Tehama Campus
ENGL 1A- First Class Handout
Fall 2013
Course Number:
ENGL 1A
Division:
Science, Language Arts, and Mathematics
Credit Hours:
4
Instructors:
James Crooks
Days/Times:
MW 12:00-1:50
Instructor Phone:
529-8980
Instructor Email:
jcrooks@shastacollege.edu
Office Hours:
Course Title:
College Composition
Welcome! Students who do the following ALWAYS do well in this class:
 Attend class every time, on time,
 Revise essays
the whole time
 Visit the writing tutor often
 Ask questions and participate
 Come to my office with questions
 Complete every assignment
Prerequisite: A grade of C or higher in English 190 or ESL 138, or English Placement
Level 6 or higher.
Catalog Description: This course develops the reading, critical thinking, and writing
skills necessary for academic success, emphasizing expository and argumentative
writing as well as research and documentation skills. As a transferable course, it
presupposes that students already have a substantial grasp of grammar, syntax, and
organization, and that their writing is reasonably free from errors. A research paper is
required for successful completion of the course.
Course Objectives: Successful ENGL 1A students will be able to:
1. Critically read, analyze, and evaluate a variety of non-fiction texts for their rhetorical
and technical merit, with consideration of the principles of unity, coherence, tone,
persona, purpose, methods, and the effects on a target audience.
2. Write clear, well-developed academic essays using a variety of rhetorical strategies,
which may include textual analysis, comparison/contrast, causal analysis, and
argument.
3. Write sentences of varying structure in order to emphasize meaning, relationship,
and importance of ideas.
4. Organize paragraphs into a logical sequence, developing the central idea of the
essay to a logical conclusion.
5. Find, analyze, interpret, and evaluate outside sources, including print and electronic
media.
6. Integrate the ideas of others through paraphrase, summary, and quotation into
papers that express the writer’s own voice, position, or analysis.
7. Use current MLA guidelines to document sources.
Shasta College
770 Diamond Ave., Red Bluff, California 96080
www.ShastaCollege.edu
8. Revise, proofread, and edit their essays for public presentation so they exhibit no
gross errors in English grammar, usage, or punctuation.
Student Learning Outcome: Students will write a college-level research paper that
shows ability to use quotations correctly, follows the conventions of MLA format and of
standard written English, and shows adequate topic development.
Required Texts:
Title: A Writer’s Reference
Author: Diana Hacker and Nancy Sommers
Edition: 7th
ISBN: 9780312601430
Title: Writing from Sources
Author: Brenda Spatt
Edition: 8th
ISBN: 9780312602901
Title: Unquenchable
Author: Glennon
ISBN: 9781597268165
Required Materials: You will need the capability to word-process, store, print, and
upload documents. You will also need an email account, internet access, Shasta
College Library card, binder, paper, pens, and dictionary.
Statement of Instructional Methods: We will use lecture, discussion, visual aids,
demonstrations, and group exercises to deliver the course content and help you achieve
the course objectives.
Turnitin.com and Moodle: You will submit some assignments to Turnitin.com and
others to Moodle.
Major Assignments
Essays 800 pts
Exercises 100 pts
Writing Process 100 pts
Grade Scale
Points Earned
Grade
1,000-900 A*
899-800 B*
799-700 C*
699-600 D
599-0 F
Total 1,000 pts
*Students must earn 70% or higher on the argument essay and the research
essay AND earn 700 or more total points to earn a C or higher in the course.
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Instructor Policies: Four Steps to Success.
Step 1: Courtesy. Courtesy includes being polite and preventing disruptions. Common
disruptions include arriving late, leaving early, having private conversations, using
electronics, being rude, eating, and drinking. Disruptive students will be asked to leave.
Step 2: Attendance. Attending class is important because it makes you available to
learn. Missed class activities cannot be made up, but students may find out what they
missed by attending office hours. Only registered students may attend classes.
Step 3: Participation. Participation helps you learn. Participation includes active
listening, note-taking, questioning, discussing, and completing in-class activities. Nonparticipation includes being absent, sleeping, texting, and avoiding activities.
Step 4: Study. Consistent effort leads to mastery of course objectives. Devote eight
hours per week to study for this class. “Studying” includes researching, reading, rereading, writing, revising, editing, attending tutor sessions, reviewing class notes,
completing homework, and visiting office hours.
Late Work. Late essays will be graded at my convenience, if accepted at all. No other
late work is accepted.
Extra Credit. There is no extra credit.
College Policies:
Drop/Withdrawal Policy: If you decide to stop attending, it is always your responsibility
to officially drop or withdraw from the class.
Special Accommodations: If you have a documented disability and wish to discuss
academic accommodations, contact the Disability Resource Center in Room 2007 or
call (530) 242-7794.
Academic Honesty: You will produce original work written this term. This course
follows the Student Standards of Conduct and the Student Discipline Sanctions in the
Shasta College Catalog. Plagiarizing any work at all, in whole or in part, will result in a
grade of F on the assignment.
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