Syllabus

Texts:  Required              

1.  Stubbs, Barnet, Cain, The Little, Brown Reader, 11th edition only
2.  Morrison, Sula

Recommended:  Keys for Writers  

Course Description: 

Integrated approach to reading, writing, and critical thinking intended to develop ability to read and write complex, college-level prose.  Current MLA documentation guidelines are also emphasized.  This course is transferable to state schools and UC’s. This course fulfills the English requirement for an associate degree for various majors.  Prerequisite: English 908 or English 59 or qualifying score on the placement test.  Advisory:  Reading 53

Course Organization:

The course is organized around a process approach.  Readings from the text are emphasized, with considerable importance attached to peer group participation.

Course Requirements:

1.  Participation in class.
2.  10 surprise quizzes on the reading due for that day.
3.  10 Journal Entries.
4.  Occasional homework questions.
5.  Three take home formal essays.
6.  A research paper.
7.  Final Exam, which will be an in-class essay.
8.  A Group Presentation                                          

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of Engl 1A, students will be able to:

• Write a college-level essay, including an argument and research essay, of at least 1,000 words that is focused, tailored to a particular audience and purpose, developed with relevant, well-organized support, documented according to MLA guidelines, and expressed in correct and varied sentences.
• Analyze culturally diverse, college-level writing, including a full-length work.

 Objectives:

 Students should learn to:

• Create a college-level essay, including an argument and research essay, with an identifiable focus, tailored to a particular audience and purpose, with well-developed, relevant, and clearly organized supporting detail.
• Effectively perform the steps of the writing process, including narrowing a topic, finding a main idea, developing and organizing a variety of support, drafting, editing, revising, and proofreading.
• Create clear, grammatical and varied sentences using appropriate diction and correct spelling and punctuation [with no more than five major errors per page].
• Read, understand, and analyze culturally diverse, college-level writing, including essays, articles, stories, and a full-length fiction book.
• Locate, evaluate, and effectively synthesize supporting material drawn from readings or other sources in an essay.
• Precisely document outside sources in his or her essays using current MLA form. 
• Write 8,000-10,000 words of evaluated work 

Grading:  This is a letter grade only course.   Each of your assignments will receive points.  90%=A, 80%=B, 70%=C, 60%=D  (Possible 900 points)

·        Narrative Essay=75 points

·        In-Class Analytical Essay=100 pts

·        Persuasive Essay=125 points

·        Research Paper=200 pts

·        Final Exam, which is an in-class Literary Analysis=200 pts

·        Group Presentation=50 pts

·        Ten Quizzes=5 pts each=50 pts

·        Ten Journal Entries=5 pts each=50 pts

·        Participation=50 pts

NOTE:  To pass this class, you must earn 70% or greater.  To pass this class, you must also pass at least one of the two in-class essays.

Journal Entries:  For most weeks, a journal entry is due based upon the reading.  The entry should be at least 1 full page in length, typed, double spaced, and 12-point font.  The entry should not summarize the reading, but instead provide your reaction to it.  You can relate a similar personal experience or, if you like, give your opinion in response to the author’s or simply explain whether you enjoyed the reading and why or why not.   Be sure to explain why you feel the way you do.  The purpose of the journal entries is to give you additional practice writing in a less formal setting than the essays due for the class.  The journals are a place to try out ideas and take chances without worry about undue consequence. 

Formal Essays:  These essays must be at least 4 pages in length, typed, double spaced, 12-point font, have a title, and be free of excessive spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors or lack of organization.  Each essay must adhere to the current MLA documentation format.  You may turn in an essay one week late though this will result in your paper being lowered one full formal grade.  I will not accept any papers later than one week after the due date. 

The English Department recently adopted a 5 error per page policy.  If a Formal Essay contains 5 or more errors per page, the essay won’t receive credit.  Students can rewrite each formal essay ONCE to receive a letter grade and points.   In order to be able to rewrite the essay, students MUST be present on peer response day with two COMPLETE copies of the rough draft of the paper and turn those in along with the final draft and the feedback received for the rough draft.   If a student’s Research Paper contains 5 or more errors per page, it won’t receive a passing grade.

Research Paper:

The Research Paper must be typed, double-spaced, use 12-point font, have a title, contain in-text citations, be 8-10 pages in length, accompanied by a Works Cited Sheet and adhere to the most current MLA documentation format.  Two rough drafts and student response sheets must accompany the final paper and all work must be stapled together.  The Works Cited Sheet must have 5 or more secondary sources.  The Research Paper is a mandatory project and must be satisfactorily completed and submitted on time to pass the class.

Presentation:  You will participate in one group presentation in which your group’s goal will be to create a dramatic and engaging discussion of the issues in a particular article that you will be assigned from The Little, Brown Reader.  Your presentation should take the form of a talk show with a host moderating a discussion about the central issue that the article focuses on.  You will receive an individual grade for this presentation, which will not necessarily be the same as the grade of your other group members.  Points will be based upon thoughtfulness, clarity, and creativity.

Participation:

Criteria:  0 absences with excellent participation, 45-50 points; 1 absence with good participation, 40-44 points; 2 absences with good participation, 35-39 points.  Participation includes discussion, group work, arriving on time, turning in work on time.  Chronic tardiness, lack of preparation, late work will lower your participation grade to 29 points or below.

As we discuss many controversial topics in class, we are all responsible for courtesy to each other, good will, and listening to others’ points of view even if we don’t share them.  Speakers should be recognized and should keep comments under one minute at a time to allow for maximum discussion. 

Attendance:

Be here.  Attendance every day is mandatory.  Be here on time and fully prepared.  You are responsible for what happens in class whether you are here or not; get a phone or email partner so you can contact another class member if you are absent.

Missing more than ten minutes of any class meeting counts as half an absence.  Should you happen to come in late, NEVER walk in between the other students and myself.  Instead, be respectful to your classmates and me and inconspicuously make your entrance.  But do everything you can to be here on time.  If you are late, you may lose the opportunity to take a particular quiz.   Quizzes cannot be made up.

Missing an entire class meeting constitutes an absence.   More than 2 absences may result in your being dropped from the course.

Rude and disruptive behavior is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.  Students should not talk while I am addressing the class.  Any student who exhibits disruptive/ rude behavior will be asked to leave the class and marked absent.

Plagiarism:

Don’t do it.  Plagiarism is hereby defined as handing in any work as your own when in fact, you did not create it yourself.  This includes, but is not limited to, essays downloaded from the web; essays copied from a book, newspaper or magazine; essays written by a friend/ tutor/ spouse/ sibling/ relative; essays you “wrote” but which were more or less dictated to you by someone else; essays you acquired from a “research service.”   In addition, if an essay includes facts that are not part of general knowledge, or includes other people’s ideas, you must acknowledge the sources of that information.  If you plagiarize once, you will receive a 0 on the assignment, I will speak to you confidentially, and administrative follow up may result.  If the student continues to cheat they will fail the course.  Remember: all of your work must be your own.

Cell Phones and Beepers:

Keep them turned OFF during class.  Allowing your cell phone or beeper to ring during class is disruptive and extremely rude to your classmates and me.

Asking Questions:

Please do.  Always ask me if you do not understand an assignment or the class work, or if you are unsure of what we are doing and why.  Also, please do not hesitate to come talk with me during office hours if you have any questions or concerns.  

Disability Statement: 

Federal legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities.  If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact DISC in S2-201 or call (408) 855-5085 or (408) 727-9243 TTY.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

According to the Vice President of Instruction, it is the student’s responsibility to know the evacuation procedures, evacuation route, and assembly area for their classrooms.  In case of an emergency, you are to follow the directions of your instructor. When directed to evacuate the classroom, be sure to take all of your belongings when you leave and remain with your class in the assembly area until you receive further directions.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND SEX DISCRIMINATION POLICY

Members of an academic community—students, faculty and staff—must be able to work in an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust. Students, teachers and staff must feel personally secure in order for education to take place. As a place of work and study, West Valley–Mission Community College District should be free of sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and all forms of sexual intimidation and exploitation. Any violation of trust, any form of intimidation or exploitation, regardless of gender, damages the institution's educational process by undermining the essential freedoms of inquiry and expression. All students, staff and faculty must be assured that the District will take action to prevent misconduct. Anyone who engages in sexual harassment and/or sex discrimination shall be subject to sanctions.

FEES

All fees are due and payable at the time of registration, with a 10-business day grace period.  All accounts will be checked on Monday of the third week of the semester. If you have an outstanding balance, a hold will be placed on your records and you may be dropped from your class(es). A hold will prevent you from receiving grades, transcripts or other college services (i.e. parking permits) until your account is paid in full.

­­CONTRACT:  Print your name, sign your name, and fill in the date

I, _______________________________ (print name), understand that in order to pass English 1A, I must accomplish the following:

·         Earn a 70% or greater in the class

·         Pass at least one of the in-class exams

Signature: _____________________________________      Date: ______________

NOTE:  This is a College Course.   Expect to find some adult subject matter and adult language in certain reading assigned.