ENGLISH 099.2561 BASIC WRITING

Professor:  Dr. J. Elizabeth Clark
e-mail:  lclark@lagcc.cuny.edu
Phone: 718.482.5665
Office: E-103CC

COURSE DESCRIPTION (from the college catalog):

This course develops and reinforces students' rhetorical and organizational skills through an understanding of the writing process. Essential principles of grammar and sentence structure are covered and students are introduced to at least three rhetorical modes, such as narration, description, development by example, argumentation, and comparison‑contrast.  Students write essays in response to classroom discussion and multicultural written and visual texts. Admission to this course is based on college placement test scores.

SECTION DESCRIPTION:

All students in this learning community will have New Student Seminar, Studio Hour, Themes in American History 2, and English 099.  Your instructors for this course, J. Elizabeth Clark (English), Michael Horowitz (New Student Seminar), Bret Eynon (Themes in American History 2), and Denis Cedeno (Studio Hour), have worked to create a supportive learning environment to welcome you to the college and to help you begin to make connections between many different courses.  In each of your courses, you will be introduced to themes of “American Dreams” and “American Realities.”  You will also work on fundamental skills like writing and critical thinking.

As a group, we will consider the personal histories of the individuals and groups who created the United States, borrowing from your history text book's title, Who Built America?  In all of your courses, you will be immersed in discussions about the powerful mythologies of the United States and how those intersect with the realities of living in the United States today.  In short, how have the powerful currents of history, from Reconstruction to war to immigration to empire building to civil rights to multiculturalism, created the nation that we live and work in today?  How does your personal story intersect with a larger national story?

In addition to your class sessions, you will also create an ePortfolio, a website where you will have the opportunity to publish your work.  As you begin to think about going "cyber" in your academic work, you will have an opportunity to explore other ePortfolios from around LaGuardia and around the nation.  As you create a personal archive of work from many different courses, you will begin to select your best work for display in an ePortfolio that combines graphics and text. Once the best examples of your work have been gathered, you are encouraged to reflect on how these classroom assignments demonstrate your educational and personal growth. This practice of self-examination is intended to prepare you to connect to the larger community by sharing your ideas in a web-based electronic medium.

We look forward to working with you this term!

OUR WORK in English 099:

I welcome you to English 099 and Fiorello H. LaGuardia Community College.  You can look forward to a semester of challenging work which will help you to develop your college-level writing skills through formal and informal writing exercises, papers, essay exams, reading, classroom discussion, and journal writing.  Our classroom work will focus on your writing and the writing of your peers.  We will read two books and many newspaper articles which will form the basis for your essays.  You will do individual and group generated writing assignments, will offer formal and informal feedback on your peers’ writing, participate in lively classroom discussion, and will be responsible for making sure that this course meets your needs as a student.  I expect that you will work enthusiastically with me to create a stimulating, intellectual community of writers. 

This course will meet for 4 hours a week in class sessions and 1 hour a week in a lab session.  In addition to the 5 hours per week you will spend in sessions, you can expect to work on out-of-class assignments for twelve to fifteen hours per week. 

Each week, our work will fall into the following rhythm:

On Tuesdays, we will focus on “Generating Knowledge.”  We will do informal writing assignments and grammar exercises, and respond to the course readings.  Some of this work will become part of your ePortfolio; keep all of your written work to use later in your ePortfolio.  On Tuesdays, please bring the readings we are doing for class and your notebook.  We will also blog in class, working on the skill of critical thinking. 

On Thursdays, we will focus on “Applying Knowledge” and “Analyzing Knowledge.”  We will write essays that build on the work we do on Mondays.  The first drafts of all essays will be written in the computer lab.  On Thursdays, please bring the readings we are doing for class, a dictionary, your notebook, and your floppy disk/CD/or jump drive.  We will also analyze your essays and practice revising essays to enhance your strengths in writing and to address problem areas. 

This section of English 099 is a Blackboard course.  In addition to the traditional methods of teaching, you can expect to learn how to use the computer to write to your classmates and your instructor.  We will spend both Tuesdays and Thursdays using the computer lab to enhance your writing.

In this course you will write 10 essays, including:  an introductory diagnostic essay, 8 timed, in-class essays, and a final exit exam.  Some of these essays will be “college style” essays preparing you for success in English 101, while other essays will be “ACT style,” preparing you to write the CUNY ACT exam.  You will also keep a blog, take reading quizzes and do in-class and homework grammar exercises.  You will receive handouts with specific details about all formal, graded assignments.  Twice during the semester, you will create an ePortfolio with samples of your revised writing.  This will be an opportunity to showcase what you’ve learned about the writing process!  All of your writing will be geared toward four goals:

1.  The successful development of a body of well-written
and revised college level work
2.  Preparation for success in English 101
3.  Preparation for the CUNY ACT exam
4.  Preparation for the final exit exam

Each piece of writing you do will be evaluated for its mastery of the skills we will discuss and practice in class with attention to areas you might revise to make your work better.  You will have opportunities to revise this work in order to demonstrate what you have learned about writing better essays.  You will choose essays and revise them in your ePortfolio. 

Successful completion of this course will require dedication from you during your in-class and out-of-class hours.  For the next fourteen weeks, a large part of your life will revolve around the mastery of edited American English in order to prepare you for further success at the college and in your life.  I welcome your curiosity, enthusiasm and dedication.  Welcome! 

REQUIRED TEXTS AND SUPPLIES:

Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko
Under the Feet of Jesus by Helena Maria Viramontes
Keys for Writers by Ann Raimes, available in the college bookstore
A good paperback dictionary
A 3.5" floppy disk, a rewritable CD, or a jump drive

Please bring all of these texts and supplies with you each time we meet.

DOING WELL IN THIS COURSE:

Students often ask me, “How can I do well in your course?”  Success in college shouldn’t be a mysterious experience of trying to learn how to do well.  Instead, you should expect that by doing certain things, your writing will improve.  I can’t guarantee that you will pass English 099 by the end of the semester.  But, if you do the following things, I can guarantee you that you will see a marked improvement in your writing.  If you want to do well in this course, I suggest you make a regular practice of the following things:

Office Hours:  I have almost 12 office hours every week.  This time is set aside for you to come by, show me work, ask questions, and to get assistance.  This is your time and I love to talk with you about our class. 

Ask, Ask, ASK!  Building on “office hours,” I want you to ask anytime you have a question.  If you’re not sure about an assignment or how to do something, just ask!  Ask for help!  Ask for clarifications!  Ask to make sure you know what you need to do!   Can’t make my office hours (Really?  Because there are 12 of them...)?  Then send me an e-mail or give me a call.  Ask, ask, ask.  Okay?

Language Immersion:  Many LaGuardia students are lucky enough to speak several languages.  Polylingualism is a special gift!  At the same time, however, you are in English 099 because you need extra practice with writing edited, American English.  One of the best ways to become a better writer is to immerse yourself in language as much as possible.  Read newspapers and internet sites in English.  Listen to the news in English.  Talk with your friends and family—as much as possible—in English. 

Writing Practice:  The more you do something the better you get.  You might, in your spare time, be an athlete.  How much time do you spend practicing to get better?  I am a musician and I spend many hours practicing scales and pieces of music that give me trouble.  The more I practice, the better I get!  So, using this same idea, you should think about writing as something you need to practice.  In your spare time, you might keep a journal, try IMing or e-mailing using the skills we have practiced in class.  The more you can apply what we study, the better you will get!

Studio:  Your ePortfolio will be the best work you do this term.  Over the semester, you will create and refine your best work for this course and then display that work on your ePortfolio.  By spending extra time in the Studio, during open hours, you’ll be able to really refine your ePortfolio.  The Studio is located in E-312.  During open hours, Student Technology Mentors are available to help you with the technology.

Writing Center:  Much like my notes on “writing practice” and “studio,” you’ll find that by stopping by the Writing Center in E-111 for extra tutorials, you’ll be continuing to practice your writing.  You can visit the writing center up to 3 times a week for extra assistance.  At the Writing Center you can work on essays for this course, the development of your writing skills, and grammar exercises to target specific areas of difficulty.

Study Groups:  As part of this Learning Community, you will meet many new friends in English, Studio Hour, New Student Seminar, and History.  You might want to get a small group together, about 3-4 of you.  You can meet each week to review class notes, assignments, and to help one another with your courses.

Studying:  Even if you don’t form a study group, you should spend time reviewing what we cover in class.  You should re-read the texts I assign in class.  You should actively review the notes you take in class.  And, when something is confusing, you should seek out the answers to your questions!

Being Prepared:  The absolute key to doing well in college is showing up where you are supposed to, when you are supposed to, with everything you are supposed to have!  If I assign reading, make sure you’ve done it.  If you have an essay due, plan your time so that you can visit office hours and the writing center to perfect your essay.  Plan ahead and be prepared!

GRADING:

After successful completion of the departmental exit exam, your final grade in this course will be based on the following course work:

Discussion Board:  20%
Blog:  10%
Mid-term ePortfolio:  20%
Final ePortfolio: 40%  
Final Exam: 10%

** You must pass the final in order to pass the course

ePortfolios: During the semester you will collect all of your writing.  At mid-term and at the end of the semester, you will create an ePortfolio with selected essays and reflections that demonstrate the progress you have made as a writer.  In class, we will discuss how to create and format the ePortfolio.  You will work on the mechanics of creating the ePortfolio during your Studio Hour.  As a class, we will discuss and create a list of expectations for the ePortfolios so that you have a concrete sense of what an A, B, C, D, and F ePortfolio consists of.  You will receive a handout after we have created a list of expectations.

In general, each formal essay you write for English 099 will be handed in for evaluation and will receive one of the following grades: P for passing, NP+ for an essay quite close to passing and NP for an essay which is not passing.  These grades will indicate how much work you need to do on each essay to improve your writing skills.  After you receive these grades, you will have the opportunity to revise several essays for your mid-term and final portfolios. 

Your overall progress in the course will be evaluated with a letter grade based on the four areas listed above.  At the end of the course you will receive an A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D or D- if you have passed this course.  If you do not pass the course you will receive an F or an R.  An F grade indicates that you have not successfully completed the basic requirements for the course and that you will need to repeat the course.  An R grade indicates that you have not passed the course and will need to repeat it.  However, an R grade carries the distinction of showing that you have made steady and satisfactory progress in the course.  I reserve R grades for students who have worked diligently throughout the semester but who need another semester of practice for success in college-level writing. 

Attendance: Each student in English 099 has a total of 4 hours of absence to use for illness, emergencies and personal reasons.  Students who miss more than 4 hours of class will fail the course and will be denied entry to the ACT exam.  Writing Lab is included as part of English 099 Attendance.     

EXIT REQUIREMENTS:

• Satisfactory attendance
• Submit all writing assignments
• Satisfactory in-class participation
• Pass English 099 with a minimum grade of “D”
• Place into English 101 with a satisfactory score on the ACT exam
• Demonstrate a passing proficiency on the final exam
• Demonstrate proficient writing in the writing portfolio

Students who successfully meet these requirements will move to English 101 the next term.  Students who receive an F or an R will need to repeat English 099.  Students who pass English 099 but fail the ACT exam will have the opportunity to take an ACT Express course and will not have to repeat English 099.  Students who pass the ACT but fail the English 099 course will receive a grade of D and will be permitted to move to English 101 the next term.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES:

I am excited to work with you this term!  In order to ensure your success in this course, please review the policies and procedures listed below.

College’s Statement on Pluralism (please see the college catalog): LaGuardia Community College is fortunate enough to have a very diverse student population consisting of people who celebrate different genders, languages, cultural, racial and ethnic backgrounds, nationalities, religions, classes, sexual orientations, and abilities.  As part of this college community, you now have the responsibility to learn and respect many different traditions and ways of living.  The classroom will play an important role in your process of learning about difference.  In accordance with the college’s statement of pluralism, I ask you to demonstrate and reflect respect for differences expressed by your fellow students within this course and throughout your college career. 

Students with Disabilities: Please let me know if you are registered with the Office of Students with Disabilities.  Academic accommodations are granted for all students who have qualified, documented disabilities. 

Attendance: In order for you to do well in this course, you need to be in class prepared and ready to work.  Absence and lateness detract from your learning and that of your peers, but everyone has emergencies, illness, and personal reasons that interrupt the work of the semester.  Accordingly, you are allowed a maximum of 4 hours of absence from this course, including both class and lab sessions.  More than 4 hours of absence will result in immediate failure of the course (please refer to the college catalog and the Department of English policy sheet).  Please be advised that being late to class 3 times equals 1 hour of classroom absence.  Please be in class and on-time.  If you arrive in class more 30 minutes late, you are welcome to stay and work, but you will be marked absent for the day. 

Late Work: It is your responsibility to make up any missed work. All assignments are due on the date assigned.  Unless prior arrangements are made, late work or missed assignments are not accepted.

Exams: Students who miss an in-class essays, exams or quizzes without giving Dr. Clark prior notice will not be allowed to make‑up the work.

Writing Assignments: For each of your papers, you will do pre-writing (on Tuesdays, as part of “Generating Knowledge”) and then you will write the first draft of the paper (on Thursdays, as part of “Applying Knowledge”).  Please keep all writing for the course, including peer, instructor, and writing tutor comments for use in your revisions and your ePortfolio.  Unless prior arrangements are made, late & missed writing assignments will not be accepted.

Your ePortfolio: You will create an ePortfolio, which will be submitted at mid-term and at the end of the semester.  Your ePortfolio should demonstrate proficient writing and serious revision of previous work.  As a class, we will discuss the parameters for a successful portfolio.  Your portfolio will contain selected writing assignments for this course and revisions of those assignments. 

Final Exit Exam:  You will write a final exit exam which will be evaluated by a committee of English instructors.  Final exit exams will be graded as passing or not passing by the committee.

ACT Exam:  You will take the CUNY ACT exam.  You must complete the ACT with a score of 7 in order to move to English 101. 

Academic Honesty: All students of LaGuardia Community College are responsible for preparing and presenting original work.  In accordance with the college’s policy on student responsibilities, the penalty for papers which are plagiarized and any cheating during exams is immediate failure course failure.  Please refer to your college catalog for a more complete discussion of Academic Honesty. 

Picking Up Work: If you miss your final class meeting with me, I will keep all of your written work for one semester after your course with me.  After one semester, I will recycle all student work left in my office. 

Please refer to your course calendar for all due dates, deadlines, and the course reading schedule.