English 100: 10710, 10717 page 1

Course Outline and Syllabus

The Course English 100, Section 10710, 10717

Fall 2010
Cypress College
The
Dr. Elaine S N Folayan Instructor
- elainefolayan@me.com
- quizPhone and text: 323.717.7293

The There is no text for this course.

Good
News All materials for this course can be found on the course website and on
reserve at the circulation desk of the Library.

Course Website

http://web.me.com/elainefolayan/English100
Essential
A copy of all documents you receive in class will be stored at
this website as well as articles, videos, web links, and instructions for class activities. You can
also access other sites that we will use in class from this website. You are expected to visit the
site often and to complete all assignments on time. Please ask any questions you may have about
the site after the demonstration in class.

Course Objective and Student Learning Outcomes

English 100 is designed to turn first year college students into critical
readers and strong writers. Each week, we will respond as a class to
assigned reading material through class discussion and collaborative
projects; we will respond as individuals through writing assignments.
These assignments involve composition and revision of paragraphs and
essays, critical thinking, critical reading, and documentation.

Student learning objectives for English 100 direct the development of skills that ensure a
disciplined and critical writing habit for college learners. Particularly, each student will:

• Read and critically evaluate college-level material from a variety of sources

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• Identify and analyze the structure of arguments

• Evaluate the validity and soundness of arguments
• Understand various rhetorical terms and principles
• Identify common formal and informal fallacies of language and thought
• Distinguish and use both deductive and inductive reasoning
• Identify some of the deliberate abuses and manipulations of rhetoric
• Identify factual statements from judgmental statements
• Identify knowledge from opinion
• Draw sound inferences from data given in a variety of forms
• Discover and evaluate outside sources for use in support of arguments
• Substantially revise writing in response to the critiques of others

• On any given essay, students will be able to formulate a thesis that clearly expresses the
central idea of the essay, construct paragraphs that develop and support a main idea, and
organize paragraphs into a logical sequence so that the central idea is developed to a
logical conclusion.
• In a research paper, students will be able to present ideas clearly distinguished from the
ideas of others, demonstrating the ability to use research techniques and MLA
documentation.
• In a given writing task, students will be able to vary sentence structure and types,
construct sentences with precise and appropriate words, and vary word choice and
sentences for different purposes.

Assignments

Students will complete all reading

assignments and individual writing
assignments for each section we explore.
Students will also complete:

✓ one group research project on an assigned topic, which will be part of the final grade.
Presentations will be screened on Monday, 29 November 2010 and Wednesday, 1
December 2010.

✓ one research paper on an approved topic, which will be submitted by Monday, 22

November 2010. No student will be allowed to submit a research paper unless he or she
submits a first draft (18 October 2010) and a second draft (8 November 2010). Drafts will
not be accepted if the student has not submitted an abstract and source outline (22
September 2010). The proposal and brief annotation for the research paper is due on
Wednesday, 1 September 2010.
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Reading assignments are to be completed before any other assignment is attempted. Students
are also expected to perform additional reading tasks to successfully complete the group research
project and the research paper. Students are responsible for all additional reading related to class
activities.

In-class assignments may or may not be listed in the course syllabus. Students are expected to
prepare for in-class assignments by completing all reading and homework in a timely manner.
There is no opportunity to make up missed in-class assignments.

Writing assignments will be completed in class and online. There is no opportunity to make up
any missed writing assignment.

Quizzes are timed and unannounced. There is no opportunity to make up any missed quiz.

Tests are scheduled to complete each section of the course. While not timed, students are
expected to complete the test during the class time allotted. Tests are either short answer or essay.
There is no opportunity to make up missed tests. Tests can only be completed outside the
classroom through prior arrangement.

The Group Project is a research-based multimedia presentation (to include text,

image, and sound) and will focus on some aspect of college life and work. Class
time will be scheduled to organize groups and to organize preliminary research
only.

The Research Paper will focus on a controversial environmental, social, or

political issue and will incorporate documentation from assigned research databases
only. A one paragraph proposal with a brief annotation of eight (8) sources is due by
Wednesday, 1 September 2010. Topics cannot be changed after that date. Research papers
will adhere to the style and format outlined in The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research
Papers, 7th edition.

It is important to complete all assignments by the Assignment Due Date. Late work will be
returned with no grade. Late writing assignments will not be accepted.

All coursework must be submitted in the MLA style. You will find a detailed example
demonstrating how homework, class work, and essays are to be formatted on the class website.

Discussion Forum Prompts will be offered several times during the semester on the class
website. You are required to submit one original response to the discussion prompt in a
five-to-seven sentence paragraph. All responses are graded as class participation. To receive
credit, responses must be posted on the class blog site by 11:30 pm on the assignment due date.
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Grading Criteria

Grades will be determined using the following formula:

Grading Scale
In-Class Participation 10%
Tests and Quizzes 10% A 90% +
Class work/Homework 10% B 80% — 89%
Writing Projects 20% C 70% — 79%
Group Project 25% D 64% — 69%
Research-Based Essay 15% F 63% —
Final Exam 10%
Total 100%

Course Outline*
Due dates for assignments will be outlined in the Course Notes Document for each section. If
you have any questions or concerns about any of the assignments, please contact me as soon as
possible.

Section One: 16 August — 25 August 2010

Introduction to course and course website
Reading (due 18 August)
• “The Seven Secrets of Highly Successful Students” W
• “Study Guide for Reading” W
• “Collaboration Etiquette” W
Homework (due 18 August)
• How Do You Learn Best? W
Activity (in class 18 August)
• In-class Writing Assignment: Outlining Success at Cypress College

The Writing Process — Structure

Reading (due 23 August)
• “The Case for Short Words” W
• “Elements of Strong Writing” W
• “The Importance of Good Writing” W
• “Critical Thinking Processes” L
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Homework (due 23 August)

• “Is This Really a Two-Year Degree?” H
Activity (in class 23 August)
• In-class Writing Assignment: Short Words H
• Collaborative Project: Identifying Audiences H

The Research Process and the Collaborative Process

Reading (due 25 August)
• “How to Find Out Anything” W
• “How Do I Cite a Source?” W
• “The Research Paper” W
• “The Research Paper Timeline” W
• MLA Style Guide W/H
Activity (in class 25 August)
• The Research Process/The Proposal and Brief Annotation W/H
Activity (outside class 30 August)
• The Proposal and Brief Annotation
Homework (due 1 September)
• The Proposal and Brief Annotation

Section Two: 1 September — 13 September 2010

Rhetorical Modes: Narration, Description, Exposition, Argument
Reading (due 1 September)
• “One Man’s Kids” W
• “The Art of Eating Spaghetti” L
• “The Chemist’s War” W
• “Baby, You Can’t Drive Your Car” W
• “When Volunteerism Isn’t Noble” W
Activity (in class 1 September)
• Writing Assignment: “What Happened to Ethics?” H

Patterns of Expression: Process, Comparison and Contrast,

Cause and Effect
Reading (due 8 September)
• “All the Rage” H
Activity (in class 8 September)
• The Process Essay H
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Reading (due 13 September)

• “Neat People vs. Sloppy People” L
• “Two Views of the River” W
Activity (in class 13 September)
• Comparison and Contrast Essays/Writing Exercise H
Reading (due 15 September)
• “Invisible Women” L
• “Cold Comfort” W
Activity (in class 15 September)
• Cause and Effect Essays/Collaborative Project H
Homework (due 20 September)
• Writing Assignment H

Section Three: 20 September — 27 September 2010

Analysis: The Omaticaya and the Impostor God
Reading (due 20 September)
• Stargate Study Guide H
• Avatar Study Guide H
Activity (in class 20 September)
• Screening: Stargate
Homework (due 22 September)
• Screen Avatar
• Abstract and Source Outline
Activity (in class 22-27 September)
• Comparing Cultures/In-class Writing Assignment H
Activity (outside class 29 September)
• Begin First Draft of Research Paper

Section Four: 4 October — 13 October 2010

Who Defines Art? The Guerrilla Artist and Freedom of Expression
Reading: (in class 4 October)
• “Barrel Monster Gets Student Arrested” W/H
• The First Amendment to the Constitution W/H
Activity (in class 4 October)
• Graffiti, Freedom of Expression, and the First Amendment H
Activity (in class 6 October)
• Screening: Basquiat
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Reading (due 11 October)

• “Basquiat” L
• “Brooklyn Exhibition Notes” L
• “Radiant Child” L
Activity (in class 11-13 October)
• Analysis of a Culture/In-class Writing Assignment H

Section Five: 18 October — 1 November 2010

Patterns of Expression: Evaluation, Definition, Classification
Reading (due 18 October)
• “The Joy of iPod: iCandy for the Ears” W
• “Sesame Street: Brought to You by the Letters M-A-L-E” W
• “Wham! Bam! Buy a VW, Ma’am!” L
Homework (due 18 October)
• First Draft of Research Paper W
Activity (in class 18-20 October)
• Discussion/Collaborative Project/Evaluation of a Television Series H
Reading (due 25 October)
• “The Dog Ate My Disk, and Other Tales of Woe” W
• “My Secret Life on the McJob: Fast Food Managers” W
Activity (in class 25-27 October)
• Consumer Report: “The Best Bang for Your Burger Buck” H
Activity (outside class 1 November)
• Polish Second Draft of Research Paper

Section Six: 3 November — 17 November 2010

Writing About Literature
Reading (due 3 November)
• “Thinking and Reading about Literary Texts” W
• “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” L
• “Sin Boldly” L
• “Cathedral” L
Activity (in class 3 November)
• Discussion: The Weird Men Series/In-class Writing Assignment

Reading (due 8 November)

• “The Lottery” L
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• “The Story of an Hour” W

• Trifles W
Activity (in class 8 November)
• Discussion: The Crazy Ladies Series/In-class Writing Assignment

Activity (in class 10 November)

• Discussion/In-class Writing Assignment

Activity (in class 15 November)

• Screening Crossroads

Activity (in class 17 November)

• Discussion
Reading (due 22 November)
• The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man L
Activity (in class 22 November)
• Discussion/In-class Writing Assignment

Course Review 29 November — 6 December 2010

Final Exam
Section 10710: Wednesday, 8 December 2010 1:00 pm — 3:00 pm
Section 10717: Monday, 13 December 2010 1:00 pm — 3:00 pm

You will not receive credit for the course if you do not take the final examination.

*The instructor reserves the right to make changes to the course outline.