English 1A: Reading and Composition--Online
Schedule #53163
Fall 2010
Online
Ms. Apperson
Office Hours: MWF 8:30-9:30 and by appt.
Office: HUM 60
Office phone: 638-3641, ext. 3223
email: eileen.apperson@reedleycollege.edu

Course description: Throughout your college and professional careers you will be called upon to express yourself and your ideas in written form.  This course is designed to help you to enhance your reading, writing, and critical thinking skills that are necessary to communicate effectively.   The theme for this class is Language Awareness.
	
We will be covering a large amount of reading, writing, and class participation.   Be prepared.  The suggested rubric for study time outside of class is as follows:
		High school level:  1 hour in class = 1 hour out of class studying
		College level:  1 hour in class = 2 hours out of class studying

The English 1A Course Outline of Record contains the following Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: 	
A.	Write a documented research paper of at least 1000 words that includes: 
o	a sophisticated introduction, multiple body paragraphs, and conclusion 
o	a clearly defined, arguable thesis sentence
o	supporting details that exhibit critical thinking and use credible secondary sources
o	correct usage of MLA format, including a works cited page
o	sentences that exhibit a command of the complex/compound with minimal comma splices, sentence fuses, fragments, and mechanics
o	controlled and sophisticated word choice
o	writing in third person/universal
o	an avoidance of logical fallacies
o	demonstrating an awareness of purpose and audience
o	appropriate and purposeful use of quotations
o	correct in-text citations
o	an annotated bibliography of multiple sources
o	an avoidance of intentional and unintentional plagiarism
B.	Complete a timed essay independently in class 
C.	Summarize and comprehend college level prose (will include a full reading) 	

Required Text/Materials:  
•	Eschholz, Paul, Alfred Rosa, and Virginia Clark.  Language Awareness . Bedford St. Martins: Boston, 2009.  10th edition
•	A longer work to be announced 
•	Reedley College email account
•	Any writer’s handbook.  Shop around to see which one fits your need and pocketbook.  Don’t buy an additional handbook if you already have one.  If you don’t have one, buy one!
            	
Participation:  Class participation is vital.  Since weekly discussion board posts will be required, your final grade will suffer the consequences of lack of participation.  It is a good idea to check Blackboard and email regularly (more than once or twice a week).  Generally, assignments will be posted by noon on Friday for the following week.  

Discussion Board Posts: The discussion board will be central to this course.  Follow the instructions on each week’s discussion board post which will include word length and prompt.  Late responses will not receive credit.  Any responses that merely repeat what has already been stated will also not receive credit.  You will have one week to reply to the previous week’s responses.  Unless otherwise noted, all discussion board responses are due on Fridays at noon.
  
Reading Assignments:  We will be reading a large amount of materials every week.  Failure to complete these reading assignments will be detrimental to your final grade.  Always read the short author biographies provided in the textbook prior to reading their work.

If you have not completed the reading assignments for the week (in whole or part) do not attempt to bluff your way through the Discussion Board and connected writing assignments.  This will be a large waste of your time and mine.  Life happens.  Please just admit you did not complete the reading assignments within your posts and responses.  I will appreciate your honesty.

Peer Response Workshops: You will be workshopping your writing throughout the semester.  Failure to submit your writings to the online workshopping sessions will result in a lowered final grade.  You will be graded on both having material prepared for workshop and the quality of your responses to others’ writings.
	
General Writing Assignments:  This class requires the completion of various graded writing assignments.  All assignments must be completed within the timeframe provided.  Written assignments must be in MLA format and on time.  Please keep all of your prewriting and drafts of each out-of-class paper--I may ask to see your writing processes before I will accept assignments.  
	
Late Paper Policy:  Papers will not be accepted passed the due date/time.  Unless otherwise noted, all assignments are due on Fridays at noon.  Generally, assignments will be posted by noon on Friday for the following week. 
	
Other Items:

Plagiarism/Cheating:  Plagiarism is the act of using another person’s words OR IDEAS as your own with no citation for their work.  Cheating includes having anyone else complete your work for you or turning in a paper you have written for another class.  You will be caught, receive no credit on the assignment and/or final grade, reported to the administration, and may be encouraged to drop the course.  If plagiarism and/or cheating are suspected, you may be asked to provide drafts of your written work and submit your paper to turnitin.com, a plagiarism-checking service.  Keep all drafts of your writing assignments or you may be dropped from the course. 

The following is taken from page 44 of the Reedley College Catalog:
Academic Dishonesty
Students at Reedley College are entitled to the best education that the college can make available to them, and they, their instructors, and their fellow students share the responsibility to ensure that this education is honestly attained. Because cheating, plagiarism, and collusion in dishonest activities erode the integrity of the college, each student is expected to exert an entirely honest effort in all academic endeavors. Academic dishonesty in any form is a very serious offense and will incur serious consequences.
Cheating
Cheating is the act or attempted act of taking an examination or performing an assigned, evaluated task in a fraudulent or deceptive manner, such as having improper access to answers, in an attempt to gain an unearned academic advantage. Cheating may include, but is not limited to, copying from another’s work, supplying one’s work to another, giving or receiving copies of examinations without an instructor’s permission, using or displaying notes or devices inappropriate to the conditions of the examination, allowing someone other than the officially enrolled student to represent the student, or failing to disclose research results completely.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a specific form of cheating: the use of another’s words or ideas without identifying them as such or giving credit to the source. Plagiarism may include, but is not limited to, failing to provide complete citations and references for all work that draws on the ideas, words, or work of others, failing to identify the contributors to work done in collaboration, submitting duplicate work to be evaluated in different courses without the knowledge and consent of the instructors involved, or failing to observe computer security systems and software copyrights. Incidents of cheating and plagiarism may result in any of a variety of sanctions and penalties, which may range from a failing grade on the particular examination, paper, project, or assignment in question to a failing grade in the course, at the discretion of the instructor and depending on the severity and frequency of the incidents.

Respectful Learning Environment:  Be considerate of others—enter the discussion board prepared to share equally with others in the class, respect the opinions of others, read attentively.  Failure to do so may result in being asked to leave the class.

Instructor Contact: It is your responsibility to contact the instructor with any “absence” from class or intention to drop the class.  This may be by phone or email.  Academia is a professional environment. When addressing your instructors, refer to them as Mr., Mrs., or Ms. unless they have asked to be referred to by their first name.   Be sure that all correspondence is professional (no text-language emails) and follows all conventions of proper English usage (correct punctuation and grammar).

Grading:  You will be graded on a point system scale.  Due to limiting grading capabilities in Blackboard, a separate program will be used to compile your grades.  Although you may be able to see your discussion board and quiz grades on Blackboard, your accumulative grade will be mailed to you upon request at any time.  If you are failing the course at mid-term, you may be asked to drop the class.  

Writing Center (HUM 58):  You are required to submit at least one major paper to the Reedley College Writing Center via their online tutorial: mailto:rc.writingcenter@reedleycollege.edu.  The importance of this service to your success in English 1A cannot be stressed enough.  Consider additional submissions or enrolling in English 272 a ½ unit Writing Center tutorial.  Web address for more information: http://www.reedleycollege.edu/index.aspx?page=127
 
Accommodations: Please inform me of any special circumstances you might have.  If you have special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), including alternate media requests, please notify me immediately.  Reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate your needs.

Policies are subject to change in order to create a positive learning environment.  All assignments are subject to change.   The weight of graded materials may be modified at any time.

	Percentages are as follows:

		*Research papers grade=60%
			10+ pgs. One mid-term research paper (revisable) and one final research 
   paper (not revisable).

General writing assignments grade=30%
6+pgs. Annotated Bibliographies (revisable)
3+pgs. Prospectuses for various assignments (not revisable)
10+pgs. Novel responses (not revisable)
10+pgs. Timed essay exams on reading assignments (not revisable)
20+pgs. Various writing activities (not revisable)

Participation in online discussion/workshopping, etc.=10%
		6+pgs. Workshop responses (not revisable)
15+/- pgs. Discussion Board
1+ pg. writing center submission response	

Additional assignments may be added at any time.

*You must receive a collective 70% or higher grade on your research papers to be eligible to pass this class.
		 				
100% - 90% = A, 89% - 80% = B, 79% - 70% = C, 69% - 60% = D, 59%-50% = F

A final, important note:  Keep in mind that in this class, and for your entire academic future as well, your education is dependent upon you.  Your instructors are resources and facilitators.  It is you who is responsible for the learning that takes place.

“Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.” 
–George Washington Carver

SCHEDULE—ENGLISH 1A ONLINE—FALL 2010

This schedule will be updated regularly

1.	8/20—Introduction to course; 	Discussion Board introductions; language awareness essay; pp. 1-38 reflection; syllabus quiz	
2.			
3.			
4.			
5.			
6.			
7.			
8.			
9.			
10.			
11.			
12.			
13.			
14.			
15.			
16.			
17.			
18.