English A: 6212 Writing the College Essay

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El Camino College: Spring 2010

English A: 6212 Writing the College Essay

Tuesdays 8 – 10:05 a.m. in H-313 (computer lab)

Thursdays 8 – 10:05 a.m. in H-309

Learning Community link with Mr. Cheung’s English 84: 6093 MW 8-10:05 am

Counselor: ______SSVC 214

English A: 6234 Writing the College Essay

Tuesdays 10:15 a.m – 12:20 p.m. in H-313 (computer lab)

Thursdays 10:15 a.m – 12:20 p.m..in H-309

Instructor: Ms. Jennifer Annick Office Humanities 321H

Phone (310) 660-3593 x 5193 Office Hours Mon. & Wed. 12:30 -1:30 p.m.

Email Tues & Thurs. 12:30 - 1 p.m.

Required Materials

“Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill.” - historian Barbara Tuchman

1 English A packet with “Ms. Annick” on the cover $4

2 And Still We Rise – Miles Corwin - about $15

3 Primus customized textbook for ENGL A & ENGL 84: J. Annick & M.Cheung on cover – about $20

4 PC formatted flash drive (needed for labwork!), 882-E scantron, stapler, hi-lighter, 3 ring binder

5 Optional- Rules for Writers 6th edition – Diana Hacker $37

Course Description

“I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen.”

-architect Frank Lloyd Wright

We are committed to you. We want you to make a commitment to your success. This class is designed to strengthen your ability to express yourself clearly in speaking and writing about literature and your life. We will write academic essays, learn about standard English grammar, research responsibly, discuss literature and practice the skills that will help you to be even more successful in the future.

The 3 credits given for earning a Pass (P) in ENGL A are based on the Carnegie unit:

for every hour in class, you are expected to do two hours of work outside of class!

Student Learning Outcome

Write a 500-word multi-paragraph expository essay that responds to a text discussed in class. The essay should include an introductory paragraph with a thesis, 2-4 body paragraphs with topic sentences and supporting details, and a concluding paragraph. Supporting details should include at least one direct quotation from an outside source. The essay should use basic rules of grammar, spelling, usage, and punctuation so that the writer’s ideas are clear. Essays should follow the rules of MLA style for heading, title, running header, indentation, in-text citation, and Works Cited page.

Follow the ABCs!

Anticipate! Before class begins, hand in work, open your binder, turn on computer…

Be your best! Eat well, get rest, and take the time to do your work well.

Create solutions! Ask for help. If you are absent, get and do the missed work.

Course Objectives

1. Read and apply critical thinking skills to college-level expository prose for the purposes of writing and discussion.
2. Apply appropriate strategies in the writing process including prewriting, composing, revising, and editing techniques.
3. Demonstrate ability to incorporate into draft revision information received in peer review and one-on-one tutorials.
4. Plan, write, and revise 500-word multi-paragraph expository essays including an introduction and conclusion, exhibiting coherence and unity, avoiding major grammatical and mechanical errors that interfere with meaning, and demonstrating awareness of audience, purpose, and language choice.
5. Utilize MLA guidelines to format a document, to cite sources in the text of an essay, and to compile a Works Cited list.

Linked Course Objectives

1. establish and maintain a welcoming and supportive community

2. provide students with a more connected learning experience

3. coordinate course content, assignments and reading between classes

4. encourage shared learning, open communication, and respect for each other’s ideas and experiences

5. apply learning from one course to another

Course Grading 1050 Points

Attendance, preparation and participation 75

Student profile& syllabus quiz, books, chapter presentations 70

Novel and article questions (4 sets @ 20 points each) 80

Quizzes (partner grammar quiz & reading quizzes) 100

(5 @ 20 points each)

Papers (3 @ 100 points) 300

narrative, example, comparison and contrast

on-line grammar exercises (2 sets @ 25 points each) 50

Volunteer work/ field trip 50

Research project

Group proposal 10

Researching worksheet 20

Individual sources and annotations 50

Group research paper outline 25

1st draft 25

Final draft 25

Presentation 20

Midterm and final exam 150

To receive a grade of Pass (P), you must earn over 73% or ____ points and show the ability to plan and write an academic essay, research effectively, and use standard grammar and MLA formatting that passes the Student Learning Outcome and rubric for ENGL A.

To calculate your grade: 1 Add all the points you have earned.

2. Divide by all the points possible to that point.

3. Multiple by 100 = your %

Course Evaluation

Attendance and participation Keep track of your attendance each day on this syllabus.

Students must be in class, on time, on task, alert with their heads off the desk, with their own books, and participating appropriately and respectfully. Please treat others as you want them to treat you. Please turn off and put away all electronic devices, music and sunglasses before class begins. No work from other classes is allowed during our class time. No personal grooming. All language, topics, and essays must be appropriate to an academic setting. Positive body language and attention to any speaker is required! Like the lottery, “You have to be in it, to win it”

MYTH #1 College is cool because you don’t have to attend class.

FACTS: Missing more than three classes = You are dropped from class.

- After the first absence each 5 weeks, you lose 10 points from your attendance grade.

- Do NOT schedule appointments during class time.

- There are no ‘excused’ absences. However, please talk with me about emergency situations or extreme illness.

- If you are absent, you must contact a classmate and come to the office for any handouts you miss

BEFORE the next class meets so you aren’t even further behind.

MYTH #2 Not much happens the first week of class.

FACT: If you miss the first or second day of class, you will be dropped from the class.

MYTH #3 If a student has a good reason, it’s okay to be a little late or leave a little early.

FACTS: After the first tardy or early leave each 5 weeks, you lose 10 points from your attendance grade.

-Missing more than thirty minutes of class = absence

- If you are tardy, you must see me after class for the “tardy party” to be marked present

- Be courteous. If you leave early, you must let me know before class begins.

MYTH #4 It is okay to use electronic devices and surf the web during class.

FACTS: It is rude to everyone to not be fully focused on class.

- If you are checking or using any electronic device, you will be asked to leave class and be marked absent.

PLEASE NOTE:

If you are absent for just one day, do not call me. Instead, follow the syllabus assignments and contact a classmate:

Name ______Phone number(s) ______Email ______

Name ______Phone number(s) ______Email ______

If you are absent two classes in a row, you should contact me!

If you are absent three classes in a row and do not contact me, I assume want to be dropped from our class.

Homework: Responses are graded on thoughtfulness, completeness, formatting and proofreading.

This class is designed to train you as a college student. Only two assignments will be accepted late with no penalty. Those assignments must be turned in the next class with the NQA (No Questions Asked) half sheet in this syllabus stapled on top. After that, late work can only earn up to half credit and will only be accepted the next class day.

No makeup work is given for missed work.. If you know you will miss a class, you can turn in work early for full credit. All assignments must be completed before class starts and handed in during the first 5 minutes of class or it is late.

3 Ring Binder You must have your syllabus, the packet and then all handouts in the order given to you in the rings of the binder. Please have a separate section for your notes which should have a date and heading.

Quizzes and Exams All quizzes and exams are cumulative and may include questions on writing, grammar, and reading. You must have the required book on your desk to be eligible to take the quizzes.

Grammar exercises Online exercise directions are in your English A packet. To complete those exercises, you must score 80% or better. Student advice: “If you do it carefully, it really helps.”

Lab time If you are not focused during the lab time, you will be asked to leave and it will be counted as an absence. Save all work as Microsoft.doc so your disk will work in the ECC labs.

Papers are worth 100 points. You will be given instructions for each paper. You must complete each step to earn a grade. All drafts must be typed in 12 point font, double spaced, stapled once, and use the MLA format we learn in class. Please staple all steps in the left corner in the order to have the paper evaluated:

1 completed outline checked by instructor or tutor on due date (25 points)

If absent, you must see me during office hours or meet with a Writing Center tutor

2 1st draft (25 points)

3 peer editing sheet carefully completed with proof that questions and answers were used in 2nd draft

If missing, incomplete, or not used to revise your paper, you do not get a grade for the 2nd draft

4 2nd draft (50 points) You will sit with me or a tutor as we go over you paper together.

This important grade is based on how well you used the outline, peer editing, and grammar we learned.

5 To get your grade for the 2nd draft, complete a 3rd draft due at the beginning of next class

with the changes and additions you made highlighted.

Revisions must include any changes suggested by me or the tutor to the topic sentence(s), addition of

specific details, lengthening the paper, and/or improving grammar or spelling.

If you miss or skip more than three corrections or suggestions, you will not receive a grade.

2nd draft Scoring Rubric

*Grading
Criteria / A
Superior
45-50 points / B
Very Good
40-44 points / C
Satisfactory
35-39 points / D
Weak
30-34 points / F
Poor
10-29 points
Purpose & Organization / Thesis is strong, clearly focused, and presents a position. Essay has a strong introductory paragraph, body paragraphs with relevant topic sentences and transitions, & a concluding paragraph. / Thesis is clearly focused and presents a position. Essay has an introductory paragraph, body paragraphs with topic sentences, some transitions, and a concluding paragraph. / Thesis presents a position/opinion. Essay has a brief introductory paragraph, some body paragraphs with topic sentences and transition signals, and a concluding paragraph. / Thesis announces the topic but does not present a position/opinion. Essay has weak introductory and concluding paragraphs, vague or missing topic sentences, and very few transition signals. / Thesis is never stated. Essay has no introductory or concluding paragraphs, no topic sentences and/or transition signals.
Development
and Support / Essay has specific, thoughtful, relevant supporting details & at least one appropriate quotation that is effectively & grammatically incorporated. / Essay has several relevant specific supporting details and includes at least one effectively incorporated quotation. / Essay has supporting details, but some may be too general, repetitious, irrelevant, or illogical. Essay includes at least one relevant quotation / Essay has few supporting details, and details are general, repetitious and/or irrelevant. No analysis. Essay does not include a relevant quotation. / Essay lacks supporting details and/or has details that are irrelevant. Essay does not include a quotation.
Mechanics, Usage, and Grammar / Word choice is appropriate with college vocabulary and correct spelling. Essay has few grammatical or punctuation errors, and a reader can easily understand the writer’s ideas. / Word choice is mostly appropriate and most words are spelled correctly. Essay has minor grammatical and punctuation errors, but a reader can understand the writer’s ideas. / Word choice and spelling may be confusing at times. Essay has some errors in grammar and punctuation that might prevent a reader from easily understanding some of the writer’s ideas. / Words are frequently misused and/or spelled incorrectly. Essay has so many grammar and punctuation errors that a reader often has trouble understanding the writer’s ideas / Words are consistently misused and/or misspelled. Essay has so many grammar & punctuation errors that a reader can’t understand the writer’s ideas.
MLA Format / Correct MLA format is used. / There are only a few minor errors in MLA format. / There are some errors in MLA format. / There are many errors in MLA format. / MLA format is not followed.

0 points - The paper is late, plagiarized, or is missing the approved outline, completed peer editing, or revision.