no discussion board this week. Be sure to complete Quiz 5 by midnight, Sunday, September 29th.
Welcome to Week 3 of our OpenLab course. This week will be reading “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, a story that is both funny and deeply serious. The story is written in African American Vernacular English (AAVE) rather than standard English. This will probably present no problems for most students; however, those for whom English is a second language may find the grammar and language a bit challenging. I think you’ll all agree that the use of AAVE adds realism, authenticity, and humor to the narration. Please complete Quiz 4 by Sunday, September 22nd. Please be sure to participate in the Week 3 discussion board. Note: Please be careful when posting on the discussion board. Do not change anything in the “Category Sticky” box on the right side of the screen. Leave that to read “Select Category.” If you check that box, my instructions do not appear first. Under that box is the one where you will add a check next to the current week. Also, please title your post: First Name Last Name Week 3 Discussion. Thank you!
Welcome to Week 2 of our online course. The week’s readings include the very short story “Salvation,” which is an excerpt from Langston Hughes’s memoir The Big Sea. We will also be looking at concepts of irony, which are at play in this story. The second reading will be “Araby,” a dark and soulful coming-of-age story by the renowned Irish writer James Joyce. Be sure to complete Quiz 3 by midnight on Sunday, September 15th. There is no discussion board this week.
Welcome to the first full week of ENG 201 Introduction to Literature on the BMCC OpenLab platform. Classes started last Wednesday, If you have not completed the activities for the short week, please be sure to do so. This week we will be reading the beautiful and mysterious story “The Most Handsome Drowned Man” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, along with the irony-rich story “Salvation”by Langston Hughes. Be sure to complete Quiz 2 by midnight, Sunday, September 8. Your first prewriting assignment will be assigned this week.
Welcome to ENG 201. I look forward to an interesting and enjoyable semester, reading timeless works of literature and sharing thoughts and ideas. This is a short week, which runs from Wednesday, August 28 through Sunday, September 1. Please click on “Short Week Wed. – Sun.” on the sidebar menu to get started. Complete the activities by Sunday evening.
Click here for access to the BMCC Fall 2024 Academic Calendar, which lists important dates and deadlines for the semester.
Click here to access the course syllabus for Section 0505 Click here to access the course syllabus for Section 1104
This is a Zero Textbook Cost course, which uses OER (Open Educational Resources) in lieu of a textbook. All required materials can be accessed in the Weekly folders.
Section 1104: This is a synchronous section of ENG 201. Students are required to attend two Zoom meetings per week. Students are requested to be on camera during weekly Zoom meetings. You are free to use artificial or blurred backgrounds. Section 0505: This is an asynchronous section of ENG 201. There are no weekly Zoom meetings for this course. Aside from the Zoom meetings, these two sections are identical. In both sections, you are responsible for completing all the tasks on each weekly page. The tasks are varied and include reading, listening, viewing, and discussing activities. Each week begins on Monday and ends on Sunday. From time to time, you will be directed or linked back to the Brightspace platform to take quizzes or submit essays. Your grades will still be recorded in the Brightspace grade center. Be sure to check on your progress during the semester. Professor Conway can always be reached by email a cconway@bmcc.cuny.edu
Discussion boards are the main forums for interaction in an online course. During semester, there will be seven discussion boards. They will take place on the odd-numbered weeks: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13. For each discussion, you most submit an original post of at least 150 words and a response to a colleague of at least 75 words. The weekly discussions can be accessed in two ways: through the main menu (above) or the page for the week in which the discussion takes place (side menu). Discussion Board Etiquette Please respond in full sentences in correct English (not in texting language). Please use upper and lower case. Disagreement with the opinions of others is fine–even encouraged—but please show respect for fellow classmates in your responses. Grading Details Class participation via the discussion board makes up a significant percentage of your overall grade (15%). To receive full credit (100%) for each discussion board: – Submit your first post by Friday of each week at the latest. This is worth 80% of the weekly grade. – Respond to the post of one other student by Sunday. This is worth 20% of the weekly grade. – Make sure your first post is at least 150 words in length. – Make sure your response to another student is at least 75 words. Comments such as “Nice post” or “I agree” are friendly but will not receive credit. – Make sure you post in the week in which the discussion was assigned. For example, post your Week 3 response during Week 3. A few other notes about discussion board grading – The highest grade an original post can receive if it is submitted on the weekend is 75% – Posts submitted as attachments will not be opened. – Discussion boards cannot be […]
Click here to create an account with Commonlit. This is a zero textbook course (ZTC), and many of the assignments will come from this interactive website. Please create your student account right away so that you do not miss any assignments. Your class code is: YALLV8M3
The High Cost of Plagiarism Plagiarism will be dealt with firmly. A student who plagiarizes will receive a permanent grade of zero (0) for the essay or discussion in question. All essays will be submitted through Turnitin, which features plagiarism detection capability. Suspected plagiarism, even if it passes the Turnitin detection function, will be turned over to the Student Life Manager for Student Conduct and Academic Integrity. If you hope to pass this class, do not plagiarize. Every student is required to view the short plagiarism video in order to have a complete understanding of what plagiarism is. This will preclude the excuse that anyone has “accidentally” plagiarized.
BMCC Grading System A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F 93 – 100 90 – 92 87 – 89 83 – 86 80 – 82 77 – 79 73 – 76 70 – 72 67 – 69 63 – 66 60 – 62
Prompt: What is your understanding of the prewriting assignment in Week 1 Activity. 10? What do you have to do? What is the purpose of the prewriting assignment? To submit your Week 1 post, follow the steps below. 1. Scroll up to the black strip at the top of the screen and click the black “plus” sign inside the white circle. It is located to the right of the course title. 2. In the box that reads “Add title,” type in a title that includes your first name, last name, and the words “Discussion 2” (example: John Hart Discussion 2). 3. Type your response in the text box. Remember that your first post must be at least 150 words in order to receive full credit. 4. Navigate to the right side of the screen and choose the Post Category “Week 1 Discussion” (or whichever week is current). Never choose anything in the box that reads “Category Sticky.” Leave that box as it is. It will say “Select a category.” Leave it like that. Click for screenshot. 5. To add media (optional), click the “add media“ button in between the title box and the text box. Do not add the image directly to the media library. To get the image to show in the tile preview, go to “featured image > add featured image, in the lower right-hand side.” Click for screenshot. 6. Publish the post by clicking the blue button on the right. 7. Please leave a thoughtful reply to the post of one other classmate. Remember that your comments to others should be at least 75 words in order to receive full credit. Please try not to repeat what others have already said.
A Chat GTP-generated essay on “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara would probably discuss economic disparity, lack of equal opportunity, racial inequity, and other broad social issues. What might you write about in an essay that is less about socio-economic issues and more about other interesting/important details or elements in the story? What title would you give this essay? To submit your Week 3 post, follow the steps below. 1. Scroll up to the black strip at the top of the screen and click the black “plus” sign inside the white circle. It is located to the right of the course title. 2. In the box that reads “Add title,” type in a title that includes your first name, last name, and the words “Discussion 4” (example: John Hart Discussion 3). 3. Type your response in the text box. Remember that your first post must be at least 150 words in order to receive full credit. 4. Navigate to the right side of the screen and choose the Post Category “Week 3 Discussion” (or whichever week is current). Never choose anything in the box that reads “Category Sticky.” Click for screenshot. 5. To add media (optional), click the “add media“ button in between the title box and the text box. Do not add the image directly to the media library. To get the image to show in the tile preview, go to “featured image > add featured image, in the lower right-hand side.” Click for screenshot. 6. Publish the post by clicking the blue button on the right. 7. Please leave a thoughtful reply to the post of one other classmate. Remember that your comments to others should be at least 75 words in order to receive full credit.
Discuss your experience with the writing Essay 1. What did you learn or realize? In what ways might the assignment change how you approach a writing assignment? Please refer only to your personal experience in your response. Be extremely specific, and do not offer comments about essay writing in general.
Prompt: How would you rate your ability to read poetry after the past two weeks? In what ways do you feel your experience with poetry can help with the reading of Oedipus the King? Please refer to a particular poem we’ve read and the connection it has for you to the play. Posts that lack specific citation and detail will not receive credit. To submit your Week 7 post, follow the steps below. 1. Scroll up to the black strip at the top of the screen and click the black “plus” sign inside the white circle. It is located to the right of the course title. 2. In the box that reads “Add title,” type in a title that includes your first name, last name, and the words “Discussion 7” (example: John Hart Discussion 7). 3. Type your response in the text box. Remember that your first post must be at least 150 words in order to receive full credit. 4. Navigate to the right side of the screen and choose the Post Category “Week 7 Discussion” (or whichever week is current). Never choose anything in the box that reads “Category Sticky.” Click for screenshot. 5. To add media (optional), click the “add media“ button in between the title box and the text box. Do not add the image directly to the media library. To get the image to show in the tile preview, go to “featured image > add featured image, in the lower right-hand side.” Click for screenshot. 6. Publish the post by clicking the blue button on the right. 7. Please leave a thoughtful reply to the post of one other classmate. Remember that your comments to others should be at least 75 words in order to receive full credit.
Prompt: What specific ideas did you come across in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” that you would have missed if you had not read the article by the author in Activity 1? To submit your post, follow the steps below. 1. Scroll up to the black strip at the top of the screen and click the black “plus” sign inside the white circle. It is located to the right of the course title. 2. In the box that reads “Add title,” type in a title that includes your first name, last name, and the words “Discussion 9 (example: John Hart Discussion 9). 3. Type your response in the text box. Remember that your first post must be at least 150 words in order to receive full credit. 4. Navigate to the right side of the screen and choose the Post Category “Week 3 Discussion.” DO NOT CHANGE ANYTHING UNDER THE BOX THAT READS “CATEGORY STICK.” LEAVE THAT AS IT. (It will read “Select Category.”) 5. Publish the post by clicking the blue button on the right. 6. Please leave a thoughtful reply to the post of one other classmate. Remember that your comments to others should be at least 75 words in order to receive full credit.
Prompt: What is your thesis for the research essay on fairy tales? Identify one article from List A and one article from List B that interests you. Please cite the author’s name and explain which ideas from the article caught you attention and why. To submit your Week 11 post, follow the steps below. 1. Scroll up to the black strip at the top of the screen and click the black “plus” sign inside the white circle. It is located to the right of the course title. 2. In the box that reads “Add title,” type in a title that includes your first name, last name, and the words “Discussion 11” (example: John Hart Discussion 11). 3. Type your response in the text box. Remember that your first post must be at least 150 words in order to receive full credit. 4. Navigate to the right side of the screen and choose the Post Category “Week 11 Discussion” (or whichever week is current). Never choose anything in the box that reads “Category Sticky.” Click for screenshot. 5. To add media (optional), click the “add media“ button in between the title box and the text box. Do not add the image directly to the media library. To get the image to show in the tile preview, go to “featured image > add featured image, in the lower right-hand side.” Click for screenshot. 6. Publish the post by clicking the blue button on the right. 7. Please leave a thoughtful reply to the post of one other classmate. Remember that your comments to others should be at least 75 words in order to receive full credit.
“It’s possible, in a poem or short story, to write about commonplace things and objects using commonplace but precise language, and to endow those things—a chair, a window curtain, a fork, a stone, a woman’s earring—with immense, even startling power.” Apply this idea expressed by Raymond Carver in the Activity 1 reading to a story or poem we have read in this course (not a work by Carver). Include a quote from the story or poem that illustrates the power of “commonplace but precise language.” To submit your Week 13 post, follow the steps below. 1. Scroll up to the black strip at the top of the screen and click the black “plus” sign inside the white circle. It is located to the right of the course title. 2. In the box that reads “Add title,” type in a title that includes your first name, last name, and the words “Discussion 13” (example: John Hart Discussion 13). 3. Type your response in the text box. Remember that your first post must be at least 150 words in order to receive full credit. 4. Navigate to the right side of the screen and choose the Post Category “Week 13 Discussion” (or whichever week is current). Never choose anything in the box that reads “Category Sticky.” Click for screenshot. 5. To add media (optional), click the “add media“ button in between the title box and the text box. Do not add the image directly to the media library. To get the image to show in the tile preview, go to “featured image > add featured image, in the lower right-hand side.” Click for screenshot. 6. Publish the post by clicking the blue button on the right. 7. Please leave a thoughtful reply to the post of one other classmate. Remember that your […]
Assess your progress during the semester. 1. Which assignment do you feel was most successful and why? 2. On what work do you feel you could have done better and how? 3. If there was one thing you learned this semester, what was it? To submit your post, follow the steps below. 1. Scroll up to the black strip at the top of the screen and click the black “plus” sign inside the white circle. It is located to the right of the course title. 2. In the box that reads “Add title,” type in a title that includes your first name, last name, and the words “Discussion 16 (example: John Hart Discussion 16). 3. Type your response in the text box. Remember that your first post must be at least 150 words in order to receive full credit. 4. Navigate to the right side of the screen and choose the Post Category “Week 3 Discussion.” DO NOT CHANGE ANYTHING UNDER THE BOX THAT READS “CATEGORY STICK.” LEAVE THAT AS IT. (It will read “Select Category.”) 5. Publish the post by clicking the blue button on the right. 6. Please leave a thoughtful reply to the post of one other classmate. Remember that your comments to others should be at least 75 words in order to receive full credit.
Quiz 1: Thursday 1/28 – Sunday, 9/1 See Short Week for details. Quiz 2: Monday, 9/2 – Sunday 9/8 See Week 1 for details. Quiz 3: Monday, 9/16 – Sunday, 9/22 See Week 2 for details. Quiz 4: Monday, 9/23 – Sunday, 9/29 See Week 3 for details. Quiz 5: Monday 9/30 – Sunday, 10/6 See Week 4 for details. Quiz 6: Monday 10/7 – Sunday 10/13 See Week 6 for details. Quiz 7: Monday 10/21 – Sunday 10/27 See Week 8 for details Quiz 8 – Monday 10/28 – Sunday 11/3 See Week 9 for details F Final Quiz – Monday, 12/16 – Wednesday 12/18 Note: Quizzes cannot be made up. Students have an entire week in which to complete each quiz.
Essay Due Dates Essay 1: Due Sunday, Sun. Sunday, September 22 (See Week 2 for details). Essay 2: Due Sunday, October 13 (See Week 5 for details). Essay 3: Due Sunday, October 27 (See Week 6 for details). Essay 4: Due Sunday, November 24 (See Week 10 for details). Deadlines for revisions will be posted as essays are submitted.
How to View Instructor Comments on Written Work It is very important that you review instructor comments on your graded essays. This way you can correct errors and do better on future essays. To see your grades, navigate back to your Brightspace course and follow these steps: On the Brightspace homepage, click “Assessment” on the blue navigation bar at the top of the screen. On the dropdown menu, click “Grades.” Click the name of the essay you want to see. When the essay appears, look on the right of your screen. Click the icon that looks like a pencil on a piece of paper. My comments and a link to the grading rubric will appear. See the screenshot for an illustrated directions. OR On the Brightspace homepage, click on the essay you want to see. Click on the link with the name of the essay. Then, click on the icon that looks like a pen and paper, marked 1. How to Check Quiz Answers On the Brightspace homepage, click “Activities” on the blue navigation bar at the top of the screen. Choose the quiz you want to check on from the list of quizzes. Click on “Attempt.”
Zoom Office Hours: Monday/Wednesday 11:30 – 12:30 p.m. Topic: Weekly Zoom Meetings Every week on Mon, Wed, until Dec 11, 2024, 18 occurrence(s) Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system. Weekly: https://bmcc-cuny.zoom.us/meeting/tZMpceqrrDssH9eUMfJpBCiLSPqvaGdid1Fl/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGvqj0pGdaVthyERpwEBo_ob-nzpmJdgvpYqTLjKTBxQQraBdJTJLNYFNHU&meetingMasterEventId=6AOuIMQyQNq31MyPIvTg2g Join Zoom Meeting https://bmcc-cuny.zoom.us/j/87463320653?pwd=VMreRueNnCbjn0pVbbXI6lBzs0W2Ry.1 Meeting ID: 874 6332 0653 Passcode: 128527 — One tap mobile +19292056099,,87463320653#,,,,*128527# US (New York) +16469313860,,87463320653#,,,,*128527# US — Dial by your location • +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) • +1 646 931 3860 US • +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) • +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) • +1 305 224 1968 US • +1 309 205 3325 US • +1 564 217 2000 US • +1 669 444 9171 US • +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) • +1 689 278 1000 US • +1 719 359 4580 US • +1 253 205 0468 US • +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) • +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) • +1 360 209 5623 US • +1 386 347 5053 US • +1 507 473 4847 US Meeting ID: 874 6332 0653 Passcode: 128527 Find your local number: https://bmcc-cuny.zoom.us/u/kbVhljoEjT — Join by SIP • 87463320653@zoomcrc.com — Join by H.323 • 162.255.37.11 (US West) • 162.255.36.11 (US East) • 115.114.131.7 (India Mumbai) • 115.114.115.7 (India Hyderabad) • 213.19.144.110 (Amsterdam Netherlands) • 213.244.140.110 (Germany) • 103.122.166.55 (Australia Sydney) • 103.122.167.55 (Australia Melbourne) • 209.9.211.110 (Hong Kong SAR) • 64.211.144.160 (Brazil) • 159.124.168.213 (Canada Toronto) • 65.39.152.160 (Canada Vancouver) • 207.226.132.110 (Japan Tokyo) • 149.137.24.110 (Japan Osaka) Meeting ID: 874 6332 0653 Passcode: 128527
A Message from the Writing Center The Writing Center supports writing across the curriculum by working with students and faculty to maximize the effectiveness of writing projects and student awareness of best practices. We work with all students who have writing projects, including those from the Social Sciences, Critical Thinking, and Writing Intensive courses. If you need help with your essays, please do take advantage of this free service. The Center offers many workshops that address various types of writing assignments that are relevant to this course. Click here for details and registration. Or download the schedule here. Email: writingcenter@bmcc.cuny.edu Telephone: 212 220-1384 Make an appointment at http://www.bmcc.cuny.edu/writingcenter/ or walk into the office in room S-510 on the Main Campus or call (212) 220-1384 during our business hours to make an appointment. How To Access Online Tutoring? 1. Students can use their current BMCC username and password to log in to Upswing from any internet enabled device from the Online Tutoring website (https://www.bmcc.cuny.edu/students/lrc/online-tutoring/): 2. To access online tutoring: Step 1: Go to https://bmcc.upswing.io/ and click on Log in Now. Step 2: Enter your BMCC Username and Password. Step 3: Select Meet with a Tutor. Step 4: Search for the subject or class you need help with. Step 5: Schedule a session with a certified BMCC tutor. Step 6: Click Go to Room on the tutoring section of your profile and get to it!
Help with Sentence Structure Run-on sentences, comma splices, and sentence fragments are the most common errors in essays. Please review the quick guide below for correcting these mistakes in sentence structure. For correcting run-on sentences and comma splices, review this PDF file. For correcting sentence fragments, click this link for a short video. Sentence Structure and Grammar Exercises Click this link to access the OWL at Purdue Writing Center “Sentence Structure” Page. On the navigation panel on the left of the screen, you can choose from a number of lessons and practice exercises.