1

ENGL1B Composition and Reading Literature

MerrittCollegeFall 2010

Mon/Wed 10:00 – 11:50 Building D 166

As land is improved by sowing it with various seeds,

so is the mindby exercising it withdifferent studies.

—William Melmoth

Instructor: Georgie Ovendenemail:

Class Website:

Phone: 510-649-7982

Description:This course focuses on expository writing based on careful reading of selected short stories, plays, poems, and novels.The course meets requirements for transfer to CSU and UC systems and meets GE requirements for the Associate degree (AA/AS area 3, 4a, 4d; CSU area C2).

Prerequisite: ENG1A.

Required Materials

  1. Text:Literature for Composition: Essays, Fiction, Poetry, and Drama (8th Edition)by Sylvan Barnet, William E. Burto, and William E. Cain

(Paperback - Jan. 1, 2007) Click to see book on Amazon.com

(ISBN:9780321450968)

  1. Paper for in class writing
  1. Folders for essay packets (drafts, revisions and graded work)
  2. Notebook or binder for your Reading/Writing Journal
  3. Patience. Consistency. Hard work.

Performance Objectives:

  1. Write a 1000-word coherent, unified essay utilizing references and demonstrating a mature prose style and mastery of the basic conventions of written English discourse.
  2. Demonstrate critical thinking skills by; evaluating evidence; distinguishing between fact and inference, and determining how inferences are drawn; and distinguishing between analysis and opinion in written essays.
  3. Distinguish between denotative and connotative meaning.
  4. Identify figurative language and discern the relevance of ideas over time and place.

Course Content:

Within the genres of narrative fiction, poetry, drama and the novel, the following elements will be examined:

  1. Structure, including plot
  2. Characterization
  3. Point of view
  4. Theme
  5. Diction, including figurative language
  6. Prosody
  7. Symbolism
  8. Implication, i.e. sociological, political, psychological, historical, etc.

Teaching Methodology

  1. Lecture and class discussion
  2. Small group discussions
  3. Peer review and evaluation of coursework
  4. Student and group presentations
  5. Individual conferences, as needed

Grading:

Your grade is comprised of:

Four Essays 60%

Literature/Writing Presentation10%

Final Literature Presentation 10%

Reading/Writing Journal15%

Attendance5%

* Note: Each essay will require multiple drafts and peer reviews.

The final essay packet must be submitted with all work included to obtain a passing grade.

Essay and Assignment Tentative Due Dates are on your Class Schedule on the Class Webpage.

Classroom Etiquette: Please turn off all phones and pagers during class. Arrive for class on time and prepared to discuss or write about the assigned reading. It is a courtesy to your fellow students and the instructor that you come to class prepared to participate fully. Remember that even though you may not agree with all that you hear, you need to give others the respect and the hearing that you would want them to give you.Rude, disruptive behavior is not tolerated. A student displaying such behavior will not be permitted to continue in the course.

Attendance Policy and Assignment Due Dates: Regular, on-time attendance is required to do well in this course. In accordance with the Merritt College English Department guidelines, I will allow threeabsences for any reason. After that, each absence will lower your final grade, no matter the reason. Five absences may result in being dropped from the class. In-class work cannot be made up. Also, out-of-class work is due at the beginning of class on the due date. The course is designed so that each new assignment builds on the previous assignment.

Tardiness: Two late arrivals will count as one absence. Arrival after 30 minutes is considered an absence.

Academic Honesty: Cheating and plagiarism are not tolerated at the university and, if discovered, will result in severe disciplinary action.

Cheating is possessing unauthorized sources of information during an examination; copying the work of another student or permitting copying by another student during an exam; completing an assignment for another student; submitting out-of-class work for an in-class assignment; retaining exams or other materials after they were supposed to be returned to an instructor; submitting the same paper in two different classes without the approval of both instructors; and inventing data or falsifying an account of data collection.

Plagiarism is taking the words of another and either copying or paraphrasing those words without giving credit to the source (through footnotes, quotation marks, reference citations). This includes using material from the Internet without giving proper credit. The first instance of plagiarism will result in an F on the assignment. If plagiarism occurs a second time, the student may fail the course. Students who repeatedly plagiarize despite warnings may be referred for further academic disciplinary action that can include dismissal from the college.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities at MerrittCollege:

The college requires that I include the following statement in my syllabus: “If you have a documented disability and wish to discuss academic accommodations, or is you would need assistance in the event of an emergency evacuation, please contact the professor as soon as possible.”

Students who want their papers returned to them after the end of the quarter should either include a self-addressed stamped envelope with their papers, or they should make arrangements with their teacher to pick up the papers at a certain time.

Final Note: This syllabus and schedule are subject to revision as I deem necessary. I may assign individualized homework to improve particular skills.

When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of

his limitations. When power narrows the area of man’s concern,

poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of existence.

When power corrupts, poetry cleanses.

—John F. Kennedy

The desire of knowledge, like the thirst of riches, increases ever

with the acquisition of it.

—Lawrence Sterne

Books are lighthouses erected in the great sea of time.

—E. P Whipple

. . . a book is like a key to unknown chambers within the castle of one’s own self.

—Franz Kafka