ENGL 101 Section MT6 , Fall 2007 MW 3-4:15pm - Innovation Hall 319 Course Syllabus Dr. Kenneth C. Thompson James M. Watson Office: Enterprise 345 Science & Technology II 325 Office Phone: 703-993-2781 Office Hours: Mon/Thurs 4:30-5:30pm and by appointment Office Hours: Wed 3-4pm Email: kthomps4 [at] gmu.edu Email: jwatsona [at] gmu.edu Course Webpage: http://mason.gmu. edu/~kthomps4/101-MT6-f07/ Course Webpage: http://classweb.gmu.edu/jwatsona/ Engl 101 Blog: http://101mt6f07.wordpress.com/ Engl 101 Wiki: http://101-mt6-f07.wetpaint.com/ Mason Topics Tutor: Jeff Sears Email: jsears2 [at] gmu.edu Office: Eisenhower 131 (check the desk to make sure of the room number) Office hours: Wed/Thurs 7:30 to 9pm TEXTS: . Diana Hacker, A Pocket Style Manual. Bedford/St.Martin's paper (spiral bound) . Jill Jonnes, Empires of Light: Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse and the Race of Electrify the World. Random House paper COURSE BLOG AND WIKI: Over the course of the semester, you will regularly post short writing assignments on the class Wiki and Blog. The Wiki will serve as a space for collaborative research and discussion and the Blog as a place to post personal reflections and your responses to readings and films. I will put instructions on each site. If you have problems, please contact Jeff Sears or myself. . Engl101 Wiki at http://101-mt6-f07.wetpaint.com/ (note the dashes in the URL) . Engl101 Blog at http://101mt6f07.wordpress.com/ (note the absence of dashes in the URL) RESOURCES: . Diana Hacker's online exercises . Diana Hacker's Research and Documentation Online . GMU Writing Center . Doodles, Drafts and Designs: Industrial Drawings from the Smithsonian . Library Catalogs (GMU) . Web Guide on Engineering (GMU) . Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20th Century (National Academy of Engineering) . Jill Jonnes Interview (Booknotes) . IEEE Virtual Museum . IEEE Socket to Me: How Electricity Came to Be . All About Circuits (open source textbook) . Lessons in Electric Circuits (open source textbook) . Lessons in Electric Circuits Experiments . Ohm's Law (NASA) . Ohm's Law Calculator . Engineering at How Stuff Works . Edison's Miracle of Light (PBS documentary) . Edison Papers online . Edison's patents (Edison Papers) . Inventing Entertainment (Library of Congress) . Tesla: Master of Lightening (PBS documentary) . Tesla's Patents (Wikipedia) . Tesla related links (Tesla Society) . Westinghouse Works (Library of Congress) . Encyclopedia of Chicago . Electricity at the Fair (Cosmopolitan, 1893) . Design Failure Lessons . Challenger Disaster . Teaching Ethics and Engineering COURSE FRAMEWORK: This section of Engl 101 is linked to Engineering 107 as part of the Mason Topics' Science and Society program. There will be several shared assignments and special events in the two courses, including a Cinema and Supper series. In Engr 107, you will be introduced to fundamental concepts in Engineering. A design project will provide you with an opportunity to put into practice some of the engineering principles you have learned as well as develop your skills in collaboration and communication. Engl 101 will enable you to improve your writing and research skills while you study the history of electrification in 19th century America. In your English course, you will regularly work on collaborative research projects using a Wiki, post short essays on the class blog, and comment on each others longer papers using editing sheets I will prepare for each assignment. You will also be required to do exercises from Diana Hacker's Pocket Style Manual website keyed to my comments on your writing. There will be several overlapping assignments in the two linked classes including a short essay on ethics, a preliminary design proposal and your final design project. MASON TOPICS TUTOR: Jeff Sears, a senior Computer Science major with excellent writing skills who has been trained as a tutor by the Writing Center will be available throughout the semester to help you with your papers. He will have office hours Wed and Thurs in Eisenhower from 7:30 to 9pm. You can contact him by email at jsears2 [at] gmu.edu. You will be required to meet with him several times over the course of the semester. There are also additional tutors at the writing center. REQUIREMENTS: 1) Regular attendance. Participation in all class activities including workshops, group projects, and individual presentations. 2) Completion of all assigned reading. 3) On-time completion of all written work including paper all wiki and blog posts, editing sheets, quizzes, papers, bibliographies, and proposals. After three late assignments, each succeeding late project will be lowered half a grade. I will accept no assignments that are over one week late. All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the day indicated on the syllabus. FILM SCREENINGS: There will be several Mason Topics Cinema and Supper Film showings: All showings will be in one of the Eisenhower Multi Media Room at 7:30pm and will be required unless you have another class scheduled for that time. In that case, we will work out an alternative assignment (usually a paper and/or report to the class). There will be free pizza and soda at all showings. The screenings are sponsored by Housing and Residence Life and area scheduled as follows: . Edison: Miracle of Light on Sept 6th at the Eisenhower Multi Media Room, 7:00pm . Thomas Edison: The Man on Sept 24th at the Eisenhower Multi Media Room, 7:00pm . Tesla: Master of Lighting on Oct 11th at the Eisenhower Multi Media Room, 7:30pm MICRON TRIP: On Friday November 16th, we are tentatively scheduled to visit the Micron manufacturing facility in Manassas Virginia. NOTE ON PLAGIARISM: The English Department defines plagiarism as "using the exact words, opinions, or factual information from another source without giving that source credit. Writers give credit through the use of accepted documentation styles, such as parenthetical citation, footnotes, or end notes; a simple listing of books, articles, and websites is not sufficient. Plagiarism is the equivalent of intellectual robbery and cannot be tolerated in an academic setting." I will not tolerate plagiarism in my classes and will report incidents to the appropriate authorities. DISABILITIES: If you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please see me and contact the Office of Disability Resources at 703.993.2474. All academic accommodations must be arranged through that office. SHORT PAPERS (including blog posts): 33% LONG PAPERS: 33% PARTICIPATION AND GROUP WORK (including wiki posts): 33% SCHEDULE (SUBJECT TO REVISION) DATE Engl101 Engr107 Mon Aug 27 Introduction to the course; fill out the class Information Sheet and bring it to class on Wed. Set up mail forwarding at http://mail.gmu.edu if you do not plan to check your GMU email several times a week. I will also help you add my email addresses to your safe list so messages about the class will not be blocked by GMU's spam filter. You should also create a course folder in your GMU email account so you can easily locate course related messages. In-class writing on why you want to be an engineer. Introduce yourself to the class on the blog and post a preliminary account of why you want to be an engineer--or are interested in the subject if you don't plan to major in engineering. Jeff Sears, a senior Computer Science major with Introduction to the Engineering Profession excellent writing skills, will be present today to help with any technical problems. He will be the Mason Topics tutor this year and will have office hours Wed and Thurs in Eisenhower from 7:30 to 9pm to help you with both writing and IT related issues. The blog is at http://101mt6f07.wordpress.com/ The first time you go to the site you will need to register--unless you already have a WordPress account. Use your GMU user name and write down your password (or use one you will remember). Leave Gimme a blog unchecked for now. Once you have registered, you should see a New Post link at the top of the page. Give your post a title like "Why I want to be an engineer," and enter the text of your post in the box under Post . Depending how quickly I can set up the categories, you should see a check box with your name under People at the top right of the Write page. Check the box for your name before you click on Publish . If I haven't set up a category for you yet, you will have to go back and edit your post and check the box for your name later. If the registration page does not appear when you click on the link above, the login link is at the lower right of the page under Meta . Click on Login and then on Get a free WordPress account underneath the blue login screen. Use your GMU user name and write down your password (or use one you will remember). Leave Gimme a blog unchecked for now. You may want to begin your writing using an HTML editor or Word (saving the file as a web page ) until we see how the WordPress server is working. Wed Aug 29 Read section 1, Electrification , at the National Academy of Engineering's Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20th Century website at http://www. greatachievements.org/. Also look at Invention Stories from the Smithsonian's Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation at http://invention.smithsonian.org/resources/default_index.aspx Write several paragraphs in class on what you consider the most important engineering achievements of the 19th and 20th centuries. Post them to the class blog at http://101mt6f07.wordpress. com/. Make sure to check the boxes on the posting page for your first name and last initial so your posts will appear on person links on the right hand side of the page. Introduction to the Engineering Profession Mon Sept 3 LABOR DAY, NO CLASSES Wed Sept 5 Preliminary research and in-class writing for your engineering ethics writing assignment. Before class, read http://www.me.utexas.edu/~me179/topics/lessons/case2articles/ case2article1.html http://space.about.com/cs/challenger/a/challenger.htm For your assignment--due in both Engr107 and English 101 on Mon 9/10-- you will choose the technical society whose code you argue you should adhere to and identify it in your paragraph. In-class research: find the code you will argue for in Monday's paper. See the GMU library web guide on Engineering at http://library.gmu.edu/resources/engin/, especially the list of Professional Engineering Associations and Societies at http://library.gmu.edu/resources/engin/societies.html Engineering Ethics and Intro to Engineering Design Thurs Sept 6 Cinema and Supper Showing of Edison: Miracle of Light at the Eisenhower Multi Media Room, 7:00pm. Attendance is required unless you have another class scheduled for that time. In that case, we will work out an alternative assignment. There will be free pizza and soda. Within two days of seeing the film, you are required to post a short response to the film on the class blog at http://101mt6f07.wordpress.com/ Mon Sept 10 Engineering ethics writing assignment due today in both Engl 101 and Engr 107 (bring two print copies). Before class, read Edison's Story from the Lemelson Center at http://invention.smithsonian.org/centerpieces/ edison/ and Jill Jonnes, Empires of Light , Introduction and pp. 3-15 (Morgan's House Was Lighted Up Last Night ). We will watch a DVD of the interview with Jill Jonnes on CSPAN Booknotes. The low bandwidth version of the interview is also available online at http://www.booknotes.org/Program/? ProgramID=1751 Sept 11th--Last day to DROP with no tuition penalty; last day to ADD classes Introduction to Engineering Design Project & Preliminary Report Evaluations Wed Sept 12 Before class, read Empires of Light , pp. 17-49 (Endeavor to Make it Useful ). In-class group work on individuals, concepts and devices using the Wiki at http://101-mt6-f07.wetpaint.com/page/History+of+Electricity The following web sites may prove useful in doing the wiki assignment: . Web Guide on Engineering (GMU) . IEEE Virtual Museum . IEEE Socket to Me: How Electricity Came to Be . All About Circuits (open source textbook) . Lessons in Electric Circuits (open source textbook) . Ohm's Law (NASA) Introduction to Engineering Design and the Design Project Mon Sept 17 Read Empires of Light , pp. 51-85 (Thomas Edison: The Wizard of Menlo Park ). I will discuss Edison using Paul Israel's Edison: A Life of Invention (not assigned) and then go over the reading from Jill Jonnes with you in class. Representation of Tech Info and Curve Fitting Wed Sept 19 Group work and Wiki posting on Edison and his career. Start with the following sites as you do your research: . IEEE Virtual Museum on Edison (4 pages) . IEEE Edison's Lighting System . IEEE Light Bulbs . Edison's Light Bulb Patent, 1879 (click on images) . IEEE Pearl Street Station . Website for Edison's Miracle of Light . Edison Papers, Edison's Patents . Edison National Historical Site . Library of Congress, Inventing Entertainment (Motion Pictures and Sound Recordings of the Edison Companies) Then put together an account of what you consider to be Edison's most important inventions (at least two) with a description of each and your group's view of why they were important. Post your group's report to the Wiki at http://101-mt6-f07.wetpaint.com/page/Edison Representation of Tech Info and Curve Fitting Mon Sept 24 Write a 3-4 page paper (typed and double spaced) on what you consider were Edison's most important inventions and the methods he used to develop them. For each invention, describe the problem it addressed and/or the need it met, the alternatives available at the time, and the basic design of the device. Then make a detailed argument for why the inventions you chose are important. NO CLASS BECAUSE OF FILM SHOWING AT 730. BRING YOUR PAPERS TO THE FILM Guest Lecture Power and Exponential Curves Mon Sept 24 Cinema and Supper Showing of Edison The Man at the Eisenhower Multi Media Room, 7:00pm (TENTATIVE). Attendance is required unless you have another class scheduled for that time. In that case, we will work out an alternative assignment. There will be free pizza and soda. Within two days of seeing the film, you are required to post a short response to the film on the class blog at http://101mt6f07.wordpress.com/ Wed Sept 26 Begin workshops on design project. In-class exercises on clarity and grammar at http://dianahacker.com/pocket Sept 29th--Last day to DROP classes Power and Exponential Curves Thurs Sept 27 Mason Topics Moonlight Tour of DC, starting at Union Station 7:30pm (TENTATIVE) Mon Oct 1 Workshop on Design Project Writing. In-class exercises on clarity and grammar at http://dianahacker.com/pocket See: Ohm's Law Calculator Engineering at How Stuff Works Lessons in Electric Circuits Experiments Engineering Measurements & Estimations and Dimensions, Units & Conversions Wed Oct 3 Workshop on Design Project Writing. In-class exercises on clarity and grammar at http://dianahacker.com/pocket See the Smithsonian's Doodles, Drafts and Designs: Industrial Drawings from the Smithsonian at http://www.sil.si.edu/exhibitions/doodles/index.htm Engineering Measurements & Estimations and Dimensions, Units & Conversions Tue Oct 9 In-class showing of Thomas Edison: Father of Invention (Biography). Within two days of seeing the film, you are required to post a short response to the class blog at http://101mt6f07.wordpress.com/ COLUMBUS DAY, MON CLASSES MEET TUES OCT 10TH Design Project preliminary report and presentation Design Project Wed Oct 10 Read Empires of Light , pp. 87-115 (Nikola Tesla: Our Parisian ). Review of MLA documentation, particularly how to use the drop-down menus on Hacker's online site. Review Thurs Oct 11 Cinema and Supper Showing of Tesla: Master of Lighting at the Eisenhower Multi Media Room, 7:00pm. Attendance is required unless you have another class scheduled for that time. In that case, we will work out an alternative assignment. There will be free pizza and soda. Within two days of seeing the film, you are required to post a short response to film on the class blog at http://101mt6f07.wordpress.com/ Mon Oct 15 Group work and Wiki posting on Tesla and his career. Start with the following sites as you do your research: . IEEE Virtual Museum on Tesla . PBS Tesla Master of Lightening . Tesla Memorial Society Links Then put together an account of what you consider to be Tesla's most important inventions (at least two) with a description of each and your group's view of why they were important. Post your group's report to the Wiki at http://101-mt6-f07.wetpaint.com/page/Tesla Midterm exam & Review Wed Oct 17 Write a 3-4 page paper (typed and double spaced) on what you consider were Tesla's most important inventions and the methods he used to develop them. For each invention, describe the problem it addressed and/or the need it met, the alternatives available at the time, and the basic design of the device. Then make a detailed argument for why the inventions you chose are important. In-class exchange of papers and peer review. Oct 19th--Mid-term progress report Midterm exam & Review Mon Oct 22 Read Empires of Light , pp. 117- 139 (George Westinghouse ). Group work and Wiki posting on Westinghouse. Start with the following sites as you do your research: . How Westinghouse Changed the World (summary of article from Mechanical Engineering Magazine) . IEEE Virtual Museum on Westinghouse . The Westinghouse World (Library of Congress) . Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co (LOC) . Westinghouse Projects (LOC) . Learning Page on Westinghouse films (LOC) . Westinghouse films index (LOC) . Westinghouse and his patents (Wikipedia) Then put together an account of what you consider to be Westinghouse's most important contributions to the history of technology (at least two) with a description of each and your group's view of why they were important. Post your group's report to the Wiki at http://101-mt6-f07.wetpaint.com/page/Westinghouse Statistics Wed Oct 24 Write a 3-4 page (typed and double spaced) page account of how transformers work. Discuss Faraday's contribution, explain why transformers work only with AC current, indicate Westinghouse's contribution to transformer design, and explain why transformers are so important for long distance power generation. Oct 27th--Incomplete work from spring/summer 2005 due Statistics Mon Oct 29 Read Empires of Light , pp. 141- 163 and 179-183 (Edison Declares War ; Constant Danger ). Then review carefully pp. 153-163 and post to the blog before class an account of Tesla's lecture to the American Institute of Electrical Engineers in 1888. Make sure you explain the importance of polyphase AC in Tesla's induction motor. Also indicate why Westinghouse purchased Tesla's patents and difficulties Tesla had working with Westinghouse Engineers and commercializing his design. Vectors and Mechanics Wed Oct 31 Read Empires of Light , pp. 165-179 (Constant Danger from Sudden Death ). In-class discussion and blog posting on Brown's role in Edison's public relations campaign against AC. You can find the class blog at http://101mt6f07.wordpress. com/ Vectors and Mechanics on Nov 5 Read Empires of Light , pp. 185-198 and 204 (bottom)-213 (The Horrible Experiment ). In-class discussion and blog posting on whether Edison's position on electrocution was unethical or otherwise misconceived. You can find the class blog at http://101mt6f07.wordpress.com/ Systems Engineering Wed Nov 9 NO CLASS ENGL101 (Dr. Thompson at conference). Read Empires of Light , pp. 198- 204 (the PR struggle over the electrocution of a Western Union lineman in The Horrible Experiment ). Imagine you are either Edison or Westinghouse and enter a post to the class blog in the form of a letter to one of the New York papers on the Western Union lineman case and the safety of AC and DC. You can find the class blog at http://101mt6f07. wordpress.com/ Systems Engineering Mon Nov 12 In-class reading of the letters you wrote for last Wed. Begin reading Empires of Light , pp. 247-275 (The World's Fair ). Electrical Theory Wed Nov 14 Finish reading Empires of Light , pp. 247-275 (The World's Fair ). Inclass showing of excerpts from the PBS documentary, Chicago: City of the Century and Expo: The Magic of the White City ( JC Library call number T500.B1 E96 2005). . Within two days of seeing the documentaries, post your thoughts about the fair and its role in popularizing electricity and design at http://101mt6f07.wordpress.com/ Electrical Theory Fri Nov 16 Micron Tour, Manassas Virginia (TENTATIVE) Within two days of the trip, you are required to post a short response on the class blog at http://101mt6f07.wordpress.com/ Mon Nov 19 NO ENGLISH CLASS--DESIGN PROJECT PRESENTATIONS AND FINAL REPORTS DUE IN ENGR107 AND ENGL101 Design Project Presentations and Final Reports Wed Nov 21 NO CLASSES--THANKSGIVING RECESS NOV 21-25 Mon Nov 26 Read Electricity at the Fair (Cosmopolitan 1893). Group work on a proposal to electrify the Chicago World's Fair and preliminary Wiki posting. One group will represent Chicago and the Fair, one Westinghouse Electric, and one General Electric. Research training using the GMU library Web Guide on Engineering. If there is time, we will do more grammar exercises using Dianna Hacker's site at http://dianahacker.com/pocket/ Energy and Civil Engineering Wed Nov 28 Read Empires of Light , pp. 277- 299 and 318-333 (Niagara Power ; Yoked to the Cataract ). Online grammar exercises using Dianna Hacker's site at http:// dianahacker.com/pocket/ Energy and Civil Engineering Mon Dec 3 Group work on a proposal to generate power at Niagara and preliminary Wiki posting. At least one group should represent Westinghouse and one General Electric. If there is interest, the third group could put together an account of Tesla's role in the installation. Review for Final Exam Wed Dec 5 In-class debate on generating power at Niagara. In the second half of the class each group will update its wiki on Niagara by addressing at least one of the arguments of the opposing company. Fans of Tesla could write up what they think his view of what happened was. DEC 8 LAST DAY OF CLASSES; EXAM PERIOD DEC 11-18 Review for Final Exam Mon Dec 17 Final Exam scheduled for Engl 101-MT6 1:30-4:15pm Write a 4 page paper (typed and double spaced) on electrifying the Chicago World's Fair OR generating power at Niagara. You can either write a historical account of the battles between GE and Westinghouse at one of the installations or assume the role of a representative of one of the companies (or Tesla) and make an argument for why your proposal should be accepted. Whichever option you choose, make sure to include in your account an argument for the respective merits of alternating and direct current. Begin by identifying the problem or need you are addressing, discuss alternative solutions, and make a case for your proposal. May 9th Final Exam