“The use of literature is to afford us a platform whence we may command
a view of our present life, a purchase by which we may move it.” -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Springboard to Transfer!
English 1A: Critical
SB 1 and 2, MW 1:30-2:45pm, Rm. 904
SB 4 and 5, TTH 9-10:15am, Rm. 2205
SB 3 and 6 TTH 1-2:15pm, Rm. 508
Instructor:
Office
Phone:
(510) 723-7434
Office:
Rm. 730 (700
Bldg)
Office
Hrs: MW 12-1pm, 3-4pm, TH
2:30-3:30pm
Web: http://clpccd.blackboard.com/
Welcome
to Springboard ‘07 English 1A!
This rigorous,
transfer-level writing course is designed to enable you to read and understand
sophisticated texts and produce thoughtful critical responses to the writings
and ideas of others. This semester we will read a variety of texts which will
connect to the themes of your Springboard PS 30 class, International Politics.
We will try to get at least a partial grasp of the complex nature of global
politics, who wins, who loses, and some of the consequences.
To succeed in this course, attend consistently, come prepared, take the texts
seriously and respectfully, participate fully (speak out and speak often!), and
come see me as soon as you have a question or problem. Expect an assignment
every class meeting and an essay every 2-3 weeks.
Coursework:
- readings,
in-class discussions and peer group work
- quizzes
and short writing assignments (often on Blackboard)
- 3
major essays, at least one of which will involve substantial research
- class
presentation
- in-class
midterm and final exam
Required Texts and Materials:
- Global Politics
in a Changing World, 3rd ed. By Mansbach and Rhodes
- The Travels of a
T-Shirt in the Global Economy by Pietra Rivoli
- A Troubleshooting
for Writers, 3rd edition
ed. by Barbara Clouse
- a
good dictionary
- an
active email account that you check regularly
Grading Policy:
Your final grade in the class will be based on the following:
Essays
(progressively weighted:
15%, 15%, 20%) 50%
In-class Midterm 15%
Attendance/ participation 10%
Group presentation 5%
Class Assignments/Quizzes 10%
Final project: 10%
**One additional caveat**
To pass the
course with a C or higher, the essay portion of your grade must average a C or
better.
Assignments:
Short writing assignments will be assigned
frequently as homework, and often completed on Blackboard. These assignments
will tie-in with class discussion. No
late homework will be accepted unless you have made special arrangements
with me. Missing or incomplete homework will affect your grade adversely, for
the short assignments help prepare you for the longer essays.
Essays should represent your best,
most polished work. Because the writing process is challenging for all of us,
we will spend class time reviewing drafts of each essay you write, and there
will also be an opportunity to rewrite one of your first two essays. See
“Rules of the Road” (back page of syllabus) for details.
Attendance:
Per Chabot policy, I reserve the
right to drop you if you miss more than
four classes during the semester, or three consecutively. If you arrive to
class after attendance is taken, you will be marked late, and this will count
as a ½ absence. It is also your responsibility to remind me at the end of the
class that you arrived late so that you are not marked absent for the day. If
you are more than 15 minutes late (or leave class more than 15 minutes early),
you will be marked absent.
Important note: If you miss class, it
is your responsibility to call/email a classmate or me so that you don’t fall
behind. Remember that I do not accept late work, and unless you clear it with
me ahead of time, you will not be able to make up any missed quizzes or exams.
If work is due the day you are absent, make arrangements to get the work to me
that day to receive credit (email is acceptable in this case, but make sure to
confirm receipt. If I don’t email you back, I might not have received your
email).
Word of Caution
Plagiarism is a serious offense.
Using someone else’s ideas, information or words, e.g., from the Internet, books, or magazines, without giving the author credit, OR having a
friend or relative substantially rewrite, co-write, or edit your work, will
result in a grade of ZERO for that
assignment and likely lead to expulsion from the class. My sincere advice:
Don’t risk it! If you have any questions on plagiarism, please ask me or
consult a handbook on academic writing.
Common Courtesy:
Learning requires a good learning
environment. Please make sure your classroom language and behavior are respectful
and appropriate, and keep your cell phone off while in the classroom. Borrowing
from my esteemed colleague Stephanie Zappa, “If your cell phone rings, you sing.”
Resources:
Take advantage of the wonderful Language
Arts services available to you:
- Drop-in tutoring
and open computers in the
- English 107: Intro to English
Grammar (for native speakers)
- English 115: a personalized writing/ reading/ grammar
assistance class
- ESL 114: Editing for the Advanced ESL Writer
- English 116: an assessment class for learning skills
(if you suspect a learning disability, or just want a better sense of how
you learn best)
- “CHARLIE,” Chabot’s on-line Resource
with Links to Instruction in English at http://online.chabotcollege.edu/CHARLIE/
Not to mention my office hours! I’m
here to help, and look forward to working with all of you this semester.
Here’s to a
great semester!
5 “Rules of the Road”
for
- Use Academic Format:
All out-of-class writing submitted on paper, including essays and homework,
must be typed, double-spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides, on white
8.5 x 11” paper. Use 11 or
12 pt font, number your pages, proofread and staple. Always spell-check,
but do it thoughtfully. (No “replace all”) Use appropriate language (not
slang/text-speak), and cite anything that is not your own original work.
- Get Peer Review:
Any
good essay goes through several revisions, and getting reader feedback is
essential. Hence, not having a satisfactory rough draft on a class peer
review day will result in a grade reduction on your final draft. Not
coming to class that day at all will result in a more serious grade
reduction on your final draft, as you can’t help out your peers when
you’re not there.
- Revise and Resubmit: You may revise and resubmit ONE of the first two
papers you write this semester. If you decide that you would like to revise a paper, come meet with
me so we can discuss your plan and determine a due date together.
Your final grade for that essay will be an average of your revision
grade and your initial grade, but if the average is between two grades, I
will assign the higher grade. (Important note: Plagiarized essays earn a grade of zero
and cannot be revised.)
- No Late Essays:
Unless
you clear it with me ahead of time, I do not accept late essays. If
you are absent on the day an essay is due, you still need to get the essay
to me that day, or I will not accept it. (Email is acceptable, but you
need to verify receipt.) If you foresee problems getting an essay to me on
its due date, be sure to contact me early for an extension. If
there are extenuating circumstances (i.e. serious illness, family
emergency, etc.), please contact me as soon as possible.
- Always Save your Work:
It
is important to keep all your graded work from this class until the end of
the semester. You should also save a copy of each essay and assignment you
submit for the class before you
turn it in, to protect yourself in case a paper is ever lost or missing.
**Last Note: Always remember that when you put your name
on a paper, you take full credit and full responsibility for that paper. I take
your work seriously and will respect you as a thinker and writer. I hope that
you will show me that you respect my time as well, and put genuine effort into
what you present to me, and the class.**