English 1A

CRN# 72218

Sec 501

M 7-10

ARTX 186

Anna Mills, Instructor

Class Website: http://fog.ccsf.edu/amills/1A.htm

Email: amills@ccsf.edu (I may not check email on weekends)

Office: 560 Batmale Hall                   

Office Phone: (415) 452-4886 (I may check messages Monday only)                                             

Office Hours: Monday 12-1 and by appointment Monday.  I make phone appointments on other days.                 

Cyberia Hours: Monday 3-6 (Feel free to drop in to check in with me briefly during this time.  Subject to interruption because I will be running the computer lab.)     

Required Texts:

• Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Thomas Friedman
• From Inquiry to Academic Writing: A Practical Guide by Stuart Greene and April Lidinsky
• Rules for Writers by Diana Hacker  with the COMPCLASS ONLINE RULES ACCESS CODE (ISBN9780312540333. Purchase this from the bookstore. If you have already used CompClass in the last two years, you do not need to purchase electronic access again and can buy Rules for Writers alone.)
• A college dictionary

Requirements

• You will need daily internet access for this course.  You will be expected to check email and the class website regularly and will complete some assignments online. If I need to get in touch with you, I will email.  Let me know right away if it is difficult for you to access email and the internet.
  
• Printing and xeroxing fees constitute another “textbook” for this class.  At times, I may ask you to print articles from the class website.

Teaching Philosophy

You might want to know a little bit about where your teacher is coming from. I am the daughter of a math professor and of an elementary school teacher who writes poems and teaches creative writing. My parents taught me to love reading, writing, and thinking and to see the classroom as a dramatic and exciting place to be. What I want to do most as a teacher is to share the excitement of the learning process with students.

In my spare time, I write personal essays and argumentative essays on everything from nature to family to technology, and I send them out for publication. I get a lot of rejection slips and some acceptances. I read books that interest me and make notes on them and often talk about other writers’ ideas in my own writing. The writing process helps me figure out what I think and feel and gain insight into problems or issues that matter to me. It also allows me to share my ideas with others and get their responses. I find writing to be difficult, fun, frustrating, humbling, exhilarating, and always intellectually stimulating. It takes me a long time, I do a lot of revisions (sometimes ten or twenty), and I always get feedback from friends and family.

All this affects how I teach. Ideally, I would like to make my class an environment where reading and writing are as challenging, exciting, and meaningful for you as they are for me. I also feel it is important to be strict, rigorous, and demanding because I know that improving writing is difficult and I know that whatever profession you choose, you will be judged on your ability to write clear, articulate Standard English.

I expect students to put a lot of time into the writing process because in my experience that is what it takes to produce polished writing and to improve. I like to learn from my students and understand perspectives different from my own, so I want to know what you really think even if I don’t agree with you. Also, I often make changes to my courses based on student feedback. If you have comments or suggestions, don’t hesitate to let me know.

Course Description

This course focuses on sustainability and the challenge of global warming; however, its larger goal is to help improve your writing, reading, research and analytical skills.  At the end of the semester, a successful student will be able to do the following:

1. Read and analyze essays for content, structure, purpose, and audience.
2. Use pre-writing techniques and outlining to plan and organize information for your essays.
3. Write essays which develop complex ideas while retaining a single overall focus.
4. Write engaging and relevant introductions and conclusions.
5. Paraphrase, summarize, use quotations, and cite your sources according to MLA requirements.
6. Write an extended research paper using correct MLA format.
7. Make convincing arguments in various rhetorical modes, including ethical, emotional, and logical appeals.
8. Evaluate others’ arguments and point out reasoning errors.
9. Use appropriate transition words to show the connections between paragraphs and ideas.
10. Write coherent in-class essays.
11. Improve academic vocabulary.
12. Improve grammar and editing skills.

Time

Success in this course requires a significant investment of time--perhaps an average of 8-12 hours per week outside of class.  I try to make my expectations as clear as possible so you can do well if you can put in the time.

Grading

Students who do not do maintain at least a 50% homework average will not pass the class, regardless of their overall average.

Students who fail to complete any essay will not pass the class.

Extra Credit

You can get help from a tutor in the Writing Lab on the second floor of the library at any stage of the writing process.  You can also meet with a Reading Tutor to discuss the assigned reading and increase your comprehension.  Each time you meet with a tutor in one of these labs to work on your English homework, you will receive a 1% boost to your overall homework average.  The maximum boost to your homework average is one letter grade, or 10%.

Grammar and Proofreading

Students tell me that I put more emphasis on grammar and have stricter expectations than they expect. In English 1A the expectation is that you can write Standard English without many major errors. We will not spend time in class on grammar instruction; instead I will offer individualized feedback and assignments based on Rules for Writers to address your most common errors. I will not accept or grade out-of-class essays that contain major grammar or proofreading errors. If you turn in a paper with major errors, I may return it to you without grade or comment. You will be expected to turn in a revised version along with the original within one week. The revised version will be marked down two letter grades. In-class essays will be graded partly based on grammar as well, though the minimum standard will be slightly lower.

Grammar version: For every out-of-class essay, you have the option to do a final proofread of grammar and sentence-level errors such as punctuation and turn this version in the class period after the official due date. I will base the overall essay grade on the content of the earlier version and the grammar of the “grammar version.”

Blogs

Each student will create a blog on CompClass. Homework assignments will often include blog entries reflecting on the reading and answering discussion questions. You will also be asked to comment on other students' blogs. Blog entries and comments will count for homework credit, but you will also receive an overall grade on the quality of your blog at midterms and at finals.  Your blog grade will count for 20% of your overall semester grade and is considered an important part of your writing practice for the semester.

Quizzes

I will sometimes give pop quizzes and sometimes let you know beforehand. Sometimes you will take quizzes online on CompClass. Quizzes may focus on anything assigned for homework.. Each quiz will be graded and will count for two or more homework credits.

Deadlines

Homework is due at the beginning of the class period.  I do not accept homework after the beginning of class.  Late papers are accepted up to one week late, but they are graded down. 

Once during the semester, you may turn in a paper up to one week late without penalty.

Attendance

I will allow 3 absences only during this semester, which you should save for doctor’s appointments, illnesses, and emergencies.  After 3 your grade will go down a letter grade with each absence.

If you miss a class for whatever reason you are still responsible for everything that went on in class or was handed out.  Email or call a fellow student and check the class website. Any homework you missed is due on the day you return.

Lateness:  Class begins after the ten minute passing period.  Please be prompt.  If you arrive after I take roll at the beginning of class, you will be counted late and will receive a half-absence.  If you leave early you will also receive a half-absence.

Handing in Papers

Late papers are accepted up to one week late, but they are graded down. I will not give feedback on late papers.

Once during the semester, you may turn in a paper up to one week late without penalty and still receive feedback.

All essays and drafts of essays must be typed and formatted according to MLA conventions.

Each final draft must be submitted in a folder along with all the required work for the paper, which may include drafts, outlines, and a specified pre-writing assignment. You cannot turn your paper in until you have all the required components. If you forget one, your paper will be considered late.

We will have a peer-review day for each out-of-class essay except the first one. If you miss the peer review day or you do not have a complete rough draft to share, you are required to visit the Writing Lab and get your paper stamped there before you turn in your final.This will be considered a make-up visit and will not count for extra credit.

Plagiarism

Every semester students fail essays in my class because they plagiarize.  Don’t put yourself in that situation! Plagiarism means presenting someone else’s words or ideas as your own.  It is a serious academic offense which carries severe consequences.  In this class, you are responsible for understanding what plagiarism is and for avoiding it in your papers.

The Four-Word Rule:  Plagiarism means using four or more words in a row from another person’s writing without putting those words in quotation marks. 

Any work handed in that contains plagiarism, whether it is accidental or intentional, will automatically receive a ZERO.  That is worse than an F (an F is 50% credit) and makes it very difficult to pass the class.

Disabilities and Learning Differences

Several of my best students have told me about their learning disabilities.  They have advocated for themselves, taken advantage of the support services on campus, and earned excellent grades. If you have a disability, you may not realize how much is available and how many rights you have.  Make sure to register with the DSPS Department so you can get documentation of your disability and request appropriate accommodations such as extended time on tests or a notetaker. Contact me about accommodations during the first week of the semester so that we can make arrangements. 

If you wonder whether or not you have a learning disability, you can meet with a counselor at the Disabled Students Programs and Services Department (DSPS) in Rosenberg 323 to discuss your questions and possibly receive free testing.  

Whether or not you have a disability, you can get individualized help with class work, time management, and learning strategies through the DSPS Strategy Lab or the Academic Assistance Program.  See me for more information or stop by Batmale 231 and speak with Vivian Mun.

Rules

• Please turn off all pagers and cell phones before coming to class.  As you know, these can be disruptive. 
• Do not eat during class.  (It distracts others.)
• Most importantly, remember to bring all necessary books and handouts to class. 

Getting My Help

I am happy to talk or email about any question or concern you have about the class.  If you can attend my office hours, do so!  A face-to-face conversation is always helpful.  You are also welcome to make an appointment for another time on a Monday.  I am not usually on campus other days of the week.  If you cannot come to my office on Monday, feel free to make a phone appointment or email me to ask questions or request assistance on homework or papers. 

When you email, use a professional style of communication.  Use your best spelling, punctuation, and grammar.  Address me in the first line, and sign the email.  Sample:

                        Subject: Thesis

Hello Ms. Mills,

I am having trouble coming up with a thesis for the paper on An Inconvenient Truth.  I was wondering if I could make an appointment to meet with you tomorrow after class.

Thanks,

Janette Smith

If you do not have access to email, you can leave me a voicemail message.  I usually check voicemail on Mondays. 

Welcome to Class!