English 1A: College Composition
Spring 2007
Professor:
Jennifer McBride
Office Phone: 384-6376
Office Hours: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 11-12; or by appointment
Office: IAC 239
Email: mcbride.j@mccd.edu
Course Description
English 1A is a transfer-level composition course
that stresses critical readings, scholarly compositions, and research
applications. Students write exploratory and argumentative essays based on
class readings, research and discussions. Upon entering the course,
students are expected to understand basic English skills (including but not
limited to the following: an understanding of sound grammatical principles, the
ability to make and support a claim/thesis, the ability to develop a
multi-paragraphed essay, and the proper use of MLA format and documentation) and
are expected to acquire more sophisticated reading and composition skills
throughout the term. Students apply matters and measures of critical
thinking skills to their assignments.
Expected Student Outcomes:
The student will learn to write clear and
logical prose and to read college-level texts closely and effectively.
Specific areas of study in composition include:
A. organizing essays into
appropriate form and structure
B. preparing strong paragraphs
C. constructing effective language and style
D. composing sound, reasonable claims and premises
E. applying research skills by way of recognizing the
different levels, types, and formats of information including but not limited to
primary versus secondary and popular versus scholarly
F. employing careful revision practices
Specific areas of study in reading include:
A. identifying and evaluating
main ideas and supporting ideas
B. studying historical and theoretical backgrounds of
published material
C. analyzing rhetorical modes of techniques
D. recognizing and differentiating voice, tone, and
point-of-view
E. building and applying critical vocabulary
F. formulating critical evaluation
Return to top
Required Texts
Selected
Short Stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne, edited by Alfred Kazin
Into
the Wild, Krakauer
Frankenstein,
Shelley
An MLA
documentation guide of your choosing
Return to top
Course Requirements
-
Four
formal essays
-
Rough
draft conferences
-
Reading
assignments
-
Reading
Journal
-
Reading
quizzes
-
Final
exam
-
Attendance
Return to top
Essay Assignments
Essay
assignments must be turned in at the beginning of class on the due date.
Turning in a late paper will result in a substantially lowered grade on
that essay assignment. In cases of emergency, please contact me as soon as possible.
All papers must be typed and double-spaced
with one-inch margins on all sides. All
papers must conform to MLA standards. Please
staple your papers; do not use plastic covers or folders.
Return to top
Essay One and Essay Two Rough Draft Conferences
One
week before final drafts of essays are due, I will reserve time to read rough
drafts. I will pass around a
sign-up sheet. Sign your name next
to the time that you would like to see me, and DON’T FORGET. Once you sign up, I will reserve that time specifically
for you. During these sessions, I
will answer questions, offer suggestions, help with grammar and MLA, and give
insight into strengthening your writing. I
expect you to take notes; I will not edit your paper for you.
These conferences are mandatory and usually last 20
minutes. Bring with you a typed
rough draft of your essay.
Your final essay grade will be lowered by a full letter grade (10
points) if you do not 1) attend your conference or 2) bring a completed, typed
draft.
Please note: Only the first
two essays go through a mandatory rough draft conference. The last two
essays and the final exam are written independently.
Return to top
Attendance, Collegiate Behavior and Common Courtesy
Attendance
is mandatory. If you do not attend
class, you cannot do well. I take roll
every day at the end of class. Students with excessive absences (five
or more) may be immediately dropped from the course.
Everyone deserves
the right to study and learn in an atmosphere that is relatively free from
distractions; therefore, before you enter class, please turn off and put
away all beepers/pagers, cell phones/text messaging devices, I Pods, headphones,
and all other personal electronic equipment that can cause disruption.
During discussion, students should listen respectfully, both to other students
and to the teacher. I will not tolerate disruptive behavior in class and
will ask you to leave if the problem persists. In addition, persons not
enrolled in the class should not be in the classroom.
Return to top
Grades
The
minimum passing grade in English 1A is a C.
Your
final grade is based on the points you accumulate. These points are converted into a percentage.
The grading scale is as follows:
100-90%
A
Essays=100 points x 4
89-80%
B
Quizzes=15 points x 4
79-70%
C
69-60% D Reading Journal=100 points
59-0%
F Final exam=100 points
------------------------
Total for Semester=660 points
Return to top
Holidays / No Class
April 6-13:
Spring Break
Return to top
Due Dates
(Go to Useful Links for the reading journal guide)
Jan.
18: pages 1-37
Jan. 23: pages 38-85
Jan. 25: pages 86-102
Jan. 30: pages 103-132
Feb. 1: pages 133-156
Feb. 6: pages 157-171
Feb. 8:
pages 172-end; Reading Quiz
Feb 13:
Rough
Draft Conferences:
Feb. 15-16
Final
Draft: Feb. 20
Power point lectures to accompany Into the Wild
1. Jack London
2.Transcendentalism
3. Leo Tolstoy
(Pictures
on power point lectures from "Death of an Innocent." Outside
Jan. 1993.)
Feb. 20
Feb. 22: "The Minister's Black
Veil"
Feb. 27: "Hawthorne on Solitude" (handout)
Mar. 1: "Young Goodman Brown"
Mar. 6: "Hawthorne on His Short Stories" (handout)
Mar. 8: Reading
Quiz
Mar 13
Rough
Draft Conferences: March 15, 16, 19
Final Draft: March 20
Mar. 20
Mar. 22: "The Birthmark"
Mar. 27:
"A Feminist Reading of 'The Birthmark'" (handout)
Mar. 29: "A
Psychological Reading of 'The Birthmark'" (handout)
Apr. 3:
"Rappaccini's Daughter"
Apr. 5: Reading Quiz
Final
Draft: April 17
Power point lectures to accompany Frankenstein
The Modern
Prometheus
Frankenstein's Romantic Traits
Final Draft: May 17
Return to top
Back
to Courses I Teach
Back
to Home Page
Last updated on January 15th, 2007 by Jennifer
McBride