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