1. 1
EWRT1A.63 Syllabus Winter 2015
SEM2, TTh 6:30-8:45
Thomas Ray, PhD
Email: raythomas@fhda.edu
Phone: 408-864-8546
Office L-11a
Office Hours: TTh 5:30-6:30 and by appointment
Goals: English 1A is a transfer level course in reading and composition that prepares students to analyze college texts and
to write college papers. In particular, you should learn to
1. Read and analyze a wide variety of types of writing.
2. Examine texts that are rhetorically and culturally diverse.
3. Generate ideas and topics for essays.
4. Formulate and support theses.
5. Integrate and organize ideas.
6. Develop a personal style and voice appropriate to purpose and audience.
7. Practice writing as a multi-step process.
8. Compose essays with varying purposes, audiences, and rhetorical strategies.
Requirements:
1. Active participation in class discussions and regular attendance.
2. Keeping up-to-date on the assignments and reading.
3. Four formal papers, one of which will be written in class.
4. A series of posts to the class website = journal/blog.
5. Multiple tests, quizzes, or in-class assignments.
Texts and Required Materials/Tools:
v Rise B. Axelrod and Charles R. Cooper, The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing 8th
Edition
v Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games.
v An email account that you will be willing to share via Wordpress and Turnitin.com
Course Website:
Our class website is http://rayewrt1a.wordpress.com. In order to do the homework, you must establish an account. To make
your own FREE Word Press account, go to wordpress.com. The system will walk you through the steps to signup for a
username or to set up your own user-friendly Word Press blog. Alternatively, you can sign into our website through
Facebook.
If you prefer not to use your own name, you may use a pseudonym. Just make sure you sign in with YOUR Word Press
username before you post on our class page so you get credit for your work. Please email me your username once you
have established which account you shall use for the quarter.
If you cannot establish your website and username, please come to my office hours as soon as possible, and I will help you
with the process. Much of our work will take place online, so establishing this connection is mandatory.
Please bring the St Martin’s Guide (SMG) to every class meeting; bring The Hunger Games on the days we will discuss it.
Bring your laptop and draft copies on the days we write in class.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students will be assessed on their ability to
1) Practice writing as a multi-step process including planning and revising with attention to varying purposes,
audiences, and rhetorical strategies.
2) Read and analyze rhetorically and culturally diverse narrative and expository texts from a variety of
perspectives.
3) Write cogent, well-developed arguments that clearly articulate a thesis supported by textual evidence.
4) Document sources (print, electronic, and other) in MLA style.

2. 2
GRADING:
Grades for this course will be based on a 1000-point scale divided as follows:
Assignment My Score Point
Value
Assignment My
Score
Point
Value
Essay #1 (in-class) 2-3 pages 75 Website Posts 200
Essay #2 (out of class) 3-5 pages 100 Tests 5x25 125
Essay #3 (out of class) 3-5 pages 100 Participation/Quizzes/Activities/
writing workshops
150
Essay # 4 (out of class) 4-6 pages 150
Oral Presentation (2-3 pages) 4-6
minutes
100 Total 1000 points
I will assign traditional + and - grades
Grade Points Required Grade Points Required
A 900-1000 D 600-699
B 800-899 F 599 and below
C 700-799
CLASS POLICIES:
Essay Submission:
All out of class essays are to be submitted to Turnitin.com electronically before the class period in which they are
due.
To sign into the Turnitin site you will need to have an account.
If you already have a Turnitin account:
1. Log into your Turnitin account by going to Turnitin.com.
2. Click on the gray "Enroll in a Class" tab in the upper left of the screen.
3. Enter the class ID number (9221228) and case-sensitive enrollment password (identity) for the class you wish to
add. Please note that for security reasons, class enrollment information can only be distributed by the instructor.
4. Click “Submit.”
The student should now have the new class listed on their home page when they log in.
If you do not have a Turnitin account:
1. Go to Turnitin.com.
2. Click on the "Create Account” link to the upper right, and choose to create a new "Student" account.
3. Follow the profile creation wizard.
4. Within the wizard, you will be asked for the Class ID (9221228) and class enrollment password (identity).
5. You will add your account information (first and last name, email, password, secret question).
When you finish and exit the wizard, you can later log into your account by entering the e-mail address and the password
you created in the appropriate fields of the Turnitin login page.
Students can find the Turnitin student quick start videos at:
http://www.turnitin.com/en_us/training/student-training
If you cannot establish your Turnitin account or log into the class, please come to my office hours as soon as possible, and I
will help you with the process. Much of our work will take place online, so establishing this connection is mandatory.
Academic Dishonesty:
Plagiarism includes quoting or paraphrasing material without documentation and copying from other students or professionals.
Intentional plagiarism is a grave offense; the resulting response will be distasteful. Depending upon the severity, instances of
plagiarism may result in a failing grade for the paper or the course and possible administrative action. All assignments will be
scanned and scrutinized for academic dishonesty. Please refer to your handbook for more information regarding
plagiarism.

3. 3
Attendance:
Attendance is a significant part of this course, and success in this course depends on regular attendance and active
participation. Participation points will be part of our daily activities. If you are not in class, you cannot earn these points.
You should save absences for emergencies.
It is your responsibility to talk to me your absences or other conflicts. Work done in class cannot be made up. Also, please
arrive on time, as you will not be able to make up work completed before you arrive, including quizzes and vocabulary
exams.
Conduct, Courtesy, and Electronic Devices:
In this class, we will regularly engage in the discussion of topics that may stir passionate debates. Please speak freely and
candidly; however, while your thoughts and ideas are important to me and to the dynamics of the class, you must also
respect others and their opinions. Courtesy will allow each person to have the opportunity to express his or her ideas in a
comfortable environment.
Courtesy includes but is not limited to politely listening to others when they contribute to class discussions or while they
give presentations, not slamming the classroom door or walking in front of classmates giving presentations if you do arrive
late, and maintaining a positive learning environment for your fellow classmates. To help maintain a positive learning
environment, please focus on the work assigned, and do not text-message in class. If your behavior becomes disruptive to
the learning environment of the class, you may be asked to leave and/or be marked absent.
Participation:
Participation includes doing all work asked of you inside and outside of class, maintaining a positive learning environment
for your classmates, and contributing to class discussion. Participation points are accrued based on your in class
participation.
Workshops:
In this class, we will have workshops in conjunction with each take-home essay assignment. Please be prepared by bringing the
appropriate number of copies of your rough draft (see course outline) on workshop days. All drafts for out-of-class essays must be
typed and printed though using recycled paper is acceptable. If you come to class without the proper number of copies required for
that day’s lesson, I will excuse you from class to either make copies or work on your essay. You will not receive participation points
for the workshop.
Quizzes:
I may decide to include pop quizzes from time to time to ensure you are completing all readings in a timely fashion. There
are no make up opportunities for quizzes.
Tests:
We will have five vocabulary tests during the quarter. There are no make-ups. One day, near the end of the quarter, I will
offer every student the opportunity to take or re-take one test.
Late Work:
Work done in class cannot be made up.
Out of class essays must be submitted by the start of class on the date they are due (6:30 p.m.) to receive full credit.
Out of class essays submitted after the deadline but before the next class meeting will deducted one letter grade (10%).
No essays will be accepted more than one class period after the due date.
Blog entries must be posted by the start of class on the date they are due to earn credit.
Office Hours:
You can drop by during scheduled hours to see if I am free. Or, you can email me if you need to make an appointment
outside of my formal office hours.
Adding and Dropping:
Adding and dropping this class is the responsibility of the student. Please observe all deadlines regarding the same should
you wish to add or drop this class.
Educational Use of Student Papers:
Occasionally, I retain copies of written work to share with this class or future sections of the course; selections of student
work used in these ways will be anonymous. However, if you absolutely object to the use of your work in these ways,
please let me know now, so that I can respect your preference.