English 52

Introduction to College Composition

Assistant Professor Joana Mootz Gonzales

Email:  jMootzGonzales@cerritos.edu

Office:  LA-L

(562) 860-2451 ext. 2822

Fall 2007

Office Hours: M W 8:30-9:00am, T 8:00-9:00am

Writing Center Hours:  T 9:00-11:00am

Course Syllabus

Course Description:

English 52 is an introductory course in college composition that will explore writing and reading in a variety of modes and styles, with an emphasis on narrative, descriptive, and expository writings, refining sentence variety and effectiveness, and practicing writing in timed, structured situations.  Through the integration of critical thinking and evaluative writing you can improve your writing skills to ensure your academic success.  Through writing, you can also learn more about how to strengthen your self-confidence and heighten your self-awareness to accomplish your personal goals. 

Required Texts:

--Axelrod, Rise B. and Charles C. Cooper.  The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing, 8^th ed.

--Baca, Jimmy Santiago.  A Place to Stand.

Additional Materials

-- have the following supplies for all class sessions: textbooks, standard college ruled white 8 ½ x 11” notebook paper (no spiral binders please), two blue or black ink pens, four colored highlighters (blue, yellow, green and pink), a ministapler and paperclips.  It is also helpful to have a paperback dictionary/ thesaurus.

Course Requirements:

--Reading Assignments: 

1)      all readings are to be completed before the first class of the week for which the readings are listed on the reading schedule (see attached).  Come prepared to share ideas and contribute insightfully to class discussion about the readings.

2)      keep a reading/ response journal which will contain reactions, questions and responses to the reading.  Journals must be organized and kept up-to-date.  Journals may be picked up at any time, so be sure to bring them to every class session.  Journals will be collected and graded at the end of the semester.  The grade will be based on the number and quality of entries and will be equivalent in value to half the grade on a paper.

--Writing Assignments: 

1)      write four papers outside of class during the semester, an in-class essay final, as well as one optional rewrite.  All papers will go through several drafts (rough, revised, sentence, final) and all final drafts, which must be computer-generated, must be accompanied by earlier drafts when they are submitted for evaluation.  Note that you may also be working on your essays in the writing center, and all work completed in the lab will be stamped by the instructors/tutors in the writing center.  These stamped drafts will also be submitted with your final draft.  Remember to keep all paper drafts on file.  You must have ready access to your papers during writing group sessions.  Do not throw away any drafts or any paper which has received a grade.

2)      submit all papers at the beginning of class on the due date and in the order in which they are assigned.  Only ONE late assignment will be accepted and must be turned in within one week of the original due date.  However, due to time constraints, the last formal essay and the rewrite cannot be turned in late.  Failure to turn in any required assignment will have severe negative consequences for the final grade.

3)      write paragraph-length answers to in-class quiz questions based on the current reading.  These quizzes will be unannounced.  There will be approximately eight quizzes during the semester.  If you miss a quiz, you cannot make it up.  An additional tip--quizzes are always given right at the beginning of class.

--Attendance and Participation:  Your attendance is mandatory.  Absences, as well as tardiness and lack of preparation cause severe disruption of the learning process and virtually always result in a marked lowering of your course grade.  Frequent late arrivals are rude and irritating.  Lateness will be treated as a partial absence.  You are responsible for any material or assignments missed.  Contact a classmate for information or assignments missed. If you know in advance that you are going to be late, cannot attend class or you must leave early, please let me know ahead of time.  Cutting class because you have not completed an assignment only compounds the problem.  Participate thoughtfully, reliably and regularly in reading and writing group response sessions and class discussions.  A grade will be given for class participation.  Seven hours of absences will cause you to be dropped from the class automatically.  This is equivalent to just a little over three class sessions.  Furthermore, tardies and leaving early count toward the allotted absence time.  For example, if you are ten minutes late to class, then that is equivalent to ten minutes of absence time.  Note that the last day to drop with a “W” grade is November 16.  If you exceed seven hours of absences after this date, you will receive a failing grade for the course.       

-Grading:  Assessing writing is always subjective to some degree.  However, specific grading criteria (content, organization and grammar) will be given for each assignment.  The grading criteria will change somewhat from assignment to assignment and will become increasingly demanding as the semester progresses.  Course grades will be averaged, but some consideration will be given to improvement shown over semester. 

Grading Scale: A+ =12, A =11, A- =10, B+ =9, B =8, B- =7, C+ =6, C =5, C- =4, D+ =3, D =2, D- =1, F =0

• 4 formal essays (12 points each)                                   = 48 points
• Quizzes                                                                        = 12 points
• Reading/ Response Journal                                           = 12 points
• Class Participation                                                        = 12 points
• Final Essay (worth double)                                            = 24 points

Final course grade will be determined as follows:  A =108-87,  B = 86-65,  C = 64-43,  D = 42-21,  F = 20 and below.

Towards the end of the semester, you will have the option to rewrite ONE essay.  The grade for the rewrite will replace the original essay grade.  Due to the volume of essays I read each semester, “A” or “B” essays cannot be re-evaluated for a higher grade.  There are no extra credit assignments for this class.  You must earn a “C” or better on the final exam in order to pass this course. 

--Academic Dishonesty/ Plagiarism:  This is defined as the act of obtaining or attempting to obtain credit for work by the use of any dishonest, deceptive or fraudulent means.  Examples of academic dishonesty include plagiarism, which is defined as the act of taking the ideas, words, or specific substantive material of another person and offering them as your own without giving credit to the source.  Excuses like “I did not know how to use MLA” or “Nobody told me how to do this” are not acceptable.  No excuse is acceptable!  So ask questions.  Academic Dishonesty/ Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in severe negative consequences—the reduction of the course grade, including a strong possibility of a failing grade for the course.  See the CCC academic honesty/dishonesty policy for further information.

--A Few Final Notes:

Whenever possible, please leave the row near the door empty for latecomers.  This way they will not have to walk across the room to a seat.

As we create a community in the classroom, respect and courtesy towards everyone is expected.  Harassment of any kind will not be tolerated.

Please turn off cell phones and other electronic devices during class time and put them away.  Noise-makers and “texting” during class are rude, irritating and disrupt the learning process.  However, please let me know in advance if you have an emergency and you need to keep your phone on. 

If you must earn a certain grade in this class, start working toward that grade now.  Don’t wait until it’s too late.  Tutoring services are available to students in the writing center.   Note that in order to qualify to register for English 100, you must successfully complete this course with a “C” or better.

--Disability Statement:  If you need accommodations related to a disability, it is your responsibility to inform me as soon as possible.   

J Mootz Gonzales                                                                                                         Fall 2007

English 52 Tentative Reading and Assignments Schedule

**Note:  In addition to the above, there will also be some other short readings which will be handed out in class and for which you will be responsible.  The information in this syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.