LING/RWS 253: Grammar and Usage for Writers
Fall 2015 / Mon & Wed 2:00-3:15pm
Instructor: Professor Vickie Mellos
Office Hours: Mondays 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Email: vmellos@mail.sdsu.edu
Office: SHW-250
Schedule #: LING 253 – 21981 / RWS 253 – 23077
Course Description
Ling/RWS 253 uses a hands-on approach to teaching grammar and usage. Students will work in
groups and with partners to identify, use, and understand a broad range of English grammar
features. Students will use knowledge of grammar rules and functions to improve their sentence
structure and academic writing. Students will also learn to identify and understand the sources of
their own grammatical writing problems.
Course Goal
Students will be able to use informed language to discuss, to write, and to edit using standard
English grammar and mechanics.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to do the following.
This includes, but does not limit, the ability to
 identify and understand parts of speech in English written sentences;
 identify and understand the basic structure of a grammatical sentence;
 distinguish between grammatical sentences and fragments or run-on sentences;
 use/distinguish main clauses and subordinate clauses in writing;
 use different kinds of subordination in writing;
 use discourse connectors and conjunctions in connecting clauses and sentences;
 use rules of agreement in writing;
 use rules related to verb forms, tense, and voice.
Required Text
Folse, Keith S., Elena Vestri Solomon, and Barbara Smith-Palinkas. Blass, Laurie, et al. Top 20:
Great Grammar for Great Writing. Boston: Heinle, Cengage Learning, 2008. Print.
Grading
Attendance & Participation: 100 points
Homework: 200 points
Essays: 200 points (100 points each)
Quizzes: 100 points (5 quizzes, 20 points each)
Midterm & Final: 400 points (200 points each)
Total Possible Points: 1000
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Points earned throughout the semester determine the overall course grade. See chart below for a
guide to the point system used to assign course grades. B+
A
94-100%
940-1000 points
B
A-
90-93%
900-930 points
B-
87-89%
870-890 points
84-86%
840-860 points
C+
80-83%
800-830 points
C-
C
77-79%
770-790 points
74-76%
740-760 points
D+
70-73%
700-730 points
D-
D
67-69%
670-690 points
64-66%
640-660 points
F
59% & below
590-0 points
60-63%
600-630 points
Class Policies
1. Textbook: We will work directly with our textbook every day. You need to bring it to class with you.
2. Attendance: Daily attendance and class participation are expected and are vital for your success in
this class. Missing more than 2 class sessions will cause you to lose a percentage of attendance
points. If you are more than 15 minutes late for class, it will be marked as an absence. If you have to
miss a class, you are still responsible for the day’s content and homework assignment.
3. Participation: Class participation includes actively working in small group and whole class
activities. You should be asking questions, offering answers, sharing ideas, and paying attention.
Please refrain from using your cell phone or other electronic equipment during class for personal use
(e.g. Facebook, text messaging). Points may be deducted for lack of participation.
4. Exams & Quizzes: No make-up exams or quizzes will be given unless you have made arrangements
with me prior to exam day.
5. Essays: Essays are due at the beginning of class on the due date. Please bring a printed copy and
submit an electronic copy on Turnitin. Essays that are late will be docked one letter grade for each
class period it is late. (For example, an essay which scores 90%, will receive 80% if it is turned in at
the end of class on the due date or one class session late. If that essay is two class sessions late, it will
receive 70%.)
6. Grammar Logs: After students get back their graded drafts, they will correct their ungrammatical
sentences in a grammar log. Directions for the grammar log will be explained in class and posted on
Blackboard.
7. Homework: Please read the chapter related to the topic before class. For each topic, some grammar
exercises will be assigned. The homework will be checked during the first 5 minutes of class. It is
your responsibility to check if your answers are correct. Please ask questions during class or come see
me during office hours to clarify any questions you have. No late homework will be accepted.
8. Blackboard Grade Book: You will have increased control over your final course grade if you keep
track of your earned points on Blackboard Grade Book. The points you earn during the semester will
be posted about every two weeks.
9. Plagiarism: Cheating (which includes plagiarism) comprises a grave offense. Cheating will not be
tolerated, and evidence of cheating by a student will result in loss of credit for the relevant
assignment. As required by the SDSU Senate, evidence of cheating will be reported to the Center for
Student Rights and Responsibilities. They will contact you for a meeting and they will keep a record
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of the offense. Evidence of cheating includes sharing homework as well as incorrectly using the
Internet or other source.
10. Student athletes: If you are a student athlete with away games scheduled during the semester, please
let me know by the end of the first week of class and present me with a copy of your team travel
scheduled. I am aware of your multiple obligations as student athletes, and we will make appropriate
scheduling arrangements – this may include turning assignments in early. I am also aware that there
are other groups identified by the University Senate as having these scheduling requirements and will
make similar arrangements if you identify yourselves and your needs early in the semester.
11. Students with Disabilities Services: If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need
accommodations for this class, it is your responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at (619)
594-6473. To avoid any delay in the receipt of your accommodations, you should contact Student
Disability Services as soon as possible. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive, and that
accommodations based upon disability cannot be provided until you have presented your instructor
with an accommodation letter from Student Disability Services. Your cooperation is appreciated.
FALL 2015 CALENDAR
*The calendar may change depending on the needs of the course.
Week
1
8/24-26
2
8/31-9/2
Topics
Diagnostic, Syllabus
Grammar, Parts of Speech
Chapter 8: Word Forms
Chapter 1: Nouns
Assignments & Assessments
8/31
Parts of Speech (see Bb)
9/2
Chapter 8: Exercises 5-8
3
9/7-9
No class 9/7 – Labor Day
Chapter 2: Articles
9/9
Chapter 1: Exercises 2, 5, 6, 9, 11
4
9/14-16
Chapter 3: Pronouns
Chapter 4: Verbs
9/14
Quiz #1
Chapter 2: Exercises 3, 6, 7, 8
5
9/21-23
Chapter 5: Problems with
Verbs
9/16
Chapter 3: Exercises 1, 3, 4
9/23
Chapter 5: Exercises 1, 5, 7
Simple Sentences &
Coordination (Chapter 13:
Word Order)
6
9/28-30
Complex Sentences
Chapter 15: Adverb Clauses
Fragments (17.3.2)
9/28
Quiz #2
Chapter 13: Exercise 1
9/30
Chapter 15: Exercises 5, 6
3
7
10/5-7
8
10/12-14
9
10/19-21
10
10/26-28
Adverb Clause Reductions &
Dangling Modifiers
10/5
Chapter 17: Exercise 6
Discuss Essay #1
10/7
Chapter 15: Exercises 7, 8, 9, 10
Midterm Review
MIDTERM
Run-ons & Comma Splices
(17.3.1)
10/14
MIDTERM
10/21
Chapter 17: Exercise 4, 5
Chapter 18: Parallel Structure
Chapter 14: Adjective Clauses
10/26
ESSAY #1
Chapter 18: Exercise 2, 3, 9
Chapter 6: Subject-Verb
Agreement
10/28
Chapter 14: Exercises 4, 7, 8, 11
11
11/2-4
Grammar Logs
Chapter 9: Modals
11/2
Chapter 6: Exercise 2, 3, 5, 6
12
11/9-11
Chapter 12: Conditionals
No class 11/11 - Veterans Day
11/9
Grammar Log #1
13
11/16-18
Chapter 11: Passive Voice
11/16
Quiz #4
Chapter 10: Gerunds &
Infinitives
14
11/23-25
15
11/30-12/2
Chapter 16: Noun Clauses
No class 11/25 - Thanksgiving
Chapter 19: Confusing Words
Chapter 17: Punctuation
(17.3.3)
16
12/7-9
Final Review
Finals
12/11-17
Final Exam
Monday 12/14 1:00-3:00pm
11/18
Chapter 11: Exercise 2, 3, 4
11/23
ESSAY #2
11/30
Chapter 16: Exercise 2, 3, 5
12/2
Chapter 19: Exercise 1, 6
12/7
Quiz #5
Grammar Log #2
4