Unit 1 – Narrative
WEEK ONE June 18 – 21
TUESDAY Syllabus and Intro to Course
WEDNESDAY Intro to Literacy Narrative
- Read Chapter 1 (“They Say”: Starting with What Others Are Saying)
THURSDAY The Conversation and “They Say”
- Read Introduction to They Say, I Say p. 1
- Read NICHOLAS CARR, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” [p. 424] JOURNAL 1 Answer Questions 1-4
WEEK TWO June 24 – 28
TUESDAY “They Say” Summary
- Chapter 2 (“Her Point Is”: The Art of Summarizing)
- MICHAELA CULLINGTON “Does Texting Affect Writing?” p. 462 JOURNAL 2 Summary of Article
WEDNESDAY Ideology, Responding, and Structure
- Read Chapter 4 (“Yes / No / Okay, But”: Three Ways to Respond)
- KEVIN KELLY, “Better Than Human” JOURNAL 3 Summary and Response
THURSDAY Peer Review and Machines
- Rough Draft 1 DUE
UNIT 2 – Literary Analysis
WEEK THREE July 1 – 4
TUESDAY Cisneros and “Eleven”
- Essay 1 Final Draft DUE
- Read Chapter 3 (“As He Himself Puts It”: The Art of Quoting)
- Read SANDRA CISNEROS “Eleven” p. 6 VIDEO
WEDNESDAY Intro to Literary Analysis
- Read SANDRA CISNEROS “Woman Hollering Creek” short story p. 43 JOURNAL 4
THURSDAY NO CLASS
- 4th of July Holiday
WEEK FOUR July 8 – 11
TUESDAY Scene Analysis and “Never Marry a Mexican”
- Read SANDRA CISNEROS “Never Marry a Mexican” (68) JOURNAL 5
WEDNESDAY Proposal and Salsa
- Read SANDRA CISNEROS “There was a Man, There was a Woman” (133)
THURSDAY “Bien Pretty” and Peer Review
- SANDRA CISNEROS “Bien Pretty” (137) JOURNAL 6
- Rough Draft 2 DUE
Unit 3 – Report
WEEK FIVE July 15 – 18
TUESDAY Intro to Report
- Final Draft Essay 2 Due posted to class blog by class time
- Read Chapter 8 (“As a Result”: Connecting the Parts)
- LEV GROSSMAN, “From Scroll to Screen” JOURNAL 7
WEDNESDAY Distinguishing “They Say” and “I Say”
- Chapter 5 (“And Yet”: Distinguishing What You Say from What They Say)
- RADLEY BALKO, “What You Eat Is Your Business” [p. 651] JOURNAL 8
- DAVID H. FREEDMAN, “How Junk Food Can End Obesity” [p. 681]
THURSDAY Intro to Research
WEEK SIX July 22 – 25
TUESDAY Naysayers and Annotated Bib
- Chapter 6 (“Skeptics May Object”: Planting a Naysayer in Your Text)
- MALCOLM GLADWELL, “Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted JOURNAL 9
WEDNESDAY So What? and Who Cares?
- Annotated Bib 1 Due
- Chapter 7 (“So What? Who Cares?”: Saying Why It Matters)
- JENNA WORTHAM, “I Had a Nice Time with You Tonight. On the App” JOURNAL 10
THURSDAY Report Peer Review
- Rough Draft 3 DUE
Unit 4 – Argument
WEEK SEVEN July 29 – August 1
TUESDAY Intro to Arguments
- Essay 3 Final Draft DUE
- Chapter 9 (“Ain’t So/Is Not”: Academic Writing Doesn’t Always Mean Setting Aside Your Own Voice)
- GERALD GRAFF, “Hidden Intellectualism” [p. 369] JOURNAL 11
- MICHELLE OBAMA, “Bowie State University Commencement Speech” Video Link
WEDNESDAY Ethos and Audience
- Chapter 10 (“But Don’t Get Me Wrong”: The Art of Metacommentary)
- ANNE-MARIE SLAUGHTER, “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All” [p. 534] JOURNAL 12
- RICHARD DORMENT, “Why Men Still Can’t Have It All” [p. 555]
THURSDAY Pathos and Fallacies
WEEK EIGHT August 5 – 8
TUESDAY Solution Examples and Structure
- Read Chapter 11 (“He Says Contends”: Using the Templates to Revise)
- MICHELLE ALEXANDER, “The New Jim Crow” (230) JOURNAL 13
WEDNESDAY Peer Review and Final Review
- Rough Draft 4 DUE
THURSDAY In-Class Final 100XP
- Final Draft Assignment 4 due 150XP
Course Schedule
- The schedule of readings and assignments is subject to change based upon the needs of the class.
- All readings and assignments are listed on the day they are due. Please come to class with all readings and assignments complete.
English 101: Freshman Composition
| Instructor: Sefferino Ramos Class Time: 11:30 – 2:20 pm TWTh Classroom: West – 216 Section: 04 |
Email: sramos@craftonhills.edu Voicemail/Text: (909) 453-2953 Office Hours: After class and by apt. Website: ProfessorRamos.blog |
Course Description
Welcome to English 101! Over the next eight weeks we will study how to write different types of college essays. By studying and writing different types of compositions, you will learn how to compose your own effective and purposeful texts. We will study argumentation, learn to research, and practice the process of writing. We will study how good writing is dependent on the situation, reader, and purpose it is created for. What you say, how you say it, and who you are saying it to, are important to keep in mind as you write.
We will explore many concepts about writing: literacy, discourse, rhetoric, the writing process, the conversation, and critical reading, writing, and thinking, to name a few. This is one of the few writing classes you may ever take, the more you apply yourself here, the better you will be able to communicate effectively in college and beyond. Come to class with an open mind and ready to work and you will learn many concepts about writing.
This class is a work in progress. We will be reading and writing and utilize the class website to post the final drafts. Everything you write in this class will be published online. Do not worry; this will be the highlight of the course. We will build a community of writers to learn from each other and produce knowledge for others to learn as well.
Course Objectives
Upon satisfactory completion of the course, you will be able to:
- Write a 1,000-word essay, consisting of introduction, multiple body paragraphs, and a conclusion, with a clear statement of thesis, written at the collegiate level;
- Locate and evaluate the credibility of books, articles, periodicals, and newspapers related to particular subjects;
- Evaluate and effectively integrate ideas of others, relevant to a specific topic, through paraphrase, summary, and quotation into at least one multi-page essay;
- Choose and effectively employ in a multi-page essay a variety of rhetorical strategies, such as definition, comparison/ contrast, and argument;
- Produce a collegiate-level, multi-source research paper of at least 3,000 words, effectively following the MLA or APA documentation format;
- Proofread, revise, and edit essays for few to no gross errors in English grammar, usage, or punctuation;
- Analyze and evaluate a piece of writing for its rhetorical and technical merit, with consideration of the principles of unity, coherence, tone, persona, purpose, methods, and the effects on a target audience;
- Write a collegiate-level, in-class essay of at least 500-750 words that is unified, coherent, and relatively free from distracting sentence-writing errors that analyzes, evaluates, or argues a topic or piece of writing.
Learning Outcomes
The primary intention is for you to develop your academic writing skills in order to succeed in subsequent college courses. This happens through the following learning outcomes:
- Write effective essays.
- Demonstrate critical reading skills.
- Demonstrate effective problem-solving skills.
Required Course Materials
- Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. They Say I Say with Readings, 4th edition. ISBN: 9780393631685
- Cisneros, Sandra. Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories. ISBN: 9780679738565
- Folder or binder for keeping notes, handouts, drafts, essays, etc.
- Regular Internet access to research and post online.
Assessment and Grading
Specific instructions and rubrics will be provided to you for your work on the major projects. As we go through the course, we will clarify the assignments and make sure we agree on what good work looks like.
Crafton Hills does not use a + or – grading scale. Only A, B, C, D, and F. Points Required for an A= 1012, B= 900, and C=787. Anything less than 787 points is considered a failing grade. Essays 1 – 4 are mandatory for everyone. Everything else is up to you. You decide what grade you want to earn and how you will accomplish it. You may earn up to 50 points extra credit.
| Assignment | Points Possible | My Points | Assignment | Points Possible | My Points |
| Journals | 10 x 13 = 130 | Final | 100 | ||
| Rough Drafts | 20 x 4 = 80 | Worksheet | 10 | ||
| Peer Review | 15 x 4 = 60 | Tutoring | 20 | ||
| Essay 1 | 150 | Participation | 100 | ||
| Essay 2 | 150 | Annotated Bib | 25 | ||
| Essay 3 | 150 | ||||
| Essay 4 | 150 | TOTAL | 1125 |
Course Policies
Syllabus Revision: I may need to change or revise the syllabus during the semester. Students will receive ample notice of revisions.
Classroom Code of Conduct: We will be discussing controversial and/or adult oriented content in this course. You are all adults and are expected to conduct yourself accordingly in class and in all interactions with other students. Racist, sexist, bigoted, and hurtful language will not be tolerated and could get you removed from the course and/or reported to disciplinary authorities. While I am here to lecture and help facilitate discussion, it is up to you to participate in the class and keep up with the readings. I will be available through email and after class, so please see me if you need anything pertaining to our class.
Attendance: Your attendance is required. We will work together regularly in groups and to workshop assignments. For this to work, your attendance is necessary. If you do miss class, you can check the class website or contact a classmate to find out what you missed.
Personal Writing: We will be doing personal writing in this class as we explore ourselves and each other. Do not write anything that you are not comfortable sharing with this class and outside of this class. The writing that we do here is for everyone in the class. If you have any questions about whether something is suitable, please discuss it with your classmates or me.
Plagiarism: Knowingly submitting the work of others as your own is considered plagiarism. Proper MLA citation is required for any and all sources used in the course. If you have any questions or need help with citation please see me. If you plagiarize on purpose, the least that will happen is you fail this course.
Electronic Devices: Electronic devices are not permitted during class time, unless cleared by me. Please silence, turn off, and put away your electronics and phones. If you require special accommodation, please see the contact the Disabled Student Services office at (909) 389-3325. There is no texting, social media, or email during class.
Late Work and Make-up Work: All assignments are due at the start of class on the designated dates. It is your responsibility to have assignments submitted on time. In-class assignments and essays cannot be made up. Please contact me directly if you have any questions or need special accommodations. Make-up work will only be accepted in case of emergency or a case-by-case basis. Do not wait until the next class session to ask about make-up work. Contact me before it is late.
Revision: If you are not happy with a grade you receive on an assignment, you may revise the essay within one week of receiving the grade.
ADA Compliance: If you are unable to participate fully in this class due to a disability that qualifies under the Americans with Disabilities Act, you should contact the Disabled Student Services office at (909) 389-3325.
Disclaimer: The best way to grow as a writer is to study other writers’ work, so I may use your writing as a model/sample in our class or for future classes. This is a great way for you to contribute to the growth and learning of your peers here at Crafton Hills College and beyond. Do not be embarrassed; we are all here learning from each other.
Classmates are an important resource for success: Use the space below to get the phone number or email of two or three students in this class.
Name:_________________________________ Contact Info:___________________________________
Name:_________________________________ Contact Info:___________________________________
Name:_________________________________ Contact Info:___________________________________
Professor Ramos' Blog 