English 21~ Fall 2015

Course # 3149
CSB 208
Monday: 3:30-6:40pm
Instructor: T. Payte
Office hours: M 6:40-740pm (by appointment, email or see me after class)
E-Mail: PAYTETR@lamission.edu

If you stare at the center of the universe, there is coldness there. A blankness. Ultimately, the universe doesn't care about
us. Time doesn't care about us. That's why we have to care about each other.
David Levithan
Required Texts:
Various supplemental readings (I will provide these via PDF or link but you will need to access them through my
class Weebly site: http://payte21mission.weebly.com
Required Materials:
o An active E-mail account
o Access to Internet
o weebly.com site with blog (you will make these-they are free)
o Folder with 2 pockets
Course Description: Prerequisite: DevCom1, or appropriate skill level demonstrated through the English assessment
process or by permit. Class graded pass/no pass. This is a course in reading and writing designed to strengthen the
students 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 Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, a student will be able to:
1. Produce an essay of at least 250 words, which has a thesis, an 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.

Pass/No Pass Grading Scale: 100-72.0 = Pass/Credit

71.9 -Below = Fail/ No Credit

This course is a credit / no credit course. Your point breakdown is below. Understand that points are given for work
that demonstrates time and attention to the task, ability to follow directions and implement course lessons, and of
course correctness.
I do not give extra credit. I do not round up. I do not grade on a curve. You get what you earn in here.
Grade Distribution:
All of the assignments in this course add up to 100 points. Therefore, each point is a percentage of your grade.

In-Class Essay:
In-Class Assignments, Journals, Homework & Exercises:
Attendance and Participation:
Essay #1 (including drafts)
Essay #2 (including drafts)
Quizzes (4 total)
Final

10 points/10% of grade
20 points/20% of grade
10 points/ 10% of grade
20 points/ 20% of grade
20 points/ 20% of grade
10 points/ 10% of grade
10 points/10% of grade
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A Message:
Welcome to English 21. The purpose of the course is to help you obtain the reading, writing, and critical thinking skills
necessary for success in the intellectual environment of the university and beyond. In order to prepare you for your
baccalaureate credit English courses, we will discuss active reading, critical thinking, writing conventions and strategies,
and grammatical and syntactical clarity.
I look forward to working with each and every one of you. Come to me with any questions, comments, or concerns. Dont
ever suffer in silence; we are all in this together.
Conduct:
My classroom guidelines can be boiled down to a simple philosophy. Be respectful and you will be respected.
Please keep in mind that while I want to encourage a free exchange of ideas and information, side-conversations or other
disruptive talking or activities when either myself or a fellow student is speaking is inappropriate and inconsiderate.
Furthermore, all commentary needs to be respectful of the beliefs, opinions, and ideas of others. Students that do not
comply with these guidelines will be asked to leave for the day, resulting in an unexcused absence. If the problem
continues, further disciplinary action will be taken. This is college, collegiate behavior and decorum are expected.
Cellphones: I am adding a policy on cellphones, as last semester they were a real problem. You are all adults. As such, I
expect you to act like adults. But if the alluring trap of your cellphone is too much for you to handle, keep it in your bag. A
discreet check during down time I can ignore. Gazing deeply into its screen while myself or a classmate is speaking will
garner you an absence.
Attendance: Attendance is not optional. We move quickly in this class and we have a lot of ground to cover; you do not
want to fall behind. Furthermore, there is a lot of work that will be done in class that cannot be made up. Therefore, it is
imperative that you come each day, on time and ready to work hard and contribute. If you miss more than 3 classes, your
grade will drop. If you miss more than 6 classes, you will be in danger of failing the class.
I will drop you for non-attendance.
Further, I expect you to not only be on time, but also fully present. This means all readings and assignments you are
responsible for that day are done before you get to class. If you are not prepared for class, it will show. Respect your time,
my time, and that of your classmates. If you commit yourself to the process, we will all be able to learn and grow together.
Be present, be active, be involved. Make sure you bring your reading journals and book(s) with you to class every day.
Participation: Class participation includes discussions, student-instructor conferences, and workshop activities.
Everyone has something to provide to our class and there is always opportunity to learn from one another; make sure that
you are listening and contributing. It is impossible to achieve the highest grade in this class if you are not contributing to
the community.
Academic Dishonesty:
Plagiarism is intentionally or knowingly representing the words, ideas, or work of another as ones own in any academic
exercise. Plagiarism is considered a serious offence and an intolerable act. As required by CSUN, all cases of plagiarism
will be turned over to the Student Affairs office and the English Department. Students who are caught plagiarizing will
fail the course. Furthermore, students who commit plagiarism may be suspended or expelled from the University.
If you take only one piece of advice from me beyond this class, it should be this: dont plagiarize. College is about
academic exploration, skill development, and critical growth why would you take that away from yourself? When you
cheat, you are cheating yourself out of an opportunity to develop and learn, which will enable you to better contribute to
your world. What a sad choice to make! I am sure all of your ideas are wonderful. You do not need to use anyone elses
work. Plagiarism, and the like, minimizes what we are trying to do here, which is teach you to become critical thinkers,
successful college students, and ethical citizens of the world.
Plagiarism is the use of another persons words or ideas as if they were your own. By following MLA conventions, you
limit your chance of unintentional plagiarism. The following is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are some examples
of academic dishonesty:

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Copying and pasting a collage of words, paragraph, sentences from the Internet. I call this plagiarism soup, and I do
not enjoy it, so please dont serve it to me.
Using someone elses idea from the Internet, but rewording it via a thesaurus. I mean, if you are going to work that
hard, shouldnt you just write the paper?
Having anyone else do your thinking for you this could be your roommate, your sibling, your parent, a paid
professional, or anyone else. Plagiarism is about intellectual propertiesideas, not just words.
Turning in work that was done for another class, either at CSUN or in high school. Thats against policies here at
LAMC. Further, our prompts arent going to fit other work you did, so your paper will end up off topic and will be
unlikely to get the grade you were aiming for anyway. Let that High School A essay retire nowit deserves it.

Assignment Policies:
All written work is due at the beginning of class on the assigned day. If you know ahead of time that you will not be able
to be in class on the day an assignment is due, you must hand it in earlier. In case of medical or family emergencies,
written documentation will be required. Otherwise, LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. I do not
accept assignments of any kind via Email.
All papers must be turned in to pass the course. However, I will reduce your grade by a letter from what was earned for
each calendar day (NOT CLASS PERIOD) it is late. So get your work in on time. I do not accept papers via email.
All assignments must be typed. There is no exception to this rule aside from in-class writing assignments. Also, I expect
your assignments to be in MLA format, double-spaced, Times New Roman size 12, and properly headed. Do not turn an
assignment that is not stapled if it is more than one page. Be sure to follow the directions carefully for each assignment as I
will not grade them if they do not meet the specifications of the prompt. Drafting and revising are crucial elements of good
writing. Therefore, points will be taken off of essays that lack drafts.
Drop/Add Policy:
If you need to drop this class, do so before the last drop date. Check the LAMC schedule of classes for dates. If you do not
drop this class officially, you will receive an "F" for this class. It is your responsibility to keep track of those dates.
Email:
Please be sure to check your email regularly. As I will not have the ability to make copies, sometimes you must print
assignment prompts that I will send to you through your email. Secondly, I check my emails regularly, so feel free to email
me with questions. That being said, I will not respond to any emails sent less than 24 hours before a class meeting or
before an assignment is due. Start your assignments early, so you can have the time to email me with questions. Also do
not forget to get contact info from a few of your classmates.
Special Accommodations:
If you require special accommodations for a disability, religious holiday, or any other reason please inform your
instructor(s) within the first week of the course, and we will accommodate you if at all possible. For accommodations due
to disability, you must consult with the Disabled Students Programs and Services Office after which we will abide by their
recommendations.
COLLEGE RESOURCES FOR LAMC STUDENTS:
see http://lamission.edu/de/student-resources
Admissions and Records: Students can register for classes, request transcripts, file petitions for graduation, and
drop classes at this office. For more information call 818-833-3322 or visit: http://www.lamission.edu/admissions/
Assessment Center: Offers student assessments in English, English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and Mathematics. Please
contact the Assessment Center at (818) 364-7613 for more information or visit http://www.lamission.edu/assessment/
Bookstore: For hours of operation, book availability, buybacks, and other information call 818-364-7767 or 7768 or
visit http://eagleslanding.lamission.edu/default.asp
Counseling Department: For appointments and information call 818-364-7655 or visit
http://www.lamission.edu/counseling/
Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSP&S): For appointments, eligibility and information call 818-3647732 or visit http://www.lamission.edu/dsps/
Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOP&S): For appointments, eligibility and information call 818-

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364-7645 or visit http://www.lamission.edu/eops/

Financial Aid: For information and applications call 818-364-7648 or visit http://www.lamission.edu/financialaid/
Library: For information on hours, resources, workshops, and other services contact 818-364-7106 or visit
http://www.lamission.edu/library/
STEM Office: For information on free tutoring, resources and academic counseling for STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Technology) students visit: http://www.lamission.edu/stem
Tutoring Services in Learning Center: Laboratories for Learning, Writing, Math & Science. Walk-in and appointment
services offered. Call 818-364-7754 or visit http://www.lamission.edu/learningcenter/
Three Attempt Limit
A state policy limits students to three attempts per course.
Receiving a grade or a "W" for a course counts as an attempt, regardless of when the course was taken.
Withdrawal by the deadline to avoid a "W" will not count as an attempt.
Getting Help From Me:
Feel free to ask for assistance at any time. It is your responsibility to make sure you are on top of things. There are plenty
of ways to get help when you need it: (1) Email a classmate. (2) Check the course website on weebly. (3) Ask me! If you are
absent and need to know what you missed, contact a classmate. If you have other questions or concerns about the class,
you may contact me.
**(Smaller assignments date will depend on class participation and reading schedule. They will be announced in class and on Weebly.)

I reserve the right to require other assignments as necessary, including unannounced quizzes,
or to change or cancel assignments as needed. You will receive advance notice of any other
additions or changes. It is the responsibility of each student to read, know, and adhere to the
information and policies contained in this syllabus.
For your schedule of assignments and due dates, please visit the weebly site listed at the top of this syllabus.

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