Location: 345.213
Class: Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Office Hours: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 1-2 pm or by appointment
Email: Paul.Watkins@viu.ca

“The truth about stories is that that’s all we are”
—Thomas King

This course introduces you to university-level writing and research through the study of selected books, essays, short stories, a documentary, and two films. Together, we’ll explore a central question relevant to first-year students: What stories should guide how we design our lives? We will examine how language and narrative shape our understanding of the world and ourselves—including how certain stories and myths can be harmful. Major themes include the role of storytelling in society, rhetorical strategies like point of view, and the importance of critical thinking.

In this course students will develop a critical voice, analyze discourse, learn how to write a research paper and properly cite material, engage with pertinent social issues, such as the global environmental crises, pandemic responses, systemic racism, and Indigenous issues in Canada, and learn how various rhetorical strategies, such as point of view, are essential to university writing. It is my hope that you will leave this course with a better understanding of academic culture and perhaps with answers to some of the pertinent questions about how you want to tell your own story, especially during these challenging times. I look forward to what should be an exciting semester with you!

Required Texts:

  • Cherie Dimaline, The Marrow Thieves (Dancing Cat Books)
  • Ronald Wright, A Short History of Progress (Anansi)

Free Writing and Citation Guides:

Evaluation:
Participation 5%
Letter Assignment (600-750 words) 15%                       
Open-Book Essay on A Short History of Progress 20%
Research Essay
>>Annotated Bibliography and Intro 10%
>>Final Paper (1500 words) 25%
Final Exam 25%

See VIULearn for the full course outline and a breakdown of assignments.

Proposed Schedule

This schedule is subject to change. Please complete any readings before class. Other than the texts, supplementary readings are on VIULearn unless noted. 

Sept. 2             
Introduction; Course outline; Expectations and AI; Departmental grading policies; Reading to form an interpretation

Sept. 4             
Viewing and Discussion: Black Mirror, “Common People”

Sept. 9             
Writing: Approaching an essay assignment; Begin discussion of letter assignment due Sept 25; “Writing About Texts”
Reading: Jonathan Gottschall, “The Witchery of Story” (VIULearn)

Sept 11
Writing: Using appropriate and inclusive language; Summary versus synthesis
Thomas King, “You’ll Never Believe What Happened” (see VIULearn); King Audio

Sept. 16           
Persuasive Writing, Portals and Change: Naomi Klein, “AI machines aren’t ‘hallucinating’; Arundhati Roy: ‘The Pandemic is a Portal’; Kathryn Schulz, “The Really Big One”

Sept. 18           
Writing: Evaluating sources; Constructing reasonable arguments; Thesis Statements; Avoiding plagiarism; Integrating sources using MLA-style and APA documentation; Review Sample Papers (including student essays)

Sept. 23           
Reading (Letters): Atwood, “Letter to America” and Baldwin, “A Letter to My Nephew”; We will spend the last half hour in class working on your letters

Sept. 25           
Library Session 2:30-3:50
Short Essay (Letter) Due on Sept 26 by 11:59 pm on VIULearn

Sept. 30           
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (VIU closed)

Oct. 2              
Writing: Paragraphing
Reading: Ronald Wright Part I

Audio, listen here.

Oct. 7              
Writing: Avoiding Fragments; Discuss Annotated Bibliography 
Reading: Ronald Wright Part II

Seed clips: 1, 2, 3, and 4

Oct. 9              
Writing: The Comma
Reading: Ronald Wright Part III 

Oct. 14             
No class, Makeup for Mondays

Oct. 16             
Reading: Ronald Wright Part IV

Oct. 21             
Reading: Ronald Wright Part V
Start documentary, Surviving Progress

Oct 23             
Finish and discuss Surviving Progress
Midterm Review

Stephen Hawking’s warnings: What he predicted for the future
Ronald Wright on his book, A Short History Revisited 

Extra Readings for consideration:
“Ancient DNA and Neanderthals” (Feb 20, 2024)
“A Code Red for Humanity” (Aug 13, 2021)
“Humans Wiped Out Two-Thirds of the World’s Wildlife in 50 Years” (Sept 16, 2020)
“Millions attend global climate strike” (Sept 20, 2019)
“Paul Ehrlich: “Collapse of civilisation is a near certainty within decades”” (March 22, 2018)
“‘Soon it will be too late’: Scientists issue dire ‘second notice’ to humanity” (Nov 13, 2017)
“Warning of ‘ecological Armageddon’ after dramatic plunge in insect numbers” (Oct 18, 2017)
“The Fate of the Earth” (Oct 12, 2017)
“Record-smashing August means long-awaited ‘jump’ in global warming is here” (Sept 13, 2016)
“Limits to Growth was right. New research shows we’re nearing collapse” (Sept 22, 2014)
“Nasa-funded study: industrial civilisation headed for ‘irreversible collapse’?” (March 14, 2014)

Oct. 28             
In-class Midterm Exam

Oct. 30             
Writing: Evaluating arguments (Logical Fallacies)
In-class viewing: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, “The Danger of a Single Story“

Nov. 4              
Reading: Cherie Dimaline, The Marrow Thieves (1-55)
Please also read, “Introduction” (1-22) from Final Report of The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (available on VIULearn)
Discuss Research Essay (and checklist)

Nov. 6              
Writing: Revising
Reading: Cherie Dimaline, The Marrow Thieves (56-153)

Nov. 11 & 13   Study Day [NO CLASS]

Nov. 18            
Writing: Review apostrophe usage
Reading (finish): The Marrow Thieves (154-230)
Home Viewing: Indian Horse (for next week)

Nov. 20            
Reading: “Calls to Action” (319-338) from Final Report of The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (available on VIULearn)
Select scenes and discussion: Indian Horse

Nov. 25            
Workshop (Bibliography due at 11:59 pm) 

Nov. 27            
Reading: Chiang, “Story of Your Life” (see VIULearn)

Dec. 2              
Class Viewing: Arrival (part one)

Dec. 4              
Class Viewing: Arrival (part two)
Discussion and Exam Review
Essay Due (by 11:59 pm on VIULearn)