English 201
ESSAYS (10 PTS. EACH)
You will be required to write three essays this semester. Essays must be typed, double-spaced and a minimum of 600 words in order to be eligible for a grade. There is no maximum word count for any of the essays. Additionally, your essays must be drafted in MLA Style format (visit http://library.miracosta.edu/mla if you need a review.). Your essay must also include your Writing Clinic draft and your Writing Clinic handout (completed). Each one of these essays may be revised one time. Revisions are due one week after you receive your graded copy and must be stapled on top of your graded copy. Also, you must attach a typed, detailed explanation of how you improved your essay.
Summary:
Your first submission for a grade must be stapled in a packet in the following order:
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the polished essay
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the Writing Clinic copy
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the Writing Clinic handouts
If you choose to do a revision, then staple the revised copy and the explanation of improvement onto the top of the first submission.
ABOVE AND BEYOND (2 PTS. EACH)
Central to my teaching philosophies is the notion of self-generated inquiry and discovery. I believe students should be encouraged to ask questions and then be given the tools to further research the topics of their questions thereby creating the answers to their own questions.
Consequently, throughout the semester, you may select a topic related to our readings and class discussions and do some independent research on it.
You may submit your Above and Beyond projects typed, double-spaced, in MLA style. Begin your project by stating your inquiry question. Then, after having done some research, write what you discovered.
The project must be a minimum of two pages long. You may do 10 projects, each worth two points, for a maximum of 20 points.
FINAL EXAM (10 PTS.)
An in-class, written final will be given on the appointed final day. The exam requires you to reflect on your experience in English 201.
READING JOURNAL (20 PTS.)
Keep a Reading Journal in a spiral notebook that will be submitted for grading during the last two weeks of the semester. You must date every entry, write the name of the reading, and record the pages referred to in each response. I will be checking your journals twice during the semester.
A Reading Journal entry should not consist of summaries of what you have read; however, you may briefly allude to the storyline in your entry.
What a Reading Journal entry should be is a reflection on what you have read. What questions would you ask the author? What observations can you make about the text? What are you feeling while you are reading? I will be assessing these journals on the thoughtfulness of your responses.
RESEARCH PROJECT (20 PTS)
As required by the Letters Department, you will write a 1200 word research essay that will include in text citations and a Works Cited page. I will distribute more information on this essay about the middle of the semester.