SUNY-Geneseo/Physics & Astronomy
- Fall 2006
Freshman Writing Seminar:
A
Century of Science Fiction
- (Intd 105-11)
- MWF 1:30 pm, Greene 104A
- Dr.
Pogo (email Dr. Pogo)
- Office: Greene 232
- Office Hours:
MW 2:30 - 4:00pm; W 10:30-11:30am
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| Section-specific links: |
Geneseo writing links: |
| Printable Syllabus |
Geneseo
Writing Learning Center |
| Grading Guidelines:
Common Errors |
Geneseo Intd 105 web site |
| Grading Rubric |
Geneseo Online
Writing Guide |
| How-to Guide for
Electronic Submissions |
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| Does
'Spell-Check' actually improve writing (CNN report)? |
Current
Grade Status |
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What am I doing here?
This is a course in persuasive writing (not a course
in science fiction or creative writing). Whether you seek a
career in education, philosophy, math, or science, the quality
of your writing will be one of the most significant factors
affecting your success. The first year writing seminar is
required of all students entering SUNY Geneseo. There are
several goals for this course:
1)
The ability to read significant texts carefully and critically,
recognizing and responding to argumentative positions.
2) The
ability to write sustained, coherent and persuasive arguments on
significant issues that arise from the content at hand.
3) The ability
to write clearly, following the conventions of Standard English.
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Good writing is one of the most difficult
and time consuming tasks that you will ever attempt. In my
opinion, it is harder than math or science. The quality of your
writing should continually improve throughout your life, with
improvements obviously continuing even past the end of this
course. As this semester progresses (and your skills hopefully
improve), you will be held to higher and higher standards for
your assignments.
We will be using a variety of science
fiction stories as the basis for our discussions, loosely
investigating this theme: |
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Technological developments in the nineteenth century impacted
society at many levels. Writers such as Jules Verne and H. G.
Wells, their daily lives noticeably transformed by the
inventions of the era, extrapolated ways in which technology
might further affect society, for good or bad. To this day, the
genre remains focused on the impact of technology (and
extrapolated technology) on the human condition. The impact
includes ecological, political, ethical, and social issues. |
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What will we be reading?
The textbook for this class is Pocket Keys for
Writers, by Ann Raimes. In addition, you are
required to obtain two short novels (The Time Machine,
by H.G. Wells, and Starship Troopers, by R.
Heinlein), and a collection of short stories (available
from Sundance books). Where
can I get help? In addition to Dr. Pogo’s
home page for the course (listed above), there is a
writing seminar home page at
http://www.geneseo.edu/~intd105. Also, Geneseo
has an excellent online writing guide available at
http://writingguide.geneseo.edu. Finally, there
is an on-campus Writing Learning Center in Welles Hall,
room 217. |
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What will I be
writing? The college
requires that you write six essays totaling more than
5000 words for this course. The average length of
these major papers will be about three pages. You will
be required to resubmit each major paper in multiple
drafts. In addition, we will have several smaller (one
page) assignments throughout the semester. All
submissions must be typed (double spaced) using a
10-point Times-Roman font.
How will I be evaluated?
Your writing assignments will be graded using
the standard SUNY Geneseo rubric (see Geneseo’s Intd105
webpage).
Be assured that although too-short essays will adversely
affect your grade, essays that are expanded with trite
or irrelevant text will be severely penalized.
Late assignments will also be severely penalized. In
addition, there will be a short quiz on the reading
assignment every time class meets. A numerical
grade will be computed using the following weights: |
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*your lowest quiz score will not be counted
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Tentative Course Reading Schedule:
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| Date |
SF Reading Due |
Assignments Due |
| Wednesday, August 30 |
The Feeling of Power
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Short
Assign #1 |
| Friday, September
1 |
Collateral Damage |
Short
Assign #2 |
| Wednesday, September 6
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| Friday, September 8
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Profession |
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| Monday, September 11
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Cautionary Tales
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Major
Paper #1: Rough Draft |
| Wednesday, September 13
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The Gentle Vultures |
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| Friday, September 15
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Major Paper #1: Final Draft |
| Monday, September 18
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Long Shot |
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| Wednesday, September 20
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The Last Question |
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| Friday, September 22
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The Giving Plague |
Short
Assign #3 |
| Monday, September 25
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Good Taste |
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| Wednesday, September 27
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| Friday, September 29
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Major
Paper #2: Rough Draft |
| Monday, October 2
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Cruel and Unusual |
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| Wednesday, October 4
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The Jigsaw Man |
Major
Paper #2: Final Draft |
| Friday, October 6
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The Winnowing |
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| Wednesday, October 11
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Kin |
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| Friday, October 13
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Short
Assign #4 |
| Monday, October 16
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Starship Troopers (ch. 1, 2,
3) |
Major
Paper #3: First Draft |
| Wednesday, October 18
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Starship Troopers (ch. 4, 5,
6) |
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| Friday, October 20
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Starship Troopers (ch. 7, 8,
9) |
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| Monday, October 23
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Starship Troopers (ch. 10, 11)
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| Wednesday, October 25
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Starship Troopers (ch. 12) |
Major
Paper #4: Final Draft |
| Friday, October 27
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Starship Troopers (ch.
13, 14) |
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| Monday, October 30
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Library Instruction I |
| Wednesday, November 1
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Library Instruction II & Quiz |
| Friday, November 3
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Cloak of Anarchy |
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| Monday, November 6
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A Thousand Deaths |
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| Wednesday, November 8 |
But We Try Not to Act Like It
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| Friday, November
10 |
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Major
Paper #5: Rough Draft |
| Monday, November 13
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Crunchers, Inc. |
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| Wednesday, November 15
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The Last McDougal’s |
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| Friday, November 17
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Nano Comes to Clifford Falls
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Major
Paper #5: Final Draft |
| Monday, November 20
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Are You There |
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| Wednesday, November 22
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| Monday, November 27
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The Time Machine (ch. i - iv)
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| Wednesday, November 29 |
The Time Machine (ch. v - vii)
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| Friday, December
1 |
The Time Machine (ch. viii –
xii, epilogue) |
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| Monday, December 4
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| Wednesday, December 6
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The Warm Space |
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| Friday, December 8
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Datacide |
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| Monday, December 11 |
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Major
Paper #6: Final Draft |
| Monday, December 18 |
- Final: 12:00 to 3:00pm
- Library: Milne 105
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Final Assignment |
In addition, there
will be various reading assignment from the Pocket Keys
textbook. |
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