MACC Catalog #LAL 031
CIP #32.010821
Revised March 2, 2015
Moberly Area Community College
Common Syllabus
LAL 031: Fundamentals of Critical Reading
Current Term
Instructor:
Office number:
Office hours:
Contact information:
Classroom number:
Class days and time:
Catalog Description: LAL031: Fundamentals of Critical Reading
(3-0-3)
Fundamentals of Critical Reading is designed to provide students with basic reading and study skills
necessary for critical reading and comprehension. Degree- and certificate-seeking students required to
complete development coursework must enroll in the required developmental course(s) prior to or
immediately following their first six credit hours of enrollment at MACC. (FA, SP, SU)
Prerequisite/Co-requisite: None
Text(s):
Title:
Author:
Edition:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Engage College Reading Package
Dole
1st Edition
Cengage
978-1-1335-4734-1
Title:
Author:
Edition:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Maximum Ride: Angel Experiment (See Professor)
Patterson
2005
Hachette
978-0-446-61779-6
Other Required Materials: Paper, pen/pencil, dictionary access, flash (“jump”) drive.
Purpose of Course: LAL031 is a reading-intensive course whose purpose is to teach students to
successfully navigate college textbooks. To that end, strategies and methods of successful readers will be
applied to a significant number of college-textbook readings throughout the course. It is also the purpose
of all developmental classes to help each student become successful through the development of a variety
of college study skills.
Course Objectives: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 Demonstrate reading comprehension
 Demonstrate ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate written material
 Demonstrate critical thinking skills
 Demonstrate expanded, college-level vocabulary
 Demonstrate familiarity with various literary genres
 Demonstrate competence in reading, writing, and thinking at a college level
MACC Catalog #LAL 031
CIP #32.010821
Revised March 2, 2015
 Demonstrate note taking and paraphrasing skills
Course Content:
 Developing and reinforcing basic reading strategies at the college level
 Learning and building vocabulary through context clues and analyzing words
 Recognizing topics, main ideas, and supporting details
 Recognizing patterns of organization
 Drawing inferences and conclusions from texts
 Evaluating the author’s purpose and tone
 Evaluating points of view
Assessment of Student Learning: Student outcomes of the above objectives that will constitute 80% of
the student’s final grade may be measured through, but not limited to, the following: writing assignments,
objective and essay examinations, quizzes, oral presentations, class participation, small group work,
journal writings, homework, in-class writings, and computerized grammar exercises.
Quizzes
Tests
Homework/In-class assignments/Group Work
Final exam
15%
15%
60%
10%
Instructors who use a point system must then include the point equivalency to letter grades. For example:
Quizzes
15%
150 points
Grading Scale:
100%-90% = A
89%-80% = B
79%-70% = C
69%-60% = D
59% or below = F
Grades will be calculated on total points and 70% mastery will be necessary for satisfactory
completion of the course. A grade less than 70% will result in the student being required to repeat the
course.
Description of Major Assignments:
 College-level textbook reading and comprehension questions
 In-class discussions over readings
 In-class writing: In-class writing will prepare you for future courses containing essay exams and other
spontaneous writing.
 Quizzes: Quizzes will relate to the assignments, class discussions, exercises, and readings in the
textbook.
 Exams: In addition to a required final examination, the course may also include chapter, unit, and
midterm exams.
MACC Catalog #LAL 031
CIP #32.010821
Revised March 2, 2015
Statement to Connect Course with General Education Outcomes or Technical Program Outcome
Statement: In compliance with MACC’s General Education outcomes, the student who successfully
completes this course will be able to:


Demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills
Demonstrate knowledge of how history has shaped society and culture, understand how the individual
relates to society and culture, appreciate cultural diversity, understand human behavior and mental
processes, and understand human development
Instructor Policies:
Academic Dishonesty: MACC board policy is as follows: “Academic dishonesty by students damages
institutional credibility and unfairly jeopardizes honest students; therefore, it will not be tolerated in any
form.” Forms of academic dishonesty include but are not limited to the following: violations of
copyright law, plagiarism, fabrication, cheating, collusion, and other academic misconduct. Incidents of
dishonesty regarding assignments, examinations, classroom/laboratory activities, and/or the submission of
misleading or false information to the College will be treated seriously. The procedure for handling
academic dishonesty is outlined in the Student Handbook (Policy Handbook M.010). In cases of alleged
academic dishonesty, the burden of proof is on the student, not on the instructor.
Attendance Policy: Any student who misses two consecutive weeks of class during a regular sixteenweek semester or the equivalent proportion of class time during a shorter session will be dropped from the
class by the instructor unless acceptable justification is supplied. Additionally, any student who misses
more than one-fourth of the entire number of in-seat class meetings in a regular 16-week semester or the
equivalent proportion of class time during a shorter session, may be dropped from that class by the
instructor if, in the opinion of the instructor, the student does not have reasonable opportunity to succeed
in the class. A student’s attendance rate will be calculated based upon the first day of the semester (not the
student’s date of enrollment in the course).
Student attendance must be defined in a different manner for online, hybrid, and virtual courses. Student
attendance in these courses is defined as active participation in the course. Online, hybrid, and virtual
courses will, at a minimum, have weekly mechanisms for student participation, such as any or all of the
following methods:
a. Completion of quizzes or exams
b. Submission of assignments
c. Participation in threaded discussions
d. Communication with the instructor
A student who does not participate in an online, hybrid, or virtual course for two consecutive weeks will
be dropped by the instructor unless acceptable justification is supplied. As with ground courses, a
student’s attendance rate in online courses will also be calculated based upon the first day of the semester.
If a student does not demonstrate active participation in the online course within the first two weeks (or the
equivalent proportion of class time during a short session), the student will be dropped as “never
attended.” Simply logging into an online class does not constitute active participation.
Students should be aware that their dropping a course and their last date of attendance in the course may
impact their financial aid. (Policy Handbook I.090 and M.095)
MACC Catalog #LAL 031
CIP #32.010821
Revised March 2, 2015
Tardiness:
Per instructor’s policy
Make-up and late work: Per instructor’s policy
Extra-credit work:
Per instructor’s policy
Schedule of Student Assignments/Activities: Instructors will identify a Student Assignment/Activities
schedule. Instructors have the prerogative to construct the schedule by class periods, weeks, or an
overview of topics to be covered.
ADA Statement: Students who have disabilities that qualify under the Americans with Disabilities Act
may register for assistance through the Office of Access and ADA Services. Students are invited to
contact the Access Office to confidentially discuss disability information, academic accommodations,
appropriate documentation and procedures. For more information, please call either the Moberly office at
(660) 263-4100 x 11240 or the Columbia office at (573) 234-1067 x 12120, or visit our web page at
http://www.macc.edu/index.php/services/access-office.
Title IX Statement: MACC maintains a strict policy prohibiting sexual misconduct in any form,
including sexual harassment, sexual discrimination, and sexual violence. All MACC employees, including
faculty members, are considered mandated reporters of sexual misconduct and as such are expected to
contact the Title IX Coordinator when they become aware, in conversation or in writing, of an incident of
sexual misconduct. For more information on this policy or to learn about support resources, please see
http://www.macc.edu/sexual-misconduct-policy or contact Dr. Jackie Fischer, MACC’s Title IX
Coordinator, at 660-263-4110, ext. 11236 or jackief@macc.edu.
MACC Catalog #LAL 031
CIP #32.010821
Revised March 2, 2015
This schedule of weekly work was provided by Jeanne Bastian at the Hannibal site as an example for
instructors teaching the course in terms of both content and pace of the course. The primary emphasis is
covering the Wadsworth Guide to Reading Textbooks as well as the Engage text.
LAL 031: A sample weekly schedule for classes that meet twice a week
Some general directives for this class that help it run smoothly:
 No late work.
 All homework assignments must be typed.
 Students should check Tristate grade weekly.
 Netiquette guidelines: Use Houndmail for all course correspondence; use standard spelling,
grammar, and complete sentences; be more polite than you think you need to be; include course
name and day; include your full name.
NOTES:
 I start class with the Engage text, and at week 2, I incorporate the Wadsworth readings and
assignments. Please refer to the end of this schedule for a more detailed explanation of my
Wadsworth assignments.
 This schedule does not incorporate Aplia, although it could be incorporated on an individual basis
to reinforce instruction or for students to complete outside of class in order to reinforce concepts.
 I have not listed individual chapter assignments below. Each Engage chapter contains several
“Interaction” assignments, and all of them are good. Which actual assignments to use will depend
on the individuals in the class, but we did do DAILY homework assignments from both Engage
and Wadsworth. Additionally, the reading selections at the end of each chapter in Engage are
interesting and include an excellent set of questions. They can be used either as homework
assignments or as chapter tests.
Week 1
 Class 1: All students take the Compass and learn their scores as soon as they finish the test. Allow
them to leave when they finish, and clarify that any student who scores an 81 or above on the
Compass has tested out of LAL031.
 Students scoring 80 or below will remain in the course and will need to purchase the Engage text
and Wadsworth reader. I give these students a syllabus and instruct them to buy their texts before
the next class.
 Class 2: Syllabus and course expectations. Also, go over Tristate eCompanion and emphasize how
students can and should monitor their weekly grades. Give a reading and written assignment from
Engage, “Plan for Success” and Ch. 1.
Week 2
 Chapter 1, Engage: “Engaging with Reading”
o This chapter covers strategies for increasing reading comprehension and speed. Homework
and discussion.
 Wadsworth: Parts 1-2 (1-70). Cover main concepts.
 ***Note*** this might be a good place to cover context clues, since they are in Ch. 2 with word
analysis, and I don’t cover that until later in the semester.
MACC Catalog #LAL 031
CIP #32.010821
Revised March 2, 2015
Weeks 3-4
 Engage: Chapters 3 and 4.
 Chapter 3, “Identifying Topics and Main Ideas”
o This chapter covers identifying topics and main ideas, topic sentences, and thesis
statements.
 Chapter 4, “Noticing Patterns of Supporting Details,”
o This chapter covers patterns of organization for supporting details and the difference
between major and minor supporting details.
 Wadsworth: Part 3 (71-89).Assign “Exploring the World of Business” part 1.
 Give homework each class, have discussion over it and main points of each chapter.
Weeks 5-6
 Engage: Chapter 5, “Applying Reading Comprehension Skills Through Note Taking.”
o This chapter covers the Cornell note-taking method, and it teaches students to paraphrase.
 Wadsworth: “Exploring the World of Business” parts 2-3.
 Give homework each class, have discussion over it and main points of each chapter.
Weeks 7-8
 Engage: Chapter 7, “Inferring Meaning from Details.”
o This chapter walks students through the steps of making logical inferences in both short
and long selections.
 Wadsworth: “Atmospheric Effects” parts 1-2.
 Give homework each class, have discussion over it and main points of each chapter.
 Midterm. You may use the Career Environmental Science App at the end of Engage Chapter 7 for
a midterm test.
Weeks 9-10
 Engage: Chapter 8, “Evaluating the Author’s Purpose and Tone.”
o This chapter includes the three main purposes of writing, distinguishing denotation and
connotation, and a discussion of how tone works with purpose.
 Wadsworth: “Atmospheric Effects” part 3.
 Give homework each class, have discussion over it and main points of each chapter.
Weeks 11-12
 Engage: Ch. 9, “Evaluating points of View.”
o This chapter includes differentiating between facts and opinions, evaluating expert and
informed opinions, judging the credibility of sources, and detecting biases.
 Wadsworth: “American History,” parts 1-2.
 Give homework each class, have discussion over it and main points of each chapter.
Weeks 13-14
 Engage: Ch. 2, “Expanding Your Vocabulary”
o This chapter focuses on word analysis (prefixes, roots, and suffixes, Latin and Greek word
parts) and context clues.
 Wadsworth: “American History,” part 3; “Sociology” parts 1-2.
 Give homework each class, have discussion over it and main points of each chapter.
MACC Catalog #LAL 031
CIP #32.010821
Revised March 2, 2015
Week 15
 Engage: Chapter 10, “Applying Critical Thinking Skills to Visuals”
o This chapter teaches students how to interpret graphs and pictures.
 Wadsworth: “Sociology” part 3.
Week 16
 Final exam: I have used a “Reading Across the Disciplines” selection and assignment from the
end of the Engage book (Part 3, Readings A and B, “Reading Across the Disciplines”)
 Compass as post-course test. I give students points for taking the Compass again. Students who
achieve at least 70% in the class will pass, though, even if their Compass scores are 80 or below.
Likewise, if a student’s Compass score is 81 or above, he/she will pass the course regardless of the
grade.
How I use The Wadsworth Guide to Reading Textbooks
 The common syllabus states that we are required to finish the Wadsworth book in this course to
ensure that students experience the depth and pace of college readings.
 Keeping that in mind, I cover Parts 1-3 (“Features of College Textbooks,” “Strategies for Reading
College Textbooks,” and “Using Textbook Features and the Reading Strategies”) in Wadsworth in
a couple of classes during the first 3 weeks of the semester.
 The essence of the Wadsworth reader starts with Part 4, “College Textbook Chapters with
Exercises,” which includes four excerpts (each is 40 to 50 pages) from business, science, history,
and sociology texts. Each excerpt starts with a set of preview questions and is divided into 3
sections of approximately 10 pages each with questions at the end of each section.
 I did something different in Wadsworth every week, but a sample assignment over one of these
college text sections would include some combination of the following:
o Complete the previewing exercises together in class and discuss what students already
know about the topic in question.
o Assign 1-2 sections of a reading for the next class and require some combination of the
following activities: annotating their books, turning headings into questions and marking
the answers, using Cornell notes for a section, defining vocabulary, and answering some or
all of the “Check Your Understanding” questions that followed the assigned section.
o To keep the grading from being too burdensome, I randomly choose questions to grade
rather than grading every single question every time. However, I subtract points if an
assignment is incomplete. I explain this policy to my students from the very beginning, and
they take it very well!