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You have found the class blog! :)
Below you will find a copy of the course outline and the Grade Worksheet, both of which were distributed in class today.
English 20, College Composition II
Sections 17, 18, & 20
Section 17: MW, 12-1:15 pm (Mariposa
1010)
Section 18: MW, 1:30-2:45 (Calaveras 134)
Section 20: MW, 3-4:15 pm (Mariposa
1010)
Instructor: Catherine Fraga
Email: sacto1954@gmail.com (BEST way to
reach me)
Office Hours: in CLV
149—10-10:50 am MWF
Class Blog: www.English20Spring2015Fraga.blogspot.com
COURSE DESCRIPTION (FROM CSUS
CATALOG): ADVANCED WRITING THAT BUILDS UPON THE CRITICAL THINKING, READING, AND
WRITING PROCESSES INTRODUCED IN ENGL 5 AND 5M. EMPHASIZES RHETORICAL AWARENESS
BY EXPLORING READING AND WRITING WITHIN DIVERSE ACADEMIC CONTEXTS WITH A FOCUS
ON THE SITUATIONAL NATURE OF THE STANDARDS, VALUES, HABITS, CONVENTIONS, AND
PRODUCTS OF COMPOSITION. STUDENTS WILL RESEARCH AND ANALYZE DIFFERENT
DISCIPLINARY GENRES, PURPOSES, AND AUDIENCES WITH THE GOALS OF UNDERSTANDING
HOW TO APPROPRIATELY SHAPE THEIR WRITING FOR DIFFERENT READERS AND
DEMONSTRATING THIS UNDERSTANDING THROUGH VARIOUS WRITTEN PRODUCTS. NOTE: WRITING REQUIREMENT: A MINIMUM OF
5,000 WORDS. PREREQUISITE: COMPLETION OF ENGL 5 OR ENGL 5M OR EQUIVALENT
WITH A C- OR BETTER; SOPHOMORE STANDING (MUST HAVE COMPLETED 30 UNITS PRIOR TO
REGISTRATION). UNITS: 3.0.
To accomplish all this in our
particular section of English 20, we will begin by studying the rhetorical
questions successful writers must nearly always answer before they write. What
is my purpose? What message can I deliver to achieve that purpose? Who is my
audience? And what tone should I adopt in delivering that message, to that
audience, to accomplish my purpose? We will also study the relative importance
for different tasks and audiences of the most common intellectual standards:
clarity, precision, accuracy, relevance, depth, breadth and logic.
Required Texts:
1. Rules of Thumb: A Guide for Writers (9th edition)
by Jay Silverman et. al.
2. Sacramento State
Student Writing Handbook, 1st edition
Available at no cost online at:
http://www.csus.edu/wac/WAC/Students/CSUS_Writing_Handbook.pdf
(Also available in a hard copy at
FedEx/Kinkos on J Street—cost is about twelve dollars.)
3. Breaking Bad,
Season 1 (DVD) – seven episodes total.
You have several avenues to access
your viewing of Season 1. Among
those choices are:
1. purchase the first season through iTunes to view online
2. purchase the season through Amazon to view online
3. view episodes on youtube, although I advise that you do not because students have reported that
some scenes are deleted
4. if you are a Netflix subscriber, it is available streaming on
line
5. purchase the season, used, at a local store such as Dimple
Records on Arden Way
6. a copy of season one is on reserve in the CSUS library in the
Media department, under course title and my name.
Required Materials:
· Two blue (or green) books—either size is acceptable
· stapler
· lined notebook
paper, standard size 8 ½” x 11,”clean edge (not
torn from notebook)
· access to a
computer (with a spell check program)
and a printer (very important!)
(Note: if an out of class essay is submitted and it is very
clear the student did NOT run a spell check program, I will stop reading the
essay at that point, and the essay will be returned to the student to correct
and re-submit. The essay will also have an automatic 20 points deducted, and
these points cannot be earned back through revision.)
Classroom Policies:
1. Attendance is very important in this class. Classroom
discussions prepare students for all writing assignments, and your fellow
students and I need your input in order to make this class more complete and
enjoyable. I do not take attendance after the first few weeks, and absences don’t
“technically” count towards the grade you earn. However, ultimately, if you
miss class, you may miss a pop quiz, group work, a Writing Response, class
discussion about readings or an in-depth discussion of an out of class essay
assignment – and missing any number of these really does end up impacting your earned grade because this work CANNOT BE MADE UP.
2. Most of my colleagues deduct a
percentage of an earned grade for tardiness.
I do not. I expect you to understand that arriving late for a class is just not
done. It is really annoying and disruptive, both to me and to the rest of the
class, when students enter the class late—we only meet for 75 minutes twice a week, and I begin class immediately. In the “real world,” there is even less tolerance for
lateness. Plan ahead. I realize things can happen beyond your control, but looking for parking is not a good excuse. If
I see that tardiness is becoming excessive, I will ask you to drop the class. PLEASE NOTE—I begin class exactly on time. If you arrive late and I have already distributed a quiz or writing
response assignment, you will not be allowed to complete the assignment
and will receive a zero.
3. YOU MUST TYPE AND DOUBLE SPACE ALL OUT OF CLASS ASSIGNMENTS. Work
must be in 12 pt. font, Times New Roman, double spaced, black ink, MLA format.
Guidelines for MLA format can be found in your text, Rules of Thumb.
4. In all fairness to other
students, I do not accept late work.
If you are ill, please arrange for another student to turn it in for you.
Period. (Exception: see #5 below)
5. Only out of class essay assignments can be submitted late, but there is
a stiff penalty. After the due date, a late essay loses 10 points for every
day it’s late, including weekends. NOT
submitting an out of class essay is NOT an option. The English dept.
requires that you write an approximate number of words in this course. The out
of class essays provide a large part of the word count requirement. YOU MUST WRITE AND SUBMIT ALL THREE
OUT OF CLASS ESSAY ASSIGNMENTS OR YOU WILL NOT PASS THE CLASS.
6. You’re responsible for finding
out what you missed if you are absent. I will provide you with a class roster with
student contact information for your convenience. Checking blog entries can
also be helpful, but realize that I am not going to record for you everything
that occurred during class. Students often believe that as long as they do not
miss a day when a quiz or Writing Response occurs, they will easily pass the
course. However, common sense tells you
that when you miss ANY class session, you are missing important instruction.
7. My policy on EXTRA CREDIT is…I do not believe
in extra credit. In short, “real” life outside the university does not operate
on the extra credit option. You earn the grade you receive. It really is a
fairness issue.
8. ABOUT REVISIONS: you have the option to revise out of class essays 1 and 2. However,
in order to take advantage of this revision opportunity, you must submit a rough draft by the rough draft due date on the
syllabus. In other words, rough drafts ARE
optional, but not if you wish to
have the option to revise. (Definition of a Rough Draft: a completed draft of your essay. It
must clearly have a beginning, middle and end. Of course, it will be rough,
with possible editing errors and development issues, but it must clearly demonstrate
that you have conducted most if not all of your research). Once you receive
your graded essay back, there is no due date for the revision. However, all
revisions must be submitted by the last class session. No exceptions. AFTER YOU
SUBMIT THE FIRST REVISION AND RECEIVE IT BACK, YOU MAY CONTINUE REVISING UNTIL
YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH YOUR SCORE. Please
note: you will not have time to revise out of class essay 3. However, you MAY
submit a rough draft if you wish.
9. A note on classroom etiquette:
Please put cell phones away during
class. The only exception is during a Writing Response or quiz, when you may
want to access the assigned reading on the Internet. You may also access your
computer or tablet for these reasons ONLY.
10. ABOUT
PLAGIARISM: From the CSUS Policy Handbook:
“As stipulated in the California
Code of Regulations, Section 41301, cheating or plagiarism in connection
with an academic program at a campus may warrant expulsion, suspension,
probation or a lesser sanction. Administrative action involving academic
dishonesty at Sacramento State is the responsibility of the Student Conduct
Officer in the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. Any
administrative action taken by the Student Conduct Officer must be in
accordance with the procedures set forth in Executive Order No. 970, Student
Conduct Procedures for the California State University.”
Familiarize yourself with this
website—everything you need to know about what constitutes plagiarism and the
repercussions.
11. STUDENT ACCOMODATIONS AVAILABLE: Become informed about accommodations
for test taking and other learning disabilities on this campus. The
following excerpt is from
Testing
Services
Testing for Students with
Disabilities
Students registered with Services
to Students with Disabilities, (SSWD), are able to take exams in an environment
free from distractions, with tools usually not available in the classroom. Some
of the testing accommodations available to students are; readers and scribes,
computer assisted and computer adaptive software, and wheelchair accessible and
adjustable tables. Group room testing times are 12:30 PM on Monday, and 8:30 AM
and 12:30 PM Tuesdays - Thursdays. Students arriving after 8:45 AM or 12:45 PM
will not be admitted to the testing room. Testing Accommodation Instruction
forms are to be completed by faculty and
submitted with the exam. Exams should not be faxed or e-mailed.”
12. HOW YOUR GRADE IS EARNED:
Attached to this course outline is
your Grade Worksheet. At no time
during the semester should you be puzzled about your grade. Please keep ALL returned & graded work
until the very end of the semester.
NOTE: quizzes are NOT always scheduled.
Come to class prepared with the assigned reading assignments completed on the
day they are due to be read.
Refer to pages 3 and 4 in the Handbook to fully understand how your
writing will be evaluated.
14. ABOUT THIS COURSE…
I have designed a very different
and I hope interesting and provocative set of themes for discussion and
critical thinking/writing for the semester. The core of the course from which
these themes/ideas will spring is the first season of the television series, Breaking Bad.
On your own, you will view all
seven episodes of Season 1 as well as read a wealth of material connected
either directly or indirectly to some of its themes.
This series poses so many
intriguing questions about morals, family values/responsibilities, conformity,
gun laws, the line between good and evil, the war on drugs, greed, health care,
the politics of poverty, and so much more. We will study the rhetorical devices
required to write successfully.
In short, we will examine and
expand on several issues connected with the overall term of “breaking
bad”—straying from the path of morality, of legality, of conformity towards
something deemed unacceptable by the majority of society. In fact, the origin
of the term is American Southwest, a slang phrase meaning to challenge
conventions, to defy authority, to skirt the edges of the law.
I do not utilize SacCT. This class has a blog and it is vital
that you check it on a regular basis, even on weekends, for important
information, including reading assignments and other information pertinent to
the course. Please bookmark it on your computer for easy, quick access.
Class Schedule:
Week One: January 26-30
Monday:
· Introduction to the Course (handout)
Wednesday:
· Complete Introduction to Course (more handouts)
· Lecture: Television vs. Film Viewing
· Assign Breaking Bad Viewer’s
Journal
· Quiz on Syllabus
Week Two: February 2-6
Monday:
· Complete Packet One
· Writing Response #1
· Out of Class Essay 1 assigned
· Discussion: Conformity vs. Non-Conformity
Wednesday
· View Episode 1 of Breaking
Bad
· Read pgs. 63-100 in Rules
of Thumb
· Skim first 27 pages and read pages 28-46 in Handbook.
Week Three: February 9-13
Monday:
· Optional Rough Draft due for Out of Class Essay 1
· Complete Packet #2
· Group Work 1
Wednesday:
· View episodes 2 and 3 of Breaking
Bad
· Discussion: Reading Critically—Part 1
Week Four: February
16-20
Monday:
· View episode 4 of Breaking
Bad
· Discussion: Reading Critically—Part 2
Wednesday:
· Complete Packet #3
· Final Draft due for Out of Class Essay 1
Week Five: February 23-27
Monday:
- In class Essay #1 (bring blue book to class)
Wednesday:
- Out of Class Essay #2 assigned today
- View episode 5 of Breaking
Bad
- Read pgs. 63-100 in Rules
of Thumb
Week Six: March 2-6
Monday:
· Complete Packet 4
· Writing Response #2
Wednesday:
· View in Class: The House I
Live In
Week Seven: March
9-13
Monday:
· View episode 6 of Breaking
Bad
Wednesday:
· No class today—MENTAL HEALTH
DAY
Week Eight: March 16-20
Monday:
Optional Rough Draft due for Out of Class Essay #2
· Read pgs. 169-187 in Rules
of Thumb
Wednesday:
· Arrive in class having read one of the four sections in
Part III of the Handbook: Writing Across the Curriculum at
Sacramento State. Select the section that “fits” your major field of study. If
you have not yet declared a major, select the one that BEST fits what you THINK
your major will be. (Your choices are: Natural Sciences and Math; Social
Sciences; Arts and Humanities; or Business and Professional Communications.)
Week Nine: March 23-27
SPRING BREAK
Have a wonderful and safe week.
Week Ten: March
30-April 3
Monday:
· View episode 7 of Breaking
Bad
· Group Work 2
Wednesday:
- Complete Packet 5
- Writing Response #3
- Out of Class Essay #2 Final Draft due today
Week Eleven: April
6-10
Monday:
· Out of Class Essay 3 assigned today
Wednesday:
· Discussion: Preparing for the WPJ
Week Twelve: April 13-17
Monday:
· In Class Essay 2 (bring a blue book to class)
Wednesday:
· Complete Packet 6
· Writing Response #4
Week Thirteen: April 20-24
Monday:
· Complete Packet 7
Wednesday:
· Optional Rough Draft of Out of Class Essay 3 due
Week Fourteen: April 27-May 1
Monday:
· Complete Packet 8
Wednesday:
· Group Work 3
Week Fifteen: May 4-8
Monday:
· Final Draft of Out of Class Essay 3 due
Wednesday:
· View in class: Breaking Bad “Behind the Scenes”
Week Sixteen: May 11-15 (Last week of instruction)
Monday:
· All out of class essay revisions of essays 1 and 2 must be
submitted by today.
· Course Evaluation distributed—unique only to my course.
Wednesday:
· Bring all graded work from the semester, along with your Grade
Sheet, filled out, and your grade calculated.
Week Seventeen: May 18-22
--FINALS WEEK
(There is no final in this course.)
***
Name:__________________________Eng.
20 Section________
POINTS EARNED--Your Grade Worksheet—1450 points possible
QUIZ ON COURSE SYLLABUS-50 pts.
______(50 points)
OUT OF CLASS ESSAYS—600 pts.
Essay 1 (200 points)_____ Essay 2
(200 points)_____
Essay 3 (200 points) _____
IN-CLASS ESSAYS—200 pts.
Essay 1 (100 points) ______
Essay 2 (100 points) ______
IN-CLASS WRITING RESPONSES—200 pts.
#1 (50 points)_____
#2 (50 points)_____
#3 (50) points)_____
#4 (50) points)_____
IN-CLASS GROUP WORK (150 pts.)
Each session is worth 50 pts.
Group Work 1 _____ Group Work 2
_____ Group Work 3 _____
QUIZZES (these quizzes may not always be “announced” and they cannot be
made up. 50 pts ea.) (250 pts. total)
Quiz 1_____ Quiz 2_____ Quiz 3_____
Quiz 4_____ Quiz 5_____
How to assess your grade earned:
Divide the points you earn by 1450
to find the percentage. Then see chart below.
100-94=A
Example: 940
pts. earned=64.8%=C
93-90=A-
Example: 1100 pts. earned=75.8%=B-
89-84=B+
Example: 1359 pts. earned=93.7%=A
83-80=B
Example: 1207 pts. earned=83.2%=B
79-74=B-
73-70=C+
69-64=C
63-60=C-
59-54=D
53-0=F
