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Course Description:
Designed
to help the student recognize and critically evaluate important ideas in short
and book length texts, and offers instruction in expository and argumentative
writing, appropriate and effective use of language, close reading, cogent
thinking, research strategies, information literacy, and documentation.
Transfer credit: CSU (CSU GE Area A2, A3), UC (IGETC Area 1A).
Course Objectives:
The purpose of this
course is to help students develop their ability to write thoughtfully and
effectively. The premise of this
course is that writing is an integral part of the thinking process and that
successful essay writing depends on a mixture of creative thinking and an
awareness of writing styles and forms.
The objective of this course is to guide students toward becoming
critical readers, writers, and thinkers through recognizing the effective
writing strategies of other writers, through becoming aware of their own
processes of writing, and through learning to discern logical relationships
between words, ideas, and arguments.
Student Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the semester, students will be able to do the
following:
A. ESSAYS: Write focused, organized,
well-developed, and text-based essays appropriate to college
transfer level using
effective paragraphs, which support a clear thesis statement, and
demonstrate
competence in standard
English grammar and usage.
B. CRITICAL ANALYSIS: Demonstrate critical
reading, writing, and thinking skills appropriate
to college
transfer level
through analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of important ideas from
a variety of college
level texts.
C.
INFORMATION LITERACY: Use research strategies appropriate
to college transfer level to effectively
evaluate and
skillfully integrate credible and relevant sources and cite according to
MLA guidelines.
Required Textbooks: Connected under the course theme
“Challenges, Failures & Perseverance”
(1) Unstoppable: 45 Powerful Stories of
Perseverance and Triumph from People Just Like You
by Cynthia Kersey
(2) Drive: the Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel H.
Pink
(3) Department Rhetoric--Optional: Unless you prefer a print version
(for purchase in Skyline’s Bookstore).
The Rhetoric is provided
for you electronically at: http://www.skylinecollege.edu/skyenglish/
(4) Additional readings provided by instructor
Required SMCCD College
Email: To avoid missing important messages both
from your instructor and from the college/District, be sure your student
email account is activated and prepared to check your email daily during the
semester. Log in at http://my.smccd.edu/. If you don’t want to check your my.smccd.edu
account, forward your my.smccd.edu email to your regular email
account. To forward your SMCCD email…
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1. Go to Websmart at https://websmart.smccd.edu/
2. In your
student account area, click on the link that says
"New! Student Email"
3. Here, you
may view your email address and password,
and you may reset your password.
4. IMPORTANT:
Open your my.smccd.edu email.
5. Click
“Settings” at the top of the page.
6. Click the
“Forwarding and POP/IMAP” tab.
7. Under
Forwarding, click the “Forward a copy of
incoming mail” button.
8. Enter the
email address you want to forward your email to
9. Click “Save
Changes.”
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Available
Support Services: Skyline College cares deeply about student success
and provides a range of support for students both academic and personal, so
take advantage of these resources:
<>Academic Counseling: for counselor
guidance, creating action plans, getting connected with the Career
Center and Transfer Center. Room
2-218, 650-738-4318, skycounseling@smccd.edu.
<>The Learning
Center:
provides tutoring in all subjects. Sign up for LSKL 800 for general tutoring
or
for LSKL 853 for reading and
writing support. Room 5-100, 650-738-4144.
<>Library: consult librarians for expert research
advice. Building 5, 2nd floor, 650-738-4311,
skylibrary@smccd.edu. Use the Library’s website to conduct online
research, access citation guides
and much more: http://www.skylinecollege.edu/library/
<>Health &
Psychological Services: provides health care and mental health
services (counseling, crisis
intervention, substance abuse). Room 2-206 &
2-237, 650-738-4270, skyhealth@smccd.edu
<>Financial Aid: help
with fee waivers, grants, scholarships, work study programs and loans.
Room 2-2234, 650-738-4236,
skyfaoffice@smccd.edu
<>SparkPoint: provides students
and the community FREE financial education/coaching, food pantry, tax
preparation, banking/savings
advice, assistance with public benefits enrollment and more. Room
1-214, 650-738-7035,
skylinesparkpoint@smccd.edu, visit: http://www.skylinecollege.edu/sparkpoint/
Course
Policies:
(1)
Class Conduct: At Skyline
College, our classrooms, in-person and online, are safe and inclusive
places. In this community, we treat each other with
mutual respect regardless of differences in race,
religion, age, and/or
sexual/gender identity. If you go by a
different name or would like a different
gender pronoun used, please
advise your instructor and your preference will be honored. Students are
responsible for adhering to
the Code of Student Conduct outlined in the Skyline Student Handbook:
http://skylinecollege.edu/catalog/rightsresponsibilities/codeofconduct.php.
(2) Attendance: You
are a valuable part of our classroom community. You’ll be sharing
your ideas on the
on-going content of the
class as well as interacting and collaborating with your
classmates. Since your
presence is vital to both
your academic goals and the success of the class, you should not miss
more
than 5 classes.
Excessive absences can result in missing important assignments, being
dropped/
withdrawn from the class, or failing the
class. If you find yourself falling behind or missing class,
remember that your
instructor is your ally and here to help, so reach out when you
need support.
(3) Participation: Remember
that participation counts--both for your grade and in your life. It is essential
that you become consciously
involved in class and online by participating in discussions and contributing
thoughtful questions and
comments, and also providing detailed written feedback during
peer review.
Additionally, this means
talking to your instructor when you have questions and making an office or
phone appointment when you
want writing assistance.
(4)
Late Assignments: All due dates
are given well in advance so it’s unfair to the students who complete
their work on time to accept
the work from those who do not.
However, because “life happens,” each
student will be allowed two
“late tickets” during the semester; twice students may choose to turn an
assignment in 48 hours
after the due date. Late assignments beyond this will
not be
accepted. You
cannot use late tickets on timed exams.
Please note: whether you are in class or not,
due dates remain the
same. Due dates are not affected by
attendance, so follow the course calendar
and if you are going to be
absent, email assignments by midnight on the due date to be counted on
time.
(5) Saving and Submitting Work: You must create a backup file of
every piece of work you submit for
grading. All files should be in DOC, RTF or PDF file formats (note: Do not
post .docx files as not all
students can open this type of
file).
(6)
Disabled
Students: In coordination
with the Disability Resource Center (DRC), reasonable
accommodation will be
provided for eligible students with disabilities. For more assistance, please
contact the DRC in building
5, Room 5132 or call 650-738-4228. For
more information visit:
http://skylinecollege.edu/disabilityresources/index.php
(7) Academic Integrity: The
work you submit/present must be your own.
All paraphrases and quotations
must be cited
appropriately. If you are caught cheating or plagiarizing another person’s
work, you may
be disciplined in one or
more of the following ways:
>Failing grade on the
assignment which could lead to a lowered course grade or failing the course.
>Being reported to the Dean of
Enrollment Services/Disciplinary Officer who maintains a record of
those reported for
academic dishonesty.
>Disciplinary probation, suspension or expulsion
To
know how to properly integrate and cite outside sources and research, visit:
http://accounts.smccd.edu/skyenglish/10IntegratingSources.htm
Papers:
The writing requirements are as follows and each paper will be accompanied by
formal reflections (1-2 pages) on writing struggles, successes and
goals:
(1) Due Dates-- Paper #1 (2-4 pages, 500-1000 words) Draft due 8/28, Revised 9/4
Research Paper #2 (3-5 pages,
750-1250 words) Draft due 10/2,
Revised 10/9
Paper #3 Midterm 75-minute timed essay exam
on Weds October 30th
Collaborative Research Paper #4 (4-6
pages, 1000-1500 words) Draft 12/4
Revised 12/11
Paper #5 Final essay exam—2 ½ hour
timed essay exam on Fri December 13th 8:10-10:40am
For detailed paper guidelines and topics, visit: http://accounts.smccd.edu/bellr/papertopics105F19.htm
(2) Revision-- E.B. White said, “The
best writing is rewriting.” Because
revising or “re-seeing” a piece of writing is such an important aspect of the
writing process, each of the papers has two due dates. The first draft is not graded and is used
for class workshopping, so students can give and receive advice to apply to
the graded revision due a week later.
If you would like instructor feedback on your draft, make an office or
phone appointment. On
papers, you must meet the page minimums. 5% deducted for half a page under
and minus 10% for each full page under the minimum.
(3) Workshopping—Each draft will be read
and commented upon by student workshop groups. You do not want to use a late
ticket on a draft because: (1) you cannot participate in the workshop without
a draft; (2) you won’t get any peer feedback on your draft; (3) you won’t be
able to give written feedback on your peers’ drafts so will receive zero
scores and peer review counts as 5% of your overall course grade; (4) if you
do not submit a draft, you cannot turn in a revision a week later for a grade
and you cannot pass this class if you fail to turn in one of the major
papers. Below are the important
workshop dates:
Paper #1 Workshop: 8/28 Paper #2 Workshop: 10/2 Paper #4 Workshop: 12/4
(4) Format— All papers must meet
the required minimum length, and they must be typed, double-spaced, have 1”
margins, and have a font of 12. When you post assignments in
our online classroom, they must be in .DOC, .RTF or .PDF format or else I will not
be able to open your document and your work will not be counted as on time.
Course Grade: Record
Your Own Grades:
Paper
1 10% Score
for Paper 1 ______ x .10 = _____
Paper
2 10% Score
for Paper 2 ______ x .10 = _____
Paper
3—Midterm 10% Score for Paper 3 ______ x .10 =
_____
Paper
4 20% Score
for Paper 4 ______ x .20 = _____
Paper
5—Final 20% Score
for Paper 5 ______ x .20 = _____
Formal
Writing Reflections 10% Score
for Reflection ______ x
.10 =
_____
Discussion/Participation 10% Average
for Discussion ______ x .10
= _____
Peer Paper Review 5% Average
Peer Review ______ x .05 =
_____
Assignments 5% Assignment
______ x .05 =
_____
TOTAL: (convert total to %) ________
Scoring as follows:
93-100=A, 90-92=A- 87-89=B+, 83-86=B, 80-82=B-, 77-79=C+, 70-76=C,
67-69=D+, 63-66=D, 60-62=D-, 59-0=F
Departmental Grading Standards: http://www.skylinecollege.edu/skyenglish/6EvaluatingWriting.htm
Skyline College’s Important Dates
to Remember:
As a student, you’ll want to know the important academic dates regarding
dropping and withdrawing from classes, school holidays, final exams,
etc. Visit Skyline College’s Academic
Calendar: http://skylinecollege.edu/academics/academiccalendar.php.
TITLE IX:
The San Mateo County Community College District is committed to maintaining
safe and caring college environments at Cañada College, College of San Mateo
and Skyline College. The District has established policies and procedures
regarding Sexual Misconduct, Harassment, and Assault. A District website has
also been developed which provides you with important information about
sexual misconduct and sexual assault. http://smccd.edu/titleix/. To learn more about
these issues and how you can help prevent them, you are encouraged to view
the “Not Anymore” videos, which can be found on WebSMART
under the Student Services link.
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Skyline College