English20Alasc: 20A Syllabus

Welcome to

English 20A

Section

0969

Effective Reading Practices

* * *

Instructor: David Diaz

Rm: SSEC 125A

Fall 2015—Tue / Thur 8-9:25am

Drop Deadline: Sep. 11, 2015

Deadline to Drop without “W”: Sep. 11, 2015

Office: SSEC 116 T-TH 9:30am-11:30am and per request

Contact: diazd4@lasc.edu

Welcome to English 20A! Over the next 16 weeks we are going to read, and write, and practice grammar as much as we possibly can. If you have any questions along the way, or ever need clarification about anything (even after today), do not hesitate to visit me at my office hours, or email me.

Course Description: This reading/writing course enables students to develop basic college reading and writing skills that will help them to succeed in courses that require them to interpret and write about texts. However, students are encouraged to complete English 94, Intensive Grammar, English 21, English Fundamentals, and all core English courses before they enroll in courses in other disciplines that require them to write essays and term papers. Completion of English 94, English 21, and all core English courses will help students to develop the more advanced college reading and writing skills that they need to succeed academically. This course’s primary objective is to prepare students for English 21.

Student Learning Outcomes: This reading/writing course will enable students to apply active reading strategies that develop vocabulary and encourage critical analysis of ideas in texts. Students are required to write accurate, well-organized summaries of texts, use their own knowledge and experience to help them write meaningfully about what they read, and display a basic knowledge of standard rhetorical principles and elements of fiction in quizzes, in-class writings, and class discussions.

Required Texts:

Writing With Confidence Alan Myers ISBN: 9780205617807

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

ISBN: 978-0316013697

All other readings and assignments will either be handed out in class, or made available on ___________________ .

Required Materials:

90 page College ruled Notebook

Access to and frequently monitoring your __________ account

Grading Details:

Assignments & Point Values:

Writing Assignments 525 points

(Diagnostic, 300-500 words - 25 points

(Essay #1, 500 words minimum - 150 points

(Essay #2, 750 words minimum - 200 points

(Final Reflection Essay, 500 words minimum- 150 point

Reading Journal & In-Class Writing/Pre-writing (2,000 words) 225 points

Short Response Homework 150 points

Presentation 100 points

Possible Total points: 1,000 points

The English Writing Center

The English Writing Center (EWC) has tutors available to help with writing assignments, including essays. There are also workshops Wednesdays-Saturdays at 11:00 am. For more information, call 323.241.5451 or visit the EWC during their hours of operation:

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Thursday: 9:00 am - 7:30 pm
Friday and Saturday: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Policies:

Attendance: Attendance is mandatory. Attend each class and be on time. Students who regularly attend class on time do better in their studies. If a student misses 4 or more consecutive classes (2 weeks) he or she will be automatically dropped from the class unless we have already spoken/made arrangements. Students leaving early must notify the instructor of their obligation at the beginning of the period. If there is a dispute over attendance, the attendance sheet will serve as proof of attendance.

Excused Absences: Once again, attendance is mandatory. You are all adults, and I understand that you have personal lives, but in order to succeed or see change in your writing you must be in class on a regular basis. Each student is allowed only 3 absences (regardless of the reason), the Los Angeles Community College District limit. Upon a student’s 4^th absence, the students Participation grade will begin to lower.

Partial Absences: Any student who arrives late or leaves early will receive an “L” on the roster. A student who leaves class early or goes in and out of class excessively will receive a “P” for partial attendance for that class meeting. Two tardies or partial attendances will count as 1 absence. No student has the right to disrupt the learning environment for other students. IF you know that you will have to be leaving class early that day for work/family/etc, email or contact me before class begins and we can make arrangements. This cannot exceed more than 3 times during the semester.

Plagiarism

Appropriating somebody else’s writing or ideas without mentioning where you found it is considered cheating and will be severely punished by the University. If I encounter any form of plagiarism, I am asked to fail you for the course and report you to the Dean of Student Affairs. “That’s the law.” It is simple, whenever you use something you have read, mention where you read it. If you are quoting from a book, use quotation marks and indicate the author and page numbers (follow MLA instructions on “Purdue.owl” website). If you are re-phrasing or paraphrasing something you have read, same process: author and page number (MLA style). This is the basic for all college-level writing (all disciplines).

Written Compositions: All essays and written compositions written outside the classroom must be typed on a computer, unless otherwise indicated. Writing on a word processor improves typing skills. Because writing is a process of prewriting, organizing, composing, revising, and editing, traditional methods of typing or handwriting assignments are often time-consuming and ineffective. Computers, on the other hand, make revision and the writing process more manageable at every stage. There are computer labs in several locations on campus like at the Student Success Center on the first floor of the SSEC building, and in the Cox Library Computer lab.

Planning / Discovery: When you turn in an essay, you must turn in all prewriting, drafts, and peer reviews as well as the final draft to receive credit on the essay.

We will be peer reviewing rough drafts for all take-home essays. In order to be eligible to be turned in for credit with the final version of the essay, the rough draft must be present in class on the day that it is due and the author must participate in peer review. Failure to attend class or failure to thoroughly complete the peer review will result in the reduction of your essay grade by 10%.

Reading Assignments: Reading assignments should be completed prior to the due date on the syllabus. Being prepared for class and earning full credit for participation includes keeping up with the reading assignments and coming to class prepared to discuss them.

Revisions: All essays may be revised and resubmitted for re-evaluation. Revisions must be turned in within two weeks of the original assignment due date with some slight exceptions. I firmly believe that writing is a never-ending process, and upon re-re-re-reading any piece of original writing we can always find things to change or augment. That is why I will allow revisions on all of the essays.

Late Work: Assignments are due in my hand (preferred) or email by 11:59pm on the day that the assignment is due. For each class meeting that passes after the original due date, your assignment grade will be lowered 10%. After the 4^th class meeting, if the paper is still not submitted, it will receive a failing grade.

If you need to email your submission, keep in mind that all of your drafts and pre-writing materials must be turned in to receive a complete grade, so it is your responsibility to turn those materials in at the beginning of our next class-meeting.

Classroom Conduct: It is expected that you will actively participate in class activities including both writing and class discussion. Sleeping, engaging in side conversations, doing other homework, playing with your cell phone, or other activities that are disruptive to the class will negatively affect the participation component of your grade, may result in you being asked to leave class (and thus being marked absent), and may warrant a referral to the Dean for further action.

Cell Phones: Your phones should be in your pockets or in your bags, on silent.

If I want you to look up a word, or maybe give you the time to Google a topic, you may, but during regular lecture/activity, your phone should be off and put away.

Classroom Environment: Our classroom needs to be an optimal, positive environment for learning, so that you can focus on the course materials without disturbance; therefore, all cellphones, hands-free and other electronic devices must be turned off and put away before class. No texting, no phones on vibrate since this is audible, and, of course, no answering phones. If you have an emergency that requires you to be available by phone during class hours, please notify your instructor before class starts, and sit near the door with your phone on a silent setting. It is never okay to disrupt the learning environment.

Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities, whether physical, learning, or psychological, who believe that they may need accommodations in this class, are encouraged to contact DSP&S as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. Authorization, based on verification of disability, is required before any accommodation can be made. The phone number for DSP&S (323)241-5480 and they are located in the Student Services Building Room 102. Come to me with any questions so we can help you as best as possible.

Syllabus

III

IIIIIIIIIIIII

IIIIIIIIII

IIIII

Weekly Syllabus

8/30 Read Syllabus

Receive adds from students

Explain class procedures and expectations

Discuss Writing Diagnostic for next class

9/1 Writing with Confidence (WC): “Writing a Powerful Paragraph” (21)

Short In-Class Writing (Diagnostic)

Good Reading Practices

Homework for next class: Self Description Write-up (Short Response)

9/6 Labor Day No Class

9/6 Turn in Homework

Discuss Diagnostics-communicate results

WC: “Recognizing Sentences and Fixing Fragments” (54)

“Summarizing and Responding” (288)

Read Curbed Article “Activists submit signatures for ballot measure to stop Los Angeles development”

Respond to Questions in Class

Homework for next class: Write Short Response for Article

9/8 Turn in responses

Discuss “Activists…”

WC: “Joining Sentences through Coordination” (70)

Read Huffington Post Article “Here’s How a $15 Minimum Wage Could Change CA”

Respond to Article Questions in Class

Introduce class to Essay #1

Homework: Write short response for Article

9/13 Turn in Responses

Discuss Reading

WC: “Joining Sentences through Subordination” (81)

“Writing Narration” (237)

Elaborate Essay 1 expectations; distribute assignment sheet

Homework: Begin Pre-writing for Essay 1: Bring Thesis to next class

9/15 – Turn in Thesis Statements

Discuss good MLA Practices, Parts of a functional Essay

Discuss Introductions and any possible questions about assignment so far

Discuss components of a successful College Essay; explain function of an Intro

Read: WC: “How to write with style” by Kurt Vonnegut (407)

Answer Questions in class

Homework:

Work on Essay 1, and bring Intro Paragraph to next class

9/20 Submit Intro Paragraph

WC: “Repairing run-ons and correcting comma splices” (105)

Discuss the function of a body Paragraph

Homework: Work on Essay 1; Have Intro and One Body Paragraph

9/22 Turn in Intros and Body Paragraphs

WC: “Writing Concretely and Concisely” (201)

Discuss the function of a conclusion paragraph

Introduce class to The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian

Describe the conferences for the next day

Homework: Work on Essay 1 for next class; bring full draft to next class

9/27 Submit drafts for peer edits and conferences

Conduct quick conference sessions with students

with time:

Discuss themes and characters of The Absolutely True Story as a class

Short in-class writing assignments based on books “themes”

Homework: Read part of The Absolutely True Story

Finish Essay 1 for next class with new edits

10/29 Essay #1 Due

Discuss Responses to first part of book

WC: “Joining Sentences with Pronouns”

Handout “Grammar Cheat-Sheet”

Homework: Read first section of The Absolutely True Story

10/4 Discuss first section of novel; continue linking themes to contemporary conversations

In-class writing exercise based off of Essay

Homework: Read next section of The Absolutely True Story; Write short response for next class

10/6 Submit Short Responses

Further elaborate on Themes and Ideas in novel

In-class response to Article

Introduce class to possible Essay # 2 subjects

Homework: Read next section of The Absolutely True Story

10/11 WC: “Being Consistent” (191)

Discuss book

In-Class activity based off of Essay

Further elaborate Essay 2 possibilities

Homework: Read Next Section of The Absolute True Story; Short response for Monday

10/13 WC: “Writing Comparison and Contrasts” (273)

Assign Essay 2

Homework: Read next section of The Absolutely True Story

10/18 Good Writing Practices Worksheet

WC: “Making Comparisons” (180)

Discuss The Absolute True Story themes and their contemporary relevance

Identify themes in the book that we can link to what’s happening right now in social history

Homework: Read next section of The Absolutely True Story / Begin Prewriting Essay #2

10/20 Review “Comparison Guidelines”