English 1A: Basic English Composition
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Prerequisite(s): ENG 50: Basic English Composition or qualifying placement level. Emphasizes and develops skills in critical reading and academic writing. Reading and writing assignments include exposition, argumentation, and academic research. Students will write a minimum of 10,000 words. Students may not receive credit for both ENG-1A and ENG-1AH. 72 hours lecture and 18 hours laboratory. (Letter Grade Only)
ADDITIONAL COURSE INFORMATION
In this course we will strive to improve critical thinking and reasoning skills through reading and writing for various purposes and audiences. Readings have been selected for social relevance in order to encourage students to address challenging questions and formulate convincing and persuasive arguments while relying on evidence to support their claims. This is a web-enhanced class, so regular and easy access to the internet will be required. Having a laptop or tablet to bring to class will help save money on printing, but is not required.
COURSE MATERIALS
Required Texts and Materials:
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers
Access to a college level dictionary
An at-home printer or a budget for on-campus printing of articles from the internet
A three ring notebook
Pens (all in-class writing and handwritten assignments must be done in pen)
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Critical Reading
a. Analyze college-level expository and argumentative texts of intrinsic value and directed at advanced readers;
Writing Academic Prose
a. Write essays of 1500-3000 words, synthesizing multiple patterns of development, that pursue answers to challenging questions or advance substantial arguments;
b. Illustrate and support claims effectively, with relevant, thoughtful, and sufficient evidence drawn (as appropriate) from written texts and the writer’s own experience and knowledge;
c. Employ the conventions of academic English to produce intelligible and stylistically mature essays almost entirely free from errors in syntax, grammar, punctuation, diction, and spelling;
Research Methods and Conventions
a. Write a competent college-level research paper, gathering sources effectively, evaluating them for relevance and reliability, using a system to manage the research process so it leads to a thoughtful and intelligible paper, and employing MLA conventions at an advanced level to cite and incorporate sources effectively in the finished paper;
Rhetorical Knowledge
a. Write essays in several different genres (e.g., expository, argumentative, exploratory, personal, etc.), demonstrating awareness of audience and appropriate use of voice, tone, and level of formality;
b. Write essays that employ, at an advanced level, the standard methods of academic discourse (including effective thesis statements, introductions, conclusions, transitions, topic sentences, and summative sentences) for guiding readers through an analysis or argument;
Awareness of Writing Process
a. Demonstrate awareness of all stages of the writing process, and critique, at an advanced level, their own work and the work of others.
POLICIES
Attendance/Tardiness: Class attendance is mandatory and there are no excused absences.* If you miss more than four (4) classes you will be asked to drop the class or will not pass. It is the student’s responsibility to keep track of absences. Entering class late is disruptive to the learning process for your fellow students. If arriving late becomes a problem, I reserve the right to count tardies as absences. Do not interrupt the class to ask for missed work or announce that you have arrived; please see me during a break or after class.*Note: There is no such thing as an excused absence. Students are responsible for ensuring that I receive any work due on the day it is due (more about this later). Students must be present on the first and second days of the class, or they will be dropped.
Expectations: Students are expected to come to class prepared with all necessary materials and a willingness to participate. Consistently arriving to class unprepared can result in a lower grade, being asked to leave and counted absent for the day, and/or being requested to drop the class. This is a college level class. As such, students should expect to spend about two hours working outside of class for every hour they spend in class (about 6 - 8 hours per week).
Late Work: No late work will be accepted. You will have plenty of warning before assignments are due, so please plan accordingly. If you are going to miss class on the day an assignment is due, you may email me the assignment BEFORE THE CLASS IS OVER to have it counted as on time. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to ask a fellow student (or email me) about what you missed to ensure that you do not miss turning in any homework assignments on the day of your return. If a quiz or test is missed, it is the student’s responsibility to request a makeup at the beginning of class on the day of his/her return. *Note: Emailed work is easily erased or forgotten, so emailed homework will be counted as on time, but will not be graded until I receive a physical copy from you.
Class rules:
1. NO cell phones, other electronic devices or non-class related materials. If you are caught using any electronic device during class or viewing non-class related materials or working on outside homework, you will be given one warning. Upon the second request, you will be asked to leave the classroom and will be counted absent for the day.
2. NO late papers or homework are accepted.
3. RESPECT the property and people around you. Disrespecting anyone or anything in the class room may result in you being asked to leave and counted absent for the day.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Cheating and plagiarism have serious consequences. This is a writing and research course, so you will regularly be using outside sources to further your arguments. Even using a short passage from someone else’s work without properly citing the source is considered plagiarism. According to Riverside Community College District Policy 6080, Section II.C. 1&2: For instances of academic dishonesty a faculty member may take any one of the following actions:
The faculty member may reduce the score on tests or assignment(s), reduce the grade for the course, fail the student in the course, or recommend to the appropriate administrative officer that the student be suspended from the course.
DISABILITIES
If you have a documented disability requiring accommodation in this class, please contact me or the Office of Disabled Students Programs and Services. Our goal as a college and as educators is to make sure that you succeed, as such we will be happy to work with you in determining appropriate accommodations to meet the educational limitations resulting from your disability. The Moreno Valley DSPS office is located in the Science and Tech building, room number 150. The phone number for the office is 951-571-6138.
Prerequisite(s): ENG 50: Basic English Composition or qualifying placement level. Emphasizes and develops skills in critical reading and academic writing. Reading and writing assignments include exposition, argumentation, and academic research. Students will write a minimum of 10,000 words. Students may not receive credit for both ENG-1A and ENG-1AH. 72 hours lecture and 18 hours laboratory. (Letter Grade Only)
ADDITIONAL COURSE INFORMATION
In this course we will strive to improve critical thinking and reasoning skills through reading and writing for various purposes and audiences. Readings have been selected for social relevance in order to encourage students to address challenging questions and formulate convincing and persuasive arguments while relying on evidence to support their claims. This is a web-enhanced class, so regular and easy access to the internet will be required. Having a laptop or tablet to bring to class will help save money on printing, but is not required.
COURSE MATERIALS
Required Texts and Materials:
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers
Access to a college level dictionary
An at-home printer or a budget for on-campus printing of articles from the internet
A three ring notebook
Pens (all in-class writing and handwritten assignments must be done in pen)
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Critical Reading
a. Analyze college-level expository and argumentative texts of intrinsic value and directed at advanced readers;
Writing Academic Prose
a. Write essays of 1500-3000 words, synthesizing multiple patterns of development, that pursue answers to challenging questions or advance substantial arguments;
b. Illustrate and support claims effectively, with relevant, thoughtful, and sufficient evidence drawn (as appropriate) from written texts and the writer’s own experience and knowledge;
c. Employ the conventions of academic English to produce intelligible and stylistically mature essays almost entirely free from errors in syntax, grammar, punctuation, diction, and spelling;
Research Methods and Conventions
a. Write a competent college-level research paper, gathering sources effectively, evaluating them for relevance and reliability, using a system to manage the research process so it leads to a thoughtful and intelligible paper, and employing MLA conventions at an advanced level to cite and incorporate sources effectively in the finished paper;
Rhetorical Knowledge
a. Write essays in several different genres (e.g., expository, argumentative, exploratory, personal, etc.), demonstrating awareness of audience and appropriate use of voice, tone, and level of formality;
b. Write essays that employ, at an advanced level, the standard methods of academic discourse (including effective thesis statements, introductions, conclusions, transitions, topic sentences, and summative sentences) for guiding readers through an analysis or argument;
Awareness of Writing Process
a. Demonstrate awareness of all stages of the writing process, and critique, at an advanced level, their own work and the work of others.
POLICIES
Attendance/Tardiness: Class attendance is mandatory and there are no excused absences.* If you miss more than four (4) classes you will be asked to drop the class or will not pass. It is the student’s responsibility to keep track of absences. Entering class late is disruptive to the learning process for your fellow students. If arriving late becomes a problem, I reserve the right to count tardies as absences. Do not interrupt the class to ask for missed work or announce that you have arrived; please see me during a break or after class.*Note: There is no such thing as an excused absence. Students are responsible for ensuring that I receive any work due on the day it is due (more about this later). Students must be present on the first and second days of the class, or they will be dropped.
Expectations: Students are expected to come to class prepared with all necessary materials and a willingness to participate. Consistently arriving to class unprepared can result in a lower grade, being asked to leave and counted absent for the day, and/or being requested to drop the class. This is a college level class. As such, students should expect to spend about two hours working outside of class for every hour they spend in class (about 6 - 8 hours per week).
Late Work: No late work will be accepted. You will have plenty of warning before assignments are due, so please plan accordingly. If you are going to miss class on the day an assignment is due, you may email me the assignment BEFORE THE CLASS IS OVER to have it counted as on time. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to ask a fellow student (or email me) about what you missed to ensure that you do not miss turning in any homework assignments on the day of your return. If a quiz or test is missed, it is the student’s responsibility to request a makeup at the beginning of class on the day of his/her return. *Note: Emailed work is easily erased or forgotten, so emailed homework will be counted as on time, but will not be graded until I receive a physical copy from you.
Class rules:
1. NO cell phones, other electronic devices or non-class related materials. If you are caught using any electronic device during class or viewing non-class related materials or working on outside homework, you will be given one warning. Upon the second request, you will be asked to leave the classroom and will be counted absent for the day.
2. NO late papers or homework are accepted.
3. RESPECT the property and people around you. Disrespecting anyone or anything in the class room may result in you being asked to leave and counted absent for the day.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Cheating and plagiarism have serious consequences. This is a writing and research course, so you will regularly be using outside sources to further your arguments. Even using a short passage from someone else’s work without properly citing the source is considered plagiarism. According to Riverside Community College District Policy 6080, Section II.C. 1&2: For instances of academic dishonesty a faculty member may take any one of the following actions:
The faculty member may reduce the score on tests or assignment(s), reduce the grade for the course, fail the student in the course, or recommend to the appropriate administrative officer that the student be suspended from the course.
DISABILITIES
If you have a documented disability requiring accommodation in this class, please contact me or the Office of Disabled Students Programs and Services. Our goal as a college and as educators is to make sure that you succeed, as such we will be happy to work with you in determining appropriate accommodations to meet the educational limitations resulting from your disability. The Moreno Valley DSPS office is located in the Science and Tech building, room number 150. The phone number for the office is 951-571-6138.