Engl& 101 - English Composition I

Winter 2013, Section P 3pm-5:10pm T-Th, R206

 

 

Instructor: Ethan Anderson

Email: ethan.anderson@bellevuecollege.edu   (please edit your emails before sending)

Office: R230                                       Phone: (425) 564-2341

Office Hours: T-Th 2pm-3pm (please email beforehand if possible) or by appointment

Materials online: MyBChttp://mybcc.net/

                                                                       

Required Texts/Materials

§  Acts of Inquiry: A Guide to Reading, Research,and Writing at the University of Washington

§  The Truth About Stories by Thomas King

§  Motel Life by Willy Vlautin – found on Amazon.com for cheap; one copy available in library Course Reserves

§  MLA Essential Reference Card copy -  found on MyBC

§  Bellevue College MLA Bibliography sheet – found on MyBC

§  The Pocket Wadsworth Handbook, 4th ed, 2009 MLA Update  - recommended (in library course reserves)

§  Access to MyBC & printer

§  Dictionary – optional, but strongly recommended

§  USB flash drive or Dropbox (anything to save your work)

§  Folder to save your work and handouts

§  Mini-stapler – very strongly recommended

§  Access to your BC email account

  

Course Description

In English 101, we will focus on strengthening your knowledge and experience with the writing process, and appropriating it into your own personal writing style (along with clear, effective writing skills). Through the various writing assignments, we will heighten audience awareness, connect critical reading and analytical writing, and finally, develop a healthy skepticism concerning provocative social issues. In our projects, we will concentrate on writing effective arguments while moving away from the traditional 5-paragraph essay. Also, we will examine the rhetorical appeals (strategies of ethos, pathos and logos) and rhetorical analysis to some extent in all of our writings.

 

Class Policies

Students contribute to making a class effective as the instructor. Do your work, read, and participate in class discussions. Seek out campus resources for additional help. Remember, I am not your babysitter, so please act maturely and respectfully. You will work and earn your grade.

 

Attendance – you are clearly expected to attend class regularly (live and online) and be on time. Be warned: in accordance with the BC Arts and Humanities attendance policy, if you miss 20% of the course, you will receive an “F”(failing grade, no credit) if you miss 5 classes you will fail the course. Four absences will put you in jeopardy of failure based on participation. If you know you will miss class, please let me know in advance via email or phone (these must be illness or emergency related).  Arriving late twice will equal one absence, and so on. If I am unable to come to class, I will post directions under “Announcements” on MyBC.

 

Assignments – All readings and assignments are due the day they are on the schedule; consult for deadlines and MyBC for assignment and tip sheets.  I do not accept late work. Also, take pride in your work; take yourself and your work seriously. Don’t present/turn in work that is sloppy: crumpled, mangled, with coffee or food stains, or folded.

 

Participation – you will receive credit at the end of the quarter for your participation, which means being actively engaged in small and big group discussions and activities. I can ask you to leave the class if you are goofing off, chatting with friends, sleeping, refusing to be on task, playing with any electronic gadgets, or even being unprepared for class. Remember, this is a college class, and I expect as such.

 

Laptop use – you may not use a laptop unless cleared with me (or DRC) first. Let me know so I won’t growl at you in class.

 

Plagiarism –All work for this class must be original work. If you have any questions about correct citation methods, formatting, anything general, it is imperative you ask me for help. Don’t cheat, plagiarize, or perform any other misconduct or serious consequences may follow, such as receiving an “F/0” for the assignment or an “F” final grade. Also, there may be a report of the incident filed in the Dean of Student’s office. All assignments are subject for scanning at Turnitin.com, so please save all your e-documents.

 

Respect –I am not a fan of disrespect, especially to me or any of your classmates. This being said, any comments, jokes, or remarks that belittle the worth of an individual’s (or group’s) physical attributes, race, creed, sexual preference, religion, gender, and/or ethnicity are inappropriate and will not be tolerated. If our behavior inhibits the class’s learning and education, you will be asked to leave, and may be directed/reported to the Associate Dean of students and/or Campus Security. Finally, please silence your cell phones or beepers as they are distracting, disruptive, and annoying. Be warned: I will ask you to leave the class or report you to the proper authorities should disruptive situations arise. Please refer to the Arts and Humanities Web page for Student Expectations, which apply to all of my classes: http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/artshum/poilcy.html

 

Office Hours – If you have questions or concerns about your assignments, readings, or grade in the class, please see me during office hours (as noted on this syllabus), or make an appointment with me so I can set specific time aside for you. If you need to chat about your topic, please come and see me.

 

Need more assistance? For Special Accommodations – If you need course accommodations because of a disability, please refer to the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at B132, or by calling (425) 564-2498, or TTY (425) 564-4110; Library Media Center – D building; Reading/Writing Lab – D204-D. Additional Student Support Services and Support – Academic Success Center, TRiO, Multicultural Services, Student Programs, Veterans Admin Programs, Women’s Center, etc. See separate handout for list of all Student Support Services and appropriate contact information.

 

 Assignments

§  You will need an appropriate heading for your assignments. Position the heading at the top left corner on the 1st page: name, date, class and assignment. Every assignment must be typed, double-spaced, and have 1-inch margins.

 

  1. Major Papers (3) – We will have three “major” assignments in this class which will consist of a first draft and the graded second draft. Two of the assignments, the argumentative paper and the rhetorical analysis, will explore how to argue effectively, in any given format, whether it is stating your claim and/or taking a position about what a particular author is claiming. Much of your work on these assignments will consist of you constructing the argument, developing supporting claims and citing evidence, countering opposing sides/concerns, etc. Because you are in college now, and not everything is in the form of a 5-paragraph model essay, we will discuss strategies to make your essays more sophisticated. You will rely on your skills and knowledge of effective rhetoric to persuade your intended audience. We will also cover creative writing in the form of one personal narrative essay, which will be our first major assignment. Of course, the only way to progress through these projects is to have prewriting assignments and peer critique sessions. We will talk about revisions in class. All of these assignments will end up in a portfolio at the end of the quarter as third (polished) drafts.

 

  1. Minor Papers: Two in-class reading responses, rhetorical précis, review analysis (4) – in class writing engages writing and critical thinking skills. Make sure to have done your readings to respond to the specific writing prompt. We’ll spend time over two class sessions working on these assignments. The first day, you will have time to begin a draft of a 1-2 page response; 2nd day you’ll use your response to contribute to class/group discussion, and then overnight, you’ll revise the response and then turn it in along with a short reflection (see below).  Occasionally we will use the BC computer lab so you can type out your responses. We will talk further about these assignments in class as well as work on how to effectively respond to writing prompts under a certain amount of time.

 

  1. Lit Circles (6) – Reading is key to writing and you need to learn to read at the college level. To help support critical reading that will help you during your college career in general, we will be doing Lit Circles, which will require you to read and respond to one aspect of the reading, which you will take to your group members so you can combine ideas and get a “global” understanding of the reading.

 

  1. Random Assignments (2) – There will be two assignments that will ask you to step out of the confines of a typical classroom. We may have the opportunity to interview an author of one of our class books; we may also have an outside group assignment. I will give you plenty of notice for these assignments.  Stay tuned.

 

  1. Portfolio: at the end of the quarter, you will complete a portfolio that showcases the best of your writing. It will consist of your three major assignments and a cover letter. You should be proud of these essays and if you put in work to improve them over the course of the drafts and the quarter, you will be. Your cover letter is designed to help you reflect and evaluate your work over the quarter.

 

 Readings –The readings will introduce or familiarize you with ongoing issues and increase your awareness of rhetorical strategies and effective writing. In order to become an active reader, you must engage in active vs. passive reading; think critically and analyze ideas, arguments, techniques, author’s reasoning and main points. Use a dictionary if needed; take notes in the margins/your notebook.  Critical reading and annotation is a good chance for you to develop strong points and support them with textual evidence and interpretation rather than just personal beliefs. Remember to have an open mind when listening to your classmates; there are a lot of different perspectives. Contribute to discussion – this will help responses, projects, and participation points!

 

 Grading ***

-Three Major Papers:              300 points. 100 points each (including draft 1)          

-In Class Responses –            100 points

-Lit Circles –                              60 points pts total (10 pts each)

-Random assignments –           50 pts

-Participation and journal –       40 points

-Portfolio and Cover Letter –   150 points

TOTAL PTS:                           700 POINTS

 


  A:       100 – 95%

A-:        94-90%

B+:      89-87%

B:         86-85%

B-:       84-80%

C+:      79-77%

   C:     76-75%***

C-:       74-70%

D:        69-60% (broken down, of course)

    F:     59% or fewer

 *Although I do not accept late work, if, for some circumstance you turn in your essay after the due date, you will be deducted one full letter grade for each day late. I do not accept any late projects one week after the original due date. As for peer critiques, you cannot make them up since they are purely in class activities.

** In-class writing can only be made up if you have given me ample notice – and it has to be an excused absence, not because you slept in or didn’t do the reading.

 

  

 

***NOTE: You must pass the class with a C-  to move on to English 201, 235 &  271

 

Course Outcomes:

 

After completing this course, students will be able to...

 

Think Critically and Read Analytically:  carefully analyze, interpret and evaluate claims, beliefs, texts and/or issues.

·   frame questions, define problems, and position arguments.

·   consider multiple points of view and differentiate between assumptions, beliefs, facts, opinions, and biases. 

·   read and respond to various texts critically for purposes of interpretation, analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and/or judgment.

·   demonstrate an understanding of a text’s main point/thesis and its relevant supporting details.

 

Compose and Revise in Context: shape written responses for different audiences and purposes.

·   shape written responses to suit different rhetorical situations and audiences.   

·   develop flexible strategies for prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing.  

·   develop and support thesis statements that are appropriately complex and significant.

·   construct unified paragraphs with topic sentences and supporting details that advance the thesis.

·   use various methods of development such as illustration, comparison and contrast, and/or analysis.

·   balance their individual voices with those from other texts.

·   employ style, tone, and mechanical conventions appropriate to the demands of a particular audience or purpose.