SYLLABUS
English 101 – Spring 2007
|
Instructor: Brent Todd Office: R-230 E-mail: btodd@bcc.ctc.edu Office Hours: By
appointment |
A Writer’s Reference (“WR”), 5th ed., Diana
Hacker
Literature and the Writing
Process (“LWP”), 7th ed., Elizabeth McMahan et al.
a good college dictionary
(I recommend The American Heritage
College Dictionary)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
In
this class you will improve your critical thinking and writing by: (a) analyzing
and discussing the writing of classmates and professional writers, (b) studying
the fundamentals of the craft of writing and grammar, and (c) writing a lot.
This
is not a “warm body” class—one where you receive a passing grade for simply
showing up and keeping a seat warm every week. I expect you to not only read
and understand all the assigned reading, but to question and evaluate it, and
make well-reasoned arguments of your own in response to it. Some of the reading
will be challenging (it is supposed to be).
You
learn by doing. I expect you to complete assignments on time and actively participate
in class workshops and discussions.
MyBCC
is a great tool. Class handouts are posted there. Go to www.bcc.ctc.edu and log into MyBCC. Scroll
down to My Classes and click the link to this class. Please spend
several hours right away exploring to see what’s there. You can use computers
in the Writing Lab or Computer Lab to access MyBCC (see “Resources” below).
ASSIGNMENTS, TESTS, AND
PARTICIPATION
Your
grade will be based on the following:
Points
Points
|
8 Short Essays* |
100 each |
|
8 Grammar Tests** |
100 each |
|
Paper 1 |
200 |
|
7 SHEP Tests** |
75 each |
|
Paper 2 |
300 |
|
Presentation |
150 |
|
|
|
|
Participation |
150 |
*The lowest SE grade will be dropped **The
lowest Test grade will be dropped
An
Excel spreadsheet in the MyBCC Grades Folder makes keeping track of your grade
easy. It is provided for your convenience; you are not required to use it. Excel is available on BCC computers).
|
Your
grade will be based on the assignments and tests described below, and on your
participation in class. The NW and Paper assignments are described more fully
in handouts posted in the MyBCC NW and Papers Folders. |
Papers 1 & 2 Paper
1 is a SG team writing assignment (an analysis essay). Paper 2 is an individual writing assignment
(a synthesis essay). Each should be approximately 600-1,000 words, and should be
based on your own insightful reading of one or more short stories in LWP. Neither
Paper should be based on outside sources. See the handouts for Papers 1 and 2.
Tests You will be tested on the content of assigned reading
and the fundamentals of writing and grammar. I expect you to develop the
ability to look up grammar rules in WR, a dictionary, and the handouts posted
in the MyBCC Grammar Folder. The grammar tests will be open-book except for the
conjugation of Be, Have, and Do. The SHEP tests (Stories,
Handouts, Essays, and Poems) will be closed-book. On the open-book portion of each test, you
will be able to use class handouts, class notes, a dictionary, LWP, and WR.
Presentation At the end of the quarter your
SG will make a presentation to the class based on class readings and
discussions. If you are absent on the day scheduled for the presentation, you won’t
be able to make it up, and will receive a “0” for the assignment.
Participation Your participation grade will be based on your
attendance and punctuality, the quality of your participation in class
discussions, your timely completion of assignments, your academic honesty, your
contribution to SG team assignments, your attitude, and your overall
contribution to the class.
See the “Format
Requirements” handout posted in the MyBCC Miscellaneous Folder. It lists the format
requirements for all Papers and NWs. Any assignment that does not comply
with these requirements will not be accepted.
POLICIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS
Attendance & Punctuality. I expect you to come to
class every day and on time. Being absent, arriving late,
or leaving early will significantly adversely affect your grade. If you are
absent more than 5 times you will receive an “F” for the class. If you arrive
after I take attendance or leave early you will be treated as absent. Absences
are counted from the first day of class, whether you are registered or not.
Due Dates. Each assignment is due in hardcopy form at the beginning of
class on the day shown in the Calendar (even if you do not attend class that
day). Deadlines are important. I normally don’t accept late assignments or give
make-up tests; if you miss one you will receive a “0.” If you believe extraordinary
circumstances make it appropriate and fair to both you and your classmates for
me to accept a late assignment or give a make-up test, notify me as soon as
possible before the assignment or test is due, and I will decide what is
appropriate and fair. You normally won’t be able to make up more than one missed
assignment or test under any circumstances. Any late assignment that is
accepted may receive a significantly reduced grade, which may be lower than the lowest
grade earned by any of the students who turn the assignment in on time.
Plagiarism & Cheating. Plagiarism and cheating are serious offenses that will result in severe penalties and may significantly adversely affect your permanent record. The first offense will result in a grade of "0" for the assignment or test and may result in a “0” participation grade for the class as a whole. A further offense will result in more severe disciplinary measures which may include an "F" for the class and dismissal from the college. BCC subscribes to a plagiarism detection service. Any written work may be submitted and checked for originality. Please read “Avoiding Plagiarism” in the Writing Lab website www.bcc.ctc.edu/writinglab during the first week of class.
Special Needs Students with disabilities who
have accommodation needs should meet with the Director of Disability Support
Services to establish their eligibility for accommodation, and should review
their accommodation needs with me as soon as possible at the beginning of the
quarter.
General Policies The “Student Procedures and
Expectations” of the Arts and Humanities Division apply to this class. Go to www.bcc.ctc.edu/artshum/studentinfo.asp
and click "Student Procedures and Expectations."
RESOURCES
Writing & Computer Labs The Writing Lab (D-222 www.bcc.ctc.edu/writinglab ) is an excellent place to get tutoring, and you can type and print assignments there. The Computer Lab ( http://ac.bcc.ctc.edu/ N-250) is another good place to type and print assignments. Hey, your tuition and fees cover these resources, so why not use them? Let BCC pick up your printing tab.
How to Contact Instructor The best way to contact me is
by e-mail. I usually check it every weekday and send prompt replies
acknowledging receipt (if you don’t hear from me within 24 hours you should
assume your message didn’t go through). You can also leave a voicemail at
425-564-2049.
HELP IS HERE IF YOU NEED IT
The rules are intended to make sure the class is fair and runs smoothly for everybody. If any problems arise, please let me know right away so I can help you find a solution. I’ll do everything I can to help you succeed.
Writing Responsibility Your responsibility with respect to each writing assignments includes the following:
1. Use a prewriting strategy (e.g., brainstorm, cluster, and outline) to find a “main idea” and sort out the pieces it is comprised of.
2. Complete a 1st draft as soon as possible (don’t get bogged down writing the introduction – you will rewrite it anyway as you come to understand more clearly what you are trying to say).
3. Let your 1st draft sit a while (Hemingway called this a “cooling out” period). When you come back with fresh eyes you will see your idea more clearly and objectively.
4. Revise. Revise. Revise. This involves a lot more work than most people realize. The first draft is for you (to figure out what you think). The revision is for your readers (to explain as clearly, concisely, precisely, and interestingly as you can). Fixing a few punctuation errors and improving a few sentences is not enough. You need to rethink the whole project from top to bottom. Ask yourself questions such as these: Is the main idea clear and insightful? Are the paragraphs in the best order? Are the transitions clear? Does each sentence follow so logically and clearly from the one that precedes it that readers feel they are seeing a single idea unfold? Are the steps from sentence to sentence small enough? Are there enough specific and concrete details for readers to “see” the idea instead of being “told”? Are you “writing small”? Can sentences be tightened? Does each sentence support the main idea?
5. As you revise, sketch brief outlines from time to time to make sure you say everything that needs to be said, don’t say anything twice, include each logical step, stay on topic, and provide enough details.
6. Understand what an “essay map” is, and use one in the introduction if appropriate.
7. During revision be willing to modify your main idea and your strategy for explaining it. Let the writing process help you understand more clearly and precisely what you are trying to say. Allow yourself the freedom to change your views.
8. Weed out grammar mistakes. Apply the grammar concepts you are learning in class. Revise one last time ignoring content and looking only at verb tenses.
9. Find a way to be genuinely excited about what you are trying to explain.
10. Turn each assignment in on time.
Reading Responsibility Your responsibility with respect to each reading assignment includes the following:
1. Complete the reading in advance. Read everything at least twice: once for details and a second time for the big picture. Read for content, but also study the craft (how the sentences and paragraphs are constructed). Pay attention to everything from punctuation to overall organization.
2. Don’t just pass your eyes over the words, but understand and remember their content well enough to explain it to others and argue against it.
3. Question what you read. Have specific reasons for agreeing or disagreeing with the ideas expressed, and for liking or disliking the way they are expressed.
4. Post-it note key pages, underline key sentences, and write notes in the margins. Do these things to help you organize and clarify your thoughts.
Class Discussion Responsibility Your responsibility with respect to class discussion includes the following:
1. Listen to, analyze, and evaluate what others say, and respect their right to express their ideas.
2. Develop insights, claims, and arguments of your own, and share them with the class.
3. Be a team player (make an effort to contribute to the discussion without dominating it).
SG Responsibility Your responsibility with respect to your SG includes the following:
1. Be prepared. Do the reading in advance. Participate fully and cooperatively in all SG assignments. Take responsibility for making sure all assignments are finished on time.
2. Stay on task during discussions, and take responsibility for making them worthwhile.
3. Help create a comfortable atmosphere that encourages everyone to share ideas. Listen carefully. Be aware of non-verbal cues (yours and those of others). Don’t allow one or two people to dominate a discussion or a SG assignment.
4. Follow the “golden rule” (treat others the way you want to be treated).
5. Make arrangements to contact members of your SG regarding work outside class (e.g., exchange e-mail addresses and telephone numbers).
Other Expectations You are also expected to improve your ability to do the following:
1. Read college-level material written by a variety of writers.
2. See relationships and implications.
3. Learn to read in different ways for different purposes.
4. Make claims and support them with quoted passages and explanation that uses logical reasoning.
5. Understand the difference between (a) fact and opinion,(b) subject and object, and (c) subjective and objective.
6. Use advanced sentence techniques such as parallelism and subordination.
7. Understand how to use topic sentences in paragraphs.
8. Understand what an essay is, and what its elements are (thesis, development, coherence, organization, purpose, voice, tone, audience, and diction).
9. Understand that writing is a process comprised of steps (prewriting, writing, organizing, outlining, and revising).
10. Understand that the writing process is flexible (the steps are not always the same, and are not always taken in a fixed order).