Books and Supplies

Payne, Drew. Developmental Writing. 4th Edition. Day & Nite, 2014.

Money Words: 296 Words Designed to Help Catapult You to Success. Princeton Disk, 2004.

Long, Chum. Grammar Manual. 2nd Edition. Day & Nite, 2014.

You will need six “large” blue books for in-class essays.

You will also need fifty 5 x 8 index cards.

“You cannot afford to think of being here to receive an education.

You will do much better to think of yourselves as being here to claim one.”

--Adrienne Rich

Student Learning Objectives:

English 67

SLO 1: In response to one assigned text, students will write a unified paragraph.
SLO 2: Students will summarize short expository and literary texts.
SLO 3: Students will write logical sentences.

1. Formal Paragraphs (600 points)

These paragraphs will all house a topic sentence and a slew of bridge words, linking your ideas to your paragraph’s claim (topic sentence). Each paragraph should house between eight and fourteen well-developed sentences (this depends on the type of paragraph).

2. Formal Take-home Essays (200 points)

These essays will all house at least 600 typed words presented in the standard format for formal academic writing. Pages should all be numbered in the upper-right corner, quoted material should be parenthetically referenced, and all papers should be carefully edited and proofread. A word count should be found at the bottom of the last page. All essays should be double-spaced.

Essays will be graded based on the following criteria: clarity (choice of words, logical syntax, sequentially linked paragraphs), comprehension (demonstration of a full understanding of the ideas presented), connections (use of supplemental text from readings or class discussion), care (appropriate format, evidence of proofreading and editing), full development (ideas fully supported with evidence of reasonable argumentation).

3. Formal In-class Writing (210 points)

Students will be given two hours for each of the three in-class essays written in English 67. These essays, similar to the take-home essays, will be graded on the following criteria: clarity, comprehension, connections, care, and full development.

4. Homework (95 points—Students who do not receive at least an 80%, or 76 points, will not pass the class)

At the beginning of each class session, students will turn in a 5 x 8 card which evaluates the essays or novel excerpts we are discussing that day.

5. Quizzes (216 points)

It seems that some college graduates are without the broad written and spoken vocabulary that should be representative of a college education. To actively combat this ugly trend, students in this class will be expected to complete the Money Words vocabulary program. In doing so, students will be expected to take nine quizzes (24 points each). As an incentive to learning additional words, however, students will have the opportunity to earn up to 36 points for each quiz. These "extra points" will represent "extra credit."

Grade Determination: 90% = A

80% = B

70% = C

60% = D

Figure out your percentage by taking your point total and dividing it by the total points possible.

Policies

Students are expected to come to class. Thus, students will only be given one excused absence. Thereafter, students will lose twenty points per absence.

Arrive to class on time. Two “late arrivals” equate to one absence.

Before you walk through the classroom door, turn off your cellular phone and anything else deemed a distraction. (If you have children, please do not bring them to class.)

Late assignments will not be accepted.

Plagiarism will not be tolerated. This includes paraphrasing or borrowing someone else’s idea. Anyone who chooses to plagiarize will receive a failing grade and will be recommended for expulsion.

If a student’s cellular phone disrupts class, the student whose cellular phone disrupted class will lose fifty points and be expected to write a formal letter of apology addressed to both the professor and the students.

Students will be given various opportunities to earn extra credit. Please note, however, that extra credit will only be applied to a student's grade if at the end of the semester she has a "C" or better. In other words, students must pass the class on their own merit. Extra-credit will simply help students earn a "B" or an "A."

Advice

Things to avoid in this class:

Rudeness of any form, including but not confined to

Studying for another class.
Reading any other extracurricular material.
Watching the clock.
Chatting about any subject exclusively with a neighbor rather than with the class as a whole.
Imitating a rock, vegetable, or road kill.
Terminally exiting the class in the middle of a lecture and/or discussion without having previously informed the instructor of your necessity for and intent to do so.
Failing to divest yourself of any electronic device that might disrupt the natural rhythm of the meeting’s music.
Behaving, directly or indirectly, in a brutish manner.

Criminality of any form, including but not confined to

Attempting, physically or verbally, directly or indirectly, to intimidate colleagues.
Cheating.

Things to do in this class:

Smile.
Feel free to interject any pertinent anecdote or illustration that might amuse and enlighten your colleagues.
Feel free to ask any sincere question you may have at any time.
Read all of the assigned works on time.
Remember, at all times, that you are an expression of the fundamental mystery of existence and that this may be your only opportunity to realize it.
Show up.

*I reserve the right to make changes and additions to this syllabus throughout the semester.

Attribution: Mark Twain, Luis J. Rodriguez, Adrienne Rich, Paul Neumann, and Ray Lacoste.

Last Updated: 6/3/19