Chaffey College
Class Syllabus
English 450
Fundamentals of Composition
Instructor: Deckard Hodge
Room: TA-08
Time: TTh 9:30-11:00
Email: deckard.hodge@chaffey.edu
Course Website: www.chaffey.edu/english/hodge/index.htm
Semester: Spring, 2009
Section: 54046
Office: LA-9F
Office Hours: TTh 7:30-9:30 am, 12:30-1:00 pm; ABA
Office Phone: 909-652-6924
Prerequisite:
Score on the Chaffey College English Placement Test at the English 450 level, or satisfactory completion of English 550,
or completion of Business and Office Technologies 455 with a minimum grade of C, or equivalent.
Course Description:
Careful study and practice of expository writing techniques and the frequent writing of integrated paragraphs and essays
with the ultimate goal of writing an essay using sources and preparing the student for English 1A. Five arranged hours of
supplemental instruction (workshops, study groups, and/or directed learning activities) in a Language Arts Success Center
are required.
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of English 450, students will be able to:
 understand and appreciate the specific characteristics that contribute to good writing;
 think logically and express themselves in clear, effective written prose;
 explain and apply principles that lead to the creation of unified and coherent compositions;
 recognize and formulate clear and specific controlling ideas and develop these ideas into unified and complete
compositions;
 analyze the structure of various kinds of composition development, including exposition and argument, and
construct compositions in such patterns;
 demonstrate an understanding of various logical relationships of ideas within a composition and apply these in their
own writings;
 recognize concerns and areas for growth in their writing to make it more effective;
 exhibit the coherence and rhetorical devices that make a composition rational, clear, and aesthetically sound;
 understand writing as a process;
 respond thoughtfully and constructively to their own and others’ work.
Academic Integrity:
The Chaffey College English Department has adopted the following policy:
Plagiarism, an unlawful act which is defined as the misrepresentation of the published ideas or words of another
as one’s own, will not be tolerated in Chaffey College English courses. At the discretion of the professor,
plagiarism may result in zero points for the assignment and/or failing the course.
For this course, the first offense—whether it is an outright theft of another’s work, an instance of lazy paraphrasing, or
somewhere in between—will result in an automatic failure of the semester. In addition, a disciplinary record will be
established and kept on file with the college.
Required Texts:
Krakauer, Jon. Into the Wild. New York: Anchor Books, 1996.
Wyrick, Jean. Steps to Writing Well with Additional Readings. 7th edition. Boston: Thomson Wadsworth, 2008.
A soft, non-fastening folder with pockets.
One Book, One College:
The One Book, One College Committee strives to create a community of readers across the curriculum at Chaffey College
and within the communities it serves. Each year, the committee selects a college book and creates a diverse series of
related events. Students are encouraged to participate in these activities to enrich their educational experience at Chaffey.
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Attendance and Participation:
Attendance is assumed. Students get four personal days for which they owe me no explanation; these are your days on
which to be sick, tend to family business, suffer car breakdowns, etc.. Missing a significant portion of any class period
constitutes an absence. Missing more than four meetings, for any reason, will have a significant negative impact on your
course grade. Missing more than seven meetings, for any reason, may result in automatic failure of the course.
If you are absent, it is your responsibility to find out what you have missed and to read the syllabus to find out what you
need to do to prepare for the next class. Being absent is not an acceptable excuse for being unprepared when you return,
so it might be a good idea for you to exchange contact information with a few of your classmates.
________________________
Name & Number
________________________
Name & Number
________________________
Name & Number
Your contribution to classroom discussion and activity is important to your progress in this course. Homework and
participation will determine twenty percent of your grade. Participation includes arriving prepared for class activities
(such as reading discussions and peer critiques), taking quizzes, completing your supplemental instruction, revising
multiple drafts, and otherwise actively engaging with the course material. Be sure to always come to class with your
reading and homework completed, as late homework will not be accepted for credit.
Papers:
All papers must be typed, double-spaced, in 12 pt. Times New Roman font, with MLA style title and heading and one
inch margins. Essays should always meet or exceed the minimum length and may be penalized for failing to do so.
Essays have no maximum length. Please bring two copies of your essay on peer critique days. Your work will be shared
with the members of this class for their benefit, appreciation, and constructive criticism, so do not write about a subject
that you would feel uncomfortable discussing in an open forum. If you miss class or arrive unprepared on the day of a
peer critique, you may make arrangements to have your paper critiqued by a classmate or an outside source. Final essays
must be accompanied by all drafts and pre-writing (in your soft pocket folder) in order to receive full credit.
Papers will be penalized ten percent if not turned in at the beginning of class on the date that they are due. Thereafter, you
will have one week to complete the assignment for a reduced grade. After one week, you will receive a zero for the
assignment. Because circumstances may arise which prevent you from submitting an essay on time, you will be allowed
one one-week grace period, during which time no late penalty will be assessed. This essay must still be submitted within
one week of the original due date in order to receive credit. Hopefully, there will be no problems.
Students are allowed to revise one essay. To receive credit for this revision, students must submit their original, graded
essay along with their revised version by the date indicated at the end of this syllabus. The average of the original grade
and the revised grade will replace the original grade. In order to see an improvement in their grade, students must make
substantial changes that show careful consideration of instructor feedback.
Grading:
Homework and Participation:
Essay #1
Description:
Essay #2
Narration:
Essay #3
Argument:
Essay #4
Exposition:
(2 pages)
(2 pages)
(2 pages)
(2 pages)
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
Grading Standards:
An A paper (90-100) is excellent in nearly all respects. It shows originality of thought that goes well beyond material
presented in class. It is well argued and well organized with a clear, specific, and ambitious thesis. It is well developed
with content that is specific, interesting, appropriate, and convincing. It has logical and artful transitions and is marked by
stylistic finesse and varied sentence structures. It demonstrates command of mature diction and has few, if any,
mechanical, grammatical, spelling, or diction errors.
A B paper (80-89) is excellent in several respects but may have a less sophisticated thesis, a less distinguished style, some
minor lapses in organization and development, some ineffective sentence structures, and/or some minor mechanical,
grammatical, spelling, or diction problems.
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A C paper (70-79) is generally competent, but compared to a B paper, it may have a weaker thesis and less effective
style and development. It may contain some lapses in organization, poor or awkward transitions, less varied sentence
structures that tend toward choppiness or monotony, and/or significant problems with mechanics, grammar, spelling, or
diction.
A D paper (60-69) is below average and may present a thesis that is too vague or too obvious to be developed effectively.
It generally exhibits problems with organization, support, transitions, sentence structures, mechanics, grammar, spelling,
and/or diction that impede understanding.
An F paper (59 and below) is far below average and may have no clear thesis or central topic. It may display a lack of
organization, support, and development. It may contain major and repeated problems with mechanics, grammar, spelling,
and/or diction and may fail to fulfill the assignment or may be unacceptably brief.
Early Alert:
In order to assist students when they need support, Chaffey College uses an Early Alert System that allows your instructor
to notify you if your success in this course appears to be in jeopardy. This system is designed to provide you with
individualized attention while there is still time for you to successfully complete this course. The Early Alert Office may
send you a letter or email followed up with a telephone call to discuss your classroom performance and the on-campus
resources available to you, so please use My ChaffeyVIEW to keep your contact information up to date.
Tutoring and Student Support:
The Chaffey College Success Centers offer free tutoring and academic support for all Chaffey students. To reserve your
space in a workshop or to ensure that a tutor will be available during your visit, please call ahead to schedule an
appointment. Four of the centers are designed to address specific subject needs:
Math Center
(PS-12)
652-6452
Language Center
(EEC-101)
652-6907
Writing Center
(Library)
652-6820
Reading Center
(EEC-101)
652-6932
For all other subject needs and study support, students can access one of the Multidisciplinary Success Centers in Rancho
Cucamonga, Fontana, and Chino.
Rancho Success Center
(EEC-101)
652-6932
Fontana Success Center
(CCFC-107)
652-7408
Chino Success Center
(CHMB-145)
652-8150
Chino Reading/Writing Center
(CHMB-240)
652-8160
Writing Center Requirement:
Students are required to earn five hours of Language Arts Success Center credit in the form of workshops, study groups,
and/or directed learning activities in order to successfully complete this course. Visits are available by appointment only,
so please remember to plan ahead. It will be difficult, if not impossible, for you to complete the bulk of your hours during
the last few weeks of the semester, when the success centers are extremely busy, so again, please remember to plan ahead.
I strongly recommended that you meet with a tutor on a regular basis, but please note that tutoring hours do not count
toward your five hour minimum requirement.
DPS:
If you have a disability documented by a physician or other appropriate professional and wish to discuss academic
accommodations, please contact the DPS office (652-6379). Please be sure to allow adequate time to arrange for an
appropriate accommodation.
EOPS and CARE:
Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) is designed to ensure student retention and success through
academic support and financial assistance for eligible students. Cooperative Agencies Resources for Edcuation (CARE)
is a program that serves a limited number of EOPS students who are single heads of household parents. It provides
additional support services beyond those available through EOPS. The ultimate goal is completion of a certificate
program, an associate degree, and/or transfer to a four-year college. Call (909) 652-6345 for more information.
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Sequence of Topics:
The tentative schedule for the semester is as follows:
* = bring Steps to Writing Well with Additional Readings to class
@ = bring Into the Wild to class
Week One
Jan.
T 13: Introduction to the course and each other; Review syllabus.
Th 15: Invention; Dominant impressions/Thesis statements; Concrete details; Cliché; Overview of the
writing process.
Homework For Next Time: Read Steps (313-318).
Week Two
*
T 20: Discuss reading; Description notes; Figurative language; Discuss Essay #1; More invention; In-class
writing.
Homework For Next Time: Read Steps (323-328); Rough draft of Essay #1 due one week from today.
*
Th 22: Discuss reading; Showing vs. Telling; Sample student paper; Visit office and writing center.
Homework For Next Time: Rough draft of Essay #1.
Week Three
T 27: MLA format; Discuss what makes a good essay.
Homework For Next Time: Revise Essay #1.
Th 29: How to peer critique; Peer critique; Responding to peer critique.
Homework For Next Time: Revise Essay #1.
Week Four
*Feb. T 03: Grammar (Steps Ch. 20); Revision (Steps Ch. 5).
Homework For Next Time: Revise and finish Essay #1.
*@
Th 05: Essay #1 due; The importance of proofreading; Share essays; Critical reading strategies (Steps 170-172);
Benefiting from class discussions (Steps 177-179).
Homework For Next Time: Read Into the Wild (3-69).
Week Five
@
T 10: Discuss reading; Invention.
Homework For Next Time: Read Into the Wild (70-102); Read Steps (333-336).
*@
Th 12: Discuss reading; Narration notes; Invention.
Homework For Next Time: Read Into the Wild (103-171); Read Steps (339-345).
Week Six
*@
T 17: Discuss reading; Dialogue; Invention; Discuss Essay #2; Participation Progress Report #1.
Homework For Next Time: Bring graded Essay #1 to class; Read Into the Wild (172-203).
@
Th 19: Discuss reading; Class review of essay comments; Partnered review of Essay #1 comments.
Homework For Next Time: Read Steps (641-643; 646-648); Rough draft of Essay #2 due one week
from today.
Week Seven
*
T 24: Discuss reading; Invention; Pacing; Specific Narrative Action; Sign up for office visits.
Homework For Next Time: Rough draft of Essay #2.
Th 26: Sample student paper; Peer critique; Time to revise; Sign up for office visits; Discuss Survival day #1.
Homework For Next Time: Revise and finish Essay #2; Rank survivors.
Week Eight
Mar. T 03: Essay #2 due; Share essays; Survival day #1.
Homework For Next Time: Read Steps (277-286); Read “To Build a Fire;” Reading response.
Th 05: Office visits.
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Week Nine
T 10: Office visits.
*
Th 12: Discuss reading; Argumentation notes; More survival work; Practice introduction and thesis.
Homework For Next Time: Read Steps (293-295).
SPRING BREAK
Week Ten
*
T 24: Review argument; Discuss reading; Watch film.
@
Th 26: Watch film; Discuss film; Discuss Essay #3; Practice argument; Participation Progress Report #2.
Homework: Rough draft of Essay #3 due one week from today.
Week Eleven
T 31: Survival day #2; Sample thesis statements.
Homework For Next Time: Rough draft of Essay #3.
Apr.*@ Th 02: Peer critique; Quote integration; Self reflection exercise.
Homework For Next Time: Revise Essay #3.
Week Twelve
T 07: Revision exercise.
Homework For Next Time: Revise and finish Essay #3.
*
Th 09: Essay #3 due; Exposition (Steps Ch. 9); Discuss example and process analysis.
Homework For Next Time: Read Steps (191-193; 202-206; 579-581; 591-592).
Week Thirteen
*
T 14: Discuss reading; Discuss comparison/contrast and definition.
Homework For Next Time: Read Steps (221-224; 225-227; 242-245).
*
Th 16: Discuss reading; Discuss division/classification and causal analysis; Discuss Essay #4.
Homework For Next Time: Read Steps (253-256; 256-257; 268-271); Rough draft of Essay #4 due on
April 28th.
Week Fourteen
T 21: Faculty Lecture Day. No Class.
*
Th 23: Discuss reading; Invention; Time to write.
Homework For Next Time: Bring graded Essay #3 to class; Rough draft of Essay #4.
Week Fifteen
T 28: Partnered review of Essay #3 comments; Thesis statement and organization exercise; Time to revise.
Homework For Next Time: Revise Essay #4.
Th 30: Peer critique; Time for revision; Discuss two minute platform.
Homework For Next Time: Revise and finish Essay #4; Type at least one question you’d like answered.
Week Sixteen
May T 05: Essay #4 due; Reflection exercise; In-class writing.
Homework For Next Time: Prepare for platform.
Th 07: Two minute platform.
Homework For Next Time: Complete extra credit assignments.
Week Seventeen
T 12: Extra credit assignments due; Partnered review of Essay #4 comments; Semester review.
Class meets on Thursday, May 14th from 8:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Optional revision of Essay 1, 2, or 3 is due at the
beginning of class on this date.