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English 1A -Composition
Spring 2010
Course Description

Instructor: Erin Crook
Email: ecrook@gavilan.edu
Voice Mail: (408) 846-4913
Office: Library 202
Office Hours by appointment or drop in during the following hours:
M and W: 9:10 - 9:40
Tu and Thurs: 9:10-10:10
F: 11-12 (online only)

        Table of Contents
Part I: Goals
Part II: Course Requirements
Part III: The Online Format
Part IV: Advisories/Plagiarism
Weekly Assignment Schedule
Part I - Goals
English 1A is an introduction to college writing. Since this is a transfer level course, the main goal is to prepare students to think, read, write and research at the university level. We will read, analyze and discuss expository prose and literature. Using information and strategies modeled in the readings, students practice writing techniques with a series of assignments, including short papers, formal essays and a formal research paper. Additionally, students engage with one another in daily discussions, based on the readings and related subjects.

In this class, we'll examine the craft of writing from many angles. We'll take a close look at different strategies and techniques for reading and writing. The technical aspect will receive some attention, mostly in the form of short lectures and readings. The bulk of our time together, though, will be spent in practice -- reading, writing and discussion. We'll analyze how authors use certain techniques in order to achieve a desired effect. You'll have the chance to practice these techniques in your own writing, with the same purposefulness. Your writing will take many different forms, from spontaneous idea fragments to polished final drafts. We'll discuss the process of writing and of becoming a writer. Since the focus of the course is academic writing, we will be studying the elements of college-level composition in general, and a research paper in particular.
Since writing is fundamentally a cultural tool, we'll be using culture as a lens through which to arrive at possible interpretations of a reading. Writing influences culture, and vice versa. Analyzing the complex relationship between writing and culture necessitates a critical look at our own society, and ultimately, at ourselves as individuals. An important aspect of the class will be to identify and articulate how culture might have influenced the writers whose works we are analyzing, and in turn, how the issues at hand affect us as a community and as individuals.

According to the 1A learning outcomes, a passing grade in this class means that you can do the following:

  • Determine an author's thesis, methods of support, tone, and point of  view.
  • Identify essay types and select appropriate essay modes to complete assignments.
  • Construct a unified, coherent, and developed essay that defends a position
  • Prepare for writing a research paper through locating sources,  taking notes, highlighting key points, identifying purpose
  • Create an original, college-level research paper using correct  MLA format.
  • Analyze a work of literature.
  • Demonstrate the ability to write college-level prose suitable for  passing GE courses.

I would add a couple of things to the objectives stated above. By the end of the class, you will be able to recognize academic writing as a kind of code by which you can express your own personal ideas, using logic and clear critical approaches to back up those ideas. This code has its own set of rules, and your effectiveness (and success in the class) depends on you knowing those rules. Notice I did not say “"follow the rules".” Writers break rules all the time, but they do so mindfully, for a specific reason. We'll be looking at examples of how writers intentionally break rules in order to achieve a certain effect on the reader. The key words are mindful and intentionally. In order to purposely break a rule you have to know it, and know why you’re breaking it.

One specific goal is for students to be familiar with MLA format by the end of the semester. For those of you who don't know, MLA stands for Modern Language Association. This is the organization that sets the standards for college level research essays in the field of English. These standards cover everything from how to format your paper, where to put your name and page numbers and margins, to proper citation for research. It will be necessary for you to demonstrate a working knowledge of MLA format in order to receive a passing grade on the final research project.

Most importantly, I challenge you to enjoy the writing and find a way to make it work for you, make it interesting for yourself and the rest of us. I challenge you to participate and reciprocate. I challenge you to open yourself up, give your honest opinions, and be ready to consider ideas with which you may vehemently disagree. Evaluate your own reactions to new ideas; don't just go for the knee-jerk response. Express yourself thoughtfully, and be prepared to back up your ideas with examples and logic.

These are my goals for the class. I know everyone else in the class will have their own goals, which you can tell me about in your introduction, your student profile, or your introductory paragraph, all of which are designed to give me a better idea of how this class is going to help you get where you're going in life, work or school.
Next page - "Course Requirements"