English 1: Reading & Composition (Grading & Calendar) Instructor: Burlee Vang, Long Beach City College, Fall 2016 Instruction Hours: MW Office hours: by appointment Email: [email protected] Blog: http://english1lbcc.blogspot.com Course Description: This course involves reading, analyzing, and writing college–level prose, with an emphasis on the expository. Different writing strategies will be explored, including critiquing and conducting research. All writing will be approached as a process, in which students will advance their skills in preparing for a paper (invention and planning), drafting (writing), and re-visioning. Critical thinking skills and sound logic are also important for each paper. Essays will be formatted according to MLA (Modern Language Association). Grammar, punctuation, and spelling should be in good order upon entering this course. Be mindful that the class is reading and writing intensive. Always come prepared to discuss reading assignments. Everyone is required to participate! Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs): 1. Read and analyze college-level texts. 2. Write academic prose with a clear purpose and effective, logical, relevant support from sources. 3. Locate, evaluate, organize, and synthesize research material from a variety of sources. 4. Compose essays that demonstrate consistent control of academic discourse & rhetoric. OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of the course the student should be able to: 1. Establish and maintain a clear controlling idea (a thesis) in a documented essay of at least 1,500 words with significant and substantive content that is based on college-level reading materials. 2. Develop an essay that uses convincing evidence in a sequence of effective and organized paragraphs with a clear and apparent logical progression to illustrate a larger idea. 3. Use various strategies to generate, evaluate, and synthesize ideas from reading materials for a range of writing tasks that recognize the complexity within issues. 4. Employ the paragraph effectively, maintaining coherence within and between paragraphs and utilizing logical transitions. 5. Use the library and Internet as tools to find college-level reading materials. Comprehend and evaluate such texts. Incorporate these readings as concrete and credible support for a position. Acknowledge evidence from a variety of primary and secondary sources. 6. Apply MLA format to cite sources within an essay. 7. Revise an essay successfully through a succession of drafts. 8. Employ a variety of strategies to open and close essays. 9. Demonstrate control of formal English grammar, punctuation, spelling, and usage with few surface errors. 10. Recognize and use appropriate tone and diction in addressing audiences, especially academic audiences. 11. Recognize and avoid plagiarism. 12. Complete a timed reading-based essay successfully.

Required Texts: Atwan, Robert, ed. America Now. 10th Edition. Bedford St. Martin’s. 2013. O’Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried. *PDF readings will be provided online (you are expected to print these out and bring to class or download onto your laptop/ipad for discussion/in-class writing). These can be accessed on my blog at http://english1lbcc.blogspot.com Grading Essay 1 Draft (first 3 pages) Essay 1 Final (full 6 pages) Essay 2 Draft (first 5 pages) Essay 2 Final (full 10 pages) Reading Responses Journal Pop Quizzes Supplemental Learning Activities Midterm & Final

50 pts. 150 pts. 50 pts. 200 pts. 190 pts. 50 pts. TBD TBD TBD

total pts. : TBD

90-100% = A 80-89% = B 70-79% = C 60-69% = D 50-59% = F

Essays Each student will write four drafts of two essays. Essays must be typed: Times New Roman, 12 size font, double-spaced, MLA format. Prospectus and rough drafts will be turned in with final drafts. The essays in this course will focus on persuasion and literary analysis. No late essays will be accepted! If you cannot make it to class, your essay must be emailed to me before the end of our class time with a hardcopy handed to me when you return. Essays not submitted or submitted late will be given a score of 0. Essays not reaching the page requirement will receive half credit (that means your writing must reach the bottom of the last page of your essay!!!). I will collect essays at the beginning of class. If you are tardy to class on the day an essay is due, make sure the essay reaches me within 10 minutes after the start of class. Essays turned in beyond this time, whether through email or in class will receive a 20-point deduction from the overall grade. BE ON TIME! Reading/Film Responses Each student is expected to turn in a typed (double-spaced, 12 size font, Times New Roman) response of 500 words per reading assignment (total of 20). Handwritten responses will not be accepted. Work that is not stapled will receive ½ credit! Responses will be based on your analysis of essays and stories (in the class texts or provided online). These will be collected at the beginning of class according to

their due dates. If you cannot make it to class, you must email your response to me before the end of class. No late responses accepted. Journal You are required to keep a spiral notebook for this course (which you will always bring to class). It is critical that you attend every class session since you cannot make up in-class journal writing. Worth 50 pts. Quizzes There will pop quizzes given throughout the semester. It is critical that you do the readings and attend class on time since the quizzes will only be given at the beginning of class. You cannot make up quizzes if you are tardy or absent. Supplemental Learning Assistance (SLAs) Requirement: All students enrolled in English 801, 105, or 1 are required to complete 3 activities, approximately one hour each, in the Writing and Reading Success Center at LAC (E09L) or the Multidisciplinary Success Center at PCC (EE206). These activities are designed to prepare you for and reinforce essential concepts covered in this course. These activities represent 5% of your class grade. The types of activities are described below: • Workshops: Interactive, instructor-led mini presentations on key topics related to this course. • Directed Study Group (DSGs): Collaborative, tutor-facilitated small group activities on classrelated topics. • Directed Learning Activity (DLAs): Independent activities on key topics including one-onone interaction with a Success Center Instructor or Tutor. For more information, visit the following websites: WRSC: (http://www.lbcc.edu/wrsc/) Success Centers: (http://www.lbcc.edu/successcenters/) Course Requirements: Attendance. Attendance is mandatory in order to pass this class. After your third absence, I may drop you from the course. As a result, it is imperative that you use absences for emergencies and severe illness only. Furthermore, you must arrive to class on time. If you are more than 15 minutes late or if you leave before class ends, you will automatically receive a full absence. And finally, two tardies are equivalent to one absence. Any student who is not present when I take roll will be marked tardy. Also, keep in mind that if I ask you to leave class because you are either unprepared or disruptive, you will be marked absent as well. Late Work. No late work will be accepted under any circumstances. If you are absent on the day an assignment is due, either have a friend drop it off to me in class or email it to me by the end of our class time that day. You MUST turn in a hard copy to me by next class. Class Participation. Class Participation includes essay workshops, group work, and verbal participation during reading discussions. Since true education occurs through the exchange of ideas and collaboration with others, you must be actively engaged during all class sessions by taking interest in the course material. This means coming to class prepared with the course books, having a positive attitude, active participation in group activities, and responding to reading assignments during class discussion. The following will result in the lowering of your class participation grade and/or dismissal from class with an absence: § §

Failure to participate in discussions Failure to come to class prepared

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Failure to bring your books to class Disruptive behavior (sleeping, doing work from other classes, text-messaging, etc.)

1st Day Policy Any enrolled student who does not show up at any time during the 1st day of class will be dropped. Enrollment Policy If you are given an enrollment number, you must add the class within 24 hours otherwise you will not be allowed to add once the time has passed. It is the responsibility of all enrolled students to drop this course according to drop deadlines, not the instructor’s. Plagiarism Anyone caught plagiarizing in this class will receive no credit for the assignment. Those caught plagiarizing or cheating will also be reported. Accommodations for Disabilities In compliance with the Americans with Disability Act, any student with a disability will be given accommodations, according to his or her needs, as long as those needs are communicated to the instructor.

Calendar August 29th – December 16th 2016 WEEK 1 Monday: 8/29 -Syllabus -The Writing Process -DiYanni’s “Types of Essays” & “Reading Essays” Wednesday: 8/31 -“Shitty First Drafts” – PDF -Amy Tan’s “Fish Cheeks” -Understanding Subject, Audience, and Purpose -How To Write a Reading Response -Essay #1 Prompt WEEK 2 Monday: 9/5 HOLIDAY Wednesday: 9/7 DUE: RR 1 “Education: Does College Still Matter?” (America Now) -Screw U: How For-Profit Colleges Rip You Off - PDF WEEK 3 Monday: 9/12 -Read in class: “The Things They Carried” (TTTC)

-Read in class: “Love” and “Spin” (TTTC) Wednesday: 9/14 DUE: RR 2 “The Economy: Are We Making Progress?” (America Now) -Read in class: “On the Rainy River” (TTTC) WEEK 4 Monday: 9/19 DUE: RR 3 “The American Consumer: Is Everything for Sale?” (America Now) -Read in class: “Enemies” and “Friends” (TTTC) Wednesday: 9/21 DUE: RR 4 “Relationships Today: Is Marriage on the Decline?” (America Now) WEEK 5 Monday: 9/26 -WORKSHOP: ESSAY #1 rough draft in groups Wednesday: 9/28 DUE: RR 5 “Is Society Becoming Less Violent?” (America Now) (read in class): Stephen King’s “Why We Crave Horror Movies” – PDF WEEK 6 Monday: 10/3 DUE: RR 6 “Guns: Can the Second Amendment Survive?” - PDF -Read in class: “How to Tell a True War Story” (TTTC) Wednesday: 10/5 DUE: RR 7 “Social Media: What Do We Gain? What Do We Lose?” – PDF -Read in class: “The Dentist” (TTTC) WEEK 7 Monday: 10/10 DUE: RR 8 “What’s Wrong With Cinderella?” essays – PDF Wednesday: 10/12 Film – “Miss Representation” DUE: RR 9 “A Woman’s Beauty?” – PDF WEEK 8 Monday: 10/17 DUE: ESSAY #1 final draft -Read in class: “Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong” (TTTC) Film – “The Mask You Live In” Wednesday: 10/19 DUE: RR 10 Masculinity Essays – PDF

WEEK 9 Monday: 10/24 DUE: RR 11 Gender & Sexuality Essays - PDF -Read in class: “Stockings” and “Church” (TTTC) Wednesday: 10/26 DUE: RR 12 “The Environment: Is the Crisis Overblown?” – PDF -Read in class: “The Man I Killed” (TTTC) WEEK 10 Monday 10/31 -Read in class: “Speaking of Courage” and “Notes” (TTTC) Wednesday: 11/2 DUE: RR 13 “American Politics: Must We Be Partisan?” –PDF -Read in class: TTTC WEEK 11 Monday: 11/7 -Read in class: TTTC Wednesday: 11/9 DUE: RR 14 Privacy & Surveillance Essays - PDF -Read in class: TTTC WEEK 12 Monday: 11/14 DUE: RR 15 Black Lives Matter?: “As Black As We Wish to Be” (America Now) “The Black Lives Slogan Ignores… – PDF “Every Time You Say All Lives Matter…” – PDF “Are the Encounters With the Police…” – PDF -Read in class: TTTC Wednesday: 11/16 DUE: RR 16 “Is it Just Us, or Are Our Kids Getting Really Stupid?” – PDF FILM — “Idiocracy” -Read in class: TTTC WEEK 13 Monday: 11/21 DUE: RR 17 America: Still the Greatest Nation? – PDF FILM — “Idiocracy” Wednesday 11/23 FILM: BATMAN BEGINS WEEK 14 Monday: 11/28 -WORKSHOP: ESSAY #1 rough draft in groups

Wednesday: 11/30 DUE: RR 18 – BATMAN BEGINS – PDF WEEK 15 Monday: 12/5 FILM: THE DARK KNIGHT Wednesday: 12/7 FILM: THE DARK KNIGHT DUE: Journals will be collected!!! WEEK 16 Monday: 12/12 DUE: RR 19 – THE DARK KNIGHT – PDF Wednesday: 12/14 DUE: ESSAY #2 final draft

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Please note that the syllabus/calendar may be changed if necessary. Tips for success: be responsible, be in class and on time, be active, pay attention, and work hard. Your writing skills will improve, and your grade will reflect that improvement. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to turn in work on time, get lecture information, due dates, and any handouts from a classmate.

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Should you need any accommodations or if you encounter difficulty with assignments, or if you would simply like to talk about the class material, please feel free to schedule an appointment with me.