| English 1A Gavilan College |
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| Part II - Course Requirements All essays must be in MLA format: double-spaced, in 12 point Times New Roman font, with one-inch margins. A cover sheet is unnecessary. Each essay must be titled and page numbered. Essays are due by the end of the day (either in my hand, in my campus mailbox, my office, or via email) on the date specified. Late papers will not be accepted unless arrangements have been made before the due date. Even if you arrange to turn something in late, points may be taken off for lateness. Plan carefully, and give yourself time to print and proofread your essays. I do not automatically accept equipment failure or problems with email as a legitimate excuse for lateness. Revisions of all formal and short essays will be accepted (and encouraged!) and must be completed within one week of receiving the graded original.
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| Essays
Students will complete five formal essays on a choice of topics. One essay will be a formal research project, in which students research a topic and write an essay in MLA format. There will be a series of preliminary reading and writing assignments for each essay, designed to familiarize the students with essay writing and research techniques. I grade the formal essays on a specific set of criteria (See the document "Grading Standards") I find this method helpful because it clearly highlights potential challenges for each student, and also reassures you about what's right in the paper. As stated in the course description, I welcome revisions, but they must be turned in within a week of receiving the original graded paper back. The revisions must be substantial in order for the grade to be revised. In other words, don't just go through and correct a few little grammar errors. I want to know that you're really applying the principles from the class to your writing. The best way to learn is by doing, and revision is a very important part of the writing process. A big
misconception about writing is that good writers can sit down and magically
type out a perfect draft each time. It never happens like that
– well, almost never. Chances are you are the kind of writer
whose work would be better for not having been written and hastily submitted
twenty minutes before it's due. I know what some of you are thinking:
“"But I work best under pressure!"” I used
to be like you, too. But I beg of you, allow yourself time to
proofread and revise. If you don't, it shows up in your work as
carelessness and sloppiness, and I am a bit sensitive about it.
I confess to taking it personally. Each essay will have its own set of instructions. Part of your grade will depend upon you reading the instructions carefully and following them. If you are ever unclear about what's expected, please get in touch with me right away. You must take the initiative and ask. If you don't ask any questions, I must conclude that there are no questions and that everything is clear. I care about your progress in the class, and I care what you're getting out of it. To me, the final grade is not as important as you learning everything you can about how to use this powerful tool to express yourself. |
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| Seminars
The
seminar is a guided, in-depth discussion about an assigned reading.
Your seminar grade will be based on your level of contribution to group
discussions, and your level of understanding of the material to be discussed.
Each essay will have a set of questions for you to answer. In
addition to answering at least one of the questions, you will be replying
to the ideas of other students. A word about respect: I expect some of the topics to generate a lot of heated discussion and even debate. I actively encourage polite and reasoned disagreement and dissent, for many reasons. However, I cannot tolerate bad manners or rudeness. The success of the class depends upon every member's willingness to engage in debate without resorting to attacking or ridiculing one another. Please keep in mind that even if we aren't talking face to face, this is still a classroom, and I expect academic standards of conduct at all times. Thank you for your kind attention in this matter! |
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| Journals Students will complete journals in response to the reading materials assigned for each unit. They help prepare students to write the formal essays. Typically, the journals are 1-2 pages in length, but you can go beyond that if you wish. Each journal will have its own set of instructions, and will ask students to reflect on their writing process, their reactions to the material presented, and begin to list their ideas for the essay in question. There are no rules, as such, for these journals; they are freewrites. I appreciate honesty and specific details about the chosen topic, but I expect you to express yourself in your own inimitable fashion, without worrying about the constraints of academic writing. |
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| Li199 Students will complete Lib199, which focuses on the research process and information competency. See link for Lib199 in Banner for more information. |
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Reading In addition to the graded assignments, there will be weekly reading assignments as well.
The main text is A Writer's Reference (Hacker, editor.) This reference book is a fabulous tool if you are a little shaky about the technical aspects of writing. It's got many suggestions about how to get started on a paper, how to organize, how to write a draft, how to revise, how to conduct research, and how to use proper MLA format. I will go over this information in the lecture notes, and there are various website addresses that I will provide for you to look them up. Additionally, the book is on reserve in the library, so if you're on campus regularly, you can get the information there. However, if you are not entirely confident with your essay-writing and research skills, you should buy the book. It has all the info you need all in one place, in an easy to read format. I promise you will use it again and again throughout your college career. You will also need a college level dictionary. Random House, Merriam Webster or American Heritage are good choices, but any will do as long as it's college level. You can find all required books at the Gavilan bookstore, though you may want to consider supporting your local independent bookseller. Additionally, I will have copies of the books on reserve in the library, so if you really can't afford them, you can find them there. You won't be able to remove the books from the library, but will be allowed access for two hours at a time. |
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