INSTRUCTOR: Leo Fong    

OFFICE: 920 • TELEPHONE: 242-2232 • E-MAIL: lfong@shastacollege.edu

WEB:  http://www3.shastacollege.edu/lfong

OFFICE HOURS: MW 10:00-12:00; TTh 2:00-3:00; and by appointment.   

CATALOG DESCRIPTION:

This course is designed to improve critical reading skills and to increase writing abilities so that students are able to produce organized, well-supported, and generally smoothly written short essays by the end of the semester.  Emphasis is placed on both correctness and on writing as a process. 

REQUIRED TEXTS AND SUPPLIES:

·         Rosa, Alfred and Paul Eschholz.  Models for Writers.  9^th edition.  Bedford/St. Martins, 2007   ISBN: 0-312-44637-3

·         Hacker, Diana.  A Writer’s Reference, 6^th ed.  Bedford/St. Martins, 2007.  ISBN: 0-312-45025-7

·         Krakauer, Jon.  Into the Wild.  Anchor Books, 1997.  ISBN:  0-385-48680-4

·         Lined and unlined paper (8” x 11 ½”), writing instruments, access to a computer with word processing (all final drafts of essays must be typed), and a good college dictionary.

·         Access to the Internet.

COURSE INFORMATION:

The major portion of the writing that you will do this semester will be multiple drafts for four short essays.  You will write both in class and out of class, and discuss each other’s writing in peer workshops.  You will also be reading short essays in our textbook and discussing them in class. There will be homework and quizzes involving reading comprehension, grammar, and essay writing. 

COURSE GOALS:

By the end of the semester, you should be able to

·         Identify the main idea in an essay and state it in your own words.  Distinguish between the author’s ideas and your own, and between a general statement and supporting material.  And infer an author’s purpose or intention where it is not clearly stated.

·         Demonstrate understanding of a text by writing a clear, concise summary, and write appropriate responses to others’ writing.

·         Eliminate gross problems of sentence construction and usage, and reduce the number of errors so that the average reader can read the content of your papers without distraction.

·         Understand the writing process, from formulating a thesis, to pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading, and polishing.

·         Write fully developed paragraphs, with supporting detail organized around a clear controlling idea.

·         Write short, well-organized essays.

·         Utilize the library’s print and electronic collection for research.

GRADES:

·         Three short essays (approx. 3–5 pages each, 12pt double-spaced)......................................... 30%

·         One text-based final essay.................................................................................................. 20%

·         Research Project................................................................................................................ 10%

·         Participation in class discussion, workshops, and scheduled conferences............................... 20%

·         Essay drafts, homework, and quizzes................................................................................... 20%

IMPORTANT NOTES ON WORK AND GRADING: 

·         Essays are due at the beginning of the class on their due dates.  Late work will not be accepted without a valid excuse and permission from the instructor.  Students can have no more than one overdue essay at any given time.

·         ALL four essays must be completed; if you fail to turn in all four essays, you will not be able to pass the course.

·         You must receive a grade of C or better on the final essay in order to earn a C or better in the course.

·         You are responsible for keeping copies of all of your papers.  In the event that a paper is lost it is your responsibility to supply a copy of that paper.

·         In enrolling in this course, you agree to allow your writing to be reproduced for instructional purposes, such as class workshops.

·         Participation is defined as offering meaningful and helpful contributions to the class, not simply talking.  Participating in workshops means offering useful feedback to your peers on their writing.

·         Remember that C is considered satisfactory.  Your grade is based on the quality of your work, not simply on completing it.

ATTENDANCE AND DROP POLICY:

Attendance in all classes is mandatory.  Students are responsible for making up any missed work.  Students absent from more than 5 classes are advised to drop the class.  Students who miss any classes may be graded down.  Please note that if you consistently miss classes without valid reasons, you can be dropped from the class through an instructor-initiated drop.

EXPECTED BEHAVIOR:

Please respect the right of your classmates to be in a positive learning environment.  Keep in mind the following standards.

·         Please arrive on time so that you do not disrupt the class.  The instructor will take attendance within the first ten minutes of class.  If you are late, the instructor can count you absent that day.

·         If you must leave early on a particular occasion, please clear this with the instructor prior to the beginning of class. 

·         If the instructor continues to talk after the class period has ended, you may let him know (politely).

·         Do not talk when others (including the instructor) are talking.

·         Active discussion (even disagreement) is vital to the class, but keep comments constructive. 

·         Do not use cell phones or other electronic devices during class.  The instructor reserves the right to ask you to leave or to put away anything that distracts you or your classmates from class.

·         Know what the assigned work will be for each class and come to class prepared for it.  The instructor will assume that you are ready to participate.

·         If you do miss class (or you will miss class), do not ask, “Did I (or will I) miss anything important?”  Think about what this question implies to the instructor.

POLICY ON PLAGIARISM/CHEATING:

·         The class follows the standards set in the Student Code of Conduct, Board Policy 5410, found in the Shasta College Catalog and Student Handbook, and students are subject to disciplinary action for violation of that code. 

·         Plagiarizing any work at all, in whole or in part, will result in an automatic grade of F for that assignment.  A second incident will result in an automatic F for the course.

SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS

If you feel that you will need academic accommodations in this class due to limits imposed by a disability then contact the Disability Resource Center (225-3973) to make the necessary arrangements.  It is the student’s responsibility to provide documentation that verifies the disability and type of limitations that may result.  The Disability Resource Center has been delegated the authority to 1) evaluate that documentation and determine if it is sufficient to justify accommodations, 2) determine which accommodations are appropriate, 3) facilitate the provision of approved accommodations.

Leo Fong © All Rights Reserved
For questions regarding this web site, please contact lfong@shastacollege.edu 
This web site was last updated on 04/13/2005