EAS6150

Spring 2018

CompositionforNon-NativeSpeakers

Instructor: Amber Christensen

OfficeHours:M & W 1:30-2:30and T & Th 11:30-12:30, or by appt.

Please only contacttheinstructorthroughCanvas.

CourseObjectives

ThiscourseisdesignedtohelpyoudevelopskillsthatyouneedtosucceedinacademicwritinginEnglishattheuniversitylevel.

Youwilllearnto:

●Engage in critical reading:

○Annotate essays and articles by summarizing main ideas, identifying and defining new vocabulary, asking questions, highlighting and marking interesting points, and paraphrasing data and facts

○Study vocabulary using Academic Word List

●Develop new ideas and viewpoints based on personal knowledge, experience and information from readings

●Communicate ideas through writing

○Summarize ideas from essays and articles

○Respond to ideas from essays and articles using personal opinion

○Begin to combine different views and ideas to make one new idea

●Use the writing process to prepare, write, and revise:

○Practice brainstorming, outlining, drafting, revising, editing and proofreading writing assignments

●Identify and use American academic standards of writing including:

○write limited thesis that includes topic and controlling idea

○explain thesis through appropriate and relevant sub-topics using proper essay format that includes an introduction, thesis declaration, background information, paragraphs explaining sub-topics, and conclusion

○use APA citation style, including use of in-text and Reference citations

○recognize difference between scholarly and popular sources

○evaluate a source for credibility

●Continue to develop grammar and mechanics of Academic English:

○subject-verb agreement and proper verb tense

○correct word forms

○appropriate word order

○clear sentences based on grammatical rules for variety of sentence types

CourseActivities

AssignedReadings:Youwillbeaskedtoreadmaterialfromyourtextsandpossiblyalsofrom Canvas. Youshouldcompletethereadingassignmentforacertaindaybeforeyoucometoclassonthatday. YouwillberesponsibleformaterialfoundonanyreadingassignmentandsometimesIwillassignexerciseswiththereadings.

***You will be given a separate rubric for each writing assignment because you will have more requirements.

You will be required to:

  • Write 3 reaction papers
  • In each essay you will be required to use at least 5 AWL words correctly.
  • When sources are required, you will need at least 3 sources and have 3-4 examples per paragraph.
  • During consultations, I will meet with you for 15 minutes rather than 10 minutes.
  • I would also like you to be an example and a mentor to the other students.
  • I may have you do extra peer reviews for students that need extra help.

Essays:Youwillwritethreemajoressaysduringthesemester. Pleasetype(double-spaceanduse12-pointfont)alldraftsofyouressays. On graduate essays, you will be expected to fulfill more requirements.

You will be required to:

  • In each essay you will be required to use at least 5 AWL words correctly.
  • When sources are required, you will need at least 3 sources and have 3-4 examples per paragraph.
  • During consultations, I will meet with you for 15 minutes rather than 10 minutes.

ReactionPapers:Youwillbeaskedtowritethreepapers basedonassigned readings.

In-ClassParticipation:Theinstructorexpectsyoutoattendclassandparticipateinclassactivitiesanddiscussions. As a graduate student in an undergraduate course, you are also expected to be more active in the class and be a mentor to the undergraduate students.

HomeworkAssignments:Theinstructormayassignyouhomeworkassignmentswhicharedesignedtohelpyoupracticetheknowledgeyouaregaininginthiscourse.

PeerReview:InordertohelpyougetmoreideasabouthowtowriteinEnglish,youandyourclassmateswillshareyourworkwitheachotherandmakecommentsonit. Yourinstructorwillgiveyoumoreinformationabouthowthiswillwork. I may have you do extra peer reviews for students that need extra help

PopQuizzes:Inordertoevaluateyourknowledgeofthetopicstaughtinthecourse,yourinstructormayadministerquizzesthroughoutthesemester.

Other:Theremaybeotherappropriateactivitiesasdeterminedbytheinstructor.

CourseMaterials

RequiredMaterials:

  • Smalley,R.L.etal.(2001).RefiningCompositionSkills:Academic WritingandGrammar.6Thedition Boston:HeinleHeinle.
  • Walker, Bill (2012). English Vocabulary for Academic Success. By Bill Walker.
  • A 3-ring binder/notebook, pens, and pencils.
  • Blue Books to use as a journal/log.

CoursematerialsmayalsobeavailableattheReserveDeskintheMarriottLibrary.

Evaluation/Grading:Yourfinalgradewillbeacompositeoftheworkyouhavedoneforthiscourse. Eachcomponentofthecoursewillbeweightedaccordingtothefollowingpercentages:

Essays70%

In-ClassWork,ReactionPapers,etc.30%

Total100%

No “Incomplete” (I)gradeswillbegiven. Finalgradeswillbeassignedaccordingtothefollowingpercentages. Thesepercentagesrepresentapercentageofthetotalpossiblepointsfortheclass.

B+=87%-89% / C+=77%-79% / D+=67%-69%
A=94%-100% / B =83%-86% / C =73%-76% / D =63%-66% / E =0%-59%
A-=90%-93% / B-=80%-82% / C-=70%-72% / D-=60%-62%

CoursePolicies

Homework:

  • Homeworkwillbecollectedrandomly.Youwillreceivepercentage/pointsforhomeworkdependingnotonlyonthecompletion,butalsoonthequality.Homeworkisexpectedtobecompletedinatimelymanner(i.e.fornextclassafteritwasgiven).
  • Nocreditwillbegivenforhomeworkdoneinclass.
  • LateWork:Ingeneral,lateworkwillnotbeaccepted. Allassignmentsaredueatthebeginningofclassontheduedate,unlesstheinstructorspecificallyannouncesanotherduedateandtime.

CellularPhones:Turnoffallcellphones,pagers,andotherdeviceswhichcouldbedisturbingtoyourclassmatesduringclasstime.

UseofWorkforOtherCourses:Theworkyouturninduringthiscoursemustbenewandunique. Youmaynotturninanyworkinthiscoursewhichisthesameorsimilartoworkthatyouhaveturnedinorwillturninforanothercourse. Inaddition,ifyouhavetakenEAS1050previously,youmaynotturninthesameworkthatyouturnedinduringprevioussectionsofthiscourseorworksimilartoworkthatyouturnedinduringprevioussectionsofthiscourse. Ifyouturninthesameworkorsimilarwork,itwillbeconsideredplagiarism.

EASProgramPolicies

  1. Participation: Activelisteningandparticipationareexpectedinallclassactivitiesanddiscussions. Studentsneedtobeinvolvedinansweringquestionsposedbytheinstructor,andaskquestionswhenatopicisnotfullyunderstood. Failuretoparticipateinclasssessionswillresultinagradereduction. Ifyouareabsentfromaclass,thiswillbeviewedasnon-participation. Non-participationwillresultinthefollowinggradereductions,basedonhowmanyclassesinwhichyoudidnotparticipate:

(Classes that meet 2 times per week)

  • 0-2 classes:No change in grade
  • 3-5 classes:Final grade will be reduced 1/3 rd letter grade (i.e.: B- to C+)
  • 6+ classes:You will fail the course with a grade of E
  1. Attendance: Attendanceisrequired. Youareconsideredresponsibleforallannouncements,assignments,andhandoutsgivenineachclasswhetheryouarethereornot. Ifyoumissaclass,youmustcheckwithaclassmateoryourinstructorforanythingyoumayhavemissed.

YouwillbedroppedfromESLclassesisyoudonotattendduringthefirstweek.

StudentsabsentfromclasstoparticipateinofficiallysanctionedUniversityactivities(e.g.,band,debate,studentgovernment,intercollegiateathletics),orreligiousobligations,orwithinstructor'sapproval,shallbepermittedtomakeupbothassignmentsandexaminations.

  1. Distractions:Anydistractionsinclassmayresultinyoubeingaskedtoleavetheclassand/ortakecareoftheproblem. Itisimportantfortheclassroomtobefreefromdistractionssoallstudentscanlearn.
  2. Tardiness(comingtoclasslate): Ifyouarriveafterthetimetheclassisscheduledtobegin,youwillbeconsideredtardy(late). Threetardieswillbecountedasoneabsence.
  3. Cellphones:Turnoffallcellphonesandelectronicdevices(computers)beforeenteringtheclassroom.
  4. Childrenorotherdistractions:Onlyregisteredstudentsshouldbeinclass. Pleaseaskinstructorforanyexceptiontothispolicy.
  1. Latework:Latework,includinghomeworkandpapers,willnotbeaccepted. Allassignmentsaredueatthebeginningofclass! Ifyouhaveaproblem,pleasecontacttheinstructorbeforetheassignmentisduetoturnintheassignmentearly.
  2. Missedtestsandquizzes: Testsandquizzesmustbetakenwhentheyaregiveninclass. Youmaynotmakeuptestsorquizzes.
  1. Outsidehelp:Forthisclassyoumaynothaveanyhelportutoringoutsideclassunlessspecificallymentionedbytheinstructor. Ifyouneedextrahelp,pleaseseecheckwiththeinstructortomakearrangements. Useofuniversityservices(writingcenter,tutoringcenter,etc.)ispermitted.
  1. Withdrawal: Donotwithdrawfromanyclassonyourown. PleasecheckwithyouracademicadvisorbeforewithdrawingfromEAScourses.
  1. Incompletegrades:IncompletegradeswillnotbegiveninEAScourses.
  1. Grades: A “C” inthiscoursecorrespondsto2.0GPA. For1040and1050,youneeda “C-“ orhighertomoveontothenextcourse.
  1. Cheating(Readthiscarefully!):PleaserefertotheUniversity’sStudentCode(
  • Definitionofcheating
  • Dishonestyforthepurposeofgain
  • ‘Purposesofgain’ includegettingabettergradeorgettingcreditforanassignmentyouhavenotpersonallydone.
  • Studentscheatwhenthey…
  • Copyfromanotherperson’sworkduringatest
  • Copyfromanotherperson’sassignmentsorhomework
  • Writeatest,assignment,orhomework,foranotherperson
  • Allowanotherpersontocopytheirtest,assignment,orhomework
  • Purchaseessaysontheinternetorfromanotherperson
  • Consequences
  • Apersonwhocheatswillreceiveanautomatic “E” forthetest/assignment.
  • Inaddition,theteacherandthedepartmenthavetheauthoritytogivethestudentan “E” forthecourse.
  • ThestudentmayberequiredtoappearbeforetheAcademicMisconductCommittee(pleasesee
  1. Plagiarism(Readthiscarefully!):PleaserefertotheUniversity’sStudentCode(
  • Definition
  • Copyingothers’ writing,orevenasmallpartoftheirwriting,withoutproperpermission
  • Takingcreditforanywritingthatisnotyourown
  • Usingotherauthors'materialandchangingitsomewhatwithoutstatingnexttothematerialexactlywhereitcamefrom
  • Notusingquotationmarksaroundanyandallmaterialthatisnotyourownvoice
  • Cuttingvarioussentencesoutofavarietyofdifferentsourcesandcombiningthemtogether,evenifyoumakeafewsmallchangesineachone
  • Consequences
  • An “E” forthecourse
  • Possibleexpulsionfromtheuniversity
  • Ifplagiarismissuspected,youwillberequiredtohaveaconferencewiththeinstructorandcompleteavarietyoftestsdesignedtoidentifyplagiarizedwork.
  • Yourpaperwillalsobesubmittedtoapanelofjudges,allofwhomarehighlyexperiencedinidentifyingplagiarizedmaterial. Inaddition,thecommitteewillusenewlydevelopedcomputerprogramstoscantheentireinternetandlocatesourcematerialwhichhasbeenplagiarized.
  1. Useofpaperswrittenforothercourses. Inthiscourse,youmaynotusepaperswrittenforanyothercourseatanyothertime.
  1. Filingofpapers. Yourinstructorwillkeepyourpapersandcourseworkforfiveweeksaftertheendofthesemester. Afterthistime,youcanpickupyourcoursework. Afteronesemester,allpapersandcourseworkwillberecycled,soifyouwishtopickupyourpapers,dosobeforethen.
  1. AcademicMaturity: EASclassesareintendedtopreparestudentsforhighereducationintheUnitedStates,andwewanttodoourbesttoteachstudentsskillswhichwillgivethemthebestchanceofsucceeding. Oneoftheseimportantskillsislearninghowtotakeresponsibilityfortheirperformanceandlearning. Forthesereasons,wewillencouragethestudentstodevelopacademicmaturity,whichincludesthefollowing:
  • Takingfullresponsibilityfortheirownactionsandacceptingtheinevitableconsequences
  • Notaskingforspecialtreatment
  • Respectingandmeetingdeadlinesprovidedbytheinstructor
  • Understandingthattheonlybasisforawardingagradeisonthebasisofperformance,andnotwhatthestudentwantsorneeds
  • Behavingwithrespecttowardstheinstructorandotherstudents

UNIVERSITYPOLICIES:

•AddsWithdrawals. SeetheUniversityofUtahwebpageforthelatestofficialinformation.

•Ifastudentwouldliketorequestachangeormodificationinthecourserequirementsbaseduponamedicalcondition,theinstructorshouldreferthestudentimmediatelytotheCenterforDisabilitYServices,162OlpinUnionBuilding,581-5020.

•Afacultymemberhasnoresponsibility,norshoulds/he,provideanykindofcoursemodificationforastudent,baseduponadisabilityormedicalcondition,withoutvalidpaperworkfromtheCenterforDisabilityServices,162OlpinUnionBuilding,581-5020.

•ADA.TheUniversityofUtahseekstoprovideequalaccesstoitsprograms,servicesandactivitiesforpeoplewithdisabilities. Ifyouwillneedaccommodationsinthisclass,reasonablepriornoticeneedstobegiventotheinstructorandtheCenterforDisabledStudentServices,581-5020(VoiceorTDD)tomakearrangementsforaccommodations. Allwritteninformationforthiscoursecanbemadeavailableinalternativeformatwithpriornotification.