ENG 1A - Critical Reading & Composition
Instructor: Debra Stevens
Email Instructor
Course Description
Integrated approach to reading, writing, and critical thinking intended to develop ability to read and write complex, college-level prose. Examination of ideas in relation to individual's world view and contexts from which these ideas arise. Some research required. Prerequisite: English 100B or 104 or equivalent or an appropriate skill level demonstrated through the English assessment process.
To take this class, you must have daily access to a computer with an Internet connection, an email account, and experience using a web browser. You will also need to update your email address in CLASS-Web when you register.
Check the college catalog for CSU/UC transferability and to see if this course meets AA/AS degree requirements.
This class begins June 16 and ends Aug 7. Course work begins the first day, June 16, so students must log in and check in by June 16.
Texts: Texts are available and should be purchased through the LPC Bookstore. Students are expected to obtain the correct texts before the first day of class.
Seeing and Writing by McQuade. 3d edition only.
A Writer's Reference by Diane Hacker. 6th edition only.
Course Goals
The main goal for this course is to equip students with tools to handle reading and composition requirements common to college coursework. Specific goals are:
Reading:
- Students will learn to read actively and efficiently both from textbooks and informative articles.
- Students will learn to annotate, paraphrase, summarize and quote material.
- Students will learn to observe and analyze language and reasoning, or lack of reasoning, objectively after which they will learn to write a logical analysis of language and reasoning.
- Students will learn to interpret and draw inferences reasonably using critical thinking.
- Students will learn to evaluate college-level reading material, based on the language in the text in combination with their knowledge and personal experience.
Writing:
- Students will learn to write about what they read in an objective, reasonable manner.
- Students will learn the basic steps to the process of four kinds of essay composition.
- Students will learn to quote material for support.
- Students will learn to compose a works cited page using MLA style.
- Students will learn to create focused, interesting thesis statements.
Research:
- Students will learn steps to effectively research on the Internet.
- Students will learn to research printed material effectively.
- Articles on the web will be used for support in essays. Students will learn to evaluate web articles for relevance and informational usefulness, or lack thereof.
- Write college-level academic research papers.
On-Campus Meetings
There are no required on-campus meetings for this class. You can attend an OPTIONAL, on-campus orientation to Online Learning on either June 11 from 7-8:30 p.m. in Room 2420, June 12 from 1-2:30 p.m. in Room 2420, or June 18 from 7-8:30 p.m. in Room 2412. Learn more about these orientations, which are NOT course-specific.
How This Class Operates
All work is completed online. There are no on-campus meetings. There are required completion and submission dates for all essays, assignments, labs and posts. This is not a self-paced course.
Course work begins the first day of classes, June 16. Students need both texts by then.
Instructor contact: Instructor holds a weekly office hour in the chatroom and will also discuss work with students via email, but no work will be accepted for grading via email.
No work will ever be submitted to instructor via email. Instructions for how, when and where to submit work are within the Blackboard course.
Essays: Bi-weekly essays and peer reviews
Reading: Weekly Response Paragraphs from reading assignments in Seeing and Writing
Labs: 17 lab hours: The first orientation assignment; A Writer’s Reference labs; peer reviews; journal writing (2); research-based paragraphs on integrating quotes, citing sources MLA style, and avoiding plagiarism. Students will submit labs via AWR web site or from within Blackboard.
Discussion Board: Participation with other students is required. Students will -
- Students will discuss readings from Seeing and Writing that they are completing or have completed.
- There will be three essays, developed in stages, and all three will be peer reviewed and discussed on the Discussion Board before submitting to the instructor for grading
- The Discussion Board will also be used for suggestions and tips from your classmates, tips leading to online research resources applicable to other course work, e.g. essays due for history, psychology, business classes.
Tests: Self-assessment pre-final exam is offered for all students to gauge their comprehension. There will be no quizzes besides the lab quizzes on the AWR site. There will be one online final exam available on the last day of the course, Aug. 7.
Succeeding in an Online Course
Students who succeed in online courses tend to be independent, self-motivated learners with good computer skills. If you are a procrastinator who relies heavily on the instructor for motivation, can't use a computer too well, have taken less than 21 units of college credit in your lifetime, and/or have a grade-point-average under 2.0, you should probably consider enrolling in a face-to-face course instead.
Also, don't enroll in this class if you believe the myth that learning online requires less effort than learning face-to-face. This course covers the same content and has similar activities as the face-to-face version of the course; only the method of delivery changes.
LPC offers a tutorial called "Succeeding in an online course" that will not only tell you if you are a good fit for online learning, but it also offers many strategies -- among other pertinent information -- that will help you succeed online. Please complete the tutorial.
Blackboard
This course will use the Blackboard course management system as its virtual classroom. To learn how to log in to Blackboard, go to the Blackboard Login Procedures page. Once you enroll, you will not be able to log in until the first day of class.