Comprehensive Study Guide: Course Policies, Academic Mechanics, and Photojournal Project Guidelines

Class Introductions & Orientation

  • Course Introduction Framework

    • Writing is an intense process, making community-building and knowing peer backgrounds essential.
    • The first 6–76\text{--}7 weeks of the semester incorporate structured introductory exercises.
    • Icebreaker Prompt: Share name, hometown/where grew up, and one positive event that occurred today (regardless of magnitude).

  • Participant Profiles & Daily Successes

    • Poplar Bluff, Missouri: Arrived at the train station platform at the exact moment the train pulled up.
    • Nana (Dubai): Successfully managed time and personal tasks for the day.
    • Kaiser (Ameres City): Finally retrieved/activated their U-Pass.
    • Harshie (Naperville): Woke up late and got to enjoy sleeping in.
    • Hao Tu (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam): Had minimal class commitments for the day (only this class and Calculus immediately following), allowing time to sleep, visit the recreation center, and play badminton.
    • Brian (Pilsen, Chicago): Successfully transferred out of an unwanted course.
    • Kevin (Chicago): Arrived on time to all scheduled classes.
    • Jacob (South Carolina): Spent a 1-hour1\text{-}hour break between classes hanging out with friends.
    • Fuad (Beirut, Lebanon): Approved for an intercollege pathway transfer to switch majors from Kinesiology into Engineering.
    • Leah (Chicago): Lost her car but found it parked in the exact location expected.
    • Andy (Amundsen / Ambonmongering, Chicago): Found a $10\$10 bill on the way to class.
    • Hamail / Hamz (Dubai): Arrived at their first class at the exact second it began.
    • Milena (Naperville): Woke up on time for all scheduled classes.
    • Julie (Chicago): Received a paycheck today.
    • Autumn (Vermont, Illinois): Experienced smooth, hassle-free traffic during the commute.
    • Yvonne (Skokie): Woke up on time for class.

  • Instructor Notes & Operational Details

    • Physical Accommodation: Glasses feature only one earpiece due to a second cochlear implant surgery received in December; the side remains sore, causing the glasses to sit crookedly to avoid direct pressure.
    • Name Recognition: Memorizing student names takes a couple of weeks due to ongoing roster shifts and add/drop activity in early weeks.

Syllabus Q&A, Administrative Policies, & Grading Mechanics

  • Grading Policies

    • Project Rubrics: Rubrics are not front-loaded at the beginning of the semester to avoid overwhelming students; step-by-step guidance is provided as project milestones approach.
    • No Grade Curving: Grades are absolute and uncurved (Grade earned=Grade recorded\text{Grade earned} = \text{Grade recorded}).
    • Canvas Submissions: Students may submit updated versions of an assignment multiple times using the same filename prior to the deadline. The instructor grades only the latest submission. Early submissions are strongly encouraged to mitigate last-minute technical issues.

  • Attendance and Absence Rules

    • Absence Limit: Students are allowed 22 weeks worth of absences per semester for English 160160. For a Tuesday/Thursday schedule, 22 weeks equals 44 total class days.
    • Absence Penalty: Exceeding the 44 allowed class absences results in a mandatory reduction of 11 full letter grade per additional absence. This is a strict First-Year Writing Program policy and applies even if a doctor's note is provided.
    • Tardiness Threshold: Arriving approximately 1515\,minutes late constitutes an official absence. Unexcused minor tardiness (4–54\text{--}5\,minutes) disrupts class and should be avoided.
    • Religious Holiday Policy: Absences for recognized religious holidays (e.g., Ramadan on the UIC religious calendar) are excused. Students requiring ongoing accommodations throughout a holiday period must speak directly with the instructor to set up an individualized work plan.

  • Classroom Technology Policy

    • Laptops/computers are permitted approximately 80%80\% of the time in class.
    • Specific in-class writing sessions will prohibit technology; these dates are announced in advance.

  • Communication Policy

    • Email is the primary contact method. Personal phone numbers are not distributed. Ongoing technical issues must be addressed in person during office hours.

Writing Center & Course Deliverables

  • UIC Writing Center Capabilities

    • Location: Grant Hall, Room 105105 (located diagonally across from the course classroom).
    • Services: Peer tutors assist with brainstorming, initial outline creation, structural development, and drafting revisions.
    • Tutor Assignments: Peer tutors generally serve for full semesters or multiple consecutive terms. Repeat visits may feature different tutors.
    • Extra Credit: Scheduling and attending a Writing Center session offers a single extra credit opportunity (granted once per student, not per visit).

  • Lightning Talks Format

    • Purpose: Low-stakes oral presentations designed to share writing processes and peer ideas.
    • Duration: 22, 2.52.5, or 33\,minutes per student depending on the project.
    • Class Time Allocation: Takes roughly 50–6050\text{--}60\,minutes total to cycle through all student presentations.
    • Slide Deck Structure: Each student submits exactly 11 slide summarizing their writing. A name-generator program randomizes the slide deck order in real time.
    • Presentation Rule: Presenters must speak naturally and strictly avoid reading off the slide text.
    • Make-up Policy: Lightning Talks cannot be made up over Zoom. Missing the in-class talk requires a 10–15-minute10\text{--}15\text{-}minute deep-dive office interview regarding the student's writing.

  • Project Difficulties & Course Scope

    • Reflection Paper: Challenges students because it requires metacognition ("talking about talking") and evaluating personal writing processes.
    • Argumentative Essay: Challenges students in constructing, structuring, and defending a cohesive thesis.
    • Photojournal & Film Review: Generally manageable projects with low student failure rates.
    • Writing Project 2 Details: Requires an academic review recommendation evaluating whether a chosen work (The Handmaid's Tale) effectively illustrates power structures. Students must watch the television series adaptation rather than reading the book due to specific narrative elements analyzed in class.
    • Privacy: End-of-semester reflection papers remain private between the student, instructor, and peer reviewers (approximately 77 readers total) and are not showcased to future classes.
    • Scope Distinction (English 160 vs. 161): English 160160 focuses on analyzing fictional dystopian structures and themes. English 161161 (taken in spring) focuses on research connecting literature directly to contemporary real-world civic issues.

Academic Economics, Course Mechanics, & Time Management

  • The Unwritten Curriculum & First-Generation College Students

    • First-Generation Definition: The first person in an immediate family to attend college.
    • First-generation students often lack institutional insider knowledge ("unwritten curriculum") that peers with college-educated family members inherit.

  • Tuition Breakdown & Cost Analysis

    • Base undergraduate tuition (in-state, with health insurance, U-Pass, taking 1212 credit hours / 44 classes) equals approximately $2,099\$2,099 per class.
    • Out-of-state tuition, international student status, or specialized degree programs (e.g., Engineering differential fees) increase this cost significantly.
    • This specific 3-credit-hour3\text{-}credit\text{-}hour course meets 2727 times during the semester (22 of the 2929 scheduled dates are canceled due to instructor conference attendance).
    • Cost per class session:
    • At a 12-credit-hour12\text{-}credit\text{-}hour load: $77\$77 per class meeting.
    • At a 15-credit-hour15\text{-}credit\text{-}hour load: $62\$62 per class meeting.
    • At an 18-credit-hour18\text{-}credit\text{-}hour load: $51\$51 per class meeting.
    • Total course contact time with the instructor equals exactly 3333\,hours and 4545\,minutes.

  • High School vs. College Time Allocation

    • High School Context: US high school schedules run roughly 7:30 AM7:30\text{ AM} to 3:00 PM3:00\text{ PM}/3:30 PM3:30\text{ PM}/4:00 PM4:00\text{ PM} (≈35\approx 35\,hours/week in school). High schools schedule 120–150120\text{--}150\,hours of annual classroom time per course to pad for assemblies, standardized testing, and emergency drills.
    • College Expectations: College class hours strictly reflect credit hours. Out-of-class effort dictates success.
    • Homework Ratio: For every 11\,hour spent in class, expect 2–32\text{--}3\,hours of out-of-class study/writing per week.
    • For this 3-credit3\text{-}credit class: 6–96\text{--}9\,hours/week of independent work (fluctuating from 11\,hour on light weeks up to peak research weeks).
    • For a 12-credit12\text{-}credit schedule: 24–3624\text{--}36\,hours/week of out-of-class study, creating a combined full-time effort of 36–4836\text{--}48\,hours/week.

  • Course Numbering, Student Rank, & Degree Tracking

    • Level System: 100100\text{-level} = Freshman; 200200\text{-level} = Sophomore; 300300\text{-level} = Junior; 400400\text{-level} = Senior.
    • Registration Priority: Determined strictly by credit hours completed. Order: Graduate Students →\rightarrow Seniors →\rightarrow Juniors →\rightarrow Sophomores →\rightarrow Freshmen.
    • Graduation Requirements: Most undergraduate majors require ≈120\approx 120\,credit hours, though Engineering programs often require 130–135130\text{--}135\,credit hours. Students must independently audit and track their graduation requirements.

Writing Project 1: Photojournal Specifications & Framework

  • Core Project Parameters

    • Word Count & Page Length: 1,000–1,2001,000\text{--}1,200\,words (4–54\text{--}5 double-spaced typed pages).
    • Source Requirements: Minimum of 66 sources required:
    • Source 1: The course primary text (book).
    • Source 2: Primary photographic evidence/author (student selfies).
    • Sources 3 & 4 (and optional 5 & 6): UIC Library research databases.
    • Sources 5 & 6: Additional secondary sources or verified internet imagery.
    • Image Requirements: Exactly 44 photos total (22 original selfies taken at real-world locations, 22 archived/internet photos).
    • Key Milestones / Due Dates:
    • First Draft: September 8
    • Second Draft (Peer Review): September 15
    • Final Draft: Friday, September 18

  • Structural Requirements & Task Execution

    • Select at least 22 short stories from the course book (containing ≈15–18\approx 15\text{--}18 total short stories).
    • Identify, research, and write photojournal entries on 44 real people, real places, or historical events referenced within the chosen fictional stories.
    • Story/subject distribution options: Split entries as 22 subjects from Story A and 22 subjects from Story B, or 33 from Story A and 11 from Story B.
    • Excluded Story: The Last Graveyard Shift cannot be selected by students because it is analyzed as an in-class example.

  • Photojournal Entry Content Breakdown

    • Section 1: Real-World Background Information (≈250\approx 250\,words per entry): Objective factual history, administrative updates, and technical specifications supported by standard parenthetical in-text citations.
    • Section 2: Synthesis & Literary Analysis: Analysis detailing where and how the real-world location/person/event intersects with the themes, allegories, and narrative events of the fictional story.

Photojournal Sample Analysis: Huntington Beach Power Plant

  • Background Information Paragraph (Example)

    • The Huntington Beach Power Plant served utility customers across Orange County and Southern California. Decommissioned in 19951995, it underwent a major retrofit upgrade and returned to service in 20012001.
    • The 20012001 upgrade doubled original capacity to 450450\,megawatts (MW\text{MW}) while reducing nitrogen oxide (NOx\text{NO}_x) gas emissions by 80%80\%.
    • In 20172017, the California Energy Commission approved further plant modifications. Completed in 20202020, these changes raised total power output to 648648\,megawatts (MW\text{MW}).

  • Literary Synthesis & Analysis Paragraph (Example)

    • In the climate fiction novel Dry, the power plant functions as an allegory for societal failure to address environmental crises.
    • Character Connection: Plant manager Pete Flores allows displaced families of plant workers to take refuge inside facility infrastructure without authorization, recognizing distant corporate executives are too detached to grant timely permission.
    • Socio-Political Connection: Flores' decision mirrors real-world populations unaffected by immediate climate events. In California, severe wildfires and extreme Pacific Northwest heatwaves decimate cold-water fishing industries, yet distant lawmakers fail to enact preventative policies.

Story Mapping & Location Safety Protocol

  • Geographic Distribution of Book Stories

    • Course stories are set in specific real-world Chicago neighborhoods and landmarks. Selecting stories set near a student's residence or daily transit route simplifies taking required selfies.
    • Group Selfie Policy: Multiple students (or groups up to the entire class) analyzing the same story may travel together to the specified location and take joint selfies.

  • Safety & Fieldwork Restrictions

    • Lower Lower Wacker Drive Warning: Students are strictly prohibited from visiting Lower Lower Wacker Drive to take photos. The subterranean level is restricted to municipal/city service vehicles, illegal for pedestrian entry, and presents extreme safety hazards.
    • Approved Lower Wacker Workaround: Students analyzing stories set in Lower Lower Wacker Drive must safely substitute a selfie taken at street level next to an above-ground street sign reading "Wacker".