Thursday, March 31, 2016
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
"Sixteen"
"Sixteen," by Charlie Spence
Sixteen
by Charlie Spence
They seemed larger than me that day, the rain drops, as they fell from an endless gray sky. They illuminated the headlights of oncoming traffic in an iridescent and blurred shine. The display of colors seemed only to intensify the fear and magnify the pain I felt inside about yet another tragedy taking place in my life. I sat there dressed in an orange jumpsuit, feet shackled together and a waist chain tightly secured around my midsection to restrict my arms firmly to my sides. The sheriff’s van traveled at what felt like the speed of light, never allowing me to collect my thoughts before arriving at my next destination: life in an adult institution at the age of sixteen. The words compassionately spoken by the sheriff that day have never left the confines of my soul, “I didn’t even start to get it together until I was twenty-five,” he said. The sheriff will never understand the extent to which his words thrashed about my heart. Had I been tried and convicted as a juvenile, I would have been given a better chance at rehabilitation and a second chance in society at the age of 25. I feel even more strongly now than I did back then, that trying juvenile offenders as adults and sentencing them to life in prison is immoral.
In the year 2000, the people of California voted and passed Proposition 21. This allowed for juveniles as young as fourteen who are accused of a serious crime to be tried as adults at the discretion of the District Attorney trying the case. Prior to Proposition 21, juveniles accused of such crimes were given what is called a “707(b) hearing” in front of a
judge, to determine if they met the criteria to be tried as an adult. Before the 707(b) hearing was introduced, only in rare and extreme cases of violence were juveniles tried as adults.
It is easy for me to understand the feelings of one who is opposed to my position. Juveniles do commit crimes that are serious and are considered to be “adult crimes.” The juveniles that receive life sentences are certainly not receiving them for petty crimes; it is not as if the fourteen year old shoplifter is locked up and the key is then thrown away. I would agree too, that most juveniles have a sense of right and wrong from an early age. Surely children know that they are not supposed to take cookies out of the cookie jar unless given permission by their parents. On a greater scale most adolescents know it is wrong to smoke, use drugs, cheat or steal, and, therefore, know it is wrong to commit crime, period. But it seems only fair that if we are going to take into account the social development of morality within these children, then by that same token we should also consider their mental development and take into account the neuroscience and the high likelihood of rehabilitating these same children.
According to a newspaper article published in the L.A. Times, and a study conducted by the University of San Francisco’s Center for Law and Global Justice, there are 2,387 juvenile offenders that have been given life sentences here in the United States. To understand this prodigious number, and contemplate the depraved nature of this practice, consider that Israel, the only other country in the world to hand out such sentences, is a far and distant second with seven. According to the study, Israel has not handed out such sentences since 2004. While the populations in these two countries widely differ, these statistics seem to suggest that Israel uses such sentences in extreme cases only. It should be noted that of the juveniles sentenced to life without parole here in the United States, 51% of those sentences were issued to first-time offenders. It is alarming that we are willing to sentence, at a staggering number, our youth offenders to life with or without parole considering that juveniles have the highest capacity for rehabilitation.
Senator Leland Yee of San Francisco-San Mateo, whose background is in child psychology, states, “Children have the highest capacity for rehabilitation. The neuroscience is clear; brain maturation continues well through adolescence and thus impulse control, planning and critical thinking skills are not fully developed” (Los Angeles Times, article by Henry Weinstein). Other studies support this same finding: The San Francisco Center for Law and Global Justice study asserts,
“Psychologically and neurologically, children cannot be expected to have achieved the same level of mental development as an adult, even when they become teenagers” (Sentencing Our Children to Die in Prison:Global Law and Practice). A perfect example of an immature brain is a fourteen-year-old child, with whom I became acquainted in Juvenile Hall, who had been asked by a peer to beat up a homeless man for twenty-five cents. This child, having never been accepted by a peer group before, proceeded to beat up the homeless man. The subsequent and tragic outcome of the situation was the homeless man died from his injuries and the child was given life in prison, all because he acted on an impulse to be accepted by friends and lacked the critical thinking skills of a fully developed mind. Had this been a mature adult who had been asked to beat up a homeless man for twenty-five cents, I find it hard to believe that he would have done it.
Juvenile offenders should be punished for serious crimes they commit, but as juveniles in juvenile facilities. The oldest that children can be tried as minors is seventeen, an age that allows for eight years of time in which they can serve their punishment and in which we have an opportunity to rehabilitate them*. Age sixteen allows for nine years and so on. By placing our youth in adult facilities with life sentences, we are giving up on them. According to www.centeronjuvenilejustice.com, fifteen to twenty-one year olds make up 13% of our prison population and together they make up 22% of all suicide deaths in our institutions. Juveniles are 7.7 times more likely to commit suicide in adult facilities than in juvenile facilities. Whereas only 1% of juveniles reported rape in the juvenile system, that actual number is nine times higher in the adult system. It is not just about these numbers, though. At what point do we brand a person for the rest of his or her life for the worst thing they did as a child?
The lack of mental maturity and development within the minds of juveniles is what set the stage for a 2005 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in which the court determined that it is unconstitutional to execute a person under the age of eighteen. In their majority opinion, the court cited research saying that the mental capacity of juveniles was not the same as that of adults (Roper v. Simmons). Here, the highest court in the United States is acknowledging that juveniles lack careful and exact evaluation and judgment, as well as the ability to control sudden spontaneous inclinations or urges because of their undeveloped minds. Perhaps this is the reason why juveniles are not allowed to choose for themselves whether or not they can go watch an R rated movie until the age of seventeen. They cannot vote until age eighteen, buy a pack of cigarettes until age eighteen, or buy alcohol until the age of twenty-one. The contrast here is drastic; by one means we are suggesting that a seventeen year old teenager is only entering a mature enough mental state to choose whether he or she wishes to watch an R rated movie, yet by another we are suggesting that he or she is mature enough to understand the full consequences of a crime they may commit.
Obviously, we as a society recognize the difference between the mental capacity of juveniles and adults too, or we would not have constructed laws based on the age of an individual as a determining factor for conduct. It seems unfair that we only want to recognize the difference in mental development between adult and child up to the point when the child exercises bad judgment. I hate to think that we are so cruel as a society and a country that we would rather place our children in prison because of poor decision making with an immature brain, for a crime they are convicted of, than try to rehabilitate them while their mental capacity for reform is at its pinnacle.
*Editors’ note: A juvenile “life” sentence ends at age 25.
Monday, March 21, 2016
Reading Presentation Handout (fiction)
Reading Presentation Handout
READING PRESENTATION QUESTIONS: FICTION
On the day that you present in front of the class you must also write your response to the questions below and hand in your answers. You must hand in your answers on the day you signed up for.
Reading Analysis Guide for Walter Mosley’s Little Scarlet.
Guidelines for Reading Analysis Presentation
Sign-up on the presentation calendar on my desk. Make a note of the chapters and presentation date that you sign up for below.
Reading analysis chapter: __________________________Presentation date: _______________
You will be presenting your analysis in class along with other classmates. The class will be counting on you to be on top of the article you are covering, so please be prepared!
This assignment is worth 40 points – to receive credit, you must participate in the presentation of your analysis. You will be graded primarily on your written analysis (breakdown of scoring below), but outstanding presentations will be rewarded.
Read the chapters or section that you will be analyzing carefully. On your first reading, just try to identify the main idea(s) and get a feel for the writer’s approach and the flow of the chapter. On your second reading, go over the text more carefully; notice how the writer creates characters and tells the story.
To prepare your written analysis:
Identify the author’s name and the title of the chapter(s) you are covering. Answer the following questions, numbering each answer in the way the questions are numbered.
1. What is the central theme of the selection? Your answer should be a complete sentence in your own words (not a quote!). Be as specific as possible, but remember that the theme of a book refers to the authors overall concerns. The plot is what happens as the book moves ahead. The theme refers to the overall concerns of a book.
2. What are the concerns of the characters in the chapter(s) you have read? This book is fiction. Do you think the events in the book could happen in real life? Do you think the way the characters act is believable. If the events in the book are exaggerated by the author, does it make the book less effective? If the behavior of the characters are exaggerated, does it make the book less believable or effective?
3. Is the central theme expressed explicitly or implicitly? The claim is explicit if the writer spells out what it is. The claim is implicit if the writer only implies the claim but does not state it outright.
4. Did the events and actions in your chapter(s) surprise you or change your mind about the characters in the book?
5. What is the tone – the feel – of the chapter(s) you read?
6. What things in the story give the most insight into human nature?
7. Does the writer leave the opinions and feelings to the readers? If so, why? Is this approach effective?
8. Make up two questions to ask the class about your chapter
Example of Descriptive Essay
Complete this form to create your outline for Essay 1…
Tentative title for your essay: ____LAX: An Assault on the Senses_________________
I. Introduction
Thesis statement: __Los Angeles International Airport is a place where all aspects of my senses get tested. ___________________________________________________________________
Your thesis statement should be a complete sentence that (1) identifies the location of your observation and (2) expresses your point of view on the location. Note: The thesis statement need not be the first sentence of your essay. A good place for the thesis is usually the last sentence of your introductory paragraph.
II. Supporting point 1: __LAX airport was crowded and busy even before I entered it.
Try to express your point in a complete sentence that can serve as a topic sentence for the paragraph.
List specifics and details that you plan to use to develop your point.
A. ___huge LAX sign seen from the freeway, cars trying to find parking_______
B. ___buses, taxis dropping off and picking people up
C. ___planes flying overhead, conveyer belts, baggage claims, schedule boards
D. ___TSA area – people waiting: soldiers, business people, families with children, etc.
III. Supporting point 2: __I heard raucuous noise from so much going on inside the terminal.
A. __screeching tires, honking, airplanes taking off
B. __”Flight 609 now boarding. Last call, flight 609 now boarding”
C. __babies, children, mothers: “Matthew, stop running around!”
D. __dogs barking at luggage______________________________
IV. Supporting point 3: ___Touch and smell changed all around me. _______
A. ____smoke from cars and cigarettes, strong perfume_____________
B. ____smells of coffee and McDonald’s food ____________________
C. ____air conditioner COLD, smooth leather seats________________
D. ____hot and musty between peole in line______________________
(Add more supporting points if necessary.)
Example Essay
LAX: An Assault on the Senses
Aren’t vacations exciting? Packing and setting the alarm a day before already gets me anxious. I lay in bed thinking: What will Hawaii look like? What will there be for me to taste or touch? I wonder if I can actually smell the exotic flowers in the air. Is there traffic like there is in LA? Or is it calm, silent, and peaceful? Before I can even experience all my thoughts, I have to go through LAX airport: the place where all the aspects of my senses get tested first.
LAX airport was crowded and busy even before I entered it. Right when I exited the 105 freeway, I immediately saw the huge LAX sign. Off the sides, I saw the enormous poles that lit up at night. When I first entered terminal one, there were already people in their cars trying to find parking. Buses, taxis, and shuttles were dropping and picking up people, while others were running around trying to find a cart to put their luggage in. Every forty- five seconds, I could see an airplane the size of the Titanic, flying above my head. Inside the terminals were lines for people to check in. In addition to the check-in point, there were conveyor belts, baggage claims, gift shops, and a massive board posting flight schedules. The most overwhelming sight to see was the TSA area. (This is where x-ray scans take place before going into the gates.) Additionally, I saw all types of people waiting for their flights. There were soldiers, business men and women, families with children running and playing around, and I even saw flight attendants. My eyes never rested because of the rate of movement in LAX airport.
There were so many things going on that it was impossible to avoid all the raucous noise that went on inside the terminals. The screeching tires and honking vehicles rang an annoying bell in my ears. But that was nothing compared to the shaking ground and the “rooooooom” from the airplanes taking off. Then there was the intercom voice: “Flight 609, now boarding. Last call, flight 609 now boarding.” Somehow, the intercom voice was the most soothing voice because it meant that vacation was getting nearer. On the other hand, crying babies and screaming children were the most disturbing sound that ever encountered my ears. Their mothers were screaming at them, “Matthew! Stop running around!” and some mothers were singing their babies to sleep. On top of that, the dogs jogged around sniffing, and of course, barking at certain luggage. It seemed like peace and quiet ran away to get married and never came back.
Not only were there so many sights to see and so much noise to listen to, the touch and smell changed all around me. I smelled the smoke from vehicles and cigarettes in the hands of air polluters. As people walked by me, their cologne and perfume charged up my nose. However, the aroma of coffee and McDonald’s food brought a smile to my face. Besides all the different smells in the air, I was able to feel the coldness from the air conditioner. The chill in the terminals made the handles on the luggage carts cold. Beyond the ghostly chill, the leather seats were smooth but warm from the many bodies that sat on them. However, the experience was not over until I passed the overly crowded lines, which lead to the plane. It was not impossible to feel hot and musty between the people in line.
In retrospect, LAX airport touched all the aspects of my senses. I was able to see so many sights of such vehicles, airplanes, terminals, and people. In addition, I was able to hear screeching tires, honking vehicles, and even families yelling at each other. Moreover, I smelled smoke from machines and humans, and I also got to feel the welcoming chill from the air conditioner. In spite of LAX airport being busy, it was still possible for me to see, hear, smell, and touch every dimension of the airport.
Thesis Statement Essentials
THE THESIS STATEMENT
The thesis is the ONE sentence that contains
the foundation, the premise, the argument
you are presenting to your readers.
It is the core of the essay.
Strive to make it strong and clear.
ELEMENTS OF THESIS:
- It must be ARGUABLE.
This means it presents an opinion, an argument, or an illustration of a view or experience. It is not a mere statement of fact.
- It must ADDRESS the TOPIC.
While this element seems obvious too, writers often get going and one thought leads to another and another and the topic gets left behind. Re-read the prompt several times to make sure you haven’t gone off topic beyond the parameters of the assignment.
- It must be SPECIFIC enough to be covered in the paper.
What is the length of the assignment: two pages? ten pages? The length determines how broad or narrow the scope of your thesis will be. Adjust accordingly.
- It must MAKE SENSE.
This is the catch-all element that asks you to re-consider your wording, syntax, diction, and grammar. Make changes as you see fit.
How To Create a Useful Outline
Creating a Useful Outline
Why and How to Create a Useful Outline
Summary:
This resource describes why outlines are useful, what types of outlines exist, suggestions for developing effective outlines, and how outlines can be used as an invention strategy for writing.
Contributors:Elyssa Tardiff, Allen Brizee
Last Edited: 2010-04-17 05:26:08
Last Edited: 2010-04-17 05:26:08
Why create an outline? There are many reasons; but in general, it may be helpful to create an outline when you want to show the hierarchical relationship or logical ordering of information. For research papers, an outline may help you keep track of large amounts of information. For creative writing, an outline may help organize the various plot threads and help keep track of character traits. Many people find that organizing an oral report or presentation in outline form helps them speak more effectively in front of a crowd. Below are the primary reasons for creating an outline.
- Aids in the process of writing
- Helps you organize your ideas
- Presents your material in a logical form
- Shows the relationships among ideas in your writing
- Constructs an ordered overview of your writing
- Defines boundaries and groups
How do I create an outline?
- Determine the purpose of your paper.
- Determine the audience you are writing for.
- Develop the thesis of your paper.
Then:
- Brainstorm: List all the ideas that you want to include in your paper.
- Organize: Group related ideas together.
- Order: Arrange material in subsections from general to specific or from abstract to concrete.
- Label: Create main and sub headings.
Remember: creating an outline before writing your paper will make organizing your thoughts a lot easier. Whether you follow the suggested guidelines is up to you, but making any kind of outline (even just some jotting down some main ideas) will be beneficial to your writing process.
Principles of Outlining
Principles of Outlining
Basic Principles for Developing an Effective Outline
1. Thesis statement should be specific, focused, and arguable.
2. Supporting evidence should be clear, specific, and relevant to the thesis.
3. Supporting evidence should be divided into logical groups to form supporting points.
4. Supporting points should clearly relate to and support the thesis.
5. Outline should present sufficient supporting points and evidence to support the thesis persuasively.
èèè Review the sample outline below, and evaluate it using the principles above. Does the outline demonstrate all of the principles? If not, how could it be revised to improve it? You may add pieces of evidence from the list at the bottom of the page.
________________________________________________________________________________
Sample Outline
Working thesis: Kobe Bryant is a better player than the great NBA stars of the 1970s and ‘80s.
Supporting point 1. – Kobe’s offense
A. Reasons Kobe is a great offensive player
B. Scored 81 points in game versus Toronto Raptors in 2006
Supporting point 2. – Kobe’s defense
A. Defensive skills
B. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were never named to the NBA’s All Defensive Team
Supporting point 3. – Kobe’s clutch play
A. Why Kobe’s great in the clutch
B. Gave himself the nickname “Black Mamba”
________________________________________________________________________________
Additional evidence about Kobe Bryant
1. Six game-winning shots during the 2009-10 season
2. Led the league in scoring during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons
3. Named to the NBA All-Defensive Team ten times
4. Member of five NBA championship teams, twice named NBA Final MVP
5. Shares the single-game NBA record for three pointers made with twelve
6. According to Nate Smith of the sports blog BleacherReporter, “Kobe Bryant is the definition of clutch.”
7. Held Celtics’ star Rajon Rondo to his worst series in the 2010 playoffs
Essay Assignment #1
Essay Assignment #1 – Description
To complete this assignment, you must observe a public place for at least 20 minutes. You can observe a store, a restaurant, a park, a mall, a government office, a specific area of the college campus or any other area open to and frequented by the public. You will write a descriptive essay of the place you observe. (Do not attempt to use a memory of a past experience. To succeed on this essay, you need to write about an observation you do specifically for this assignment.)
Observation of a Public Place
When you conduct your observation, notice the people who inhabit the place you have chosen. Who are they? Why are they there? What do they look like? What are they doing? How do they behave? Do they seem happy, nervous, hopeful, frustrated, cheerful, bored? As you observe your public place, pay attention to the physical environment. What does it look like? What does it sound like? How does it affect the people in it?
Outline – due (use form on back)
Once you have completed your observation, define the dominant impression of the place you observed that you want to convey to your reader. Write a working thesis statement that expresses your dominant impression. Identify three to four main points that you will use to support your thesis. Make sure you have enough specifics and details to discuss for each supporting point.
First Draft – 10 points – due (typed or handwritten and double-spaced!)
Write a draft of your descriptive essay. Your draft should include (1) a clear introduction that specifies the location of your observation and contains your thesis statement; (2) three or four body paragraphs, consisting of specific, detailed description; (3) and a concluding paragraph. You may type or neatly handwrite your draft. Please double-space (skip every other line).
Final Draft – 100 points – due
Revise your draft, taking into consideration feedback you received in the draft workshop.
Essay guidelines
- Your final draft should be at least two full pages long and have at least five paragraphs.
- Your essay should contain an explicit thesis statement that expresses the dominant impression of your observation that you are trying to convey in your essay.
- Support your thesis statement with evidence in the form of specific, concrete details from your observation. If your body paragraphs do not support your thesis, make an adjustment.
- Begin each body paragraph with a topic sentence that expresses the main point of the paragraph.
- You may use the first-person voice (but you don’t have to).
- Please title your essay!
- Format your final draft in MLA style (see Formatting handout).
Complete this form to create your outline for Essay 1…
Tentative title for your essay: ________________________________
I. Introduction
Your thesis statement should be a complete sentence that (1) identifies the location of your observation and (2) expresses your point of view on the location. Note: The thesis statement need not be the first sentence of your essay. A good place for the thesis is usually the last sentence of your introductory paragraph.
II. Supporting point 1: _____________________________________________________
III. Supporting point 2: _____________________________________________________
A. _______________________________________________________
IV. Supporting point 3: _____________________________________________________
A. _______________________________________________________
(Add more supporting points if necessary.)
II. Supporting point 1: _____________________________________________________
III. Supporting point 2: _____________________________________________________
IV. Supporting point 3: _____________________________________________________
(Add more supporting points if necessary.)
Ferguson, Mo. and L.A.: Two police shootings...
There may be a world of difference between the shooting Saturday of an unarmed man by police in Ferguson, Mo., and the LAPD shooting Monday of an unarmed and apparently mentally ill man in South Los Angeles — or there may not be — but the incidents are bound by a common thread that runs through American history and that demands continuing attention and corrective action.
Certainly public safety requires police forces of well-trained officers ready to put their lives on the line for the people they serve. It also requires that the people who pay for and rightfully expect to be protected by the police have well-founded confidence in them, and that confidence requires in turn that the public has an opportunity to discover and challenge bad or outmoded police policies, practices and attitudes.
Less than a week has passed since the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, and even less time since the killing of 26-year-old Ezell Ford here, so it is simply not yet possible to say with certainty whether police in each case followed their training and policy. But a basic fact of life in Ferguson is undeniable: An overwhelmingly white police force disproportionately stops and arrests African Americans. It is a situation that resonates in other cities across the nation, where occupation-style policing in nonwhite neighborhoods once prevailed and may prevail still. People must have reason to believe that police will hear and heed their legitimate complaints, and if there appears to be no safe and rational forum for that conversation, they will seek another one, as the violent encounters in Ferguson over the last five nights show.
Los Angeles is high on the list of cities with long histories of police abuses, especially in African American neighborhoods. Those include a number of deadly encounters between officers and mentally disturbed people that could have been avoided, so the Ford shooting is necessarily seen and felt in that context. But Los Angeles also has a history, albeit a much shorter one, of police reform and community engagement, so there may exist sufficient residual confidence that Ford's tragic death will be properly investigated and any necessary corrective action taken.
That's still not enough, though. Even if it turns out that policy and procedure were scrupulously followed in the Ford shooting, it is hard to believe that police cannot refine their encounters with unarmed citizens to avoid the use of deadly force — and to avoid reopening wounds that have barely begun to heal here and remain raw elsewhere.
Syllabus E52b 2016
English 52
Introduction to College
Composition
Instructor: Tom
Amano-Tompkins Spring 2016
Section 22450: TTh 8:00-11:00 am
Lab: 22451 TTh 11:00
am-12:00 pm Location:
SS-138
Office hours: 12-12:30
T (Courtyard by classroom) Email
eng52a@earthlink.net (best way to
communicate with me outside of class!). Also I can be reached at tamanotompkins@cerritos.edu. Website:
http://eng52sp201b.blogspot.com
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of the English
Placement Exam or English 20 with a grade of CREDIT, “C,” or higher.
Course Description:
English 52 is a
course designed to prepare your reading and writing skills for English
100. In this course, you will be
required to read professional essays and respond to them in journals, think
critically, synthesize material, write coherent expository essays with strong
thesis statements, give and receive feedback, edit and revise writing, and
expand on ideas. You will also engage in
all stages of the writing process including prewriting, drafting, and revising.
Course Objectives:
·
Employ
the writing process in order to understand and complete the writing task
·
Write an
essay that has a specific purpose, in response to specific writing prompts and
course assignments
·
Write a
multi-paragraph essay with specific details, examples, and illustrations to
fulfill a purpose
·
Demonstrate
critical engagement with outside sources
·
Write in
prose style characterized by clarity, complexity, and variety
·
Adhere
to the conventions of standard written English
Student
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of
the course, you will be able to:
·
Employ
the Writing Process in order to understand and
complete the writing task
·
Write paragraphs and short essays that have a
specific purpose,
in response to specific writing prompts and course assignments
·
Write paragraphs using specific details,
examples, and
illustrations to fulfill a purpose
·
Demonstrate appropriate critical thinking and
strategies in
writing
·
Write in prose style characterized by clarity
and variety
·
Adhere to the conventions of standard written
English
Required texts: (available at the campus bookstore)
The
Compact Reader: Short Essays by Method and Theme (tenth edition) by Jane E. Aaron
– ISBN
#: 978-1-4576-3297-6
Rules
for Writers (seventh
edition) by Diana Hacker – ISBN #: 0-312-64736-0
Little Scarlet by Walter Mosley – ISBN #: 978-0-4461-9824-
97804461982400
You will need all of the
above books to pass this class!
Bring your books, a
notebook (or notebook paper), and a pen to every class meeting. You will also
need to purchase two blue books for the two in-class essays.
Students who
succeed in English 52 usually choose to **Read
carefully!**
- Make a serious commitment to succeeding in this class.
- Come to class on time and prepared.
- Get the required texts as soon as possible.
- Do all the assignments, including readings, and keep up with the
class schedule.
- Participate in class discussions and activities.
- Refrain from using their cell phones during class.
- Let me know immediately if they experience a problem with the
class or if other areas of their lives seriously interfere with their
ability to do their class work.
- Seek out all legitimate help with their course work, if you need
it, including campus resources, campus librarians, your textbook, and me.
· Maintain academic integrity by doing their own work. They
do not plagiarize; they do not cheat. (See box on plagiarism below.)
- Treat classmates and instructor with respect and consideration.
- Recognize that real learning is difficult – it involves making
mistakes and taking risks.
If you are not willing to make these choices, you are not likely to
pass this class!
Plagiarism can mean copying, word for word, all or part of
something someone else has written and turning it in with your name on it.
Plagiarism also includes using your own words to express someone else’s ideas
without crediting the source of those ideas and reusing your own papers written
for another class.
Plagiarism is a very serious form of academic misconduct. It’s both
lying and stealing, and it’s a waste of time for students and teachers. College
and departmental policy on plagiarism will be strictly enforced: Any student
caught plagiarizing will automatically receive a zero for that assignment, with
no possibility of making it up, and may be subject to up to a formal reprimand
and/or suspension.
Cite your sources! Please retain all notes and drafts of your papers
until grading for the course is completed.
Attendance/Tardiness
Attendance in class
is mandatory. This is the college policy. If a student is absent during the add
period OR for more than 10% of the total class hours (three classes), the
instructor has sufficient cause to drop that student. Arriving late or leaving
early will count as one half of an absence.
Grading: Your final grade in this
class will be computed as follows.
Essays (3) 35% (including
source list, outline, & draft Journal 10%
Midterm Exam 10%
A = 90%
900-1000 points Final
Exam 10%
B = 80%
800-899 Homework & in-class
work
15% C = 70%
700-799 Quizzes 5% D = 60%
600-699 Reading Analysis Presentation 10% F = 50%
0-599 Participation 5% Total 100%
All assignments are required. In-class essays, quizzes, and in-class
work cannot be made up. Missing assignments can significantly impact your grade
and prevent you from passing the course.
No late assignments
will be accepted, unless an extension has been arranged with the instructor in
advance. Papers may not be submitted by email except by
special permission, and when permitted, it is the student’s responsibility to
make sure that the paper is received and readable.
Multicultural
Statement
This course teaches students to read and write
critically about a myriad of subjects, which represent and reflect culturally
diverse issues and problems. Further, writing assignments are designed to help
students understand and respect diverse cultural perspectives and to show how
these perspectives contribute to the development and growth of society. In
addition, instructional methods are used to accommodate the various learning
styles of students, thus promoting self-confidence and student success.
Disabled Students
Programs and Services
Students with
limitations due to a disability may receive support services and instruction
from Disabled Student Programs and Services. Those students with mobility,
visual, hearing, speech, psychological and other health impairments as well as
learning and developmental disabilities are served. For
information or an appointment call (562) 860-2451, extension 2335; (562)
274-7164 (VP) or (562) 467-5006 (FAX).
Contact information for a few reliable classmates
___________________________________________________________________
Name Phone Email
___________________________________________________________________
Name Phone Email
Schedule of Topics and Assignments (subject to change)
Date
|
Lesson Topic(s)
|
Homework
& class preparation to complete before
class
CR = The Compact Reader – R4W = Rules for Writers
***IMPORTANT: For
exercises from Rules for Writers,
turn in answers to numbered
questions only. Answers to lettered questions can be found in the back of the
book. ***
|
Quizzes,
exams, and major assignments
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Week
1
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Tues. 03/22
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Introduction
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Review
Syllabus; go over the goals of the class. Discuss student expectations.
Discuss “handouts” and “post.” Explain how class format will work, including
in-class homework assignments. Explain the writing journal.
Homework for next
class will be reviewed at the end of class.
HOMEWORK for Thurs: One paragraph summary + thesis of the Los Angeles Times editorial. “Ferguson, Mo., and L.A.: Two Shootings,
One Common Thread” by the Times Editorial Board (search latimes.com) post
Read CR – Chapter 1: Reading, pp. 3-17
Chapter 2: Developing
an Essay, pp. 19-32
“Sixteen”
by Charlie Spence, pp. 349-352 (post)
Written
homework: CR - Meaning questions
1-3, p. 353
Read
“Principles of Outlining” (handout)
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Diagnostic writing
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Thurs. 03/24
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Reading
Critically
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Quiz
Journal
In
class: breakdown the structure of “Sixteen”
Read
“Principles of Outlining” (handout) post
-Discuss
-Exercise:
You have been assigned to write a short essay about making the perfect peanut
butter and jelly sandwich. Begin with constructing the perfect outline.
HOMEWORK
Compact Reader: Chapter 2 pp. 16-30
Written
homework: R4W - Exercises 46-1, pp.
368-9; Ex. 46-2, p. 371; & Ex. 46-3, pp. 373-4
R4W: Parts of speech, pp. 368-80
***IMPORTANT:
For exercises from Rules for Writers, turn in answers to numbered questions only.
Answers to lettered questions can be found in the back of the book. ***
*** Last day to drop class and
get a full refund is Jan. 14
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Diagnostic grammar test
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Week 2
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Tues. 03/29
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Writing
Process and Essay Structure
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Quiz
Journal
Discuss CR reading Chapter 2
In-class: Review prompt of essay 1 (must do before class on Thursday)
In-class: review R4W and CR
HOMEWORK Read CR – Chapter 3: Revising, pp. 33-46
“The C Word in the Hallways” by Anna
Quindlen, pp. 343-348 (post)
Written homework CR - Meaning
questions 1-4, pp. 346
R4W: Sentence fragments, pp. 180-8
Written homework: R4W - Exercises 19-1, p. 187 & Ex.
19-2, pp. 187-8
You must do the observation for essay 1 before Thurs class
Read handout (“How To Write
a Good Thesis Statement”) post
*** Last day to drop class
with no “W” is Jan. 19
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Discuss
prompt of essay 1
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Thurs. 03/31
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Quiz
Journal
Thesis statement
(handout – see above)
Workshop
prewrite/outline
HOMEWORK
Homework: Read CR
– Chapter 6: Description, pp. 91-7
“Desert Dance” by Marta K. Taylor, pp. 98-100 post
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Prewrite
Essay 1
Outline of Essay 1
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Week 3
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Tues. 04/05
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Description
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Quiz
Journal
HOMEWORK
Read
CR Chapter 13 295-298
Homework
R4W:
Run-on sentences, pp. 188-93
Written
homework: R4W - Ex. 20-1, pp. 193-4
& Ex. 20-2, pp. 194-5
Read CR:
“Nickeled and Dimed” by Barbara Ehrenreich
298 (post summary)
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Rough Draft Essay 1 due
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Thurs. 04/07
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Example
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Quiz
Journal
Prompt for Essay 2 (read and discuss)
Watch movie Devil With A Blue Dress
HOMEWORK
Read Little Scarlet chapters 1-4 (post summaries)
Read “Reading Presentation Handout”
R4W: Subordinate word groups, pp. 389-98
Written homework: Ex. 48-1, p.
391; Ex. 48-2, p. 394; & Ex. 48-3, pp. 397-8
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FINAL Essay 1
due
Discuss prompt
for Essay 2 (misperception)
Distribute Little Scarlet |
Week
4
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Tues. 04/12
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Quiz
Journal
Workshop outline
essay 2 (peer review)
Homework:
Read chapter 5-8 Little Scarlet (post summaries)
Read CR chapter 3 “Revising” page 31
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Outline Essay
2
Begin Reading
Presentations
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Thurs. 04/14
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Quiz
Journal
Draft
of essay 2 (peer review)
HOMEWORK
Read CR – Chapter 7: Example, pp. 115-121
R4W: Subject-verb agreement, pp. 196-205 & Sentence
Types, pp. 398-400
Written homework: Ex. 21-1, p. 206; Ex. 21-2,
pp. 206-7; & Ex. 49-1, p. 400
Read
Little Scarlet chapters 9-14 (post
summaries)
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Draft of Essay 2
Reading Presentations
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Week 5
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Tues. 04/19
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Division
or Analysis
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Quiz
Journal
Midterm
HOMEWORK
Homework: Read CR – Chapter
8: Division or Analysis, pp. 141-8
Read CR – Chapter 11: Comparison & Contrast, pp. 220-9
R4W: Pronoun-antecedent agreement, pp. 207-16
Ex. 22-1, pp. 211-2 & 23-1, p. 216
Read LS: chapters (post summaries)
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Midterm
Reading
Presentations
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Thurs. 04/21
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Literary
Analysis
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Quiz
Journal
HOMEWORK
R4W: Comma, sections 32a-d, pp. 292-7
Written homework: Ex. 32-1, p. 294, Ex. 32-2, pp. 294-5;
& Ex. 32-3, p. 297
Read Basic Rules of Commas (handout) post
Little
Scarlet: chapters 15-20 (post summaries)
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Essay 2 due
Reading
Presentations
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Week 6
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Tues. 04/26
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Literary
Analysis
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Quiz
Journal
HOMEWORK
R4W: Comma, sections 32-e-j, pp. 302-7
Unnecessary commas, pp.
308-13
Written homework: Ex. 32-5, pp. 302; Ex. 32-6, p.
307; & Ex. 33-1, p. 313
Read Little
Scarlet chapters 21-24 (post summaries)
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Reading
Presentations
DISCUSS PROMPT FOR ESSAY 3 PLEASE READ AHEAD IN LITTLE SCARLET |
Thurs. 04/28
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Quiz
Journal
Read CR – Chapter 13: Cause & Effect Analysis, pp. 276-86
Rules for Writers: Semicolon, pp. 314-7; Colon, pp. 319-20
Written homework: Ex. 34-1, pp. 317-8; Ex. 34-2, p. 318; & Ex.
35-1, pp. 320-1
Read Little Scarlet (chapters 25-36)
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Reading
Presentations
WORK ON |
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Week
7
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Tues. 05/03
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Literary
Analysis
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Quiz
Journal
Homework: R4W: Apostrophe, pp. 321-4; Quotation marks, pp. 326-31; End
punctuation, pp. 333-5
Written
homework: Ex. 36-1, p. 325; Ex. 37-1, pp. 331-2
Read Little
Scarlet (chapters 36-41)
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Reading
Presentations
WORK ON OUTLINE ESSAY 3 |
Thurs. 05/05
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Literary
Analysis
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Quiz
Journal
Read and discuss prompt for essay 3; then
CR: REVIEW CHAPTER 3 - REVISING
R4W: Numbers, pp. 345-7; Italics, pp. 347-9;
Capital letters, pp. 362-6
Written homework: Ex. 41-1, pp.
346-7; Ex 42-1. pp. 349-50; & Ex. 45-1, pp. 365-6
Read Little Scarlet: chapters 41-46 (post summaries)
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ROUGH DRAFT ESSAY 3
Reading
Presentations
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Week
8
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Tues. 05/10
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Quiz
Journal
Homework: Read Little Scarlet finish the book (post
summaries)
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ROUGH DRAFT ESSAY 3
Reading
Presentations
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Thurs. 05/12
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Quiz
Journal
Workshop Rough
draft
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FINAL DRAFT ESSAY 3 DUE |
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Week
9
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Tues. 05/17
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Literary
Analysis
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Quiz
Journal
Prep for final
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TURN IN YOUR JOURNAL AFTER CLASS
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Thurs. 05/19
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Final Exam
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Final
exam
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