Saigon Institute of Technology
http://www.saigontech.edu.vn / GENERAL ENGLISH
GE1 - WRITING
COURSE SYLLABUS
Campus: / SaigonTech Tower, QTSC, Dist. 12, HCMC
Semester: / Fall 2014 (22nd Sep, 2014 – 05th Jan, 2015)
Office: / GE Department, Room 104, 1st floor - SaigonTech Tower
1. COURSE OVERVIEW
This course aims to develop students' skills in sentence construction and paragraph writing with a focus on the manipulation of words and ideas. Students will further learn to build up their vocabulary, apply various grammatical and syntactical tools to write more effective, meaningful sentences and fairly formal paragraphs.
2. COURSE OBJECTIVES
After completing this course, students will be able to:
- write proper sentences in standard written English;
- understand the basic of paragraph development;
- editing sentences.
3. MATERIALS
Required textbooks
Great Paragraphs (2nd Ed.) by Keith S. .F., April Muchmore-Vokoun and Elena V. S. Thomson Heinle. 2004.
Reference books (optional)
- Ready to Write 2: Perfecting Paragraphs (4th Ed.) by Karen Blanchard and Christine Root, Pearson Education, 2010.
- Significant Scribbles by Curtis Kelly and Ian Shortreed, Pearson, 2005.
- The Writer’s Workplace (5th Ed.) by Sandra Scarry & John Scarry, Thomson, 2003.
- Think about Editing - A Grammar Editing Guide for ESL Writers by Allen Ascher, Thomson-Heinle, 1993
- Top 10 (2nd Ed.) by Keith S. Folse, Elena Vestri Solomon, and and Donna M. Tortorella, Thomson-Heinle, 2008
- Top 20 (2nd Ed.) by Keith S. Folse, Elena Vestri Solomon, and Barbara Smith-Palinkas, Thomson-Heinle, 2008
4. ASSESSMENT
% / ITEM10 / Class participation
15 / Ongoing assessment
35 / Midterm test
40 / Final examination
4.1. ONGOING ASSESSMENT
The ongoing assessment, in the form of oral presentations, quizzes, role plays, classroom discussions, homework, class participation, etc. will be conducted throughout the semester to positively provide students with regular feedback on their language skills.
4.2. EXAMINATION POLICY
· A midterm test and a final examination will be held semesterly. Students should familiarize themselves with SaigonTech’s Exam Policy, which outlines issues related to the conduct of examinations.
· Makeup exams will be given only in case of absolute emergency. In such circumstances, students must contact the GE Department NO LATER THAN ONE DAY after the missed examinations. Without verifiable documentation, students who fail to attend their scheduled examinations will receive a score of zero. Please refer to the related section in SaigonTech Catalogue* for more information.
5. GRADING POLICY
Letter Grade / Numerical ScoreA - Excellent / 90-100
B - Good / 80-89
C - Fair / 70-79
F - Failure / 0-69
6. CANCELLED AND MAKE-UP CLASSES
In case of unavoidable class cancellation, a substitute instructor will be provided. If that isn't possible, the instructor will work with the class attendees to find an agreeable time for makeup classes BEFORE the midterm test or final examination.
7. LAPTOPS, CELL PHONES, RECORDING DEVICES
Cell phones must be turned off during class time/ exam time. Laptops or recording devices can be used only with the instructor’s prior consent.
8. SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY
Plagiarism, cheating and any other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited. The consequences of proven cases of scholastic dishonesty may include a grade of zero for the particular assignment/ exam, failure in the course, a period of probation or even expulsion from SaigonTech. Please refer to the related section in SaigonTech Catalogue* for more information.
9. GRADE GRIEVANCES
Students who have questions about a grade should first discuss their concerns with the instructor as soon as the grade is released. In case of clerical or procedural errors, the grade can be changed by the instructor. If the situation remains unresolved, students have the right to submit a written grievance to the GE Department Chair. Please refer to the related section in SaigonTech Catalogue* for more information.
E SaigonTech Catalogue* can be viewed at www.saigontech.edu.vn
10. TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE
WEEK / SESSION 1 / SESSION 21 / Course Introduction
Review: Basic Sentence Patterns* / Review: Basic Sentence Patterns (cont'd) *
2 / Review: Sentence Types - Simple, Compound, and Complex* / Review: Sentence Types - Simple, Compound, and Complex (cont'd)*
3 / Introducing Sentence Building Skills / Combining Sentences Using Coordination and Subordination and Correcting Comma Splice*
4 / Unit 1 (pp. 1-27)
What is a paragraph? / Combining Sentences... (cont'd)*
5 / Unit 2 (pp. 28-37)
Developing Ideas for Writing a Paragraph / Using Nouns, Adjectives, and Adverbs
6 / Further Practice on Paragraphs* / Further Practice on Building Better Sentences*
7 / MIDTERM TEST REVIEW
SAMPLE TEST CORRECTION / MID-TERM EXAM
(Nov. 6-8, 2014)
8 / Unit 3 (pp. 38-56)
The Topic Sentence / Mid-term Test Feedback
Prepositions*
9 / Unit 3 (cont'd) / Using Prepositional Phrases*
10 / Unit 4 (pp. 57-74)
Supporting & Concluding Sentences / Using Descriptive Modifiers and Determiners*
11 / Unit 4 (cont'd) / Using Descriptive Modifiers and Determiners*
12 / Unit 4 (cont'd) / Review: S-V Agreement*
13 / Further Practice on Paragraphs* / Adjective Clauses & Reduction*
14 / Further Practice on Paragraphs* / Parts of Speech: Review & Editing*
15 / Review for Final exam / FINAL EXAM
(Jan. 2-5, 2015)
Note:
1/ Each session lasts 1.5 hours.
2/ One sample test will be emailed to students as homework in Week 4. Students need to
print it out, do it and take it to class in Week 7 for instructors’ explanation and correction.
3/ The test schedule will be informed one week before the exam.
4/ Ongoing assessment is based on class participation, homework, quizzes, or mini-tests.
5/ *All these reference materials are available at the Library. Instructors may wish to use these materials or their own ones as supplementary.
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