English 061: Introduction to Composition

ENGL-061-45779 (45779) Introduction to Composition

02/05/2018-05/30/2018 1 Lecture Monday, Wednesday 02:45PM - 04:50PM, D - Dunlap Hall, Room D-201

 

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course is designed to prepare students for English 101. The focus is on reading, critical analysis, grammar review, and writing expository essays. Instruction will emphasize various written modes including argumentation, narration, and cause and effect.

REQUIRED TEXTS AND SUPPLIES

 

Combine and Compose

Two Blue Books

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES

By the end of the course, the student will be able to do the following:

1. Write a short essay with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.
2. Write paragraphs with unity, substance, and clarity that support their main idea.
3. Develop effective sentence structure and sentence variety through combining.
4. Construct sentences with precise and appropriate words.
5. Proofread for errors and omissions.
6. Modify drafts, revising throughout the writing process.
7. Identify and correct errors in capitalization, spelling, punctuation, usage, and grammar.
8. Identify common rhetorical modes, purposes, and methods of development.
9. Apply critical thinking skills in order to read and write successfully.
10. Utilize research to provide objective support for thesis statements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will use the writing process to write, in MLA format, essays, including a documented paper, using appropriately chosen details, organizational strategies, sentence variety, and sufficiently correct grammar and punctuation.

 

Students will be able to read critically for literal meaning and identify the main idea of a reading and the author’s writing strategies as well as summarize and paraphrase effectively.

 

Students will evaluate and ethically use primary and secondary sources.

Course Policies

Attendance: Regular attendance is required. Students with more than 3 absences may be dropped from the class. Three absences automatically deducts ALL of your 100 participation points. Two tardies of seven minutes or more will count the same as an absence. You are expected to arrive on time and remain until the class is dismissed. If you have to leave early, you need to notify me before the class begins. If there is a problem or concern about attendance or grades or you need to make up a major test before graded tests are returned, it is your responsibility to contact me.

 

Readings: You will be required to complete all the readings before the next class session. The readings will be announced in class, so it is important to get in touch with another student if you miss a day. Also note that changes to the reading assignments will be posted on blackboard or via email.

 

Blackboard and Email: Make sure that you check whatever email you have connected to Santa Ana College. I cannot add other personal email addresses, so whichever address you gave when you registered needs to be the address you check. Though I don’t use it regularly, changes to reading assignments will be posted on the Bb site. Remember, email is the main source of communication outside of class.

 

Technology: There will be times when I ask you to use your smartphones. Unless I ask you to take out your mobile device, I will mark you late if I see you using your phone like a zombie. The best approach is to put away your phone unless we are using it in class.

 

Academic Honesty Policy:

Academic dishonesty may result in an “F” on all or part of an assignment and referral to the dean.

Plagiarism:

Students shall not plagiarize, which is defined as stealing or passing off as one’s own ideas or words of another and as using a creative production without crediting the source.

 

GRADING POLICIES AND COURSE EXPECTATIONS

(1,000 pts. possible)

 

Assignment	Due Dates + Requirements	Points
Description paper*	Week 2	50
Then and Now Narrative*	Week 4	100
Illustration*	Week 6	100
Classification*/Midterm	Week 8 (Bring Green Book)	100
Reading Tests	Assigned throughout the semester	100
Debates	Competition - Assigned throughout the semester	50
In-Class Research/Grammar Presentations	Weeks 4-12	50
Combining Exercises	Five randomly assigned	50
Style Journal	Collected five times	100
Research Paper*	Collected on last week of class	100
Final Exam	Last day of class	100
Participation	Continuous	100

 

IMPORTANT**No late papers will be accepted. Sorry. If your printer doesn’t work or if you don’t have a hard copy, you must email me the final draft before class on the day it is due. You have to bring a hard copy next class. No late presentations will be accepted.

 

Final Exam-- In-class essay (100 points)

     *The final written exam is worth 10% of your grade. You will be given two hours to write a clear, concrete, convincing essay, at least four paragraphs long, free of run-ons and fragments. No more than ten punctuation and/or grammatical errors allowed. In other words, familiarize yourself with the following:

1. Run-ons
2. Fragments
3. Comma rules
4. Agreement
5. Apostrophes
6. Parallelism
7. Spelling
8. Paragraph organization

 

Participation (100 points)—This includes attendance, reading quizzes and willingness to participate in class and in group activities.

 

 

Disabled Student Programs &Services

Your success in this course is important to me. Santa Ana College and I are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability that may have some impact on your ability to do well in this course, I encourage you to speak with me as soon as possible. Also, please contact Disabled Student Programs & Services so that we can all collaborate on your classroom accommodations in a timely manner. DSP&S is located in U-103, and their phone number is 714-564-6264. The DSP&S office requires documentation of your disability in order to receive reasonable accommodations. If you do not have documentation, they will work with you to acquire it. I look forward to supporting you to meet your learning goals.

 

Santa Ana College English Department’s Mission Statement

 

The Santa Ana College English Department provides numerous opportunities for our students to develop and improve the reading, critical thinking, and writing skills required to succeed at their chosen careers, to meet the rigors of the writing demands at four-year transfer institutions, and to foster lifelong learning and an appreciation of literature.

 

Santa Ana College Mission Statement

The mission of Santa Ana College is to be a leader and partner in meeting the intellectual, cultural, technological and workforce development needs of our diverse community. Santa Ana College provides access and equity in a dynamic learning environment that prepares students for transfer, careers and lifelong intellectual pursuits in a global community.

Suggestions:

     *Communicate with me. If you know you are going to be absent or late, or if you have to leave early, tell me.

     *Come to class. Absences will kill your grade.

     *While in class, do not text, play games, make calls, etc.

     *Type and double-space your papers.

     *Only one late paper allowed (and knocked down a grade).

     *Don't plagiarize. If you do, you will receive a failing grade for the semester.

Course Outline

*Assignments and readings are subject to change. It is imperative that you check your email and attend class to note changes to homework assignments