Course Outline of Record
Los Medanos College
2700 East Leland Road
Course Title:
Pittsburg CA 94565
(925) 439-2181
Subject Area/Course Number:
New Course
OR Existing Course
Instructor(s)/Author(s): The English Department (Lead instructor: Sara Toruno-Conley)
Subject Area/Course No.: English 90
Course Name/Title: Integrated Reading, Writing, and Critical Thinking
Discipline(s): English
Units: 5
Pre-Requisite(s): Completion of ENGL-070 or demonstration of equivalent skills based on assessment.
Co-Requisite(s)
Advisories
Catalog Description:
Students are introduced to college level reading, writing and critical thinking skills and are given practice in developing
them. Students will learn skills for reading passages of various lengths and styles, techniques for improving comprehension
and retention and guidelines for writing effective lively paragraphs and academic, thesis-driven essays. This course uses the
whole language, metacognitive approach for improving reading, critical thinking and writing skills which students need to
succeed in college.
Schedule Description:
In this course you will develop the reading, writing and critical thinking skills that are essential for success in college – skills
you will use for the rest of your life! Whatever your chosen career path, you will benefit from the thinking, reading and writing
skills taught in English 90. You will read about relevant, interesting topics, write essays, improve your grammar, and learn to
manage yourself as a college student and lifelong learner. English 90 is excellent preparation for all of your other college
courses, and for your life after college, as well.
Hrs/Mode of Instruction: Lecture: 18
Scheduled Lab: 18
HBA Lab: N/A Composition: 72
Activity: ____
Total Hours
(Total for course)
Credit
Credit Degree Applicable (DA)
Credit Non-Degree (NDA)
(If Non-Credit desired, contact Dean.)
Grading
Last date of Assessment: Spring 2010
Pass/No Pass (P/NP)
Letter (LR)
Student Choice (SC)
Repeatability
0
1
2
3
Cohort #: 4
Please apply for: LMC General Education Requirement(s):
(Please list the proposed area(s) this course meets, or indicate “none”)
Transfer to:
CSU
UC
Course is Baccalaureate Level:
Form Revised 082013
IGETC Area ____
Yes
CSU GE Area____
C-ID Number ______
No
Page 1 of 13
108
Course Outline of Record
Los Medanos College
2700 East Leland Road
Course Title:
Pittsburg CA 94565
(925) 439-2181
Subject Area/Course Number:
Signatures:
Department Chair
Date
Librarian
Date
Dean
Date
Curriculum Committee Chair
Date
President/Designee
Date
CCCCD Approval Date (Board or Chancellor's Office)
Date
For Curriculum Committee Use only:
STAND ALONE COURSE:
YES
NO
FOR OFFICE OF INSTRUCTION ONLY. DO NOT WRITE IN THE SECTION BELOW.
Begin in Semester ______________
Dept. Code/Name:_______________
ESL Class: ____Yes / No___________
Class Code
A Liberal Arts & Sciences
B Developmental Preparatory
C Adult/Secondary Basic Education
D Personal Development/Survival
E For Substantially Handicapped
F Parenting/Family Support
G Community/Civic Development
H General and Cultural
I Career/Technical Education
J Workforce Preparation Enhanced
K Other non-credit enhanced
Not eligible for enhanced
Catalog year 20____/20_____
T.O.P.s Code: _____________
DSPS Class: ____Yes / No_____
SAM Code
A Apprenticeship
B Advanced Occupational
C Clearly Occupational
D Possibly Occupational
E* Non-Occupational
F Transfer, Non-Occupational
*Additional criteria needed
1 One level below transfer
2 Two levels below transfer
3 Three levels below transfer
Class Max: ________________
Crossover course 1/ 2: _____________
Coop Work Exp: ___Yes / No_____
Remediation Level
B Basic Skills
NBS Not Basic Skills
Course approved by Curriculum Committee as Baccalaureate Level: _Yes / No_
LMC GE or Competency Requirement Approved by the Curriculum Committee:
Form Revised 082013
_________________
Page 2 of 13
Course Outline of Record
Los Medanos College
2700 East Leland Road
Course Title:
Pittsburg CA 94565
(925) 439-2181
Subject Area/Course Number:
Distribution: Original: Office of Instruction
Copies: Admissions Office, Department Chairperson
Institutional Student Learning Outcomes
Check the institutional student learning outcomes (or category of outcomes) below that are reflected in
your course:
General Education SLOs (Recommended by GE Committee)
At the completion of the LMC general education program, a student will:
1. read critically and communicate effectively as a writer and speaker.
2. understand connections among disciplines and apply interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving.
3. think critically and creatively
4. consider the ethical implications inherent in knowledge, decision-making and action.
5. possess a worldview informed by diverse social, multicultural and global perspectives.
(Each of the above student learning outcomes for the general education program has a written explanation
with illustrations and examples of its application within courses, as well as specific assessment criteria.
Consult the GE program information pages.)
Program-Level Student Learning Outcomes (PSLOs)
At the completion of the LMC Developmental Education Program, a student will:
1. Demonstrate the skills necessary for the first transfer level courses in English and Math or for the English
and Math competencies for the Certificate of Achievement.
2. Think critically to construct meaning and solve problems.
3. Read with comprehension.
4. Communicate effectively both in writing and orally.
5. Demonstrate the characteristics, habits, and attitudes of an effective learner.
Form Revised 082013
Page 3 of 13
Course Outline of Record
Los Medanos College
Course Title:
2700 East Leland Road
Pittsburg CA 94565
(925) 439-2181
Subject Area/Course Number:
Course-Level Student Learning Outcomes (CSLOs):
1. Read actively and demonstrate critical thinking skills through the ability to summarize, analyze, evaluate and
synthesize assigned readings. (PSLO 1,2,3)
2. Write, edit and revise expository essays which synthesize course readings and are clearly focused, fully
developed, and logically organized. Compose essays with sentences which display a developing syntactical
maturity and whose meaning is not impaired by excessive grammar, usage and proofreading errors. (PSLO 1,4)
3. Demonstrate the ability to use strategies for academic success, including use of college resources and ability to
monitor and evaluate one’s own learning. (PSLO 1,5)
Form Revised 082013
Page 4 of 13
Course Outline of Record
Los Medanos College
2700 East Leland Road
Course Title:
Pittsburg CA 94565
(925) 439-2181
Subject Area/Course Number:
Assessments:
Major essay
assignments/the
final
CSLO 1
CSLO 2
CSLO 3
X
X
X
Summaries and
responses
X
In-class reading
and writing
assignments
Other smaller
assignments such as
journals, online postings,
self-reflective writing,
and/or oral presentations
X
X
X
X
1. Read actively and demonstrate critical thinking skills, through the ability to summarize, analyze,
evaluate and synthesize pre-college readings. (PSLO 1,2,3)
Major essay assignments: Students must make inferences and analyze how the readings
support their own ideas as well as show a clear understanding of the purpose and main point of
the text. These assignments require students to think critically and creatively about the material they read,
synthesize various points of view to support a thesis, evaluate authors’ arguments, and consider and be
articulate about points of view different from their own.
Summaries and responses: Students must summarize major and supporting points as well as evaluate primarily
non-fiction pre-college texts.
In-class reading and writing assignments and various other assignments
such as journals, online postings, self-reflective writing, and/or oral presentations:
These assignments require students to demonstrate a full understanding of pre-college texts by
summarizing major and supporting points, discussing similarities and differences between
reading selections, and/or analyzing the text for a deeper understanding.
Sample Assignment 1
Presentation for Sula
The novel Sula both begins and ends with the characters of Sula and Shadrack. As we discussed in class, both
characters have an unusual connection that is unexplained. Create a dialogue where both characters get a chance
to explain what each thinks of the other. This is an imagined scene and interaction because neither character gets
a chance to talk throughout the novel. You will ask a classmate to play whichever character you are not playing. In
other words, someone will act this imagined dialogue with you. You will submit your written dialogue at the end of
your performance. Think about coming in costume for this option.
Sample Assignment 2
Your Final In-Class Essay Task:
Address one of the below tasks in a 5-paragraph in-class essay on Lakota Woman:
Choose One Only
1. Analyze the differences in culture represented throughout the book (e.g. differences between the
Sioux/Lakota culture and the white American culture or differences between various tribes, etc.).
2. Explain how and why Mary Crow Dog resists being “whitemanized,” and how both she and the other Native
Americans struggle with having to deal with the intrusion of this foreign culture.
Form Revised 082013
Page 5 of 13
Course Outline of Record
Los Medanos College
Course Title:
2700 East Leland Road
Pittsburg CA 94565
(925) 439-2181
Subject Area/Course Number:
3. Explain how and why the Native American Religion is important to Mary Crow Dog and how she comes to
understand and embrace it. Be sure to explain in depth the religion itself.
4. Explain in depth how the AIM movement has been a source of strength for Mary Crow Dog both in
embracing the Native American traditions and fighting against oppression.
2. Write, edit and revise expository essays which integrate and synthesize course readings and are
clearly focused, fully developed, and logically organized. Compose essays with sentences which display a
developing syntactical maturity and whose meaning is not impaired by excessive grammar, usage and
proofreading errors. (PSLO 1,4)
Major essay assignments: Students are required to create, develop, write, and revise thesis statements; analyze,
interpret and synthesize several pre-college sources in support of their thesis statements; write syntactically mature
sentences that show evidence of sentence-combining skills; and revise their work by submitting multiple drafts.
Students will produce approximately 7,500 – 9,500 words including revisions, of which approximately 4,500 must
be formal, final-draft quality work. Essays are to be at least 3-4 pages in length at the beginning of the semester
and progress to at least 4 – 6 pages in length by the end of the semester. The following will make up the essay
writing requirement:
Four academic, thesis-driven essays (one of which will be in-class): Students are expected to complete thesisdriven essays which draw upon and synthesize the readings. Essays are to be at least 3-4 pages in length at the
beginning of the semester and progress to at least 4-6 pages in length by the end of the semester, as students
grapple with more challenging cognitive tasks in their writing.








One will be a timed in-class essay (which can be used as the final)
Either the in-class essay or one of the typed, take home essays will be about the full-length work.
At least one of the major essays will be a persuasive/argumentative essay: a carefully reasoned, wellsupported argument on a debatable subject which summarizes and responds to alternative views, and
persuades the reader to move toward or adopt the writer’s claim. In this paper, the student should
synthesize several points of view and show a clear awareness of the points of view with which she or
he disagrees. This awareness can be shown through writing strategies that summarize, concede, and
refute opposing views.
All essays will be based on, and integrate readings assigned by the instructor
Written instructions and guidance (scaffolding) will be provided for all major essays.
The instructor will provide written feedback on all rough drafts.
Students will participate in evaluating their own and their peers’ writing, making thoughtful suggestions
and comments using an assessment guide provided by the instructor.
All writing assignments should be evaluated using the English 90 rubric provided by the department as
a basis for developing rubrics specific to particular assignments.
Sample Assignment 1
Chapter 3, “Between Cultures” focuses on “the joys and stresses of living with cultural differences” and of existing
between cultures. Some of the authors in this chapter deal with feeling torn between cultures and with cultural
stereotypes and prejudice, themes that are also represented in Lakota Woman by Mary Crow Dog. For this next
essay assignment, you will need to synthesize information from the readings in Chapter 3 and Lakota Woman in
order to support a claim that addresses one of these themes.
Form Revised 082013
Page 6 of 13
Course Outline of Record
Los Medanos College
2700 East Leland Road
Course Title:
Pittsburg CA 94565
(925) 439-2181
Subject Area/Course Number:
Your task:
Write a 5-page essay in which you analyze our theme of living between cultures by answering one or more of the
following questions:
1. How can cultural differences lead to stereotyping and/or prejudice?
2. How does living between cultures lead to identity conflicts?
You will need to use examples from Lakota Woman and 2 of the articles from Chapter 3 listed below. .
Chapter 3 Readings to Choose From:
“Living in Two Worlds” by Marcus Mabry
“The Myth of the Latin Woman” by Judith Ortiz Cofer
“Race is a Four-Letter Word” by Teja Arboleda
Sample Assignment 2
Overview
Students have read several articles, and watched segments of the film Digital Nation about how technology is
having an impact on our lives. Students summarized the main points of these texts and reflected on their own
experiences with technology and social media. Assignment
Write an informative, synthesis essay of 750-1000 words answering ONE of the following questions:
1. How is technology changing or impacting our communication with friends, family, co-workers, teachers,
classmates or significant others in our lives?
2. How is technology changing or impacting our relationships, both established and those new relationships that
may form around technology or social media?
3. Demonstrate the ability to use strategies for academic success, including use of college resources and
ability to monitor and evaluate one’s own learning. (PSLO 1,5)
Instructors will design a variety of assignments that ask students to reflect on their learning, monitor their progress,
and utilize campus resources, such as counseling, writing consultation in the Center for Academic Support,
advising, and so on. Students will also complete written and/or oral assignments in which they will assess their
strengths, evaluate their challenges, and create action plans to help them improve their skills. In addition,
assignments may require students to identify and monitor their own learning processes, and create plans for
assistance and improvement.
Sample Assignment 1
GET HELP WITH AND SUBMIT YOUR FINAL DRAFT
You will do one of two things before you submit your final draft: 1) submit your draft to the Pearson tutoring service
or 2) see a writing consultant at the Center for Academic Support. Bring your guidelines (this sheet) and all work,
including my comments to your appointment. If you prefer to see me, you may use the “drop-in” office hours. I will
have a writing conference sign up sheet to schedule your appointment. Submit your final draft. Be sure to include
any and all process work for this assignment.
Sample Assignment 2
ENG 90
Portfolio Instructions
Your portfolio must include:
Form Revised 082013
Page 7 of 13
Course Outline of Record
Los Medanos College
2700 East Leland Road
Course Title:
Pittsburg CA 94565
(925) 439-2181
Subject Area/Course Number:
1. Title page, cover, and a table of contents. About covers: a thin 3-hole folder is best. No big binders please. Also,
the plastic report covers with the sliding thing are bad because stuff falls out of them. 2. Put in section dividers,
such as post-its, marking all five parts. The point is, make it very easy for me to find everything! Thanks.
2. Self-reflective writing:
A. Evaluate yourself as a reader, writer, critical thinker, and college student. What have you learned and how have
you grown this semester? In what ways do you still need to improve? (1 page or more)
B. My Proofreading (1 page of writing; hand in the four proofreading logs underneath). Evaluate your own writing
with regards to proofreading only. Analyze your four My Proofreading Logs and your rough drafts. What are your
strengths and weaknesses in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and word choice? Are there types of errors that
you’ve eliminated or reduced in your writing this semester? Have you reduced the number of fragments and runons? What do you still need to work on?
C. Goals. Write one long paragraph for each kind. (about 1 ½ pages total)
 Academic goals (Sample goals―I want to try taking a psychology course. I want to become more
comfortable writing a 6-page essay. I want to get better at taking notes during class. I want to
improve my vocabulary. I want to do more recreational reading.)
 Vocational goals (Sample goals―I want to be a pediatric nurse. I want to explore careers related to
psychology, but I don’t know what I want to do yet. I don’t have vocational goals yet, but I’m
interested in…)
 Personal goals (Sample goals―I want to quit smoking and eat more vegetables. I want to read the
newspaper to become more aware of things going on in the world. I want to spend time with my
friends without getting behind on schoolwork. I want to convince my brother to go to college. I want
to write more songs.)
Why do self-reflective writing? Learning to think deeply and clearly about yourself is important! Self-reflection is a
crucial critical thinking skill, a skill you will need as you navigate your way through the worlds of education and
careers, trying to steer yourself towards happiness and success. Self-reflection is also needed in your personal life
to manage friendships, family, love relationships, child-raising. The decision to get married (or not) is probably the
#1 critical thinking decision of your life!
Method of Evaluation/Grading:
CSLOs #1, 2, and 3: These CSLOs reflect the design of an integrated reading and writing curriculum: reading,
writing, and critical thinking are roughly equally weighted (although the essay assignments, reflecting an integration
of these skills, are worth approximately 60% of the total grade). The self-monitoring aspect of the course, while
integrated into the other skills, is of less weight in the total grade.
A final is required:
An in-class final assessment must be given during the week of finals. This can be the required in-class essay
(CSLO 2), or a smaller assignment (CSLOs 1, 3). If the in-class essay is used as the final for the class, it should be
incorporated into the 60% of the major essays’ grade.
Sample of the grade/CSLO break down:
Major essays, including the final (CSLOs 12)
Summaries and responses (CSLO 1)
Smaller Assignments (journals, quizzes,
etc.) (CSLOs 1, 3)
Completion assignments (rough drafts, class
participation, etc.) (CSLO 3)
60%
10%
10%
10%
The “A” student will have demonstrated the ability to:
Take notes that accurately identify main points and respond to an author with relevant and insightful questions.
Write concise summaries that have complete opening statements and identify the author’s main point (thesis) and
Form Revised 082013
Page 8 of 13
Course Outline of Record
Los Medanos College
2700 East Leland Road
Course Title:
Pittsburg CA 94565
(925) 439-2181
Subject Area/Course Number:
supporting ideas, paraphrasing and quoting key words and phrases when necessary to avoid plagiarism. Summary
is clearly organized, free of personal opinions and displays a clear comprehension of main idea.
Writings in response to readings demonstrate the ability to make connections and distinctions between multiple
sources, in order to construct a more complex perspective. Inferences from readings are supported and defended
using textual evidence.
Writings, instructor observation and self-assessment also demonstrate ability to monitor and evaluate individual
reading, writing, and work habit skills given clear criteria to do so. They demonstrate the ability to choose strategies
that work in meeting the demands of different tasks, and in improving skill development in these areas.
Write essays characterized by a clear focus with a stated thesis statement, showing a thoughtful consideration
regarding the assignment, clear topic sentences that are relevant to the thesis, paragraphs that contain abundant
specific examples and show thoughtfulness (e.g. analysis, reflection, explanation, commentary, synthesis), smooth
integration of source material using correct MLA standards, and conclusions that tie together ideas and provide
closure. Sentences demonstrate use of sentence-combining strategies to join sentences and show logical
relationships between ideas, as well as use of effective proofreading practices in written work, resulting in no more
than four errors per page. Essays show evidence that the student has completed, comprehended, and evaluated
relevant readings, and has understood the writing task (including appropriate understanding of audience and
appropriate organizational strategy). The essays fully respond to the challenges of the assignment.
The “C” student will have demonstrated the ability to:
Take notes that usually identify main points, but may show confusion between main and supporting ideas. Write
summaries that have complete opening statements and identify the author’s main point (thesis) and supporting
ideas. The ideas are adequately paraphrased, and/or show attempts at correctly integrating quotes to avoid
plagiarism. Summary is adequately organized, free of personal opinions and displays a general comprehension of
main idea.
Writings in response to readings demonstrate ability to make connections between multiple sources, but the
arrived-at synthesis of ideas may be superficial. Inferences from readings display attempts at support using textual
evidence.
Writings, instructor observation and self-assessment demonstrate attempts to monitor and evaluate individual
reading, writing, and work habit skills; however, ability to do so may be inconsistent and/or superficial. The student
may choose strategies that work in meeting the demands of different tasks, but occasionally may not persist in
pursuing those strategies.
Write essays characterized by an identifiable focus with a recognizable thesis statement and a recognizable
organizational structure, although essay may not maintain clarity as the result of a lack of transitions or unclear
topic sentences. Paragraphs provide development of the thesis/topic sentences through specific examples;
however the support may be minimal, predictable, or reflective of gaps in student comprehension of reading
materials. Essays display integration of source material using MLA standards, although work may contain errors in
formatting. Sentences may demonstrate rudimentary or occasionally flawed use of sentence-combining strategies
to join sentences and show logical relationships between ideas, as well as proofreading errors that may impede
understanding. Most sentences are generally acceptable. Essays show evidence that the student has attempted to
complete the writing task, and has completed and comprehended relevant readings, although comprehension
and/or organization may be faulty. The essays meet the assignment’s minimal requirements.
Form Revised 082013
Page 9 of 13
Course Outline of Record
Los Medanos College
Course Title:
2700 East Leland Road
Pittsburg CA 94565
(925) 439-2181
Subject Area/Course Number:
Course Content:
It is the intent of the department that English 90 be a course that engages students and speaks to their issues and
concerns. The classroom environment needs to be supportive, engaging, and challenging; support services such
as counseling and tutoring need to be readily available and easily accessed. From the beginning, students need to
receive encouragement and information to persist in the English sequence to whatever course level meets their
educational/occupational goal.
Instructors will closely monitor student success and keep lines of communication open with students, regularly
giving oral and written feedback to each student. Such communication can take the form of comments on essays
and other writings, progress reports, teacher-student conferences (in-class or out), email and phone contact.
Students should write frequently and receive regular feedback on their writing with the opportunity to revise based
on feedback given.
It is critical to keep in mind that this is an integrated reading and writing course. Reading should be explicitly taught
and regularly assessed through students’ writing in response to readings, e.g. summaries and paragraphs, and
through students’ use of effective strategies such as annotating, questioning, reflecting, analyzing, etc.
In order to be well prepared for English 100, students must demonstrate the critical thinking skill of synthesis in their
writing
Organization of the course should be largely theme-based (not based on rhetorical modes). Usually this means that
during a 3, 4, or 5-week unit, all the readings will be about a theme, a topic, and the essay and writing assignments
during that unit will also be about that theme. The whole semester, then, may consist of 4 theme-based units.
Sometimes instructors devise a theme for the whole semester.
The LMC English/ESL department believes that we are not only preparing students for future academic endeavors;
we are preparing them to be citizens and to be members of diverse and complex human communities. We
therefore ask all English faculty to include diverse perspectives and important issues in society in the assigned
readings, themes, and writing topics of the course.
A.) Active and critical reading
1. The readings:
a. One or two full-length works (from the dept’s Approved Books list)
b. Short nonfiction articles at a precollege level (article length will usually be 3-6 pages). See the
department’s Approved Book List for sample readings.
2. Reading skills:
a. Students will analyze how the context of both the reader and the text influence the reader’s
interpretation.
b. Using a variety of strategies to enhance reading comprehension and to connect their reading to
personal experience and prior knowledge: previewing, questioning, skimming, annotating, and
metacognitive strategies such as comprehension monitoring.
c. Identifying the shape of text (e.g. introduction, body, conclusion) by reading non-fiction essays
and articles
d. Students will demonstrate their comprehension of assigned readings by writing concise
summaries that identify the author’s main point (thesis) and supporting ideas, paraphrasing and
quoting key words and phrases when necessary to avoid plagiarism
e. In response to readings, students will craft thoughtful responses and create thoughtful questions
based on their own and their classmates’ experiences, as well as the authors’ experiences as
expressed in the readings.
f. Questioning assumptions and detecting biases inherent in the text, themselves and others by
considering purpose, tone, voice, and audience.
g. Making connections and distinctions between their own ideas, their classmates’ ideas and the
ideas found in the text, in order to construct a more complex perspective (synthesis).
h. Drawing inferences that they can support and defend with the text.
Form Revised 082013
Page 10 of 13
Course Outline of Record
Los Medanos College
2700 East Leland Road
Course Title:
Pittsburg CA 94565
(925) 439-2181
Subject Area/Course Number:
B.) Writing, with a focus on essays.
1. Focus and thesis:
a. Formulating a working thesis (controlling idea/purpose) for their essays and refining/clarifying it
as they move through the writing process.
2. Generating, selecting, fully developing, and relating their ideas:
a. Supporting their general ideas (as expressed in the thesis and topic sentences) with adequate
specific ideas: examples, illustrations, statistics, reasons, anecdotes, quotes from sources.
b. Analyzing, interpreting, and synthesizing the information they present in their papers. Explaining
HOW & WHY the specific ideas they provide support their position as expressed in the
general ideas
c. Avoiding plagiarism and correctly incorporating quotes from in-class readings and outside
sources into their essays, by using MLA documentation
d. Using an appropriate tone for audience and purpose, varying their writing styles as needed for
different social contexts and readers
e. Avoiding basic logical errors and pitfalls of argumentation such as oversimplification, hasty
generalizations, either/or thinking, name-calling.
3. Logically organizing ideas:
a. Writing an opening paragraph that introduces the subject and contains a clear thesis
b. Writing coherent body paragraphs headed by clear, appropriate topic sentences that address an
aspect of the thesis.
c. Using transitions which link ideas within and between paragraph
d. Writing a conclusion that ties together the ideas discussed in the essay and leaves the reader
with a satisfying sense of closure
e. Organizing compare-contrast writing, organizing a persuasive/argumentative essay, and other
essays and writing assignments.
4. The writing process: Prewriting, writing, revising, and proofreading.
a. Prewriting: reading, note-taking, thinking, brainstorming, freewriting, mapping, outlining
b. Writing
c. Revising: content changes, including major ones, such as making a new outline and/or thesis, the
total rewrite, adding and taking out sections, etc.
d. Proofreading: spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. Also includes citations & formatting
5. The writing assignments:
a. Types of writing to be taught:
i. The major focus will be thesis-driven, academic essays.
ii. All essays will require some sort of synthesis: the drawing upon of more than one source
of information to support the thesis and present an argument.
iii. At least one of the major essays will be a persuasive/argumentative essay -- a carefully
reasoned, well-supported argument on a debatable subject which summarizes and
responds to alternative views, and persuades the reader to move toward or adopt the
writer’s claim.
b. The Major Essays: Students will produce approximately 7,500 – 9,500 words including revisions,
of which 4,500 must be formal, final-draft quality work. Essays are to be at least 3-4 pages in
length at the beginning of the semester and progress to at least 4 – 6 pages in length by the end
of the semester. The following will make up the essay writing requirement:
i. Three-typed academic, thesis-driven essays and one timed in-class essay
ii. Essays are to be at least 3-4 pages in length at the beginning of the semester and
progress to at least 4-6 pages in length by the end of the semester, as students grapple
with more challenging cognitive tasks in their writing. All essays will be based on, and
integrate readings assigned by the instructor
iii. Written instructions and guidance (scaffolding) will be provided for all major essays.
iv. The instructor will provide written feedback on all rough drafts
v. Students will participate in evaluating their own and their peers’ writing, making thoughtful
suggestions and comments using an assessment guide provided by the instructor.
vi. All writing assignments should be evaluated using the English 90 rubric provided by the
department as a basis for developing rubrics specific to particular assignments.
Form Revised 082013
Page 11 of 13
Course Outline of Record
Los Medanos College
2700 East Leland Road
Course Title:
Pittsburg CA 94565
(925) 439-2181
Subject Area/Course Number:
vii. Either the in-class essay or one of the typed, take home essays will be about the fulllength work.
C.) Summaries and other smaller writing assignments. Other written assignments include summaries, reading
responses, Blackboard postings, and self-reflective writing.
D.) Grammar, proofreading, and syntactical maturity.
1. Syntactical maturity:
a. Developing the knowledge and skills necessary to engage in effective sentence combining
practices:
b. Using coordinators and subordinators to join sentences and show logical relationships between
ideas (Cause & Effect, Comparison and Contrast, Condition, Concession).
c. Using these strategies in their written work
2. Proofreading (editing):
a. Developing the knowledge and skills necessary to engage in effective proofreading practices:
finding and fixing sentence fragments, run-together sentences, subject-verb agreement, verb
tense, shift in person, homonym, capitalization, and spelling errors.
b. Using these strategies in their written work, with no more than four errors per page.
E) Ability to use strategies for academic success, developing the habits of a college student, and ability to monitor
and evaluate one’s own learning
1. Identifying college resources to assist with individual needs, and accessing those resources (counselors,
library, the Center for Academic Support, in-class tutoring, EOPS, etc.). Working with library staff to
complete a resource-related assignment.
2. Seeing a counselor to develop or update an Educational Plan.
3. Regular reflections on the learning process, in writing and discussed in class
a. Developing the knowledge and skills necessary to monitor student’s own strengths and areas
needing improvement:
b. Monitoring one’s own reading and writing process, and creating plans for improvement of focus,
work habits, and skill development
c. Learning to schedule adequate time for the entire writing process
d. Learning to manage the process of prewriting (reading, taking notes, free-writing, mapping,
outlining, etc.)
e. Learning to manage the process of revising and editing drafts
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Course Outline of Record
Los Medanos College
2700 East Leland Road
Course Title:
Pittsburg CA 94565
(925) 439-2181
Subject Area/Course Number:
Instructional Methods: Check all the instructional methods that will be used in teaching this course. Keep in
mind that the method of instruction and activities should relate to the CSLOs.
Lecture
Lab
Activity
Problem-based Learning/Case Studies
Collaborative Learning/Peer Review
Demonstration/Modeling
Role-Playing
Discussion
Computer Assisted Instruction
Other (explain) ________________________________________
Textbooks: Indicate name of text (or list of text choices), author, publisher and date of publication. Date of
publication has to be within 5 years of authoring course outline.
Textbooks
Between Worlds (Longman; 7 ed., October 9, 2011)
Contemporary Reader (Longman; 11 ed., August 27, 2012)
The Writer’s Response (Wadsworth Publishing; 5 ed., January 13, 2011)
Handbooks
The Little English Handbook
Brief Penguin Handbook
Quick Access Compact
Non-Fiction
Lakota Woman by Mary Crow Dog
Black Boy, Richard Wright
Church and State, Kathlyn Gay
I am a Stranger Here Myself, Bill Bryson
I Will Teach You to be Rich, Ramit Sethi
Lakota Woman, Mary Bird Crow Dog
Letter to a Christian Nation, Sam Harris
Never in My Wildest Dreams, Belva Davis & Vicki Haddock
On Writing, Stephen King
This Boy’s Life, Tobias Wolff
Zeitoun, Dave Eggers
Novels
The Assistant, Bernand Malamud
Bless me Ultima, Rudolfo Anaya
Handmaid’s Tale, Margret Atwood
Kindred, Octavia Butler
Shoeless Joe, W.P Kinsella
Sula, Toni Morrison
Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien
Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen
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