College of the Canyons: Prof.

Rebecca Chmiel, MSc

English 103: Critical Reading, Writing, and Thinking
Section: 24397 Mon/Wed 8:00-9:20 am MENH (Mentry) 234
Section: 24282 Tues/Thurs 12:30-1:50 pm CCC (Canyon Country) 304
Contact Information
: By website: Section 24397- https://coc.instructure.com/courses/3376
Section 24282- https://coc.instructure.com/courses/3375
. By email: Rebecca.Chmiel@canyons.edu- Please expect a wait time of up to 24 hours on weekdays for response
6 Office Hours: Drop in and out, no appointments necessary
Mon: 11:00-12:00 BONH 312
Tues: 2:00-3:00 pm CCC 205
Thurs: 2:00-2:30 pm CCC 205
P 1:1 appointment: By request- Please request at least 48 hours in response and wait for confirmation

Course Materials

Access to Canvas
Asking the Right
Questions 11th ed.
Signs of Life in the ISBN 13: 978-0-321-90975-7
USA: Readings on Popular Brown and Keeley
Culture for Writers
ISBN: 978-1457670251
Maasik and Solomon A brain
(no ISBN)
Attendance and Lateness Policy

College of the Canyons attendance policy is very clear. It states that Students are
expected to attend class on a regular basis Any student absent for any reason, for
more than one time than that class meets in one week, may be dropped from the
class, providing the withdrawal deadline for the semester/ term has not passed.
That means that 3 absences can result in you being dropped. Attendance will be
recorded in the first 5 minutes of class and coming late is counted as half an absence.
You cannot pass this class without attending class regularly because we do things in
class designed to help build your understanding. If being on time is a problem for
you, you will struggle.
 English 103 Prerequisite
Successful completion of English 101 or English 101 Honors. English 103 meets UC and CSU transfer
requirements. If you have been placed into this course pending a decision on a prerequisite challenge petition,
please be aware that if your petition is denied, the Admissions and Records office will drop you from the course.
Even if you continue to attend the class, you cannot receive credit for the course if your prerequisite challenge
petition has been denied.
English 103 Student Learning Outcomes and Objectives
Course Description: English 103 is a 3-unit course which examines the principles of critical thinking as applied to
writing and reading arguments on complex issues. This class focuses on close textual analysis, argumentative/
persuasive writing, and logical reasoning.
By the end of this semester, students will be able to:
1. Evaluate the strength of written, visual, and multimedia arguments on a range of different issues
and controversies.
2. Compose logical, well-reasoned arguments on selected topics such as popular culture, politics,
social issues, and more and ethical issues.
Specific objectives include:
v Identify the issue of an argument; v Evaluate the soundness of assumptions in specific
v Recognize the conclusion/ claim of an argument arguments;
v Delineate the different types of evidence and v Select reliable sources for the evidence in an
evaluate their strengths and weaknesses; argument;
v Explain the importance of assumptions, v Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a written
ambiguous language, and hidden premises in argument, and a visual or multimedia argument;
arguments in general, and recognize them in v Analyze ones own thinking for various forms of
specific arguments; bias;
v List the most common logical fallacies and analyze v Support an opinion with adequate, valid, and well
them in specific arguments, including ones own; organized reasoning and evidence;
v Differentiate different types of appeals, such as v Demonstrate good writing skills, including general
pathos, ethos, and logos; grammar, consistent point of view, and correct
MLA documentation style.
* Disclaimer: This semester, you will be reading works that include controversial language and ideas. These ideas
can include issues surrounding religion, race, gender, sex, violence, and more. No topic is too hot to handle, out of
bounds, or forbidden in this class. But every topic must be approached with respect for your peers, for your teacher,
and for your reader. By remaining in the course, you agree to read all required texts while also engaging critically and
respectfully.
Writing Requirement:
All students in English 103 are required to write 6,000-8,000 by
completing out of class (argument-persuasion) essays. In addition,
you will complete an in-class essay as the final examination.
Your essays should always include your name, my name, the
assignment title, date of submission, page numbers in the top corner
of the paper, typed and double spaced in Times New Roman 12
point font. The margins must be 1 inch only. These requirements
are non-negotiable. Should you submit any essay in different
specifications, you will receive it back with instructions to re-submit
it correctly along with a late penalty of -15%.
 English 103 Information and Policies
Background: We will focus on rhetorical techniquesthe structure of argumentsas well as on the underlying
beliefs, values, and assumptions of various written arguments. In English 101, you probably looked at opposing
viewpoints, and formulated theses in response to perceived conflicts in perspectives. In this course, we will examine
not just what is said, but how it is said. We will focus on logic and logical fallacies in written arguments. In addition,
another primary objective of this class is to enable you to open your minds so you can question freely and without
fear. This course should be uncomfortable at times because you should be challenged.
Course Philosophy: It basically boils down to two key ideas. The first is that anyone can become a great reader or
writer with enough effort; the second is that people learn in different ways and no one way of learning is better or
more desirable than another. You will see these ideas in the assignments you receive as well as the activities we do
in class. You can all be successful in this class, and in writing, but you must do the work. If you find that youre
struggling with writing assignments, please reach out to me or get help from The Learning Center.
Course Format: This class will not be dominated by lectures because it is a course designed to help you improve
your critical reading, writing, and thinking skills. Rather than lectures, we will primarily do activities that require
your participation. This implies that a) without having completed the assigned reading ahead of time you may not
be able to adequately contribute, and b) that you need to be prepared and willing to work with your classmates.
However, it also means that you must be present. Being present can be difficult when texts, Facebook messages,
pictures of that party last night, or other aspects of your life pop up, which is why you are not allowed to have
your cell phone out in class unless explicitly instructed to. If there is an extenuating circumstance where you
absolutely need to be near your phone, please let me know ahead of time.
Technology: Technology will be an integral part of improving the overall class
experience. You will need to navigate the internet, upload work to Canvas,
compose and format documents in a word processing program, save
documents as a .docx, .doc, or .pdf file, check your COC email regularly, stay
on top of changes to the Canvas site, download/print online materials, and
submit typed assignments. In class you may bring a laptop or tablet but you can
only use it for class-related things. If you abuse your laptop/tablet, you will
receive 1 warning. After that first warning you will no longer be allowed to use
it at all.
Academic Integrity: VIOLATIONS OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY WILL
NOT BE TOLERATED. Violations of academic integrity include, but are not
limited to, the following actions: cheating on an exam, plagiarism, working
together on an assignment, paper or project when the instructor has specifically stated students should not do so,
submitting the same term paper to more than one instructor, or allowing another individual to assume one's
identity for the purpose of enhancing one's grade. We will briefly discuss plagiarism and correct citations in class.
It is your responsibility to review notes/resources about citations, visit the TLC, and ask questions before an
assignment is due. Any student who submits work in violation will be reported to the Dean. Be sure to review the
colleges official academic integrity polity, which is located on the last page of the syllabus. Any and all cases of
confirmed plagiarism will receive a 0% for the assignment and may be cause for removal from class.
Useful Information
Email: Please do not email me class work unless you have been explicitly instructed to as I wont consider it
submitted. Email should be used for questions, to arrange appointments, and to communicate information youd
like me to have immediately. The colleges email policy requires that all our email communications take place
through the colleges server, which means that you must use your My Canyons email account. There is a video on
our Canvas website that provides information about how best to email me. Please view it and follow the guidelines
suggested. The FEDERAL LAW, the STATES EDUCATION CODE, and COCS email policy ALL require
that any email communications take place through the colleges server, which means that you must use your My
Canyons email account. This means that if you email me from another account I CAN NOT respond to it! If you
really struggle to check it, please set up your account to have your emails forwarded to your usual email address.
Management of Stress and Mental Health: Often the pressure on our students is very strong, involving academic
commitments, relationships, outside jobs and family pressure to name a few. The staff and faculty of College of the
Canyons are here to see you succeed academically and care about your emotional and physical health. You can learn
more about the broad range of confidential student services, including counseling and mental health services
available on campus by visiting the Student Health & Wellness Center in the Student Services Building (across from
the bookstore) or by clicking onhttp://www.canyons.edu/offices/Health/Pages/default.aspx . The phone number
is 661-362-3259. At the Canyon Country Campus the Health Center is in 1B adjacent to Administration,
Admissions and Records.
Also, the National Suicide Hotline number is 1-800-273- 8255(TALK). All students at COC are encouraged to
enter that phone number in their cells. You can it call when you, or someone you know, is having thoughts of
suicide or is in severe distress.
Please be aware that office hours do not necessarily have to be used only for course-related purposes. If I am on
campus and you need to talk for any reason, please reach out to me and Ill do what I can to help.
Disabilities and Accommodations: Our college is committed to creating a learning environment that meets the
needs of its diverse student body. If you anticipate or experience any barriers to learning, discuss your concerns
with me. In addition to speaking with me, the following resources are available to ensure an opportunity to learn in
an inclusive environment that values mutual respect. To learn more about accommodations, visit DSPS in Seco
Hall, 103, use their phone number (661) 362-3341/ TTY: (661) 362-3726 or website:
http://www.canyons.edu/offices/dsps/
Course Requirements and Grading
Assignment Formatting and Submissions: Submit all assignments in MLA format. MLA format guides can be
found online, in Rules for Writers, and in MLA handbooks. Always use 12 pt. Times New Roman font, one-inch
margins, and double-spacing. Include the submission date, your name, my name, the assignment title and a title for
your essay as well as other necessary identifying information. Your work must be submitted on Canvas in
electronic form but may also be requested in hardcopy form. The ASG computer lab (Student Center 124 and
CCC 204) provides 15 pages of free printing every day for students.
Grading Formula:
16 Reading Application Exercises. 160 pts Research Project Paper 160 pts
Quizzes 150 pts 1 Research Project Presentation 100 pts
Mid-Term Exam 50 pts E-Portfolio
Unit 1 Paper 150 pts o 4 Personal Reflections 80 pts
Unit 2 Paper. 200 pts o 2 Mini-Projects 120 pts
Unit 3 Paper 250 pts o Multimedia Personalization 80 pts
Points Breakdown:
A 1350+ points D1050-900 pts
B1350-1200 pts F.899-0 pts
C1200-1050 pts
*IMPORTANT: I very, very, very rarely round grades up. Even if you are .001% away from an A, you will not be
rounded up unless you have displayed consistent commitment, effort, and growth throughout the course. Similarly,
I will not round you down.
**Extra Credit: Throughout the course there will be a few opportunities to receive extra credit. If you are
concerned about your grade, it is in your best interest to do them. You will not receive extra-extra credit
opportunities if you get to the end of the semester and are in danger of not passing.

Making Up Work: You will not be able to make up in-class activities, quizzes, or oral reports that you are absent
for under any circumstance.
 Late Assignments: Due dates for each assignment will be
delivered alongside the assignment. Should you require an
extension you must request one before the deadline. Work
that is not submitted within 5 minutes of class
starting will be counted as late. Each student can submit
1 essay 1 class day late with a penalty of only -10%. Once
that single late submission is used up, no late essays will be
accepted.
Assignment Submissions: You are required to submit
larger assignments both in person and online. This means
that prior to attending class the day it is due, you must
upload your essay to Canvas as a .docx, .doc, or .pdf file. It
will then be run through a plagiarism checker automatically.
There are more specific instructions on Canvas that you
should look over in order to be adequately prepared.
Important Dates
As with all things in life, this schedule IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE at any time and for any reason.
24397 24282
Week 5, 3/6: Unit 1 Essay Due Week 5, 3/7: Unit 1 Essay Due
4/3-4/9 Spring Break
Week 9, 4/10: Unit 2 Essay Due Week 9, 4/11: Unit 2 Essay Due
Week 15, 5/22: Unit 3 Essay Due Week 15, 5/23: Unit 3 Essay Due
Week 16, 5/29: Memorial Day Week 16, 5/30: Research Proj. Presentations
Research Proj. Paper Due Research Proj. Paper Due
Week 16, 5/31: Research Proj. Presentations Week 16, 6/1: Research Proj. Presentations

Course Schedule
Check
Session Schedule
when done
2/6 In this class: Course Introduction & Expectations, Getting to Know You, Syllabus Review
or For the next class:
2/7 Get textbooks
In this class: What is Critical Thinking? (and the Dangers of Academic Dishonesty)
2/8 For the next class:
or Watch series of videos on Canvas, read syllabus, and complete quiz #1
2/9 Read pp. 1-13 Asking the Right Questions and Popular Signs Signs of Life Complete reading
application assignment (RA) #1
Start mini-project #1
Unit 1: Rhetoric Review and Introduction to Critical Thinking
Week 2 In this class: Reading an Essay Prompt, Critical Reading (pp. 71-79 Signs of Life), and Rhetoric P. 1
2/13 For the next class:
or Read The Battle of the Lapiths and the Centaurs and pp. 14-22 Asking the Right Questions
2/14 Complete RA #2
2/15 In this class: Critical Thinking: Rhetoric Part 2
or For the next class:
2/16 Read The Monstrous and the Bestial & pp. 23-32 Asking the Right Questions Complete RA #3
Week 3 In this class: Critical Thinking: Logical Fallacies versus Rhetoric; Pre-Writing
 2/20 For the next class:
or Read Birthright, Love is a Fallacy, & pp. 76-92 Asking the Right Questions Take quiz
2/21 Begin pre-writing process
In this class: Critical Thinking: Logical Fallacies versus Rhetoric; Developing Your Argument
2/22 For the next class:
or Read Werewolves in the Psyche and Cinema: Man-Beast Transformation and Paradox and A
2/23 Logical Proof for the Existence of Zombies Complete RA #4
Finish mini-project #1
Week 4 In this class: Mini-Project #1 Due; Citations and MLA Review
2/27 For the next class:
or Read pp. 33-42 Asking the Right Questions and Revising and Editing
2/28 Print draft of unit 1 paper
3/1 In this class: Peer Review Workshop Day
or For the next class:
3/2 Finish unit 1 paper and prepare for submission
Unit 2: Heroes and Villains
Week 5 In this class: Unit 1 Essay DUE; Unit 2 Paper Prompt (pp. 441-449 Signs of Life)
3/6 For the next class:
or Read pp. 58-66 Asking the Right Questions and How to do a Visual Analysis Complete RA #5
3/7 Create group contracts
In this class: Preparing to Succeed in this Unit with Inductive Reasoning
3/8 For the next class:
or Read Celebrating Inequality, The Lone Ranger Seals It, and Visual Rhetoric & Literacy
3/9 Complete observation assignment #1
Week 6 In this class: What is a Hero? What is a Villain? And WHAT is Deductive Reasoning?
3/13 For the next class:
or Read No Sympathy for the Devil, Against Anti-heroes
3/14 Complete observation assignment #2 and RA #7
3/15 In this class: The Hero/Villain in Common Knowledge and Common Spaces
or For the next class:
3/16 Read The Thematic Paradigm, 67-75 Asking the Right Questions, and Conducting Surveys
Complete observation assignment #3 and RA #8
Week 7 In this class: The Hero/Villain as a Mirror with Semiotics
3/20 or For the next class:
3/21 Read pp. 92-105 Asking the Right Questions, Conducting Interviews and Semiotics and Cultural
Criticism
Complete observation assignment #4
3/22 In this class: Negotiating the Information & Presenting Your Findings
or For the next class:
3/24 Read Wonder Womans Strength is Her Compassion and pp. 106-124 Asking the Right Qs
Week 8 In this class: Critical Thinking and Writing
3/27 For the next class:
or Read Critical Thinking and Writing
3/28 Print and bring a draft of Unit 2 Paper
3/29 In this class: Peer Review Workshop
or For the next class:
3/30 Finalize Unit 2 Paper for submission
4/3-4/9 Spring Break!!!
 Unit 3: Relationships between History, Culture, and Signs
Week 9 In this class: Unit 2 Paper DUE!; Introduction to Unit 3 Strap yourselves in, its about to get
4/10 bumpy
or For the next class:
4/11 Create contract with group
Read Finding Credible Sources & complete RA #9
In this class: Understanding History Differently & Reading Baudrillard Successfully
4/12 For the next class:
or Read History: A Retro Scenario
4/13 Complete observation assignments #5 and #6
Read pp. 148-157 Asking the Right Questions
Wk 10 In this class: Working Through History: What Led to their Success? What Led to their
4/17 Fetishization?
or For the next class:
4/18 Complete observation assignment #7
Read Holocaust Complete RA #10
4/19 In this class: The Problem of Propaganda
or Complete observation assignments #8 and #9
4/20 Read Less Sugar, More Warships
Wk 11 In this class: #SpicerFacts, Alternative News, and Fake News
4/24 or For the next class:
4/25 Fake News & pp. 139-147 Complete RA #11
4/26 In this class: Making Connections Between Theory and the World
or For the next class:
4/27 Read The Evil Demon of Images and The Precession of Simulacra
Complete RA #12 & observation assignment #10
Wk 12 In this class: Delving Deeper into Connections
5/1 For the next class:
or Read Toward a Principle of Evil complete RA #13
5/2 Begin pre-writing process
5/3 In this class: The Dangers of a Misinformed Society
or For the next class:
5/4 Complete observation assignment #11
Read The Implosion of Meaning in the Media Complete RA #14
Submit thesis for approval by Friday 5 pm
Wk 13 In this class: Negotiating the Prompt: Fitting Theory to Culture to History
5/8 For the next class:
or Read Platos Allegory of the Cave Complete RA #15
5/9 Complete paper proposal

5/10 In this class: Working with the Best Support for your Ideas
or For the next class:
Read pp. 125-147 Asking the Right Questions Complete RA #16
5/11
Wk 14 In this class: Being Reasonable Logical Critical in your Paper
5/15 or For the next class:
5/16 Read pp. 158-165 Asking the Right Questions Complete RA #14
5/17 In this class: Clarity in All Things
or For the next class:
5/18 Read pp. 43-57 Asking the Right Questions
Finalize Unit 3 Paper and prepare for submission
5/22 or In this class: Unit 3 Paper DUE! Presentation Skill 1: Presenting your Findings
5/23
5/24 In this class: Presentation Skill 2: Successful Presenting
or For the next class:
5/25 Email presentation aids to Prof. & Finalize e-Portfolio

Wk 16
5/29 5/29: Memorial Day= NO CLASS
or
5/30 5/30: Research Project Presentations Day 1
5/31
or
6/1
Research Project Presentations

COC Statement and Policy on Academic Integrity and Plagiarism

Approved by Academic Senate in May, 2010
Students are expected to do their own work as assigned. At College of the Canyons, we believe that academic
integrity and honesty are some of the most important qualities college students need to develop and maintain. To
facilitate a culture of academic integrity, College of the Canyons has defined plagiarism and academic dishonesty.
Due process procedures have been established when plagiarism or academic dishonesty is suspected. At COC, we
define plagiarism as follows: Plagiarism is the submission of someone elses work or ideas as ones own, without
adequate attribution. When a student submits work for a class assignment that includes the words, ideas or data of
others, without acknowledging the source of the information through complete, accurate, and specific references,
plagiarism is involved. This may include dual submissions of a similar work for credit for more than one class,
without the current instructors knowledge and approval. To be specific, below are some of the situations that will be
considered plagiarism at COC:
v Use information from any source, online or in print, in ones own writing without acknowledging the source
in the content and in the reference page of the assignment;
v Simply list the sources in the reference page, without parenthetical citations in the body of the essay;
v Take more than one printed line of words consecutively from the source without putting quotation marks
around them, even though the student has put the authors name in the parentheses or in the reference page;
v Turn in work done for other classes, regardless how big or small the assignment may be, without the current
instructors approvalthis is considered self-plagiarism, which is a form of academic dishonesty; or,
v Turn in work by another student, even by accident.
In addition, COC has strict rules against using electronic devices during exams without the instructors approval. To
be specific, absolutely no cell phones or any electronic devices can be on the desk or in sight during test or exam
without the instructors approval. The presence of electronic devices in sight during exams may be considered as
intention to cheat and will be processed as a form of academic dishonesty. Cases of alleged academic dishonesty,
such as plagiarism or cheating, will be referred to the Dean of Student Services for investigation.