INTRODUCTION TO COLLEGE ENGLISH: EFFECTIVE READING AND WRITING

603-101-MQ (33) / Fall 2022 / Mon. 8:00-10:00 & Wed. 8:00-10:00 / Room: 4P.04
English Department, Dawson College
Prerequisite: Placement Results

Teacher: Brent Devine / Office: 3D.8 / Local: 4308 / E-mail: bdevine@dawsoncollege.qc.ca (MIO Preferred)
Office Hours: Drop-in available Wednesday 10:30-12:30 & Thursday 12:30-14:30 (no appointment required).
Available by appointment on Tuesday & Friday from 9:00-13:00 (MIO first to make an appointment).
My preferred contact method is via MIO (through the MyDawson Portal). I will try to reply to messages in a
timely manner, though response times may vary depending on a variety of circumstances (e.g. I don’t regularly
check my MIOs evenings, weekends, and holidays). MIO is well suited for brief communication; for lengthier
discussion, please try to arrange a meeting with me.

Course Hours per Week: 1 hours of theoretical work / 3 hours of practical work / 4 hours of homework
Course Description
This course will introduce students to college-level literary studies. We will analyze works of short fiction, a
novel, and poetry from a variety of authors. We will discuss the essay writing process in detail, and students
will produce essays and paragraphs of literary analysis on a regular basis.
There will be various elements to the class, including short lectures, class discussions, writing workshops,
group work, and in-class assignments. Classes may begin with unannounced reading quizzes. The lectures and
discussions will involve close study of the themes and literary devices in the texts on our reading list. The
writing workshops and in-class assignments will involve a variety of practical activities aimed at improving
students' writing and critical thinking skills. These will include writing clear and organized paragraphs;
developing theses and arguments; planning, editing, and proofreading; and analyzing texts.
Course Materials
• Kwok, Jean. Girl in Translation. Riverhead Books, 2010. [Required.]

The above books will be available through the Dawson College Bookstore. Other required readings will be
made available throughout the semester by the teacher. Students are required to use LÉA and MIO in this
course, both of which are accessible through the My Dawson Portal (link on the Dawson College website).
Note: Individual readings are listed on the weekly outline (the last page of the course syllabus).
Assignments and Grade Distribution
Miscellaneous Assignments (throughout semester) 10%
Reading Quizzes & Homework (throughout semester) 15%
First Essay (Sep. 21) 20%
Second Essay (Nov. 2) 25%
Final Essay Prep. (Summative Assessment)* (Nov. 28, Nov. 30, Dec. 5) 05%
Final Essay (Summative Assessment)* (Dec. 7) 25%
Assignments and Grade Distribution (continued)
*The summative assessment for this course is comprised of the Final Essay Preparation and Final Essay. The
combined result of these assignments must be above 60% in order for a student to pass the course. A
student’s maximum course grade is 55% if the student fails the summative assessment.
A grade of at least 60% is required to pass the course. All major and minor homework assignments must be
submitted on LÉA (unless otherwise stated). Major homework assignments that are submitted late will receive
a penalty of up to 5% per day and will not receive written feedback (unless otherwise stated). Smaller
homework assignments are subject to different late penalties depending on the assignment (talk to your
teacher for more information). The teacher reserves the right to refuse any homework assignment submitted
more than two weeks late or submitted after the last official class. In-class assignments and reading quizzes,
which will be assigned regularly, must be completed in-class on the day on which they are assigned.
An addendum to the course outline will be available on LEA (see “Course Outline Addendum: Assignments”)
that offers more specific details on the nature of the assignments in this class and how they are graded.
Student Conduct and Attendance
This course will rely heavily upon student engagement. In-class learning activities (discussion, writing and
editing, group work and close reading, for example) provide students with opportunities to acquire the
knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to achieve the course competencies and to become successful
graduates. Thus, regular (and timely) attendance is expected and required, as is student participation in the
regular activities of the classroom. If a student is attending an intensive course, the student must inform the
teacher within the first two (2) weeks of class of the specific dates of any anticipated absences. Students
should refer to the Institutional Student Evaluation Policy (Section IV-C) regarding attendance.
If you miss class, I cannot provide reviews of material from missed classes via MIO or email, nor can I provide
any notes that are not made available to the entire class. Check for updates on LÉA and consult with
classmates to find out what you missed. Consult with me in person during my drop-in office hours or schedule
an appointment to discuss readings and upcoming assignments.
Respect for the class, the teacher, and fellow students is always expected. Refrain from late arrivals and early
departures, private conversations during class time, and the use of electronic devices including laptops and
cell phones. Everyone has the right to a safe and non-violent environment. Students are obliged to conduct
themselves as stated in the Student Code of Conduct and in the ISEP section on the roles and responsibilities
of students (ISEP Section II-D). Any student who disrupts the teaching environment will be asked to leave the
classroom. Repeated disruptions may result in the student’s conduct being reported to the Sector Dean.
Policy on Religious Observance
Students observing religious holidays must inform their teachers, in writing, as prescribed in the ISEP Policy on
Religious Observances, no later than the end of the second week of the impacted semester or term. This
applies both to the semester or term, as well as to any final examination period. (ISEP Section IV-D)
Academic Integrity Policy
Academic fraud includes plagiarism, the submission of another person's work as your own, the submission of
the same piece of work in more than one course, and the fabrication of evidence and/or source material. All
instances of academic fraud, regardless of scale or scope, will be treated as serious infractions. Potential
penalties for these offences include automatic failure of the assignment in question, failure of the course, and
potentially more serious penalties imposed by the college. According to the Institutional Student Evaluation
Policy (ISEP), the teacher is required to report to the Sector Dean all cases of cheating and plagiarism affecting
a student's grade (ISEP Section V-A). If you are uncertain about these issues, or if you have questions, discuss
them with your teacher BEFORE submitting an assignment.

Ministerial Objectives and Standards

The objective of this course is to enable students to analyze texts and produce written and oral work. Students will
learn to read literature critically. Students will also learn to write an analytical essay containing a thesis statement
which is clearly supported and developed.
On successful completion of this course, students, with the aid of reference material, will be able to produce a 750-
word essay analyzing a literary text. This essay will demonstrate the following: correct grammar, syntax, and
spelling; appropriate tone and diction; and effective sentences and paragraphs. This essay will also demonstrate
thorough revision of form and content.
101 EXIT PROFILE
Reading:
• Recognize major literary genres (poetry / drama / fiction / essay); recognize rudimentary elements of
literature (character / setting / plot / tone / theme); recognize basic elements of literary language
(connotation vs. denotation, figures of speech); recognize thesis of an expository text; recognize basic
patterns of argument / development in an expository text.
Writing:
• In the context of the preparation of assignments / essays, use a dictionary to find definitions, correct spelling
• Use a handbook to clarify questions of grammar and mechanics
• Vary diction to achieve appropriate tone for audience
• Write sentences free of major structural flaws
• Construct coherent paragraphs: utilize and vary the form of topic sentence / body / transition
• Construct a thesis relevant to a primary literary text
• Organize logical support for a thesis (using outlining, clustering, brainstorming, etc.)
• Writes an essay that (a) introduces and supports a thesis (is not merely a summary), (b) demonstrates logical
development, (c) demonstrates a tone appropriate to argument and analysis at the college level, (d)
integrates quotations from a primary text, and (e) follows MLA rules for format and documentation.
Competency 4EA0: Analyze and produce various forms of discourse.
The following elements of the competency will be fully addressed:
1. Identify the characteristics and functions of the components of literary texts.
2. Determine the organization of facts and arguments of a given literary text.
3. Prepare ideas and strategies for a projected discourse.
4. Formulate a discourse.
5. Revise the work.
The Institutional Student Evaluation Policy (ISEP) is designed to promote equitable and effective evaluation of
student learning and is therefore a crucial policy to read and understand. The policy describes the rights and
obligations of students, faculty, departments, programs, and the College administration with regard to evaluation in
all your courses, including grade reviews and resolution of academic grievance. The ISEP is available on the Dawson
website.
603-101-MQ (33) ICE: Effective Reading and Writing Fall 2022

The following table offers a tentative schedule of readings and assignments for the semester. Students should consult this
schedule regularly to be sufficiently prepared for each class. Due to unforeseen complications, it is sometimes necessary to adjust
the schedule. If necessary, I will announce changes in class as well as send an announcement via MIO.

Authors, works and page numbers listed on the weekly outline indicate readings that must be completed before class on the
assigned date (unless otherwise stated). Success in the course is dependent upon students keeping up with the reading schedule.
Many in-class assignments can only be successfully completed by students who have completed the required reading in advance.

Mon. Wed.
Aug. 15 Aug. 17
Mon. Wed.
Course Introduction & Diagnostic Exercise Introduction to Composition & Short Fiction
Aug. 22 Aug. 24
Mon. Wed.
Maugham, “Mr. Know-All” Maugham, “Mr. Know-All” (continued)
Aug. 29 Aug. 31
Mon. Sept. 5 Wed. Sept. 7 Fri. Sept. 9 (Monday Schedule)
NO CLASSES: LABOUR DAY Munro, “Boys and Girls” Munro, “Boys and Girls” (continued)
Mon. First Essay Outline Due [homework] Wed. First Essay Rough Work Due [homework]
Sept. 12 First Essay Rough Work [in-class work] Sept. 14 First Essay Rough Work [in-class work]
Mon. Essay Formatting [in-class work] Wed. First Essay Good Copy Due [homework, 20%]
Sept. 19 Introduction to Girl in Translation (no reading) Sept. 21 Introduction to Girl in Translation (no reading)
Mon. Wed.
Kwok, Girl in Translation (Prologue – Ch. 2) Kwok, Girl in Translation (Ch. 3 – 5)
Sept. 26 Sept. 28
Mon. Oct. 3 Wed. Oct. 5 Thurs. Oct. 6 (Monday Schedule)
NO CLASSES: ELECTION DAY Kwok, Girl in Translation (Ch. 6 – 7) Kwok, Girl in Translation (Ch. 8)
Mon. Wed.
NO CLASSES: THANKSGIVING DAY NO CLASSES: STUDY BREAK
Oct. 10 Oct. 12
Mon. Wed.
Kwok, Girl in Translation (Ch. 9 – 11) Kwok, Girl in Translation (Ch. 12 – Epilogue)
Oct. 17 Oct. 19
Mon. Wed. Second Essay Outline Due [homework]
Second Essay Prep Work [in-class work]
Oct. 24 Oct. 26 Second Essay Rough Work [in-class work]
Mon. Second Essay Rough Work Due [homework] Wed. Second Essay Good Copy Due [homework, 25%]
Oct. 31 Second Essay Rough Work [in-class work] Nov. 2 Introduction to Poetry
Mon. Wed.
Poetry (Details TBA) Poetry (Details TBA)
Nov. 7 Nov. 9
Mon. Wed.
Poetry (Details TBA) Poetry (Details TBA)
Nov. 14 Nov. 16
Mon. Wed.
Poetry (Details TBA) Poetry (Details TBA)
Nov. 21 Nov. 23
Mon. Final Essay Typed Outline Due [homework]* Wed. Final Essay Typed Rough Work Due [homework]*
Nov. 28 Final Essay Rough Work [in-class work]* Nov. 30 Final Essay Rough Work [in-class work]*
Mon. Final Essay Typed Full Draft Due [homework]* Wed.
Final Essay Good Copy Due [homework, 25%]*
Dec. 5 Final Essay Review & Revision [in-class work]* Dec. 7
* Assignment constitutes part of the Summative Assessment for the course.