Syllabus and Schedule.

COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN NEVADA
COURSE: ENGLISH 098 PREPARATORY COMPOSITION
FALL 2009

Instructor: Ryan Flanagan

Materials:
-Words on Paper: Essays on American Culture for College Writers by DiNardo Hayes and Waltman
-Dictionary + thesaurus of your choice

Contact information: ryan.flanagan@yahoo.com
Office hours: See me or email for an appointment.
Class Web site: www.english098atCSN.blogspot.com

Course Description: English 098 Preparatory Composition
Intensive reading and writing course focusing on college level critical reading and essay writing strategies. This course was designed for students whose ACT or SAT scores indicate that they would benefit from an additional semester of English before beginning their college level work. Students who successfully complete English 098 with a grade of “C” or better will be eligible to enroll in English 100, 101, or 113.

Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the Student will be able to:

1. Demonstrate critical reading skills by identifying the main idea, supporting points, and specific evidence in a variety of texts.
2. Plan, draft, revise, and proofread various types of essays written to support a well-developed thesis.
3. Create essays with appropriate introductions, well-developed body paragraphs, and appropriate concluding paragraphs with clear topic sentences and transitions.
4. Use correct sentence structure.
5. Apply Standard English conventions of grammar, mechanics, and vocabulary.
6. Use a word processor to type, spell check, revise, edit, save, and print a document.

Late Assignments:
Assignments will be penalized 5% for each additional day after the due date. Assignments may NOT be handed in more than two weeks after the due date without instructor approval.

Missed Tests and In-class Essays:
Quizzes and in-class writing may be made up upon instructor approval only.

Attendance, Absences, and Tardies:
Discussions and peer review sessions cannot be made up. If you must miss a class session, email me, preferably in advance, and then contact a classmate to get notes, handouts, and assignment sheets. If you are unavoidably late for class, please enter the room quietly and join the classroom activity. If you must leave class early for some reason, please speak with me before class. Lateness will affect your participation grade.

You are allowed two unexcused absences. Every unexcused absence thereafter will result in 5 points deducted from your final grade. More than four absences will be grounds for failing the class.

Plagiarism:
Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in a failing grade in this course, and could result in dismissal from the college. We will review plagiarism in class, but please see me if you are at any time unsure of what plagiarism is.

Students with Disabilities:
If you have a documented disability that may require assistance, you may contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) for help with accommodations. The DRC is located in Student Services on all campuses, and the W. Charleston phone number is 651-5089.

For students who would like to earn some extra money, stop by the DRC to fill out a job interest card. The DRC hires note-takers, proctors, scribes, and research assistants on an as needed basis.

Course Requirements:
Performance evaluation (grading):
-Class participation: 10%
-Homework/Assignments/Quizzes: 15%
-Journals: 15%
-Essays: 60%

Quizzes:
May occur at ANY TIME, announced or unannounced.

Scale
A = 90 – 100%
B = 80 – 89%
C = 70 – 79%
D = 60 – 69%
F = Below 60%

Tutorial Services:
Each student may be entitled to free tutoring (pending funding). To apply for this service, go to the Tutorial Services Office. This may or may not be available due to budget cuts. It is up to the student to pursue this.

Peer Revisions:
Be aware that your writing will be read and scrutinized by others.

E-mailing Assignments:
I generally do not accept assignments via e-mail. However, if special circumstances permit and I allow you to send me an assignment via e-mail, I am not responsible if it never reaches me.

Weekly Schedule for English 098 (Tentative) – This will CHANGE according to course needs as the semester progresses. Do not rely on this schedule. You must come to class to know what the assignments are. This schedule is only to give you an idea of what to expect.

Week 1
“The Process of Good Writing” Chapter One pp. 3-20
Correction Symbols pp. 30 – 33
Sample Essay
A. A Few Tips Before You Begin

Week 2
Chapter Two, Three – Read sample essays in text
Rough Draft of Essay One – Choose a writing suggestion from p. 54.

Week 3
Chapter Three – The Parts of Speech p. 57
Insight – p. 55
Peer Review Essay One– p. 56

Week 4
Final Draft of Essay One Due
Chapter Four – Read sample essays in text
Rough Draft of Essay Two – Choose a writing suggestion from p. 89

Week 5
Chapter Four – Verbs p. 92
Insight – p. 90
Peer Review Essay Two– p. 91

Week 6
Final Draft of Essay Two Due
Chapter Four – Read sample essays in text
Rough Draft of Essay Three – Choose a writing suggestion from p. 135.

Week 7
Chapter Five – Commonly Confused Words p. 138
Insight – p. 135
Peer Review Essay Three– p. 136
Mid –Term: In-class Essay
Homonym exercises

Week 8
Final Draft of Essay Three Due
Chapter Five – Read Sample essays in text
Rough Drafts of Essay Four – Choose another writing suggestion from p. 135

Week 9
Chapter Six – Subject/Verb Agreement p. 171
Insight – p. 168
Peer Review Essay Four – p. 169
Read: A Story of Friendship

Week 10
Final Draft of Essay Four Due
Chapter Six – Read sample essays in text
Rough Drafts of Essay Five – Choose a writing suggestion from p. 168

Week 11
Chapter Seven – Spelling p. 214
Insight – p. 212
Peer Review Essay Five – 213

Week 12
Essay Five Due
Chapter Seven – Read sample essays from text
Rough Drafts of Essay Six – Choose a writing suggestion from p. 211
Chapter Eight – Basic Comma Rules p. 242
Insight – p. 240
Peer Review Essay Six – p. 241

Week 13
Chapter Eight – Read examples from text
Rough Drafts of Essay Seven – Choose a writing suggestion from page 269

Week 14
Chapter Eight – Citing Sources and Work Cited
In-sight – p. 272
Peer Review Essay Seven – p. 271

Week 15
Add Documentation and Work Cited to Essay 7
Week 16 Essay 7 Due
Final: In-class Essay