English 2 Deborah Pollack M-Fri 10:30-11:20
Fall 2008
Voice Mail: 654-6400, ext. 3272 E-mail: Dpollack@vcccd.edu
LRC 309 Office Hours: Mon 8:30-9:20 a.m. Tu/Th11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Materials: 2 pocket folder for turning in work
Copy card to use in the LRC
Flash drive to save your LRC work
Recommended: Recent college-level dictionary
Course Description: This course is designed to teach you to write coherent, well-developed essays and to summarize
and analyze essays as models for writing.
This class will be conducted as a workshop—not a lecture—with class time spent working in small groups, writing, and discussing.
Student Learning Outcomes:
n Structure 3-5 page essays around a thesis, maintaining unity and coherence
n Conduct research, including evaluating and gathering information from print and electronic sources; summarize, paraphrase, and quote research material accurately, and document sources according to MLA style.
n Twice during the semester, compose a 300 word essay within 45 minutes.
Prerequisite: Completion of English 3 with a grade of C or placement by assessment test.
Requirements/Grading:
--Essay #1 (15 pts. draft, 10 pts. peer review) 125
--Essay #2 (15 pts. draft, 10 pts. peer review) 150
--Essay #3 (15 pts. draft, 10 pts. peer review) 175
--Essay #4 (non-revisable) 180
--Research essay (30, 20, 200) 250
--4 Reading quizzes (15 pts. each) 60
--4 Vocabulary quizzes (15 pts. each) 60
--Midterm 100
--Final 100
You must average a C or better on the in-class essays to pass the class
--Attendance and participation 100
TOTAL 1300 points
English 2 Syllabus—pg. 2
NOTE: YOU MUST TURN IN ALL HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS IN ORDER TO PASS THE CLASS.
Essays: You will be writing four formal essays of two to four pages and a researched essay of five to seven pages. When you turn in your final drafts, they will include all of the stages of their development.
Format: All papers are to be typed in standard manuscript form: double spaced with 1” margins and a 12 point font. Only prewriting may be handwritten.
Due Dates: All assignments are due at the beginning of class. If you must miss class the day a paper is due, email it to me or put it in my box in the Administration Building or on the third floor of the LRC before class.
Late Papers: I will accept final revisions up to one week late, but late papers will have points deducted. YOU MUST TURN IN ALL HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS IN ORDER TO PASS THE CLASS. You will have the opportunity to write drafts of each essay and they will be worth points. I will not accept late drafts at all.
Student Behavior: Students engaging in repeated private conversations when the instructor or any member of the class is speaking will be dismissed from class for the day and will incur half an absence.
Students interacting with their personal electronic devices (I-Pods, cell phones, etc.) during the time that class is in session, either in the classroom or in the computer lab, will be dismissed from class for the day and will incur half an absence. The only exception to this is that students may listen to music while working on their computers in the lab.
Attendance: Much of our work takes place in class and cannot be made up outside of class. Attendance, including being ON TIME, is crucial. Two tardies or early departures equal one absence. Very important note: If you are absent more than 10 times, you will fail the class regardless of your academic standing.
English 2 Syllabus, pg. 3
You are responsible (i.e. YOU MUST CONTACT A PEER) for the material you may have missed in your absence. Write down the name, phone number, and email address of several “contact peers” in this space:
________________________________________________________________
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the act of knowingly representing the words, ideas, or work of another as one’s own. Students who commit plagiarism
will receive an F on the plagiarized work and may be dropped from the class.
Dropping the Class: September 12 is the last day to drop this class with no entry (no “W”) on your transcript. November 21 is the last day to drop this class with a “W” on your transcript.
Campus Support Services: The Ventura College Library’s hours are Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. & Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Students may access the library’s catalog & databases online.
The Beach is full of computers for use on a drop-in basis. Its hours are Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m. & Friday, 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. & Saturday, 9 a.m-3 p.m.
The Tutoring Center offers free tutoring with instructor’s referral for VC students in the LRC building Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. & Friday 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m. & Saturday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, please speak to me as soon as possible.
English 2—Fall ’08 Deborah Pollack
Tentative Schedule
Week of August 18 Introduction to course
Ch. 1 “The Writing Process”
Meet the Beach/Diagnostic essay
Week of August 25 Ch. 2 “Crafting Paragraphs”
Wed. on Beach Mechanics: 8 little words
Workshop: Write around
Introduction to “Inspiration”
Week of September 1 Ch. 3 “The Patterns of Development”
No class 9/1 Ch. 4 “Explaining a Personal Change”
Punctuation: commas
Week of September 8 Reading quiz #1: “Prison Studies”
Wed. on Beach Ch. 4 continued
Drafting essay #1 (Ch. 4)
Week of September 15 Peer review essay #1
Vocabulary quiz #1 (Ch. 4)
Ch. 5 “Examining a Culture”
Revising & expanding essay #1
Week of September 22 Essay #1 revision due
Wed. on Beach Reading quiz #2: “Oprah Winfrey”
Ch. 5 continued
Transition workshop
Drafting essay #2 (Ch. 5)
Week of September 29 Peer review essay #2
No class 9/30 Vocabulary quiz #2 (Ch. 5)
Ch. 12, “Conducting . . . Research”
Revising & expanding essay #2
Week of October 6 Essay #2 revision due
Wed. on Beach Preparation for & practice midterm (Ch. 13)
No class 10/9 Note-taking workshop
Library tour & research
Week of October 13 Midterm
Library research
I-Search topic & research questions due
Week of October 20 I-Search introduction due
Wed. on Beach Ch. 11, “Writing Summaries”
Library research
Week of October 27 Citation workshop
I-Search outline & sources due
Week of November 3 I-Search peer review
Wed. on Beach Ch. 8, “Considering the Media”
Week of November 10 Reading quiz #3: “Let’s Shut Them Down”
No class 11/10 Ch. 8 continued
I-Search returned
Revising & expanding I-Search
Week of November 17 I-Search revision due
Wed. on Beach Vocabulary quiz #3 (Ch. 8)
Ch. 9, “Making a Difference”
Drafting essay #3 (Ch. 8)
Week of November 24 Peer review essay #3
No class 11/27 & 28 Reading quiz #4: “Perils of Prohibition”
Ch. 9 continued
Revising & expanding essay #3 on your own
Week of December 1 Essay #3 revision due
Wed. on Beach Vocabulary quiz #4 (Ch. 9)
Drafting & self-revision of essay #4
Week of December 8 Essay #4 due
Prepare for final exam
Final exam in the computer lab Monday 12/15, 10-12
This is a tentative schedule and will be modified as necessary.
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I have read, understood, and accepted the terms of the syllabus for Deborah Pollack’s English 2 class.
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Name Date