1. course syllabus, distributed today in class
2. unacceptable errors handout, distributed today in class
3. out of class essay assignment #3. This is JUST to give you an idea of what you will be required to do for the character analysis you will be writing for essay #3.
English 20—Composition II
Summer 2013
Sacramento
State University
July 15-August 25
English 20, Section 3 TWR
10:30-12:50 pm – Calaveras 134
English 20, Section 4 TWR 1:00-3:20
pm – Calaveras 134
Instructor:
Catherine Fraga
Email: sacto1954@gmail.com
Office hours: (Calaveras 149)
TWR, 9:30 am-10:20 am
AND
3:30-4:00 pm OR BY APPT.
Course Description (from CSUS
Catalog): Advanced writing that builds upon
the critical thinking, reading, and writing
processes introduced in ENGL 1A and ENGL 2. Emphasizes rhetorical awareness by
exploring reading and writing within diverse academic contexts with a focus on
the situational nature of the standards, values, habits, conventions, and
products of composition. Students will research and analyze different
disciplinary genres, purposes, and audiences with the goals of understanding
how to appropriately shape their writing for different readers and
demonstrating this understanding through various written products. Note:
Writing requirement: a minimum of 5,000 words. Prerequisite: Completion
of ENGL 1A and ENGL 2 or equivalent with a C- or better; sophomore standing
(must have completed 30 units prior to registration). Units: 3.0.
Required Texts & Materials:
•
Two blue (or green) books.
•
Lined notebook paper with a clean,
straight edge.
•
Stapler.
•
Reliable access to a computer and a
printer. You will need the computer to access readings, access the course blog,
English20Summer2013.blogspot.com, and view the seven episodes of Season I
of Breaking Bad. (we will watch episode 1 in class on the first day)
In addition, many of the readings
will be items found on the Internet and will need to be printed and brought to
class.
•
Sacramento State Student Writing Handbook, 1st edition—available free on line at:
You may also purchase a hard copy
of the handbook for ten dollars at FedEx/Kinkos, on the corner of J Street and
56th (5600 J Street)
(Suggestion: you may
want to bookmark the two web addresses above on your personal computer for
quicker access.)
Recommended Text:
Any writing handbook that, at a
minimum, offers information on MLA research documentation.
Newly updated MLA format is
available free online at:
http://library.csus.edu/guides/rogenmoserd/general/mla.html
Classroom Policies:
1. Attendance is especially important
during this accelerated summer school course, which meets a total of only 18
days. Classroom discussions prepare students for all writing
assignments, and your fellow students and I need your input in order to make this
class more complete and enjoyable.
2. YOU MUST TYPE AND DOUBLE SPACE ALL OUT OF CLASS WORK
3. In all fairness
to other students, out of class
assignments must be handed in on time. For out of class essays, for
every day it is late, there will be 10 points deducted from your earned grade,
even on weekends. You may not earn these points back in a revision.
In-Class Writing Responses and quizzes cannot be made up.
4. You’re
responsible for finding out what you missed if you are absent. I will provide you with a class roster for your
convenience. If you miss class, ALWAYS ASSUME YOU HAVE MISSED SOMETHING
IMPORTANT.
5. My policy
on EXTRA CREDIT is…I do not believe
in extra credit. In short, “real” life outside the university does not operate
on the extra credit option. You earn the grade you receive. It really is a
fairness issue.
6. ABOUT REVISIONS: you have
the option to revise one of your first two out of class essays. If you choose
to revise, you must submit the revision with the original within one week of
receiving the graded essay back. No exceptions. An essay with unacceptable
errors might be an essay you choose to revise. Once you submit your revision,
and receive it back with the revised score, you can continue to revise and
re-submit as many times as you wish until you earn the grade you desire. ALL REVISIONS MUST BE HIGHLIGTED WHERE YOU
HAVE MADE CHANGES AND/OR CORRECTIONS, ADDITIONS, ETC. and THE ORIGINAL GRADED
ESSAY MUST BE ATTACHED TO THE REVISION. NO EXCEPTIONS.
7. Plagiarism:
Students who plagiarize may be expelled from the
university. Copying papers off the Internet or using other sources without
documenting them are examples of plagiarism. (It is quite easy for instructors
to discover whether a student has done this.) Quotes and paraphrases in your
essays must be cited. Students who are discovered to have been plagiarizing will
be referred to the appropriate University Dean.
A note on classroom etiquette:
If you feel you cannot survive each
class session without the use of your cell phone, iPod, iPad or laptop
computer, etc., please do not enroll in this class. (Simply, it is the highest
degree of rudeness and disrespect.) If I see you busy texting, etc. I
will not hesitate to ask you to leave. (IF THERE IS A COMPELLING REASON THAT
YOU MUST KEEP YOUR PHONE ON VIBRATE FOR AN EMERGENCY PHONE CALL THAT MAY OCCUR
DURING CLASS HOURS, PLEASE INFORM ME BEFORE CLASS.) Again, we only meet for 18
days. I plan to give you my full attention for the 2 hours and 20 minutes, and
I expect the same from all my students.
HOW YOUR GRADE IS EARNED:
See attached grade roster. At no
time should you wonder how you are “doing” in the course. The grade worksheet
makes it very easy to keep track. Simply record your scores as you receive back
your graded work. Do not discard any assignments that are graded and returned
to you until the semester is over.
ABOUT THIS COURSE…
I have designed a very different
and I hope interesting and provocative set of themes for discussion and
critical thinking/writing for the semester. The core of the course from which
these themes/ideas will spring is the first season of the television series, Breaking
Bad.
You will view the first episode on
the first class day and on your own, you will view the
remaining six episodes as well as read a wealth of material connected either
directly or indirectly to some of its themes. (if you have a Netflix account,
you can view online. It is also available for instant viewing on Amazon.com. I
do not recommend that you watch the episodes on youtube because many of the
episodes are missing scenes.
This series poses so many
intriguing questions about conformity, morals, family values/responsibilities,
the line between good and evil, the war on drugs, greed, health care and so
much more, including a comparison between current television vs. film viewing.
In short, we will examine and expand on several issues connected with the
overall term of “breaking bad”—straying from the path of morality, of legality,
of conformity towards something deemed unacceptable by the majority of society.
In fact, the origin of the term is American Southwest, a slang phrase meaning to
challenge conventions, to defy authority, to skirt the edges of the law.
Here is an excerpt from a review of
the series:
“It’s difficult to fathom a more
dangerous and enthralling piece of television than Breaking Bad, the AMC
drama that is quietly redefining the creative and content limits of primetime.”
--Ray Richmond, The Hollywood
Reporter, March 4, 2009
Class Schedule:
(Please note: This schedule
is subject to change at a moment’s notice. Please bring this schedule and
required readings and appropriate handouts to every class session.)
Each time a reading assignment is
given, you are expected to arrive to class having read the assignment. If
it is an assignment from the Internet, please bring a hard copy to class on the
day it is assigned to have been read. You may access the reading online during
class for reference, but do NOT wait UNTIL class to actually read the
assignment.
NOT EVERY ACTIVITY IS LISTED ON
THIS CLASS SCHEDULE. It is not unusual to have a quick quiz over reading
material. There will be no prior announcement for these quizzes.
Tuesday, July 16
· Introduction
to the Course
· Course
Outline (handout)
· Unacceptable
Errors (handout)
·
Lecture: Television vs. Film
· View Breaking
Bad, Season 1, Episode 1 in class
Wednesday, July 17
· Discussion:
How to Critically Read and Evaluate an Essay (handout provided on blog—print
out and bring to class)
· Read
Packet #1 (print out ALL reading packets & bring to class)
· In class
WR #1
· Out of class
essay #1 assigned
Thursday, July 18
· Group
Work #1
· View
Episode 2 of Breaking Bad (come to class having viewed)
· Review
of Sentence Mechanics
Tuesday, July 23
· Out of
class essay #1 ROUGH DRAFT due today (OPTIONAL)
· View
episode 3 of Breaking Bad (come to class having viewed)
· Arrive
to class having read pages 34-48 in the Handbook.
· Read
Packet #2
· In class
WR #2
Wednesday, July 24
· View
episodes four and five of Season 1, Breaking Bad (come to class having
viewed)
· Read
Packet #3
· Group
Work #2
Thursday, July 25
· Out of
Class Essay #1 due today
· Out of
Class Essay #2 assigned today
· In Class
Essay #1 (bring blue or green book to class)
Tuesday, July 30
· Out of
Class Essay #2 ROUGH DRAFT due today (OPTIONAL)
· In-Class
Group Work #2 in class
· Read pgs.
67-78 in the Handbook and Packet #4.
Wednesday, July 31
· View
episode six of Breaking Bad, Season 1 (come to class having viewed)
· Group
Work #3
· Read
Packet #5
Thursday, August 1
· View
episode seven (final episode) of Breaking Bad, Season 1
· Out of
Class Essay #2 due today
Tuesday, August 6
· Read
Packet #6
· In class
WR #3
Wednesday, August 7
· Out of
Class Essay #3 assigned today
Thursday, August 8
· In-class
Group #4
Tuesday, August 13
· Out of
class essay #3 ROUGH DRAFT due today (OPTIONAL)
· Reading
Packet #7
· Arrive
in class having read one of the four sections in Part III of the Handbook:
Writing Across the Curriculum at Sacramento State. Select the section that
“fits” your major field of study. If you have not yet declared a major, select
the one that BEST fits what you THINK your major will be. (Your choices are: Natural
Sciences and Math; Social Sciences; Arts and Humanities; or Business and
Professional Communications.)
Wednesday, August 14
· Reading
Packet #8
· WR #4 in
class
Thursday, August 15
· Out of
Class Essay #3 due today
· Discussion
of WPJ—How to prepare & what to expect
Tuesday, August 20
· In class
essay #2 (WPJ Practice)
Wednesday, August 21
· Reading
Packet #9
Thursday, August 22
·
Last day of class; grade roster check
***********************************************************************
Name:________________________________________
Summer 2013, Prof. Fraga
POINTS EARNED: Your English 20 Grade Worksheet
1650 points possible
OUT OF CLASS ESSAYS—600 pts.
Essay 1 (200
points)_____ Essay 2 (200 points)_____Essay 3(200
points)
IN-CLASS ESSAYS—400 pts.
In class essay 1 (200 points)_____
In class essay 2 (200 points)_____
IN-CLASS WRITING RESPONSES—200 pts.
WR 1 (50 points)_____
WR 2 (50 points)_____
WR 3 (50 points)_____
WR 4 (50 points)_____
IN-CLASS GROUP WORK (200 pts.)
Each session is worth 50 pts.
Group Work 1
_____ Group Work 2 _____
Group Work 3 _____ Group Work 4 _____
QUIZZES (these five quizzes may not
always be “announced” and they cannot be made up. (250 pts. total) Each quiz is
worth 50 points. Please record each quiz and your
score below.
Quiz 1_____ Quiz 2_____
Quiz 3_____ Quiz 4_____ Quiz 5_____
How to assess your grade earned:
Divide the points you earn by 1650 to find the percentage.
100-95=A
94-90=A-
89-85=B+
84-80=B
79-75=B-
74-70=C+
69-65=C
64-60=C-
59=D
58 and below=F
UNACCEPTABLE
ERRORS
In English 20, students should already be very proficient in word usage. We do not have time for grammar
lessons. (I will, however, provide
short ‘mini’ lessons when I feel they are warranted.) The following errors that are commonly made on student
papers are considered unacceptable.
For out of class essays, each unacceptable error
takes ten points off your final earned grade. You may correct unacceptable
errors and receive the points back if you choose to revise. In class essays
that have unacceptable errors CAN
always be corrected to earn back the points lost.
1. there – place Put
it over there.
2. their – possessive pronoun That
is their car.
3. they’re – contraction of they
are They’re
going with us.
4. your – possessive pronoun Your
dinner is ready.
5. you’re – contraction of you are You’re
not ready.
6.
it’s – contraction of it is It’s
a sunny day.
7. its – possessive pronoun The
dog wagged its tail.
8. a lot – always two words I
liked it a lot.
9. to – a preposition or part of an
infinitive I
like to proofread my essays carefully.
10.
too – an intensifier, or also That
is too much. I will go too.
11.
two – a number Give
me two folders.
12. In today’s society This
phrase is grossly overused and very cliché. Instead use “Today” or “In America”
or “Now” etc
13. right(s)/write(s)/rite(s) rights are a set of beliefs or values
in which a person feels entitled: His rights were read to him before he
was arrested for stalking Dave Matthews. Writes
is a verb indicating action taken with a pen, pencil or computers to convey
a message: Michelle writes love letters to Dave Matthews in her sleep. Rites are a series of steps or events
which lead an individual from one phase in life to the next, or a series of
traditions that should be followed: The initiate began his rite of
passage ceremony at the age of thirteen.
14. definitely/defiantly This
error USUALLY occurs when a writer relies solely on spell-check. You really
must learn to become the final editor of your work. Definitely is an adverb and it means without a doubt. Mary will definitely
miss the Dave Matthews Band concert. Defiantly
means to show defiance. She was in a defiant mood. It is an adjective.
Or it could be used as an adverb. She was defiantly rude and sullen
towards the professor.
15. On your Works Cited page: you
MUST center and type at the top the heading just as it is here: Works Cited.
NOT ALL CAPS, NOT BOLDED, NOT UNDERLINED, NOT MISSPELLED, NOT IN A DIFFERENT
SIZED FONT, ETC.
16. woman/women woman
is used when you are referring to ONE female lady.
women
is the
plural of woman, meaning MORE THAN ONE lady
There are many women
at the nail salon, but only one woman is shopping at the market next
door.
***********************************************************************
An accumulation of the following
errors will affect your grade, but not 10 points off for EACH error. My evaluation of your work depends on
how serious the error is, and how often you make it. Some do not slow up the reader as much as others.
- Misuse of the word
“you”. You must actually mean
the reader when you use the word “you”.
- Avoid use of
contractions in formal expository writing. (can’t, shouldn’t, didn’t,
etc.)
- Agreement of subject
and verb. Both must be either
singular or plural.
- Fragmented sentences,
comma splices and run-ons. Be
sure to proofread your papers carefully before turning them in.
You
will not pass English 20 if you cannot write an intelligent sentence in correct
English.
English 20, Summer 2013, Instructor: C. Fraga
Out of Class Essay Assignment #3 (200 points)
Requirements:
• MLA format
• If you utilize any outside sources (not required) you must follow MLA format for in- text citations, Works Cited page, etc.
At the very least, you must have a Works Cited page that lists Season 1 of Breaking Bad.
• Attach your Viewer’s Journal (all 7 entries) to back of essay when submitting.
Before we began viewing the first season of Breaking Bad, I assigned a Viewer’s Journal. You were to record your observations and any other notes you wished in order to eventually select a character to focus on more carefully than others. However, as we have discussed, your first few journal entries, or perhaps more than a few, might just be summary plots and notes regarding several different characters.
This Viewer’s Journal will now be a valuable source as you write your last out of class essay for this course.
Assignment:
Write an in-depth character analysis of one of the characters in the first season of Breaking Bad.
Your essay must include the following:
• Assertion(s) about your character
• Evidence from the episodes that support your assertions (how did you come to the conclusion(s) you did regarding this character?)
Your supportive evidence might include but is not limited to:
• what others observe/say (or don’t observe/say) about the character—either directly or in private
• the actions of the character in particular situations
• the reactions/responses of the character in particular situations
• what drives this character
• what terrifies this character
• what pleases this character
• what does this character long for
• what does this character need
Your thesis must be assertive…it is YOUR opinion as a viewer of these episodes.
· Whether or not you LIKE or DISLIKE this character is not an issue in this essay.
· Whether you LIKE or DISLIKE the series is also not an issue in this essay.
Proving to the reader that this character has the attributes (good, bad, layered, shallow) that you assert he or she has is your goal.
Keep in mind that your reading audience HAS viewed each of the seven episodes so avoid writing extensive summaries of each episode.
Your thesis might read something like this:
Once Walter learns of his terminal cancer and begins cooking meth, he appears very unstable and irresponsible; however, his behavior truly represents a very determined, loving, highly intelligent and moral father and husband.
or…
Marie is a very insecure and lonely woman who is unhappy and uncomfortable living in the shadows of her power-driven DEA husband and her happily married and very bright sister, Skylar.
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