English 118 - COLQ IN WRITING

In sections limited to 15 students each, this course primarily provides systematic instruction and practice in reading and writing academic prose, with emphasis on argumentation. The course also provides instruction and practice in conducting research and in public speaking. Particular sections of this course are designed to support nonnative speakers and bilinguals, who are strongly encouraged to consider those sections. Priority is given to incoming students in the fall-semester sections. Course may be repeated for credit with another instructor: We live in a culture of performance. We see this on TV, whether we’re watching the news or the latest episode of Real Housewives of [Insert Any City Name Here]. We see this on blogs and internet comment sites as well as on first dates. Every day, we take on different roles depending on our social context: we are different people with our parents than we are with our friends, for example, just as we are different people on Twitter or Facebook than we are when sitting in a classroom. Some of these differences are so subtle we may not even be aware of them; others are not so subtle. Over the course of this class, we will examine how these different roles have come to exist, how they affect the way we relate to ourselves and others, and how they are changing (for better and/or for worse) the society we live in.