Los Angeles City College English 28-0424

Mon/Wed 3:35-5:00 Instructor: Rebecca Chmiel, MSc

Contact Information
: By website: edmodo.com with join code dnswbw 6 Office Hours: Mon/Wed. 3:05-3:30 pm
. By email: chmielra@lacitycollege.edu P 1:1 appointment: By request

Course Materials

E-Portfolio at Pathbrite
Rules for Writers with
Developmental Exercises Workbook
Printed copies of texts
Norton Critical Edition of online (found at website)
Heart of Darkness
Attendance and Lateness Policy
Missing class the first week will result in being dropped from the course. The official LACC policy is Whenever students are
absent more hours than the number of hours the class meets per week, the instructor may exclude them from class. If the
instructor determines that there are no mitigating circumstances that may justify the absences, the instructor may exclude a
student from the class. That means that you can be dropped on your 3rd absence. Being dropped from the course will result
in a W which will count towards the three attempts youre allowed for English 28. Attendance will be recorded in the first 5
minutes of class- coming late will result in losing half your participation points for the day.

Passing English 67
LACC students only have three attempts to pass a class. A grade of W, F, I, or NP will count as an attempt. This
includes all classes you have taken in the LACCD district

Description: English 28 is designed to
prepare students for college reading and
writing. During the course students will
compare, analyze, evaluate, and reflect
on the main ideas of fictional and non-
fictional texts as well as receiving
instruction in college-level writing
technique. This will include grammar
and expository essay writing skills for
typical college writing situations.
English 67: You need to enroll in English 67 as soon as possibleno later
than the second week of the semester. During the semester, you must
complete fifteen hours of instruction in the Writing Center. To receive full
credit for English 67, you must log in and out every time you visit the
Writing Center. (To log in, you will need to know your student ID number
and your English 67 section number.) To receive full credit, you must also
complete and submit the blue Attendance Report log. By the end of the
semester, the Attendance Report log must demonstrate that fifteen hours
were completed and that you completed all work you were specifically
assigned for the Writing Center. Note: your performance in English 67
will impact your grade in English 28.

Drop Dates and Repeats: For classes from 2/6/17 to 6/5/17, the deadline to drop without a W on your transcript is
February 20, 2017. Therefore, before the end of Week 2, you should carefully consider if you can reasonably manage this
course with the other factors in your life (e.g. work, family, course load). After Week 2, if you think you will not be able to
complete this course with a C or better, you may still drop the class by May 7, 2017. Note: Effective July 1, 2012, students are
allowed three (3) attempts to pass a single class within the Los Angeles Community College District. If a student gets a W or
grade of D, F, or NP in a class, that counts as an attempt.
Course Philosophy: It basically boils down to two key ideas. The first is that anyone can become a great reader or
writer with enough effort; the second is that people learn in different ways and no one way of learning is better or
more desirable than another. You will see these ideas in the assignments you receive as well as the activities we do
in class. You can all be successful in this class and in writing (impossible though it may seem!) but you must do the
work. If you find that youre struggling with writing assignments, please reach out to me or get help from the the
Writing Center.
Disabilities and Accommodations: Students with a verified disability who may need authorized accommodation(s)
for this class are encouraged to notify the instructor and the Office of Special Services (SSV 100, 323---953---4000,
ext. 2270) as soon as possible, at least two weeks before any exam or quiz. All information will remain confidential.
Course Format: This class will not be dominated by lectures because it is a course designed to help you improve
your critical reading, writing, and thinking skills. Rather than lectures, we will primarily do activities that require
your participation. This implies that a) without having completed the assigned reading ahead of time you may not
be able to adequately contribute, and b) that you need to be prepared and willing to work with your classmates.
However, it also means that you must be present. Being present can be difficult when texts, Facebook messages,
pictures of that party last night, or other aspects of your life pop up, which is why you are not allowed to have
your cell phone out in class unless explicitly instructed to. If there is an extenuating circumstance where you
absolutely need to be near your phone, please let me know ahead of time.
Technology: Technology will be an integral part of improving the overall class
experience. You will need to navigate the internet, upload work to Edmodo,
compose and format documents in a word processing program, save documents as a
.docx, .doc, or .pdf file, check your LACC email regularly, stay on top of changes to
the Canvas site, download/print online materials, and submit typed assignments. In
class you may bring a laptop or tablet but you can only use it for class-related things.
If you abuse your laptop/tablet, you will receive 1 warning. After that first warning
you will no longer be allowed to use it at all.
Email: Please do not email me class work unless you have been explicitly instructed
to as I wont consider it submitted. Email should be used for questions, to arrange appointments, and to
communicate information youd like me to have immediately. The FEDERAL LAW, the STATES
EDUCATION CODE, and LACCs email policy ALL require that any email communications take place
through the colleges server, which means that you must use your My Canyons email account. This means that if
you email me from another account I CAN NOT respond to it! If you really struggle to check it, please set up
your account to have your emails forwarded to your usual email address.
Academic Integrity: VIOLATIONS OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.
Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to, the following actions: cheating on an exam,
plagiarism, working together on an assignment, paper or project when the instructor has specifically stated students
should not do so, submitting the same term paper to more than one instructor, or allowing another individual to
assume one's identity for the purpose of enhancing one's grade. I reserve the right to ask for electronic copies of
papers to run through digital plagiarism checkers, and any confirmed cases will be reported. We will discuss
plagiarism and correct citations in class but it is your responsibility to review notes/resources about citations, visit
the writing center, and ask questions before an assignment is due. Any and all cases of confirmed plagiarism will
receive a 0% for the assignment and may be cause for removal from class.
Financial Aid: If you need help paying for books and other college expenses, call the Financial Aid Office at 323-
953-4000 ext. 2010, or see them at Student Services Village room 117, http://www.lacitycollege.edu/stusvcs/finaid/
Equal Access: Everyone must maintain a professional, respectful attitude towards all instructors and students. This
includes silencing and concealing phones and tablets, unless youre using your electronic sources for the course when
instructed. Any targeted, prejudicial, intimidating, or bullying behavior that makes it difficult for other students to
attend or work will not be tolerated. I will act on behalf of the class, and will not tolerate any such obstacles. If you
are asked to leave and refuse campus security will be called, you will be forcibly escorted out, and a report will be
filed.
 Course Requirements and Grading
Assignment Formatting and Submissions: Submit all portfolios, project reports, and mini-projects in MLA format. MLA
format guides can be found online, in Rules for Writers, and in MLA handbooks. Always use 12 pt. Times New Roman font,
one-inch margins, and double-spacing. Include the submission date, your name and student ID, my name, , the assignment title,
and a title for your essay as well as other necessary identifying information. Your work must be submitted in class in hardcopy
form but may also be requested in electronic form. The ASG computer lab provides 10/15 (?) pages of free printing each day
so please feel free to take advantage of that.
Grading Formula:

Completion of English 67 hours.100 pts. Portfolio #2.300 pts.

Reading Support Assignments200 pts. Mid-Term Exam.. 150 pts.
Developmental Exercise Assignments160 pts. Final Exam...200 pts.
Quizzes...160 pts. Participation.150 pts.
1 Project Presentation..100 pts. E-Portfolio280 pts
Portfolio #1.200 pts.
Points Breakdown:
A 1800+ points D1200-1400 pts
B1600-1800 pts F.1200-0 pts
C1400-1600 pts
*IMPORTANT: I very, very, very rarely round grades up. Even if you are .001% away from an A, you will not be
rounded up unless you have displayed consistent commitment, effort, and growth throughout the course. Similarly, I will
not round you down if you have just scraped into passing
by .001%.
**Extra Credit: Throughout the course there will be a
few opportunities to receive extra credit. These will not be
easy but may alleviate low grades on your major writing
assignments. Because extra credit is offered occasionally,
there will be no extra work at the end of the course to
make up low grades. If youre worried about your grade,
be diligent* from the beginning.
Making Up Work: You will not be able to make up in-
class activities, quizzes, or oral reports that you are absent
for under any circumstance.
Late Assignments: Due dates for each assignment will be
delivered alongside the assignment. Should you require an
extension you must request one before the deadline. Work
that is not submitted within 5 minutes of class
starting will be counted as late. All late essays will be penalized 1 letter grade (10%) for each class day late. Homework
can be submitted up to 1 week late but will be subjected to a -10% penalty for each class day.
English 28 Learning Outcomes and Objectives
By the end of this course you will be able to demonstrate your developing command of college writing in well-
organized descriptive and analytical essays. You will:
1. Write within full MLA guidelines with prose that is generally free of major sentence-level errors
2. The student will write a well-developed essay, in support of a main claim, that analyzes the content of a
reading, incorporates direct evidence from a reading, and moderately synthesizes concepts from multiple
sources
You will be able to:
v Actively read texts so as to better understand v Read a variety of texts and integrate ideas from
the important ideas; many sources in preparation for your own
writing
v Evaluate the quality of support provided for
different ideas in readings
v Conduct some research about an issue from
several sources and perspectives
v Craft outlines in order to better identify and
organize ideas/ supporting materials
v Develop draft thesis statements that express a
leading idea for each of your essay
v Revise and refine thesis statements as your
essay develops
v Support your ideas with appropriate examples
and research
v Integrate material from outside sources into
your own writing
v Use basic citation conventions
v Edit your work for errors and to improve the
overall quality of your writing

Course Schedule
Course Theme: Heroes and Villains
As with all things in life, this schedule IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE at any time for any reason.
Week 1, 2/6: First day of Spring semester! J
Week 4, 2/27: Mini-project #1 Due
Week 8, 3/27: Portfolio #1 Due
Week 8, 3/29: Mid-Term Exam; 8 hours logged at Writing Center
4/1-4/7 Spring Break
Week 12, 5/1: Mini-project #2 Due
Week 13, 5/8: Portfolio #2 Due
Week 15, 5/22: Final Exam Part 1; 5/24: Final Exam Part 2
Week 16, Date TBA: Project Presentations, Potluck Day
Date Schedule Checkbox
Unit 1: Mythical to Modern, The Hero and His Change Over Time
2/6 In this class: Course Introduction, Getting to Know Each Other, Syllabus Review, Course
Expectations
For the next class:
Sign up to Edmodo, take online test, buy course supplies
Print and bring The Heros Journey pdf (available on Edmodo)
2/8 In this class: Diagnostic, Introduction to mini-project 1, Reading Skills part 1
For the next class:
Finish reading The Heros Journey complete response; Read 65-75 Rules for Writers
Watch videos on Edmodo, complete online quiz
2/13 In this class: Features of Narrative Texts; What is a Hero?
Print and bring Herakles and Wanjiru myths
For the next class:
Finish reading the myths and read from The Metamorphosis complete reading support
assignment; Read Smart Reading
2/15 In this class: Critical Thinking and Close Reading; D.E. #1: Parts of Speech
Print and bring Hero Myths text (non-fiction about the heros journey)
For the next class:
Read A Worn Path complete reading support assignment
Complete D.E. Gr.1 homework
2/20 In this class: Paragraph Structure P. 1; The Heros Journey
For the next class:
Read The Yellow Wall-Paper complete reading support assignment
Read Building Effective Paragraphs Write sample paragraph and bring to class
2/22 In this class: Paragraph Structure P. 2; D.E. #2: Verb Forms; Variations in the Heros
Journey
For the next class:
Print and read Iphigenia in Aulis complete reading support assignment
Complete paragraph structure assignment and D.E. Gr.2 homework
Finalize mini-project #1 & print and bring Portfolio 1 Prompt Packet
2/27 In this class: Mini-Project #1 DUE; Reading a Prompt with Portfolio 1 Introduction
For the next class:
Read The Gun complete reading support assignment
3/1 In this class: The Pre-Writing Process; Thesis Drafting; Grammar #3: Tense Agreement
For the next class:
Read At the Round Earths Imagined Corners complete reading support assignment
Read 1-13 Rules for Writers and print and read Ideas and Brainstorming
Finish pre-writing
Complete D.E. Gr.3 homework
3/6 In this class: Thesis Review; Outlining and Idea Order; Reflecting on What Weve Read
For the next class:
Read 14-19 R4W & print and read Thesis and Paragraphs
Finalize thesis and outline submit online by Tuesday 5pm
Write body paragraph #1
3/8 In this class: How to Draft; What is Analysis P. 1; Grammar #4: ________
For the next class:
Read Sample Essay #1 & complete D.E. Es.3
Write draft #1 (body paragraphs only)
Complete D.E. Gr.4 homework take online quiz
3/13 In this class: How to Edit; What is Analysis P. 2; Citations P. 1
For the next class:
Read Global Revisions R4W Edit body paragraphs
Complete D.E. Es.4
3/15 In this class: Peer Review: Global Revisions; Grammar #5: ___________; Citations P. 2
For the next class:
Read Sentence-Level Revisions R4W Edit body paragraphs
Complete D.E. Es.5 and D.E. Gr.5
3/20 In this class: Peer Review: Sentence-Level Revisions; Citations P.3
For the next class:
Complete D.E. Es.6
Edit body paragraphs and draft introduction/conclusion
3/22 In this class: Last minute revisions: Citations and formatting with final comments
For the next class:
Finalize portfolio 1 and prepare documents for submission
3/27 In this class: Portfolio #1 DUE: Mid-Term Exam Preparations
For the next class:
Read Young Goodman Brown and prepare for the mid-term exam
3/29 In this class: Mid-Term Exam
For the next class:
Read A Good Man is Hard to Find complete reading support assignment
4/1- 4/9 SPRING BREAK!!!
Unit 2: Hero or Villain, Modern Anxieties and how they affect the Hero
4/10 In this class: Modern Anxieties in the Hero Myth and Mini-Project #2 Introduction
For the next class:
Print and read Heart of Darkness reading intro.
 Begin mini-project #2
Bring Heart of Darkness to class
4/12 In this class: Contextualizing Heart of Darkness; Grammar #6: ______
For the next class:
Read section 1 Heart of Darkness complete reading support assignment
Complete D.E. Gr.6
4/17 In this class: Discovering Meaning in Heart of Darkness; Introduction to Portfolio #2
For the next class:
Read section 2 Heart of Darkness complete reading support assignment
4/19 In this class: Discovering Meaning in Heart of Darkness; Grammar #7: _____
For the next class:
Read section 3 Heart of Darkness complete reading support assignment
Complete D.E. Gr.7
4/24 In this class: Thesis drafting & Planning the Paper; Theoretical Concepts & Heart of
Darkness
For the next class:
Read The Things They Carried complete reading support assignment
Begin pre-writing and thesis drafting
4/26 In this class: Introduction to the Presentation Project and Thesis Checks; Grammar # 8:
For the next class:
Complete D.E. Gr.8
Read choice of theoretical articles complete reading support assignment
Complete draft #1: body paragraphs only
5/1 In this class: Mini-Project #2 DUE/ English 28 Assessment; Peer Review (maybe out of
class?)
For the next class:
Edit portfolio #2 and add the introduction/ conclusion
5/3 In this class: Last minute changes: citations and formatting checks, final peer review
For the next class:
Finalize portfolio #2 and prepare the package for submission
5/8 In this class: Portfolio #2 DUE/ Finals prep 1 & Project Skill: Conducting Research &
Making Choices
For the next class:
Print finals study packet and begin review
Begin research for presentation project
5/10 In this class: Finals prep 2 & Project Skill: Preparing your Research for Presentation
For the next class:
Continue finals review
Begin presentation visual aid & continue research
5/15 In this class: Finals prep 3 & Project Skill: Preparing your Research for the Report
For the next class:
Continue finals review
Finish research, continue work on visual aid, and begin report for the presentation
5/17 In this class: Final finals prep & Project Skill: Successful presenting and final touches
5/22 In this class: Final Exam Part 1
5/24 In this class: Final Exam part 2
For the next class:
Finish preparations for the project presentation and email Prof. presentation report &
visual
W. 16 Monday June 5th: Project Presentation Day 5:00 pm-7:00 pm