By Clair Cain Miller, The New York Times January 27, 2010
When Apple announced the name of its tablet computer today — the iPad — my mind immediately went to the feminine hygiene aisle of the drugstore. It turns out I wasn’t alone.
The term “iTampon” quickly became a trending topic on Twitter because of Tweets like this one: “Heavy flow? There’s an app for that!” A CNBC anchor, Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, said the iPad was a “terrible name” for the tablet. “It reminds me of feminine products,” she said.
“Are there any women in Apple marketing?” asked Brooke Hammerling, founder of Brew Media Relations, a technology public relations firm. “The first impression of every single woman I’ve spoken to is that it’s cringe-inducing. It indicates to me that there wasn’t a lot of testing or feedback.”
It is not just women who were surprised. When Peter Shankman, a public relations and social media expert, saw the name on television, he was taken aback. “I’m waiting for the second version that comes with wings,” he said.
Mr. Shankman was surprised that Apple, with its meticulous attention to detail, missed the significance. He cited a piece of company lore — when its naming conventions called for a new computer to be called the Macintosh SEx, Apple went with the name Macintosh SE/30 instead.
So if the name is a bit tone-deaf, at least to half the population, will it hurt sales of the iPad?
“In three months’ time, if it delivers on its promise, no one’s going to remember that they chuckled about it,” said Hayes Roth, chief marketing officer at Landor Associates, a brand consulting firm that has introduced new names for many products and services. (Like many men, he said that he did not make the menstruation connection at first.)
The women I interviewed said that if the iPad is a must-have, they will buy it, even if their first reaction was to wince at the name.
Apple probably vetted the name and knew the risk it was taking, Mr. Roth said, but used the name anyway because it was so fitting. I e-mailed Apple to ask, but haven’t heard back yet. (Some critics, including a few commenters on the Bits blog, noted that Apple currently lists no women in its top executive positions.)
Mr. Roth said that whatever its drawbacks, the iPad name was effective.
“The minute you heard the name, did you know exactly who it was and who brought it to you?” he said. “Yes. Because they followed the naming convention that they created and have used very cleverly, and it’s a name that actually is very descriptive.”
After a year in the classroom with female teachers who say they are anxious about math, girls are more likely to share that attitude -- and score lower on tests, researchers say.
By Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times January 26, 2010
Girls have long embraced the stereotype that they're not supposed to be good at math. It seems they may be getting the idea from a surprising source -- their female elementary school teachers.
First- and second-graders whose teachers were anxious about mathematics were more likely to believe that boys are hard-wired for math and that girls are better at reading, a new study has found. What's more, the girls who bought into that notion scored significantly lower on math tests than their peers who didn't.
The gap in test scores was not apparent in the fall when the kids were first tested, but emerged after spending a school year in the classrooms of teachers with math anxiety. That detail convinced researchers that the teachers -- all of them women -- were the culprits.
"Teachers who are anxious about their own math abilities are translating some of that to their kids," said University of Chicago psychologist Sian Beilock, who led the study published Monday in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The study is the first both to examine the math attitudes of teachers and to show that those feelings can spread to students and undermine their performance, said coauthor Susan C. Levine, also a psychologist at the University of Chicago.
Experts said the findings could have implications for policymakers seeking to draw more women into careers in science, engineering and technology. Instead of focusing their efforts solely on female students, they could devise interventions for teachers as well.
"We always need more excellent scientists and mathematicians," said University of Wisconsin psychology professor Janet Shibley Hyde, who examines gender differences in math performance and wasn't involved in the study. "They are the force that drives the nation's economy. You don't want to dismiss 50% of the potential scientists because they're girls rather than boys. That's just crazy."
Beilock and her colleagues recruited seven female teachers from a Midwestern school district and assessed their level of math anxiety -- a condition in which the prospect of doing math evokes unpleasant physiological and emotional responses. Such anxiety is more common among women, but isn't related to math abilities.
The researchers also gave math tests to 117 of the teachers' students and assessed their beliefs about math and gender at the beginning and the end of the school year.
By the spring, 20 of the girls subscribed to the math-is-for-boys stereotype; they were more likely to have been taught by math-anxious teachers. The girls scored an average of 102.5 on a test that asked them to count shapes and do simple addition and subtraction.
The average scores were higher for the other students: 107.8 for the remaining 45 girls and 107.7 for the 52 boys.
Beilock said she and her colleagues weren't sure exactly how the angst was transmitted from teachers to students.
Perhaps math-anxious teachers call on girls to solve math problems less frequently; praise boys more effusively; or simply imply that it's not important for girls to be good at math.
The teachers could also telegraph their own discomfort with math by hesitating when answering questions or speaking in a different tone of voice, and some girls internalize that attitude, Beilock said.
When girls see women struggling with math, it "contributes to the stereotype that math is for males," Hyde said. "It's kind of like the Barbie who said, 'Math is hard.' "
Studies have shown that girls have just as much math ability as boys. In a 2008 report in the journal Science, Hyde and her colleagues analyzed the math test scores of more than 7 million American students in grades 2 through 11 and found no difference between boys and girls at any grade level.
A study published this month by some of the same researchers examined the math performance of nearly half a million 14-to-16-year-olds in 69 countries. That report, in Psychological Bulletin, also found that boys and girls scored essentially the same, and that girls did better if they lived in countries where many women pursued careers in math and science.
The gap that emerged in the new study may seem small, but because math is a cumulative subject, its long-term consequences may be significant, researchers said. By high school, if girls don't take advanced math and science classes, they're effectively shutting themselves out of certain college majors and, thus, many career options.
"There's a snowball effect," Beilock said.
Marcia C. Linn, a professor of development and cognition at UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Education, said the results were "disheartening," though not surprising. But she questioned whether it was fair to single out teachers.
"It's not just their teachers," she said. "It's the textbook, and it's a new conception of mathematics."
But Hyde pointed out that if the main problem were a boring curriculum, boys would be affected in addition to girls.
The study raises important questions about the education of elementary school teachers. Only 33% of kindergarten, first- and second-grade teachers took a course in probability and statistics in college, and only 13% took calculus, Beilock said.
More math training -- in college and afterward -- might improve teachers' confidence.
But the stereotype will probably persist as long as it remains acceptable for women to express a fear of math.
"You don't hear people going around bragging about the fact that they can't read, but you do hear people say, 'Oh, I don't want to calculate the bill,' " Beilock said.
Section and Course Number: 67 / 29296 Time and Place: MW 7:30-8:45 AM in SH 413 & Section and Course Number: 69 / 29298 Time and Place: MW 9:00-10:15 AM in SH 413
Instructor: Daniel Hendel De La O Office Hours: MW 10:30-11:30 AM in FO 111 Phone: 408.924.5019 Email: dhdelao@gmail.com Twitter: twitter.com/profdlo Blog: threepointeau.blogspot.com
What a strange thing man is; and what a stranger thing woman. —Lord Byron
COURSE THEME This semester’s course will focus gender. Specifically, we will examine the political landscape of gender in America at the beginning of the 21st century. We will examine our evolving understanding of what it means to be a man or a woman (or maybe even some combination of both), as well tackle some of the most pressing gender issues of our society. We will do this through reading from and writing about a variety of texts on gender issues.
REQUIRED MATERIALS
Course Reader (Available the first week in February from Maple Press: 481 East San Carlos Street; Open M-F 8:30 AM-5 PM; Phone 408.297.1000)
COURSE GUIDELINES English 1B is the second course in SJSU’s two-semester lower-division composition sequence. Beyond providing repeated practice in planning and executing essays, and broadening and deepening students’ understanding of the genres, audiences, and purposes of college writing, English 1B differs from English 1A in its emphasis on persuasive and critical writing, its requirement for fewer but longer essays, and its introduction to writing informed by research. Students will develop sophistication in writing analytical, argumentative, and critical essays; a mature writing style appropriate to university discourse; reading abilities that will provide an adequate foundation for upper-division work; proficiency in basic library research skills and in writing papers informed by research; and mastery of the mechanics of writing.
Prerequisites: Passage of Written Communication 1A or approved equivalent course and passage of the English Proficiency Test (EPT), unless exempt.
Objectives: Building on the college-level proficiencies required in English 1A, students shall achieve the ability to write complete essays that demonstrate advanced proficiency in all of the following:
Clear and effective communication of meaning § An identifiable focus (argumentative essays will state their thesis clearly and will show an awareness, implied or stated, of some opposing point of view)
An appropriate voice that demonstrates an awareness of audience and purpose
Careful attention to review and revision
Effective and correct use of supporting materials, including independent research (e.g. quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, and citing sources)
Effective analysis, interpretation, evaluation, and synthesis of ideas encountered in multiple readings
Effective organization and development of ideas at paragraph and essay levels
Appropriate and effective sentence structure and diction
Command of conventional mechanics (e.g. punctuation, spelling, reference, agreement)
COURSE CONTENT Writing: Assignments shall emphasize those skills and activities in writing and thinking that produce 1) the persuasive argument, and 2) the critical essay, each of which demands analysis, interpretation, and evaluation. Writing assignments shall give students repeated practice in prewriting, organizing, writing, revising, and editing. Six to eight essays, appropriately sequenced throughout the semester and totaling a minimum of 8000 words, are required; at least one of these essays shall be informed by research. This minimum requirement excludes the final examination, journal writing, quizzes, and any brief or informal assignments. However, it can include the diagnostic essay and assignments that require major revisions to a previously graded or reviewed draft. A major revision is defined as a rethinking or reworking of an assignment and not a simple “correcting” of mechanical errors noted on the original. At least three (but no more than four) essays shall be written in class.
Students shall receive frequent evaluations of their writing from the instructor. In evaluating student writing, instructors shall comment on specific features of individual papers. Comments shall encourage and acknowledge student success as well as note errors and suggest ways to correct them.
Reading: Reading shall include useful models of writing for academic, general, and specific audiences; readings shall be used consistently with the course goal of enhancing ability in written communication and reading. The majority of the reading shall be devoted to analytical, critical, and argumentative essays. Other types of texts, including poetry, drama, and fiction may also be assigned. Instructors shall help students develop and refine strategies for reading challenging, college-level material.
Research: English 1B shall include an introduction to the library and to basic research strategies, including locating materials, using them effectively (e.g. quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing), and citing them properly. A traditional research paper or a series of short essays in which library research informs the student’s position or thesis is required.
Diversity: Assignments (both reading and writing) shall address issues of race, class, and gender when appropriate, and the perspectives of women and diverse cultural groups shall be incorporated into course instruction and materials in an inclusive and comprehensive manner whenever possible.
The University Essay Final Exam: A common essay final, graded holistically, shall count 20% toward the course grade. A single university-wide final will be developed around two college-level reading passages each semester by the English Department Composition Committee. All faculty members teaching individual sections will grade the examination holistically under controlled conditions. Students must take the final exam in order to pass the course.
PARTICIPATION As there is a participation component to you grade, active involvement in class is very important. Additionally, you are responsible for all materials assigned, presented, and discussed in class. You are expected to study the material beforehand and come prepared to discuss the readings in class. The use of laptops during class is restricted to note taking only. If you come to class after the first 20 minutes, please wait for an appropriate moment to enter so as not to disturb the class.
THREEPOINTEAU I have created this class blog as a centralized place for assignments, reminders, documents, important dates, links, and general class information. It also contains an easy-to-reference archive of the course work. In addition, this website will be the location of the course’s e-Reader (eR). These Web articles will be required to complete some assignments. On the homepage, click on “San Jose State University: English 1B” to be routed to our page. Feel free to use the “Comments” function in each posting; it is often a helpful way to communicate with classmates. Gmail users also have the option of subscribing to the blog to keep up to date on all posts.
TWITTER Twitter is a useful social networking tool that allows me to communicate with you instantaneously. I may use it if class has to be canceled unexpectedly, or if there is an important change to our agenda. If you already have a Twitter account, search for “ProfDLo” under “Find People.” If not, go to Twitter to register for free. Twitter membership is not required for this course, but it is recommended.
CLASS POLICIES
All writing assignments are due on the dates indicated on ThreePointEau, which contains the most up-to-date schedule and information.
A missed writing assignment can be turned in no later than the following class meeting after the due date; however, it will be lowered one letter grade. Writing assignments will not be accepted beyond the following class meeting after the initial due date.
Without prior notification, missed in-class essays and presentations cannot be made up; if you must miss your presentation date, make prior arrangements with a classmate to switch days.
No late research papers will be accepted.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY Presenting the ideas or writings of another as one’s own is plagiarism. Any act of plagiarism will result in automatic failure on the assignment and possible failure in the course and/or dismissal from the university. For this and every other course at SJSU, be familiar with the Policy on Academic Integrity in the SJSU Catalog.
DISABILITY SERVICES If you require course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Students with disabilities that require special accommodations should register with the SJSU Disability Resource Center to receive additional resources.
OUTSIDE TUTORING You are always welcome to see me during office hours; however, if additional help is required, I strongly suggest utilizing SJSU’s excellent Writing Center (Clark Hall, Suite 126; 408.924.2308). Appointments are required, so plan accordingly.
STANDARDS FOR PRESENTATION OF WORK All typed work must be in MLA format. Look for online samples of presentation standards early in the semester. Unstapled work will NOT be accepted.
Please follow this heading for all typed work:
Name
ENG 1B, Sec. #
Assignment
Date
ENGLISH 1B LEARNING OBJECTIVES Learning Objective 1: Students shall write complete essays that demonstrate the ability to refine the competencies established in Written Communication 1A (as summarized below). 1A Student Learning:
Students should be able to perform effectively the essential steps in the writing process (prewriting, organizing, composing, revising, and editing).
Students should be able to express (explain, analyze, develop, and criticize) ideas effectively.
Students should be able to use correct grammar (syntax, mechanics, and citation of sources) at a college level of sophistication.
Students should be able to write for different audiences (both specialized and general). §
Learning Objective 2: Students shall write complete essays that demonstrate the ability to use (locate, analyze, and evaluate) supporting materials, including independent library research, and identify key concepts and terms that describe the information needed.
Learning Objective 3: Students shall write complete essays that demonstrate the ability to synthesize ideas encountered in multiple readings.
GRADING The Department of English reaffirms its commitment to the differential grading scale as defined in the official SJSU Catalog ("The Grading System"). Grades issued must represent a full range of student performance: A = excellent; B = above average; C = average; D = below average; F = failure. A passing grade in this course signifies that the student has developed those writing, reading, and research abilities necessary for upper-division work. In English Department courses, instructors comment on and grade the quality of student writing, as well as the quality of the ideas being conveyed. All student writing will be distinguished by correct grammar and punctuation, appropriate diction and syntax, and well-organized paragraphs.
COURSE WORK Class sessions will employ a combination of lectures, group discussions, presentations, and writing workshops that will cover a range of activities, including analyzing, interpreting, outlining, revising, and editing. Again, all submitted work must be in MLA format.
Your assigned writing coursework will total at least 8,000 words; it includes:
Diagnostic Essay: This essay will be my first opportunity to evaluate your writing.
Autobiographical Essay: You will write a personal essay based upon how you define your own gender.
Persuasive Essay: You will write a persuasive essay based upon our readings about the current same-sex marriage debate.
Literary Analysis/Short Answer Responses: You will write short answer responses to a story about the ways in which men and women communicate.
Process Essay: This essay will require you to participate in an activity traditionally associated with the opposite sex and then write about that experience.
Editorial Essay: In this in-class editorial essay, you will share your perspective female representation in the media.
Expository Essay: You will write an expository essay based upon Lynn Peril’s Pink Think and Michael Kimmel’s Guyland.
Final Exam: As noted above, your final will be a common, department-wide written exam. It will take place on Saturday, May 15th. No make-ups or early exams will be allowed; you must take the exam in order to pass this class.
Research Paper: Your 10-page research paper will examine one aspect of gender politics. I will provide a list of topics for you to choose from early in the semester.
PowerPoint Presentation: You will create a 10-minute PowerPoint presentation and class hand-out based upon some aspect related to our readings (e.g. women in the military) or another gender-related subject of your choice (e.g. the history of contraception). Please note you will be responsible for providing your own laptop.
Reflective Journals: You will write six 2-page responses to an assigned gender-themed topic. Look for journal topics to be posted on ThreePointEau.
COURSE SCHEDULE Note that this schedule is subject to change. Consider this hard copy out-of-date; consult ThreePointEau for the most up-to-date information and schedule.
W 1.27
IN-CLASS: Syllabus review; Class discussion—“What Does Gender Mean in the 21st Century?”
Week 2
M 2.1
READ: PT, p. 3-42
IN-CLASS: Introductions
W 2.3
READ: PT, 43-76
IN-CLASS: Diagnostic essay
Week 3
M 2.8
READ: CR—“Talk in the Intimate Relationship: His and Hers” by Deborah Tannen, “Libation as Liberation?” by Barbara Ehrenreich, “Red Sex, Blue Sex” by Margaret Talbot; PT, p. 77-102
IN-CLASS: Essay discussion; Lecture—“Steps of the Writing Process, Pt. I”; Preview—Research Paper
W 2.10
READ: CR—“War Stories” by Tobias Wolff, “The Backlash Against Circumcision” by Jeninne Lee-St. John, “The Men We Carry in Our Minds” by Scott Russell Sanders; PT, p. 103-132
IN-CLASS: Reading discussion; Sample PowerPoint presentation; Presentation sign-ups; Lecture—“Steps of the Writing Process, Pt. II”
DUE: Journal 1
Week 4
M 2.15
NO CLASS—Furlough Day (University-wide)
W 2.17
READ: CR—“Being a Man” by Paul Theroux, “Taking Off the Gender Straightjacket” by William S. Pollack, “The Myth About Boys” by David Von Drehle, “Three Fathers” by Kevin Sweeney, “The Problem with Boys” by Tom Chiarella, “The Amazing Tale of the High School Quarterback Turned Lesbian Filmmaker” by Rick Moody; PT, p. 133-192
IN-CLASS: Reading discussion; Lecture—“Steps of the Writing Process, Pt. III”
Week 5
M 2.22
READ: CR—“Boys Get Cool Stuff, Girls Get Pink Stuff” by Kate Harding, “What Girls Want” by Caitlin Flanagan, “Auditorium” by Caroline Kettlewell, “Tight Jeans and Chania Chorris” by Sonia Shah, “I Want a Wife” by Judy Brady, “Pushing Away the Plate” by Min Jin Lee; PT, p. 193-213; eR—“Testosterone” from This American Life IN-CLASS: Reading discussion; Presentations; Preview—Autobiographical essay
NOTE: Men only should attend this session.
W 2.24
READ: CR—“Boys Get Cool Stuff, Girls Get Pink Stuff” by Kate Harding, “What Girls Want” by Caitlin Flanagan, “Auditorium” by Caroline Kettlewell, “Tight Jeans and Chania Chorris” by Sonia Shah, “I Want a Wife” by Judy Brady, “Pushing Away the Plate” by Min Jin Lee; PT, p. 193-213; eR—“Testosterone” from This American Life IN-CLASS: Reading discussion; Presentations; Preview—Autobiographical essay
NOTE: Women only should attend this session.
Week 6
M 3.1
READ: CR—“The Conservative Case for Gay Marriage” by Theodore B. Olson, “Same-Sex Marriage: ‘A Basic Civil Right’”
IN-CLASS: Autobiographical essay
W 3.3
READ: CR—“Same-Sex Marriage: Losing a Battle, Winning the War” by Andrew Cohen, “Stupidity, Gay Marriage, and the Evolution of Religion” by Dan Agin, “Why I Fought for the Right to Say ‘I Do’” by Greta Christina; GL, p. 1-43
IN-CLASS: Lecture—“Gender Politics on Film”
DUE: Journal 2
Week 7
M 3.8
READ: CR—“Why One Queer Person Is Not Celebrating California's Historic Gay Marriage Decision” by Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore, “Preserve Traditional Marriage for Benefit of Future Generations” by Roger Crouse; GL, p. 44-94
IN-CLASS: Reading discussion; Presentations; Preview—Persuasive essay
W 3.10
READ: CR—“The Worst Thing About Gay Marriage” by Sam Shulman, “We Don't Need Gay Marriage” by Mark Vernon, “Sex and Consequences” by Peter Wood; GL, p. 95-143; eR—“The Sanctity of Marriage” from This American Life IN-CLASS: Reading discussion; Presentations
DUE: Journal 3
Week 8
M 3.15
READ: CR—“A Jury of Her Peers” by Susan Glaspell, “The Way Up to Heaven” by Roald Dahl; GL, p. 144-189
IN-CLASS: Writers workshop
DUE: Persuasive essay (Draft 1, Bring three copies)
W 3.17
READ: CR—“This Blessed House” by Jhumpa Lahiri, “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway; GL, p. 190-216
IN-CLASS: Reading discussion; Watch—“The Woman with Two Breasts” from Coupling (2000)
Week 9
M 3.22
READ: CR—“What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” by Raymond Carver, “Brokeback Mountain” by Annie Proulx; GL, p. 217-264
IN-CLASS: Preview—Expository Essay
Due: Persuasive essay (Final draft with first draft attached)
W 3.24
READ: GL, p. 265-290
IN-CLASS: Literature Analysis/Short Answer Responses DUE: Journal 4
Week 10
M 3.29
NO CLASS: Spring Break
W 3.31
NO CLASS: Spring Break
Week 11
M 4.5
READ: CR—“Women at Arms: Living and Fighting Alongside Men, and Fitting In” by Steven Lee Meyers, “Testimony of a True Female Sports Fan” by Emily Diekelmann; eR—“A Feminist Love For Football” from Weekend Edition Sunday IN-CLASS: Expository essay
W 4.7 READ: CR—“The Girly Girls” by Jessi Miley-Dyer, “MMA Is No Breakthrough for Women” by David Whitley, “More Men Take Traditionally Female Jobs” by Lenny Bourin and Bill Blakemore, “Johnny Weir is a Real Man” by Jim Caple, “Meet America's First Legal Male Prostitute” by Ian Daly, “Parents Dialing 'Manny 911' for Help” by Mike Adamick
IN-CLASS: Reading discussion; Presentations; Preview—Process essay
Week 12
M 4.12 NO CLASS—Furlough Day (This class only)
W 4.14
IN-CLASS: Library Session (Meet in a TBD location in the MLK library) DUE: Journal 5
Week 13
M 4.19
READ: CR—“Hooked” by Clea Simon, “The Incredible Shrinking Model” by Emily Nussbaum, “In Defense of the Skinny Girl” by Mihal Freinquel; eR—“Should Fashion Reflect Fantasy or Reality?” from Talk of the Nation IN-CLASS: Watch—Killing Us Softly 3 (1999)
DUE: Process essay
W 4.21
READ: CR—“Girls Gone Bad” by Kathleen Deveny and Raina Kelley, “How Internet Porn is Changing Teen Sex” by Eric Spitznagel, “Porn: Enjoy It, or Don't...” by Sonia Vasile, “The Porn Myth” by Naomi Wolf
IN-CLASS: Reading discussion; Presentations
Week 14
M 4.26 READ: CL—“Sexy Rap Videos Suspected to be Damaging to Young Girls” from Reuters, “What Hip-Hop Has Done to Black Women” by Johnnetta B. Cole, “Hip-hop's Socially Conscious Side” by Jeff Chang and Dave Zirin; eR—“Sexism, Hip- Hop and Misogyny” from Talk of the Nation IN-CLASS: Reading discussion; Presentations; Preview—Editorial Essay
DUE: Expository essay
W 4.28
IN-CLASS: Writers workshop, Presentations
DUE: Bring in four copies of the first five pages of your research paper
Week 15
M 5.3
IN-CLASS: Watch—When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
DUE: Editorial essay
W 5.5
NO CLASS—Furlough Day (This class only)
Week 16
M 5.10
IN-CLASS: Final Exam Prep; Writers workshop
DUE: Bring in three copies of the first eight pages of your research paper
W 5.12
IN-CLASS: Guest speaker TBA
S 5.15 FINAL EXAM: Time and location TBA (Bring a yellow book)
Week 17
M 5.17
IN-CLASS: Course review, Research paper presentations
DUE: Research Paper
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