Dr. Cathy Decker

English 1B, Advanced Composition and Critical Thinking (3 Units)

Fall 1998

Class Session: 2 pm to 3:30 Mon. and Wed., LA-6
Office Hours: Mon. and Wed. 11-12:30; Tues. and Fri. 1:30-2:30 (Office LA-7D)
Office Number: 909-941-2412
Class Web Page: http://locutus.ucr.edu/~cathy/f98-1bmw.html
email:cathy@cassandra.ucr.edu

Course Description: Using both fiction and non-fiction, students will integrate critical thinking skills with effective written analysis and argument. Students will learn the differences between deductive and inductive reasoning. Students will write and critique essays using research strategies.

Course Objectives:
1. To be able to identify and state main ideas, thesis statements, and types of reasoning used in texts.
2. To be able to read and evaluate college level materials from a variety of sources.
3. To be able to recognize inferences, inductive, and deductive reasoning.
4. To be able to analyze evidence in relationship to a claim.
5. To be able to draw and articulate sound inferences about the intention of the writer, based on observations of diction and style (including mood, tone, and figurative language).
6. To be able to comment on the effect of diction and metaphoric, connotative, and denotative language.
7. To be able to recognize the influence of style and voice upon purpose.
8. To be able to recognize and articulate both stated and unstated assumptions.
9. To be able to distinguish between fact and opinion.
10. To be able to identify and analyze the structure of arguments, to evaluate their validity, to refute objections, and to identify common fallacies of language and thought.
11. To be able to construct sound arguments, to avoid logical fallacies, to supply sufficient support for claims, to use outside sources, to employ correct citation and documentation, and to use various diction levels and stylistic approaches.
12. To be able to write essays that effectively employ such writing strategies as analysis, synthesis, and summary, and that emphasize such writing tasks as causal analysis, advocacy of idea, persuasion, evaluation, refutation, interpretation, and definition.

Required Materials:
1. A college-level dictionary
2. Rottenberg, Annette T. Elements of Argument: A Text and Reader. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford Books, 1997. (Bring to every class)
3. A notebook, a looseleaf pad, and a folder to store your handouts, homework, etc.
4. Number 2 pencils to take scantron tests and exams.

Attendance Policy
Note that your class participation grade is partially based upon class attendance; thus, any absence lowers this segment of the grade. Any student missing four weeks of class (eight classes) will not receive a passing grade. If you develop a serious illness or serious problem that could result in missing a week or more of class, you should consult me and a college counselor as soon as possible about the best way to handle your emergency. It may be possible for you to make special arrangements to stay in the course rather than fail due to absence. Keep a record of your absences, so you will not be surprised by a failing grade.

Late Work Policy
Any student may request an extension for an assignment; extensions will be granted depending upon the circumstances. Extensions must be asked for before the due date. Any work not turned in on the due date is docked 10% of the grade. No late work is accepted after one week past the due date. In emergencies, an extension may be granted on the day work is due or even in the week after the due date; an explanation of the emergency should be presented to the teacher with the request for exemption from the late penalty. Decisions on emergency extensions are made depending on the individual cases.

Plagiarism Policy
Any idea of another person must be cited as that person's idea (ideas from lectures, interviews, the internet, videos, books, journals, etc.) Failure to indicate the idea is another person's is plagiarism. Any exact wording of another author (including as few as two words) used by students must be indicated by quotation marks or the MLA, indented, long quotation format, or it is plagiarism. Any use of the sentence structure of another is plagiarism. Plagiarism receives a grade of ZERO. If the plagiarism is malicious, extensive, or repeated, the student discipline policy will be applied (see page 19 of the 1998-9 Catalogue or page 14 of the Fall 1998-9 Schedule of Classes).

Homework Format: All papers must be typed, or they will lose 15% off the final grade (15 points on a scale of 100). Papers without an original title will lose 5% off the final grade (5 points on a scale of 100). Handwritten assignments MUST SKIP EVERY OTHER LINE, or they will lose 5% off the final grade.

Grading Scale (to be eligible for 1C the final course grade must be a C or above)

A+ 98	B+ 88	C+ 78	*D+ 68	*F 50
A 95	B 85	C 75	*D 65	*Not a Passing Grade
A- 93	B- 83	*C- 73	*D- 63

Grading Schedule: You can expect assignments that are turned in on time back in one to two weeks. Assignments turned in late can be expected back within three or four weeks. Papers over 8 pages may require three weeks for grading.

Grade Formula

Homework and Classwork	10%	(a simple average of all assignments not mentioned in other parts of the grade formula; be aware missed assignments are scored as 0, which has a dramatic effect upon an average.)
Class Participation	10%	(5% of class participation will be the percent of classes attended; see also attendance policy above)
Summary	5%	Due 9/9
Making a Claim/Advocating an Idea Paper	10%	Due 9/23
Midterm Exam	10%	10/5
Definition Paper	10%	Due 10/12
Evaluation Paper/Critique	10%	Due 10/28
Synthesis/Research Paper	15%	Due 11/30
Refutation Paper	10%	Due 11/16
Final Exam	10%	12/14

Paper Grading Policy
Deductions for lateness (10 points), not being typed (15 points), and lack of an original title are subtracted from the paper grade (5 points). Notice that any paper with all three of these problems can only receive a maximum high grade of 68 (which would be assigned if the late, handwritten, untitled paper was an A+ paper). Thus, it is very important that all three of these problems are avoided; see the late policy and homework format section above for details.

Week One
8/17 Introduction
8/19 Bring #2 Pencil for College Skills Survey

Week Two
8/24 Study Schedule Assignment Due {See the Sample Schedule}; Have read pp. 3-24 (Chapter 1)
8/26 Have read pp. 25-31 (part of Chapter 2)

Week Three
8/31 Class Planning Assignment Due; Have read pp. 31-46 and 339-47 (parts of Chapter 2 and 10)
9/2 Have read pp. 309-12 (part of Chapter 9)

Week Four
9/7 Holiday, No Class
9/9 Summary Due; Have read pp. 330-39 (part of Chapter 10)

Week Five
9/14 Have read pp. 47-66, 92-3 (parts of Chapter 3)
9/16 Library Assignment Due; Have read pp. 85-92 (part of Chapter 3)

Week Six
9/21 Have read pp. 94-105, 136-7 (parts of Chapter 4)
9/23 Making a Claim/Advocating an Idea Paper Due; Have read pp. 105-15, 312-21 (parts of Chapters 4 and 9)

Week Seven
9/28 Outline of Definition Paper Due; Have read pp. 127-30, 321-9 (parts of Chapters 4 and 9)
9/30 Have read pp. 347-67 (part of Chapter 10)

Week Eight
10/5 Midterm
10/7 Have read 138-160 (part of Chapter 5)

Week Nine
10/12 Definition Paper Due; Have read pp. 168-78 (part of Chapter 5)
10/14 Have read pp. 179-90 (part of Chapter 6)

Week Ten
10/19 Have read pp. 213-37 (part of Chapter 7)
10/21 Synthesis Bibliography Due; Have read pp. 248-73 (part of Chapter 8)

Week Eleven
10/26 Further discussion of pp. 248-73
10/28 Evaluation/Critique Paper Due; Outline Workshop

Week Twelve
11/2 Have read pp. 273-87 (part of Chapter 8)
11/4 Synthesis Outline Due; Have read pp. 288-306 (part of Chapter 8)

Week Thirteen
11/9 Discussion of all of Chapter 8
11/11 Holiday, No Class

Week Fourteen
11/16 Refutation Paper Due; Have read pp. 407-17 (part of Chapter 12)
11/18 Have read pp. 473-4, 498-507 (parts of Chapter 14)

Week Fifteen
11/23 Have read pp. 576-86 (part of Chapter 17)
11/25 Have read pp. 604-11 (part of Chapter 18)

Week Sixteen
11/30 Synthesis Paper Due; The Writing Process: Reflection and Review Session
12/2 Have read pp.713-29 (Appendix)

Week Seventeen
12/7 Discussion of a short story (have read handout)
12/9 Exam Review