English 1C:
Critical Reasoning, Reading, and Writing
What exactly is English 1C? What do I need to qualify?
English 1C is a three-unit course that focuses on developing critical thinking and argumentative writing skills. The term "critical thinking" is used in higher education to refer to a way of thinking that involves examining hidden assumptions, closely analyzing the details and features of an idea, carefully discerning the components of an argument, and evaluating the what is most significant (the word "critical" comes from the Greek word krinein, which roughly translates as "to separate and choose").
The course can be used to satisfy the Analytical Thinking general education requirement for the Associate Degree, as well as the Critical Thinking general education requirement for transfer to the CSU and UC systems. To enroll in this course, students must either qualify for English 1B/1C on the English Placement Test offered through the Shasta College Assessment Center or complete English 1A with a grade of "C" or better. This screening of prospective students is necessary because success in English 1C will depend heavily on an adequate level of reading, writing, and research skills that students bring into the course.
What kind of work and how much of it can I expect?
The emphasis of this course will be on quality of work rather than quantity. There are four essays (approximately 5 pages, typed, double-spaced) that will involve techniques such as analysis of persuasive arguments and research of differing viewpoints concerning controversial issues.
In addition to the essays, there will be assigned readings from both our textbook and media sources, exams on critical thinking terms and concepts, and brief written exercises. The overall purpose of these readings and exercises is to develop a the tools necessary to be an effective critical thinker and writer.
What else will count towards the course grade?
In addition to the essays, reading assignments, and written exercises, you are also expected to regularly participate in class discussions and workshops. Class discussions are vital to the course because they allow instructor and students to share individual viewpoints on the assigned readings; however, this is not a free-for-all that involves simply tossing out personal opinions and views--critical reading of arguments requires the careful and precise use of textual evidence to support any given interpretation. The workshops involve the entire class reading drafts of individual student essays. Although this may sound pretty agonizing, it's actually been proven to be a truly effective way to develop both reading and writing skills; readers get a stronger sense of what makes an essay work or not work, and this knowledge can in turn be applied to their own writing. Everyone in the class has the same goal in mind, to become better readers and writers, and workshops are an important step in reaching that goal.
How important will attendance be?
Attendance will play a significant role in your course grade. Just showing up will not translate into a good grade; the participation component of the grading requires you to make a contribution to discussions and class activities. If you miss classes, you will miss important discussion of readings as well as components of the writing process, and this nearly always results in lower grades for exams and essays.
If at any time you plan on missing a class for a legitimate reason (a family crisis, a college-sanctioned event, etc.), it is your responsibility to inform me of your upcoming absence and to complete the work assigned.