Course Syllabus

English 101+: Freshman English

 Ticket # 1429  (Fully Online) 

Spring 2022

 Class Theme: Our Multicultural Selves

This is a fully online class.

To see a printable version of our syllabus, click here.

Instructor Information

Instructor: Elizabeth Bryer                                          

Instructor email: ebryer@glendale.edu      

Instructor Zoom room: https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/4695199086  

Live Online ("Synchronous") Office Hours will be held over Zoom on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at this link: https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/4695199086.  If you don't like Zoom, feel free to contact me during those hours over Pronto, Canvas Chat or email. Also, if those times don't work for you, contact me about setting up another time to meet.

Class Co-requisite: English 101+ Lab

Course Description

ENGL 101+ is an introduction to college composition that begins to prepare students for writing in the university setting and for a variety of contexts beyond the classroom. Students practice critical thinking, reading, and writing by applying a variety of strategies. Through reading and discussion of selected works, students learn to identify arguments and analyze texts for purpose, audience, context, and overall composition. Through writing, students contribute to an academic conversation and learn to position their ideas in relation to the ideas of others. Students also develop skills in argumentation, source integration, analysis of evidence, college-level research methods, information literacy, and citing according to academic conventions. In the writing process, students learn to generate original ideas through writing and to revise their work according to audience expectations. Note: Students attempting English 101 for third time will be required to enroll in English 101+. 

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to

1) critically read materials from a variety of perspectives in order to draw logical interpretative conclusions based on textual evidence;

2) write thesis-based essays that demonstrate critical thinking skills through a variety of rhetorical and analytical strategies appropriate to the academic context, and that incorporate appropriate tone, style, evidence and semantics; and

3) prepare an essay organizing, synthesizing, evaluating, and applying research materials, employing quotation, paraphrase, and summary, as effective means of support and using proper documentation and format.

Required Texts and Supplies

Most readings for this class will be posted on Canvas, but you should have this book:

Haley, Alex and Malcolm X. The Autobiography of Malcolm X.

Make sure to download Zoom so that you can use it for office hours and for class assignments.

You should get some Post-It Notes for notes on texts if you prefer not to write in your book or if you are renting your copy of the book.

How Your Grade in This Class Will Be Calculated

Assignments Points Possible Percentage of Final Grade
Essay One (1st draft and second draft, both graded) 100 10%
Essay Two (1st draft and second draft, both graded) 100 15%
Essay Three (a research paper) 100 20%
Quizzes, Reading Logs, Discussion Posts on Canvas and Perusall, andClass Work 200 30%
Final Exam Essay 100 15%
Final Reflective Essay 100 10%
Total 700 100%

Grading Scale

90-100%: A

80-89%: B

70-79%: C

60-69%: D

59% or less: F

Canvas

To log-in to Canvas for the first time, use your GCC Student ID # under the username. The initial password will be your first name first initial and last name first initial in CAPITAL LETTERS followed by an "@" sign and by your six-digit date of birth (mmddyy) as the password. For example, the password for Jane Smith born January 23, 1990 would be JS@012390

You will be asked to change your password the first time you login. If you can’t log in a second time, you will have to reset your password. Remember to check your student.glendale.edu email to get the password reset code numbers.

When you log-in to Canvas, you’ll see our class materials as we progress through the semester. Everything course related will be posted here. This is also the interface in which you will submit your assignments and interact with the class/instructor.

Canvas Help:

If you have problems go to the HELP button on the Canvas global navigation menu (in red). You can also check out the Canvas Knowledge Base (https://support.canvaslms.com/s/?c__role=student&c__accountId=001A00000086eR7IAI) or ask questions with the chat feature.

Attendance and Participation

In an online class, the only way your instructor knows you are attending is through the modules you are completing and the assignments you are turning in.  Most assignments for this class will be due on Wednesdays and Sundays by 11:59 p.m. each week.   On some of these deadlines, you will have more than one assignment due.  You should estimate that these assignments and the other work for this class will take you about twelve hours a week, though it isn't always even - some weeks the work might only take ten hours, but the next week it might take thirteen. Make sure to complete these assignments regularly so that I know you are still participating in the class. If you are unable to complete these assignments on time but still want to continue in the class, please email me or see me during my office hours to let me know what's going on.  Glendale College policy is that students cannot continue in a class if they miss two full weeks of classes.  In an online class, that means  If you do not complete these assignments for two weeks, you may be dropped from the class.  Remember: there is no shame in falling behind - it happens to all of us sometimes! - but please reach out to me if you are having trouble getting all the work done on time so that we can work together to get you back on track!

Paper Format

All essays must be typed, double-spaced, and follow MLA format.  

Here's a link to a video that shows you how to put your essay in MLA format in Microsoft Word: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnhksX29HL0

And here's a link to a video that shows you how to put your essay in MLA format in Google Docs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QFn71wKI0s

Course Policies

The Student Code of Conduct can be found at this link: 

GCC Student Conduct Code: https://www.glendale.edu/students/student-policies/student-conduct-policy

Last Days to Withdraw from the Course with an "EW"

If you end up having trouble in this class and don't think you can pass, check in with me to see if you're right.  If it is too late to bring your grade up to passing, however, you don't need to take an "F" in the class if you realize this before the Last Day to Withdraw Date.  If you withdraw before the Last Date to Withdraw, you will get an "EW" ("Excused Withdrawal") instead of an "F." It's not great to have a bunch of "EWs" on your transcript, but 3-4 shouldn't hurt you too badly, and they won't affect your GPA at all. The last day to withdraw without an “EW” ("Excused Withdrawal") notation (so the class won't show up on your transcript at all) and to be eligible for a refund is Saturday, March 5. The last day to withdraw with an “EW” notation on your transcript is Saturday, May 21.  The last day to submit a Pass/No Pass Petition is also Saturday, May 21. Feel free to check with me before those dates about your progress in the class.

Due Dates

In order to be fair to all students, I cannot give the same full credit for late work that I give for on-time work.  I will deduct 3 points per day for all late work whether it is essays or journal entries. However, please note: the check-in assignments, all discussion board posts, outlines, rough drafts, freewrites and other preparatory work for essays and the final draft of the research paper (Essay Four) will NOT be accepted late.  The only way to get any credit for these assignments is to turn them in on time.  If you need an extension on an assignment because of extenuating circumstances, please reach out to me before the due date.  Extensions will be granted on a case-by-case basis.  **Please note: documents in Pages CANNOT be read on Canvas, so if your document is in Pages, you must convert it to Microsoft Word or upload it from Google Docs in order for it to be read. **

Quizzes

Reading quizzes are given frequently, and essay outlines and rough drafts count as quiz grades and will not be accepted late.  However, I will drop your one lowest quiz grade at the end of the semester.  Grammar quizzes may also be given as needed.  

Academic Honesty

Plagiarism is not acceptable in any circumstance.  It is an academic crime.  Those found guilty of plagiarism are given an automatic zero on any plagiarized assignment.  Plagiarism includes downloading an essay from an internet source, turning in an essay written by someone else, falsely presenting someone’s ideas as your own (even if written in your own words), not correctly documenting your sources, and falsifying research sources. Even if you copy only one sentence or phrase, that is considered plagiarism.  For more information about academic honesty at GCC, please read the GCC's College Board Policy here.

Getting in Touch With Me By Email

I check my GCC email Mondays through Fridays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.  I generally do not check GCC email on weekends.  If you have questions or concerns about assignments or the class as a whole, please feel free to email me as needed, but keep these times in mind. 

Library Workshops and Services

Since your Essay Three is a research essay, attendance at three library workshops is required for this class and will be counted as part of your quiz grade.  You will get 100 on a quiz for each workshop you attend, and a zero on a quiz for any of the three workshops you do not attend.  Details about these workshops will be given in class, and all workshops must be completed by Sunday, May 22. Workshops are free and fully online (“asynchronous”) just like our class. To see the workshop schedule, log in to MyGCC, then go to Main Menu > Workshops > Library Workshops.  Some of the workshops are asynchronous over Canvas like our class; others are offered synchronously at specific times over Zoom.  You can find more details about the workshops here.

As we move toward the research layer of the course, the reference librarians are a wonderful resource to use. They are available this semester via Chat and Zoom (by appointment). They can help you plan your research, assist with finding credible sources, and even answer questions about how to cite your sources. Check out the GCC Library website at Glendale.edu/library for more information. You can also text a librarian at 818-873-0ASK. 

Resources

Free One-on-One Online Tutoring and Workshops at the Learning Center

Online tutoring is available at the Learning Center. For more information, call (818) 240-1000 ext. 3333 or click on "free online tutoring" on the red sidebar on the left on Canvas . You can also get extra credit for attending Learning Center Workshops.  For each workshop you attend (up to 3), you will receive 2 extra points on your lowest essay grade.  The schedule for Learning Center Workshops is posted on My GCC.

Access to Technology

If you need a Chromebook, hotspot, or a computer camera or microphone, the GCC Library is loaning them out.  Go here for more information.

Free Money

Funds to support you as you pursue your educational goals are available through the GCC Scholarship Office.  There are even scholarships to support students who are undocumented. For more information, contact the Scholarship Office at (818) 240-1000 ext. 5591 or go here.  To apply, you only need a 2.5 minimum GPA and to have completed 12 units at GCC.  The application only takes a few minutes to fill out, and the staff at the Scholarship Office will help you with it over Zoom.  The deadline to apply for a scholarship this semester is Friday, March 25.

Free Food and Other Resources

If you are having trouble making ends meet, check out the local resources available here.

Conferences

Please feel free to come to my office hours to get any help or support you need.  If the office hours listed at the top of the syllabus are not compatible with your schedule, email me about meeting at another time.

Support for Students with Disabilities

All students with disabilities requiring accommodations are responsible for making arrangements in a timely manner through the Center for Students with Disabilities.  The Center for Students with Disabilities can be reached at (818) 240-1000, ext. 5905 and here.

Diversity Statement

In this course, each voice in the classroom has something of value to contribute. Please take care to respect the different experiences, beliefs and values expressed by students and staff involved in this course. We support GCC's commitment to diversity and welcome individuals of all ages, backgrounds, citizenships, disabilities, sexes, education levels, ethnicities, family statuses, genders, gender identities, geographical locations, languages, military experiences, political views, religions, sexual orientations, socioeconomic statuses and work experiences.

                                                                                   

Schedule for English 101+ (Ticket # 1429) – Spring 2022

 

Week  Topics
Week of Feb. 22

Class Policies and Procedures

Setting Norms for Our Class

Syllabus Quiz

Personal Introductions and Check-in Assignments

Beginning of Unit 1: All Our Languages

Read "Mother Tongue" by Amy Tan

Introduction to Reading Logs

Week of Feb. 28

Diagnostic Essay

Read "How to Tame a Wild Tongue" by Gloria Anzaldua, "We Must Help Students Master Standard English" by Rob Jenkins, "How Professors Can and Should Combat Linguistic Prejudice in Their Classes" by Catherine Savini, and "Should Writers Use They Own English?" by Vershawn Ashanti Young

Quiz on Readings

Discussion of Readings

Week of March 7

Review of Academic Essay Structure

Avoiding Plagiarism

Read "N***** as in English" by Kisha Quesada Turner and "Writing from Positionality" by Michelle Gonzalez

Discussion, reading logs, and possible quizzes on readings

Assignment of Essay One

Freewrites on Essay One Topics

Week of March 14

Developing Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences

Building a Quotation Sandwich

Writing a Preface

Tentative Outlines of Essay One

Rough Drafts of Essay One

Discovery Drafts of Essay One

Week of March 21

Final Drafts of Essay One Due

Beginning of Unit 2: Code-Switching and Code-Meshing

Read "How Code-Switching Explains the World" by Gene Demby, "Five Reasons Why People Code-Switch" by Matt Thompson, and "Black Men in Public Space" by Brent Staples.

Discussion, reading logs, and possible quizzes on readings

Week of March 29

Read "The House Where My Husband Doesn't Exist" by David Khalaf

Discussion of Reading

Week of April 4

Watch and discuss Sorry to Bother You

Discuss graded Essay Ones

Required revisions of Essay Ones

Read "Sorry to Bother You, Black Americans, and the Power and Peril of Code-Switching" by AT McWilliams

Assignment of Essay Two

Freewrites on Essay Two

Discovery Drafts of Essay Two

Week of April 11

Final Drafts of Essay Two

Week of April 18

Have a great spring break!

Week of April 25

Beginning of Unit 3: Racism

Read The Autobiography of Malcolm X (pages TBA)

Quizzes and Discussion on Reading

Week of May 2

Read The Autobiography of Malcolm X (pages TBA)

Quizzes and Discussion on Reading

Discussion of Graded Essay Twos

Revisions of Graded Essay Twos Due

Week of May 9

Finish The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Assignment of Final Exam Essay on The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Final Exam Essay Due (a required revision of this essay will be due the week of June 6)

Week of May 16

Assignment of Essay Three (Research Paper)

Forming Questions to Begin the Research

What Does "Research-Driven" Mean?

Researching Topics for Essay Three

Writing the "Works Cited" Page

Writing the Annotated Bibliography

All three required library workshops must be completed by Sunday, May 22.

Week of May 23

Drafting a Reverse Outline

Starting the Discovery Draft of Essay Three

Writing Strong Introductions and Conclusions

Using Stories in Research Essays

Week of May 30

Discovery Drafts of Essay Three Due

Essay Three Discovery Draft Conferences

Discussion of Graded Final Exam Essays

Week of June 6

Essay Three Discovery Draft Conferences

Final Drafts of Essay Three Due

Revised Final Exam Essays Due

Final Reflective Essays Due