Ewrt1 a syllabus f15 150920

Ray: EWRT1A, Fall 2015, Page 1 of 8

EWRT1A Syllabus L36, MW 5:30-7:45 Fall Quarter 2015

Goals: English 1A is a transfer level course in reading and composition that prepares students to analyze college texts and to write college papers. In particular, you should learn to: • Read and analyze a wide variety of types of

writing. • Examine texts that are rhetorically and culturally

diverse. • Generate ideas and topics for essays. • Formulate and support theses. • Integrate and organize ideas. • Develop a personal style and voice appropriate to purpose and audience. • Practice writing as a multi-‐step process. • Compose essays with varying purposes, audiences, and rhetorical

strategies. Requirements:

• Active participation in class discussions and regular attendance. • Keeping up-‐to-‐date on the assignments and reading. • Four formal papers, one of which will be written in class. • A series of posts to the class website = journal/blog. • Multiple tests, quizzes, or in-‐class assignments.

Thomas Ray, PhD

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 408-‐864-‐8546

Office L-‐11a

Office Hours: Tuesday 5:30-‐6:30, and by appointment


Texts and Required Materials/Tools: • Rise B. Axelrod and Charles R. Cooper, The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing,

8th Edition • Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games. • An email account that you will be willing to share via WordPress and

Turnitin.com Student Learning Outcomes:

• Students will be assessed on their ability to: • Practice writing as a multi-‐step process including planning and revising with

attention to varying purposes, audiences, and rhetorical strategies. • Read and analyze rhetorically and culturally diverse narrative and

expository texts from a variety of perspectives. • Write cogent, well-‐developed arguments that clearly articulate a thesis

supported by textual evidence. • Document sources (print, electronic, and other) in MLA style.

Course Website:

Our class website is http://rayewrt1a.wordpress.com. In order to do the homework, you must establish an account. To make your own FREE Word Press account, go to wordpress.com. The system will walk you through the steps to signup for a username or to set up your own user-‐friendly Word Press blog. Alternatively, you can sign into our website through Facebook. If you prefer not to use your own name, you may use a pseudonym. Just make sure you sign in with YOUR Word Press username before you post on our class page so you get credit for your work. Please email me your username once you have established which account you shall use for the quarter. If you cannot establish your website and username, please come to my office hours as soon as possible, and I will help you with the process. Much of our work will take place online, so establishing this connection is mandatory. Please bring the St Martin’s Guide (SMG) to every class meeting; bring The Hunger Games on the days we will discuss it. Bring your laptop and draft copies on the days we write in class.


Grading: Grades for this course will be based on a 1000-‐point scale divided as follows: Essay #1 (in-‐class, 2-‐3 pages __________/75 points Essay #2 (out of class, 3-‐5 pages) __________/100 points Essay #3 (out of class, 3-‐5 pages) __________/100 points Essay #4 (out of class, 4-‐6 pages) __________/150 points Essay #5 (in-‐class presentation, 2-‐3 pages) __________/100 points Website Posts (20 posts, 10 points each) __________/200 points Tests (5 tests, 25 points each) __________/125 points Participation/Quizzes/Misc. Activities __________/150 points Total __________/1000 points

Letter Grades: Final letter grades will be calculated as follows: Grade Points A 930-‐1000 A-‐ 900-‐929 B+ 880-‐899 B 830-‐879 B-‐ 800-‐829 C+ 780-‐799 C 700-‐779 D 600-‐699 F 0-‐599


Class Policies: Essay Submission:

All out of class essays are to be submitted to Turnitin.com electronically before the class period in which they are due. To sign into the Turnitin site you will need to have an account. If you already have a Turnitin account: Log into your Turnitin account by going to Turnitin.com. Click on the gray "Enroll in a Class" tab in the upper left of the screen. Enter the class ID number (10752671) and case-‐sensitive enrollment password (identity) for the class you wish to add. Please note that for security reasons, class enrollment information can only be distributed by the instructor. Click “Submit.” You should now have the EWRT1A listed on your home page when you log in. If you do not have a Turnitin account: Go to Turnitin.com. Click on the "Create Account” link to the upper right, and choose to create a new "Student" account. Follow the profile creation wizard. Within the wizard, you will be asked for the Class ID (10752671) and class enrollment password (identity). You will add your account information (first and last name, email, password, secret question). When you finish and exit the wizard, you can later log into your account by entering the e-‐mail address and the password you created in the appropriate fields of the Turnitin login page. Students can find the Turnitin student quick start videos at: http://www.turnitin.com/en_us/training/student-‐training If you cannot establish your Turnitin account or log into the class, please come to my office hours as soon as possible, and I will help you with the process. Much of our work will take place online, so establishing this connection is mandatory.


Academic Integrity: What is Academic Integrity? Honor Code Definition: As a student at De Anza, you join a community of scholars who are committed to excellence in the teaching/learning process. I assume that all students pursue their studies with integrity and honesty; however, it is important to know that incidents of academic dishonesty are taken very seriously. The two most common forms of academic dishonesty are cheating and plagiarism. Throughout the quarter we will discuss what constitutes different forms of academic dishonesty and how to avoid them. Plagiarism, the representation of someone else’s ideas, words, images, or art as one’s own, can be deliberate or accidental. Most instances of plagiarism are unintentional and can be easily corrected. Intentional plagiarism is a serious offence and will result in a ‘0’ for the assignment. Depending on the severity of the incident, it may also result in disciplinary action. Please consult the Student Handbook for more information about academic integrity, and other student rights and responsibilities.

Attendance: Attendance is a significant part of this course, and success in this course depends on regular attendance and active participation. Participation points will be earned through daily activities. If you are not in class, you cannot earn these points. You should save absences for emergencies. In-‐class assignments (essays, quizzes, participation points) cannot be made up. Also, please arrive on time, as you will not be able to make up work completed before you arrive, including quizzes and vocabulary exams. I encourage you to contact me if you are unable to attend class or are having trouble completing the work.

Participation:

Participation includes doing all work asked of you inside and outside of class, maintaining a positive learning environment for your classmates, and contributing to class discussion. Participation points are accrued based on your in class participation.


Etiquette and Respect: In this class, we will regularly engage in the discussion of topics that may stir passionate debates. Please speak freely and candidly; however, while your thoughts and ideas are important to me and to the dynamics of the class, you must also respect others and their opinions. Courtesy will allow each person to have the opportunity to express his or her ideas in a comfortable environment. Courtesy includes but is not limited to politely listening to others when they contribute to class discussions or while they give presentations, not slamming the classroom door or walking in front of classmates giving presentations if you do arrive late, and maintaining a positive learning environment for your fellow classmates. To help maintain a positive learning environment, please focus on the work assigned, and do not text-‐message in class. If your behavior becomes disruptive to the learning environment of the class, you may be asked to leave and/or be marked absent.

Mobile Devices:

I encourage you to bring your smart phone, tablet, or laptop computer to class. At times during class, you may use these devices to conduct research and to take notes. We will also discuss the appropriate use of technology, including the ways in which mobile devices and web connections can enhance learning and communication ways in which it can impede learning and communication.

Workshops:

In this class, we will have workshops in conjunction with each take-‐home essay assignment. Please be prepared by bringing the appropriate number of copies of your rough draft (see course outline) on workshop days. All drafts for out-‐of-‐class essays must be typed and printed though using recycled paper is acceptable. If you come to class without the proper number of copies required for that day’s lesson, I will excuse you from class to either make copies or work on your essay. You will not receive participation points for the workshop.

Quizzes:

I may decide to include pop quizzes from time to time to ensure you are completing all readings in a timely fashion. There are no make up opportunities for quizzes.


Tests: We will have five vocabulary tests during the quarter. There are no make-‐ups. One day, near the end of the quarter, I will offer every student the opportunity to take or re-‐take one test.

Late Work:

Work done in class cannot be made up. Out of class essays must be submitted by the start of class on the date they are due (6:30 p.m.) to receive full credit. Out of class essays submitted after the deadline but before the next class meeting will deducted one letter grade (10%). No essays will be accepted more than one class period after the due date. Blog entries must be posted by the start of class on the date they are due to earn credit.

Adding and Dropping: Adding and dropping this class is the responsibility of the student. Please observe all deadlines regarding the same should you wish to add or drop this class.

Educational Use of Student Papers:

Occasionally, I retain copies of written work to share with this class or future sections of the course; selections of student work used in these ways will be anonymous. However, if you absolutely object to the use of your work in these ways, please let me know now, so that I can respect your preference.

Extra Help and Support:

A variety of support services are available to De Anza students, including; • Writing and Reading Center in AT 309 • Listening and Speaking Center in AT 304 • Academic Skills Center in AT 302 • General Subject Tutoring in AT 305 • Disability Support Programs and Services in SCS 141

If you are a student with a disability and you require accommodations, please contact Disability Support Programs and Services for information on accommodations, registration and procedures. You can find information regarding the services available and how to apply at: http://www.deanza.edu/dss/index.html


Important College-‐Wide Dates and Deadlines:

• 10/3 Last day to add • 10/4 Last day to drop without a grade • 10/4 Last day to drop for a full refund or credit • 11/9 Veteran's Day Holiday observed • 11/13 Last day to drop with a ‘W’ • 11/26-‐11/29 Thanksgiving Holidays • 12/5-‐12/11 Final Exams • 12/11 Last day of fall quarter • 1/4/2016 First day of winter quarter