English 093 C, Item 1118
Scott Bessho
Office: R230-P Phone: 425-564-2425 E-mail:
sbessho@bcc.ctc.edu
Office Hours: 10:30-12:20 daily Campus Mail: R230
Required
Texts: Robinson
and Altman: Integrations
Otsuka: When the Emperor Was Divine
Wilson and Glazier:The Least You Should Know About English
Any
good learner's dictionary (e.g. Longman)
Objectives of the course:
·
To learn a variety of approaches to sentence, paragraph and essay
writing..
·
To learn to work in groups to give and receive feedback.
·
To learn editing and composing strategies and techniques.
·
To create a supportive learning community for mutual growth as writers.
Class policies:
1. Please refer to the additional handout on Arts and Humanities
Policies, all of which apply in my classes. Pay special attention to the
section on academic dishonesty. Plagiarism, which we will discuss in class,
will not be tolerated. Be warned that BCC subscribes to a plagiarism detection
service that can easily find papers that are taken, in whole or in part, from
the internet.
2. The grading for papers in this course will be based on a single
standard: portfolio ready. The meaning of this term is somewhat abstract, but
essentially it means the best that your paper can be in terms of readability,
organization, content, and style. When a paper reaches that standard, as
determined by me, it is considered finished and put into your portfolio. You
are allowed three drafts or rewrites of each paper. Your grade on the writing
assignments is determined by the number of your papers that attain the
portfolio-ready standard. You will choose four papers for your portfolio. If
all four of your papers have reached that standard by the last class day, you
get an A for the paper portion of your grade. If three of them do, you get a B.
If two of them do, you get a C, and if one, a D. If none of your papers reach
portfolio-ready status, you fail the class, even if you attend every class and
do all the assignments. A grade of F will result if you miss more than nine
classes. Lateness will count as an absence if I take roll before you arrive.
3. Much of your work will be done in groups, so your participation
is essential to others in the class, whose participation grade depends on your
preparation. Beyond the writing assignments, participation in groups, quizzes
and class activities determines the remainder of your grade, and is evaluated
on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. You can ensure a good participation
grade if you ask questions and try answering questions in class. Unsatisfactory
participation will lower your paper grade by one letter.
4. Your lab fee entitles this class to use the Writing Lab
computers. We will meet in the Writing Lab occasionally, and we will use the
computers for various assignments. You should use a computer for all of your
outside writing. The Lab also provides free tutorial help and instruction in
editing.
5. This class is set up with me as manager or facilitator and you
as active participants in the educational process. This arrangement will reward
those who take their commitment seriously and who keep up with the assignments
and plan their work.
6. Be sure to ask about any of our campus services: Writing Lab,
Reading Lab, Multicultural Services, Women's Center, Disability Support
Services, etc. We have many resources for our students, and we all want to help
you succeed. See me if you would like to know more about available help.
7. I invite any students with special needs or circumstances to
discuss them with me. I am willing to make any necessary accommodations to
facilitate your success as long as I know in advance.
Reading Assignment
Begin reading When the Emperor Was Divine immediately. Some of the writing assignments and a quiz or two will be based on the book and a related film, which we will watch together in class .The video will also be on reserve in the library media center for you to review outside of class time.
Writing Assignments
All papers are to be no more
than 750 words (a limit of roughly 3 pages, typed in 12 point font,
double-spaced). Papers that exceed the assigned length will be returned unread
to the writer for revision. Handwritten papers are not acceptable. If you are
aware that you have some difficulty in grammar or mechanics, you should plan to
make a visit to the Writing Lab with each paper before you turn it in so that a tutor can help you with editing.
The
class schedule requires that you spend time on weekends writing your papers so
that they are ready for your writing group. When I receive your assignments, I
will comment on them and give you advice for revision. Papers may be submitted
to me a maximum of three times: one original and two revisions. You may
continue to revise your papers throughout the quarter until they reach
portfolio-ready status. This may mean that you are revising one paper and
drafting another at the same time. It is important to plan your time. It may
not be possible to put off revisions until the end of the quarter and bring all
of your work up to the portfolio-ready standard. If you run out of time at the
end, your grade will suffer.
NOTE:
All of the writing and reading assignments will be clarified and explained in
class in greater detail as they are assigned.
English 093 Winter Class
Schedule (subject to change)
Be
sure to look ahead so that deadlines will not surprise you.
1/04 Introduction of class syllabus and
schedule; Short in-class essay
1/09 Sentence combining assignment; First
paper introduction
1/11 Introduction to writing group process;
Articles
1/16 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day--No Classes
1/18 Turn in first paper to group for
reading and commenting
1/23 Sentence combining activities
1/25 Second
paper introduction, article quiz
1/30 First paper due; Sentence combining
activities; Narrowing topics for second paper
2/01 Conferences
2/06 Second
paper writing groups
2/08 Turn
in second paper; Internet assignment; Introduction of third paper
2/16 Come
See the Paradise film
2/18 Film
discussion
2/20 Presidents Day--No Classes
2/22 Discussion of readings; Sentence
combining activities; Article quiz
Schedules for the subsequent
weeks will be announced in class
3/22 Final
Conferences
Good Luck in 093 this quarter! Let’s make it fun and productive.
Always remember that I want you to succeed but that you are responsible for your own success.