English 101 1

Syllabus

Course: English 101, College Reading and Composition I

Course Number: 16236
Term: Fall 2020
Instructor: Darren Borg, PhD
Office Hours: Tuesdays, 10am-12pm (by appointment)
Class Location: PierceOnline (online course)
Email: borgdj@piercecollege.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Students gain proficiency in reading and writing through application of the

principles of rhetoric and the techniques of critical thinking. Prerequisite is
an understanding of the elements of grammar, punctuation, and sentence
structure. Formal research paper required. Required for English majors.
Prerequisite: English 28 with a “C” or better, or appropriate skill level
demonstrated through the English placement process.

TEXTS (required)

Jacobus, Lee A., ed. A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College
Writers. 10th ed., Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2017.

Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. Simon and Schuster, 2012.

MLA Handbook. 8th ed., MLA, 2016.

Supplemental readings in Canvas.

GRADING

A = 90-100%
B = 80-89.9%
C = 70-79.9%
D = 60-69.9%
F = 0-59.9%
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GRADING (continued)

NOTE: IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A PASSING GRADE IN THIS

CLASS, STUDENTS MUST RECEIVE A PASSING GRADE ON THE
RESEARCH PAPER.

Discussions/Quizzes/Other 20pts.
Rhetorical Analysis Essay (4-5pp.) 15pts.
Research Paper:
Prospectus 10pts.
Working Bibliography 20pts.
Research Essay (8-10pp.) 20pts.
Final Literary Analysis Essay 15pts.

Late assignments will not be accepted. Essays may not be

revised for a higher grade.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Analyze rhetorical and thematic elements of college-level fiction and

non-fiction by composing critical analyses, including a research
paper, with clear thesis statements and specific, relevant support.
2. Compose unified, coherent essays, including a research paper, with
minimal errors in Standard English grammar, mechanics, and MLA
format.

ATTENDANCE/PARTICIPATION POLICY (online courses)

Because online courses are self-paced, the attendance policy is
different from that of face-to-face classes. Rather than attending class
at a physical location, students need to remain active in the course by
logging in regularly and completing all the assignments on time. I
recommend that you set up notifications in Canvas so that you are
notified about announcements and any other changes that might come
up.
For a full-semester class (Spring and Fall), students will be
considered inactive if they do not participate for two
consecutive weeks or miss three assignments in a row. For
Summer, Winter, and eight-week courses, students are inactive
if they do not participate for one week. Inactive students may
be dropped from the course; however, it is the students’
responsibility to drop the class if they decide not to return. Any
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students who remain inactive after the deadline to drop receive

failing grades at the end of the semester. Don’t let this happen!
Participation also means completing the reading assignments and
contributing to class discussions in a substantive way. Submissions
that display minimal effort, unfamiliarity with the instructions for the
assignment, or a failure to complete the reading may be marked
down. In order to maximize the benefits of the course for
everyone, please make your contributions genuine and
thoughtful. Do your best, and take pride in the quality of your
work!
I am here to assist you in completing the requirements of the course.
If for any reason you become aware that you will have to miss part of
the course, please contact me before the deadline for any assignment
you may be unable to complete on time, and we can arrange a way for
you to succeed in the course. Additionally, if you require
accommodations, I will work with the Disabled Student Services Office
to provide you with whatever is necessary.

POLICY FOR SUBMITTING PAPERS

In order for a paper to be accepted in this class, it must meet the

following criteria:

1. All assignments must be submitted on Canvas through the

appropriate assignment pages.
2. It must be in appropriate MLA format. Students who are
unaware of MLA format should consult the MLA Handbook before
turning in an assignment. The heading of the paper, page
numbering, and works cited page, if applicable, must all conform to
MLA guidelines. It must be typed in a 12 pt. font, have one-inch
margins, and be double-spaced throughout.
3. All sources used must be cited. See the MLA Handbook for
guidelines on how to document sources in the text and in the Works
Cited page. Failure to cite your sources constitutes plagiarism.
Improper format may affect a paper’s grade.

ANY PAPERS THAT DO NOT MEET THE ABOVE CRITERIA WILL NOT BE
ACCEPTED.
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GROUND RULES FOR COMMUNICATION (Netiquette)

In this course, you will be asked to communicate with your peers and
your instructor in a manner that is clear, effective, and appropriate.
Believe it or not, sharing your ideas can be rewarding! In addition to
building trust and respect, good communication creates a fertile
learning community where research and ideas can blossom and
multiply. Have an open mind--differences of opinion are a strength of
public discourse and allow for intellectual development. To this end,
follow the guidelines below, and have fun!
1. Communication between students: Use respect in your
communications with your peers, even when you disagree. Do
not use inflammatory or offensive language, and avoid
generalizations. Be precise, support what you say, and always
practice composing a response that communicates a clear,
logical point. Use complete sentences and avoid "netspeak":
informal abbreviations or nonstandard spelling.
2. Communications with your instructor: In addition to the
guidelines above, please include a salutation, and be sure to
identify yourself and your class (by section number). Email,
whether through Canvas or Pierce College email, is the best way
to contact me. Please allow 48 hours for a response. Please do
not ask for any changes or exceptions to class policies. 
3. Academic dishonesty: Please adhere to the Pierce College
policy for academic dishonesty, which can be found
here: http://www.piercecollege.edu/departments/english/policie
s.asp (Links to an external site.) The word plagiarism comes
from the Latin word plagiarius, which means “kidnapper.”
Plagiarism today involves taking another's words or ideas and
presenting them as your own (i.e. theft and fraud). Even when it
is unintentional, plagiarism will receive no credit. Academic
dishonesty is a broader category that includes plagiarism but
also other forms of dishonesty, such as cheating on a test,
sharing answers, etc. All instances of academic dishonesty will
be reported.
Thank you for following these guidelines, and I look forward to
interesting and original discussions with all of you!
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DISCUSSIONS
Discussion posts: Each week students are required to post three
responses to the discussions about the readings, one response to the
topic and two replies to classmates. All posts for the week must be
submitted by Sunday at 11:59pm. Use the following as a guide for
writing your posts.
Discuss the reading for the week

1. Refer to a specific concept, term, rhetorical or literary device, or

passage from the readings for the week. Use page numbers, line
numbers, etc. for reference.

2. Describe the concept or summarize the passage you are discussing.

3. Comment on the idea or the passage in a meaningful way, i.e.

practice analysis—how does the idea open up the meaning of a
text? Or how does a certain passage exhibit a specific device? Can
you draw any connections between the form of the work (its
structure and use of language) and its content (what it means)?
What themes or symbolism do you see? etc.

Reply to two classmates

1. Note something about your classmate’s post that you agree with
and explain why.

2. Add something new about the reading that relates to what your
classmate said. This could be a different perspective, a new
observation, a connection to something else we have read, etc.
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CALENDAR (SUBJECT TO CHANGE):

Assignments and readings are to be completed by the corresponding
date. All readings are from A World of Ideas, unless noted as “MLA,”
“handout,” or “Bradbury.” Handouts may be printed from Canvas.
Find the individual authors by using the table of contents or the
index.

Due Readings and Assignments Due Readings and Assignments

Date Dates
s

9/6 Jacobus, pp. 1-40 10/25 Bettelheim (handout)

MLA, pp. 3-13 Bettelheim Discussion
Plagiarism Quiz Working Bibliography Due

9/13 Orwell (handout) 11/1 Butler

Orwell Discussion Butler Discussion
Prospectus due
9/20 Jefferson, Machiavelli
Jefferson and Machiavelli 11/8 MLA Format quiz
Discussion No discussion this week!

9/27 Jacobus, pp. 41-47 11/15 Research Paper due

MLA, pp. 75-91
Thoreau (handout), King 11/22 Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
Thoreau and King Fahrenheit 451 Discussion
Discussion
Composition Review Quiz 11/29 Short Stories (handouts)
No discussion
10/4 Rhetorical Analysis Essay
due 12/6 Poetry (handouts)
Poetry and Short Story
10/11 MLA, pp. 102-115, 116-129 Discussion
Plato
Plato Discussion 12/13 No discussion

10/18 Bacon, Darwin 12/20 Final Literary Analysis Essay

Bacon and Darwin Due
Discussion
Source Evaluation Due
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