Course Description 

The goal of this course is to teach students to write well; they will write college oriented essays beginning from paragraph to essay.  This goal will be accomplished through one objective:   via introduction to college composition that prepares students to write essays at the college level, focusing on thesis construction, organization development, sentence skills, reading, and text-based writing.  Students will be assigned in-class and outside writing assignments and exercises, as well as attend individual conferences and tutoring.  ENGL 836 prepares students for ENGL 100/105 while it is designed for students who are pursuing their AA/AS Degree and/or planning to transfer. .

Important Student Information

Each student is obligated to know and uphold the College Rules and Regulations.  Students who engage in disruptive behavior--conduct that interferes with the instructional, administrative, or service functions of the course--can be subject to disciplinary action, including suspension and/or expulsion from the course and/or college.  Specifically, cell phone interruptions, the use of iPods and/or pagers, habitual profanity or vulgarity, and continued willful disobedience will result in disciplinary action.  Students should reference the Student Code or Conduct for further description of unacceptable disruptive behavior.

Syllabus (click to download English 836 Microsoft Word version)

Prerequisites:  Successful completion of English 826 or ESOL 840 or 841/842 with a grade of C or better, or appropriate scores on approved college placement tests and other measures as necessary.  Reading Prerequisite:  READ 826 with Credit or a grade of C or better, or eligibility for READ 836 on approved college Reading placement test, or other measures as necessary.  Writing process, from paragraph to essay, prepares students for college-level essay writing, focusing on thesis construction, organization, development sentence skills, reading, and text-based writing.  English 836 prepares students for English 100/105.  (One hour/week by arrangement.)

Course Content: 

A.     Essay writing—The majority of writings will be text-based and will include:  integrating, quoting, citing sources, as well as analyzing and interpreting textual content.   The majority of essays will be expository and less so, personal narrative or descriptive.

1.      Pre-writing activities (free-writing, brainstorming, outlining, drafting)
2.      Supporting details and analysis
3.      Organization:  paragraph and essay unity and coherence
4.      Topic sentences/thesis statements
5.      Introductions and conclusions
6.      Revision
7.      Focused, syntactically mature, grammatically correct sentences
8.      Sentence-combining
9.      Integrating, quoting, and citing sources as well as analysis and interpretation of textual content
10.  Use of various rhetorical modes with an emphasis on compare-contrast, classification, persuasion, argument and analysis
11.  Introduction to online and library research
12.  Incorporate sources:  summarizing and quoting
13.  Strategies for in-writing

B.     Reading (Emphasis on non-fiction)/critical thinking

1.      Distinguishing between main ideas and supporting details
2.      Understanding relationships between ideas
3.      Outlining, and summarizing readings
4.      Pre-reading strategies such as previewing, coding, and activating schema
5.      Reading strategies such as summarizing, mapping, outlining, annotating, and note-taking
6.      Reflecting on, analyzing, and connecting ideas
7.      Selecting and developing relevant evidence that supports a thesis or proposition
8.      Examining assumptions about themselves and the world
9.      Recognizing authorial tone, strategies, and rhetorical devices
10.  Distinguishing between fact, inference and opinion
11.  Using logical reasoning
12.  Reading a variety of texts from across the disciplines

C.     Proofreading and editing with an emphasis on the following an as-needed basis:

1.      Fragments and run-together sentences
2.      Verb forms, tenses, and subject/verb agreement
3.      Punctuation and capitalization
4.      Pronoun, adjective, and adverb use
5.      Concrete subjects and active verbs

Methods of Instruction:

1. Include lecture, whole-class discussion, small group instruction, individual exercises and writing practice, individual student conferences with the instructor, computer-assisted instruction, in-class writing, use of media, textbook, and/0r practice activities
2. Include essays, in which students are required to write 4000-6000 words cumulatively (16-24 pages of 250 words per page) during the semester, usually in essays of 500-1250+ words.  A portion of the students’ writing may include, but is not limited to drafts and summary of response papers.  Reading and writing will be done primarily outside of class.  There will be, however, an in-class essay assigned at least once a week.
3. Assignments are primarily non-fiction, analytical and/or argumentative, text-based writings which reflect contemporary/philosophical concerns

Tentatively Scheduled-

1.      Faces of Poverty
a.       Descriptive
b.      Critical Thinking
c.       Three Essays

2.      Can’t Buy My Love
a.       Argumentative
b.      Expository
c.       One Essay

3.      Bless Me, Ultima
a.       Compare/Contrast Points
b.      Expository
c.       Three Essays

4.      Black Like Me
a.       Compare/Contrast Points
b.      Cause and Effect/Narrative Essay
c.       Final Writing Project  (Due on or before assigned day without exception)

Students will write logically and mechanically correct essays based upon the essay evaluation that is outlined in this syllabus.  While good figurative language use is always a plus, it is also extremely important for the students to remember that the final evaluation of their essays rests with the quality of their work and not quantity.

Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to-
>Overall essay unity/thesis:   Write focused, coherent, well-developed largely text based essays appropriate to the developmental level organized into effective paragraphs with major and minor supporting details, which support a clear thesis statement, and demonstrate competence in standard English grammar and usage.

>Critical reading/writing/thinking:  Demonstrate critical reading, writing, and thinking skills through analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of important ideas from multiple points of view.

>Critical reading/writing/thinking:  Apply basic research and documentation skills.

>Metacognition:  Perceive themselves as improved readers, writers and thinkers engaging in academic discourse in cross-disciplinary contexts.

Specific Instructional Objectives:

Develop critical writing skills as they apply to the development of cohesive, focused, well-developed expository writing at the pre-transfer level-

1.      Although there is substantial guidance in the writing process, instruction in essay writing assumes an understanding of sentence and paragraph structure.  Students are required to write 4000-6000 words (16-24 pages of 250 words per page) during the semester, usually in essays of 500-1250+ words.  Reading and writing will be done primarily outside of class although in-class writing will also be assigned.

2.      During the semester, students will be expected to learn how to:
a)      read and write from primarily expository text that is generally at the high school to college level
b)      use the stages of the writing process to develop their ideas
c)      develop a unifying Controlling Idea or Thesis
d)      select and develop relevant evidence that supports a thesis or proposition
e)      vary sentences in type and structure demonstrating competence in standard English grammar and usage
f)        develop and organize clear, coherent, unified essays, relatively free of errors
g)      write using a variety of essay forms, such as compare-contrast, classification, persuasion
h)      revise, edit, and proofread their work
i)        evaluate important ideas from multiple points of view

Develop critical reading skills as they apply to the understanding of pre-transfer level texts from diverse cultural sources and perspectives-

1. Evaluate, interpret and analyze, a range of pre-transfer level texts, of which at least one should be a book length, non-fiction work
2. Distinguish between main ideas and supporting details
3. Differentiate between fact, inference and opinion in critical and scholarly works
4. Identify and analyze the structure of an argument
5. Distinguish between deductive and inductive reasoning
6. Comprehend the rhetorical purpose of a reading
7. Select and develop relevant evidence that supports a thesis or proposition
8. Engage in reading as a way to make meaning of the world
9. Examine assumptions about themselves and the world
10. Recognize authorial tone, strategies, and rhetorical devices

Develop general critical thinking skills as they apply to analytical discourse-

1. Apply basic research and documentation skills to their writing
1. know where to find reliable sources in the library and online
2. properly cite materials using MLA guidelines
3. integrate quoted materials smoothly
2. Perceive themselves as improved writers and thinkers engaging in academic discourse in cross-disciplinary contexts.

Evaluation of Student Performance:

Letter grade will be based on- (85% Writing)

• Essays  Organized, coherent, unified essays the majority of which will be text-based and written both in class and outside of class 
  
• Oral Participation  Active participation in class discussion demonstrating and understanding of and response to the reading (Extra Credit)
  
• Quizzes  Adequate comprehension of material
  
• Homework  Completed assignments focusing on particular English writing skills, such as freewriting, brainstorming, outlining, answering guided questions, organizing information into charts, practicing skills in English usage and grammar, etc.
  
• Midterm and Final Exams Demonstrated competence in text-based essay writing, short answer questions, multiple choice questions, true and false questions, etc.
  

Hour By Arrangement Folder – (2%)

Midterm—(Cerca) Second Week of March

Final—Thursday, May 29, 2008
8:10-10:40

Students' Objectives:

• Students will develop text-based ideas into paragraphs and  essays.
• They will revise, edit, and proofread.
• They will write using the above variety of essay types.
• They will learn to vary their sentences in type and structure.
• They will express their ideas clearly by correcting (or editing) their essays.
• They will use text-based sources as basis for essays.
• They will document sources correctly using the MLA style.

Instructional Objectives:    Writing

• A) Paragraph and essay writing
• Pre-writing activities
• Organization:  unity and coherence
• Topic sentences/thesis statements
• Introduction and conclusions
• Revision, editing and proofreading
• Personal writing and creative writing
• Rhetorical modes
• Library research

Instructional Objectives:    Reading

• B) Emphasis on non-fiction/critical thinking
• Distinguish between main ideas and supporting detail
• Understand relationships between ideas
• Outline, paraphrase, and summarize readings
• Reflect, analyze and connect ideas
• Analyze organizational patterns
• Examine assumptions about themselves and the world
• Recognize tone, strategies and rhetorical devices
• Distinguish between fact and opinion
• Use logical reasoning, analysis/synthesis, cause and effect, problem/solution, and paradoxes
• Students will be introduced to such terms as isogloss, chiasmus, inclusio, nominative absolute, polysyndeton and asyndeton
• They will learn eight forms of figurative language

Materials

Texts: 

• Dictionary
• The Holy Bible  (King James Version)
• The Bridge of San Luis Rey (Thornton Wilder)
• The Scarlet Letter (Nathaniel Hawthorne)
• Middle Passage   (Charles Johnson)
• Always Running (Luis J. Rodriguez)
• Dr. Vaughns’ Student Notes (Purchased from the Bookstore)
• College Writing Process Packets (Provided by Instructor for student use and then returned to the Instructor upon completion of writing assignments)
• Two pens for essay writing
• File Folder
• Binder

 

Methods of Instruction:

Evaluation Your grade will be based on..

Teaching methods and/or strategies include lecture/discussion, small group instruction, individual exercises and writing practice, individual work with the instructor, in-class writing,use of media, textbooks and/or practice activities.   Four outside essays are also required. Students must be willing to commit to an additional hour of supplemental instruction per week. Hours are made by arrangement only. Students must purchase a "16-hour commitment" folder (sold at the bookstore) to fill in his/her hours.  

Extra Credit:   EC is awarded through oral participation and thorough critical examination of the author’s work above and beyond the assigned tasks.

Required:  Class written essays are turned in at the end of the period; the instructor corrects and returns them to the students the following day. The Students will then revise those essays and return it to the instructor for a second grade. All outside written essays MUST be turned in on the assigned day in order to be accepted for a proper grade. The final wtiting project MUST be turned in on or before the assigned day WITHOUT exception. It will not be taken after the assigned day and the student may risk receiving a failing grade.

Exam:  Students should expect weekly quizzes that will reflect their knowledge of the previous week’s lessons.  There will be a midterm and a final exam (project) reflecting their knowledge of the reading, lectures, and of various forms of literary devices in composition writing:

Midterm – (cerca) Second week of  October, 2006 Final – Wednesday December 13, 2006

Statement:  In coordination with the DSPS Office, reasonable accommodation will be provided for eligible students with disabilities.  If you do not yet have an accommodation letter,  please contact the DSPS Office at 650-738-4280.

Attendance:   Daily attendance is required.  Students who are absent may miss too many lecture assignments that can not be made up; those lectures will help improve their writing skills and overall English learning.  Since writing is a most vital ingredient in this class, it is to the students’ great advantage to attend class every day.   Students who miss six classes may be dropped from the roll; however, students are required to file an appropriate drop or withdrawal from admissions and records or they may receive an F in the course.

Make-Up Policy:  All work MUST be made up within a one week period after its due date.  It is the student’s direction to stay on task with his/her assignments by using email in the case of his/her absence.

Rules: 

Students are expected to be in class on time every day.  Tardies may cause students to miss the proper directions and instructions for the day’s lesson.  Tardies also interrupt and disturb not only the instructor’s lectures but also the students’ attentive participation during lectures.

All work is due on the assigned day.  Students should avoid being penalized for turning in late assignments.

Student Conduct:  please turn off cell phones and pagers while in class.

Students talking during lectures not only disrupt the professor, but also disturb other students sitting near the talkative students.

Each student has the obligation to know and uphold the College Rules and Regulation. Students who engage in disruptive behavior-conduct that interferes with the instructional, administrative, or service functions of the course-can be subject to disciplinary action, including suspension and/or expulsion from the course and/or college. Specifically, cell phone interruptions, the use of iPods and/or pagers, habitual profanity of vulgarity, and continued willful disobedience will result in disciplianary action. Regerence the Studen Code of Conduct for further description of unacceptable disruptive behavior.

Evaluation of Student Performance:  A passing grade is based on satisfactory completion of writing tasks turned in on time, quizzes, exams, conscientious attendance, absence of tardies, effective participation, and satisfactory completion of reading assignments.  Students are graded on the percentage or point system only:

•             Essays (Exams included)  70% (Final Project must be typed and turned in on time)
•             Reading (Exams included)  20%
•             Quizzes and other work 10%

Essay Evaluation:  -Essay has a clearly evident introductory paragraph which develops the idea to be presented in the thesis.  It has a clearly stated thesis.  A strong, clearly stated thesis is essential, which should focus on only one main point.

The essay supports logically throughout the essay the thesis set out in the introduction (by examples, incidents, reasons, transition, etc.).

It is expressed in a formal, concise style, free from colloquialisms, slang expressions, or strained metaphors.  The essay should be a straightforward, logical discussion of the assigned subject.

The essay uses appropriate transitional words or phrases to join paragraphs so that the discussion flows or moves.

The essay has a clearly evident concluding paragraph which restates the main point or offers a solution to the problem posed in the discussion.  (The absence of an introduction or conclusion may fail the paper.

The essay uses correctly documented outside sources as support for the thesis.

 Plagiarism  is deadly to a student’s college career in the English subject.  Not only is it copying the author’s work verbatim, it also comes under copying work from the internet to be used as your own and/or using work done by a tutor as your own.  All three will earn a failing grade in this class.

Support Services Available:  Computer Writing Center; English Assistance Lab; Library and Student Services

(“THE ABOVE SCHEDULE AND PROCEDURES IN THE COURSE ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE IN THE EVENT OF EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES.”)