Course Syllabus

 

English 1A Online, Reading and Composition Spring 2019

 “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” 

― Louis L'Amour        

 How to Reach Me…

Instructor: Elayne Rodriguez Kelley

Office: 221-H (Humanities Bldg., 2nd floor, through the double doors)

Office Hours:  Mondays/Wednesdays 11-12 p.m. and Tuesdays/Thursdays 9:10-10:10 a.m.

Phone:  310-532-3670 ext. 3167

Email:  ekelley@elcamino.edu

Canvas Students: Please reach me through the Inbox/Conversations function in Canvas.

The Books You Need…

Boyle, Gregory. Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion. Free Press: 2011.

ISBN #9781439153154

Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. Penguin: 1988. ISBN # 9780679755333

Pink, Daniel H. Drive. Riverhead Books: 2009. ISBN#9781594484803

This Class Is About…

Course Catalog Description

This course is designed to strengthen the students' ability to read with understanding and discernment, to discuss assigned readings intelligently, and to write clearly. Emphasis will be placed on the ability to write an essay in which each paragraph relates to a controlling idea, has an introduction and conclusion, and contains primary and secondary support. College-level reading material will be assigned to provide the stimulus for class discussion and writing assignments, including a required research paper.

Course Objectives

1. Recognize and revise sentence-level grammar and usage errors.
2. Read and apply critical-thinking skills to numerous published articles and to college-level, book-length works for the purpose of writing and discussion.
3. Apply appropriate strategies in the writing process including dissecting and understanding prompts, prewriting, composing, revising, and editing techniques.
4. Compose coherent, multi-paragraph, thesis-driven essays with logical and appropriate supporting ideas, including in-text citations.
5. Demonstrate the ability to locate and utilize a variety of academic databases, peer-reviewed journals, and scholarly websites.
6. Demonstrate the ability to write coherent, text-driven, timed in-class essays.
7. Utilize MLA guidelines to format essays, cite sources in the texts of essays, and compile Works Cited lists.

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Upon completion of this course, students will:

1. Complete a research-based essay that has been written out of class and undergone revision. It should demonstrate the student’s ability to thoughtfully support a single thesis using analysis and synthesis.
2. Integrate multiple sources, including a book-length work and a variety of academic databases, peer-reviewed journals, and scholarly websites. Citations must be in MLA format and include a Works Cited page.
3. Demonstrate logical paragraph composition and sentence structure. The essay should have correct grammar, spelling, and word use.

Important Information and Policy About our Class and our Campus…

Students with Disabilities: It is the policy of the El Camino Community College District to encourage full inclusion of people with disabilities in all programs and services.  Students with disabilities who believe they may need accommodations in this class should contact the campus Special Resource Center (310) 660-3295, as soon as possible.  This will ensure that students are able to fully participate.  

Academic Honesty and Plagiarism: El Camino College places a high value on the integrity of its student scholars.  When an instructor determines that there is evidence of dishonesty in any academic work (including, but not limited to cheating, plagiarism, or theft of exam materials), disciplinary action appropriate to the misconduct as defined in BP 5500 may be taken.  A failing grade on an assignment in which academic dishonesty has occurred and suspension from class are among the disciplinary actions for academic dishonesty (AP 5520).  Students with any questions about the Academic Honesty or discipline policies are encouraged to speak with their instructor in advance.

Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend their classes regularly. Students who miss the first class meeting or who are not in regular attendance during the add period for the class may be dropped by the instructor. Students whose absences from a class exceed 10% of the scheduled class meeting times may be dropped by the instructor. However, students are responsible for dropping a class within the deadlines published in the class schedule. Students who stop attending but do not drop may receive a failing grade.

Instructor Note: Because this is an online class, you have the convenience of building your own weekly schedule. However, I do still take attendance, and I expect you to sign-in to our Canvas course weekly. A new Unit is published weekly every Monday morning by 7 a.m. Every Unit contains assignments that are due by Sunday night at 11:59 p.m. Canvas allows the instructor permission to see the last time a students has logged in. This class requires you to log in weekly and complete assignments. If I see no activity from you for two weeks (roughly 10% of the class meetings), I will assume you no longer want to be in this class, and I will drop you.

Recording in the Classroom: The use of any recording device during class without the prior consent of the instructor is prohibited, except as necessary to provide reasonable auxiliary aids and academic adjustments to disabled students who present official documentation from the Special Resource Center to the instructor prior to recording. This is to protect privacy and to create a safe classroom environment where all participants can discuss potentially controversial or sensitive subjects freely. If you want to take a photograph or make an audio or video recording, you must get the prior written permission of the instructor. The instructor also may require the verbal and/or written permission of everyone present. Even if a student gets permission to record, the recordings are only for personal use and may not be distributed, posted, published, or shared in any manner. A student who records without instructor permission or distributes any recordings is subject to disciplinary action in accordance with El Camino College District Administrative Procedure 5500 Standards of Student Conduct.

Title IX: You should know that if you reveal gender-based or sexual harassment, sexual assault, stalking or intimate partner violence to any instructor, we are required by law to report the problem to the Office of Staff and Student Diversity. However, psychologists are not required to report to the Office of Staff and Student Diversity. You can call the Student Health Center at 310.660.3643 or visit their website: http://www.elcamino.edu/studentservices/health.

Classroom Policies:  Keep in mind that even though this is a virtual environment, it is still an academic setting. I expect you to post appropriate content that aligns with the requirements of the course. Please respond to your peers’ posts with professionalism and respect.

Grading: The class will follow a traditional grade breakdown:

100-90: A
89-80:   B
79-70:   C

69-60:   D
59-0:     F

 Major Assignments:

• Four out-of-class formal papers
• Discussions
• Reading Responses

Helpful Resources for You…

• Campus Police (310) 660-3100 (It is wise to program this number into your cell phone.)
• Textbooks on Reserve—The main floor of the library has all of your textbooks on reserve!
• Reading Success Center (East Library Basement E-36) Software and tutors are available for vocabulary development & reading comprehension.
• Library Media Technology Center - LMTC (East Library Basement) Computers are available for free use. Bring your student ID. There’s a charge for printing.
• Writing Center (H122) Computers are available for free use. Free tutoring is available for writing assignments, grammar, and vocabulary. Bring your student ID.  Printing is NOT available.
• Learning Resource Center - LRC (West Wing of the Library, 2^nd floor) The LRC Tutorial Program offers free drop-in tutoring. For the tutoring schedule, go to elcamino.edu/library/lrc/tutoring.The LRC also offers individualized computer adaptive programs to help build your reading comprehension skills. 
• Student Health Center (Next to the Pool) The Health Center offers free medical and psychological services as well as free workshops on topics like “test anxiety.” Low cost medical testing is also available.
• Special Resource Center – SRC (Southwest Wing of Student Services Building) The SRC provides free disability services, including interpreters, testing accommodations, counseling, and adaptive computer technology.
• NIXILE— Receive community information instantly! Sign up at Nixle.com today!

1. Compose a text message to: 888777
2. Text the message: ECCPDto receive alerts from El Camino College

 Important Dates…

Lincoln’s Day Holiday (Campus Closed)	Friday, February 8
Spring Semester Classes Begin	Saturday, February 9
Weekday Classes Begin	Monday, February 11
Washington’s Day Holiday (Campus Closed)	Monday, February 18
Last Day to Add (Full Semester Courses)	Friday, February 22
Last Day to Drop and be Eligible for a Refund (Full Semester)	Friday, February 22
Last Day to Challenge Residency Status for Current Semester	Friday, February 22
Last Day to Drop Without Notation on Permanent Record	Friday, February 22
Last Day to Apply for Degrees and Certificates (Spring)	Friday, March 1
Spring Recess (Faculty and Students)	Sat-Fri, April 6 – 12
Mid-Term Classes Begin	Saturday, April 13
Last Day to Drop with a “W”	Friday, May 10
Memorial Day Holiday (Campus Closed)	Monday, May 27
El Camino College Graduation	Friday, June 7
Spring Semester Ends	Friday, June 7

 

Below is a schedule of this class’s major paper due dates and the reading schedule. There are weekly Discussions, Quizzes, and Assignments published in our course. The following schedule is fluid, and due dates can change if the instructor feels it will benefit the class. However, if any changes are made, you will be alerted you through Announcements. You will have ample time to complete all assignments. Units are published every Monday morning by 7 a.m., and Assignments are due every Sunday night by 11:59 p.m. Note that there are short-term assignments and long-terms assignments (major papers).

 

Week 1 2/11-2/15	-Introductions -Syllabus review -Book Look -Talk to the Text
Week 2 2/18-2/22 Last day to add/drop with refund is this Friday 2/22.	-Begin Paper #1/Rough Draft due Sunday by 11:59 p.m. -MLA Document Formatting  -Tattoos Intro-Ch. 2
Week 3 2/25-3/1	-Build Paper #1 Revision Checklist -Transitions -Understanding a rubric -Peer Reviews -Tattoos Ch. 3-Ch. 5
Week 4 3/4-3/8	-Paper #1 Final Draft due Sunday by 11:59 p.m. -Tattoos Ch. 6-9
Week 5 3/11-3/15	-Begin Paper #2 -Thesis building -OER Text/Topic Selection -OER Text/Grammar: Sent. Structure -Drive Ch. 2
Week 6 3/18-2/22	-Paper #2 Rough Draft due Sunday by 11:59 p.m. -Source and Quote Integration -Drive Ch. 3
Week 7 3/25-3/29	-Paper #2 Revision Checklist and Peer Review -Drive Ch. 4
Week 8 4/1-4/5 Midterms	-Paper #2 Final Draft due Sunday by 11:59 p.m. -Midterm -Drive Ch. 5
Spring Break 4/8/19-4/14/19	-Begin Paper #3
Week 9 4/15-4/19	-Paper #3 Rough Draft due Sunday by 11:59 p.m. -Drive Ch. 6
Week 10 4/22-4/26	-Paper #3 Revision Checklist and Peer Review -A Raisin in the Sun Act I
Week 11 4/29-5/3	-Paper #3 Final Draft due Sunday by 11:59 p.m. -A Raisin in the Sun Acts II & III
Week 12 5/6-5/10 Last day to drop with a “W” is Fri. 5/10	-Begin Paper #4/Research Paper Proposals and Research due Sunday by 11:59 p.m.
Week 13 5/13-5/17	-Paper #4 Annotated Bibliography and outline due Sunday by 11:59 p.m.
Week 14 5/20-5/24	-Paper #4 Rough Draft by 11:59 p.m.
Week 15 5/27-5/31	-Paper #4 Revision Checklist and Peer Review -Sharing Our Research/Multi-modal Presentations
Week 16 6/3-6/7	-Paper #4 Final Draft due Sunday by 11:59 p.m. -Final Exam