English 100, #21934  Tues/Thurs. 5:45-7:50 PM                   Tom Krucli       

Room: MC 102                                                                       Phone: 432-0202 x22371

Email:  tkrucli@occ.cccd.edu                                                  Homepage:www.krucli.com

         

 

OCC portal for Blackboard Vista: http://cconline.occ.cccd.edu/webct/entryPage.dowebct

 

    Required Texts:  Kennedy, The Bedford Reader 10th ed.      

                                Hoffman, Adíos, Strunk & White 4th ed.                                

                                "The OCC English Department Tip Sheet"

 

    Suggested Materials: Gibaldi, MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers 6th ed

                                      College Dictionary

                                      

Welcome to English 100--a course designed to help you improve your expository writing skills.  Here you will learn how to choose a thesis, assemble supporting evidence, analyze textual materials, organize and synthesize information, and develop a clear style and appropriate tone.  Instruction will include a combination of lecture, multimedia, discussion, group evaluation, in class response activities, and individual conferences.

Papers:  You will write a variety of papers.  These will include both timed writings as well as essays written outside of class.  Each essay will focus on one dominant rhetorical pattern, but as you will learn through our assigned readings good writing makes use of a variety of these patterns.  Therefore, you will be challenged to build upon what you have learned as the semester progresses. Each paper should adhere to the word length and topic assigned in the prompt.  All papers and documentation of sources must be written in MLA-style format.  The descriptive and narrative essays are subject to revision for a better grade. Revisions may be handed in until November 6th. Please mark them with the word “Revised.”  Attach the original to your revision or the work will not be accepted.  Please make copies or save on disk all papers before you submit them to class.  You will also need to save copies of rough drafts and prewriting.

Policies on Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty: Students share the responsibility for maintaining academic honesty. Students are expected to: Refrain from acts of academic dishonesty. Refuse to aid or abet any form of academic dishonesty. That includes refraining from collaborative learning that goes beyond the defined scope as specified in class(es). Notify instructors and/or appropriate administrators about observed incidents of academic dishonesty. Examples of Violations of Academic Honesty includes, but is not limited to the following: Cheating Obtaining information from another student during an examination, communicating information to another student during an examination, knowingly allowing another student to copy one's own work, offering another person's work as one's own, taking an examination for another student or having someone take an examination for one's self, sharing answers for a collaborative project and take-home examination unless specifically authorized by the instructor, using unauthorized material during an examination, altering a graded examination or assignment and returning it for additional credit, having another person or a company do the research, writing and/or rewriting of an assigned paper or report. Plagiarism is to present as one's own, the ideas, words, or creative product of another. Credit must be given to the source for direct quotations, paraphrases, ideas, and facts, which are not common knowledge. Plagiarism also includes using print, electronic, or other source material without acknowledgment or in any way that makes such material appear as one's own. Collusion occurs when any student knowingly or intentionally helps another student perform an act of academic dishonesty. Collusion in an act of academic dishonesty will be disciplined in the same manner as the act itself.

Attendance:  As this class emphasizes the process of composing, revising, thinking, discussing, and rethinking, your attendance and preparation are essential to meeting the minimum requirements of the course.  Attendance is also a matter of common courtesy to your peers--if you are absent or unprepared, the work of the entire group is disrupted.  Thus, no absence is excused.  Instead, you are afforded three absences.  Upon the fourth absence, you will be withdrawn from the course. Even if you miss less than three class sessions, your final grade might be adversely affected.  Late work from class assignments will not be accepted.  We will write, speak, read, and listen during every class meeting.  Punctuality is critical; it shows respect and interest for both the course and your peers.  Please be on time; every three tardies will equate to one class absence.  Please remember that by signing up for this class you have chosen to clear your schedule of any work or personal time conflicts.  If you cannot meet the time obligations of the class, it will be in your best interest to find an English 100 course that will meet your scheduling needs. Note: It is your responsibility to drop this course should you decide to do so; this includes those individuals who miss more than three class meetings.  You will receive an “F” if you stop attending class yet appear on my grade roster. You need to drop through the admissions office.

Classroom Expectations: All cellular phones should be turned off before entering the classroom.  Please read the statement on plagiarism in the OCC English Department Tip Sheet. In order to protect your ideas and work, make certain that you keep all rough drafts on some form of media storage or keep hard copies of papers on file.

Late Papers: All rough drafts and final drafts are due on the date indicated on the syllabus.  If you do not have a rough draft completed to give to your group, the grade on your final paper will be automatically lowered one letter grade.  Papers received one class after the due date will receive no higher than a “C.”  Any paper received more than one week after the due date will not be accepted, and a “zero” will be recorded for that assignment.  If you are absent from class when a paper is due, you should arrange for a fellow student to bring it to class for you.

 Reading: Much of your reading in college requires more than simply reading for information.  Instead, it requires reading critically, preparing to respond to/argue with the text, or use the text to further your own written discourse.  This course will emphasize both textual and structural analysis through a close reading of texts.  You will be expected to complete all assigned class reading by class time.  Unlike many of your lecture courses, this class cannot move forward if students are unprepared.  You are expected to discuss your reading assignments and do any exercises based on the reading.  I cannot over-emphasize how critical it is that you prepare for each meeting as your willingness to participate will make or break this class.

Grades: Grades will be determined by dividing points earned by points possible.  A passing grade requires that you demonstrate writing competency appropriate to OCC’s “Writing Exit Skills” for English 100.  (For the complete list, please refer to the “Writing Tip’s” handbook available in the OCC bookstore.)  Course work will be weighted accordingly:

            Class Assignments:                                              20%

            Papers  (including the midterm and final):            65%

            Research paper:                                                            15%

Please note that good writing requires time.  Growth as a writer occurs only when you complete various drafts and rewrites of an assignment.  “A” work shows exceptional or outstanding achievement.  “B” work shows very good or strong progress.  “C” work shows adequate or satisfactory progress.  Please do not mistake a “C” for a “D” or “F” grade. You may keep track of your grade by keeping all of the assignments returned to you. 

Final Exam: Thursday, December 11, 5:45 – 7:50  PM

 

Please Note: Reading assignments are listed under the date where response activities should be completed. All work listed under a date (first class excluded) should be completed before class begins.

 

The instructor reserves the right to adjust the syllabus during the course of the semester. Any changes will be announced at least one week in advance.

 

August 26:           Introduction to the course, texts, and instructor.                           

                           Principles of good writing; steps of the writing process                       

                           Critical Reading Strategies                                                      

 

August 28:            Timed Diagnostic Essay  

                            Peer Response and Reflection 

                            Read Adíos 10-13, 14-30, 38-48 (notes presentation on hieroglyphics)

                            Introduce strategies for descriptive writing  (notes presentation)                         

         

September 2:         Descriptive Journal

                            Descriptive Essay and Rubric                          

                            Read Bedford 9-30; 137-145; Manning 146-153; Vowell 154-163

                            Group workshop: Creating Flow in descriptive writing.

                            

 

September 4:        Read Bedford: Li 164-169; Benchly 170-174

                            Review  Flow Sentences

                            Descriptive Essay Workshop

                            Use of Active/Passive Voice    

 

September 9:       Rough Draft of Descriptive Essay due/Peer response workshop 

                           (Bring 3 copies of Draft)  

                           Flow Update                                                                 

                           Read Bedford 31-47; Didion 591-597

 

September 11:      Read Adíos 50-63

                           Workshop on creative use of metaphor/example in descriptive

                           writing.

                           Descriptive essay revision                   

                                                      

September 16:      Final Draft of Descriptive Essay due/Group reading

                           Introduction to Narrative Essays                                    

                           Read Adíos 84-97

                           

September 18:      Narrative Journal

                           Read Bedford 81-92; Dillard 104-109

                           Group workshop on narrative techniques and point of view                         

                                                                                  

September 23:      Read Adios 64-67, 68-80, 223-227                                                         

          Read Bedford:  Angelou 93-98; Tan 99-103,

                           Group workshop on "Mix Masters" (metaphors), "Facial Pack" workshop  

                           

September 25:       Read Bedford: Cohen 114-122

                Example Paper and Peer Audit:the example paper will be written 

                on any topic listed under question #1 (p. 221) in the Bedford Reader.

                            (Paper should be 250-300 words in length.)

                             Narrative rough draft workshop

 

September 30:       Rough Draft of Narrative Essay due/ Peer Response                                

                            Read Adíos: 36-42

                            Group workshop: “very short sentences" and "melted-together-words”

                              

October 2:           Read Bedford: Taw 110-113        

                           Transitions

                           Narrative Essay Workshop                        

                       

October 7:           Narrative Essay due/group read  

                           Read Adíos: 31-38, 174-196                                                            

                           Group Workshop on Process Analysis, "Metal Mask," and "War Paint"           

                                           

October 9:           Double Speak assignment due

                           Read Bedford: 281-289; Frazier 302-305; Ericsson 408-417; Lutz, 418-425        

                           Write a short process analysis using "workout" techniques in Adíos

 

October 14:           Introduction to Division/Analysis

                            Read Bedford: 335-343; Prager  (handout); Kincaid 366-371 

                            Read Adios: 121-125 (Sliced Pie)

 

October 16:            Introduction to Comparison and Contrast

                              Read Bedford: 223-231, Britt 233-238, Barry 239-244

                              Thesis Statements                                                                           

                           

October 21:            Read Bedford: Mernissi 252-257

                              Group Workshop: Comparison and Contrast

                              Read Adios: 219-222 (Infer-styling)

                          

October 23:            Comparison and Contrast Midterm Exam (100 points)

 

N.B. The comparison/contrast midterm examination will be an in-class essay assignment. The topic will not be announced before the class. The essay must be written in class; under only the most extraordinary of circumstance will you be allowed to make up the exam.

 

October 28:              Introduction to Persuasion/Argument

       Read Bedford: 517-532; Wenke 533-538; Swift 670-679

                               Sliced-pie division/analysis

 

October 30:              Read Adios: 126-131

                                Devil’s Advice Devil’s Advice Workshop

                                Read MLA Handbook 2-22; 25-35

 

November 4:              Research Proposal Due

                                   Library orientation/research day: You will have the opportunity to research

                                   for both the Persuasive/Argumentative paper and your Research paper.

 

November 6:               Rough Draft of Devil’s Advice due 

                                    MLA Handbook: Section 4

                                    Read Bedford: 49-57, 68-72

          Read MLA Handbook: 104-109; 200-208.                                                   

 

November 11:          Veteran’s Day Holiday

 

November 13:               Final Draft of Devil’s Advice due (Group Read)

                                    Read Bedford: Williams 539-542, Wurster 543-547

                                    Research Synopsis

 

November 18:               Reading groups for research paper

                                    Conferences; MLA Style

 

November 20:             Introduction to Definition

                                  Read Bedford: 479-487; Naylor 488-493; Leong 494-500

 

November 25:            Movie Protocol and Sliced Pie

                                 Research Paper Revision and MLA Citation Conferences

       

November 27:            Thanksgiving Holiday

 

December 2:               Research Papers due

                                   Read Bedford:   Sowell 501-503; Winn 505-509

 

December 4:               Read Adios: 103-120

                                    Definition Workshop—Talking Words Mini-Essay                                   

                                  

December 9:               Final Reflection      

                    

December 11:             Final Exam: 5:45 – 8:00 PM  

 

(Please bring a pen with blue or black ink if you are not typing the essay. 

If you miss the final, you will not be able to schedule a make-up.)