English 90A

Spring 2001
Dr. Catherine H. Decker
Office: LA-7C, Department of English, Chaffey College
Office Phone, 24 hours, messages, (909) 941-2412
Office Hours: Mon. 1:30-3:30, 9 p.m.-9:30; Tues. & Thurs. 10:15-11:15; Wed. 3:45-4:15
E-mail: cathy@hal.ucr.edu
Webpage: http://hal.ucr.edu/~cathy/s01-90a.html

This is the honors component of English 1A, Composition. This is a one-unit, honors-credit course in which students will do a research paper, study the college book and the process of playwriting, and do some creative playwriting. Each student will do an original research paper of at least seven pages in length, not counting the bibliography. The paper will follow MLA style. The students will also read the two books and produce at least three pages of a dramatic scene. Each student will present his or her research in an oral report of at least fifteen minutes. In additional, the class will take a field trip to the University of California at Riverside, either to do research at Riveria Library or to attend the Undergraduate Research Conference.

Grade Scale

Grade Formula

Research paper 35%
Research presentation 10%
Field trip 10%
Dramatic scene 15%
Participation & any other work 15%
Final exam 15%

Tentative Schedule

Class field trip will be announced/reading of textbook on playwriting will be announced

1/9 1st class

1/16 Research paper workshop/topic selection

1/23 Bring freewrite on tentative research topic, at least three sources for tentative research paper to class; Research workshop

1/30 Research workshop/bring list of potential thesis statements and draft of background section

2/6 Bring draft of argument section

2/13 Bring draft of counter-argument section

2/20 Documentation workshop/bring all sources and all drafts to date

2/27 Bring in two copies of full draft of paper--one to turn in and one to make notes on

3/6 Research oral reports

3/13 Spring Break

3/20 Research oral reports/Discussion of Slaughterhouse Five (have entire novel read)

3/27 Final version of research paper due/Discussion of Novel

4/3 Discussion of novel

4/10 Playwriting

4/17 no class

4/24 Playwriting/bring draft

5/1 Playwriting/bring draft

5/8 Dramatic Scene due/Exam prep

5/15 Exam Prep

Class Policies

Adult content may be discussed. All Chaffey policies are enforced concerning honesty, plagiarism, discipline, etc. Only bottled water is permitted in the classroom. The final exam, oral reports, and field trip cannot be rescheduled. Students may arrange extensions ahead of the due date for various other assignments. An assignment that is late without a previously arranged extension will lose 10% of the grade per calendar day that it is late. After ten days, the grade is a zero.