Welcome to ENW 345: Writing and Social Issues!

Click here for a Google Docs version of the syllabus & course schedule

Communications & Technology

Over the summer, I check my email on Monday and Friday. You can expect a response from me within 72 hours. If I don’t reply in that timeframe, please resend the message with a friendly follow-up message.

Since this is an online asynchronous class, most of our correspondence will happen via email and blog posts. You are welcome to start a WhatsApp group for the class to have an informal space to get to know each other and discuss the class, professional ambitions, or life at Lehman. I will not join the WhatsApp. Note that if there is a reported violation of the student handbook, you may be asked to share screenshots of the WhatsApp conversation, so please don’t type/share anything you wouldn’t say in a in-person class!

A quick comment about emailing a professor: please follow this guidance by Purdue University. In cases where there is no subject line or salutation, I will not respond to your inquiry but refer you to this link to re-send your initial email. This is not meant to punish anyone, but to emphasize that professional email correspondence is an essential part of academic and professional success. Simply put, when you don’t take the time to introduce yourself clearly and with courtesy, you damage your reputation.

Course Description

This accelerated writing-intensive engages students in critical reading and writing about pressing social issues. Through multi-genre writing assignments – including essays, op-eds, and digital narratives  – students will analyze and articulate perspectives on topics such as migration, public health, community dynamics, employment, and technology.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Conduct research to support written arguments.
• Critically analyze texts addressing various social issues.
• Create coherent arguments in multiple writing genres.
• Develop persuasive and research-supported arguments about social issues.
• Reflect on their role as writers in shaping discourse around social advocacy and change.

The official catalog description of ENW 345 is: “Readings, discussion, and multi-genre writing to explore social issues such as migration, public health, community, jobs, demographics, technology, or other topics of student interest. Attention to advocacy, community engagement, empowerment, organizing, and archival resources. Development of research, drafting, and writing skills in a variety of professional genres. NOTE: Non-majors/minors who wish to take this course should see an English advisor for permission. Prerequisites: Declared English Major/Minor, declared Professional Communications Minor or declared Social Work Major.”

Note that this is an accelerated summer course. The demands are high, as each week compresses the equivalent of 3-4 weeks’ worth of material from a standard semester. While challenging, the course is designed with contemporary industry demands and challenges; successful completion will forward your personal and professional success.

In-depth course policies & important statements are available through this link.

Learning Resources 

Technologies:

• CUNY Commons for course overview, discussions, and blog postings
  • https://fryecastillo1.commons.gc.cuny.edu/ 
• Google Docs for the syllabus
  • https://docs.google.com/document/d/1–n4iYzAV463_Wkyjp7l8xk7Vb87E-pl/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=113179050586612093533&rtpof=true&sd=true 
• Perusall for readings, group annotations, and quizzes
  • https://app.perusall.com/courses/enw-345-writing-and-social-issues/_/dashboard/documents/document-bYQqg3DtgjcsXBkeF 
• YouTube and other video streaming platforms

Best practices & required texts:

• Check your CUNY or Lehman email at least once every 72 hours.

• The only required text for this course is an electronic version of the third edition of Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit. You must purchase a digital copy through Perusall to submit annotations and receive full credit. If you prefer physical or audiobooks, you can also purchase a copy through Bookshop or wherever books are sold. You will also find many copies throughout the New York Public Library system or at the Leonard Leif Library at Lehman. But note that it is critical to buy one digital copy through Perusall — you will not receive full credit for the annotation assignments if you buy a copy outside of Perusall.

Assessments & Due Dates

100 points are possible in this course. This corresponds with traditional letter grades based on percentages.

The final course grade will be calculated using the following categories:

Assessment	Percentage of Final Grade
Three Reflection Posts on CUNY Commons (this course site)	30 (each is worth 10 pts)
Group Annotations through Perusall	30
Quizzes through Perusall	40 (each is with 10 pts)

The deadline for ALL assignments is the end of the semester — June 27th at 3pm EST. 

No late work is accepted and no incompletes are offered in this course.