English 48 College Reading & Study Skills II

Fall 2010 (16-week course 3 Units) CRN 48548

(Online course focusing on child development and parenting issues)

Professor Karen Lim, San DiegoCityCollege, room C 224e

E-mail: Use campus only when Blackboard Vista is down.

858-367-3811

When leaving a clear message, please state your full name, course # and phone number. I will try my best to get back to you within 24 hours. I am teaching two online classes, so keep in mind that is at least 55 students, plus my face-to-face class.

Virtual Office Hours: MWF 1:00-3:00 p.m.

For directions to login to your online course, go to:

Access your course on Blackboard

Class meets: 100% online

Catalog Description:

Designed for students who need stronger reading skills to complete a college program. The course stresses academic reading and study skills such as textbook reading strategies, listening and note taking, outlining, and studying for examinations, and memory and concentration. This course builds on reading comprehension and vocabulary skills developed in English 42. Three units of English credit at this level may be applied to the associate degree. It is recommended that students take the English placement test prior to enrollment. This course may be repeated with different content. (FT)

Prerequisite: Qualifying score on the English Placement Test [R4] or successful completion of ESOL 40 or English 42, with a grade of C or better.

REQUIRED TEXTS AND SUPPLIES:

Cortina, Joe and Janet Elder. Opening Doors: Understanding College Reading 6th ed. McGraw-Hill, 2010. ISBN-13: 978-0073407180

Kvols, Kathryn J. Redirecting Children’s Behavior. 3rd ed. Parenting Press, Inc., 1998. ISBN: 1-884734-30-8

For You Mom, Finally
Author: Ruth Reichl
ISBN: 0-143-11734-3

Dictionary (a college edition)

3-ring binder to organize your notes/papers

Course Information:

If you need additional accommodations to be successful in this course, discuss options with your instructor during the first week of class. Students should attend orientation sessions and/or have prior experience with Blackboard Vista or an equivalent on-line course environment.

Required hardware:

Required software:

MS Word 2003: Acceptable file formats:

.doc; docx; and Rich Text Format file (.rtf file). If you do not have MS Word, you can go to OpenOffice ( and download a free Writer copy. If I cannot open your files, I will not grade your work. Don’t send anything written with Wordpad or Microsoft Works (.wps files). If you do not have the proper software, you cannot take this course.

PowerPoint 2003 reader (free download from )

Adobe Reader v8 (free download from )

Java plug in (free download )

You can succeed as an online student if you...

Are self-motivated

Enjoy problem-solving

Practice good time management techniques

Attend a face-to-face orientation session (see schedule at

Go to Blackboard Vista Tutorial links. (

Student Learning Outcomes:

A student who successfully completes this course will be able to:

1.Demonstrate the ability to read and comprehend college-level materials from a variety of disciplines.

2.Analyze and evaluate college-level materials, using basic critical thinking skills.

3.Develop and demonstrate a variety of college-level study skills, such as note-taking, outlining, mapping, and summarizing.

4. Distinguish between different organizational patterns, style, and purposes for reading.

5.Apply context clues for learning new vocabulary.

6.Evaluate Internet sources in order to develop research skills.

7.Write an annotated bibliography using four different sources.

COURSE CONTENT AND SCOPE:

A. OUTLINE OF TOPICS TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE COURSE

The following topics will be included in the framework of the course but are not intended as limits on content. The order of presentation and relative emphasis will vary with each instructor.

1)Reading

a.Identifying main ideas in paragraphs and passages

b.Understanding author’s organization

c.Inferences

d.Fact vs. opinion

e.Using graphic aids

f.Adjusting reading rate to material

g.Reading in the content areas

h.Vocabulary development

2)Study Skills

a.Note-taking

b.Test-taking

c.Strategies for studying textbooks

d.Mapping and outlining

e.Memory techniques

f.Summarizing and paraphrasing

B.APPROPRIATE READINGS

Readings will be college level materials from a variety of content areas and from a variety of sources: magazines, journals, novels, newspapers, and textbooks.

C.WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

Writing assignments may include summaries, reflections, interpretations, analyses, and discussions of readings and study skills exercises.

D.APPROPRIATE OUTSIDE ASSIGNMENTS

Outside class assignments may include appropriate college level readings of a variety of lengths and may use the computer as a tool to create word documents, and presentations.

E. APPROPRIATE ASSIGNMENTS THAT DEMONSTRATE CRITICAL THINKING

Critical thinking will be required of students in such assignments and activities as reading analyses and interpretations. Students will apply computer skills to the final project in a portfolio format.

METHODS OF EVALUATION

Possible PointsYour Points

Self Introduction10 pts. ______

Syllabus Quiz25 pts. ______

3 exams (100 points Each)Exam #1: ______

Exam #2: ______

Exam #3: ______

2 Summaries (20 points each)40 pts. ______

______

Vocabulary Quizzes 50 pts. total

Ch. 1, 2, 320 pts. ______

Ch. 4, 5, 1020 pts. ______

Ch. 6, 7, 810 pts. ______

Notetaking Exercise (5 topics x 10 pts.) 50 pts.______

Book Journal 80 pts. ______

MLA Exercise20 pts. ______

Annotated Bibliography*100 pts. ______

Discussion Board30 pts. ______

PossibleTotal Points 705 pts. ______

Grading Scale:

705-620=A

619-549=B

548-479=C

478-409=D

408 and lower=F

*Annotated Bibliography (100 points 25 points/source)

Write an annotated bibliography on one topic using four different sources:

  1. Encyclopedia
  2. Weekly Magazine
  3. Scholarly Journal (research based, published quarterly, works cited)
  4. Book

Evaluate Research Information

Content: valid, accurate, factual, thorough, non-biased (no hidden agendas)

Currency: up-to-date

Source of Publication: Author’s credential? Expert on topic? Academic Press?

Coverage: extensive coverage, specific details

COURSE REQUIREMENTS/ATTENDANCE

  1. You should log in at least three times per week and complete all assignments on or before the due dates. You may find it easier to do a little bit every day. If you do not log for two weeks in a row or contact me to discuss your situation, you will be dropped from the class. Regular attendance is considered an essential part of participation in the class. Former students spend anywhere from 6-15 hours per week for this class. ESOL students, in particular, may find the writing component challenging for this class. I encourage all students to work with theEnglish Center tutors (L-209) to be successful in this course. Tutoring confirmations either online or face-to-face will earn you 10 extra credit points (two visits max).
  1. You mustgrammar/spell check before posting on the Discussion Board and before submitting papers to ASSIGNMENTS. Students will also find helpful information for writing at:
  1. Complete assignments on time; the time date (Pacific Standard Time) will be posted for all graded assignments, quizzes and exams. Written assignment such as the Book Journal, Summaries, and Annotated Bibliography will NOT be accepted after ONE week's time. Late assignments will bemarked down 5 points if completed within the week deadline.
  1. Graded assignments must be word processed, 14 point font and double-spaced and sent in a .doc (MS Word) or .rtf (Rich Text Format). Work in any other format will not receive credit, as it is unreadable in Blackboard Vista. If you miss the deadline for any written papers, you may attach a file to an email message in Blackboard. Computers are available at City College in R106, The English Center in the L-209, and T331 during open lab hours. Printer cards can be purchased in the library and in T331. There is no excuse for not knowing how to use a computer or how to word process your papers; if you are computer illiterate you should not be taking an online class.
  1. Pass English 48 & 49 with at least a "C" before taking English 101.

F.No make-ups for exams and quizzes, unless you discuss your situation and arrange an alternative with me at least 24 hrs in advance by phone or email.

An Incomplete grade will only be given if you completed all your work and have only missed the annotated bibliography. You will need to tell me before the semester ends that you would like an incomplete. Then, you will have up to one year to complete the work. In my 20 years of teaching, only a handful of students have ever finished an Incomplete, so the odds are against you.

G.Withdrawal Deadline – No Drops Accepted After Oct. 29th

Each student is responsible to drop all classes in which he or she is no longer participating. As stated on the course schedule, students who remain enrolled in a class after the college’s published withdrawal deadline will receive a failing letter grade for the course.

Cheating and Plagiarism:

Cutting and copying from an original source or using another writer’s language without acknowledging the source is considered plagiarism and will not be tolerated. Copying three or more words from the original source requires using direct quotes. Your summaries and annotated bibliography will be submitted through Turnitin.com

It is better to have a poorly written paper than to have a perfectly plagiarized paper. If you plagiarize your paper, you will receive an automatic “F” on your assignment. After the second offense you will be sent to the Dean of Students for disciplinary action. An official warning will be put on your academic record. Any subsequent plagiarism will result in barring enrollment in any course from the entire district (Mesa, Miramar or City).

Other Cheating: I may require you to complete an alternative assignment if an assignment/exam seems questionable or seems to have been completed by someone other than you.

Student Responsibilities:

IF YOU HAVE ANY DIFFICULTIES OR CONCERNS ABOUT THIS COURSE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IMMEDIATELY. Students with disabilities or special needs who may need special arrangements should discuss options with the instructor during the first two weeks of class. Disabled Students Services are located in A-115 on campus.

Student Services @ City College

  • Admissions: A-112 (submit drop card for withdrawal from course)
  • Mental Health Services: A-221, 388-3539
  • Disabled Students Programs & Services (DSPS): A-115
  • English Center/Computer Lab: L-209

Mon-Thurs. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. F 9 a.m -1 p.m. (Hours subject to change; check for updates)

  • Financial Aid: A-113
  • Transfer/Career Center: A-111
  • TutorialCenter (non-English or Math): L-205
  • Learning Center/Computer Lab: R-124 (new library)
  • Library (IndependentLearningCenter): R building,

Gather at least 3 classmate contacts: phone, outside email, etc. in the event that you need to contact someone and Blackboard Vista email isn’t working.

Classmate’s NamePhone #

  1. ______
  2. ______
  1. ______

Email a copy of your Personal Contract to me in Blackboard Vista email

Personal Contract

I, ______, have read the syllabus for English 48 and I have agreed to discuss any problems with my teacher.

I want to work for the following letter grade _____ in this class.

I am willing to study ____ hours/week for this class.

Your Signature/Name ______