English 1B
Section #085
Mon. 6 p.m.
LA-14
Class Webpage
http://hal.ucr.edu/~cathy/f99-1b.html
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English 1B Section #085 Mon. 6 p.m. LA-14 Class Webpage http://hal.ucr.edu/~cathy/f99-1b.html |
Teacher: Cathy Decker Office: LA-7D
Phone: 909-941-2412 Mailbox: LA-10
Office Hours: Mon. and Wed. 9:30-11 a.m. ALSO Mon. 2-3 p.m.
Tues. and Thurs. 10-10:30 a.m. (no office hours 11/11)
Email (home): cathy@languagemachines.com
Email (school): cathy@citrus.ucr.edu
FAX: 909-941-2632 (Chaffey)
FAX: 909-787-3985 (My UCR office--send to Dr. Decker c/o Dr. Burgess)
Dear Students,
Hi! Welcome to English 1B, Advanced Composition and Critical Thinking. I believe the world would be a much better place if more people could think critically. Thus, this is one of my favorite courses to teach as well as one of the most difficult because thinking is an intimate and personal thing that is not going to change unless the learners want to change their ways of thinking.
I am always trying to find a new, better way to help myself and others become better critical thinkers. One of the best ways to learn something is to teach it--to make yourself an expert in your own way. In this course I am going to use a new method that puts more opportunity and responsibility in your hands--together we will craft assignments that will help you achieve mastery of argumentation and critical thinking skills. We will also design some of the class policy together. I hope we can we can work together to learn a lot and improve the world. I can't image any job or lifestyle that would not benefit from critical thinking skills.
With best wishes for a good semester,
Cathy Decker, Ph.D.
GRADING SCALE
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F |
D- |
D |
D+ |
C |
C+ |
B- |
B |
B+ |
A- |
A |
A+ |
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0-54 |
55-62 |
63-67 |
68-73 |
74-77 |
78-80 |
81-83 |
84-86 |
87-89 |
90-92 |
93-95 |
96-99 |
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to do the following.
1. Identify and state main idea, thesis, and deductive reasoning.
2. Read and evaluate college level materials from a variety of sources.
3. Recognize inferences as well as inductive and deductive reasoning.
4. Analyze evidence in support of claims.
5. Draw and articulate sound inferences about the intentions of the writer, based on observations of diction and style (including mood, tone, and figurative language).
6. Comment on the effect of diction, metaphor, and connotative and denotative language
7. Recognize the influence of style and voice on purpose.
8. Recognize and articulate both stated and unstated assumptions.
9. Distinguish between fact and opinion, based on an understanding of the nature of facts. 10. Identify and analyze the structure of arguments, evaluate their validity, refute objections, and identify common fallacies of language and thought.
11. Progressively refine their writing skills by constructing sound arguments, avoiding logical fallacies, sufficient support for claims, using outside sources, employing correct citation and documentation, and using various diction levels and stylistic approaches.
12. Identify and analyze the structure of arguments underlying the texts read.
13. Write essays (totaling at least 6,000 words) 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.
Chaffey’s 1B Writing Requirement
A minimum of 6,000 written words will be required of each student in the course.
The Grade Formula
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Prose Writing Assignments Average |
65% |
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Other Assignments Average |
20% |
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Participation Points |
10% |
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Final Exam |
5% |
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Total |
100% |
What Are Participation Points?
During our first class we will determine what we will give participation points for. When this policy is finalized, I will give a copy to each class member. Basically I will keep a running tab of the maximum number of points a person can get. Because the maximum will be indicative of giving 110%, that number will equal 110% (11 points out of a possible of ten)! I will then calculate what number of participation points earns a 100%. What percent of these points that you have is your participation-point grade. Feel free to email me or come to office hours to clarify this!
1. Being on time to class.
2. Staying until the end of class.
3. Attending college book activities.
4. Acting as a presenter or group leader.
5. Sharing resources with another person.
6. Something so wonderful that another person nominates you for a point.
7. Providing the class with relevant information, in person or via email or normal mail.
We of the class of English 1B declare we intend to follow this code of behavior.
1. We will be assertive about trying to make our environment one in which we can work effectively.
2. We will help each other on the computers and in group work.
3. We will be patient with each other.
4. We will try to exercise our sense of humor.
5. We will give each other positive feedback that is honest and is the most effective and extensive feedback we are capable of providing.
6. We will not be nasty to each other and try to stress the positive.
7. We will share computers and other resources.
8. We won't force people to speak; they can simply say, "I have nothing to say at this time."
9. We will encourage shy people to comment by allowing everyone a chance to talk.
10. We will address people with the names that they request we use.
11. We will always provide time in class to ask questions about homework.
12. We will be assertive and ask questions when we need information or are confused.
13. We will make sure our assignments are clear and have specific, stated goals.
14. We will respect each other in class by avoiding rude noises, such as cell phones, watches, pagers, gum popping, etc.
15. We will try to make learning a fun experience for each other and ourselves.
Required Supplies Barbara Kingsolver’s The Bean Trees Annette T. Rottenberg's Elements of Argument, 5th ed. Folders and/or 3-Ring Binder for Portfolio, Class Handouts, Charts, Schedules, Calendar Three-hole punch lined paper IBM-formatted disks Scantron Sheets as announced in class (available at the College Bookstore in the Quad)
Good Things We Want in This Class . . .
Plan Ahead * Support Others and Reward Excellence * Be Cooperative and Polite
Be on Time * Listen * Be Assertive in Solving Problems *Work with Others* Water OK
Things that I Avoid and that I’d Like the Class to Avoid . . .
Silent Anxiety--Ask! * Brutal Questions * Leaving Others Out in the Cold * Hostility
Finger Pointing * Cell Phones and Pagers * Playing Games * Breaking Food/Drink Policy
Policies
Chart to Track the Class Schedule
As the class determines assignments and due dates, we will fill in this chart.
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Date Class Topic |
Reading Assignments |
Other Homework |
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8/23 Class Policies/Methods Design of Project #1 |
NA |
NA |
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8/30 Deductive Reasoning Reading Skills |
EofA, pp. 1-24 |
Project #1 Due Portfolio Check |
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9/6 HOLIDAY! |
Happy Labor Day! |
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9/13 Discussion of "Support" Discussion of Arguments in The Bean Trees Discussion of Portfolio Format, Grading, etc. |
Have read Elements of Argument, "Support," pages 138-178 |
None required but work on portfolio advised |
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9/20 More Discussion of Elements Chap. 1 and 5 Discussion of The Bean Trees, Chapters 4-5 Peer Review Exercise on Typed Assignment (Instructor Ill) |
Have questions 1, 2, 4, 5 on pages 23-24 and questions 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10 on pages 177-8. Have the answers to the questions typed. If you already answered the questions on pages 23-24 for your portfolio and have turned them into me, simply do the other questions. Answer the questions fully and in grammatical, polished English. | |
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9/27 Induction, Deduction, Fallacies Discussion of The Bean Trees, Warrants, Evaluating Evidence Getting Email |
Elements of Argument, Chap. 8, pages 248-306 |
Select either Hilter's article or Parker and Sullivan's article in Chapter 8 and write an analysis of the fallacies in these articles. Identify at least five fallacies in the essay that you choose and explain why it is a fallacy. Type up the anaylsis and include it in your portfolio. |
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10/4 Discussion of Fallacy-finding essay and portfolios Discussion of Warrants Discussion of Fallacies Discussion of The Bean Trees, Chapters 6-8 |
Portfolio Check #2--Include textbook questions, fallacy paragraph, questions on the The Bean Trees, questions on the Tanner or Malgadi article, questions on the statistics video |
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10/11 Fallacies, Induction, Deduction |
Fallacy Oral Reports | |
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10/18 Research Papers |
Elements Chapters 9-10, pages 309-378 |
Bring a list of ten controversies (political, social, or cultural) that could be the basis of your research paper. Rank order the eight topics in part three from most- to least-interesting-to-me-as-the-basis-of-a-research-paper. Research the top three items on three internet search engines, Infotrack, and the Newspaper computer data base in Chaffey's library. Record the number of potential sources for each topic for each research tool. (Example: Euthanasia: Yahoo--77 websites; Alta Vista--82,560 websites; etc.) |
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10/25 Identify and chart out deductive reasoning. Evaluate evidence and appeals to needs. Recognize Inferences. |
Finish the Fallacy exercises in the textbook, pages 304-6 and mark prepare portfolio sheet that lists all the fallacies identified as at the level of "application." For any fallacies still not proven to application level, write an example of such a fallacy or find an example. This should get all fallacies to application level. Get the entire "identify evidence" section finished to the level of application. This can be done simply using your textbook. Write down the matrix number of the evidence, the name of the kind of evidence, and the page and paragraph number of the textbook which contains that type of evidence. If necessary, specify which sentence. This can also quickly be done for the "identify appeals to needs" section also. See this page for a list of the matrix capacities if you don't have a copy of the matrix. Items already identified in the statistics video or the Tanner or Malgadi article don't need to be reidentified. Chart out the inductive reasoning in "Not All Men are Sly Foxes" to prove "State/chart inductive reasoning" to the level of application. In your chart, you should show the basis of Brott's reasoning and thus prove "Determine basis of inductive reasoning" to application as well. Try to find another inductive argument to prove capacity #26 to application as well. |
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11/1 Mood, Tone, Figurative Language, Style Work on proof to the level of application of capacities 35 to 47 and 51. Syllogisms!!! |
Read Chapter 7 of Elements of Argument (pages 213-247) |
Write out brief definitions of emotive language, connotations, slanting, picturesque language, concrete language, abstract language, cliches, slogans, mood, tone, figurative language, analogy, metaphor, simile, symbolism, irony, sarcasm, pun. This proves capacities 35 to 45 to the level of understanding, although you may need to clarify more of the subsections under tone (formal, informal, hostile, reasonable, etc.) Then try to take these terms to the level of application by finding examples of them in the articles in the chapter. You can prove that you can "identify" these things by simply jotting down the page and paragraph of each item you identify next to your definition. |
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11/8 Recognize the influence of style and voice on purpose; finish discussing language, tone, mood |
Read Elements of Argument pages 94-115*** and pages 544-53 |
Define in one or more paragraphs the nature of facts and the nature of opinions as clearly as you can. (This will prove #59, #60, and #92 to the level of application). |
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11/15 What have we learned? With what are we still having problems? Bring your portfolio to class. Distinguish between fact and opinion, based upon an understanding of the nature of facts Discuss scholarly chapter (Peele article, page 105-114 and Wasserstrom article, pages 544-53) |
Read Elements of Argument pages 713-22 |
Work on your portfolio and revisions |
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11/22 Evaluating Arguments--ethos, logos, pathos
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Handout | Work on portfolio |
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11/29 What have we learned? With what are we still having problems? Writing workshop |
None planned | Work on portfolio |
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12/6 Exam preparation |
Review novel and textbook |
Final Portfolio Check |
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12/13 Final Exam |
Exam Time: 6-8:30 p.m. |
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