English 101 - College Reading and Composition I
Course Syllabus
Instructor: Karen Amano-Tompkins
Term: Spring 2015
Sections: 0232 MW 9:35-11:00 am & 0213 – MW 12:45-2:10 pm
Location: NEA 101
Office hours: MTTh 11-12 pm, W 9-9:30 am & 11:40-12:40 pm, Th 6:20-6:50 am in NEA 254
Office phone: (310) 233-4219
Email: amanotk@lahc.edu OR ms.tompkins@earthlink.net (best way to communicate with me
outside of class!)
Course Web site: http://mstompkinsblog.wordpress.com
English 101 is a course in critical reading and prose writing designed to refine the student’s skills in
thinking logically, reading carefully, and writing effectively. Stress is placed on the organization
and composition of objective expository essays, including the research paper.
Prerequisite: Completion of English 28 or 31 with a “C” or better or appropriate score on
assessment test.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete English 101 should be able to
 Apply critical reading/thinking/writing skills analyzing and writing, both in and out-of-class
essays, about various freshman composition level readings including essays and the novel.
 Demonstrate the ability to follow academic conventions by formatting expository essays,
including page-layout, parenthetical citations and Works Cited entries, in the current standard
MLA format.
 Write freshman-level essays that follow the various stages of essay writing, including prewriting, thesis development, illustration and support of the thesis using concrete, specific
evidence/examples, editing, proofreading and which are free of most errors in syntax,
grammar, punctuation, diction, and spelling.
 Demonstrate understanding of effective college-level argumentation by producing logically
supported arguments and by recognizing and avoiding common logical fallacies.
 Produce a research paper, which utilizes the various elements of research production, such as
designing a research plan, compiling research notes, producing an outline, developing a draft,
producing a finished paper that utilizes at least five sources and has a complete MLAformatted Works Cited page.
ADA Statement:
Students with disabilities, whether physical, learning, or psychological, who believe that they may
need accommodations in this class, are encouraged to contact Special Programs & Services as soon
as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely manner. Their phone
number is 310-233-4620, and they are located in Cafeteria 108.
Required Texts: (available at the campus bookstore)
Writing Arguments: A Rhetoric with Readings by John C. Ramage, John C. Bean, & June Johnson
– ISBN 0-205-17163-X
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini – ISBN 159448385X
The Ethics of What We Eat by Peter Singer & Jim Mason – ISBN 1-59486-687-6
Rules for Writers by Diana Hacker (recommended) – ISBN 0-312-64736-0
You will also need to purchase two blue exam books for in-class essays.
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Bring your books, a notebook (or notebook paper), and a pen to every class meeting. To complete
some assignments, you will need access to the Internet and to a computer word processor.
Students who succeed in English 101 usually choose to:
**Read carefully!**
 Make a serious commitment to succeeding in this class.
 Come to class on time and prepared.
 Get the required texts as soon as possible.
 Do all the assignments, including readings, and keep up with the class schedule.
 Participate in class discussions and activities.
 Refrain from using their cell phones during class.
 Let me know immediately if they experience a problem with the class or if other areas of
their lives seriously interfere with their ability to do their class work.
 Seek out all legitimate help with their course work, if they need it, including the Writing
Lab, Special Programs & Services, campus librarians, their textbooks, and me.
 Maintain academic integrity by doing their own work. They do not plagiarize; they do not
cheat. (See box on plagiarism on next page.)
 Treat their classmates and instructor with respect and consideration.
 Recognize that real learning is difficult – it involves making mistakes and taking risks.
If you are not willing to make these choices, you are not likely to succeed in this class!
I will be happy to meet with you to discuss your work in this course. I encourage you to visit me
during office hours, but if that is not convenient for you, we can make an appointment to meet at
another time.
All students are expected to abide by the Standards of Student Conduct detailed in the Course
Catalog.
Plagiarism can mean copying, word for word, all or part of something someone else has written
and turning it in with your name on it. Plagiarism also includes using your own words to express
someone else’s ideas without crediting the source of those ideas.
Plagiarism is a very serious form of academic misconduct. It’s both lying and stealing, and it’s a
waste of time for students and teachers. College and departmental policy on plagiarism will be
strictly enforced: Any student caught plagiarizing will automatically receive a zero for that
assignment, with no possibility of making it up, and may be subject to a formal reprimand and/or
suspension.
Cite your sources! Please retain all notes and drafts of your papers until grading for the course is
completed.
Attendance/Tardiness
Attendance in class is mandatory. This is the college policy. If a student is absent for more than the
hours that a class meets per week, or if there is irregular attendance or a pattern of absences, the
instructor has sufficient cause to drop a student from the class. For example, if a course meets 3
hours a week, then a student is allowed a maximum of 3 absences. Students who enter the class
after the official starting time will be marked absent for that particular day.
If a student is absent the first and/or second class meeting of the first week of the semester, then the
student will be dropped from the class. If you are absent three classes in a row, I will assume you
intend to drop the class.
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Electronic Communication Devices Policy
According to Communications Division policy, electronic communication devices must remain off
during class time. Exceptions may be considered by faculty consultation (i.e. family emergency). A
first offense may result in the student being suspended from the class for one meeting. Repeated
offenses may result in up to a 2-day suspension from the class pending a conference with the Vice
President of Student Services.
Course site: http://mstompkinsblog.wordpress.com
A reference Web site for this course is available at the URL above. The site primarily contains
information that we cover in class, such as due dates and requirements for specific assignments.
Downloadable handouts will be available on the Downloads page, so if you miss or lose a class
handout, you’ll be able to find it here.
Grading:
Your final grade in this class will be computed as follows.
Essays (2)
24%
Prewriting/Outlines & Drafts
4%
Research Paper
23%
Proposal
1%
Mini Drafts
3%
Reading Analysis Presentations (5)
20%
Midterm
7%
Final
8%
Quizzes
6%
Participation
4%
Total
100%
A = 90% 900-1000 points
D = 60% 600-699
B = 80% 800-899
F = 50% 0-599
240 points (120 points each)
40 (10 points per outline/draft)
230
10
30 (5 points for each mini draft)
200 (40 points each)
70
80
60 (20+ quizzes worth 2-5 points each)
_40 points
1000 points
C = 70% 700-799
English 101 is a UC-CSU transferable course, so rigorous academic standards must be applied to
grading your work. All assignments are required. In-class work, such as reading analysis
presentations and quizzes, cannot be made up. Both essays and the research paper are required to
pass the class.
Missing assignments can significantly impact your grade and prevent you from passing the course.
For example, if you fail to complete two Reading Analysis Presentations (40 points each), miss an
outline and a draft (10 points each), and miss five quizzes (4 points each), you will need to earn an
average score of more than 80% on every other assignment in order to pass the class with a C
(70%).
No late assignments will be accepted, unless an extension has been arranged with the instructor in
advance. Papers may not be submitted by email except by special permission, and when permitted,
it is the student’s responsibility to make sure that the paper is received and readable.
Quizzes will be given frequently throughout the term whenever substantial reading is due. Each
quiz will consist of two to four multiple-choice questions that the instructor will read out loud.
Quizzes will always be given at the beginning of the class session; students who are absent or arrive
late may not make up quizzes, even if they have really good excuses.
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Reading Analysis Presentation assignments: You are required to present your analysis of one of
the assigned readings every few weeks for the duration of the class. There will be a sign-up sheet
for each set of readings; in some cases, you may be assigned to analyze a specific reading. You
must do your analysis on the reading you signed up for (or were assigned) – you may not switch to
another reading without clearing it with your instructor. Your written analysis is due the day we
discuss it in class (see Schedule), and you will present your findings to the class during our
discussion of the reading. Late reading analyses will not be accepted. Guidelines for the reading
analyses will be distributed separately.
Essays (including Research Paper) must be typed and formatted according to MLA (Modern
Language Association) guidelines. For guidance, see the MLA Formatting and Style Guide at the
Web site of the Purdue Online Writing Lab (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ link available on the course site). Papers may not be submitted by email except by special
permission, and when permitted, it is the student’s responsibility to make sure that the paper is
received and readable. Late papers will receive an automatic 10-point deduction and will not be
accepted later than one week after the original due date. The research paper will not be accepted
late!
Turnitin.com: To verify the originality of writing submitted for this class, all essays must be
uploaded to Turnitin.com. Turnitin.com will generate an originality report for the instructor
identifying any borrowed material in student essays (borrowed material includes correctly
documented quotes, as well as plagiarized material). In order to receive full credit, students must
upload their essays to Turnitin.com before class on the day the assignment is due. No essay will be
graded until it is uploaded to Turnitin.com.
Go to Turnitin.com to create a student profile. Use the following information to upload your essay:
Section 0232 (9:35-11 am)
Section 0213 (12:45-2:10 pm)
Class ID: 9431551
Class ID: 9431564
Enrollment password: 0232
Enrollment password: 0213
Revising: You may revise one or both of the two take-home essays (not the research paper) and
resubmit your work for a new grade. To improve your grade, you will need to do more than correct
grammatical errors and reword or reorder a few phrases. Revision means a new vision; it means
looking at your work with fresh eyes and reconsidering the content, focus, and organization of your
essay. It may involve rethinking, as well as rewriting. You are strongly advised to consult with your
instructor and/or the Writing Lab before you begin revising. Revised essays are due within one
week of receiving your original essay back and must be accompanied by your original essay. An
essay grade will be raised a maximum of 10 percentage points. Please do not revise and resubmit
essays that receive a score of 90% or higher.
Contact information for a few reliable classmates
___________________________________________________________________
Name
Phone
Email
___________________________________________________________________
Name
Phone
Email
___________________________________________________________________
Name
Phone
Email
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Grade Tracker for English 101
Assignment
Points possible
points earned
Thesis + summary
5 points (count as a quiz)
Quizzes 1, 2, 3, & 4
2 + 4 + 4 + 3 = 13
Reading Analysis 1
40
Prewriting 1
10
Draft 1
10
Quizzes 5, 6, 7, & 8
2 + 3 + 2 + 3 = 10
Essay 1
120
Quizzes 9 & 10
3+2=5
Reading Analysis 2
40
Midterm exam
70
Research proposal
10
Quizzes 11, 12, 13, & 14
2 + 4 + 2 + 2 = 10
Reading Analysis 3
40
Quizzes 15, 16, 17, & 18
2+2+2+2=8
Prewriting 2
10
Draft 2
10
Essay 2
120
Reading Analysis 4
40
Mini drafts 1, 2, & 3
5 + 5 + 5 =15
Quizzes 19 & 20
3+2=5
Mini drafts 4, 5, & 6
5 + 5 + 5 = 15
Quizzes 21 & 22
2+4=6
Reading Analysis 5
40
Research Paper
230
Participation
40
Final exam
80
TOTAL
1000
To calculate your grade at any point in the term, divide your total points earned by the total
points possible.
A = 90-100%
D = 60-69%
B = 80-89%
F = 0-59%
C = 70-79%
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Schedule of Topics, Readings, and Written Assignments (subject to change)
Date
Readings to be completed before class
Quizzes, exams, and
major assignments
Week 1— Introduction
Mon.
2/9
Wed.
2/11
Handout: “The Myth of ‘Practice Makes Perfect’” by Annie Murphy Paul
Writing diagnostic
Online article: “Does Your Language Shape How You Think?” by Guy
Deutscher (use link on course site or search nytimes.com)
Recommended reading in Writing Arguments: Summary writing, pp. 39-40
Quiz 1
Thesis & one-page
summary
Week 2 – The Power of Language and Video Games
Mon.
2/16
Wed.
2/18
Mon.
2/23
Wed.
2/25
Mon.
3/2
Wed.
3/4
Mon.
3/9
Wed.
3/11
PRESIDENTS’ DAY HOLIDAY – NO CLASS
Writing Arguments:
Ch. 1 – Argument: An Introduction, pp. 2-22
Ch. 2 – Argument as Inquiry, pp. 23-50
“Violent Video Games Recruit American Youth,” William Lugo, pp. 459-64
**Last day to drop classes without a fee or a “W” is Feb. 19 (inperson) and Feb. 22 (online)
Week 3—The Science of Sex Difference and Stereotype Threat
Writing Arguments:
Ch. 3 – The Core of an Argument: A Claim with Reasons, pp. 58-71
Ch. 4 – The Logical Structure of Arguments, pp. 72-88
Women in Math and Science, p. 535
“The Science of Difference: Sex Ed” by Steven Pinker, pp. 538-41
“Male Scientist Writes of Life as Female Scientist” by Shankar Vedantam,
pp. 541-3
Writing Arguments:
Ch. 8 – Analyzing Arguments Rhetorically, pp. 156-74
“The Expanding World of Poverty Capitalism” by Thomas B. Edsall (search
nytimes.com)
Week 4 – Asylum-Seekers and Their U.S. Citizen Children
Writing Arguments:
Ch. 5 – Using Evidence Effectively, pp. 89-108
Ch. 6 – Moving Your Audience, pp. 109-23
Prewriting/Outline 1 Workshop
Writing Arguments:
Ch. 7 – Responding to Objections and Alternative Views, pp. 124-44
“Sophia’s Choice: Problems Faced by Female Asylum-Seekers and Their
U.S. Citizen Children” by Anita Ortiz Maddali, pp. 491-9
Week 5 – Lifeboat Ethics
Writing Arguments:
Ch. 10 – An Introduction to the Types of Claims, pp. 212-21
Draft 1 Workshop
Writing Arguments:
Ch. 11 – Definition and Resemblance Arguments, pp. 222-46
“Lifeboat Ethics: The Case Against Aid That Does Harm” by Garrett
Hardin, pp. 595-602
Quiz 2
(Reading Analysis 1)
Quiz 3
(Reading Analysis 1)
Quiz 4
(Reading Analysis 1)
Quiz 5
Prewriting for
Essay 1
Quiz 6
(Reading Analysis 2)
Quiz 7
Draft of Essay 1
Quiz 8
(Reading Analysis 2)
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Week 6 – The Struggle for Social Justice
Mon.
3/16
Wed.
3/18
Essay 1 due
Writing Arguments:
Skim Ch. 15 – Finding and Evaluating Sources, pp. 348-66
“Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr. pp. 582-95
Quiz 9
(Reading Analysis 2)
Week 7 - Research
Mon.
3/23
Wed.
3/25
Review texts to be announced
Midterm
LIBRARY ORIENTATION
Week 8 - A Thousand Splendid Suns
Mon.
3/30
Wed.
4/1
Mon.
4/13
Wed.
4/15
A Thousand Splendid Suns:
Chapters 1-10, pp. 3-71
Quiz 10
Research Proposal
(Reading Analysis 3)
A Thousand Splendid Suns:
Chapters 11-19, pp. 72-140
Spring Break
SPRING BREAK – NO CLASS 4/4-4/10
Week 9 – A Thousand Splendid Suns
Quiz 11
Writing Arguments:
Ch. 16 – Incorporating Sources into Your Own Argument, pp. 367-82
Quiz 12
A Thousand Splendid Suns:
Chapters 20-28, pp. 141-210
Chapters 29-37, pp. 211-79
Writing Arguments:
Skim Ch. 17 – Citing and Documenting Sources, pp. 383-96
A Thousand Splendid Suns:
Chapters 38-44, pp. 280-343
Week 10 – A Thousand Splendid Suns
Mon.
4/20
A Thousand Splendid Suns:
Chapters 45-51, pp. 344-415
Outline 2 Workshop
Wed.
4/22
Mon.
4/27
Wed.
4/29
The Ethics of What We Eat: Preface, pp. v-viii & Introduction, pp. 3-12
Draft 2 Workshop
Week 11 – Introduction to The Ethics of What We Eat
The Ethics of What We Eat:
Ch. 1-3, pp. 15-41
(Reading Analysis 3)
(Reading Analysis 3
Quiz 13
Research check-in
(Reading Analysis 3)
Quiz 14
Prewriting for
Essay 2
(Reading Analysis 3)
Quiz 15
Draft of Essay 2
Quiz 16
(Reading Analysis 4)
Essay 2 due
Page 8 of 8
Mon.
5/4
Week 12 – The Ethics of What We Eat
The Ethics of What We Eat:
Ch. 4-5, pp. 42-80
Research Paper Mini Draft Workshop
Wed.
5/6
The Ethics of What We Eat:
Ch. 6-8, pp. 83-110
Research Paper Mini Draft Workshop
**Last day to drop classes with a “W” is May 7 (in-person) and May
10 (online)
Mon.
5/11
Week 13 – The Ethics of What We Eat
Writing Arguments:
Ch. 13 – Evaluation and Ethical Arguments, pp. 285-300
The Ethics of What We Eat:
Ch. 9-10, pp. 111-50
Wed.
5/13
Mon.
5/18
Research Paper Mini Draft Workshop
Week 14 – The Ethics of What We Eat
The Ethics of What We Eat:
Ch. 11-12, pp. 151-83
Research Paper Mini Draft Workshop
Wed.
5/20
The Ethics of What We Eat:
Ch. 13-15, pp. 187-230
Research Paper Mini Draft Workshop
Quiz 17
Research paper
mini draft 1 –
Works Cited
(Reading Analysis 4)
Quiz 18
Research paper
mini draft 2 – Intro
& direct action
criteria
(Reading Analysis 4)
Quiz 19
(Reading Analysis 4)
Research paper
mini draft 3 –
explanation of civil
disobedience event
Quiz 20
Research paper
mini draft 4 –
criteria match
(Reading Analysis 5)
Quiz 21
Research paper
mini draft 5 –
conclusion/eval.
(Reading Analysis 5)
Week 15 – The Ethics of What We Eat
Mon.
5/25
Wed.
5/27
MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY – NO CLASS
The Ethics of What We Eat:
Ch. 16-17, pp. 231-69
Ch. 18. pp. 270-84
Research Paper Mini Draft Workshop
Quiz 22
Research paper
mini draft 6 – whole
paper
(Reading Analysis 5)
Final Assessment
Mon.
6/1
Final Assessment for section 0232 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Final Assessment for section 0213 1:00 - 3:00 pm
Research paper due