This document provides an overview of the English 1A course taught by Kim Palmore. The goals of the course are to prepare students to analyze college texts and write college papers by developing skills such as reading comprehension, thesis development, organization, and writing style. Requirements include attendance, keeping up with assignments, five formal papers, meetings with the instructor, blog posts, and tests/quizzes. Required texts are The St. Martin's Guide to Writing and The Hunger Games. Grades are based on essays, blog posts, tests, participation, and writing workshops. Course policies address plagiarism, attendance, conduct, late work, and use of student papers.

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EWRT 1A: Green Sheet
Kim Palmore, PhD Cell Phone: 408-674-3005
Email: Palmorekim@fhda.edu Office: F1-11
Goals: English 1A is a transfer level course in reading and composition that prepares students to analyze college texts and
to write college papers. In particular, you should learn to
1. Read and analyze a wide variety of types of writing.
2. Examine texts that are rhetorically and culturally diverse.
3. Generate ideas and topics for essays.
4. Formulate and support theses.
5. Integrate and organize ideas.
6. Develop a personal style and voice appropriate to purpose and audience.
7. Practice writing as a multi-step process.
8. Compose essays with varying purposes, audiences, and rhetorical strategies.
Requirements:
1. Active participation in class discussions and regular attendance.
2. Keeping up-to-date on the assignments and reading.
3. Five formal papers, one of which will be written in class.
4. One meeting with the instructor.
5. A series of posts to the class website = journal/ blog.
6. Multiple tests, quizzes, or in-class assignments.
Texts and Required Materials:
v Rise B. Axelrod and Charles R. Cooper, The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing 8th
Edition
v Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games.
v A stapler, loose-leaf paper or a notebook for note-taking, and pens or pencils
Please bring the St Martin’s Guide (SMG) to every class meeting; bring The Hunger Games on the days we will discuss it.
Bring your laptop and draft copies on the days we write in class. Finally, please staple homework and drafts as needed prior
to submitting these items in class.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students will be assessed on their ability to
1) Write cogent, well-developed arguments that clearly articulate a thesis supported by textual evidence;
2) Read critically by summarizing, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating college-level texts;
3) Select, evaluate, interpret, and synthesize sources in the service of an argument;
4) Document sources (print, electronic, and other) in MLA style; and
5) Use effective strategies for pre-writing, composing, and revising of essays
GRADING:
Grades for this course will be based on a 1000-point scale divided as follows:
Assignment My Score Point
Value
Assignment My
Score
Point
Value
Essay #1 (in-class) 2-3 pages 50 Website Posts 125
Essay #2 (out of class) 3-5 pages 125 Tests 5x25 125
Essay #3 (in-class) 3-5 pages 100 Participation/Quizzes/Activities/
writing workshops
200
Essay # 4 (out of class) 4-6 pages 175
Essay #5 Speech (3 pages) 5-6
minutes
100 Total 1000 points

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I will assign traditional + and - grades
Grade Points Required Grade Points Required
A 900-1000 D 600-699
B 800-899 F 599 and below
C 700-799
CLASS POLICIES:
Academic Dishonesty:
Plagiarism includes quoting or paraphrasing material without documentation and copying from other students or professionals.
Intentional plagiarism is a grave offense; the resulting response will be distasteful. Depending upon the severity, instances of
plagiarism may result in a failing grade for the paper or the course and possible administrative action. All assignments will be
scanned and scrutinized for academic dishonesty. Please refer to your handbook for more information regarding
plagiarism.
Attendance:
Attendance is a significant part of this course, and success in this course depends on regular attendance and active
participation. If excessive absences become a problem, you may be dropped from this course (see your handbook for more
on De Anza’s official attendance policy). Tardies and early departures may count as absences.
It is your responsibility to talk to me your absences or other conflicts. Work done in class cannot be made up. If you must
be absent, please arrange with a classmate to get assignments and notes. Also, please arrive on time, as you will not be able
to make up work completed before you arrive, including quizzes.
Conduct, Courtesy, and Electronic Devices:
In this class, we will regularly engage in the discussion of topics that may stir passionate debates. Please speak freely and
candidly; however, while your thoughts and ideas are important to me and to the dynamics of the class, you must also
respect others and their opinions. Courtesy will allow each person to have the opportunity to express his or her ideas in a
comfortable environment.
Courtesy includes but is not limited to politely listening to others when they contribute to class discussions or while they
give presentations, not slamming the classroom door or walking in front of classmates giving presentations if you do arrive
late, and maintaining a positive learning environment for your fellow classmates. To help maintain a positive learning
environment, please focus on the work assigned, turn off all cell phones and IPods before class, and do not text-message in
class. If your behavior becomes disruptive to the learning environment of the class, you may be asked to leave and/or be
marked absent.
Participation:
Participation includes doing all work asked of you inside and outside of class, maintaining a positive learning environment
for your classmates, and contributing to class discussion. You cannot earn participation points if you are not in class.
Website:
Our class website is http://palmoreewrt1as.wordpress.com. In order to do the homework, you must establish an account. To
make your own FREE Word Press account, go to wordpress.com and click on the large, orange button that says, “Get
started here.” The system will walk you through a series of steps that will allow you to set up your own user-friendly Word
Press blog. If you don't want a blog, you can signup for just a username. You can also register through Facebook. Make
sure you sign in with YOUR Word Press username before you post on our class page so you get credit for your work.
If you prefer not to use your own name, you may use a pseudonym. Please email me your username if it is significantly
different from your real name.
If you cannot establish your website and username, please come to my office hours as soon as possible, and I will help you
with the process. Much of our work will take place online, so establishing this connection is mandatory.

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Workshops:
In this class, we will have workshops in conjunction with each take-home essay assignment. Please be prepared by bringing the
appropriate number of copies of your rough draft (see course outline) on workshop days. All drafts for out-of-class essays must be
typed though using recycled paper is acceptable. If you come to class without the proper number of copies required for that day’s
lesson, I will excuse you from class to either make copies or work on your essay. You will not receive points for the workshop.
Quizzes:
I may decide to include pop quizzes from time to time to ensure you are completing all readings in a timely fashion.
Tests:
We will have five vocabulary tests during the quarter. There are no make-ups. One day, near the end of the quarter, I will
offer every student the opportunity to take or re-take one test.
Late Work:
As a general rule, I do not accept late work. However, if you have a personal emergency or other extenuating circumstance
that prohibits you from submitting your essay, completing an assignment on time, giving a presentation, or taking an exam
as scheduled, email me as soon as possible so we can discuss solutions; please do not wait until the last minute to notify
me. Essays submitted late will not receive any written comments.
Adding and Dropping:
Adding and dropping this class is the responsibility of the student. Please observe all deadlines regarding the same should
you wish to add or drop this class.
Educational Use of Student Papers:
Occasionally, I retain copies of written work to share with this class or future sections of the course; selections of student
work used in these ways will be anonymous. However, if you absolutely object to the use of your work in these ways,
please let me know now, so that I can respect your preference.