Course Guidelines

English 1A

Writing: In English 1A, you will focus on practicing all phases of the writing process including: prewriting, organizing, writing, revising, and editing. This class requires that you write sequenced essays, totaling a minimum of 8000 words. This total word count does not include your final exam, journals, quizzes, or any brief or informal writing assignments. However, this word count can include any major revisions of any assignments that have already been submitted for a grade and commented by peers or your instructor. A major revision is defined as a significant rethinking or reworking of an assignment rather than correcting small grammatical or structural mistakes. In English 1A you will write at least 3 but no more than 4 in-class essays and at least 3 but no more than 4 out-of-class essays, and how you meet the 8000 word minimum will be specified on your greensheet.

Throughout the semester, your instructor will give you frequent feedback on your writing, including comments on what is working well and suggestions for how to improve specific features of individual papers.

Reading: English 1A will include extensive and intensive reading. The reading you do in English 1A will provide useful models of writing for academic, general, and specific audiences.

Course Materials: A dictionary, a rhetoric (or rhetoric/reader), and a handbook are appropriate materials for English 1A.

The University Essay Final Exam: A common essay final, graded holistically, will count as 20 percent of your course grade. You must take the final exam in order to pass the course.

Research: In this course, you may learn to use the tools of the SJSU library, including online resources for research, but library research is not a requirement of the course.

Diversity: In English 1A, you will address issues of race, class, and gender as well as the perspectives of women and diverse cultural groups.

Grading: A-F. This class must be passed with a C or better to move on to CORE GE Area A2 and to satisfy the prerequisite for English 1B. A passing grade in the course signifies that the student is a capable college-level writer and reader of English.

English 1B

Writing: In English 1B, your assignments will emphasize the skills and activities in writing and thinking that produce both the persuasive argument and the critical essay. Each of these demands analysis, interpretation, and evaluation. These assignments will give you repeated practice in prewriting, organizing, writing, revising, and editing. Your writing assignments will total a minimum of 8000 words and this word requirement will be met by writing a sequence of six to eight essays. At least one of your essays will require research. This 8000-word minimum does not include the final exam, quizzes, journals, or any brief or informal assignments but can include any major revisions of essays or assignments. A major revision is defined as rethinking or reworking an assignment rather than just correcting grammatical or structural errors. How your 8000-word minimum will be met will be clearly indicated on your greensheet.

Reading:The reading you will do in English 1B will include useful models of writing for academic, general, and specific audiences. Readings will be used consistently with the course goal of enhancing ability in written communication and reading. The majority of the readings you do in English 1B will be devoted to analytical, critical, and argumentative essays. However, other readings will include poetry, fiction, and drama. Your instructor will help you develop and refine strategies for reading challenging, college-level material.

Course Materials: A dictionary, a rhetoric (or rhetoric/reader), and a handbook are appropriate materials for English 1B.

Research: English 1B will include an introduction to the library and basic research strategies. You will learn to locate materials and use them effectively, as well as how to properly cite them. You will be required to write a traditional research paper or a series of short essays in which you use library research to inform your position or thesis. As part of this requirement, a University Librarian will lead one class session of your English 1B course.

The University Essay Final Exam: A common essay final, graded holistically, will count as 20 percent of your course grade. You must take the final exam in order to pass the course.

Grading: A-F.

Dropping and Adding

Students are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drop, grade forgiveness, etc. Refer to the current semester's Catalog Policies section at http://info.sjsu.edu/static/catalog/policies.html. Add/drop deadlines can be found on the current academic calendar web page located at http://www.sjsu.edu/academic_programs/calendars/academic_calendar/. The Late Drop Policy is available at http://www.sjsu.edu/aars/policies/latedrops/policy/. Students should be aware of the current deadlines and penalties for dropping classes.

Information about the latest changes and news is available at the Advising Hub at http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/.

Grading Policy

English 1A: Grading A-F. This class must be passed with a C or better to move on to CORE GE Area C3 and to satisfy the prerequisite for English 1B. A passing grade in the course signifies that the student is a capable college-level writer and reader of English. A grade of C- means you must repeat English 1A and receive a C or better before taking English 1B.

English 1B: Grading A-F.

University Policies

Academic integrity

Your commitment as a student to learning is evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State University. The University's Academic Integrity policy, located at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/S07-2.htm, requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. The Student Conduct and Ethical Development website is available at http://www.sa.sjsu.edu/judicial_affairs/index.html.

Instances of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Cheating on exams or plagiarism (presenting the work of another as your own, or the use of another person's ideas without giving proper credit) will result in a failing grade and sanctions by the University. For this class, all assignments are to be completed by the individual student unless otherwise specified. If you would like to include your assignment or any material you have submitted, or plan to submit for another class, please note that SJSU's Academic Policy S07-2 requires approval of instructors.

Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need to make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03 requires that students with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with the DisabilityResource Center (DRC) at http://www.drc.sjsu.edu/ to establish a record of their disability.

Student Technology Resources

Computer labs for student use are available in the Academic Success Center located on the 1 ^st floor of Clark Hall and on the 2 ^nd floor of the Student Union. Additional computer labs may be available in your department/college. Computers are also available in the Martin Luther King Library.

A wide variety of audio-visual equipment is available for student checkout from Media Services located in IRC 112. These items include digital and VHS camcorders, VHS and Beta video players, 16 mm, slide, overhead, DVD, CD, and audiotape players, sound systems, wireless microphones, projection screens and monitors.

Learning Assistance Resource Center

The Learning Assistance Resource Center (LARC) is located in Room 600 in the Student Services Center. It is designed to assist students in the development of their full academic potential and to motivate them to become self-directed learners. The center provides support services, such as skills assessment, individual or group tutorials, subject advising, learning assistance, summer academic preparation and basic skills development. The LARC website is located at http:/www.sjsu.edu/larc/.

SJSU Writing Center

The SJSU Writing Center is located in Room 126 in Clark Hall. It is staffed by professional instructors and upper-division or graduate-level writing specialists from each of the seven SJSU colleges. Our writing specialists have met a rigorous GPA requirement, and they are well trained to assist all students at all levels within all disciplines to become better writers. The WritingCenter website is located at http://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/about/staff/.

Peer Mentor Center

The Peer Mentor Center is located on the 1 ^st floor of Clark Hall in the Academic Success Center. The Peer Mentor Center is staffed with Peer Mentors who excel in helping students manage university life, tackling problems that range from academic challenges to interpersonal struggles. On the road to graduation, Peer Mentors are navigators, offering “ roadside assistance” to peers who feel a bit lost or simply need help mapping out the locations of campus resources. Peer Mentor services are free and available on a drop Ðin basis, no reservation required. The Peer Mentor Center website is located at http://www.sjsu.edu/muse/peermentor/