EWRT001A- Composition and Reading Winter 2002

7:50 AM - 10:00 AM, Monday and Wednesday, Sem 1A

and

12:30 PM - 2:40 PM, Monday and Wednessday, L31

Wallis Leslie, Instructor

Phone voicemail: 408-864-8999 ex. 5620

Office MQ 5e - Wednessdays 10:10 AM - 11:10 AM

Developing reading comprehension opens our minds to a world ofendless fascination, solace, instruction, and joy. Developing writingskills makes our endlessly fascinating, consoling, instructive, andjoyful minds open to the world. We will pursue this two-folddevelopment by reading plentifully and writing copiously whilesharing our growing insight and expertise with each other. Inlanguage we find our selves and build our lives and our work.Language is a tool that empowers us to participate in the knowledgeof others and to make our knowledge available to others.

Be sure to have already done the reading on the day it is listedas that is what we will work with in class on that day. Also beginthinking about your essay topic as soon as you know it so that as youdo the reading and participate in the class discussion andactivities, you will always be thinking about what you can use foryour essay.

ATTENDANCE: Students are expected to attend class regularly,arriving on time, having read the material and prepared to discussand write about the assigned readings. Much classroom work is donecollaboratively, that is, working in pairs or small groups. The mostsought after qualities in the current job market are the ability tofind information, to work productively without supervision, and towork within a group. All these traits are fostered in a collaborativeclassroom. Thus, your punctuality and preparation are essential toyour successful performance in this class.

PAPERS: Five 3-5 page essays, typed and double spaced with thethesis appearing on the title page as well as in the body of thepaper. All papers must be written to complete the course. Stapled toeach final draft will be a preliminary draft of the paper. Be sure tokeep a copy of your submitted work and to retain all returned workuntil after you have received your final grade.

CLASS PARTICIPATION: Active, informed, responsive, and readyanswers to questions and productive participation in group activitieswill earn top credit here.

QUIZZES: Spot quizzes--no make-ups.

TESTS: There will be a midterm and a final exam consisting ofshort answer and essay questions covering class work and assignedreading.

GRADES: Grades are based on points. Keep a record of the pointsyou have earned as well as the points that are possible to earn forall the class activities so that you will always know your currentgrade. Points are earned for papers (100 each), midterm (100), final(200), class participation (100), quizzes (10 each), and classprojects (10-20 each). Points are subtracted for late papers and formore than two absences (you will be marked absent if you arrive lateor leave early).

90% of total possible points = A

80% of total possible points = B

70% of total possible points = C

60% of total possible points = D

less than 60% of total possible points = F

REQUIRED TEXTS:

A recent copy of The New Yorker magazine

The New Century Handbook, 2nd edition, Hult and Huckin

The Samurai's Garden, Gail Tsukiyama

Passage to India, E.M. Forster