Course Syllabus
English 1A
Section 0758 - Course Syllabus
Welcome to English 120! First of all, I am so glad that you are here. I hope we can work together this semester to help you achieve your goals!
What is a Syllabus?This is a syllabus also known as: Your Guide to Success! It is a collection of guidelines, between us that will help you succeed, instead of hold you back. Keep it with you, keep it safe, and always refer to it whenever you have questions about the class, like: What are my assignments? When are my assignments due? What is my teacher's policy on late work? Is there any extra credit? What do I do if I need extra help in this class? This document has answers to all of those questions (and more!) |
What’s this class like?We are going to read, write, research, discuss, collaborate, and learn so many things together! This semester our main book is Dear America: Notes from an Undocumented Immigrant. We will discuss, read, and write about topics related to the topics in this book, like: immigration, nationality, and imposter syndrome. Be ready to work hard, learn about reading, writing, and thinking along the way. And, hopefully, have some fun in the process! |
What’s my teacher like?Fun, awesome, and wants to see you succeed! Click here to learn more about your instructor. |
How do I get ahold of my teacher?That’s what Office Hours were made for! Click here to learn more about Office Hours |
Course Description
Critical reading and discussion of college-level texts with emphasis on expository and argumentative prose. Composition predominantly of analytical, reasoned, and reflective prose with particular focus on research as it pertains to supporting expository and argumentative essays.
Prerequisites
Completion of English 309, English 100, ESL 100 or appropriate placement based on AB 705 mandates
Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of a variety of discipline-specific skills, strategies, and resources that facilitate the acquisition of college composition conventions and academic discourse.
- Demonstrate the capacity to comprehend, summarize, analyze, evaluate, and synthesize college-level texts of various lengths and genres, primarily non-fiction.
- Write primarily expository and argumentative texts that respond to a variety of rhetorical situations and contexts.
- Locate, evaluate, analyze, and synthesize outside source materials and integrate them into writing assignments using MLA style.
- Engage in inquiry and analysis of texts to determine how meaning is constructed and how it relates to the reader.
Objectives:
Critical Reading, Thinking, and Inquiry
- Demonstrate close reading strategies in order to comprehend primarily non-fiction texts through techniques such as identifying format, genre, purpose, and audience.
- Read, analyze, and evaluate a variety of primarily non-fiction texts for content, context, and rhetorical merit with consideration of tone, audience, and purpose.
- Demonstrate, in writing and discussion, the conclusions of textual analysis, including an understanding of a text's coherence and structure.
- Summarize a text's thesis and major supporting points.
- Evaluate a variety of ideas and perspectives through course readings, discussions, and writing assignments.
- Engage in deep analysis of ideas, issues, and themes that surface in course readings and assignments.
- Understand the role and value of their own critical reading, writing, and inquiry practices.
- Critically read, analyze, and evaluate a variety of primarily non-fiction texts to make inferences and identify biases and assumptions, to construct meaning from text and make connections to the world around them.
Writing
- Per IGETC standards, students will write, revise, and edit predominantly academic essays totaling 6,000 to 8,000 words.
- Organize and develop essays and paragraphs logically and coherently with relevant and sufficient support, demonstrating effective use of rhetorical strategies.
- Revise essays, paragraphs, and sentences for coherence and development.
- Write timed/in-class essay(s) exhibiting acceptable college-level control of mechanics organization, development, and coherence.
- Demonstrate the capacity to employ academic writing conventions without any disruptive errors of punctuation, grammar, and spelling to achieve one's desired rhetorical purpose.
Information Literacy and Research
- Demonstrate facility with research techniques, including use of library and online tools.
- Evaluate ideas and arguments that address a variety of social and cultural topics from different points of view.
- Recognize the difference between primary and secondary sources.
- Synthesize ideas from outside source materials to draw evidence-based conclusions.
- Integrate outside source material into writing assignments using MLA format for essays and Works Cited.
- Understand the ethical implications of source attribution to avoid plagiarism.
Class Meetings
This course is an asynchronous online course. That means there are NO required meetings for this class. This is also NOT a self-paced course. That means there will be weekly assignments and due dates throughout the week that you must keep up on to stay in the class. You will not be required to have any zoom meetings or in-classroom meetings, but there are readings, assignments, and other work to do online. Be prepared to spend 5-8 (sometimes more) hours per week on work for this class.
Textbooks
Click here to see the required textbooks for this course and options for purchasing them. You are welcome to purchase or rent ebook or print versions of these books. Please make sure you have them before the first week of assignments.
You can locate and order textbooks online via the SRJC Bookstore. Note that if you want to pick your books up in Petaluma, you need to order them from the Petaluma Bookstore website.
Required Software
You will need the following software for this course.
- Adobe Reader
- QuickTime Player
- Flash Player
-
Open Office
- Other option: Google Drive
Important Dates
Day Class Begins: August 17
Day Class Ends: December 18
Last Day to Add without instructor's approval: August 23
Last Day to Add with instructor's approval: September 6
Last Day to Drop without a 'W' symbol: September 6
Last Day to Opt for Pass/No Pass: September 27
Last Day to Drop with a 'W' symbol: November 15
Assignments
Click here to learn about assignments you will do in this course, when they are due, how you do them, and more about grading.
Dropping the Class
Sometimes you sign up for a class but then you decided you don't want to take it anymore or you just don't have time for it. That's okay. Just make sure you drop the class in your SRJC Portal (SRJC Cubby). Ideally, you will drop the class before the Late Add period is over: before September 6th. If you drop before that date then you will receive a refund and the class won't appear on your GPA. You can also drop after that date and before November 6, but you will have a W on your transcripts. If you drop after that date or forget to drop the class you will receive an F.
If you fail to complete the first assignment in an online class (the quiz titled: "**Complete this to stay in the class**) then your teacher will drop you in order to make room for students who do want to be in the class.
If you do not log in to Canvas and/or do not participate in assignments for 1 week I will send you a "nudge" email, because we all need a reminder every once in a while. If you don't participate for a consecutive week and don't respond to my email, then I will, most likely, drop you from the course. However, remember that it is always your responsibility to drop a course if you don't plan on finishing the course.
Instructor Announcements and Q&A Forum
The instructor will post announcements on the “Instructor Announcements” page in Canvas throughout the semester. Canvas notifies students according to their preferred Notification Preferences as soon as the instructor creates an Announcement. A “Q&A Forum” is also on Canvas to ask for assistance from your classmates or of instructor.
Attendance
Attendance is difficult to measure in an online class. Your instructor will keep tabs on how much you log in to the course each week. If you fail to log in to this course one or two weeks or stop turning in assignments, your instructor will try to contact you. I will: email you or call you (in extreme circumstances). If you don't respond and continue to miss work for 2 consecutive weeks and do not log in to Canvas, and after several attempts to contact you, I will drop you from the course. With that said, it is not your instructor's responsibility to drop you from the course, it is a kindness. Ultimately it is always the student's responsibility to drop courses they do not intend to complete.
Class Policies
Click here to read about class policies, like: late assignments, contact, grading, email, testing, and more.
Grading Breakdown
Grades will be assigned as follows:
|
A |
90%-100% |
|---|---|
|
B |
80%-89% |
|
C |
70%-79% |
|
D |
60%-69% |
*refer to the grading breakdown under the calendar at the top of this page for weights.
Standards of Conduct
Students who register in SRJC classes are required to abide by the SRJC Student Conduct Standards. Violation of the Standards is basis for referral to the Vice President of Student Services or dismissal from class or from the College. See the Student Code of Conduct page.
Collaborating on or copying of tests or homework in whole or in part will be considered an act of academic dishonesty and result in a grade of 0 for that test or assignment. I encourage students to share information and ideas, but not their work. See these links on Plagiarism:
SRJC Writing Center Lessons on avoiding plagiarism
SRJC's policy on Academic Integrity (Links to an external site.)
Other Important Policies and Practices
Avoid Plagiarism Like the, er, Plague
Although most students have likely heard about plagiarism during their years of schooling, it still is prevalent-even in higher education.
The video below reviews what plagiarism is and how not to do it.
Plagiarism: How to avoid it (Links to an external site.)
Special Needs
Students with disabilities who believe they need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Disability Resources (527-4278), as soon as possible to better ensure such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.
Writing Success Center
The Writing Center offers free, individual assistance for any writing assignment you have in any class. English instructors and instructional assistants are available for drop-in conferences to help you with any writing-related work, including: brainstorming essay ideas, developing a thesis, essay organization and development, using correct documentation format, and how to edit for grammatical and mechanical errors. The Writing Center also offers the use of computers for writing, research, and completing online learning modules. Students may print for free one copy of their own written work, such as drafts of essays, college transfer applications, scholarship applications, and other college writing tasks.
Visit The Writing Center's website for more information or go by their office at Room 1629 in Emeritus Hall or call: (707) 521-7836.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|