English 85B
Office: UH 301.40
Office Hours: Tuesdays, 2-3
Messages: 880-5824
email: cathy@cassandra.ucr.edu
http://locutus.ucr.edu/~cathy
Course Objectives
1. To be able to read texts well.
2. To be able to identify an author's thesis and main ideas.
3. To be able to identify the proof provided by an author to support a thesis.
4. To be able to understand the basic parts of a sentence.
5. To be able to understand basic punctuation rules.
6. To be able to summarize an essay.
7. To be able to write a thesis and prove it in unified, coherent, and grammatical prose.
8. To be able to study for and take essay exams on assigned readings.
9. To be able to produce MLA-style short papers that prove a thesis in clear, smooth, vivid
prose.
Attendance Policy
If you miss a fourth of the course (five classes), you will not receive a passing grade for the
course.
Required Text
Reinking, James A., Andrew W. Hart, and Robert von der Osten. Strategies for Successful
Writing: A Rhetoric, Reader, and Handbook. 3rd ed. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall,
1993.
Late Paper Policy
The outline for the last paper may not be turned in late. Assignments will be accepted up to
two
weeks late and will lose five points out of a hundred for lateness. After two weeks, a zero will
be entered into the grade book for work not completed. No work will be accepted after the
last class.
Paper Policy--Use the following chart to avoid deductions for inappropriate paper format/basic
construction.
| Problem with Paper | Points Deducted |
| not double spaced | 5 |
| no title | 5 |
| not typed | 5 |
| 25+ grammatical errors on a page | 10 |
| paper not of the assigned length | 10 |
Class Schedule
Week One
April 1--First Class, Introduction
April 3--Have read Chapter 1 (pp. 3-10) and Chapter 6 (pp. 80-90), and "How to Adopt a
Stray"
(pp. 385-7) and "Strategies for Successful Reading" (pp. 357-360)
Week Two
April 8--Have read Chapter 14 (pp. 170-192) Have ready to turn in Exercises pp. 172, 174-6
April 10--Process Analysis Paper Due
Have read Chapter 7 (pp. 91-97) and "Courtship Through the Ages" (pp. 397-400)
Week Three
April 15--Have read pp. 499-501, 508-512, 519-22 Have ready to turn in Exercises pp. 500,
522
April 17--Illustration Paper Due
Have read Chapter 10 (pp. 118-128) and "My Wood" (pp. 434-436) and "Fear of Dearth" (pp.
437-8)
Week Four
April 22--Have read Chapter 15 (pp. 193-208) Have ready to turn in Exercises pp. 197-8, p.
202
April 24--Cause and Effect Paper Due
Have read Chapter 17 (pp. 231-7)
Week Five
April 29--Midterm on Chapters 1, 6, 7 ,10, 14, 15, 17, "Strategies for Successful Reading,"
"How to Adopt a Stray," "Courtship Through the Ages," "My Wood," "Fear of Dearth," and
grammatical sections read for April 15
May 1--Have read Chapter 12 (pp. 140-162)
Week Six
May 6--Have read "I Have a Dream" (pp. 480-4) and "Black Men and Public Space" (pp. 439-
441) Have ready to turn in complete, coherent answers to the discussion questions pp. 441
May 8--Have read "The Black and White Truth About Basketball" (pp. 491-5) Have read pp.
529-536
Week Seven
May 13--Argument paper due; Have read pp. 536-547
May 15--Have read pp. 548-563
Week Eight
May 20--Outline of Last Paper--open topic due Have read "The Perfect Picture" (pp.361-2)
May 22--Have read "Dawn Watch" (pp. 376-8)
Week Nine
May 27--Have read "Rambos of the Road" (pp. 400-402)
May 29--Last Paper due; Have read "Private Language, Public Language" (pp. 427-431)
Week Ten
June 3--Have read "It's Only a Paper World" (pp. 412-413)
June 5--Final exam review
Final Exam