Engl 021 Prof.

Shahmiri

1
English 21: English Fundamentals
Los Angeles Mission College
Fall 2014

Section #: 3803
Tuesdays: 3:30-6:40pm
Room: CSB 111
Course Website:
Instructor: Professor Shahmiri
Email: shahmis@lamission.edu
Office Hour: Tuesdays 3pm-3:30pm
Office: Faculty Office 16/Faculty Area
http://english21shahmiri.weebly.com/ Mailbox: Located in ReproGraphics room under
English, last name Shahmiri.

Texts:
1. Rules for Writers by Diana Hacker and Nancy Sommers
2. Real Skills Interactive by Susan Anker
3. MySkillsLab English Simplified (13
th
Edition) by Blanche Ellsworth & John A. Higgins
[access code: shamiri60368]
(+ additional readings on course website)

Other requirements:
LAMC email with forwarding to personal email set up if preferred
2 pocket folder
binder or equivalent to carry all coursework
access to the internet

Course Description
This is a course in reading and writing designed to strengthen the student's basic communication
skills, including grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence construction. Greatest emphasis is
placed on the writing of competent paragraphs and short essays.

Student Learning Objectives (SLOs)
1. Produce an essay of at least 250 words, which has a thesis, introduction, body, and
conclusion. Sentence structure will be diversified.
2. Self edit and correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors in his/her essays.
3. Differentiate fact from opinion, identify and paraphrase the main ideas and supporting
points in a reading, generalize meaning by recognizing and interpreting inferences, and
predict meaning of vocabulary through contextual clues in readings.

Grading Policy
1
st
Diagnostic Essay (Not graded)
Attendance & Participation 5%
My Skills Lab 15%
Essay 1: Literacy Narrative 10%
Essay 2: Drinking Age 20%
Homework and In-Class Assignments 20%
Final Essay: Technology 30%
Total 100%
Engl 021 Prof. Shahmiri

2
Paper Format
All final drafts must be in 12-point, Times New Roman font. Margins must be one inch on all
sides, and the body of the paper should be double spaced. All papers must include your name, the
date, your class and section information, the assignment name, and your word count in the left-
hand corner. I will hand out an example of correct formatting in class and email it to the class.
Please refer to it every time you turn in a written assignment. All assignments should be
carefully proofread for grammar and spelling errors.

Disability Accommodations
If you are a student with a disability and require classroom accommodations, please see me to
discuss arrangements. The sooner I am aware that you are eligible for accommodations, the
quicker I will be able to provide them. If you have not done so already, you may also wish to
contact the DSP&S Office in Instruction Building 1018 (phone #818.364.7732/TTD
818.364.7861) and bring a letter stating the accommodations that are needed.

MySkillsLab
These online assignments are a required part of this course, and by departmental policy, they are
worth 15% of your grade. These exercises will give you extra practice on the skills you need to
work on, while not having to concentrate on what you already know. If you need technical
assistance, contact Pearson: http://247pearsoned.custhelp.com

Pearson Tutor Services
Your subscription to MySkillsLab gives you access to Pearson Tutor Services, including 3 free
submissions. Highly qualified online tutors will carefully review your essay drafts and provide
you with personalized and detailed feedback with advice on how to improve. You will receive
the tutor's response typically within 12 to 48 hours. A receipt confirming the use of this service
will be required for the first two essays.

Homework Assignments
Homework assignments are due at the BEGINNING of class. If you are late, you will receive a
zero on that assignment.

Late Assignments/Papers
Extensions may be granted for papers if there are extraordinary circumstances, but only if you
have made arrangements with me before the due date. Otherwise, all papers and homework
assignments are due at the beginning of the period. In addition, if you do decide to turn in a
paper or assignment late, your grade on the assignment will be automatically marked down by
10%, meaning you can only receive partial credit for late work. If you know you are going to
be absent, please make arrangements to have your work in my mailbox in the ReproGraphics
room before class or to have it in class with a classmate on the day it is due.

Student Conduct: Students are expected to be respectful at all times while in this class.
Disruptive or disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated and may affect your grade. Also,
students who disrupt the class may be asked to leave.


Engl 021 Prof. Shahmiri

3
Drafts and Participation
Writing is a process, and it is important that you participate in the process by bringing drafts of
your essays to class on the designated dates. In order for your classmates and me to help you as
much as possible, we need to see the direction that you are going with your paper, and for this,
we need to see a completed draft. I define a complete draft as an essay that, while it may not
make the page length required for the assignment, has all of the qualities of a finished product
it is typed, and it has an introduction, body, and a conclusion. Because I find complete drafts to
be so important, the following policies will apply. Students who do not bring a complete draft to
class on the day the draft is due will lose participation points and the opportunity to have me
comment on their rough drafts. I do not read late drafts.

Plagiarism: Simply put, do not do it. Plagiarism is presenting another persons work as your
own. This can include copying word-for-word from a source without properly crediting it,
presenting an idea as your own without acknowledging the source, or turning in a piece of
writing that you did not personally create. It is to be avoided at all costs. If noticed, I will give
you a warning. If I see it repeatedly, you will receive Fs on the assignments. We will talk
about how to avoid plagiarism in class. There is no reason for it to come to this but if it becomes
a major issue, repeat offenders risk suspension from LA Mission College.

Attendance: Attendance is very important, especially because our class only meets once a week.
If you miss even one class, it is as though you have missed a whole week of class. As a member
of this class, you are part of a community of writers. It is important that you be here to
participate in class activities and offer your contribution to your classmates learning process.
We will be doing activities and assignments during class that cannot be made up if you are not
present. You are only allowed to be absent two times. Students who are absent more than three
times during the semester will be dropped without question after the fourth absence. Therefore,
please save your absence for days when you truly need them. In the case of an emergency,
please contact me as soon as possible via phone or email to let me know your situation.

Tardiness: It is essential that you be on time. I will be taking roll at the beginning of class each
day. If you arrive after I have taken roll, you will be marked tardy. Three tardies will count as
one absence. If you are tardy, please come into class quietly without disturbing others. At the
break, you must come see me to get your absence changed to a tardy. Do not leave class
early. I will often make announcements at the end of class that you will need to hear, and if you
do choose to leave before class is finished, you will be marked tardy for that day.

Phones and Technology: Please turn all cell phones, alarms, and other noise-making devices to
silent before class. Please do not text-message, play games, or use your mobile device in any
other manner during class. If I see you using your device once, I will warn you to put it away. If
I see it again, I will ask you to leave the class and mark you tardy for the day. I will sometimes
use my own cellphone for class related reasons only, but I will NEVER use it for personal
reasons during class. I expect the same from you.




Engl 021 Prof. Shahmiri

4
Schedule (Subject to Change)

Week 1 - Tuesday, Sept. 2
nd
Icebreakers/Syllabus & Essay 1 (diagnostic)

Homework:
1. Check out course site
2. Print Syllabus & Schedule
3. Create a blog to post homework assignments to on Weebly
4. Post an About Me paragraph and picture of yourself on your blog
5. Sign-in to MySkillsLab and take diagnostic Reading Path Finder
6. MySkillsLab: Begin Reading Path Finder modules


Week 2 - Tuesday, Sept. 9
th
In-class drawings writing process/discussion
Critical Reading & Annotation Strategies
Review of Diagnostic Essay Article
Summary & SOAPSTone
Literacy Narrative handout essay prompt
1 In-Class Literacy Narrative Article Facing Poverty with a Rich Girls Habits by
Suki Kim
In-Class Summary & SOAPSTone on Kims article
Basic paragraph format

Homework: On MySkillsLab take Reading Level Path Finder
Begin Reading Level Path Finder Modules
Summary & SOAPSTone on 2
nd
Literacy Narrative Article Post to Blog
Read Hacker: pages 1-23

Week 3 - Tuesday, Sept. 16
th

Discussion of 2
nd
Literacy Narrative Article
Powerpoint: Common Word Confusions
Powerpoint: Varying Sentence Structure
Freewrite What is your literacy narrative?

Homework: On MySkillsLab take Writing Path Finder
Begin Writing Path Finder Modules
Paragraph practice: Scene of Conflict
Read Hacker: pgs 24-50


Week 4 - Tuesday, Sept. 23
rd

Sensory description & detail
Narrative Format
How to write an Intro paragraph
Engl 021 Prof. Shahmiri

5
paragraph practice
Freewrite: Reflection

Homework: Essay 1 Rough Draft
Object of value exercise


Week 5 - Tuesday, Sept. 30
th

Essay 1 Rough draft due
In-Class Peer Review
Object of Value presentations
Week 6 - Tuesday, Oct. 7
th
Group 1: Grammar Presentation: Clarity Part 1
Group 2: Grammar Presentation: Clarity Part 2
Essay 1 Handed back with feedback
Revision strategies
Essay 2 Brainstorming activity
Essay 2 Mike Brake Needed a License to Drink

Homework: Revise final draft of Essay 1 and assemble packet
Summary & SOAPStone



Week 7 - Tuesday, Oct. 14
th
Group 3: Grammar Presentation: Sentence Fragments Pronoun Clarity
Essay 1 Final Draft & Packet due
Joseph McCardell Jr. Underage Drinking Article Discussion
Fallacies In-Class Activity & Video
Identifying fallacies

Homework: Letter to the Author


Week 8 - Tuesday, Oct. 21
st

Group 4: Grammar Presentation: Pronoun case Standard English word forms
Research strategies

Homework: Compare & Contrast 2 research articles on Drinking


Week 9 - Tuesday, Oct. 28
th
Freewrite
In-class essay structure
Thesis Workshop
Outlining

Engl 021 Prof. Shahmiri

6
Homework: Rough draft of Essay 2 due next week

Week 10 - Tuesday, Nov. 4
th
Group 5: Grammar Presentation: Multilingual Writers & ESL Challenges
Peer Review of Essay 2
Essay 3 Brainstorming and discussion
Video clip: Parks & Rec

Homework: Begin research for essay 3, find 2 articles and get them approved by Tues.
Once approved, annotate articles with quote outlines


Week 11 - Tuesday, Nov. 11
th
Veterans Day (No School!)


Week 12 - Tuesday, Nov. 18
th
Group 6: Grammar Presentation: Comma-Colon
Group 7: Grammar presentation: Apostrophe - other punctuation marks
Essay 2 handed back with instructors feedback
Revision strategies

Homework: Final draft of Essay 2 due with packet


Week 13 - Tuesday, Nov. 25
th
Group 8: Grammar Presentation: Mechanics
Fallacies Review & Practice
Annotation check

Homework: Quote Outline

Week 14 - Tuesday, Dec. 2
nd
Addressing Counterargument/s
Academic Tone & Qualifying statements

Homework: Counterargument paragraph

Week 15 - Tuesday, Dec. 9
th
Peer-Review of counterargument paragragraphs
Final Essay Packet checklist and rubric

Thesis workshop and Outlining for Essay 3


Homework: Continue working on thesis and complete outline


Week 16 - Tues., Dec. 16
th
5:30-7:30pm - Final Essay 3 & Packet due*