English 101
Spring Quarter 2007
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Instructor:Laura Matzke
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E-mail: lmatzke@bcc.ctc.edu (M-F)
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Office:
C207G
Hours:
Mon-Thurs 11:30-12:20
Fri.
online am & pm
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Phone: (425) 564-2373
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Required
Texts:
Marius, Richard. A Writer's
Companion. 4th edition. (ISBN: 0-07-304015-0)
Hogan, Linda. The Woman Who
Watches Over the World.
The Robertson text below originally ordered for
this class is out-of-print. Please follow the "Required Reading
for Self-Analysis" list of web sources in the Self-Analysis module.
Robertson, Robin. Beginner's
Guide to Jungian Psychology. (ISBN: 0892540222)
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Introductory
Remarks
English 101 is a completely online
class; you are NOT required to attend classroom sessions. However, English 101
is NOT a correspondence course, completed on your own timetable in isolation.
You must participate in this course in an ongoing manner to successfully
fulfill the requirements of the course.
This online course will require you
to have some particular attributes and skills:
- college level reading and comprehension skills,
- good self-motivation,
- good problem solving skills,
- the ability to communicate clearly in writing,
- the ability to learn well in a totally visual medium,
- the ability to follow written directions, and
- the ability to use your computer to complete various
tasks, including (but not limited to) uploading and downloading files as well
as attaching files to e-mail messages and in the assignment dropbox as required, and
- the ability to ask questions as needed.
Many students mistakenly believe
that writing is a talent, gifted to everyone else. But writing is not a single
task, accomplished in isolation. Writing is a skill, developed with practice in
reading texts, analyzing texts, thinking through the texts and then lastly,
writing these ideas down. Anyone with enough determination and effort can learn
to communicate effectively in writing. This class is designed to use writing,
in the form of an academic college essay, to improve your written communication
skills as well as your critical reading and thinking skills. Some students may
already have a measure of these skills; some students may be better at some
skills and feel less comfortable with the others. Whatever your abilities
before now, I ask you to approach the class with compassion and tolerance for
each other.
If you signed up for this course
thinking that it would have less work than a course in the classroom, you were
mistaken. Any online course has more
writing work than a class in the classroom as all of our communication must be
written. Please be advised that the workload may be very difficult for you if
work and/or family demands do not allow you a minimum of two to three
uninterrupted hours every weekday to work on the assignments for this
class. I have tried to focus and space assignments to facilitate as many
learning styles as possible, but you may need to schedule extra time,
especially around paper writing/editing time, depending on your ability to read
or write.
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Student
Responsibilities
Because of the special method of
course delivery, several requirements must be met.
- First and probably most important, the student enrolled in
this course MUST have a computer and required software and services,
including a word processor (Office 95/Word 7.0 or better minimum), an
Internet Service Provider (avoid AOL), and a browser service (Netscape
Communicator 4.7 or Internet Explorer 6.1 work best). Perhaps more
importantly, the student must be familiar with the use of the
above-mentioned items. Whatever web browser you use, be sure to upgrade to
the newest version. I do not
teach computer skills; I teach English. I will help if I can, but I am no
expert in computer systems.
- In order to use our class website effectively, you MUST
set up your computer to the appropriate specifications. Check out that
information by clicking on the "Run a Browser Check" link on the
"Log In" page, to the right of the box where you enter your
username and password.
- Always keep me informed if you have problems
with the technology, and I will try to find help for you. However, I
expect that you bring some expertise with you to help in solving problems
that arise. Ultimately, your computer and internet services are your
responsibility. If you are signed up for the OAS section and you have
computer problems, you may use the computer labs on the BCC campus if you
have an emergency.
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- My Expectations:
- As you know, every teacher has expectations.
These are mine.
- I expect that you signed up for this course because you
want to learn to read, think, and write critically. We call that formal
academic writing. Therefore, I expect that you will complete the work I
have created to teach you these skills.
- I expect that you have come to this class with a working
usage of modern English grammar as English 101 does not teach grammar. I
may suggest additional non-graded work for students who struggle with
grammar. I set aside a segment of our website to provide a grammar and
mechanics help area, complete with exercises; use it if you have these
problems. I encourage you to schedule an appointment in my office or
utilize the Writing lab's
virtual tutor or go to A262 (Writing Lab) on campus for help with grammar
problems. All papers with major grammatical errors lose points in this
class. See the Major Grammar Errors page in the Mechanics area under the
Resources and Tool link for help in identifying these errors.
- I expect that you will participate in ALL class
activities, including peer reviews, Marius assignments, and literature
discussions. Failure to participate in these areas may cause you to fail the
course, even if your formal written papers are passing.
- I expect that you'll
keep track of due dates, reading assignments and class activities using
the CALENDAR MODULE. Please note the "calendar" tool in
the toolbar has highly limited space and utility. Thus I use it
sparingly, only to note major due dates, and provide a much more
descriptive calendar in the module. Please ask immediately if you
have trouble using this module.
- I expect that the total of all formal papers in the
portfolio in this class will average C-(70) or better to move to English
201, 270, 271 or 272. In addition, you must submit all formal papers on
their due dates during the quarter to move on.
- I expect that you will take care to back up your papers
and other assignments on more than one disk and/or store them on your hard
drive AND a disk. It is your responsibility to keep track of this
material--not mine. If some computer catastrophe should occur, you will
still be responsible for producing the work by the due date in order to get
a grade. Be careful--save and back your work up regularly!
- I expect that you will show respect to everyone by
responding to e-mail and discussion postings in a way that is not
judgmental, degrading, or derogatory. Even though we may disagree with the
interpretations of others, please use some self-restraint and compassion
in responding to others' ideas.
Logical and questioning responses are encouraged. Choose your words and
the tone of your message with utmost care. I also expect tolerance for
others' abilities and learning
styles.
- I expect that you will try to the best of your ability to
master the skills taught in this class. According to the English
department at BCC, by the end of the quarter, you should:
- use a variety of prewriting methods to
develop ideas and organize a writing plan.
- revise, edit, and proofread papers (both on
and off the computer) until the final submitted draft shows the
skill and effort you have put into it.
- write for a specific audience with a
specific purpose, as assigned, using an appropriate voice and tone.
- build a complex, but coherent paper around
your own thoughts and analyses.
- use a single, well-stated thesis sentence
that clearly expresses the central idea of your essay, focuses your
topic, and controls ideas to the point of creating unity.
- connect paragraphs to the thesis and to each
other; produce a smooth flow of ideas using appropriate coherence
techniques.
- construct unified paragraphs that develop and
support the main idea with specific examples and concrete details.
- analyze, evaluate and interpret complex
material.
- write essays with effective introductions
and conclusions.
- construct clear, grammatically correct sentences
of precise and appropriate words.
- understand and apply subordination and
coordination in sentences to emphasize important ideas.
- be able to differentiate your personal
opinions and assumptions from another's.
- be able to self-assess(Please see the
Resources & Tools page for more help with the composition skills
listed above).
- I expect each final draft will be submitted to assignment dropbox link provided in each module. These
submissions must be made by the date shown on the class calendar. Papers
submitted after that date will lose 5 points per 24 hour period that they
are late. I will not accept papers more than 3 days (72 hours) late.
Don't ask. To avoid losing
points for late work, do not wait until the last minute to submit your
work. Start early. Sometimes the technology takes longer than you think.
- I expect honesty. I expect that you will
neither do work for others nor use work done by others. Cheating and/or
plagiarizing will not be tolerated. Plagiarizing is cheating, as is
copying answers on a test, glancing at nearby test papers, swapping
papers, buying papers, using ideas from other sources without proper
documentation, writing papers for others, or having them written for you.
BCC utilizes a plagiarism detection software, and I use it for random
spots checks. Plus, if I even remotely suspect your paper sounds
plagiarized, I will submit it to this site. If you cheat or plagiarize,
the following actions will be taken:
- you will receive a grade of
"0" on the work (period).
- A report of the incident
will be filed in the Dean of Students'
Office. This report may become part of your permanent record or the Dean
may choose to pursue further disciplinary action.
- Personal conferences on your paper can be held
in my office if you can/want to come to the campus and we can work out a
mutually convenient time; otherwise, e-mail or local phone conferences can
be held. If you can’t meet me during my office hours, please contact me
first to set up an appointment BEFORE coming to the campus.
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What do
I have to do for this course?
Formal Papers: You will write 3 formal academic papers
(800-1000 words) in this class, which are then revised in a final portfolio.
The process for writing, revising and submitting work is on a tight timeline. Even though I accept late papers (up to 3 days late), failure to
meet the deadlines will put you at a disadvantage. We will follow this
process for all papers:
- You will compose an original draft on your computer, then
revise it yourself to get rid of obvious errors.
- You will POST
this original, self-revised draft of each paper to the discussion area in
the appropriate peer review forum by the date on the calendar. This draft
MUST be copied/pasted
into a message composed in the correct forum. If you expect to get help on
your papers, you must post
them early in the peer review period. Papers posted late
in the review process may get overlooked.
- While you wait for comments on your paper, you will give
peer comments on two other classmates'
papers. The peer review process is described in detail under Resources
& Tools/How to?/Peer Review Instructions.
Please take care to spread your comments around; if one paper already has
two sets of review comments, please choose another paper to review.
- After giving comments, collect your comments and revise
your paper. Then, using the editing tool provided under Resources &
Tools/Evaluation Tools, thoroughly edit your paper before submitting it to
me by the date and time listed on the calendar. Please take the time to
proofread your work.
- Directions for submitting your final draft to me are
posted in the Resources & Tools/FAQ/How to Submit an Assignment.
During the quarter, your final draft receives a minor grade and is
returned to you for further revision
- At the end of the quarter, all three papers are
revised and peer reviewed again, and submitted to me in a e-portfolio for
final evaluation. It is at this stage that your final papers receive
a significant point grade.
- Your papers will be graded based on the standards posted
under the Grading Standards link (see Resources & Tools/Evaluation
Tools). Papers 1 - 4 and the Rewrite paper are worth 100 points each.
Total 500 points.
- I will read and grade papers beginning on the due date. I
will provide detailed written comments on the final drafts of Papers 1, 2
and 3. To process a complete set of papers in this manner usually takes
about 6 working days. The final portfolio will receive a holistic, overall
grade based on the quality of all three papers.
- You MUST turn in and pass all three papers during
the quarter, as well as submitting all three in revised form in your
portfolio; additionally, your portfolio must earn a C- or better in
order to pass this class. Points from critical summaries and discussions
are important, but if your portfolio is not a C- or better, you will not
pass the class. If you fail to turn in one paper, your best course of
action is to drop the class.
Paper points available --
75 points for formal papers during the quarter, 25 points each
Total portfolio points available--450 points
Peer Review/Critical Summaries: Much of what you
will learn about writing in this course will come from participating in a peer
review of others' papers. Do not
fail to participate in this area of the course. See the Peer Instructions link
located under Resources & Tools/How To? for
instructions on how to complete this critical work! In general, to participate
successfully in peer review, you will complete these tasks:
(1) You will analyze two other
students' papers using a Peer review
tool that is posted in the specific paper module. You MUST use the assessment
tool that I have provided in order to earn full credit for comments on student
papers. After you have analyzed and evaluated each student paper, copy-and-paste
your evaluation of each paper as a REPLY to the paper you reviewed in the peer
review forum on the discussion board. Remember this work must be completed at
least 36 hours before the paper's
due date and time according to the class calendar. The 36 hours counts CLASS DAYS ONLY, not
weekends. I have set aside class
days for this work; do not fail to do it. If you fail to meet these deadlines,
you will NOT receive points for your work.
(2) After posting your
evaluative comments to each student whose paper you reviewed, you will write
(off-line) a summary of your remarks for each student paper that you reviewed.
This summary should be unified and coherent piece of writing with specific
evidence from the student paper and any other source, such as the Marius text,
that you have used in your evaluation of the paper reviewed. Be sure to refer
to the student writer by name in your summary.
(3) Last, you will submit both summaries (in one document) as a
attachment in the assignment dropbox.
I will check to be sure that you are posting feedback to the student as well as
submitting the summary to me; however, I grade from the document you send to
me. Summaries must be thorough; I expect around 250 words per paper summarized
as a minimum--"A" summaries will have more words. More information on
the critical summary assignment is posted under the Resources & Tools/How
to?/Peer Instructions.
- You will be required to write and submit a critical
summary on Papers 1, 2, 3 and the portfolio for at least two of your
peers. For completing this task per
my directions, you will receive 50 points per paper assignment
(25 points for each summary). Summaries must submitted to me by the
due date posted on the calendar or they will receive ZERO points. I will
not accept late summaries; please don't
ask.
Note* - Every quarter a few students complain
about the critical summary assignments. BCC's
English department guidelines recommend 101 instructors to have student produce
around 6000 words of original, revised and edited writing over the quarter.
Since you will write only 3 original papers of 750-1000 words per essay, the
critical summary assignment allows me to meet the departmental guidelines.
Furthermore, you are spared reading another novel and writing another formal
paper.
- Total Points for Peer Summaries: (200 points)
Discussion: I have created an individual forum in the
discussion area for weekly discussions on the written texts and the Film.
Instructions and requirements for participating in discussions are posted in
the Paper 1 module area as well as under the Resources & Tools icon. See
Seminar discussions. I do my best to participate in the discussion; however, I
cannot possibly respond to every comment or answer.
Total points available --
Literature discussions (48 pts. each X 3 discussions) total 144 points; Marius
Homework (27 points X 3 assignments) total 81
points.
- Total discussion points: (225 points)
Self-Assessments: There are opening and
closing self-assessments that are important for you to complete, to reflect on
your progress with your writing skills.
Complete these assessments using the assessment tool. They are 25 points each.
Total points for the course
= 1000 points
* NOTE.To figure out your grade at any time, simply
divide the total points you have earned by the total points you have submitted
to that point. I use standard percentage markings:
94-100% = A, 90-93% = A-,
87-89% = B+, 84-86% = B, 80-83% = B-, and so on. . .
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How
do we communicate with each other?
In the toolbar at the top of each
page, you will find links to class announcements, your mailbox, the class discussion
area and your personal gradebook. Also note the
"More Tools" link which will help you access the assignment dropbox. All relevant links to specific discussions and
assignment submission areas are located in the relevant module.
- Announcements will
be posted for you as needed throughout the quarter. I use this tool almost
daily to be in contact with you, so please read these announcements
carefully so that you will know of any important changes or issues in the
class.
- Amailbox has been provided for private e-mail
communication between you and I or you and other
classmates. Since I get between 40 and 50 e-mail messages every day at my
various work addresses, I will appreciate "URGENT" notices in
the subject line, if you have a real emergency. I check my class email
morning and afternoon in order to respond in a timely manner to all
messages, whether or not they are urgent. Please do not use e-mail to
submit your work unless you have contacted me for approval FIRST.
- The discussion area provides a place for
synchronous discussions of course materials. The discussion area has
several topics (areas) each of which has a specific purpose.
·
- The Student Union - This area is for student-to-student
discussion. For example, you may post announcements here if you wish to
petition your classmates to join you in a face-to-face discussion group
or a chat room discussion. However, be aware that I do not read this
forum regularly; therefore, do not post questions for me here.
- Instructor Comments – typically I’ll have comments following
each paper that are pertinent specifically to our class, so this area
allows me the space to share them with you. You’ll see an announcement letting you
know comments have been posted.
- Questions for Instructor area
- Post questions for me in this
area if you think that others in the class may benefit from knowing the
answer to your question. I will check this area at least twice per
weekday, (morning and afternoon) if not more. However, if your question
is of a very personal nature, please use my website mailbox.
- Literature discussion group
- These topic areas will house
your discussion about our literature readings. Each forum is listed with
the author's last name. Please
follow the dates on the class calendar for posting questions and for commenting.
I have allowed time for you to do this work; don't
fail to do it before the deadlines posted on the class calendar.
- Marius Homework group - Like the areas above, these sites
will house all of our homework assignments on the Marius text about writing
and editing.
- Peer Review area - These 4 areas are named by paper
number and draft number. Here is where you will post your rough drafts
and evaluations for peer review.
- The My Grades link will take you to the gradebook for this class. This area will contain all
of the grades for your work WHEN I have completed the grading.
You are responsible for posting the
discussion messages into the correct area depending on its purpose. You must
also handle the postings, downloading messages you
wish to keep to your home computer and creating folders to store that
information. Please do save any messages you wish to keep.
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URL: vista.bcc.ctc.edu
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