English 101
College Writing
Fall 2018

What World Are We Living In?

Professor: Bart Andreacchi
Email address: andreacchi_bartholomew@sac.edu

Required Materials:

• A 1" 3 ring Binder
• A "Blue Book"
• A spiral notebook with holes (so that you can keep it in your binder)
• Regular Internet Access

Assigned readings will be distributed in class or posted on Canvas under the "Files" link.

Course Description:

This course focuses on developing effective writing skills through both formal and informal, both written and oral, analyses of challenging, diverse texts. Students will be required to respond critically and analytically to assigned readings in a variety of rhetorical formats. The core written assignments of the course will require students to produce formal, polished drafts of rhetorically diverse essays on assigned topics. 

This class should be seen as an opportunity not only to learn about writing, but also to learn from and about one another. We all come from different backgrounds and bring different things to the table. This diverse environment makes for fertile ground for discussing new and challenging ideas. So prepare to be challenged – not just in in terms of your writing skills, but equally in terms of your personal assumptions and convictions. It’s going to be at times fun, at times uncomfortable. Be prepared for that.

Thematically, all of the texts that we read and essays that we write for this class will be unified by a central question: what kind of world are we living in? More specifically, what are some of the most important features of our modern world that are shaping our future? Our readings will propose various answers to this question from a variety of different perspectives. We will discuss critical, contemporary issues related to social movements, the economy, technology, and the environment. Ultimately, you will be asked to pursue independent research into a contemporary phenomenon related to this question. In addition, we will frequently discuss issues happening in America and in the world that are thematically connected to our readings, so students are required to maintain an awareness of current events. How you do that is up to you, but if you'd like some suggestions, please ask!

Student Learning Outcomes

A. Students will employ the writing process in order to understand and complete the writing task.
B. Students will write an essay that has a specific purpose, in response to specific writing prompts and course assignments.
C. Students will write a multi-paragraph essay with specific details, examples, and illustrations to fulfill a purpose.
D. Students will demonstrate critical engagement with outside sources.
E. Students will write in prose style characterized by clarity, complexity, and variety.
F. Students will adhere to the conventions of standard written English in accord with MLA style.

Course Assignments

In this course, you will be required to produce four polished, final drafts of essays of various lengths and rhetorical styles. However, writing in this course will be treated as a process; every assignment will require multiple stages of composition with an emphasis on revision. There will also be a number of informal writing assignments that will be assigned in class, so be sure not to miss, or to check canvas or email me if an absence is inevitable.

Grading

Grades in the course will be determined according to the following percentages:

Essay #1: 10%

Essay #2: 10%

Essay #3: 15%

Essay #4: 20%

Presentations: 10%

Final Exam: 5%

Course Portfolio/Reading Journal: 20%

Participation/Engagement: 10%

Students are welcome – and indeed encouraged – to speak with me about their grades at any time during the semester. The more you maintain a dialogue with me, the less likely we will be to have surprises or misunderstandings.

Policies

Attendance and Participation

Participation in this class is important. This is not to say that I expect everyone to be vocal all the time. People participate in any number of different ways: small group activities, peer revision, and speaking with me after class are all forms of participation that I try to be aware of. Additionally, I get that some people are inherently shy and, though they may have a lot of interesting things to say, do not feel comfortable expressing their thoughts in a public setting. I encourage you to challenge yourself. College, and particularly the composition classroom, is supposed to be a place of growth. Students will be assessed, therefore, on the degree to which they become active participants in class discussions, workshops, and revision sessions. Most important of all, participating in class is fun! We will certainly have many lively, spirited discussions and debates over the course of the semester, and I can practically guarantee that you will enjoy them more as an active participant than as a passive observer.

Absences

You are allowed 2 absences at no cost to your grade. If you are absent more than 2 times, you may be dropped from the class. Be aware that every day you are absent, you are losing an opportunity to improve your participation score. If you are absent, you are responsible for everything that you miss. Please see me if you are concerned about your absences in the class.

Honesty

Plagiarizing, or trying to pass off someone else’s work (whether their actual words or only their ideas) as your own, will result in an immediate score of zero on the assignment in question, and may make you subject to disciplinary action from the college. We will spend some time covering plagiarism in class to make sure that everyone is comfortable with what it is and how to avoid it.

Essays

All essays must be submitted on our Canvas course page by midnight on the due date. You are responsible for getting your papers submitted on time. You may submit an essay up to one day late, but it will automatically receive a 10% grade deduction. After that, essays will no longer be accepted and you will receive a score of zero for the assignment. If you need special accommodations due to extreme circumstances, please be sure to see me as early as possible.

Email

Stay in contact with me! The best way to do that is through email. Make sure to check your own email regularly as I frequently send out group reminders and notifications.

Resources

Santa Ana College offers many helpful resources for students, including students with disabilities, students needing extra help with writing and math, economic assistance, veterans' services, and much more. Please talk to me about any of these programs. 

I am also trained as a Safe Zone and AB 540 ally. My classroom is a safe place for LGBTQ and undocumented students. I believe that a good education should be available to all students, and that they should not be distracted by fear, intimidation, or social pressure. I cannot change the world or what happens to you outside of my classroom, but in my classroom and on this campus, you are safe. Please talk to me if you think I can be of assistance.