|
|
EWRT 1B ERWT 1B Syllabus -- Reading, Writing and Research
NOTE: Online Distance Learning Course, students should disregard the attendance policy written below as it does not apply. Instead, students should plan to login and participate in online discussions and chats regularly -- at least five to 10 times a week.
Office: none on campus
e-mail: Lorella@comcast.net
Office Phone: none on campus
Mailbox: Admin. mailroom
Online Office hours: Tuesdays 10-11 p.m. and by appt.
TEXTS
Orella, English Workbook
Morrison, Sula
Jones, Dutchman and The Slave, Two Plays
Selected short story and poetry handouts
A good college dictionary (I recommend The American Heritage Dictionary.)
A loose-leaf binder in which you collect class notes, handouts, assignments, and copies of all drafts of your essays
.
A 2-pocket folder in which you will submit final essays and related work
.
An e-mail account, from DeAnza (free) or another provider.
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
EWRT 1B is an intensive and advanced reading and writing course that focuses on how to critically analyze and understand literature. Building upon the reading, writing and critical thinking skills you have developed thus far in other English courses, we will explore an array of literary texts -- a play, short stories, poetry and a novel -- from a diverse group of authors. We will focus on the theme of "Identity -- Who We Are in the World based on What We've Experienced." The reading selections are designed to enhance your capacity to appreciate and evaluate literature using critical theories and concepts and what you already know to gain a deeper understanding.
Throughout the quarter, we will examine the components of writing that are essential to the construction of well-written, expository essays. The success of our discussions and activities in this class will depend on your careful reading of the texts, your preparedness, your willingness to investigate your own and others' opinions, and your respect for opinions that are different from your own. All of our reading, viewing, discussing and writing is designed to develop three main critical thinking skills: analysis, synthesis and interpretation.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
You will complete many writing assignments in this class, including sentence combining exercises, outlining, rough drafts, and, of course, essays. You will also participate in peer editing sessions before handing in final essay drafts. You are required to turn in all assigned written work on time. You must do all the work to pass this class, including revisions when required. Five essays in all, including one research paper, must be completed during the quarter.
Grades:
75% ESSAYS AND SUMMARIES -- 750 points
25% EXERCISES, HOMEWORK, AND PARTICIPATION -- 250 points
Grades are based on the quality of the writing you produce, on successful and timely completion of all assignments, and on your regular participation in class activities. The knowledge you gain in this course is cumulative, so the last two essays will be particularly important in determining your final grade; you must receive a C or better on these last two essays to pass the class. But everything counts!
Essays:
Essays are generally three-to-five pages (typed, double-spaced, 8 1/2" x 11" paper, 1" margins, 12 point font) and will be graded A-B-C-NP (Not Passing) with unsubmitted work earning a No Credit (NC) grade.
I will accept one late paper per semester without penalty which must be turned in no later than one week after the due date (see attached coupon). Beyond that, late papers will be penalized; an essay will drop one grade each day that it is late (so a B paper would drop to a C if it was one day late) and will not be accepted one week after the due date.
For each essay assignment, we will work in class with your outlines and rough drafts so that you will have a chance to get feedback on your plans and drafts. To benefit fully from these sessions, you must come to class with thoughtful outlines on outline days and a complete rough draft with two copies on peer response days. If you are not prepared, you are still required to come to class but your grade for the essay will drop by a step: B to a B- and so on.
You may, with my permission, revise and resubmit an essay within two weeks after the essay is returned, but you must first meet with me to discuss your revision plans. You will need to submit both your original (with my comments and the grade sheet) and your revised version of your essay.
Note: Plagiarism refers to passing off another person's ideas or words as your own. This includes copying or paraphrasing someone else's words or ideas without citing the source and/or setting off the passage with quotations. It also includes having other people extensively write or edit your essays for you. Plagiarism is unacceptable. Usually students are tempted to get illegal "help" when they feel they are failing and there is nothing that they can do about it. But there is always one thing you can do if you're having trouble: you can get me to help you. If you are stuck, or feel that you aren't understanding something, please come talk to me and I'll do my best to help you.
Homework, Exercises:
For full credit, assignments must be complete on the day they are due, at the start of class. Because of the quantity of these, I will not accept late assignments. Journals and exercises may be handwritten but they must be legible.
Participation/ Attendance:
It is important that you come to class prepared, attend class regularly, and participate. (Participate means reading all the assigned work, answering and asking questions, being active in small group and whole class activities, and remaining conscious.) If you choose not to do so, your grade will suffer. Since class time is valuable, I will assume that you will not be late to class to avoid awkward interruption. If you will be more than 15 minutes late and have not talked with me before the class about the reason for your lateness, please do not come so as not to disrupt the class. If you miss more than 3 class periods, you should withdraw and plan to repeat the class. If for some reason you are unable to attend a class, please notify me before class begins that you will not be there, and contact a fellow student to find out what you missed. Even though you have missed a class, you are still responsible for the homework assignments and for being prepared for the next class.
Student Conferences:
You will occasionally be asked to come to my office at a time we have both agreed upon to discuss your essays or rough drafts. These conferences are important to your development as a writer, and they are required. Besides the required conferences, I encourage you to visit me during office hours or by appointment to discuss any element of this class and/or your writing. Come prepared to direct our discussion with specific concerns and questions so that I can help you most effectively. I am here to help you learn in whatever way I can.
Final Notes:
Always make a copy of your essay before you turn it in.
When you use a computer for writing and revising essays, save your work often and make a hard-copy (paper copy) after each writing session. Computers are notorious for "eating" essays!
Save all essays and homework until you receive your final grade for the class.
Please see me when you have questions or concerns.
If you miss the second class meeting without notifying me, or if you don't submit the required writing sample on time, you may lose your spot in this class.
|
|
|
