Monday, March 23, 2015

Syllabus Eng 103

English 103 – Critical and Argumentative Writing
Course Syllabus

Instructor: Tommy Amano-Tompkins                                     Term: Spring 2015
Section: 23812 – MW 5:00 pm -7:50 pm                                           Location: LA-103       
Office hours: W 4:20-4:50 pm in LA 239
Email: tomp99@earthlink.net (best way to communicate with me outside of class!)
Website: www.caliteacheng103sp15.blogspot.com

Prerequisite: English 100 or equivalent with a grade of Pass or “C” or higher or satisfactory completion of the Advanced Placement English examination of the College Entrance Examination Board.
Course Description:
This course develops critical thinking, reading, and writing beyond the level achieved in ENGL 100 (Freshman Composition). The course focused on the development of logical reasoning and analytical and argumentative writing skills.
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
  • Employ the writing process in order to understand and complete the writing task
  • Employ critical thinking concepts to evaluate arguments
  • Employ critical thinking concepts to write coherent, logical arguments
  • Demonstrate critical engagement with outside sources
  • Write in prose style characterized by clarity, complexity, and variety
  • Adhere to the conventions of standard written English, including MLA format
  • Use the Internet as a tool for research and for participating in class activities and study.
Required Texts: (available at the campus bookstore)
Patterns for College Writing: A Rhetorical Reader and Guide by Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell – ISBN: 0312676840
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien – ISBN: 0618706410
War by Sebastian Junger – ISBN: 9780446556248
Home by Toni Morrison – ISBN: 0307740919
The Iliad by Homer, translated by Robert Fagles – ISBN: 0140275363
You will also need to purchase two blue exam books for in-class essays.
Bring your books, a notebook (or notebook paper), and a pen to every class meeting. To complete some assignments, you will need access to the Internet and to a computer word processor.

Students who succeed in English 103 usually choose to:                        **Read carefully!**

  • Make a serious commitment to succeeding in this class.
  • Come to class on time and prepared.
  • Get the required texts as soon as possible.
  • Do all the assignments, including readings, and keep up with the class schedule.
  • Participate in class discussions and activities.
  • Refrain from using their cell phones during class.
  • Let me know immediately if they experience a problem with the class or if other areas of their lives seriously interfere with their ability to do their class work.
  • Seek out all legitimate help with their course work, if they need it, including the Writing Lab, Special Programs & Services, campus librarians, their textbooks, and me.
·      Maintain academic integrity by doing their own work. They do not plagiarize; they do not cheat. (See box on plagiarism on next page.)
  • Treat their classmates and instructor with respect and consideration.
  • Recognize that real learning is difficult – it involves making mistakes and taking risks.
If you are not willing to make these choices, you are not likely to succeed in this class!
I will be happy to meet with you to discuss your work in this course. I encourage you to visit me during office hours, but if that is not convenient for you, we can make an appointment to meet at another time.
Plagiarism can mean copying, word for word, all or part of something someone else has written and turning it in with your name on it. Plagiarism also includes using your own words to express someone else’s ideas without crediting the source of those ideas.
Plagiarism is a very serious form of academic misconduct. It’s both lying and stealing, and it’s a waste of time for students and teachers. College and departmental policy on plagiarism will be strictly enforced: Any student caught plagiarizing will automatically receive a zero for that assignment, with no possibility of making it up, and may be subject to a formal reprimand and/or suspension.
Cite your sources! Please retain all notes and drafts of your papers until grading for the course is completed.

Attendance/Tardiness
Attendance in class is mandatory. This is the college policy. If a student is absent during the add period OR for more than 10% of the total class hours (three classes), the instructor has sufficient cause to drop that student from the class. Arriving late or leaving early will count as one half of an absence.

Grading
Your grade will be calculated as follows:
            45%     Three take-home essays
             5%      Outlines and drafts for 3 essays
            25%     Three in-class essays
            16%     Four reading analysis presentations
             5%      Thirteen quizzes
             4%      Participation

English 103 is a UC-CSU transferable course, so rigorous academic standards must be applied to grading your work. All assignments are required. In-class work, such as reading analysis presentations and quizzes, cannot be made up.
Missing assignments can significantly impact your grade and prevent you from passing the course. For example, if you fail to turn in one essay (worth 150 points) and one Reading Analysis Presentation (40 points), you will need to complete every other assignment with an average score of more than 87% in order to pass the class with a C (70%).
No late assignments will be accepted, unless an extension has been arranged with the instructor in advance. Papers may not be submitted by email except by special permission, and when permitted, it is the student’s responsibility to make sure that the paper is received and readable.

Quizzes will be given frequently throughout the term whenever substantial reading is due. Each quiz will consist of five multiple-choice questions that the instructor will read out loud. Quizzes will always be given at the beginning of the class session; students who are absent or arrive late may not make up quizzes, even if they have really good excuses.
Reading Analysis Presentation assignments: You are required to present your analysis of one of the assigned readings every few weeks for the duration of the class. There will be a sign-up sheet for each set of readings; in some cases, you may be assigned to analyze a specific reading. You must do your analysis on the reading you signed up for (or were assigned) – you may not switch to another reading without clearing it with your instructor. Your written analysis is due the day we discuss it in class (see Schedule), and you will present your findings to the class during our discussion of the reading. Late reading analyses will not be accepted. Guidelines for the reading analyses will be distributed separately.
Essays (including Research Paper) must be typed and formatted according to MLA (Modern Language Association) guidelines. For guidance, see the MLA Formatting and Style Guide at the Web site of the Purdue Online Writing Lab (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ - link available on the course site). Papers may not be submitted by email except by special permission, and when permitted, it is the student’s responsibility to make sure that the paper is received and readable. Late papers will receive an automatic 10% point deduction and will not be accepted later than one week after the original due date. The research paper will not be accepted late!
Turnitin.com: To verify the originality of writing submitted for this class, all essays must be uploaded to Turnitin.com. Turnitin.com will generate an originality report for the instructor identifying any borrowed material in student essays (borrowed material includes correctly documented quotes, as well as plagiarized material). In order to receive full credit, students must upload their essays to Turnitin.com before class on the day the assignment is due. No essay will be graded until it is uploaded to Turnitin.com.
Go to Turnitin.com to create a student profile. Use the following information to upload your essay:
                        Class ID: 9277278                                   Enrollment password: 100103




Schedule of Topics, Readings, and Written Assignments (subject to change)

Date

Readings to be completed before class

Quizzes, exams, and major assignments


Week 1


Mon. 3/23
Handout: Passage from Dispatches
Watch documentary film Restrepo, by Sebastian Junger
Writing diagnostic

Wed. 3/25
War: Book One: Fear, pp. 1-85
*** Last day to drop class and get a full refund is March 27
Quiz 1
(Reading Analysis 1)

Week 2


Mon. 3/30
War: Book Two: Killing, pp. 90-187
Quiz 2
(Reading Analysis 1)
Wed. 4/1
War: Book Three: Love, pp. 189-296 
*** Last day to drop class without a “W” is April 1


In-class essay. Apply this quote from Sun Tzu's Art of War:
Knowing the other and knowing yourself,
In one hundred battles, no danger
Not knowing the other, knowing oneself,
one victory for one loss
Not knowing the other, not knowing oneself,
In every battle, certain defeat

Homework: Begin reading The Illiad, chapters 1-6
Quiz 3
In-Class Essay 1
(Reading Analysis 1)

Week 3


Mon. 4/6
The Iliad: Books 1-6 + Introduction (everyone prepare)

Begin outlining pro

Quiz 4
(Reading Analysis 2)
Wed. 4/8
The Iliad: Books 7-10, 11-14 (groups 1&2 prepare)

Outline 2 Workshop
Quiz 5

Prewriting for Essay 2

(Reading Analysis 2)

Week 4


Mon. 4/13
The Iliad: Books , 15-18, 19-22 (groups 3&4 prepare)

Draft 2 Workshop
Quiz 5
Draft of Essay 2
(Reading Analysis 2)
Wed. 4/15
The Iliad: Books 23-24 (Everyone prepare)

Quiz 6
Essay 2 due
(Reading Analysis 2)


Week 6


Mon. 4/20
The Things They Carried:  pp. 1-26 (The Things They Carried… Enemies)

Quiz 7
(Reading Analysis 3)
Wed. 4/22
The Things They Carried:  pp. 27-61

Quiz 8
In-Class Essay 3
(Reading Analysis 3)




Week 7


Mon. 4/27
The Things They Carried:  pp. 62-85 

-Discuss the prompt for essay 3
-How to approach a critical essay
Quiz 9
(Reading Analysis 3)

Wed. 4/29
The Things They Carried:  pp. 86-116 
-Discuss essay 3 (con't)
-write outline and first paragraph in class
Quiz 10

outline essay 3
(Reading Analysis 3)

Week 8


Mon. 5/4
The Things They Carried:  pp. 117-161 
-
Begin research paper: discuss prompt
-How to use a database
Quiz 11
(Reading Analysis 3)
Essay 3 due
Wed. 5/6
The Things They Carried:  pp. 162-end of book
-multiple choice test on Things (entire book)

*** Last day to drop class with a “W” is May 8

-Research paper
Quiz 12
(Reading Analysis 4)
multiple choice test on Things

Week 9


Mon. 5/11
Reading: TBA

-Research paper: workshop
Quiz 13
(Reading Analysis 4)

Wed. 5/13
Reading: TBA
-Research paper: workshop
Quiz 14
(Reading Analysis 4)


Finals Week


Mon. 5/18
Final Exam 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Bring your books to the exam, you'll need them
Research Paper due


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