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English 21: English Fundamentals Syllabus
Section and meeting times: Section # 3145 in H-102
Instructor: TR Botel
Phone: (818) 947-2600
Email:
English Office: H-121
Office Hours: 6:15-6:45 Wednesdays; by appointment; online.
Course Description
This course teaches the fundamentals of English grammar, reading and effective sentence skills. Students will compose paragraphs and short essays. This course is offered on a Pass/No Pass basis only.
Lecture, 3 hours.
Prequisite
Prerequisite
English 33 with a C grade or higher or the appropriate skill level demonstrated through the placement process.
Student Learning Objectives
-Use appropriate tools of active reading to preview, interpret, analyze and evaluate pre-collegiate texts
-Identify and restate main and supporting points of a text, identify its organization, and relate ideas from one text to other texts or situations;
-Apply pre-writing tools to plan an essay;
-Compose paragraphs with explicit topic sentences and/or short essays with explicit thesis statements;
-Develop and support ideas fully through use of concrete details and examples, and organize and connect specific details and evidence in a paragraph or essay;
-Assess early drafts and revise them to improve organization, coherence, support, unity, and word choices;
-Within the context of the essay, correctly apply the elements of sentence structure, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, spelling and usage;
Differentiate among direct quotation, paraphrase, and plagiarism.
REQUIRED TEXT(Available in the Bookstore)
Models for Writers, Short Essays for Composition by Rosa & Eschholz
Assorted handouts
READING
Assignments are written in the syllabus and homework is listed. You will be expected to read the assignments and do the activities before class as part of your homework. Then in the class we will discuss the method the work assigned.
ACCOMODATION STATEMENT
If you have a documented disability and wish to discuss academic accommodations, please let me know. You may speak to me after class, during my office hours, or by phone or email. Your privacy will be protected. You are also encouraged to contact Disabled Students Programs and Services (Dave Green, Dean @818-947-2681 or 818-947-2679.)
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Because this is a workshop style class, your participation is important and determines your need to succeed. You are expected to attend every class. If you must be absent, please contact me by phone or email within 24 hours of the missed class meeting and please obtain class notes or missed work from a classmate. More than two unexcused absences can activate your being dropped from the class.
LATE AND MAKE UP POLICY
In general, no late assignments are accepted and no make up credit is granted. If you have an emergency situation, please contact me within 24 hours of the missed class to determine whether alternative arrangements can be made.
CLASS POLICY
Do not come late to class. If you arrive late or leave early, you will be counted as absent. No mobile phone use or texting in class. Any student who text or uses the phone in class will be asked to leave the class and will be counted absent.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
All of the work you submit in the class must be your own. When you integrate sources from other writers work into your own papers, you must use formal citations in MLA style. Plagiarism-whether intentional or accidental-will not be tolerated and is subject to penalty. The minimum penalty is an F on the assignment; the maximum is dismissal from the college. For more information, please review the LAVC policy on Academic Dishonesty.(Board Rule 9803.28)
The Writing Center is in LARC, 2nd floor. Free services are available there for all students. I encourage you to take your drafts to the Writing Center for additional feedback.
GRADING
This is a credit/no credit class. All of the scores on the assignments help create your cumulative breakdown.
Grading Breakdown: 1000-Point Scale
3 exams (Essay and grammar) =300
Weekly homework, quizzes, and journals=200
Essay #1-100
Essay #2-100
Research Essay & power point presentation =200
Final =100___+______
You need at least 700 points to pass the class.
PEER EDITING
Peer editing is a valuable tool to help in the writing process. This class setting uses Peer Editing for Essay #3. Peer Editing in small groups as a tool is used to improve ones writing. This is a mandatory, non-negotiable component of this class.
WRITING LOG/READER RESPONSE JOURNAL
Take notes on all assigned readings. This will be graded and reviewed weekly. This should be done in a notebook, preferably a composition book. You must keep a journal of all of the readings. Be sure to date and title the section for each entry. The journal acts as a reader-response forum. Tell me what you gleamed from the readings and chapters..
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
-A presentation of Essay #3 as a power point
-Journals-Answer the questions in the Interactive Notebook
-Reflecting on what you know
-Questions for Study and Discussion (QSD)
-Write in a journal the assignments.
Syllabus Fall 2016
Week 1
Introduction to the course, Syllabus, Diagnostic Test & Writing Exercise, email exchange/text contact with a neighbor
Week 2
Discuss the elements of an essay
Discuss the thesis
Homework #1-MFW Chapters 1 & 2; write a two-paragraph analysis of each chapter (4 paragraphs total); MFW Chapter 3: write a two-paragraph analysis of the first two essays and a one-paragraph summary of the theory of the chapter.
Week 3
Discuss organization, introductions, and conclusions in an essay development.
Homework #1 Check, Grade & Review
Homework #2-MFW Chapter 4: write a two-paragraph analysis of the first two essays and a page paragraph summary of the theory of the chapter; MFW Chapter 5: answer Questions for Study and Discussion (QSD’s) for each essay; MFW Chapter 6: write a two paragraph analysis of each essay.
Week 4
Discuss figurative language;
In Class Essay #1
Homework #2 Check, Grade & Review
Homework #3-MFW Chapter 12: answer QSD’s for each essay and write a one-page summary of the theory of this chapter.
Week 5
Discuss effective sentence and paragraph development, transitions, and transitional expressions.
Homework #3 Check, Grade & Review
Homework #4-MFW Chapter 7: Write a two paragraph analysis of the first two essays and a one paragraph summary of the theory of the chapter; MFW Chapters 8 & 9: answer QSD’s for each essay.
Week 6
Discuss illustration in essay development; discuss writing with sources and MLA format; Review for essay.
Video
Essay #2 Assigned
Homework #4-Check, Grade & Review
Homework #5- MFW Chapter 10 & 13: answer QSD’s for the first two essays in each chapter, and write a one-paragraph summary on the theory of the chapter; MFW Chapter 14; QSD’s
Week 7
Discuss the language of an essay; discuss narrative writing.
Essay #2 Peer Edit
Video______
Homework #5-Check, Grade & Review
Homework #6-MFW Chapter 11; write a two paragraph analysis of each essay and a one-paragraph summary on the theory of the chapter; MFW Chapter 14: QSD’s for each essay.
Week 8
Discuss descriptive writing in essay development; discuss research and databases; discuss research project and distribute hand out.
Essay #2 Due
Video______
Homework#6-Check, Grade & Review
Homework #7-MFW Chapter 15: QSD’s for each essay.
Week 9
Discuss process analysis, compare and contrast.
Video______
Homework #7-Check, Grade & Review
Homework #8-MFW Chapters 16 & 19; write a two-paragraph analysis of each essay in both chapters
Week 10
Midterm—70 Questions multiple choice & Short essays
.
Week 11
Discuss using definition in essay development.
Topics for Essay 3
Video______
Homework #8-Check, Grade & Review
Homework #9-MFW Chapter 17: Identify the thesis statements of each essay, and give three examples from any essay in the chapter that you feel qualify the corresponding thesis.
Week 12
Discuss using division and classification is essay development.
Homework #9-Check, Grade & Review
Homework #10-MFW Chapter 18: QSD’s for each essay.
Video______
Week 13
Discuss cause an effect in essay development
Video______
Homework #10-Check, Grade & Review
Homework #11-MFW Chapter 20:Identify the thesis statements of each essay, and give three examples from the first three essays in the chapter that you feel qualify the corresponding thesis.
Week 14
Peer Editing of Essay #3
Discuss argument in essay development.
Homework #11-Check, Grade & Review
Homework #12-MFW Chapter 21: QSD’s for each essay.
Week 15
Homework #12-Check, Grade & Review
Presentations of Essay #3—Power Point
Week 16
Final
Week 17
Last Day of Class
Grades