Course Requirements

Course: English 116-25
Instructor: Swan Ashby
Class time: 12-1:15 MW
Room: 431
Instructor email: sashby@swccd.edu
Instructor mailbox: RM 430J
Class web log: www.ashby116.blogspot.com

Course Description
English 116 is a course designed to build on composition skills gained from English 114 and 115. We will continue research projects and various essay formats based on your literary reading selections. The course emphasizes instruction and practice in drafting, revising, and editing expository and argumentative essays. In this course you will write about literature using priciples of critical thinking, logical analysis, and inductive and deductive reasoning. You will examine common logical errors of language and thought.

Required Texts
Chaffee, John. Thinking Critically: A Concise Guide. Boston: Houghton, 2004.
Connelly, Mark and Joseph Trimmer, eds. English 116 Reading Selections. Thomson, 2008.
Ensler, Eve. The Vagina Monologues. New York: Villard, 2001

Required Materials:
Stapler
College dictionary and thesaurus
An MLA guide book such as Rules for Writers or MLA Handbook

Course Objectives:
In this class, you will:Write a minimum of 7000 words that demonstrate your ability to articulate, organize, and express your ideas in well developed, coherently argued, and effectively written expository and argumentative essays; at least one of these essays will be written in class.
Apply inductive, deductive, and inferential reasoning to analyze assigned readings, participate in critical thinking class discussions and activities, and compose clearly organized and effectively argued written responses to those texts.
Recognize and analyze stated and unstated assumptions of texts and draw meaningful inferences about the intentions of the author by participating in class discussions and composing written responses
Recognize and evaluate the use of rhetorical techniques employed to manipulate the readers by critically responding to assigned texts both in class discussions and written assignments.
Identify and analyze specific logical fallacies and apply this knowledge to evaluate critically assigned texts and their own expository and argumentative writing assignments.
Learn to improve and evaluate your logical reasoning, modify your organization, and refine the grace and style of your own writing by successfully editing, revising and redrafting your own expository and argumentative essays.
Learn a variety of research approaches including library and internet research skills and use your critical thinking abilities to produce an effective argumentative research paper that follows MLA documentation guidelines.
Write a variety of expository and argumentative assignments demonstrating the use of increasingly sophisticated rhetorical modes and strategies.
Grades are based on:
Homework (Reading Responses): 15%
Journals: 15%
Quizzes: 10%
3 essays (4 pages each): 30%
Research Paper (6-10 pages): 20%
Class Participation: 10%
Course Requirements
Attendance:
In-class activities depend on your presence. Please come every day on time. You will be permitted 2 absences per semester; your grade may be compromised if there are more. If you know you will be unable to attend a class meeting, let me know ahead of time; it is not necessary for you to contact me if you are not in class. Do not continually leave early or come late; I will count these occurrences as partial absences.
Preparation:
You must come to class having done the reading, homework, and writing that is due that day. Be prepared for reading quizzes, which may be unannounced. Also, all work is due at the beginning of class. No credit will be given for homework that is done in class.
Late Work:
NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT A MEDICAL/ VERIFIABLE EMERGENCY EXCUSE. IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND CLASS WHEN AN ASSIGMENT IS DUE, EMAIL THE ASSIGMENT TO ME, OR TURN IT IN TO ROOM 430J BY THE END OF THE DAY. THIS RULE IS NON-NEGOTIABLE.

Journal:
Journals will contain critical thinking activities as well as responses related to the literature. Depending upon the assignment, journals are generally AT LEAST ONE PAGE PER WEEK. The pages must be entirely filled in order to get full credit for the journal.

Essays:
All essays are to be typed using MLA format: 1 inch margins (top, right, left, bottom) Times New Roman font size 12. Anything less (larger margins, font, etc.) may jeopardize the grade of the essay on which these errors occur. Also, you are expected to know how to document your sources in MLA format. You should purchase an MLA guide book such as Rules for Writers or MLA Handbook to ensure that you are correctly formatting your essays and documenting your sources.

Academic Honesty:
If you plagiarize (try to pass off another person’s writing for your own) in any form, you will risk at the least an F in the course and possible referral to the Dean of Student Affairs. There is ZERO TOLERANCE of plagiarism in this course. If I have questions about the authenticity of your work, I will ask you to prove in some way that the work is your own; this may involve my looking at your notes or your completing another task in my presence. If you fail to prove that your work is your own, you will receive an F in the course. Staying in this class indicates your acceptance of this policy.

Professionalism:
Professionalism is crucial to the advancement of your career, both in college and beyond. It includes punctuality, preparation, attitude, participation, and a consistent willingness to assume personal responsibility.

Course Content:
This course will challenge you to analyze subjects about which you may have strong opinions. In addition, some of the materials that we will be reading/viewing may contain “mature content” and represent unconventional viewpoints regarding sexuality, race, politics, etc. If you object to reading about, writing about, and/or discussing such issues, it is recommended that you enroll in a different section of English 116.

Classroom Etiquette:
v Sexist, racist, and/or homophobic comments are offensive and inconsistent with an academic atmosphere; they will not be given a forum in this class.
v Please give your full attention with others are speaking. Also keep in mind that participating in discussions includes taking turns; even if you have a lot to say, give others the space to contribute too.
v Please do not pack up and leave until class is over.
v Please turn or silence all cell phones or other noisemakers.



Special Needs:
If you have special needs (vision or hearing difficulties, a learning difference, physical challenge, etc.), please let me know right away, and I will do my best to accommodate you. Contact your DSS specialist for the Academic Accommodations Form, and give me a copy, so I can make any necessary adjustment/s for you.

Writing Center:
English 116 assumes college-level writing proficiency, including the appropriate grammar and punctuation skills. If any aspect of your writing is not yet at this level, it is your responsibility to improve these skills through the use of campus resources like the Writing Center. The Southwestern College Writing Center (420 Building) provides free tutoring to writers of all levels of ability on a walk-in basis. The purpose of the Writing Center is to guide and teach students rather than to “fix” papers; tutoring is designed to help you develop and refine skills that you will carry with you beyond a given assignment or course. The tutors will be happy to assist you at any stage of the writing process. You are required to visit the Writing Center at least once for this class.

*The course requirements are subject to change according to time constraints or other unforeseen occurrences.