ENGLISH 90 #57339 / TTH 6:00 – 7:50pm / RM 1631
Instructor: Rachel Barney
Office hours: MW 9:30-11:00am
Email: rbarney@napavalley.edu
Phone: 253-3112
Office: 1031 B
Website: http://www.napavalley.edu
Texts
Atwan, Robert. America Now, 9th Edition
O’Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried
Brandon, Lee and Kelly Brandon. Sentences, Paragraphs, and Beyond. 6th Edition
Other Materials:
Blue books
Black/Blue ink pens
Paper for note taking & in-class essays
PC with Internet access
COURSE EXPECTATIONS: PREPARING FOR COLLEGE READING AND WRITING I
Course Description
English 90 is a class designed to build the students’ skill level and confidence in academic reading and
writing and prepare them for college level work, including research. The course emphasizes the
relationship of reading, thinking, and writing, providing instruction in college-level critical reading skills,
including the application of advanced reading comprehension skills, critical analysis, evaluation of
college-level texts, as well as instruction in college-level essay development, including the concepts of
coherence, clarity, and unity, and the correct use of grammar. A minimum of 5,000-6,000 words of writing
is required.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will think, read, and write critically. Students will write a unified, coherent, well-supported, and
grammatically correct document reasonably free from errors. Students will demonstrate a clear and
thoughtful thesis as well as the ability to move from general statement to specific support.
Assignments and Points:
Essays 1 – 5
Final Essay (#6)
Group Presentations
Homework
Class Work
50%
15%
10%
10%
15%
Essays
You will write six essays total. Three essays will be written during class, and three essays will be
completed outside of class. On the days we write essays in class, you must be present. All six essays
must be completed in order to pass the course. In other words, if you skip an essay, you will fail the
course. Completing the essays, however, does not mean that you will automatically pass the course.
 English 90 Assessment Essay: Essay #5 will be an in-class essay exam taken by all
English 90 students to help determine if they are prepared to move on to English 120.
Group Presentations
You will complete two group presentations of 10-15 minutes each. One will be on a selection from
America Now and the other on The Things They Carried. You will have time in class to prepare for these
presentations.
Homework
Late homework is not accepted. The grade for homework will be based on the following assignments:
 Reader Responses: You will complete several reader responses based on the assigned
reading selections. The responses must be typed and a minimum length of one-half page.
 Outline/Thesis Statements: For each essay completed outside of class, you will turn in a
thesis statement and outline. It must follow the format discussed in class.
 Rough Drafts: To receive credit for your rough draft, it must be typed, meet the
minimum length requirement, and contain reasonable coherence.
Class Work
The grade for class work will be based on work completed in class and the following assignments:
 Peer Workshops: Peer workshop dates are listed on the syllabus. Full participation in
peer review workshops is required, so plan to attend each workshop with three complete
copies of your essay draft in hand. If you are late or absent, you will not receive credit.
 Grammar Quizzes: Quizzes will cover information discussed in class. If you are late or
absent on the day of a quiz, you may not make it up unless you have received my
approval in advance.
 Literary Groups: The work done in these groups will be based on your reading of Tim
O’Brien’s The Things They Carried. If you are late or absent on the day of the group
work, you may not make it up unless you have received my approval in advance.
Late Assignments
Paper copies of all essays are due by end of the day on the date posted on your assignment schedule. If
turning the essay into my mailbox, you must have the faculty secretary initial and date the paper. Late
essays will receive a 10% reduction for each day it is late. Essays are not accepted one week after the due
date. Electronic copies are not accepted.
Attendance
Attendance is crucial to your success in this course, and it is therefore mandatory. If you miss two
consecutive classes without prior notification, you will be automatically dropped from the course. Upon
your fifth absence, I will drop you from the class roster provided that the deadline to do so has not
passed. If the deadline has passed, you will receive a failing grade in the course. If you choose not to
complete the course, you should complete the paperwork to drop; otherwise, you risk receiving an F.
Additionally, you are expected to arrive on time to class and to stay for the entire session. Habitual
tardiness is rude and unacceptable.
Make-up Exams for In-Class Essays
Allowing a make-up exam is up to the instructor’s discretion. Make-up exams may be offered if you have
notified me in advance or have a documented emergency.
Plagiarism
Every student is required to give credit to any material that is not original; this includes summarized and
paraphrased text. Recently, the NVC Board of Trustees adopted an academic honesty policy designed to
aggressively detect and punish violators. (See NVC Catalog) Please be advised that instructors also have
access to a comprehensive plagiarism site turnitin.com that often requires only a word or a phrase to
detect an incident of plagiarism. Students are required to submit electronic copies of their work to
turnitin.com at the instructor’s direction.
Writing Center
Students may sign up for a unit or half-unit, or half-hour drop-in appointments. in the Writing Center.
Not only will the Instructional Assistants help you with your work in this course but they will also design
a program of exercises to address specific problems that you have with your writing. The Writing Center
is an invaluable resource to all students.
Services for Students with Disabilities
Any student who feels he or she may need an accommodation based on the impact of a learning disability
should contact Learning Services in the Library and Learning Resource Center (LLRC), room 1766,
phone (707) 256-7442. A Learning Disability Specialist will review your needs and determine
appropriate accommodations.
If you need accommodations for physical or other types of disabilities, schedule an appointment with
DSPS Counselor, Sheryl Fernandez, in the Counseling Department located on the top floor of the 800
building, phone (707) 253-3040 for appointment.
All information and documentation is confidential.
Please feel encouraged to make an appointment with me privately to discuss your specific learning needs
in my class.
Student Conduct
Students will treat the instructor and each other with respect; in addition, students are expected to attend
class regularly, to arrive on time and prepared for class, and to behave as adults. Late arrivals or early
departures, rude or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. (The instructor retains the right to determine
what constitutes “rude and disruptive.”)
Personal Electronics
It is my hope to teach students how to think and write critically about important themes and topics. Cell
phones, pagers, blackberries, iPhones and the like affect your concentration, resulting in unfocused and
superficial thinking. They are wholly distracting. Please turn off all electronic equipment before class.