Course Syllabus

C1001 Course Outline Spring 26 TTh One More Day (Part 1).doc

Dear students:
Welcome to English C1001! Please read the syllabus carefully, as there will be a quiz on it. Also, attached is Part 1 of our course outline (the one that I handed out in class on our first day).
I look forward to working with you this semester.
--Johnny Sarraf

English C1001: Critical Thinking & Writing

U.S. – M.E. Special Focus

“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: Call Hall 684
Office Hours: TTh 11:50 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Also by appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Welcome to English C1001 (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.

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
• Regular access to a reliable printer. I omitted a course packet and a reader that I used to assign (which saves you a lot of money), but you will need to print a number of assigned readings from Canvas.
  *Please get the exact edition of the handbook listed so that you're using the current version of MLA format.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Demonstrate an understanding of principles of critical thinking.*
2. Critically analyze texts, media, and everyday experiences.
3. Compose inquiry-driven, researched argumentative, critical analysis, and response texts.

*Refer to the Foundation for Critical Thinking:

http://criticalthinking.org/aboutCT/define_critical_thinking.cfm

COURSE GOALS

Statewide Required Objectives/Outcomes:

1. Define, recognize, and utilize forms of critical reasoning, including deductive and inductive reasoning, in a variety of rhetorical contexts.
2. Reflect critically on one's own thought processes to identify and avoid cognitive biases and common fallacies of language and thought.
3. Employ critical reading and research strategies to locate and evaluate complex texts representative of diverse experiences, perspectives, and forms of authority.
4. Evaluate and document evidence to construct arguments in a variety of rhetorical situations, distinguishing knowledge from belief and fact from judgment.
5. Draft written arguments to respond appropriately to texts, with attention to intended audience, purpose, and social context, and revise for clarity, cogency, persuasiveness, and soundness.

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

1. Evaluate the efficacy and soundness of arguments and criticize complex ideas in the readings and in their own compositions.
2. Identify common logical errors or fallacies of language and thought.
3. Distinguish between and use denotative and connotative aspects of language for appropriate rhetorical ends.
4. Draw inferences from a variety of sources (e.g. print, media, Internet and electronic databases).
5. Identify manipulations of rhetoric such as propaganda, charged language, and slanted facts, in the readings and in in their own compositions.

B. Composition Objectives

1. Write thesis-driven essays of varying lengths.
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. Utilize rhetorical appeals such as ethos, logos, and pathos.
5. Employ effective writing techniques including organization for logic and coherence, genre expectations, revision for focus, clarity, precision, and diction, intentional use of grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
6. Compile library research and evaluate sources with respect to their relevance, reliability, and appropriateness to the rhetorical context for application in compositions.
7. Engage in reflective writing processes, including drafting, revising, receiving feedback on drafts, and critically evaluating one's own thought processes.

ESSAYS

You need to follow current MLA format (9th edition) 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), half an inch from the top of the page.
  
  
  
• 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 we will distribute the drafts for the peer review workshop for the assignment at the very start of class. 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 Writing Center on either the Petaluma or Santa Rosa campus and/or the Online Writing Center ("SRJC Tutoring" in the menu on the left side of our homepage) to get help on some area of your writing. 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. 

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, Microsoft Copilot, or other such programs 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.
• 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 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.
• Please do not use AI language models (such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, etc.) in any capacity for this course, not even to help generate ideas and brainstorm. 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 and lead to low brain engagement. 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. 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.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS & CLASS POLICIES

• The first requirement is that you be open to different views and be respectful of other students' views. I really appreciate the opportunity to deal with the focus of this course because I believe that it is very important, and I hope that my attitude will rub off on you. For this to happen, though, you must be willing to make a strong effort for you to get the most out of the course. 
• To give yourself a chance to do well, you need to be in class regularly. You may not miss more than 3 class sessions or be tardy frequently (3 tardies - 1 absence). If you exceed 3 absences (including from tardiness), your Quizzes, Online Postings, etc. grade for the semester will be lowered to an F (and you should consider dropping the course). Even a little more lenient than SRJC's official attendance policy, if you exceed 4 absences, you will be dropped from the class; if your absence occurs after the drop deadline, your Quizzes, Online Postings, etc. grade for the semester will be a 0. This policy will be enforced regardless of passing grades earned on assignments.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. 
• Class begins on time, so do not be late. If an occasion arises when you must be late, you may join the class if you do so without interruption. You may not be habitually tardy; if that occurs, you will be asked to drop the class. Remember that being tardy three times equals one absence.
• If you come to class at least 20 minutes late, you will be considered absent.
• Do not be late from a break since it is disruptive to the class. If you are late from a break, it will count as a tardy. If it persists, you will need to drop the class.
• You'll get the most out of the course by coming to class prepared and willing to participate in discussion and activities. That means any assigned reading must be read carefully before class. You must have the assigned readings with you in class (including ones printed from Canvas). If you come to class unprepared and/or without your course materials, it will be noted, whether or not I actually say something to you about it. If it occurs a second time, you're advised to drop the course. 
• Per SRJC policy, students who do not attend class the first day may be dropped from the course. If they do not attend the first two class sessions, they must be dropped from the course.
• You will not be permitted to submit informal assignments such as exercises, quizzes, and posts to 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.
• Don't miss class just because you're unprepared to turn in an assignment. Everyone has a rough week on occasion. Missing class can make things even more challenging for you in the course, so help yourself by coming to class and asking me for help afterwards. 
• If you can't remember how many absences you have or how often you've been tardy, it has probably happened too often. If, for some reason, you'll be missing two classes in a row, you need to contact me right away so that we can discuss why you can't be in class. Students who have missed consecutive classes in the past have usually not been successful in the course, so I highly discourage you from ever missing two in a row unless it's really an emergency. Save your absences for such a situation; don't be absent just because you're tired or just don't feel like going to class.
• You are considered absent if you leave class before it ends.
• Attendance counts starting on the first day of the term when the class meets, not the first day a student adds the class; students who add a class after its first official meeting collect the earlier absence(s). 
• If you are absent or tardy, it is your responsibility to submit any assignments to me right away. It is also your responsibility to contact a classmate to find out what we did and what was assigned. Absence does not excuse any lack of understanding about new dates and assignments. If, after you've contacted a classmate to get the information, you don't understand something about what we covered or what was assigned, then please contact me early enough to be able to help you, but do not expect me to go over what I covered in class. Don’t be the “Blue-haired Boy” from this video:
  
• Go to the bathroom BEFORE class or wait until the break or after class. It is disruptive and disrespectful to wander in and out of class during a discussion. If you really must leave class, it should be an exceptional situation and shouldn't happen often.
• The best time to reach me is during my office hours. Certain questions (such as those having to do with grades and attendance) lend themselves to such a meeting. 
• All the written work done for the course must be typed.
• You must write the assigned essays, take the midterm exam, and participate in the final (presentation) to have a chance to pass the course. In other words, if you don't do each of these, you will automatically fail the course.
• We will have regular (but unannounced) quizzes based on readings--no makeups. Quizzes are meant to encourage you to do careful reading and have regular attendance, so if you're late, you don't get the quiz.
• 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. Failure to do so will result in suspension and/or dismissal from the class.
• Cellular phones must have the volume turned OFF in class. Please have your phone and any electronic devices such as music players, tablets, laptop computers, and any recording devices out of your sight (not on your desk or your lap) so that they don't distract you and others. If you use either of these in class, your semester Quizzes, Online Postings, etc. grade will be an F. If you use either of these again, your semester Quizzes, Online Postings, etc. grade will be a 0, and you will be suspended from class, which counts as an absence.
• There should be nothing on your desk except for the class materials that you're using at that moment. Backpacks, handbags, and other such materials may not be on your desk to distract you or serve as cover while you text or read messages on your cell phone.
• Please do not chew gum or eat during class time. Use our short break to have a quick snack or eat before or after class.

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) 
15% = Discussion Postings, Quizzes, Interactive Lectures and Videos, etc.
12% = Group Presentation (Final)
  8% = 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). 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 place is my office during my posted office hours. If you need to reach me during the week 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

• A college course requires you to be self-disciplined and always aware of due dates. Be sure always to read carefully every post in Announcements as well as everything that I e-mail to you.
• 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.
• When reading assigned essays for the next meeting's discussion, read actively, making notes and/or marking the text so that you are well prepared to discuss in class. Your participation is very important to our class. 
• You know at the end of class when most students are shuffling their bags, books, and folders while the instructor's assigning/explaining the homework for the next meeting? That's when students miss things that are said about the homework and are then unprepared the next meeting. Don't let this happen; please hold off getting ready to go until I've finished completely.
• If you're having trouble with the course, I highly encourage you to meet with me during my 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. If you have a disturbing course-related experience, you need to approach me about it as soon as possible. Do not let it linger whereby it could get more serious; let's address it right away.
• 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 come in with a copy of your essay and a focus for your visit, something particular to address in your writing. I would be very happy to help you then.
• Please note that Canvas tracks your activity in the course such as when you access an assignment, a post in Announcements, my feedback within 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 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.
• Free help with your writing--yes, free--is available! Drop by the Writing Center or make an appointment at the Online Writing Center.
• By always being in class, you give yourself a better chance to be successful in the course. 
• 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. Always refer to the syllabus and 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.