👩‍🏫 SU2024 Course: ENGL100: Developmental English

Course Description: This course introduces students to the expectations of college-level reading and expository writing. Classroom instruction emphasizes the conventions of effective writing. Our goal is to prepare you for the more challenging writing that lies ahead by focusing on areas of writing that you may have apprehension or uncertainty about. We will work on grammar, paragraph formation, argumentation, and citation skills.

Learning Objectives: In this course, students will:

● Write analytical essays without reliance on outside resources.

● Read texts for comprehension and analysis.

● Write grammatical sentences.

● Write sophisticated, well-argued, well-organized paragraphs.

● Document any sources that you use properly.

Course Texts: For this course, we will be using the textbook 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology edited by Samuel Cohen.

Graded Assignments:

1. Short assignments: These short writing exercises will help you develop skills in grammar, paragraph composition, and thesis development. These will be done in-class together. 

2. Weekly Reflections: Every week (with the exception of a few heavier writing weeks) you should submit a weekly reflection, which is just one page reflecting on the work you’ve done for that week. This can be your response to the reading, or you might discuss what you’re going to do for the next essay.

3. Formal essays: You will complete three formal essays. For each, you will turn in one rough draft and one final draft. Some drafting will be done in class. 

Essay #1: Summary. For this essay, you will be summarizing any of the essays we will have read by that point in the book. This summary should be only three written pages. Remember, a summary will include key elements of the text—the main characters/people, the plot/ideas, the resolution/conclusion—but we will be focusing on how well the summary condenses information in a way that is grammatically correct and easy to understand. Draft: 3 pages, Revision: 3 pages.

Essay #2: Synthesis. For this essay, you will both summarize and synthesize multiple readings—“Where the Wild Things Go” and “Every Dog is a Rescue Dog.” This will be a stepping-stone to the final paper—you will practice informing your audience and combining ideas. Draft: 4 pages, Revision: 4 pages.

Essay #3: Argument. For this final essay, you will construct an argument using three sources, chosen by looking at the table of contents by theme. Though this is your “opinion,” you will be prioritizing analysis. Remember, the key here is whether you explain yourself, and the goal of the articles, in a way that is complete, grammatically correct, and well-organized. Draft: 5 pages, Revision: 5 pages.

4. Quizzes: Occasionally, we will have quizzes over the material we have discussed. These are quick and meant not to trick you, but to make sure we’re keeping up with our reading and remembering what we have learned.

Attendance Policy: You are expected to be at every class, unless communicated otherwise via an appropriate pass.

Grade Breakdown:

In-class short assignments: 7 worth 10 points each (70 points)

Weekly Reflections: 8 worth 25 points each (200 points)

Essay #1: Rough draft worth 25 points, Final draft worth 75 points (100 points) 

Essay #2: Rough draft worth 25 points, Final draft worth 175 points (200 points)

Essay #3: Rough draft worth 25 points, Final draft worth 275 points (300 points)

Quizzes: 7 worth 15 points each (105 points)

Participation: 25 points