Syllabus& Grades - Cuyamaca College

throughout the semester. Consequently, you will be penalized if you fail to complete an essay assignment.Lastly, you may revise and resubmit one essay for a higher grade (research paper not included). Pleaseunderstand that revising your work does not guarantee that your grade will improve. If you simply makechanges where my comments are posted, you have not gone through the revision process which involvesmaking significant improvements, not simple editing. To be eligible for this option, you must take yourpaper to the Writing Center after making your revisions. The paper will be due within 1 week of itsoriginal due date.Peer Workshops (Peer Evaluation Workshops = 25% of each essay grade)Given that this course emphasizes the process of writing, we will conduct peer workshops as yet anothermethod in practicing and developing your writing skills through an interactive channel. Writing is alearned process that needs to be practiced on a consistent basis. Accordingly, by reviewing your peer’sessays, you will not only assist them in becoming more seasoned writers, but will also groom your ownwriting dexterity. In this process, you will evaluate the content (theme) and context (grammar,punctuation, structure…etc.) of the work provided by your classmates. Please understand that while I doencourage constructive criticism, disrespectful remarks, on the other hand, are not necessary and will notbe tolerated. As part of the peer workshop process you will have the opportunity to present your work tothe class by reading your assignment to ensure you receive the full benefit of student and instructorfeedback while in the drafting process. This helps you to also hear how your written language sounds toyour audience. Please keep an open mind while your own work is being evaluated and try to submit to thelearning process. Note: Peer Workshops are worth 25 % of each Writing Assignment, so if you missa workshop session, the highest grade that you can get is 75% if you have submitted a perfectassignment.Workshop Highlighting: To help you evaluate your writing, I require that you and/or your peers highlightall of your assigned writing in the following way:EssayOrange: Thesis StatementYellow: Plan of DevelopmentGreen: Topic sentence (per paragraph)Blue: Transition wordsJournalsDuring each class session (generally at the start), you will be given a prompt to which you will need torespond in your journal. Each entry must be properly dated and numbered; in addition, each entry must beat least one full page in length. Please note that your journal will be used during every class meeting;therefore, you must bring it with you. Also, I may randomly collect your journals to assess yourinvolvement within this portion of the class.Reading ActivitiesIn this course you will be given at least one reading activity that you will need to examine critically.Critically examining the assigned texts will require you to thoroughly read and annotate (add your ownfootnotes/comments) the body of work. In addition, I will give you a prompt to which you must respondand/or a series of critical thinking questions that you will need to analyze. While some of the ReadingActivities are to be completed and submitted online via the Discussion Board, others will need to bebrought in to class to stimulate group discussion. Please note there are five reading activities that willbe conducted via the discussion boards. Vital Questions will be posed in each class that a ReadingActivity is conducted. You will need to answer these as homework and then bring your findings to thenext class session to stimulate class discussions. Please note that a lack of preparation and/or failure to

participate in these discussions, may result in you being asked to leave the class and/or receiving anabsence for the day. Lastly, you must turn in your responses at the end of each discussion. In addition, wewill have a class novel that we will utilize critical thinking skills to conduct assignments, classdiscussions, and Literature CirclesFinal ExamThe Final will be in the form of an in-class essay and you are to bring a bluebook to the event as it isrequired for the examination. The examination prompt will be given on the assigned test date and youressay response should be approximately 3-5 pages in length. For the Final, the entire class time will beprovided to complete the examination.Contacts: One of the best resources in this class is the person sitting right next to you. By creating anetwork of contacts in this class, you will help you chances of success in the case of absence. In addition,friends you make in my class may follow you through the rest of your academic careers. You are urged tohave at least three names and phone numbers of other people in the class whom you can call forinformation.1.2.3.Grading Standards:A (90-100%)The paper follows all rules of good paragraph and essay construction. The paper has strong topicsentences, an original thesis, a strong, logical conclusion and relevant, appropriately used supportinginformation. Conclusion is logical, though inventive and does more than summarize the points appearingprior to it. The student expresses their thoughts in an unusually original, creative, significant or otherwiseexceptional way. Details are full and appropriately placed. The writer’s voice and ideas are very clear,even if they are in agreement with their subject or author at hand. Sentences are vividly clear, transitionsflow smoothly from one idea to another. Overall, the student has presented an excellent paper.B (80-89)The writer shows good competence in paragraph and essay construction. The thesis is easily identifiedand well-supported with only occasional inconsistency. Some subordinate ideas may be somewhatunclear. Word choice is occasionally awkward. The conclusion is relevant and supported by the evidencepresented earlier in the paper. Sentences are strong and generally grammatically correct, but notunusually detailed or creative. There may be a few small errors in logic, or one significant error in thelogic of the paper. There are a few errors in spelling, syntax and/or punctuation. Overall, the studenthas presented a good paper.C (70-79)Competent work which meets or slightly exceeds the minimum requirements of the assignment. Content,organization, thesis formation and supporting sentences are competent, but expression may be marred bysentence fragments, run-ons, misspellings and/or improper verb use. Writer’s ideas are somewhatapparent, but may be indistinguishable from their subject’s agreement or disagreement on an issue.Thesis is present, but is not very strong or original. Transitions between sections are present, but notsmooth. The student has presented an acceptable essay.

D (60-69)This paper has a weak thesis, if any. Thesis may be only somewhat related to assignment prompt. Thepaper is unclear and difficult to follow any sort of logical pattern because it is poorly organized and errorsof sentence structure and punctuation are frequent. Little to no evidence of original thought. Paper is notlogical because topic sentences are not strong (or there seem to be too many competing topic sentences)and supporting sentences appear random rather than ordered by relevance, importance or any otherorganizational pattern. Paragraphs and essay as a whole are underdeveloped. The student has presentedan unsatisfactory essay.F (0-59)Almost incomprehensible and/or seriously divergent from the assigned essay. No coherent, discernablethought pattern. No adherence to the rules of paragraph or essay construction. No fluidity. Essay is rifewith poor sentence and paragraph construction. Misspellings, improper verb tenses, fragments and runonsare very frequent. The student has presented an unacceptable essay.Important Dates for This Course:February 17: Deadline to Add/ Drop to Receive Refund & No “W” on Transcript.March 3: Deadline to Petition for Credit /No CreditApril 26: Final Drop Deadline with “W” on Transcript.

Class Calendar*All scheduled tasks may change according to time or other constraints.HW= HomeworkTuesday Lab Hours ThursdayFebruary 8, 2011 1. Intro to Lab/BlackboardFebruary 10, 20112. HW Reading Activity 1Vital Questions Posed1.Introduction to class2. Syllabus Review3. Writing Center Orientation1.Journal 12.Discuss Writing Process3. Discuss MLAFebruary 15, 20111.Journal 22.Class Discussion- Use answersto Vital Questions PosedDiscuss Essay 1: Rememberingan EventFebruary 22, 20111.Students Present Drafts ForFeedback (Reinforce theImportance of Feedback)March 1, 20111.Journal 62.Discuss Essay 2: InterpretingStories3.Role Playing InterpretingStories/Connect to NovelMarch 8, 20111.Journal 82.Students Present Essay 2Drafts for FeedbackWork on Essay February 17, 20111.Journal 32.Workshop 13.Class Discussion: Introductionto novel Begin Reading of NovelExploration of themes,characters, & style (novel)1.Reading Activity 2Vital Questions Posed2.Class Discussion- Use answersto Vital Questions PosedFebruary 24, 20111.Journal 42.Essay 1 DueDiscuss relative themes of novelwith remembering events &interpreting stories.Work on Essay March 3, 20111.Journal 72.Workshop 23.Planning Research ProjectFinalize Essay March 10, 20111.Journal 82.Essay 2 Due3.Discuss Essay 3: OpposingPositions (Collaborative ProjectCausal Analysis)March 15, 20111.Journal 92.Plan Essay 3 Collaboration3.Introduction Midterm NovelEssay ResearchEmail Topic & ResearchProposal for Arguing a PositionWork on Essay March 17, 20111.Journal 102.Workshop 33.Planning Session for researchMidterm

March 22, 2011No class1. Work on CollaborationEssayHW: Deadline to email topicfor research to Mrs. Pescar.March 29, 2011Midterm Novel EssayApril 5, 20111.Journals Due2.Essay 3 Due3.Student Conference(lastnames A-L)/Research ProjectApril 12, 20111.Intro to Class Novel Activities2.Literature Circles Format FirstRun3.Students Present PartialDrafts for Feedback (Essay 4)SPRING BREAKApril 26, 20111.Class discussion of NovelAssignment 1/DueMay 3, 20111. Essay 4 DueMay 10, 20111.Class Discussion Novel2.Novel Assignment 3 GivenMay 17, 20111.Literature Circle 42.Novel Assignment 4May 24,2011Final Exam1.Introduction to ResearchProject Proposal (due beforemidnight April 7th)Develop Research1.Reading Activity 4Vital Questions PosedOpen Lab Work (Cont.assignments in progress)1.Work on Literature CircleOutline2.Use Reading ToolboxAnnotate Novel1.Work on Literature CircleOutline2.Use Reading ToolboxAnnotate Novel1.Reading Activity 5Vital Questions PosedOpen Lab Work1.Use Reading Toolbox to2.Annotate Novel3.Mastery of NovelMarch 24, 20111. Library Orientation2. Finalize Research forMidterm 3. Prepare Outline &Email To Instructor byMidnightHW: Submit CollaborationEssay via BlackboardMarch 31,20111.Students Present Essay 3 forFeedback2.Plan/Outline Essay 4April 7, 20111.Student Conference(lastnames M-Z)/Research ProjectApril 14, 20111.1 st Literature Circle2.Novel Assignment 1 Given3.Workshop Essay 4April 28, 20111.2 nd Literature Circle2. 2nd Novel Assignment GivenMay 5, 20111.Class discussion /Novel2. Assignment 2/DueMay 12, 20111.3 rd Literature Circle2.Novel Assignment 3 DueMay 19, 2011Final Exam ReviewClean -up day