Syllabus

English 126 Critical Thinking: The Shaping of Meaning in Language, 3 units, 9182

Dr. Mary Vasudeva

Spring 2016

Office Hours: Mon and Weds from 11:45-12;30, E176

Reading and Writing help us become better thinkers: as better thinkers we can make better choices about our own lives.

Questions? Concerns? See Class Blog: http://vasuenglish126.blogspot.com/

Still confused? Email me: mvasudeva@dvc.edu; mvasudeva03@yahoo.com

I expect and want you to succeed. I expect that you want to succeed, as well, and I am going to treat you as if that is your goal.

When I come in this classroom. I am excited to be here. I can’t wait to see what you guys are going to do, and I can’t wait to learn from you. If you want to learn in class, I will do everything I can to help you.

Required Texts

Technology: A Reader for Writers, Johannah Rodgers

Habits of the Creative Mind, Richard E Miller

Just Kids, Patty Smith

Required Materials

Three Ring Binder for Handouts

Welcome

When you enrolled in English 126, you joined a community where we will be synthesizing reading, writing, thinking and knowing all semester. Both reading and writing help us to think and help us make knowledgeable, engaged and critical decisions in our own lives.

Course Description

This course will focus on the development of logical reasoning, analysis of primarily expository and persuasive texts, and analytical and argumentative writing skills. It is designed to develop critical thinking, reading, and writing skills beyond the level expected in ENGL-122. This course will concentrate on how expository texts make their arguments as demonstrated through higher levels of critical thinking such as analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

All English 126 classes share a similar philosophy

• Reading and writing are foundational learning skills.
• Start with what we already know. Each of us brings to the classroom our own experiences, ideas, culture and wisdom. Learning occurs through challenging, questioning and revising what we already know in order to create justified beliefs.
• We will try to ensure that we are all on the same page each day: there should be nothing mysterious about what we do in class, no tricks. We aren’t aimless. Everything we do has been given thought and is intended to fulfill the goals of the class (not to punish, torture, fill time, keep us busy, etc.).  If you aren't sure why we are doing something, you should always feel comfortable asking. We will try to make our process explicit and visible so we can all be learning from one another.
• Our classroom is a community of learners. We can learn more as a community then we can on our own, and we want to take advantage of that power. That means we need a safe classroom. We will all work to ensure that all of us feel comfortable stating our claims, questioning one another and respectfully learning from one another. Students who report success in college emphasize community more than any other factor.

Coursework

• Writing and assignments (70%) You will be given 30 points to make up for low grades on initial assignments or missed assignments.
• Final (5%)
• Conversation: You will do one in-class conversations (10%)
• Class participation (15%): we learn to think by talking. Talking is one of the main methods we have to organize our thoughts, make sense of new ideas and push our thinking into new directions.  
• Extra Credit: There will be occasional opportunities for extra credit

Grades

Grades are how we measure our performance on a given task. They are not a measure of our worth.  The grades you will earn are designed to help you improve on class tasks, to inspire you to do better and to show you when you’ve grasped what we are learning (and just how close or far you are from grasping).  If you feel I’ve made a mistake on your grade, let me know.  We will go over most of our assignments in class, and if you are here it will be clear to you why you’ve missed points. If you don’t understand my comments on your work, please see me so we can make sure it’s clear for you.

A final class grade below a “C” is considered NOT passing.

The following is my grading scale:

A 90% to 100%

B 80% to 89%

C 70% to 79%

D 60%-69%

Policies

We are all adults here:  Adults treat one another with respect. They take responsibility for themselves. They don’t make excuses. I’ve outlined before, in detail, my expectations so that there isn’t any miscommunication. A final word, adults ask for help when they have tried and still need help.

Questions/Confusion: I want each and every one of you to do well. If you are having trouble understanding expectations, assignments, comments or any other part of our class, please let me know. I do not want to leave anyone behind. I have office hours each week scheduled just so that I can answer questions and help students with the work. Take advantage of this one-on-one opportunity.

Being on time:  When you show up for class on time, you say, “I’m ready to learn”. I will be here early almost every class because I am excited to be here, I have respect for your time, and I want to be prepared for our class when class begins. I expect you to come with the same attitude. I realize that occasionally (very occasionally) an emergency occurs, and we cannot get to class on time. However, occasionally means one or two times over the course of the semester.  After two late arrivals, you will lose points for every subsequent tardy.

Absences: If you don’t show up for class, you are going to struggle. We do lots of work and learning in class. Absences are greatly discouraged. Much of the learning process occurs in the classroom, and you are expected to be here.  If you are absent, make sure that you contact someone from class to find out what you missed. If you know that you will be absent on a day a paper is due, turn the paper in early to get credit.  Absence is not an excuse to turn in your work late.

More than four absences during the semester usually cause the student to be dropped from a twice-weekly course.  Please email me or see me if you have extenuating circumstances.  If you are no longer going to attend class, you are responsible for dropping yourself. Please do not just stop showing up and hope somehow you will get dropped. After two absences, each absence will result in the deduction of 5 points from your participation grade.

Please do not miss class because you are unprepared.  While it is obviously preferred that you show up with your work complete, missing class will only result in you falling further behind.

Schedule Changes: I may change an assignment, a reading or the syllabus. You are responsible for these changes even if you miss class (check the blog at least weekly for updates).  

Missed work/Failed in-class work:  In-class work cannot be made up. Make sure that you discuss the missed class with another student (I do not have the time to explain the missed work to absent students who have not discussed their absence with me).  You cannot make up quizzes or in-class work.

Late work: Assignment and reading should be done at the start of each class without exception unless specific arrangements have been made with me based on exceptional circumstances. Late assignments: 25% off the grade for each late class day. If you will miss class, submit the assignment over email before class time, or it will be counted as late. You can turn in two assignments over the course of the semester to my email. Please make sure to bring a hard copy to the following class. I will only grade the work as hard copy.  

NOTE: One area that consistently decreases a student’s ability to succeed is not doing his/her work on time. Research shows that learning requires a foundation of prior knowledge. Not doing your work makes it much harder for you to develop a foundation. Without that foundation, you are creating obstacles for your own success.

Class participation is a combination of being on time, consistent participation in in-class activities, preparation for discussion, and willingness to actively engage in class. Some assignments will also count towards participation. I use an active participation model in this classroom.  Every day, I will invite you to engage in the classroom conversation. Your grade will reflect your participation. Because participation is so important, after 2 absences, each additional absence will result in the deduction of 5 points from your participation grade. Repeatedly arriving to class late will also result in a grade reduction.

Group Work: We will be working in groups in class.  If you are not prepared it is not fair to your group.  Students who are not prepared will be expected to work with other unprepared students so that they do not detract from the prepared student’s learning.

Extra Credit: There will be opportunities throughout the semester for extra credit. Extra credit cannot be made up.  Extra credit only applies to students who have achieved a 70% or higher (you cannot get extra credit to move from failing to passing).

Turning in work:  All work that is done outside of class must be typed with your name, current date and label. Please make sure if you are turning in a revision that you indicate which draft (2nd draft, for example). Please put page numbers on all multi-page documents. Essays should always be in slim folders with your name on the OUTSIDE.

Class Blog: Most handouts from class can be found on www.vasuenglish126.blogspot.com.  I will occasionally post notes/changes on the blog (please check it at least once a week).  

Accommodation of Disability:  If you have a disability that may affect your performance in this class, please discuss this with me at the first class. SRC also offers DSS services, contact 925-866-1822, ext. 56239 and check out http://www.dvc.edu/dss

Technology:  Electronic devices should be turned off and put away at all times during class. Please have earphones put away when class starts.

Getting Help: Students are responsible for doing their work, getting to class on-time, being prepared and keeping up with the assignments. I am here to help students who might be struggling with any of the work.  I am available to answer questions before and after class, at office hours and through email. The reading/writing lab is also available to help students. Students who ask questions do better than students who do not. I see (your and my) mistakes as opportunities to learn and anticipate that we will all be making many.  Please do not avoid coming for help or raising your hand because you are worried you’ll sound stupid, make a mistake or embarrass yourself.  If you are confused about anything in class, I consider it your responsibility to ask me to help alleviate the confusion. Confusion is never an excuse for not completing an assignment.

Free Tutoring services are available at W 148 in the Language center; check out the tutoring website, http://englishtutoring.dvc.edu/ Make an appointment at www.dvc.edu/sanramon/services/english-tutoring.html

Library, across the grass on the East side of campus.

Counseling Center, ext 56209

Admissions W150 (for any questions about course enrollment or dropping a class)

Student Learning Objectives for English 126

By the end of the course students should be able to

1. Demonstrate clear and critical thinking in writing assignments.
2. Read and critically evaluate college-level material from a variety of sources.
3. Write essays that effectively employ such writing strategies as summary, analysis, and synthesis, and that emphasize such writing tasks as causal analysis, advocacy of ideas, persuasion, evaluation, refutation, interpretation, and definition (6,000-8,000 words).
4. Identify and analyze the structure of arguments underlying the texts read.
5. Evaluate the validity and soundness of arguments.
6. Identify common formal and informal fallacies of language and thought.
7. Distinguish and use both deductive and inductive reasoning.
8. Distinguish factual statements from judgmental statements and fact from opinion.
9. Draw sound inferences from data given in a variety of forms.
10. Distinguish and use effectively both the denotative and connotative aspects of language.
11. Discover, evaluate, and use outside sources in the development of writing.
12. Apply some of the classical divisions of rhetorical appeal, such as ethos, pathos, and logos.
13. Identify some of the deliberate abuses and manipulations of rhetoric and be able to identify them in general occurrence and avoid them in writing.
14. Analyze critical thinking in arts and sciences.
15. Appraise the development of meaning through symbols and symbol systems

Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism: We learn through doing our own work. There are no exceptions to this. We never learn from copying from others and, thus, copying is not an option in this class. Unfortunately, in the age of the internet, copying and cheating is more rampant than ever. And, some students don’t realize that using any work that is not his/her own is an example of academic dishonesty. This includes copying information from Wikipedia, cutting and pasting directly from anything and, of course, copying entire documents. It also includes copying from your neighbor or friend. Changing one or two words is NOT acceptable. ALL materials that are drawn directly or mostly directly from someone else MUST be cited. If you are ever unsure, CITE.

In order to help you resist the lure of copying and to increase your opportunities to learn, we have instituted the following procedures:

1. We will be doing regular work that must be completed IN CLASS. This work cannot be made up.
2. For all essays, you MUST turn in all preceding materials that lead to the essay including but not limited to notes, outlines, brainstorming and, especially, rough drafts. Without these materials, your essay will NOT be accepted.
3. When working in groups, remember YOUR work should NEVER look like anyone else’s. If you help one another, you must make sure everything is in your own words.
4. When we are working in the computer lab, my computer has a program that shows me the screens on all student computers. Please make sure that whatever you are opening on the computer in the lab is the material you are supposed to be looking at.

It is DVC’s and my expectation that all work turned in by a student is that student’s work and solely that student’s work unless appropriate credit is given to the source. If you have any doubt about whether you are plagiarizing or otherwise turning in work that is not your own, then DON’T DO IT.  Below is DVC’s definition of academic dishonesty:  

“Diablo Valley College is committed to creating an environment where student achievement is championed and celebrated. Because the college values academic integrity as an essential component of academic excellence, students are expected to be truthful and ethical in their academic work. Commitment to academic integrity is the responsibility of every student and faculty member at Diablo Valley College.

Faculty and students come from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, giving rise to different understandings of moral and ethical behavior. Faculty should clearly state well-defined standards to reduce uncertainty and clarify expectations.

Acts of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, the following:

CHEATING – Unauthorized copying or collaboration on a test or assignment, or the use or attempted use of unauthorized materials;

TAMPERING - Altering or interfering with evaluation instruments and documents including transcripts;

FABRICATION – Falsifying experimental data or results, inventing research or laboratory data or results for work not done, or falsely claiming sources not used;

PLAGIARISM – Representing someone else’s words, ideas, artistry, or data as one’s own, including copying another person’s work (including published and unpublished material, and material from the Internet) without appropriate referencing, presenting someone else’s opinions and theories as one’s own, or working jointly on a project, then submitting it as one’s own;

ASSISTING – Assisting another student in an act of academic dishonesty, such as taking a test or doing an assignment for someone else, changing someone’s grades or academic records, or inappropriately distributing exams to other students.”

Clarifications of common plagiarism issues:

1. It is ok to work/ discuss/ consult in groups. (for individual work) but ALL work must be done by yourself and should not look anything like someone else’s work. In our group work, with few exceptions, each person is supposed to be doing his/her own work.  The group is designed to discuss the work amongst each other but not to copy the work from one another. Always, always, always, USE YOUR OWN WORDS!!!!!

2. No part of the work that you submit as your own should consist of any other individual’s work without proper attribution; citations and references.

3. You are responsible for your work. If there is a chance of it being copied or of someone else adding information which is not your own, you are contributing to academic misconduct. Do not share your work with another student unless you are absolutely sure they will not copy it. Many cases of plagiarism arise because one student asks another for “help” and then proceeds to copy the other student’s work. Both are guilty of plagiarizing.

For this class, the first act of academic dishonesty will result in a “0” on the paper and a report to the Dean. The second act will also result in a “0”, a report to the dean and a required visit with the dean.

Finally, a note on behavior.  This is a college classroom, and I do not expect to have problems with behavior in any way, shape or form. However, one of my jobs is to ensure a learning environment for all students in my classroom, and if that environment is being compromised by students, they will be asked to leave the class.  I expect that you will act like responsible, respectful adults. The college does have a code of conduct, and that is what I will refer to if there are any problems with behavior.  The Student Code of Conduct is posted on the college website at: http://www.dvc.edu/org/info/policies/code-of-conduct.htm