Chabot College
English 4 / Fall, „11
ENGLISH 4:
CRITICAL THINKING AND WRITING ABOUT LITERATURE
Instructor: Stephanie Zappa
Office: IOB, Room 452-D
Office Phone: 510-723-6826
Email: szappa@chabotcollege.edu
Required Texts and Supplies:
1)
Dore, Anita, The Premier Book of Major Poets
2)
English 4 Short Stories; (Cengage edtion, only at Chabot bookstore)
3)
Shelley, Mary, Frankenstein (ed. Smith, Bedford St. Martin‟s, Second edition required)
4)
Morrison, Toni, Sula
5)
Lane, Eric, Telling Tales: New One-Act Plays
6)
A separate, notebook for use as a reading journal
7)
A good, portable college dictionary; see campus bookstore for English handbook
___________________
Welcome to English 4!
•Course Description:
English 4 will continue to develop the critical reading, thinking, and writing skills that you began
in English 1A. English 4 will help you advance and hone your skills in critical thinking through
understanding literature; we will be reading works in the four genres of poetry, the short story,
the novel and drama, involving themes of human nature and identity.
•In Class:
The heavy reading load for English 4 means a considerable time commitment on your part.
For you to maximize your success in the course, you are expected to complete all readings by the
assigned dates (calendar to follow) so that you are adequately prepared to discuss, teach, and/or
write about them. You're also expected to take careful notes during class discussions, which will
help you to shape your ideas into essays. Reading, and responding to your reading, will
comprise your contributions to the class. Therefore, most of the participation component of your
grade will be based on your having read and your preparation for class work based on the
readings. My classroom policy for discussion is a simple one: I expect you to listen respectfully
to your peers as well as to voice your own ideas. Disruption in the classroom, whether in the
form of interruption, talking privately while someone else is speaking, or rudeness in any form,
will not be tolerated. Your focus at this time is on English, so please do not work on other
subjects, assignments, or personal matters during class. Also, once class begins, you may not
wander in and out of the classroom (except in emergency).
**Note: The use of cell phones, pagers, or any other electronic device has no place in class.
Please turn phones OFF when you come to class. My policy is, if it rings you sing; if you text,
you’re next.
•Academic Standards and Grading:
All of your work, including homework, in-class writing, class participation in discussion, essays,
quizzes, tests, and journal writing, will contribute to your grade, based on a point system. The
total number of points earned will be divided by the total possible. The grading scale follows:
A = 90-100% B = 80-89% C = 70-79% D = 60-69% F = below 60%
Essays: 70%
Presentations: 15%
Participation/quizzes/journals: 15%
**NOTE: If you receive a final grade of “D” or lower on any of your papers, you will not pass
the course. Grades will be available on Blackboard as the semester proceeds.
•Assignments
Details will follow on your assignment sheet. You are responsible for keeping all of your
grades and written assignments for future reference. Reading quizzes may not be made up
(and are sometimes unannounced). Please note that no extra credit is given.
•Attendance/Tardiness/Absence
Regular, punctual class attendance is mandatory. Attendance is part of your grade. Total
attendance points equal 50; each absence is worth -5. Tardiness is rude, distracting, and
disruptive to others, including me; two "tardies" equal one absence. If you leave class early, and
you have not communicated with me, you will be marked absent for the day. If you show up,
drop your belongings off and leave, you will be marked absent for the day. If you sleep during
any part of the class, you will be marked absent for that day. Perfect attendance can raise your
grade; several absences will have the opposite effect. Chabot's policy regarding attendance
(which I follow) is that after 4 missed classes, overall, OR 3 consecutive classes missed you will
be automatically dropped from the course. Please make all of your personal appointments for
another time, and plan to communicate with me if you are ill or if extenuating circumstances
prevent you from attending class. If you wish to withdraw and receive a “W,” you must drop the
course through the admissions office BEFORE Apr. 6, 2012.
•Missed or late work
You are responsible for the materials we cover in class, so please check with a classmate for
notes, announcements, and specific assignments if you miss class. You must complete assigned
reading by the next class meeting. You are responsible for make-up assignments. If you are
ill when an assignment is due, you must turn the assignment in to me the day you return. If you
miss a “draft day” you may only receive half credit for your draft (provided that you get it to me
right away, and before the final paper is due). No credit is given for drafts turned in with the
final paper if I have not previously marked them for credit. If you return to class after an
absence without work which is due (other than drafts), you will receive a zero for that
assignment. Late work will not receive full credit; you must contact/ see me about late work.
•Honesty
Please know in advance that I value honesty and academic integrity and I will impose serious
consequences for cheating in any form. Plagiarism is viewed in the academic world as a most
serious offense and I fully share that view. By definition, it includes the use of someone else's
words and/or ideas presented as your own. Plagiarized work will be given a zero and may not
be rewritten or made up; students will be referred to the Dean of Students.
•My Help
I encourage you to see me whenever you have any questions or concerns about the class or your
work. While I plan to have at least one conference with you to discuss both your progress and
your concerns, please see me if you have questions at any other time. You are welcome to drop
in, but be aware I may have appointments. My office hours follow:
Mon. 9:30 – 11:30
Tues. 10:30 – 11:30
Wed. 10:00 – 11:00
Thurs. 10:30 – 11:30
AND by appointment
I will do all I can to assist you in the course. My best advice: don't allow yourself to fall
behind schedule. A complete schedule of reading and other assignments will follow.