SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
English 100A Section 3: First-Year Composition
Fall 2013
Instructor:
Justin Atkinson
Office Location:
Nichols Hall 360
Email:
atkinsoj@seawolf.sonoma.edu
Office Hours:
Thur. 8:30-9:30 or By Appointment
Class Day/Time:
Mon. /Wed. 9:20-10:35
Classroom:
Carson 10
Prerequisites:
Completion of the English Placement Test (EPT).
GE/SSU Studies Category: Completion of English 100A and English 100B satisfies GE Area
A2 (Fundamentals of Communication)
Course Description
English 100A is designed to develop the skills necessary to process text/media, express
ideas effectively, incorporate facts into a persuasive argument, and understand the fundamental
principles of rhetoric. Students will learn to defend their interpretations in an academic format.
The analytical tools that students cultivate throughout the semester will serve them, not only in
their written assignments for this course, but also in any future academic endeavours.
Students must successfully complete both English 100A and English 100B
English 100B may not be taken alone. Completion of English 100A-English 100B
satisfies GE Area A2 (Fundamentals of Communication). Grade only. Three units each semester.
Prerequisites: completion of the English Placement Test (EPT). English 100A is a prerequisite
for English 100B.
Upon successful completion of both semesters of the year-long English 100A-B course, students
will receive 4 units that satisfy their GE Area A2 requirement and 2 units of elective credit
toward graduation. English 100A-B students do not take English 101.
There are no English 100A courses offered in the Spring semester. Completion of English
100A-B is required during students’ freshman year. Therefore, those who fail English 100A
must take an English 100A-equivalent course at a junior college, either during the Spring
semester or during the Summer term, AND they must send proof of registration for that
class to Adrianne Price in Admissions and Records (adrianne.price@sonoma.edu) by July
1st to be reinstated at SSU for the Fall semester.
Syllabus and Assignments are subject to change. For updates please go to:
http://justinatkinsonenglish100aandb.wordpress.com/
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Learning Outcomes
 Critically read, analyze, and evaluate a variety of non-fiction and academic texts from a
range of disciplines, focusing on rhetorical strategies and an understanding of audience,
purpose, and context. Learn to read like a writer in order to discern the rationale for a
writer’s rhetorical choices.

Practice a repertoire of reading strategies: learn to differentiate between fact and opinion;
to understand an author’s ideas, values, and assumptions; and to read for the ideology of
a text in order to detect what is emphasized, what is obscured, and what is missing in a
text.

Read actively and use metacognition to develop college-level reading skills: learn to set a
purpose for reading, to ask questions, to annotate the text, to use fix-up strategies when
comprehension breaks down, and to respond purposefully and analytically to a writer’s
ideas.

Write well-developed, well-organized texts in multiple genres, including thesis-driven
arguments; use a variety of rhetorical effects to enhance cogency and clarity. Produce 4
essays (not including drafts) totaling 5,000 words minimum.

Employ a variety of sentence structures and organizational patterns to illustrate clearly
the logic of ideas.

Learn and employ self-editing skills in conjunction with course mini-lessons on Standard
English grammar, appropriate diction, and usage conventions. Use a writer’s handbook to
detect and to address errors; take ownership over the writing produced.
Required Texts/Materials

Colombo, Cullen, and Lisle, Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking
and Writing (2013)

Diana Hacker and Nancy Sommers, A Writer’s Reference for Multimodal Projects (2012)

1 Composition Notebook

4 Folders with Pockets
Syllabus and Assignments are subject to change. For updates please go to:
http://justinatkinsonenglish100aandb.wordpress.com/
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Course Projects
Essay #1
Essay #2
Essay #3
Essay #4
Journal
Timed, in-class midterm
Participation
TOTAL COURSE POINTS
15
15
20
20
15
5
10
100
********Updated Assignments and Syllabus will be posted on the WordPress site********
http://justinatkinsonenglish100aandb.wordpress.com/
Grading Policy
All work is due at the beginning of class on the stated due date. DO NOT put anything
in the box outside my office or in my mailbox. Essays turned in late will receive one letter
grade reduction for each day past the due date. Regular homework assignments will not be
accepted late. Extra credit opportunities will be made available throughout the semester at the
instructor’s discretion. All written work should be MLA formatted, double-spaced, and in 12
pt., Times New Roman font, and composed in Microsoft Word.
Revision Policy
Every draft will be graded. Up to three total drafts may be submitted for each essay.
Submit all revisions in your pocketed folder with every previous draft of the given essay. You
will never be penalized for a bad revision. Only the highest grade will be recorded. No revisions
will be accepted after 9:20am December 4th.
Attendance and Assignment Deadlines
Attendance is expected at each class meeting. Absences beyond two will affect your final
grade. It is English Department policy that students with 5 or more unexcused absences will
not pass the course, and students who are repeatedly late will lose points and may not pass.
Should you need to miss a class due to an emergency, consult with a peer about the missed class
content. Stay on track with the syllabus assignments. In the case of a major illness or emergency,
please communicate with me directly. Do not schedule medical or advising appointments during
class meeting times.
Classroom Etiquette
In order to keep from distracting yourself and other students, all electronic devices
including cell phones, laptops, and PDA’s must remain off during class unless otherwise
instructed.
Syllabus and Assignments are subject to change. For updates please go to:
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4
University Policies
SSU’s Diversity Vision Statement can be accessed at: http://www.sonoma.edu/diversity/
Academic Integrity
Students should know that the University’s Cheating and Plagiarism policy is available at
http://www.sonoma.edu/UAffairs/policies/cheating_plagiarism.htm. Your own commitment to
learning, as evidenced by your enrolment at Sonoma State University and the University’s
policy, require you to be honest in all your academic course work.
Instances of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Cheating on exams or plagiarism
(presenting the work of another as your own, or the use of another person’s ideas without giving
proper credit) will result in a failing grade and sanctions by the University. For this class, all
assignments are to be completed by the individual student unless otherwise specified.
Campus Policy on Disability Access for Students
“If you are a student with a disability and you think you may require accommodations, please
register with the campus office of Disability Services for Students (DSS), located in Salazar Hall
– Room 1049, phone: (707) 664-2677, TTY/TDD: (707) 664-2958. DSS will provide you with
written confirmation of your verified disability and authorize recommended accommodations.
This authorization must be presented to the instructor before any accommodations can be made.”
The policy can be found at
http://www.sonoma.edu/uaffairs/policies/disabilitypolicy.htm
Emergency Evacuation
If you are a student with a disability and you think you may require assistance evacuating the
building in the event of a disaster, you should inform your instructor about the type of assistance
you may require. You and your instructor should discuss your specific needs and the type of
precautions that should be made in advance of such an event (i.e. assigning a buddy to guide you
down a stairway). We encourage you to take advantage of these preventative measures as soon as
possible and contact the Disabilities Services for Students office if other classroom
accommodations are needed.
SSU Writing Center
The SSU Writing Center is located in Schulz 1103. The Writing Center helps SSU students,
faculty, and staff members (as well as members of the wider community) become better writers
and produce better written documents. The Writing Center website is located at
http://www.sonoma.edu/programs/writingcenter/default.html.
Disruptive Student Behavior
A. Commensurate with the mission of Sonoma State University to prepare students to be
learned men and women with a broad cultural perspective, who are active citizens and
leaders in society and capable of pursuing fulfilling careers, it is the policy of the
university to create learning environments that support civil and respectful discourse. It is
the policy of Sonoma State University to be proactive in dealing with issues of students
who cause disruptions in the academic environment. Faculty members and students are
Syllabus and Assignments are subject to change. For updates please go to:
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5
encouraged to discuss the appropriate ways of behaving in educational settings. It is also
the policy of Sonoma State University to impose sanctions on students who regularly
disrupt educational activities.
B. Definitions Of Disruptive Behavior
C. “Disruption” applied to the academic setting means behavior that a reasonable individual
would view as interfering with normal academic functions. This may include behavior
both inside and outside the physical space of the classroom, such as field trips, office
hours and educational sites off-campus. Examples include but are not limited to:
 Speaking out without being recognized
 Interrupting other speakers
 Engaging in erratic or irrational behavior
 Behaving in a manner that distracts the class from the subject matter or discussion
 Engaging in harassing or threatening behavior or personal insults (includes via
email, phone, text, etc.)
 Refusing to comply with directions from faculty members
D. Civil expression of disagreement with the course instructor during times when the
instructor permits discussion is not, in itself, disruptive behavior and is not prohibited.
E. Policy
F. When a student demonstrates a pattern of disruptive behavior, faculty members have
authority and responsibility to work with that student toward a satisfactory resolution.
Should informal measures, such as private discussions, not resolve the issue, faculty
members may impose sanctions, such as dismissal from the classroom or area for the
remainder of the class session or activity. Students may only be excluded from the
classroom for two or more consecutive class periods by the presidential designee
responsible for student disciplinary procedures. If a faculty member believes that formal
conduct proceedings are warranted for disruptive behavior, a complaint should be
directed to the Student Conduct Administrator as soon as possible after the event takes
place. The incident report (available athttp://www.sonoma.edu/saem/judicial/) will be
kept in accordance with FERPA (Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act). The Student
Conduct Administrator or designee will make initial contact with the student within one
working day of receiving an incident report. The faculty member who filed the incident
report will receive confirmation that a meeting took place and information about the
outcome of that meeting from the Student Conduct Administrator or designee within one
working day of the meeting. Hearings and/or sanctions will be conducted in accordance
with the proceedings described in Article IV of Executive Order 1043. The faculty
member will be kept apprised of proceedings within the limits of FERPA.
G. Authority
H. Title 5, California Code of Regulations, Section 41301 lists various infractions of the
code of conduct for which students may be sanctioned. Section 41301 gives authority to
the Chancellor of the California State University to establish disciplinary procedures
(Executive Order 1043, http://www.calstate.edu/eo/EO-1043.html ) for all campuses. For
more information, see the SSU online catalog
(http://www.sonoma.edu/ar/catalog/regulations.shtml) or the Student Affairs and
Enrollment Management Division web site
(http://www.sonoma.edu/saem/judicial/title_V.pdf).
Syllabus and Assignments are subject to change. For updates please go to:
http://justinatkinsonenglish100aandb.wordpress.com/
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English 100A Assignments
Monday/Wednesday 9:20-10:30
Carson 10
Week
1
Date
Wednesday
Aug 21
In-Class Activities
Syllabus
Assignments Due
Expectations
2
Monday
Aug 26
Dewey Handout
Intro Essay #1 Writing Prompt
Intro Journal Guidelines
Read: Dewey Handout
Print Signature Page of
Syllabus
Read Aloud Workshop
Prereading: Questioning
Wednesday
Aug 28
Examples Resume/Cover Letter
Evaluation
Optional: Bring in a piece of
writing that will be very
difficult for Professor Atkinson
to comprehend
Jig Saw HW
2 Page Journal Entry
First Journal Guided Discussion
Bring Dewey Handout to class
3
4
Monday
Sept 2
Wednesday
Sept 4
Monday
Sept 9
Writing Center Introduction 10:15am
Labor Day
No Class
1st Draft Essay #1 Due
ML (Mini Lesson): Parallel
Constructions
Examples Cover Letter
Read: “Against School” by
John Taylor Gatto
141-149
ML: Comma Splice
2 Page Journal Entry
Return Essay #1 1st Draft
Journal Guided Discussion
Prereading: Predicting
Syllabus and Assignments are subject to change. For updates please go to:
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Wednesday
Sept 11
5
Monday
Sept 16
Wednesday
Sept 18
ML: Subject Verb Agreement
Read: “College at Risk” by
Andrew Delbanco
219-227
Journal Guided Discussion
2 Page Journal Entry
Intro New Journal Guidelines
Prereading: Schema Activation – Clip
from Capitalism: A Love Story
ML: Passive Voice
Fish Bowl Discussion
Read: “Idiot Nation” by
Michael Moore
121-139
Pro/Con Chart Workshop
2 Page Journal Entry
ML: Citation—Selection from
Anthology
Final Essay #1
Turn in Journals
Intro Essay #2 Writing Prompt
Persuasive Letter Examples –
Evaluation Exercise
Thesis/Introduction Workshop
6
Monday
Sept 23
Wednesday
Sept 25
Prereading: Refining Schema –
Clip from Malcolm X
ML: Citation—In text
Journal Guided Discussion
Read: “Learning to Read” by
Malcolm X
189-197
Mapping/Outlining Workshop
Intro Essay #3 Writing Prompt
1st Draft Essay #2 Due
ML: Independent/Dependent Clauses
7
Monday
Sept 30
Wednesday
Oct 2
Prereading: KWL
Intro New Journal Guidelines
Return Essay #2 1st Draft
Read: “The End of Men” by
Hanna Rosin
471-489
Journal Guided Discussion
2 Page Journal Entry
Prereading: Building Own Story
ML: Ethos Pathos Logos
Timed writing Strategies Workshop
Read: “The Lesson” by
Toni Cade Bambara
253-259
Syllabus and Assignments are subject to change. For updates please go to:
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Journal Guided Discussion
8
9
Monday
Oct 7
Wednesday
Oct 9
Monday
Oct 14
2 Page Journal Entry
Sign up for Conferences
Timed Writing Exam
Individual Conferences
No Class
ML: Intro Fallacies – Ad Populum
Final Essay #2
Turn in Journals
Post It Note Workshop –
Planning Essay #3
Wednesday
Oct 16
Prereading: TBD
Check In
ML: Ad Hominum
Journal Guided Discussion
10
Monday
Oct 21
Prereading: TBD
ML: Straw Man
Journal Guided Discussion
Revision Introduction—
Ordered Concerns
11
Read: “Girl” by
Jamaica Kincaid
384-386
“Para Teresa” by
Inés Hernández-Ávila
198-200
Read: “Weeping for the Lost
Matriarchy” by
Kay Givens McGowan
396-409
2 Page Journal Entry
Wednesday
Oct 23
Revision Techniques Workshop –
MEET at the Writing Center
Schulz 1103
1st Draft Essay #3 Due
Monday
October 28
Return Essay #3 1st Draft
Read: “Making it in America”
by
Adam Davidson
333-340
Intro Essay #4 Writing Prompt
ML: Kairos
2 Page Journal Entry
Journal Guided Discussion
Wednesday
Oct 30
Prereading: TBD
ML: Tense Shifts
Journal Guided Discussion
Read: “Chyna and Me” by
Joyin C. Shih
517-523
Prereading: TBD
2 Page Journal Entry
Syllabus and Assignments are subject to change. For updates please go to:
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12
Monday
Nov 4
ML: TBD
Journal Guided Discussion
Read: “Loot or Find: Fact or
Frame?” by
Cheryl I. Harris and
Devon W. Carbado
524-538
2 Page Journal Entry
Wednesday
Nov 6
ML: TBD
Final Essay #3
Turn in Journals
Note Card Workshop
13
Monday
Nov 11
Wednesday
Nov 13
Prereading: TBD
Veterans Day
No Class
ML: TBD
Journal Guided Discussion
14
Monday
Nov 18
Prereading: TBD
Check In
ML: TBD
Read: “American Myths of
Freedom” by
Colombo, Cullen, Lisle
617-623
Read: “Deconstructing
America” by
Patrick J. Buchanan
593-603
Journal Guided Discussion
2 Page Journal Entry
Wednesday
Nov 20
15
Monday
Nov 25
ML: TBD
Prereading: TBD
Return Essay #4 1st Draft
ML: TBD
1st Draft Essay #4
Read: “Slavery in the Land of
the Free” by
Kevin Bales and Ron Soodalter
721-736
2 Page Journal Entry
16
Wednesday
Nov 27
Monday
Dec 2
Thanksgiving Holiday
No Class
ML: TBD
TBD
Wednesday
Evaluations
Final Essay #4
Syllabus and Assignments are subject to change. For updates please go to:
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10
Dec 4
17
Wednesday
Dec 11
8:00am9:50am
Turn in Journals
Final
No Class
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Signature Page – Please print this page and bring it to class Monday Aug 26.
I have read the course policies for English 100A stated on the syllabus and understand
them. If I have any questions, I will promptly address them to the instructor.
(Sign Name)
(Date)
_______________________________
_____________________
(Print Name)
_______________________________
Syllabus and Assignments are subject to change. For updates please go to:
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