English 102/102H Syllabus

Please open and review the full course syllabus by clicking here: English 102/102H Course Syllabus

Please review the tentative course schedule by clicking here: English 102H Schedule

The information below is a condensed version of the syllabus.

Meet Your Instructor: Professor Christina Axtell

Course Description: 

Welcome to English 102, a second semester course in composition and literature. Using the skills you developed in English 101 or its equivalent, we will study rhetoric and composition from a literary perspective. We will be using various types of literature – specifically, short stories, poems, plays, novels, and non-fiction prose – to develop your reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. 

Honors option: If you have a 3.0 GPA, you have the option of taking this class as an honors course. Along with the traditional coursework, you will have the opportunity to lead reading discussions, engage in enriched research projects, and present your research findings at the end of the course.

Textbook Information:  

• Abcarian, Richard, et al., editors. Literature: The Human Experience. Shorter 12^th, Bedford/St. Martins, 2018. –You must bring this book to every class.
• LaunchPad access (packaged with textbook)
• Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. Dover Thrift Editions.
• Three large bluebooks (examination booklets), a blue or black pen, a red pen, and paper for notes and in-class assignments
• a writing handbook and dictionary (recommended)

*Extra Credit Option: Bring all required texts and materials to class on Tuesday, 09/04 and earn extra credit points.

Requirements: Successful students will meet the following requirements:

• Attendance & Participation: Because we will be doing numerous writing exercises, group work, and reading discussions in class, your attendance is required. You may be dropped from the course and/or will not pass if you miss more than four classes. (Please note, two tardies or early exits will count as one absence). You may not make up in-class work missed due to unexcused absences. Please note, doctor’s appointments, family visits, vacations, and or work obligations do not excuse absences or tardies. If you have to miss a class, it is your responsibility to notify me via email and seek out the missed information.

• Reading assignments: All readings are to be done before class. Discussion of the readings is vital to our class, so come prepared to share ideas, ask and answer questions, take quizzes, and do exercises related to the readings.

• Reading responses: Throughout the semester, you will turn in 10 responses to assigned readings. Responses must be at least 300 words, address thematic content and rhetorical structure, and will be submitted on Canvas. All responses will include proper MLA in-text citations and works cited citations.

  • Honors option: Reading responses for honors students must be at least 500 words.

• Formal essay assignments: There will be three formal essays this semester. I will provide clear instructions for each assignment, but there will be some generalities:

• All formal essay assignments will be submitted through Canvas.

• All formal essay assignments will be written in MLA format. (See handout.)

• All formal essay assignments will include a works cited page.

• In-Class exams: You will write three timed in-class exams—consisting of short answer identifications, passage analysis, and short essays—during the semester. In-class exams must be completed in class on the assigned due date.

• Quizzes: Throughout the semester, we will take weekly pop quizzes based on the readings. Quizzes are mandatory assignments that will take place during the first 20 minutes of class and cannot be made-up or taken late.

• LaunchPad exercises: LaunchPad is an online writing handbook with exercises connected with our textbook. Every week, you will complete various exercises designed to help improve your writing.

• Honors presentations: Twice in the semester, you will have the opportunity to present to the class, once for a class reading discussion and once for your research project. I will provide specific instructions before these assignments are due.

• Extra credit: You can use up to 30 extra credit points to raise an already passing grade (>70%). Extra credit cannot be used to pass the class.

• Late policy:

  • Essays: You may turn in Essay 1 or 2 up to one class period late with no penalty. Beyond that, essays will lose 10 points for every day they are late. Essay 3 will lose 15 points per late day, up to five days.

  • Reading responses: Late responses may be turned in up to a week late for half credit.

  • Quizzes and Exams: Quizzes and exams may not be made up after the due date. If you have a verifiable emergency that requires you to miss an exam, let me know ASAP so we can arrange a make-up exam.

Academic Honesty Policy:

As a very wise man once said, “If you must write prose/poems, the words you use should be your own. Don’t plagiarize or take on loans.” Check discussion board for first extra credit assignment.

All work in this class must be your own original work. There is absolutely NO tolerance for cheating. Academic dishonesty or cheating is defined as an intentional act of fraud in which a student seeks to claim credit for the work or efforts of another without authorization. This includes assisting other students in acts of dishonesty or coercing students into acts of dishonesty, whether it is in coursework or on exams. Any student caught cheating or assisting another student in the act of cheating, will receive a zero score for the assignment or quiz. Students will be reported to the Dean of Student Development upon a second breach of the Academic Honesty policy. If you have any questions regarding this policy or application of this policy, please let me know.

Much of the work we do this semester will be focused on the writings of others. We will consult proper research methods and MLA guidelines to avoid plagiarism, both intentional and unintentional.

MLA Format

Every essay will require a works cited page, and all of your writings (reading responses, essays, and exams) will require in-text citations. To avoid losing unnecessary points for improper format, you should have access to current MLA guidelines. Our textbook has brief instructions on pages 71-75, but you will need to consult a more thorough guide for more specific details, examples, and instructions. Up to date writing handbooks, like the MLA Handbook, EasyWriter, or The Bedford Handbook, are easy to use and available in the library. For online instructions, use these sites:

• The Purdue Online Writing Lab (https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_style_introduction.html)

• The Modern Language Association (https://www.mla.org/MLA-Style)

General MLA Instructions for in-text quotations and paraphrases:

• Short stories: Cite the author and page number: In “The Yellow Wallpaper,” the author exclaims, “I am getting angry enough to do something desperate” (Gilman 453).

• Poems: Cite the author and line number and use slashes to represent line breaks: In “My Last Duchess,” the duke opens the poem with a blunt statement: “That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall / Looking as if she were alive …” (Browning 1-2).

• Plays: If the play is written in prose, cite the page numbers. If it is written in verse, cite the line numbers.

• Works Cited page: Each essay must have a works cited page that lists all the works either quoted or paraphrased in your writing. Our textbook is an anthology. All the works in it are works in an anthology. Essays 2 and 3 will require support from outside sources. Each of these works has its own citation format. You must consult the guidebooks for specific instructions on citation format.

Incorrect citations and format are a form of plagiarism. Whether intentional or unintentional, plagiarism results in 0 points for the assignment.  

Classroom Policies:

• Please do not use your cell phone or any other mobile device during class. Doing so is disrespectful to me and to the students around you. If I see someone violating this policy, I will deduct 10 points from that person’s final course grade.

• Using any mobile or electronic device, including earbuds or headphones, during an exam is considered cheating and will result in a 0 for the exam.

• No student may record any classroom activity without express written consent from the instructor. If you have a disability that requires recording, you should contact Disabled Student Programs & Services to request an appropriate accommodation.

Accommodations for Disabilities:

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 VL-203, and their phone number is 714-564-6264. TTY: 714-564-6384. Video Phones: 714-660-3075 or 657-235-2999. 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.