LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE – SPRING 2016
English 801A: College English Skills
Section 32647
Instructor: Dr. Karen Rose
Phone: 562-938-4099
Email: krose@lbcc.edu
Office: P103
Office Hours:
Monday 9:00 am-12:30 pm
Tuesday 5:30-6:00 pm
Wednesday 6:00-7:00 pm
Class Time: Monday/Wednesday 12:30-2:30
Class Room: P123
Website: www.lbcc.edu/English/faculty/KarenRose.cfm
Course website: http://lms.lbcc.edu/
Course Description
English 801 will help you develop and strengthen your writing and grammar skills so that you will be
successful writing at the college level. We will discuss how to generate ideas, get them down on paper,
organize, and present them clearly to an audience.
To complete English 801A, you must be able to
1. Read texts to generate ideas for a short piece of writing.
2. Write paragraphs with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
3. Support ideas with relevant details.
4. Write sentences that demonstrate rudimentary control of written English.
Textbooks

Winkler, Anthony and Jo Ray McCuen. Writing Talk: Paragraphs and Short Essays with Readings.
5th ed.

McWhorter, Kathleen. The Writer’s Selections: Shaping Our Lives. 5th ed.

Chbosky, Stephen. The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
Course Requirements

Four essays - One essay will be written in class, and three essays (approximately 1½ - 3 typed
pages) will be completed out of class. The topics will be closely related to the reading assignments.
You will be required to hand in an outline and rough draft with your final essay.

Homework assignments – Your homework will consist of reading assignments, short writing
assignments, and grammar exercises.

Quizzes – The quizzes will focus on grammar skills. Periodically, I will also give unannounced
quizzes on the reading assignments.

Group and class discussions - Your participation in group activities and class discussions is very
important. Not only will your participation help develop your communication skills, it will make our
class more interesting. Please don’t be shy. To help those of you who have difficulties speaking up in
class, each member of the class will be required to sign up to be the discussion leader for one of the
reading assignments.

Final exam – The final exam is an in-class essay.
Supplemental Learning Assistance Requirement
All students enrolled in English 105 and 801 are required to complete three (3) activities, approximately
60-90 minutes each, in the Writing & Reading Success Center at LAC (E09L) or the Multidisciplinary
Success Center at PCC (EE206). These activities are designed to reinforce essential concepts covered in
this course.
The three types of activities are described below:

Workshops: Instructor-led, interactive, hands-on activities covering relevant class-related topics

Directed Study Group (DSGs): Tutor-led, collaborative, hands-on small group activities
covering relevant class-related topics

Directed Learning Activity (DLAs): Independent, instructor-created activities on key topics
including one-on-one interaction with a Success Center Instructor or Tutor
English 801 / Fall 2015 / Rose
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Activity 1: Tuesday, February 16 - Saturday, March 19
Activity 2: Monday, March 21 – Saturday, April 23
Activity 3: Monday, April 25 – Wednesday, June 1
Please note that the last day to complete DLAs is Saturday, May 21, 2016. Only Workshops and DSGs
will be offered from Monday, May 23 to Wednesday June 1. To avoid long wait times, we advise that
students do not wait until the week of each due date to complete their required activities.
Contact information:
LAC Writing and Reading Success Center: E09L 562-938-4520
PCC Multi-Disciplinary Success Center: EE206 562-938-3991
Both centers also offer one-on-one tutoring for any writing or reading assignment.
Attendance
I will take attendance at the beginning of class every day. I expect you to arrive on time and be
prepared to participate in class discussions and activities. Please make note of the following rules:

In accordance with LBCC policy, if you are absent in excess of 20% of total class hours or
for two consecutive weeks, you will be dropped from the class.

If you arrive after attendance is taken, you are tardy. Three tardies count as one absence.

In-class work missed during an absence cannot be made up.
Late work
Fifteen points will be deducted for each day your essay is late (including weekends). In-class essays
cannot be made up. When an assignment is due, it must be handed in at the beginning of the class, or it
will be considered late.
Missed homework and quizzes
If you miss class and are unable to hand in your homework, it is your responsibility to get it to me as
soon as possible. You can bring it to my main office (P103) or put it in my mailbox in the English
Department office (P119). Points will be deducted for late homework. Make-up quizzes are not allowed,
unless you make arrangements with me BEFORE the quiz,. If you are absent on the day of a quiz, or if
you arrive to class late and miss a quiz, you will receive a grade of zero for that quiz.
Grading
You will not receive a letter grade in English 801 because it is a Credit/No Credit course. To receive
Credit and earn four units, you must earn a final grade of 70%.
Essay #1
100 points
Essay #2
100 points
Essay #3
100 points
Essay #4
150 points
Grammar Quiz #1
20 points
Grammar Quiz #2
20 points
Grammar Quiz #3
20 points
Grammar Quiz #4
20 points
Homework
5 points each
Reading Quizzes
5-10 points each
Class Participation
50 points
SLA Requirement
30 points
Final Exam – In-Class Essay
100 points
You can access your grades via our class website: http://lms.lbcc.edu/
Academic Honesty
Lack of honesty in the classroom is a serious offense. Any form of cheating on tests, turning in work
which is not one’s own (plagiarism), talking during tests, furnishing false information to instructors is
grounds for disciplinary action. The consequences of cheating are severe and may include the
possibility of expulsion.
Classroom conduct
Treat your classmates as you would want them to treat you! When somebody is talking, pay attention
and listen to what he or she has to say, even if you disagree with what is being said. You have the right
English 801 / Fall 2015 / Rose
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to speak up and present your viewpoint, but personal insults are not acceptable. Treating one another
with respect will make our class more enjoyable.
Electronic Devices
Please refrain from using electronic devices during class. The first time your electronic device makes
noise or I find that you are interacting with your device during class, you will receive a warning. After
that, I will deduct 10 points each time, and you owe the class a treat, preferably cupcakes or donuts.
Resources
Take advantage of the resources available to help you develop your writing skills and succeed in this
class:

Me: I am dedicated to helping each of you achieve your academic goals. If you feel that you need
extra assistance, please come to my office hours or make an appointment to see me. I will be happy
to help you!

The Learning and Academic Resources Department offers services and classes designed to help
you improve your academic performance. Free tutoring, study skills assistance, computers, and more
are available at both campuses. For more information visit: www.lbcc.edu/lar or contact the
Multidisciplinary Student Success Centers at LAC (L-212 562-983-4699) or at PCC (EE-206 562-9383991).

Writing Talk’s Online Study Guide: Our course textbook has a web site of its own where you can
work on computer-graded practice exercises and various writing activities:
http://www.prenhall.com/winkler
Course Schedule and Assignments
Note: This schedule is subject to change. If we need to spend more time
on any of the topics listed below, we will make adjustments.
WT = Writing Talk
TWS = The Writer’s Selections
Monday
Week 1
February 8 & 10
Wednesday
Course overview
Myths About Writing (WT 16-23)
Interviews and introductions
Standard English (WT 23-26)
Purpose and Audience (WT 30-39)
Week 2
February 15 & 17
Presidents’ Day – No Classes!
Sign up to be a discussion leader
Gathering Ideas / Pre-Writing (WT 45-56)
The Paragraph & Topic Sentence (WT 241-250 and TWS
Strategy 8)
Adding Details (WT 257-268)
Week 3
February 22 & 24
“Help for Your Reading” (WT 519-521 and TWS 2-6)
George Dawson, “Life Is So Good” (TWS 40-44)
Ray Rivera, “A Rhodes Scholar with an Unlikely Past”
(TWS 23-27)
Jennifer Dickman, “Saying Good-bye to Eric” (TWS 46-48)
The Thesis Statement (WT 468-480 and TWS 13-14)
Laura Cunningham, “The Chosen One” (TWS 28-31)
George Edwards, “Whether to Vote” (TWS 33-37)
English 801 / Fall 2015 / Rose
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Monday
Week 4
February 29 &
March 2
Wednesday
Organizing your Essay (WT 484-495 and TWS 18-20)
Marian Burros, “Hold the Fries” (TWS 50-53)
Discuss Essay #1 assignment
Blanca Matute, “The Gift of Sacrifice” (TWS 55-56)
Sticking to the Point & Transitions (WT 272-281)
Week 5
March 7 & 9
Essay #1 Rough Drafts Due
Peer Edit Workshop
Essay #1 due
Sentence Skills (WT 61-76)
Building Sentences (WT 81-90)
Week 6
March 14 & 16
Francisco Jiminez, “The Circuit” (WT 528-531)
Subject-Verb Agreement (WT 111-119)
Sentence Fragments (WT 97-103)
Olga Polites, “I Want Constantine’s Murderer to Die” (TWS 6164)
Run-on Sentences (WT 105-107)
Marta Salinas, “The Scholarship Jacket” (TWS 67-71)
A. F. White, “Ragtime, My Time” (TWS 73-76)
Week 7
March 21 & 23
Siu Wai Anderson, “A Letter to My Daughter” (TWS 7880)
Grammar Quiz #1
Passive and Active Voice (WT 143-144)
Jeffrey Rosen, “Naked Terror” (TWS 83-85)
Double Negatives
Practice Grammar Quiz
Week 8
March 28 & 30
Jonathan Rosen, “Breaking Glass” (TWS 87-89)
Essay #2 in class
Scott Stopa, “Desert Storm and Shield” (TWS 91-92)
Discuss Essay #2
April 4 – 9: Spring Break! 
Week 9
April 11 & 13
The Comma (WT 183-191)
Film: Growing Up Online
Brad Stone, “Dangers of Social-Networking Sites”
(TWS 241-244)
Alan Durning, “The Seven Sustainable Wonders of the
World” (TWS 246-248)
Week 10
April 18 & 20
Amy Joyce, “Thoughts, Interrupted: Cell Phone’s
Convenience Comes with a Price” (TWS 256-259)
Grammar Quiz #2
Consistent Verb Tense (WT 147-149)
Christine Choi, “Human Interaction” (TWS 274-275)
Point of View (WT 151-152)
Discuss Essay #3 assignment
Pronouns
Practice Grammar Quiz #2
Week 11
April 25 & 27
Essay #3 Rough Drafts Due
Peer Edit Workshop
Unclear or Missing Referents (WT 155-158)
Essay #3 due
English 801 / Fall 2015 / Rose
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Monday
Week 12
May 2 & 4
Week 13
May 9 & 11
Week 14
May 16 & 18
Wednesday
Pronoun Agreement (WT 161-164)
Deborah Tannen, “Oprah Winfrey” (TWS 213-216)
Lisa See, “Footbinding” (WT 552-555)
Jimmy Carter, “Bill Gates” (TWS 196-199)
Leo Buscaglia, “Papa, the Teacher” (WT 581-582)
Lester Sloan, “Food from the ‘Hood” (TWS 192-194)
Angela Balcita, “Love Saves” (TWS 171-175)
Practice Grammar Quiz
Grammar Quiz #3
Dangling or Misplaced Modifiers (WT 177-180)
Comparatives & Superlatives (WT 169-176)
The Apostrophe (WT 193-198)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (1-39)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (40-96)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (97-139)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (140-213)
Discuss Essay #4 topic
Quotation Marks (WT 199-203)
Capitalization (WT 205-219)
Week 15
May 23 & 25
Practice Grammar Quiz #4
Perks of Being a Wallflower – film
Week 16
May 30 & June 1
Memorial Day – No Classes!
Grammar Quiz #4
Finals
June 6 & 8
MANDATORY ATTENDANCE TODAY
Essay #4 due
Essay #4 Rough Drafts Due
Final – In-class essay
Peer Edit Workshop