Course Schedule
- The following is the schedule of assignments for this class. The schedule of readings & assignments are subject to change based upon the needs of the class.
- All readings and assignments are listed on the day they are due. Please come to class with all readings and assignments completed the day it is listed on the syllabus.
Unit 1 – Narrative
Week One 1/9 and 1/11
Tuesday | Introduction and Syllabus |
Read Syllabus |
Thursday | NO CLASS |
Read “Shitty First Drafts” PDF Journal 1 |
Week Two 1/16 and 1/18
Tuesday | Narratives and Pequeno |
Read Chapter 1, Narratives (p. 4) |
Thursday | Sponsors of Literacy |
Read Brandt’s “The Sponsors of Literacy” Journal 2 |
Week Three 1/23 and 1/25
Tuesday | Narrative Examples |
Read Patton Oswalt’s “Zombie Spaceship Wasteland” (p. 605-611) Journal 3 |
Thursday | Narrative Peer Review |
DUE Rough Draft of Narrative |
Week Four 1/30 and 2/1
Tuesday | Narrative Structure and Revision |
DUE Revised Draft of Narrative |
Thursday | Metaphors and Images | Read Chapter 35, Revising your own work |
Unit 2 – Report
Week Five 2/6 and 2/8
Tuesday | Intro to Report and Research |
Read Chapter 19, Brainstorming |
Thursday | Report Purpose | Read Chp 2, Reports (p. 36) |
Week Six 2/13 and 2/15
Tuesday | Chips and Salsa and Research |
Read “Ten Ways to Think About Writing” Journal 6 |
Thursday | Thesis and Sources | Read Chp. 24, Thesis and Part 7, Research and Sources |
Week Seven 2/20 and 2/22
Tuesday | Report Audience |
Read Wilcox “Marathons for Women” (p. 39) Journal 7 |
Thursday | MLA Style Annotated Bib |
Read Grossman “From Scroll to Screen” (p. 59) |
Week Eight 2/26 and 2/28
Tuesday | Style and Media |
Read Part 5, Style (p. 400) |
Thursday | Report Peer Review | DUE Revised draft of Report Rough Draft |
Week Nine 3/6 and 3/8
Tuesday | Smart Reading | Review Chp. 19, Brainstorming Read Chp. 20., Smart Reading Read Silberman “Neurodiversity Rewires Conventional Thinking About Brains” (p. 659) Journal 9 |
Thursday | Revising and Publishing Report | DUE Report Final Draft |
Spring Break 3/12 to 3/18
Unit 3 – Literary Analysis
Week Ten 3/20 and 3/22
Tuesday | Intro to The Book of Unknown Americans |
Read The Book of Unknown Americans 1-47 Journal 10 |
Thursday | Unknown Americans’ Summaries | Read The Book of Unknown Americans 48-107 Extra Journal |
Week Eleven 3/27 and 3/29
Tuesday | Intro to Literary Analysis and Proposal | Read The Book of Unknown Americans 108 – 155 Journal 11 |
Thursday | Characters and Comics | Read The Book of Unknown Americans 156 – 202 Extra Journal |
Week Twelve 4/3 and 4/5
Tuesday | Argumentative Thesis Statements | Read The Book of Unknown Americans 203 – 286 Journal 12 |
Thursday | Lit Analysis Structure and Evidence | DUE Thesis Statement for Lit Analysis |
Week Thirteen 4/10 and 4/12
Tuesday | The American Dream and Images | Read “Holden Raises Hell” (p. 904) Journal 13 |
Thursday | Peer Review and Intro to Arguments | DUE Rough Draft of Literary Analysis |
Unit 4 – Argument
Week Fourteen 4/17 and 4/19
Tuesday | NO CLASS | DUE Literary Analysis Final Draft |
Thursday |
Read MICHELLE OBAMA, “Bowie State University Commencement Speech” or Watch Video Link. Journal 14 |
Week Fifteen 4/24 and 4/26
Tuesday | Argument Analysis |
Read Chapter 3, Arguments (p. 66) |
Thursday | Audience and Ethos |
Week Sixteen 5/1 and 5/3
Tuesday | Pathos and Word Choice |
Read Lomborg, “The Limits of Panic” (p. 92) |
Thursday | Visual Rhetoric and Solution Example |
Week Seventeen 5/8 and 5/10
Tuesday | Peer Review and Elevator Pitch | DUE Rough Draft of Argument Essay |
Thursday | Solutions and Presentations | DUE Argument Essay |
Week Eighteen 5/15 and 5/17
Tuesday Final for 1A 5:30 from 5:00 – 7:30 pm
Thursday Final for 1A 3:30 from 2:15 – 4:45 pm
Chaffey College—Rancho Cucamonga Campus
English 1A: Freshman Composition
Instructor: Sefferino Ramos Semester: Spring 2018
Email: professorseff@gmail.com Voicemail & Text: (909) 453-2953
Building: LA Room: 110 Website: ProfessorRamos.net
English 1A -Section 98512 |
T/TH 3:30 – 4:50 PM |
Final 5/17/18 2:15 – 4:45 PM |
English 1A -Section 98513 |
T/TH 5:30 – 6:50 PM |
Final 5/15/18 5:00 – 7:30 PM |
Course Description
Welcome to English 1A. Over the next eighteen weeks we will study ourselves as readers and writers, looking to see how our past experiences shape our literacy today. We will study how good writing is dependent on the situation, reader, and purpose it is created for. What you say, how you say it, and who you are saying it to, are important to consider as you write.
Careful study and practice of expository and argumentative writing techniques and the frequent writing of compositions with the ultimate goal of research project. A minimum of 6,000 written words is expected over the course of the term. Three arranged hours of supplemental learning in a Success Center that supports this course is required. Designed to prepare the student for satisfactory college writing. May be offered as an Honors course. (Taken from the Chaffey College English 1A course description). [Pre-requisites: English 475 or placement by assessment, Transfer: CSU, UC.]
Chaffey College Mission: Chaffey College inspires hope and success by improving lives and our community in a dynamic, supportive, and engaging environment of educational excellence, where our diverse students learn and benefit from foundation, career, and transfer programs.
Chaffey College Vision: “Improving lives through education.”
Student Learning Outcome
Upon successful completion of this course (C or better), you will be able to:
- Demonstrate proficiency in evaluating, integrating, and documenting sources.
- Support a complex thesis statement with sophisticated evidence.
- Write essays that deliberately connect audience and purpose in a variety of genres.
Course Objectives
In order for you to achieve those outcomes, we will work on the following:
- Developing critical thinking strategies through the primary use of a variety of 1000 word or longer persuasive/ argumentative essay readings.
- Arranging argumentative points in clear, effective prose.
- Critiquing and applying the principles of unity and coherence in essays.
- Developing and using the forms of exposition and argumentation.
- Producing logical, coherent, unified essays with minimal errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling
- Appraising the relationships between audience, tone, purpose, and levels of diction.
- Composing clear and specific thesis statements and developing theses into unified and complete essays.
- Analyzing the structure of various kinds of essay development, including exposition (analysis, classification, definition, comparison and contrast, cause and effect, and argumentation), and argumentation and construct essays in such patterns.
- Examining the relationship of logical ideas within an essay, distinguishing fact from judgment, and eliminating prejudice and fallacious reasoning in your own writing.
- Inspecting your own writing for grammatical, punctuation, spelling and paragraphing errors to facilitate more effective author/reader communication.
- Studying and practicing stylistic devices. (Including devices like metaphor and allusion.)
- Generating a suitable and manageable research topic. (Because the research project is a tool in serving the goal of critical thinking, the subject matter should be argumentative.)
- Choosing relevant source material using the library and information technology resources.
- Evaluating potential sources.
- Integrating source material into your writing to support assertions.
- Producing proper style format for citation and documentation through research papers.
Required Course Materials
- How to Write Anything with Readings, 3rd Edition, Bedford/St. Martin’s, ISBN 9781457667039 **
- The Book of Unknown Americans, Vintage, ISBN 9780345806406 **
- Folder or binder for keeping notes, handouts, drafts, essays, etc.
- An active Chaffey email account
- USB flash drive or cloud account for saving your drafts
- Regular internet access to research and post online. **Available on one hour reserve at the library
Course Policies
Our class policies and procedures are subject to change based upon the needs of the class.
Attendance
Your attendance is required. We will be working together regularly in groups and to workshop assignments. In order for this to work, you have to be present and ready to work. If you do miss a class, it is your responsibility to turn in required assignments on time and to find out from your classmates what you missed. Readings and writing assignments are due at every class meeting. To get the points for the day, you need to be present and on task.
Arriving late, leaving early, or other inappropriate behavior disrupts your learning and that of your classmates and will be considered an absence. No cell phones, texting, or unauthorized computer use will be tolerated and you will be marked absent. Please do not bring any food or drink into the classroom. As you can see, we will be working at computer stations and no food is allowed. You can bring water in a container that seals and is leak proof.
Classroom Code of Conduct
We will be discussing controversial and/or adult oriented content in this course. You are all adults and are expected to conduct yourself accordingly in class and in all interactions with other students. Racist, sexist, bigoted, and hurtful language will not be tolerated and could get you removed from the course and/or reported to disciplinary authorities.
While I am here to lecture and help facilitate discussion, it is up to you to participate in the class and keep up with the readings. I will be available through email and after class, so please see me if you need anything pertaining to our class.
Class Accommodations
If you need accommodations due to a documented disability, please let me know. I’m happy to help make this course as accessible as possible. J
Personal Writing
We will be doing personal writing in this class as we explore ourselves and each other. Do not write anything that you are not comfortable sharing with this class or outside of this class. The writing that we do here is for everyone. If you have any questions about whether something is suitable, please discuss it with me or your class mates.
Late-Work Policy
No late work will be accepted unless you clear it by me ahead of time. Assignments are due on the date noted on the calendar.
Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism ranges from copying a sentence from an article you read, to turning in an essay that you did not write. In this class, you will receive zero points for any plagiarized work which may result in failure of the course. If you are unsure if you are plagiarizing or have questions about using sources, please ask. Chaffey’s policy on plagiarism is as follows:
“Violations of the Student Academic Integrity Code, including plagiarism, will not be tolerated in Chaffey College English courses. Plagiarism is defined as the misrepresentation of the published ideas or words of another as one’s own. At the discretion of the professor, plagiarism or other violations may result in zero points for the assignment and/or failing the course. Additionally, the professor may file a Student Academic Integrity Form documenting the violation and may seek other sanctions. The complete Student Academic Integrity Code appears in the Chaffey College Student Handbook” (from the English Department Guidelines).
Assignments & Requirements
- Homework (may include assignments such as Prewriting/Outlines/Summary of Sources/ Rough Draft/Blog Post)
- Four multi draft essays
- Weekly reading journals
- Classwork and Participation
- One Book, One College Event (Extra Credit)
- Writing Center Stamps, 3 stamps or 3 hours (1 stamp or 1 hour Extra Credit possible)
- Feedback from Tutor (Extra Credit, but recommended)
Disclaimer: The best way to grow as a writer is to read other writers’ work, so I may use your writing as a model/sample in our class or for future sections of English 1A. This is a great way for you to contribute to the growth and learning of your peers here at Chaffey College.
Grading & Points
There are 1000 points possible in this course. In order to pass English 1A, you will need a “C” or better.
Grading Scale |
|
A+ 97-100% |
C+ 77-79% |
A 93-96% |
C 70-76% |
A- 90-92% |
D+ 67-69% |
B+ 87-89% |
D 63-66% |
B 83-86% |
D- 60-62% |
B- 80-82% |
F 0-59% |
Passing = C or better (70% or 700+ points) |
Track your progress in class with this formula: Points earned ÷ current points possible = current %
Grade Tracker |
|||||
Assignment |
Points Possible |
My Points |
Assignment |
Points Possible |
My Points |
Reading Journal 1 |
10 |
|
Reading Journal 7 |
10 |
|
Reading Journal 2 |
10 |
|
Reading Journal 8 |
10 |
|
LSC Stamp 1 |
20 |
|
LSC Stamp 3 |
20 |
|
Rough Draft 1 |
20 |
|
Rough Draft 3 |
20 |
|
Peer Review |
10 |
|
Peer Review3 |
10 |
|
Essay 1 |
150 |
|
Essay 3 |
150 |
|
Reading Journal 3 |
10 |
|
Reading Journal 9 |
10 |
|
Reading Journal 4 |
10 |
|
Reading Journal 10 |
10 |
|
LSC Stamp 2 |
20 |
|
Rough Draft 4 |
20 |
|
Rough Draft 2 |
20 |
|
Peer Review4 |
10 |
|
Peer Review2 |
10 |
|
Essay 4 |
150 |
|
Essay 2 |
150 |
|
Reading Journal 11 |
10 |
|
Reading Journal 5 |
10 |
|
Reading Journal 12 |
10 |
|
Reading Journal 6 |
10 |
|
Final |
100 |
|
Resources to Support your Success
Career Center helps Chaffey College students find meaningful careers. The program offers career counseling, career assessments, résumé assistance, interviewing skills preparation, job referrals, student employment, and career related workshops. The Career Center is located on the Rancho Cucamonga Campus in MACC-203. Please call (909) 652-6511 for more information.
Disability Programs and Services, or DPS, serves an estimated 1500 students across all Chaffey campuses. DPS serves students with physical, learning, and psychological/psychiatric disabilities by providing accommodations based on the type of disability and verifying documentation. Services include academic counseling, disability related counseling and referral for community resources, test accommodations, tram services, adapted computer lab, assistive technology training, assessment, and equipment loan. For more information please contact the DPS general phone line at (909) 652-6379.
EOPS & CARE: Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) is designed to ensure student retention and success through academic support and financial assistance for eligible students. Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education (CARE) is a program that serves a limited number of EOPS students who are single heads of household parents. It provides additional support services beyond those available through EOPS. The ultimate goal is completion of a certificate program, an associate degree, and/or transfer to a four-year college. For more information, call (909) 652-6345.
GPS Centers: The Guiding Panthers to Success centers provide new and returning Chaffey College students with assistance in registration, unit load planning, using MyChaffeyView, using campus resources, making an Abbreviated Education Plan (first year course recommendations). Visit the GPS center to check progress on academic goals. Many services are provided on a walk-in basis. Please call a GPS center for more information.
Rancho GPS: VSS # 111. Chino GPS: CHMB 240 Fontana GPS: FNFC 121
Phone 909-652-6466 Phone: 909-652-8030 Phone: 909-652-7460
Health Services (SHS) is dedicated to assisting students to achieve and maintain optimum physical, mental and emotional health. We are committed to providing quality healthcare at a reasonable cost. All currently enrolled full and part time Chaffey College students on the Rancho Cucamonga Campus or any off campus site may utilize the services of the Student Health Office. Please have your Chaffey ID ready.
Rancho Campus MACC-202 (909) 652-6331
Chino Campus CHMB-105 (909) 652-8190
Honors Program provides an intellectual and cultural community for students at Chaffey College. Program benefits include smaller classes, creative and challenging coursework, academic enrichment activities, and scholarships. Students also have opportunities to present research at scholarly conferences, build social responsibility through community service, and receive ongoing personalized academic advisement as well as support during the transfer process. Students who complete the Honors Program may take advantage of our transfer agreements with prestigious institutions like UCLA. Visit http://www.chaffey.edu/honors or SSA-122 for more information and admission requirements.
Hope Engage Succeed Campaign here at Chaffey is our commitment to helping students develop a growth mindset, set goals, realize their agency, and discover pathways to success. Here at Chaffey College we embrace each student’s journey to develop a growth mindset, set goals, realize their agency, and discover pathways to success. Keep an eye out for Hope Engage Succeed posters and workshops around campus.
One Book, One College Committee strives to create a community of readers across the curriculum at Chaffey College and within the communities it serves. Each year, the committee selects a college book and creates a diverse series of related events. Students are encouraged to participate in these activities to enrich their educational experience at Chaffey. http://www.chaffey.edu/collegebook/index.shtml
Success Centers offer free tutorials, workshops, learning groups, directed learning activities, and computer/ resources access to assist students in their academic development and success. These are free services for students. For this class, you will complete three lab hours as a requirement (3 stamps). One-on-one tutoring is also available if you would like to get feedback on your writing. Tutors are happy to help you with writing assignments for any of your classes (not just English!). Call the centers or consult the college website at www.chaffey.edu/success/ for more information.
Chino Campus
Multidisciplinary Success Center: 909-652-8150, (CHMB-145)
Fontana Campus
Multidisciplinary Success Center: 909-652-7408, (FNFC-122)
Rancho Campus
Language Success Center: 909-652-6907/652-6820, (BEB-101)
Math Success Center: 909-652-6452, (Math-121)
Multidisciplinary Success Center: 909-652-6932, (Library)
A current Chaffey College photo ID card is required for all Success Center services. Walk-ins are welcome, and advanced appointments are available for most services. Call the centers or consult the center website for more information. Make your online appointments at https://chaffey.mywconline.com/
Student Health Services is dedicated to assisting students to achieve and maintain optimum physical, mental and emotional health. We are committed to providing quality healthcare at a reasonable cost. All currently enrolled full and part time Chaffey College students on the Rancho Cucamonga Campus or any off campus site may utilize the services of the Student Health Office. Please have your Chaffey ID ready.
Rancho Campus MACC-202 (909) 652-6331
Chino Campus CHMB-105 (909) 652-8190
Transfer Center assists you in successfully transferring from Chaffey College to a university. The Transfer Center and the Transfer Center website provide information useful in researching transfer options and reaching your transfer goals. You can also access scholarship information through the Transfer Center. Check out their website http://www.chaffey.edu/transfer/ or visit the center in SSA-120. You can also call (909) 652-6233 for more information.
Veterans Resource Center (VRC) is dedicated to assisting veterans and eligible family members in achieving their educational goals efficiently and without impediments. If you are a veteran or eligible family member, please contact the Veterans Resource Center at (909) 652-6235 or vrc.staff@chaffey.edu for information regarding educational benefits and opportunities. The Veterans Resource Center (VRC) is located in AD-125 on Chaffey College’s Rancho Cucamonga campus.
Wignall Museum of Contemporary Art serves as a learning lab featuring temporary exhibitions of innovative contemporary art throughout the year. Exhibitions and programming are organized with our students in mind in order to augment their academic experience by complementing the college’s curricula and broadening the understanding of contemporary art. Our exhibitions allow visitors to see and experience a variety of contemporary artistic practices that examine timely and relevant topics. http://www.chaffey.edu/wignall/exhibitions.shtml
Your Professors are also always glad to help! Although I don’t have office hours, I am happy to answer questions or discuss your papers through email or after class. Also, please feel free to ask or email me ( Sefferino.ramos @chaffey.edu) about any questions or concerns you have about writing, our class or Chaffey College.
Your Classmates are an important resource for success in any college course!