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Great Basin College Pahrump Campus English 095, 102 – Effective Writing - 25506 Spring 2010 3 Credits
Instructor: Doris Bessett Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Texts: SF Writer, 4th edition, Ruszkiewicz, Hairston, & Seward Online and print essays, short stories, poems
Supplies: One 3.5 inch, double-sided, high-density IBM disk or flash drive 3 ring binder for portfolio
Prerequisite: Accuplacer, ACT, or SAT score and writing sample; placement by English Department.
Course Objective/Description:
English 095 is considered a refresher course where students will improve their reading and writing skills so that they may confidently advance to college transfer courses. The course provides them with an intensive reading/writing experience. Students will work on sentence structure, paragraph structure, and essay development to prepare them for college-level writing. Study skills, comprehension techniques, and vocabulary development will also be covered. Students will leave this class with a new confidence in their writing and with skills that will enable them to address their writing issues.
Methods of Instruction: Writing workshop Lecture Small group work
Final Read
A final essay will be submitted to an English Department final read. GBC English faculty meets to evaluate the final essay. English Department instructors from across the GBC campus will read the final essays to determine if the students are ready for English 101. If an essay does not receive a passing score, the student may fail English 095. It is the job of the student to demonstrate to the faculty that he/she has mastered the essential skills of English 095 and is ready to advance. 2
Grades
Students will receive a letter grade in English 095. Although this grade will not transfer to a university or apply to a degree, it does count toward GPA for financial and other purposes.
Grades are determined as follows:
Essays = 70% Assignments, journal entries, class participation = 20% Attendance = 10% A final course grade of D is not a passing grade. D is not accepted for advancement into English 100 or English 101.
Failure to receive passing scores on any course work may result in failure of the course.
Attendance
Promptness and regular attendance are encouraged. Late entrants will lose points within the first ten minutes. Anyone entering the class after ten minutes will be considered as absent. Any assignments that are missed may not be made up.
Course Expectations: The student will:
Attend class regularly Examine returned papers to identify errors and consider suggestions. Recurrence of the same errors is not acceptable. Submit all work on the due date. Late work will not be accepted! Take notes in class. Make an effort to improve writing skills and vocabulary. Ask questions. Seek help. Develop objectivity in forming opinion. Students may also use [email protected]. for assistance with essays.. .
Essay Format Requirements:
All major writing assignments must be submitted on time and in proper manuscript form. This means 12 pt font, double-spaced, one-inch margins, standard white paper. All essays must present the following information in the upper left corner, double-spaced: 3
Fred Smith (your name)
Professor Bessett
English 095: Narrative
28 Sept. 2007 (date)
Then double space and put in original title, centered.
After the title, double space and begin the essay.
Failure to follow the prescribed format may result in the paper being returned without an evaluation.
Please present work that is neat, carefully proofread, and attractively presented. Practice proper paragraph structure: indent the first sentence, use a topic sentence, body sentences, and concluding sentence. Separate assignment sheets detailing criteria, due dates for proposal memos, peer editing, and essay due date will be provided.
Confidentiality: The English Department respects the policy for confidentiality. However, during the semester, student writing will be shared with peers and/or tutors for revision purposes and may be publicly displayed. This is an integral part of the college writing program. If students have comments concerning this policy, they may make them known to the instructor during the first week of the course.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Great Basin College is committed to providing equal educational opportunities to qualified students with disabilities in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. A qualified student must furnish current verification of disability. The Director of Services for Students with Disabilities (Julie G. Byrnes) will assist qualified students with disabilities in securing the appropriate and reasonable accommodations, auxiliary aids and services. For more information or further assistance, please call (775) 753-2271.
Policy of Academic Integrity: Students are expected to be honest. Acts such as cheating and plagiarism are violations of the University of Nevada System’s Code of Conduct as well as violations of the standards of intellectual honesty. Students who violate these standards are subject to consequences ranging from dismissal from a class to dismissal from the academic institution. 4
Learner Outcomes: The student will: Measurements Use American Standard English Essay analysis, assignments Use proper grammar Essay analysis, assignments Use a variety of sentence patterns Essay analysis, assignments Use proper punctuation Essay analysis, assignments Construct coherent, well-developed paragraphs Essay analysis, assignments Write clear, well-defined thesis statements Essay analysis Construct essays Essay analysis Use MLA format Essay analysis Read essays, short stories, poems written by Class discussion, observation reputable authors Research materials to verify opinions, ideas Observation, essay analysis Properly use parenthetical documentation Assignments, essay analysis Construct Works Cited lists Assignments, essay analysis Improve vocabulary Assignments, essay analysis Show readiness for English 101 Successful completion of department read 5
Course Outline
1/26 Discuss syllabus Discuss course outline Preview text Discuss portfolio Assignment: Take class notes
1/28 Discuss essay format Enter narrative ideas in portfolio Enter prewriting strategies in portfolio
2/2 Review prewriting Organize into outline Assignment: 1st draft of narrative essay due 2/4
2/4 1st draft of essay due Review: Grammar Punctuation MLA format
2/9 1st draft narrative essay returned – put in portfolio Review common errors Assign: 2nd draft narr. Essay due 2/11
2/11 2nd draft of narr. Essay due Review common errors
2/16 6
2nd draft narr. Returned (portfolio) Review common errors Assign: Final draft narr. Essay due 2/18
2/18 Narrative essay due Discuss short story elements (class notes in portfolio) Assign: Read Kurt Vonnegut’s short story “Harrison Bergeron”
2/23 Narr. Essay returned (Portfolio) Discuss “Harrison Bergeron” Assign: Prewrite for short story essay (Portfolio) Organize prewriting (Portfolio)
2/25 Further discussion of “Harrison Bergeron” Discuss prewriting and organization Review common errors Review MLA format Assign: 1st draft short story essay due 3/2
3/2 1st draft ss essay due Review writing skills
3/4 1st draft ss essay returned (portfolio) Review writing skills Assign: 2nd draft ss essay due 3/9
3/9 2nd draft ss essay due Review common errors
3/11 2nd draft ss essay returned (portfolio) Review common errors 7
Assign: Final ss essay due 3/16
3/16 Short story essay due Discuss elements of poetry (class notes)
3/18 Short story essay returned (portfolio) Continue discussion of poetry elements Assign: Read “Out, Out” by Robert Frost Read “My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning
3/22-3/26 Spring Recess
3/30 Discuss poetry readings Assign: Prewrite for poetry essay (portfolio)
4/1 Prewriting for poetry essay checked Organize prewriting (portfolio) Assign: 1st draft poetry essay due 4/6
4/6 1st draft poetry essay due Review writing skills Review MLA format Review documentation
4/8 1st draft poetry essay returned (portfolio) Review MLA format Assign: 2nd draft poetry essay due 4/13
4/13 2nd draft poetry essay due Student conferences
4/15 2nd draft poetry essay returned (portfolio) 8
Final draft poetry essay due 4/20
4/20 Poetry essay due Select final essay topic (argumentation) Prewrite
4/22 Essay returned (portfolio) Organize final essay Assign: 1st draft final essay due 4/27
4/27 1st draft final essay due Review skills
4/29 1st draft essay returned (portfolio) Student conferences Assign: 2nd draft final essay due 5/4
5/4 2nd draft final essay due Students work on essay
5/6 2nd draft essay returned (portfolio) Final draft written in class Portfolios checked
5/11 Final essay returned Final grades issued 9