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Click hand to go to Pallant home page 
Office: Doane Hall of Chemistry C.202
Office Hours: M, T, 3:00 - 5:00; F 3::30 - 5:00
E-mail: epallant@allegheny.edu
or click on mailbox 
A liberal arts college should teach its students many things: critical thinking, effective speaking, sharp writing, open-mindedness, cosmopolitanism, and a deeper understanding of the world around them. Notice, my list includes skills, not content. In many ways the goals of this class are in contrast to high school's fixation on topics like calculus, biology, and American history. I have chosen The New York Times, widely referred to as the "paper of record," as the tool you will use to begin honing your skills, the skills necessary to become an effective citizen.
Competing with the academic skills necessary to succeed in this class, and ultimately in college and in life, are a series of outside-the-classroom demands that will test you throughout the days and nights of your first semester. You will need to grapple with
While Allegheny College is exceptional in providing support as you cope with these and other issues, and I will do my best to offer assistance of my own, in the end you are responsible for your own decisions. Decisions about what classes to take, who to date, what to drink, when to go to class, how much to study, and when to seek help. And at times, everyone needs help.
By the end of the semester my hope is that you will come to appreciate why the New York Times is considered the world's newspaper of record. More than that, my dream is that you will come to enjoy the Times for how it makes you feel about yourself and your relationship to the world around you. If all goes well, the Times will make you informed, educated, capable of teaching yourself whatever you need to know.
Heck, in the end, I don't care which section you have with your Grape Nuts and which one you like best in the bathroom, just so long as you feel like something's missing when the paper's not around.
| WEEK | TOPIC | CLASS FORMAT | ASSIGNMENTS |
| September 1 | Introduction - What questions would a reporter ask? | Interview your neighbor, Write, and Speak | |
| September 4 |
|
a. resources for when you need help. |
|
| September 11 |
Sections of the Times
|
Pallant chooses Topics |
|
| September 18 |
Using Times to examine personal interests, career interests
|
Four Student-led discussions
Move to Coffeehouse Think, pair, share. |
Writing: First APL assignment 500 words Due September 22
|
| September 25 |
Improve critical thinking and public speaking
|
Four Student-led discussions
Write response before coming to class. If needed. |
Submit research topic for speech and clippings project by September 29
|
| October 2 |
No class Monday: Yom Kippur |
Four Student-led discussions Round Robin |
|
| October 9 |
New York Times vs. hometown news sources Criteria for critiquing a speech |
Three Student-led discussions
|
|
| October 16 (10/16 Fall break) |
What are criteria for good arts and sciences review? |
Mid Course Evaluation Discuss Hometown news sources Three student speeches, begin 20 October |
Generate three observations about difference between New York Times and and home town news source (radio, TV, or newspaper) 250 words, can use bullets Due October 18 Get help: |
| October 23 |
Video (tentative): The myth of the liberal media [videorecording] : the propaganda model of news / Media Education Foundation ; producer and director, Sut Jhally
|
Six student speeches, begin 25 October | 3-5 Minute speech, Assignment: Persuade class that your Clippings topic is worth following in the New York Times, without ever saying "it's interesting." |
| October 30 |
Friday, 3 November, Prepare "Mockumentaries"
|
Six student speeches |
3-5 Minute speech, Assignment: Persuade class that your Clippings topic is worth following in the New York Times, without ever saying "it's interesting." Review of Sports, Lecture, Performing or Visual Arts at Allegheny College (400 words) Due November 1 |
| November 7 |
Present Mockumenaries |
Five student led discussions |
APL planning assignment #2 Due November 10 |
| November 14 | No classes Wednesday or Friday. Required individual meetings with Pallant. |
Rewrite of Arts and Sciences Review Due November 13 |
|
| November 21 (11/22,11/24 Thanksgiving) | Registration Preparation - Meetings with Pallant and FSA's |
Pallant leads discussions
|
|
| November 27 | Six student led discussions | Letter to President Cook about utility of New York Times to Allegheny Or Letter to Editor Due December 1 | |
| December 4 | RSEs | Four student led discussions | News Quiz |
| December 11 (12/13 Last day of classes) | Times role in world, Role of college education | Rewrite of Letter to President Cook about utility of New York Times to Allegheny Or Letter to Editor Due December 13 |
New York Times on the web. You'll need
to register the first time you log on.
A handful of other web news sources.
For analysis of the news, coverage in greater depth, perspectives from outside the mainstream, and politically colored commentary try the following (not an exhaustive list by any means). If you find favorites you want me to add to the list, let me know.
Criteria to be generated by class.
Criteria generated by me.
will be accepted, save for absolutely valid excuses.
Deadlines for Reports, Quizzes, and Speeches
News Quiz 1 (may also occur at random during semester) September 1 Describe your favorite sections (250 words) September 15 Lead Class discussion on article of your choice - 2 times Sign up APL 1 (500 words) September 22 Write responses before coming to class September 25, if needed Select Speech/Research Topic September 29 Comparison to home town news source October 18 Speech Begins October 20 Review of Sports, Lecture, or Arts event at Allegheny November 1 APL 2 (500 words) November 10 Second Draft of review of Sports, Lecture, or Arts event at Allegheny November 13 Freshman Registration December 4-8 Letter to President Cook or Letter to Editor December 1 News Quiz 3 December 8 Second draft of letter to President Cook or Letter to Editor December 13 Due Dates subject to change.
