Course Syllabus

Click here to download a Word version of this syllabus and course schedule.

English 103 Online: Critical Reading, Writing, and Thinking

Winter 2021, Section 52627

THIS IS A 100% ONLINE CLASS USING CANVAS.

Instructor:         Prof. Annie Aboulian

 

 

Office Hours:    Mon-Fri    9 am – 5 pm

                                   via email only.

 

 

 

Instructor Email:       

annie.aboulian@canyons.edu

 

You can message me right on Canvas. If you choose to email me instead, please use your COC email (student@my.canyons.edu) and identify yourself (first and last name) and your class (ENGL 103) at the beginning of the email.

 

 Canvas Login: https://coc.instructure.com/login/canvas

COC Canvas Help: 661-362-3344

24/7 Canvas Tech Support: 877-889-9052

Welcome!

This five-week Winter Session class begins on Monday 1/4/2021 and ends on Saturday 2/6/2021. This syllabus is the most important document you will receive this term. It outlines our entire class: what I expect from you; what you can expect from me; how to navigate our class; your readings and due dates; and other important course policies and valuable resources that will help you succeed in this class.

If you’re like me, you may find it more convenient to print this document and keep it handy for easy reference. While I am happy to answer any questions you may have throughout the term, always check this syllabus first because many common student questions are answered in these pages.

Required Texts and Materials

Book cover of From Critical Thinking to Argument by Sylvan Barnet et al (6th ed.)

  • From Critical Thinking to Argument: A Portable Guide, 6th Edition (ISBN: 978-1319194437). Important Note: Please make sure to get the correct edition of your textbook.

Other Requirements

  • Regular and reliable internet access;
  • Access to word processing software (e.g. Microsoft Word, Pages)
  • Knowledge of how to save your documents as .doc, .docx, or .pdf files;
  • Checking Canvas and COC email at least once a day; and
  • Meeting three assignment deadlines per week (plus formal essays).

Course Description

English 103 is a 3-unit course that examines the principles of critical thinking as applied to writing and reading arguments on complex issues. This course focuses on close textual analysis, argumentative writing, and logical reasoning. Essay topics may include pop culture, politics, social issues, or moral/ethical issues. This course meets CSU/UC transfer requirements. Prerequisite: English 101

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Evaluate the strength of written, visual, and multimedia arguments; and
  • Compose logical, well-reasoned arguments in thesis-driven, MLA style formal essays.

Course Objectives

  • Critically read, analyze, compare, and evaluate complex, non-fiction texts;
  • Demonstrate understanding of formal and informal fallacies and bias in texts, including one’s own writing;
  • Identify a text’s conclusion, premises, and assumptions;
  • Analyze texts through various social, historical, cultural, psychological, or aesthetic contexts;
  • Analyze and employ logical and structural methods such as inductive and deductive reasoning, cause and effect, and rhetorical strategies such as logos, ethos, and pathos;
  • Compose thesis-driven arguments to suit the rhetorical situation and support them with a variety of appropriate and credible textual evidence and examples;
  • Find, analyze, interpret, and evaluate primary and secondary sources, incorporating them into written essays using current MLA format without plagiarism;
  • Use style, diction, and tone appropriate to the academic community and the purpose of the specific writing situation, including proofreading and editing essays so they exhibit no disruptive errors in English grammar, usage, or punctuation.

Canvas  (http://coc.instructure.com)

Canvas is the learning management system COC uses for online classes. Our entire class will take place on Canvas, so make sure you bookmark the above URL and try your login and password (same as your MyCanyons login and password) before the start of the term to make sure you can access our class. What do I mean when I say our entire class will take place on Canvas?

  • The weekly modules, or units, for this class will be accessed through Canvas;
  • Required readings and videos (other than your textbook) will be posted on Canvas;
  • All “classwork” (discussion posts, journals, peer reviews, etc.) will be submitted on Canvas;
  • Your formal essays will be turned in electronically through Canvas; and
  • Announcements and emails will be sent through Canvas.

To ensure that you receive all important announcements and notifications from Canvas, you may want Canvas to email you notifications. To set this up, log into Canvas and click on the “Account” link. Then click on “Notifications” and select the check mark next to the “Announcements” section. If you are unfamiliar with Canvas, please peruse the Canvas Student Guide at https://guides.instructure.com/m/4212 to acquaint yourself with Canvas.

A Note on Computer and Internet Access

You must have regular and consistent access to a computer with word processing software, email, and a high-speed Internet connection. You must also have a backup plan in place for any technical difficulties or Internet outages you may experience at the worst possible time (it happens to all of us). Internet issues are NOT a valid excuse for not turning in work on time.

While you do not need to be a computer expert to take this course, you should have a certain level of comfort and competence with computers. If you don’t know how to use Microsoft Word or you don’t know how to upload an attachment online, learn now or reconsider taking an online course.

Technology Resources and Support

Attendance Policy for Online Classes

First Week Attendance Policy:

You MUST log in to our Canvas class page on the first day of Winter Session, Monday 1/4/2021, or you will be dropped. Then, you must meet every assignment deadline the first week of class or you will be considered “absent” and will be dropped to make room for students on the wait list. This is the equivalent of being a “no show” for the first week of an in-person class. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Missed Assignments as “Absences”:

If you miss three assignments in a row, you will be dropped from the class unless you can provide a legitimate, documented excuse for having to miss those deadlines. This means a note from either a healthcare professional, a religious official, or an official of the state that explains why you were unable to meet a course deadline.

If you have a medical or family emergency that prohibits you from meeting a deadline, please contact me immediately either in person or through email so we can try to arrange something that will allow you to continue with the course. Such emergencies are handled on a case-by-case basis. While there are no guarantees, I realize the extenuating circumstances in which we are living and will work with you to help you succeed in this course.

Important Note: Vacations and job responsibilities are NOT valid emergencies for missing deadlines. If you know that upcoming travel or work will prevent you from logging in to Canvas, complete and submit the assignment early.

Workload and Weekly Schedule

The great news about this class is that what normally takes students four months (16 weeks) to complete during a regular semester, you will be completing in just five short weeks! The not-so-great news is that this is going to be an intense five weeks with a lot (and I mean a lot!) of work. It’s not because I am a mean professor and want to make your life hell; it’s simply because we need to get through sixteen weeks of material in just five weeks. If you’re still up for the challenge, keep reading!

Each week of class is divided into a module, or unit, on Canvas (accessible through the “Modules” tab on Canvas). In addition to the three formal essays you will do this term, each week will consist of:

  • Required reading (and sometimes viewing), which is listed at the end of this syllabus;
  • A journal submission due Tuesday by 11:59 pm;
  • A discussion post due Wednesday by 11:59 pm;
  • Responses to classmates’ discussion posts due Friday by 11:59 pm.

MON

TUES

WED

THURS

FRI

SAT

SUN

 

Journal due by 11:59 pm

Discussion post due by 11:59 pm

 

Respond to classmates by 11:59 pm

 

 

This schedule may vary on certain weeks, but everything is outlined at the end of the syllabus so you should always know what is going on and what deadlines are approaching.

Weekly Canvas Modules

All assignment instructions, online readings, discussions, and essay submission links are found under the weekly “Modules” on Canvas. You’ll notice that our Canvas site is set up so that it automatically opens to the Modules page for your convenience. You can also click “Modules” from the menu on the left side of the course homepage at any time to get back to the Modules view.

Grading

Your assignment grades will be posted on Canvas so you can check your progress throughout the term and always know where you stand. Your grade breaks down as follows:

ASSIGNMENT CATEGORY

% OF COURSE GRADE

Essays

 

Essay #1: Internships (4-5 pp)

15%

Essay #2: Fake News (5-6 pp)

20%

Essay #3: Election Reform (8-10 pp)

25%

Subtotal for Essays

60%

 

 

Other Work

 

Journals

20%

Discussion Posts

20%

Subtotal for Other Work

40%

 

 

TOTAL

100%

You must get at least a C, or 70%, to pass this class. (A = 90-100%; B = 80-89%; C = 70-79%; D = 60-69%; F = 59% and below)

Essays (60% of course grade):

You will complete three formal essays for this class. Essay length will range from four to ten pages, for a total of 20 pages of formal thesis-driven and argumentative writing turned in over the term. Detailed instructions and grading rubrics will be posted on Canvas. Essays will be submitted electronically on Canvas, and all essay feedback, comments, and grades will be posted on Canvas as well.

Journals (20% of course grade):

On Tuesdays, you will have journal assignments due to help prepare you for writing your major essays. Journal writing will be submitted privately to me rather than on the discussion board, and it will usually consist of a handout, responses to study questions, or a prewriting activity for an essay.

Discussion Posts (20% of course grade):

Each discussion in this course will require you to post a response to my original question by Wednesday followed by a response to one or two classmates’ posts by Friday. Discussions will revolve around assigned reading, upcoming essays, or both.  

Late Essays/Makeup Work

“Classwork” (journals and discussion posts) will generally not be accepted late and cannot be made up, especially because a five-week term goes by so fast and we are quickly moving from one assignment to the next. Please also keep the “Missed Assignments as ‘Absences’” policy (see above) in mind.

Essays, on the other hand, can be turned in up to three days late with penalties. A full letter grade will be deducted from your essay grade for each day it is late. For example, a B paper turned in one day late will receive a C. Essays will not be accepted after three late days because at that point, even an A paper would receive a non-passing grade due to penalties.

If you are for some reason unable to meet a deadline, please talk to me before the deadline so that we can try to reach some sort of resolution. While there are no guarantees, I realize the extenuating circumstances in which we are living and will work with you to help you succeed in this course.

Important Note: Internet or technical difficulties are not valid excuses for late work. Plan ahead and have a backup plan, as suggested in “A Note on Computer and Internet Access” above.

Class Conduct and Professionalism

Whether class is in person or online, each class member is expected to treat all other members (including me) with courtesy, professionalism, and respect. This includes, but is not limited to, responding to others in a respectful and professional manner. Make sure to review the Canvas page entitled “Proper Netiquette for this Online Course” and follow its guidelines with every interaction in this online class.

I read all discussion posts carefully, even if I don’t respond individually to every student’s post. In order to maintain a positive environment that helps support student success, any student who does not follow basic principles of respect and cooperation online (both on Canvas and through email correspondence) will be referred to the Dean of Student Affairs for disciplinary action. If another student in the class is interfering with your learning at any time, please let me know.

Academic Honesty and Plagiarism

Students are expected to do their own work. At COC, we believe that academic integrity and honesty are some of the most important qualities college students need to develop and maintain. To facilitate a culture of academic integrity, COC has defined plagiarism and academic dishonesty as follows: “Plagiarism is the submission of someone else’s work or ideas as one’s own, without adequate attribution. When a student submits work for a class assignment that includes the words, ideas or data of others, without acknowledging the source of the information through complete, accurate, and specific references, plagiarism is involved. This may include dual submissions of a similar work for credit for more than one class, without the current instructor’s knowledge and approval.”

Due process procedures have been established when plagiarism or academic dishonesty is suspected. If you have any questions or concerns about plagiarism at any time, please feel free to ask.

Students with Disabilities

It is COC’s policy to encourage full inclusion of people with disabilities in all programs and services. Students with disabilities who believe they may need accommodations in this class should contact the campus Disabled Students Programs & Services (DSPS) at (661) 362-3341 as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.

Student Resources Links (for contact information and more)