English 1102
Mapping Nature
First-Year Composition University of Georgia, English Department, Fall 2018, Special Topics TR 9:30-10:45 (#25452), 11:00-12:15 (#25235), 2:00-3:15 (#33609), 3:30-4:45 (#25453)
Instructor: Dr. Joshua Hussey
Email: jhussey@uga.edu
Office: Park Hall 326.6
Office Hours: MW by appointment (DigiLab main library or Park Hall 326.6), TR 12:15-1:15 & 4:45-5:30pm (PH), and available for chat through Slack group (online)
Required Course Materials
First-Year Composition Guide, 2018-2019 Edition
Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities (ISBN 978-0156453806)
Other Materials
Annie Dillard, excerpts from Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
Eula Biss, “Letter to Mexico,” from Notes from No Man’s Land
Jorge Luis Borges,”Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius”
Kenneth Rexroth, pieces from One Hundred Poems from the Chinese
Thomas Jefferson, excerpts from Notes on the State of Virginia (1784)
Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur, excerpts from Letters from an American Farmer (1793)
John Muir, excerpts from My First Summer in the Sierra
William Bartram from Travels
Readings made available as PDFs on Emma or Elc
Film
Werner Herzog, Grizzly Man. 2005.
Games
Geoguessr, Anton Wallén, 2013.
Gone Home, The Fullbright Co, 2013.
Electronic Resources
Carto.com (mapping software)
Esri.com (ArcGIS software)
Google Fusion Tables, Google Earth
Library of Congress Maps – https://www.loc.gov/maps/
Story Maps (esri) – https://storymaps.arcgis.com/en/gallery
Radical Cartography (William Rankin) – http://radicalcartography.net/
David Rumsey Cartography – https://www.davidrumsey.com/
Notes on the State of Virginia at UVA Scholar’s Lab – http://notes.scholarslab.org
ATLMaps project – https://atlmaps.org/
Digital Library of Georgia – https://dlg.usg.edu/
Hargrett Rare Maps Index “Frontier to New South” – http://www.libs.uga.edu/darchive/hargrett/maps/nine.html
Oconee Hill Cemetery (UGA Campus) – https://digilab.libs.uga.edu/cemetery/neatline/show/map
Geogessr – https://geoguessr.com
Smarty Pins – https://smartypins.withgoogle.com
Fantasy Map Generator – http://rollforfantasy.com/tools/map-creator.php
Flowing Data Charts (Day in the Life of Americans) – https://flowingdata.com/2015/12/15/a-day-in-the-life-of-americans/
Flowing Data (Running Traces) – https://flowingdata.com/2014/02/05/where-people-run/
Axis Maps (Andy Woodruff) – http://andywoodruff.com
Course Description
The theme of this course — location and mapping — considers how information about location is collected and recorded through a visual translation, such as a map or infographic. Locations themselves are types of complex images, formed through various observations, perspectives, and experiential information; Maps are subjective instruments, not impartial, and their measurements, inputs, and outputs are often creative interpretations of critical data. The course readings, archival materials, and assignments will engage with the features of cartography and spatial attributes.
While we will use the features of geographical information systems to analyze literature, the purpose of this course is to develop abilities in composition, both traditional and multimodal, with respect to UGA English FYC learning goals. In order to navigate these goals, students will: critically engage with a variety of texts, from print to interactive media; study literature as a rich database of social forms; author essays responding to literary features, points of view, and relationships among language, knowledge, and power; collaborate on and present a complex multimodal composition assignment that engages with the digital design parameters of the course (mapping, spatial analysis, archives).
Additionally, this class counts as a Praxis class for the Digital Humanities Undergraduate Certificate. The digital methods and tools we will use in this class support the larger goals of the certificate to build digital research skills and digital literacy at the undergraduate level. For more information about other eligible classes or pursuing this certificate visit: https://digi.uga.edu/certificate/.
Prerequisites
To enroll in English 1102, students must have either exempted English 1101 or passed it with a “D” or better. To graduate, however, students must have earned a grade of “C” in English 1101 and have a combined average grade of “C” in English 1101 and 1102. Students therefore are strongly advised not to enroll in English 1102 until they have received a “C” in English 1101. According to the University policy on plus-minus grading, a grade of “C-” will not satisfy the requirement for a “C” in ENGL 1101; a combined average of “C-“ or 1.7 in English 1101 and 1102 will not satisfy the requirement for a combined average of “C” in the two courses. For more information on plus-minus grading, see:http://www.bulletin.uga.edu/PlusMinusGradingFAQ.html. FAQ #9 is particularly relevant to the requirements of First-year Composition.
Goals
The First-Year Composition Guide and the Website (english.uga.edu/first-year-composition-courses) provide the standard prerequisites and goals of the core composition courses for the University of Georgia. In particular, these goals highlight critical thinking, rhetorical affordances, collaborative work, and recursive processes such as collecting data, drafting, editing, and revising. Additional Learning Goals are provided by the DigiLab (Dr. Emily McGinn) in order to qualify the course for academic credit toward a Digital Humanities Certificate. These goals specifically address humanist issues within data-driven projects. FYC Goals follow:
- read fiction, drama, and poetry and write analytically about them;
- understand literary principles and use basic terms important to critical writing and reading;
- write papers in and out of class using processes that include discovering ideas and evidence, organizing that material, and revising, editing, and polishing the finished paper;
- think critically so that they can recognize the difference between opinion and evidence and so that they can support an intelligent, challenging thesis;
- address papers to a range of audiences;
- understand the collaborative and social aspects of the writing process and demonstrate an ability to critique the writing of themselves and others;
- develop a sense of voice appropriate to the subject, the writer’s purpose, the context, and the reader’s expectations;
- understand how genres shape reading and writing and produce writing in several genres
- follow the conventions of standard edited English and MLA documentation.
- use electronic environments for drafting, reviewing, revising, editing, and sharing texts;
- understand and exploit the differences in the rhetorical strategies and in the affordances available for both print and electronic composing processes and texts.
Additional Learning Goals
- Learn to make arguments with data; interpret data
- Consider digital systems such as ARCGIS, Carto, Palladio, or Google — how does the mapping platform ask questions about the world; how does presenting through various digital or material forms tell us something about history, human behavior, and human-machine relationships?
DH Post-course survey
https://ugeorgia.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3ZNsMbtkkqpLLRH
Course Requirements
Students will write three essays total (approximately 1000-3000 words each) engaging literary works and electronic texts. The first two essays are more traditional — a personal narrative and literary analysis. In addition to these essays, the third essay will be a collaborative, multimodal project and presentation uniting map-making software, the Hargrett Archives and Map Library, and written composition. In lieu of a final exam, all students will create an electronic portfolio that counts approximately as one-third of their final grade. The e-Portfolio, hosted on Emma, will include: a Biography; an Introductory Reflective Essay; two of three essays (revised) written for class; an example of the revision process; an example that demonstrates peer review; a “wild card” submission.
While the essays, projects, and the final portfolio constitute a major portion of the course grade, the class will stress the importance of developing writing through recursive processes and practice journaling, in-class writing assignments, drafts, and peer reviews. These practices will encourage an appropriate approach to university-level writing. In order to fulfill the requirements for each of the essays, you must complete all of the writing process assignments.
Participation is considered through the timely completion of reading and writing assignments including process work, verbal contributions in class, quizzes, and attendance record. Regular class engagement is expected to best foster a connected class environment. There will also be opportunities for small group participation. Students are expected to read all assigned materials, to bring books to class, to contribute to class discussions, and to pay attention to the instructor and to each other. The assumption will be that students are aware that certain kinds of behavior are not appropriate in class.
Attendance Policy
Because writing skills develop slowly over time, regular attendance is essential in First-Year Composition. As stated in First-Year Composition Guide, on the fifth absence (MWF classes) or the fourth absence (TR classes), no matter what the reason, students can expect to be dropped either with a W before the midpoint of the semester and with a F after the midpoint of the semester. Additionally, lateness is unprofessional and continual tardiness will reflect poorly on one’s final grade.
Access Policy
Students with special needs are invited and encouraged to discuss them with the instructor.
Late Work and Make-Up Policy
Late work is not accepted unless extenuating circumstances prevent the student from completing work on time. Students must contact the instructor in advance of the deadline to discuss complications. Make-ups for missed quizzes are usually not allowed, unless real circumstances have prevented a student from attending class that day.
English Department Resources
All first-year composition students are eligible for free tutorial services in the Writing Center (Park Hall 66). Book a writing center appointment at uga.mywconline.com.
All first-year composition students are also eligible to use the Digital Writing Lab (Park Hall 118) during open hours. The computer lab in Park 118 is dedicated to general technical and Emma support. Its hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM, and it will be staffed by assistants who can assist you. If you have computer problems or questions regarding Emma, ask your instructor but also go to the lab.
Emma and Digital Resources for composition
Emma, http://www.emma.uga.edu, is a content management system designed for writing classrooms. It is an online environment containing a set of digital document tools that we will use throughout the semester to compose, conduct peer review, make assignment submissions, and create portfolios. To gain access to the Emma system, add our class (search by instructor name).
Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy
All students in the room are entitled to feel safe, listened to, represented, and respected in an anti-oppressive classroom space. As a result, it is of critical importance that students adhere to UGA’s Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment policy. This policy mandates “Neither employment nor study, nor institutional services, programs, and activities should be hindered by such prohibited bias factors as race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, veteran status, or disability.” Any statements that are deemed racist, sexist, homophobic, classist, or otherwise discriminatory toward others in the class or outside of class will not be tolerated. Please review the policy on UGA’s Equal Opportunity’s website at: http://eoo.uga.edu/policies/NDAH-Policy.html.
Academic Honesty
You are required to know all the University policies regarding plagiarism and other dishonesties. Not knowing does not reprieve one from recourses for academic dishonesty. All academic work must meet the standards contained in “A Culture of Honesty”. Students are responsible to inform themselves about those standards before performing any academic work.
Grade Distribution
Essay 1: 100 (+ 50 process)
Essay 2: 100 (+ 50 process)
Essay 3: 150 (+ 50 process)
Portfolio: 300
Quizzes/Labs: 200
Assignment Deadlines and brief descriptions
14 Sep | Essay 1 | Writing to Reflect | Write a narrative of a personal walk or memory of travel, researching objects along the way (include relevant images, 2+ sources)
12 Oct | Essay 2 | Writing on Literature | Write a thesis-driven essay discussing course readings, an electronic project, or archival materials (1+ source)
13 Nov | Essay 3 | Mapping | Using Carto (or other software) and the Hargrett Rare Maps archive, write a multimodal essay that uses modern and historical maps (that you author as well as research) to argue and discuss a particular perspective (4+ sources)
29 Nov | Final Course Portfolio
The course syllabus is a general plan for the course; deviations announced to the class by the instructor may be necessary.
