Syllabus Fall 2021

Lincoln University

ENGLISH 82A COURSE SYLLABUS

FALL 2021

Course Title:                                     Written Communication I

Course Number:                               English 82A

Semester:                                           Fall 2021

Class sessions:                                   Tuesdays, 12:30 – 3:15

Credit:                                                3 units / 45 Lecture hours

Prerequisites/co-requisites:              None

Level:                                                 Introductory (I)

Instructor:                                         Dr. Sylvia Y. Schoemaker Rippel

Office hours and location:               Tuesdays -- 11:45 AM-12:30 PM

                                                             and Thursdays by arrangement, room 308

Office phone:                                     510-628-8036

University instructor email:              sysr@lincolnuca.edu

Course-related email:                       profsylvia@gmail.com

Syllabus Last Revised:                     8/2021

 

Course blog and other content to be announced in class.

Course Description

A thorough study of grammar and the fundamentals of composition. Practice in writing themes, book reviews and other short papers is given. Particular attention is directed toward sentence structure, syntax, and general rhetorical principles. (3 units)

Educational Objectives

Students will develop their writing skills for academic, professional, and socio-cultural purposes, in mode-centered essay writing. Students will learn editing, documentation skills, use of pre, during, and post writing strategies, topic mapping and other resources

Students will demonstrate written communication skills in writing and presenting their essays for personal, peer and instructor evaluation based on established rubrics, including competencies in planning, drafting, editing, and documentation skills.

 

Course Learning Outcomes

	Course Learning Outcome Successful students are able to:	Program Learning Outcome	Institutional Learning Outcomes	Assessment Activities As demonstrated by successful completion of and/ or participation in coursework and beyond.
1	Develop writing skills for academic, professional, and socio-cultural purposes	PLO 1	ILO 1a, ILO 7a	Successfully completed written assignments mode-centered, audience-oriented, well-formed writing
2	Appropriately use topic specification, writing planning, researching, design, development, editing, and documentation			Mode-centered, audience-oriented, well-executed grammatically and stylistically, punctually presented essay writing
3	Use pre, during, and post writing strategies			Completed written work Peer evaluation Instructor evaluation
4	Apply topic mapping and other resources			Completed written work
5	Demonstrate written communication skills in writing and presenting their essays for personal, peer and instructor evaluation	PLO 3	ILO 2a, ILO 6a	Completed written work Peer evaluation Instructor evaluation
6	Demonstrate achieved competencies in planning, drafting, editing, and documentation skills.	PLO 4	ILO 1a	Assigned essays Completed written work Peer evaluation Instructor evaluation
7	Compose well-organized written communications suitable for personal, academic, and professional purposes	PLO 5	ILO 3a, ILO 4a	Assigned essays Completed written work Peer evaluation Instructor evaluation

^{Note:    Detailed description of learning outcomes and information about the assessment procedure are available at the Center for Teaching and Learning website (ctl.lincolnuca.edu)}

 

 

Instructional Materials and References

Required Texts

VanderMey, R., Meyer, V., Van Rys, J. & Sebranek, P. (2015). The college writer: A guide to thinking, writing, and researching (6h ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ·

(ISBN-10: 1285437950 ISBN-13: 9781285437958)

Recommended texts and other resources:

Writer’s handbook, online guides and reference tools (to be announced)

Student text site:

http://college.cengage.com/english/vandermey/college_writer/1e/students/index.html

Instructional Methodology

The course sessions will include lectures, A/V-augmented presentations (text-based and other topically related slides and relevant audio/video/web resources), written and oral classroom exercises and readings applying course concepts, small group and classroom discussions, student presentations of individual and group assignments based on course units, with emphasis on student engagement in learning by doing.

Assignments and projects require students to actively use resources of the library. Detailed guides to library resources as well as the description of Lincoln University approach to information literacy are available at the Center for Teaching and Learning website (ctl.lincolnuca.edu).

Student Responsibilities

Students are expected to consistently attend class punctually and fully (arriving on time and leaving the classroom only at the scheduled break and end times).  Successful students participate in individual and group work in a productive manner, prepare and perform well on tests, complete assignments according to schedule and at a level appropriate to university rubrics, and take personal responsibility for meeting the objectives of the course.

Topical Outline

English 82A covers the aspects of composing well-organized written communications. The core of the course will emphasize practice in organizing ideas in a clear, logical manner and other elements involved in writing papers in descriptive, narrative, analytical, and persuasive rhetorical contexts. Student and professional writing models will be used throughout the units.

Homework Assignments

Students will complete three essays: descriptive/reflective, informative, and persuasive.  In addition, for each of the course assignments, students will do the following:

·                       Read and reflect on assigned units as outlined on the course schedule.

·                       Review and respond to the assignments in writing (a brief paragraph or two). In your response, outline the 3 or 4 key questions and your answers generated by your reading and reflection.

·                       Email your assignments to me at profsylvia@gmail.com.

Midterm and final review ePortfolio/PowerPoint presentations will be based on your course work.

 

Schedule

	Date	Unit
1	8/24/2021	1 Intro Assignments and readings are from The College Writer (TCW) -- Each chapter contains an Intro, an Overview, Guidelines, Example Readings, and Writing Checklist/Activities) Selected Model readings will be given in class.
2	8/31/2021	I. A Rhetoric: College Student's Guide to Writing  Brief Overview Chapters I.  Reading, Thinking, Viewing, and Writing  1. Critical Thinking The Writing Process 2. Beginning the Writing Process 3. Planning
3	9/7/2021	4. Drafting 5. Revising 6. Editing and Proofreading 7. Submitting, Writing, and Creating Portfolios The College Essay 8. One Writer's Process 9. Forms of College Writing 10. Narration, Description, and Reflection
4	9/14/2021	Unit I (Narrative, Descriptive, and Reflective Writing) Paper Due -- Review Presentations 11. Definition
5	9/21/2021	Unit II -- Analytical Writing  15. Cause and Effect. Strategies for Cause-Effect Essays. Sample Cause-Effect Essays.
6	9/28/2021	14. Comparison and Contrast. Strategies for Comparison-Contrast Essays. Sample Comparison-Contrast Essays.
7	10/5/2021	12. Classification 13. Process  ePortfolio/PPt 1
8	10/12/2021	Midterm
9	10/19/2021	13.  Process. Strategies for Process Essays. Sample Process Essays.
10	10/26/2021	16. Reading Literature: A Case Study in Analysis. Strategies for Analyzing Literature and the Arts. Approaches to Literary Analysis.
11	11/2/2021	Unit II (Analytical Writing ) Paper Due Unit III Persuasive Writing  17. Strategies for Argumentation and Persuasion.
12	11/9/2021	18. Taking a Position Unit III Persuasive Paper Due
13	11/16/2021	19. Getting Started: From Planning Research to Evaluating Sources 20. Conducting Research:  Primary, Library, Web 21. Building Credibility - Avoiding Plagiarism 22. Drafting Papers with Documented Research (MLA, APA)
--	11/23/2021	Fall Recess
14	11/30/2021	Review ePortfolio/PPt 2
15	12/7/2021	Final homework submissions day

 

Assessment Criteria & Method of Evaluating Students

Students will demonstrate their level of proficiency and achievement through appropriate and accurate application of written communication theory and skills. Assessments of improved competence in writing descriptive, narrative, informative, and persuasive essays and personal and peer evaluations and reflections are fundamental to the grades attained.

 

Points	Grade
100-95	A
94-90	A-
89-87	B+
86-84	B
83-80	B-
79-77	C+
76-74	C
73-70	C-
69-65	D+
64-60	D
59 or less	F

Items	Points
Class Work: oral and written exercises	20
Midterm	25
E-Portfolio I, II	10
Presentations	10
Final exam	35
Total	100

Please note:

Revisions to the schedule will be announced in class as needed. Class attendance is required. Required textbooks must be obtained as soon as possible and brought to class for each session.  Class participation is required for enhanced learning through applied content, group interactions, and individual and small group presentations.  Plagiarized content is strictly prohibited:  Researched materials must be documented using a consistent style for both in-text and end-text citations of sources using the published standards of the most recent subject-appropriate style guide, such as APA (social sciences) or MLA (humanities), for example. Missed exams and assignments require certified excuses (signed documentation by an appropriate medical or other official representative). With documentation, a makeup exam may be scheduled.  Electronics are not allowed during exams. Cell phones should not be active during class sessions.