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English 095 – Effective Writing
Course # 23398 Section 102
Spring 2011
3 Credits
Great Basin College
Instructor: Doris Bessett
Email: or
Texts:
· SF Writer, 4th edition, Ruszkiewicz, Hairston, & Seward
· Online and print essays, short stories, poems
Supplies:
· One 3.5 inch, double-sided, high-density IBM disk or flash drive
· 3 ring binder for portfolio
Prerequisite: Accuplacer, ACT, or SAT score and writing sample; placement by
English Department.
Course Objective/Description:
English 095 is considered a refresher course where students will improve their
reading and writing skills so that they may confidently advance to college transfer courses. The course provides them with an intensive reading/writing experience. Students will work on sentence structure, paragraph structure, and essay development to prepare them for college-level writing. Study skills, comprehension techniques, and vocabulary development will also be covered. Students will leave this class with a new confidence in their writing and with skills that will enable them to address their writing issues.
Methods of Instruction:
· Writing workshop
· Lecture
· Small group work
Final Read
A final essay will be submitted to an English Department final read. GBC English faculty meets to evaluate the final essay. English Department instructors from across the GBC campus will read the final essays to determine if the students are ready for English 101. If an essay does not receive a passing score, the student may fail English 095. It is the job of the student to demonstrate to the faculty that he/she has mastered the essential skills of English 095 and is ready to advance.
Grades
Students will receive a pass or fail grade in English 095. Although this grade will not transfer to a university or apply to a degree, it does count toward GPA for financial and other purposes.
Grades are determined as follows:
Essays = 70%
Assignments= portfolio, class participation = 20%
Attendance = 10%
Failure to receive passing scores on any course work may result in failure of the course.
Attendance
Promptness and regular attendance are encouraged. Late entrants will lose points within the first ten minutes. Anyone entering the class after ten minutes will be considered as absent. Any assignments that are missed may not be made up.
Course Expectations: The student will:
Attend class regularly
· Examine returned papers to identify errors and consider suggestions. Recurrence
of the same errors is not acceptable.
· Submit all work on the due date. Late work will not be accepted!
· Take notes in class.
· Make an effort to improve writing skills and vocabulary.
· Ask questions.
· Seek help.
· Develop objectivity in forming opinion.
· Students may also use local student tutors for assistance with essays.. .
Essay Format Requirements:
All major writing assignments must be submitted on time and in proper manuscript form.
This means 12 pt font, double-spaced, one-inch margins, standard white paper. All essays must present the following information in the upper left corner, double-spaced:
Fred Smith (your name)
Doris Bessett
English 095: Narrative
28 February 2011
Then double space and put in original title, centered.
After the title, double space and begin the essay.
Failure to follow the prescribed format may result in the paper being returned without an evaluation.
Please present work that is neat, carefully proofread, and attractively presented. Practice proper paragraph structure: indent the first sentence, use a topic sentence, body sentences, and concluding sentence. Separate assignment sheets detailing criteria, due dates for proposal memos, peer editing, and essay due date will be provided.
Confidentiality: The English Department respects the policy for confidentiality. However, during the semester, student writing will be shared with peers and/or tutors for revision purposes and may be publicly displayed. This is an integral part of the college writing program. If students have comments concerning this policy, they may make them known to the instructor during the first week of the course.
Services for Students with Disabilities: Great Basin College is committed to providing equal educational opportunities to qualified students with disabilities in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. A qualified student must furnish current verification of disability. The ADA Officer, located in Berk Hall, will assist qualified students with disabilities in securing the appropriate and reasonable accommodations, auxiliary aide, and services. For more information or further assistance, please call 775-753-2271.
Policy of Academic Integrity: Students are expected to be honest. Acts such as cheating and plagiarism are violations of the University of Nevada System’s Code of Conduct as well as violations of the standards of intellectual honesty. Students who violate these standards are subject to consequences ranging from dismissal from a class to dismissal from the academic institution.
Learner Outcomes: The student will: / MeasurementsUse American Standard English / Essay analysis, assignments
Use proper grammar / Essay analysis, assignments
Use a variety of sentence patterns / Essay analysis, assignments
Use proper punctuation / Essay analysis, assignments
Construct coherent, well-developed paragraphs / Essay analysis, assignments
Write clear, well-defined thesis statements / Essay analysis
Construct essays / Essay analysis
Use MLA format / Essay analysis
Read essays, short stories, poems written by reputable authors / Class discussion, observation
Research materials to verify opinions, ideas / Observation, essay analysis
Properly use parenthetical documentation / Assignments, essay analysis
Construct Works Cited lists / Assignments, essay analysis
Improve vocabulary / Assignments, essay analysis
Show readiness for English 101 / Successful completion of department read
Course Outline
1/25
Discuss syllabus
Discuss course outline
Preview text
Discuss portfolio
4 sections
Class notes
Vocabulary
Essay prewriting and organization
All drafts of essays
Assignment:
Take class notes
1/27
Discuss essay format
Enter narrative ideas in portfolio
Enter prewriting strategies in portfolio
2/1
Review prewriting
Organize into outline
Assignment:
1st draft of narrative essay due 2/3
2/3
1st draft of essay due
Review:
Grammar
Punctuation
MLA format
2/8
1st draft narrative essay returned – put in portfolio
Review common errors
Assign:
2nd draft narr. Essay due 2/10
2/10
2nd draft of narr. Essay due
Review common errors
2/15
2nd draft narr. Returned (portfolio)
Review common errors
Assign:
Final draft narr. Essay due 2/17
2/17
Narrative essay due
Discuss short story elements (class notes in portfolio)
Assign:
Read Kurt Vonnegut’s short story “Harrison Bergeron”
2/22
Narr. Essay returned (Portfolio)
Discuss “Harrison Bergeron”
Assign:
Prewrite for short story essay (Portfolio)
Organize prewriting (Portfolio)
2/24
Further discussion of “Harrison Bergeron”
Discuss prewriting and organization
Review common errors
Review MLA format
Assign:
1st draft short story essay due 3/1
3/1
1st draft ss essay due
Review writing skills
3/3
1st draft ss essay returned (portfolio)
Review writing skills
Assign:
2nd draft ss essay due 3/8
3/8
2nd draft ss essay due
Review common errors
3/10
2nd draft ss essay returned (portfolio)
Review common errors
Assign:
Final ss essay due 3/15
3/15
Short story essay due
Discuss elements of poetry (class notes)
3/17
Short story essay returned (portfolio)
Continue discussion of poetry elements
Assign:
Read “Out, Out” by Robert Frost
Read “My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning
3/21-3/26 Spring Recess
3/29
Discuss poetry readings
Assign:
Prewrite for poetry essay (portfolio)
3/31 Prewriting for poetry essay checked
Organize prewriting (portfolio)
Assign:
1st draft poetry essay due 4/5
4/5
1st draft poetry essay due
Review writing skills
Review MLA format
Review documentation
4/7
1st draft poetry essay returned (portfolio)
Review MLA format
Assign:
2nd draft poetry essay due 4/12
4/12
2nd draft poetry essay due
Student conferences
4/14
2nd draft poetry essay returned (portfolio)
Final draft poetry essay due 4/19
4/19
Poetry essay due
Select final essay topic (argumentation)
Prewrite
4/21
Essay returned (portfolio)
Organize final essay
Assign:
1st draft final essay due 4/26
4/26
1st draft final essay due
Review skills
4/28
1st draft essay returned (portfolio)
Student conferences
Assign:
2nd draft final essay due 5/3
5/3
2nd draft final essay due
Students work on essay
5/5
2nd draft essay returned (portfolio)
Final draft written in class
Portfolios checked
5/10
Final essay returned
Final grades issued