Course Syllabus

Dear students:
Welcome to English 5! Please read the syllabus carefully, as there will be a quiz on it.
I look forward to working with you this semester.
--Johnny Sarraf

English 5 (Online): Advanced Composition & Critical Thinking

U.S. – M.E. Special Focus

(Online)

“The class challenged my ideas, opinions and perceptions. It challenged me to do the same for others. 
It challenged me to question, discuss and question again. I hope all future students will be 
challenged like I was because to me this is the definition of true learning."

--Former student

“At some point we may be the only ones left. That’s okay with me.
We are America."

--Former U.S. President George W. Bush

(regarding the limited coalition for the US-led invasion of Iraq)

PROFESSOR CONTACT INFORMATION

Johnny Sarraf
E-mail: jsarraf@santarosa.edu
Faculty Profile page: http://profiles.santarosa.edu/johnny-sarraf
Office Hours: Will vary. Always check the Canvas Calendar for posted office hours.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Welcome to English 5 (Special Focus). In this course you will be reading, listening to, and writing arguments dealing with issues involving parts of the Middle East and the United States, their relationship, and their perceptions of each other, with emphasis on the Arab world. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 against the U.S. and the resulting fall-out have shown dramatically how important these things are both to Americans and Arabs. 

You will be exposed to various texts such as writing, lecture, video and film that relate to what we’ll be examining. You will be challenged to consider some things you might not have given much or any thought to before and to address some viewpoints that have not been given much attention or that have been approached from a different perspective in mainstream American media. In the process, you will develop your critical reading, writing, and thinking skills. The course will focus on development of analytical and argumentative writing skills as well as development of logical reasoning.

For this course to have a chance to be productive, it is very important that you be open to information that might be new to you, and to different perspectives (including those that are critical of some of our country’s actions) and to respect the opinions and values of others as we consider these things. In other words, we will approach issues based on the notion that one may criticize a government's policies without being anti-American, for example, and we can have civil disagreements on issues without resorting to personal attacks. 

Although this syllabus may seem intimidating, past students have found the class much more comfortable than what the syllabus suggests. Check out what my past students have said, in their own words (located in the “Getting Started in Canvas" section of Modules). The syllabus is so specific in order to put you in the best position to succeed in the course. If you make the needed effort, I’m confident that you’ll be engaged by the class.

Even as this is an asynchronous online course (meaning that you will be working independently through the course modules this semester), we will have one optional (but recommended) video class session, using Zoom. That session (offered in the first week of the semester) will allow us to meet each other and will make it easier for me to help you to navigate the course. You would access the Zoom link in order to attend the class meeting by clicking "TechConnect Zoom" from the menu on the left side of the homepage. You must have a working web camera and microphone.

REQUIRED TEXTS & OTHER MATERIALS

• Writing Logically, Thinking Critically (7^th), by Sheila Cooper & Rosemary Patton. (Probably better to get a physical copy of the book because you will be permitted to use it for one part of the Midterm Exam, but you will not be permitted to access a digital version unless you print areas of it for use on the exam.) ISBN: 978-0-205-11912-7. (I selected that older edition because it's cheaper, but you would also be fine with the more recent 8th edition if you find it at a good price.)
• A Pocket Style Manual (9^th edition), by Diana Hacker & Nancy Sommers. Bedford-St. Martin’s.
  ISBN: 978-1-319-16954-1
• Flash drive or regular, reliable access to a web-based application like Google Drive (to save all outside writing in as backup)
• Regular access to a reliable computer (not a cell phone with Internet access but a computer) and reliable Internet service and working web camera and microphone
  *Please get the exact edition of the handbook listed so that you're using the current version of MLA format.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Describe principles of critical thinking*.
2. Apply principles of critical thinking to texts, media, and everyday experience.
3. Write critical analysis and response papers.

*Refer to the Foundation for Critical Thinking:

http://criticalthinking.org/aboutCT/define_critical_thinking.cfm Links to an external site.

COURSE GOALS

Upon completion of the course students need to be able to do the following:
A. Critical Thinking Objectives

1. Identify and analyze the structure of arguments in the reading assignments.
2. Evaluate the validity and soundness of arguments in the readings and in their own compositions.
3. Identify common formal and informal fallacies of language and thought.
4. Apply principles of inductive and deductive reasoning to their arguments.
5. Distinguish between factual and opinion statements.
6. Distinguish between and use denotative and connotative aspects of language for appropriate rhetorical ends.
7. Draw inferences from a variety of sources (print, media, Internet and electronic databases).
8. Identify propaganda and other manipulations of rhetoric—charged language and slanted facts—and avoid them in their own writing.

B. Composition Objectives

1. Write a number of essays totaling 6,500-8,000 words, divided between short essays of 1,000-2,000             words and more comprehensive essays of up to 3,000-3,500 words.
2. Employ writing strategies including analysis, synthesis, and summary.
3. Employ writing strategies including causal analysis, advocacy of ideas, persuasion, evaluation, refutation,       interpretation, and definition.
4. Demonstrate continued development in writing correct, sophisticated college-level prose.
5. Examine classical divisions of rhetorical appeal including ethos, logos, and pathos.
6. Employ effective writing techniques including organization for logic and coherence; revision for focus,          clarity, precision, and diction; use of correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
7. Compile and evaluate library research for application in research papers.

ESSAYS

You need to follow MLA format for each essay:

• Double-space every line. (It’s a good idea to set up double-spacing once you create a document.)
• Use one-inch left, right, top, and bottom margins.
• Use Times New Roman and have 12 characters per inch.
• Do not include a separate cover page.
• For the 1^st page, in the upper left corner, include your name, instructor name, course name (and section number in parentheses), and date.
  
  

 

• For other pages include a header at the top right (e.g., Jones 2).
  
  
• Center your essay’s title and come up with a title that directs and focuses the essay rather than just restates the title or description of the assignment.
• Don’t justify your text. Make sure the right side of the paper is uneven. (Use this syllabus as an example.)
• All your writing for essay assignments should be appropriate for a college writing course, which means that in your writing you should generally not use slang and language that would be appropriate in casual conversation.
• You must save every draft of every out of class essay in a flash drive or through a web-based application such as Google Docs (in addition to wherever you save it in the computer itself). There will be no excuse for a draft that you didn’t save and can’t access. Save as a .doc or .pdf.
• The revision of the causal analysis will be accepted up to two days (48 hours) late, but it will be lowered a letter grade (ten percentage points) per day that it is late. It is considered late if it is submitted any time after the time that it was due. You’ll need to contact me right away if your paper is going to be late. You won’t receive written feedback on a late paper. Failure to submit any one of the assigned essays will lead you to fail the course.
• The rough draft of an essay cannot be accepted late since Canvas will distribute the drafts for the peer review workshop for the assignment. Not submitting the rough draft will lower the revision grade one letter grade (ten percentage points). Also, you will forfeit the points from the peer review workshop.
• Many of your assignments require a computer (not smartphone) to complete, so be prepared ahead of time.
• I highly encourage you to visit the Online Writing Center ("SRJC Tutoring" in the menu on the left side of our homepage) to get help on some area of at least your first paper in progress. Show the assignment to the instructor there and have a focus for your visit—something particular to have the instructor address. Complete the Writing Center form from the Modules section of our course page and get an electronic verification from the Writing Center for your visit. Complete and then submit the form to me before you submit the revision of your essay. You may earn five points of extra credit for your visit if you also submit a completed Writing Center form. You may earn extra credit for up to two such visits. Students who earn lower than a B- grade on the first essay are especially encouraged to visit the Writing Center in order to get help with their next essay prior to the due date.

PLAGIARISM

• Plagiarism—the undocumented use of someone else’s words or ideas—will result in a grade of F or 0 for the assignment, depending on the nature of the offense. This includes having A.I. such as ChatGPT generate a response instead of you for assignments. Please read the separate post having to do with the use of chatbots. Repeated plagiarism or any other academic integrity violation will result in an automatic F in the course and possible administrative action by the college. See SRJC’s Academic Integrity policy. Links to an external site.
• In its commitment to academic honesty and accurate assessment of student work, SRJC uses Turnitin.com to prevent and detect plagiarism. This instructor reserves the right to have students submit their assignments to Turnitin.com in order to check for similarities between student submissions and the Internet, various research databases, and the Turnitin.com database of previous student submissions. Furthermore, this instructor may also submit essays to other instructors seeking plagiarism matches. Assignments submitted to Turnitin.com by students will become part of a database and will be used for plagiarism prevention and detection. Student papers, however, will remain the intellectual property of the author.
• While you may use AI programs e.g. ChatGPT to help generate ideas and brainstorm, I do not recommend it. You should note that the material generated by these programs may be inaccurate, incomplete, or otherwise problematic. Beware that use of them may also stifle your own independent thinking and creativity. Note that use of Grammarly Premium is an academic integrity violation.
• Your own thinking is valued here. You may not submit any work generated by an AI program as your own. If you include material generated by an AI program, it should be cited like any other reference material (with due consideration for the quality of the reference, which may be poor). Any plagiarism or other form of cheating will be dealt with severely under relevant SRJC policies, and you would forfeit any points earned for extra credit.
• For quizzes and some essays, Procotorio Secure Exam Proctor will monitor you. Your computer must have a minimum of 2 GB RAM available and a working web CAMERA in order to take those quizzes and write those essays. You must follow the directions exactly as provided to you by Proctorio in preparing you to start a quiz, including moving the web camera slowly around your working space when directed to do so.
• You may not open up any other web browser or use any other computer other than the one that you're using to take the quizzes or write the timed essays that are being monitored remotely. Proctorio also monitors screen activity. Violation of these conditions will lead to a 0 on the assignment and will be followed by administrative action.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS & CLASS POLICIES

• Attendance: You must be involved regularly in order for our community to thrive and for you to be successful. Per SRJC policy, students who do not initiate participation in an online course by the end of the first day may be dropped from the course.
• Missing more than FOUR informal assignments such as exercises, free-writing, quizzes, Discussion Board postings, or interactive lectures or videos (each considered the equivalent of a class session) will result in you being dropped from the class (per SRJC attendance policy). This is because it will be impossible for you to learn and develop the skills that this course is designed to provide if you are not a present and active contributor. This policy will be enforced regardless of passing grades earned on assignments.
• You will not be permitted to submit informal assignments such as exercises, quizzes, interactive lectures/videos, and the Discussion Board past the deadline, so be sure to keep up with due dates. No exceptions.
• Technical problems are not an acceptable excuse for not submitting assignments on time.
• All the written work done for the course must be typed.
• If you don’t understand something about what I covered or what is assigned, then please contact me early enough to be able to help you, but be sure first to read directions carefully for all assigned work. Don’t be the “Blue-haired Boy” from this video:
  
• The best time to reach me is during my office hours. We will use Zoom, a video conferencing application, for office hours. You will need to have a working web camera and microphone in order to use Zoom. Certain questions (such as those having to do with grades) lend themselves to such a video meeting. Sign up for an appointment during my office hours by clicking on the Canvas Calendar from the menu on the left side of our homepage. Then select an available block from the office hours listed. Just before your appointment is scheduled to begin, use the provided Zoom link. Once your appointment time comes (or once I finish meeting with another student), I will admit you from the waiting room in Zoom so that we can meet.
• Withdrawals must be completed according to college policy (see catalog) or risk a grade of F. You may not count on being dropped by me; if you plan on dropping the class, you’ll need to do so officially.
• As a student here, you are required to abide by SRJC’s Student Code of Conduct.

GRADING

Letter grades equal the typical grade percentage (for example, a B = 85%, a B- = 80%, etc.). The grading breakdown below has to do with how much weight each assignment or category is given (for example, Essay #1 accounts for 20% of the total course grade).
(72% is the very minimum percentage to earn a C in the course overall.)

20% = Essay #1 (Use of Images: Timed Writing)
20% = Midterm Exam
25% = Essay #2 (Causal Analysis) 
25% = Discussion Postings, Exercises, Quizzes, Interactive Lectures and Videos, etc.
10% = Essay #3 (Final: Timed Writing)

ADA STATEMENT

SRJC is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities upon timely request of the student and upon verification of disability. Please contact the Disability Resources Office (Jacobs Hall, Room 101) at (707) 778-2491. On the Santa Rosa Campus (Bertolini Hall, 3^rd floor), call (707) 527-4278.

E-MAIL ETIQUETTE

• E-mail messages must be professional: do not just start writing your message; first, address me by name (e.g., Professor Sarraf, for example). I will show you the same courtesy.
• Use appropriate professional language (not language that is acceptable when texting your friends).
• Be sure always to identify the course and section number.
• Do not expect to reach me during weekends. If you need to reach me during the week, the best time is during my posted office hours. If you need to reach me but not during that time, please send a message. If you e-mail Monday through Thursday, I will usually get back to you within 24 hours. 
• Please understand that you are not the only person trying to reach me, so if your need is urgent, then you really need to see me during office hours. Otherwise, I will get to your message once I can.

JUST TRYING TO HELP

• An online course requires you to be self-disciplined and always aware of due dates. When you read the overview for each week, you should plan your days so that you can give yourself enough time to complete each assignment. Be sure always to read carefully every post in Announcements as well as everything that I e-mail to you.
• In order to pass the course, you must expect to participate actively, take notes where needed, contribute to class discussion, complete assignments, and pass the quizzes. Please keep all the work that is returned to you until you receive your grade from the college.
• I encourage you to be open to different approaches that we take and to different views on various subjects. Challenge yourself by considering different ways of doing things.
• It’s important that you always do the work assigned (even the little things), if you expect to do well in the class.
• I highly encourage you to meet with me during my Zoom office hours to get help on your writing or to talk about anything we’re covering in class or any problems you’re having in the class. Your concerns are not “silly” or “stupid” to me, but I can try to help only if you make it known that you need help.
• Please do not e-mail your drafts to me with questions that probably cannot reasonably and easily be answered electronically; instead, set up an appointment during my office hours, and have a focus for your visit, something particular to address in your writing. I would be very happy to help you then.
• Not available this semester: Someone else who can help you is our fabulous Peer Assisted Learning Specialist (PALS). I highly encourage you to set up a time to meet with our PALS briefly via Zoom in these first few weeks of the term. Then later in the term, when you need help, you'll see how approachable and helpful that person is.
• Please note that Canvas tracks your activity in the course such as when you access an assignment, a post in Announcements, my feedback within the revisions of your essays, and so forth, so when you are asked to read feedback by a certain date, please be sure to do so in order to make whatever adjustments are needed as you work on the next assignment.
• It is completely inappropriate to lobby an instructor for a higher grade than the one that you are earning. If you would like clarification for a particular grade earned on an assignment, you’re welcome to come by my office during office hours at least seven full days after receiving your essay and after you have read the grading rubric, assignment, and the essay itself, but do not persist in making comments like, “But I’m an A student” and similar remarks. I will answer questions about grades only privately during an office (Zoom) visit. Do not e-mail questions about your grade, and do not e-mail any messages at the end of the semester about trying to get a higher grade than the one that you earned.
• This is our contract, so as an enrolled student in our class you understand your responsibilities and accept the conditions for being a student in it. Please speak to me if you have any questions. It is also a good idea to review the syllabus periodically throughout the term. Just because you couldn’t remember anything from the syllabus does not mean it does not apply to you.
• I find learning and teaching to be very rewarding, and I really value playing a part in helping students reach their goals. I try to foster a healthy, comfortable environment in my classes, and I hope that you will sense that right away and allow it to help you reach your full potential.