Required Texts:  The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers, Seventh Edition, by Stephen Reid (available at the Shasta College Bookstore).  The Perfect Storm : A True Story of Men Against the Sea, by Sebastian Junger (available at the Shasta College Bookstore, also new or used through Amazon.com, and/or Half.com). A Writer's Reference, Fifth Edition, by Diana Hacker (available at the Shasta College Bookstore, also new or used through Amazon.com, and/or Half.com).

Computers:  Please review the minimum system requirements to determine if your computer will allow you to take the course.

WebCT:  Some of our coursework will be conducted in a private internet environment created for our class in WebCT. 

Time Required:  Please note the focus here is reading and composition, as well as learning to research efficiently.  This will require dedicating approximately 20 hours per week to do the required reading, researching, and writing.   Because this is a four unit class, four class hours per week are scheduled for on campus courses.  On campus students expect more work in a four unit class than in a three unit class, and online students should as well. If your own schedule is such that you have no clearly free time for study and research, this may not be a good semester to be registered in 1A -- or to take an online course.  Most college classes require several hours of study outside the class for every one hour spent IN class.

Work Required:

Reading and Writing:

·The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers:  We will read chapters as assigned and complete various writing exercises.  See the Reading Schedule.

·The Perfect Storm:  Review the Reading Schedule posted on the class homepage.  With each chapter you read, look for examples of writing techniques we study in the current chapter of your text,  The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers.  Make notes about these examples and be prepared to write about them in your lesson assignments.  You may also discuss the writing techniques in current chapters on the discussion board in WebCT.  

·Bibliographies:  Because learning correct MLA style and creating correct bibliographies of your research is an essential college skill, this class will require bibliographies with every lesson. With each bibliography, you will include a brief "library research report," indicating which topic you researched, which search terms you used, and which search terms ultimately returned the information you included.  You may use your first library assignment as a basis for future library searches.  (View Sample Library Reports:  1,  2,  3.)  Points possible:  Library Report, 10; Bibliography, 20.

·Writing:  We will write short pieces on a wide variety of topics.  I may ask you to write a letter telling me about your progress in the class, or we may do a creative assignment.  I try to exercise both the right and the left sides of the brain to maximize your potential as a writer. 

·E-mail: 

QUESTIONS:  Use my college email address: phanford@shastacollege.edu  to ask any questions.  Use the subject line "ONLINE STUDENT QUESTION" so I can spot your mail in my busy inbox and answer quickly.  Take care to pay attention to the assignment details, however.  You will find most of your questions are answered if you read the assignments critically.  

ASSIGNMENTS:  Use shastaenglish1A@gmail.com to submit your assignments.  These will cycle automatically into my to-grade box and therefore will not risk being lost in the primary, very busy inbox of my mailer.  If you write an urgent question and do not receive an almost immediate answer, check the address.  It is likely you sent it to the wrong one!

SPAM:  Please do not send unsolicited email to me or to your classmates.  This includes chain letters, free trips to Disneyland, and the latest cute thing being forwarded around in cyberspace.  If such mail is forwarded to your classmates using the class e-mail list, there may be unpleasant consequences!

·Attendance:   is defined as regular, weekly work in the WebCT course environment and consistent submission of lesson material.  A student who has not interacted in the course by the tenth day of class will be dropped for non-attendance. A student who has not interacted in the course for more than seven days runs the risk of failing the class for non-attendance.  Please be advised that I AM NOT ABLE to accept proposals to make up 2-4 weeks of work -- you must stay caught up or decide to drop through admissions and records.

Dropping the Course:  It is the student's responsibility to officially drop or withdraw from the class. Students who fail to file the necessary forms, even though they cease attendance, must be assigned a grade.

·Ill Instructor:  If I am ill or otherwise detained (this RARELY happens), I will revise the lesson due dates accordingly.  I will not penalize online students for any problem I may have.  Please extend me the same courtesy!

·Jeopardy:   Any student who makes remarks on the bulletin board which, in the instructor’s judgment, disrupts, demeans, or in any way trivializes either the subject matter or the learning atmosphere of the class runs the risk of being asked to drop the course.  If you have a problem with a lesson or assignment,  please ask fellow students for advice, or ask me for clarification.  I'll be happy to answer your questions.  If you have a problem with a fellow student, please direct the problem to me immediately.

·Plagiarism is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts of passages of his or her writing, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the products of one's own mind (Black's Law Dictionary). Students often have to use the ideas of others as expressed in written or published work in preparing essays, papers, reports, theses and publications. It is imperative that both the data and ideas obtained from any and all published or unpublished material be properly acknowledged and their sources disclosed. Failure to follow this practice constitutes plagiarism and is considered to be a serious offence. Thus, anyone who knowingly or recklessly uses the work of another person and creates an impression that it is his or her own is guilty of plagiarism. Plagiarism, as well, includes submitting one's own essay, paper, or thesis on more than one occasion. Accordingly, it is expected that a thesis, essay, paper or a report has not been and is not concurrently being submitted for credit in any other course. My assignments are structured so that students may not inadvertently commit plagiarism. Any suspect paper may be submitted to the department plagiarism committee. A student who plagiarizes will fail the course, and may be expelled from the college.

Turnitin.com:  We routinely submit online papers to Turnitin.com, an online database which tests the originality of student papers.  This service will identify purchased research papers, and papers which contain material which has been copied from other sources.  Please be very careful not to plagiarize any material in papers you submit.

·Grading Policy:  Because these online lessons are time consuming and rigorous, the average points you earn on the total work will determine your grade. The research paper is a required element of this course, and is therefore weighted heavily.  A student who fails to submit a research paper, or who submits a substandard research paper, will not pass the course.

.Conferences:  I am available to discuss your writing and your grades.  If you have any questions, please contact me by e-mail at phanford@shastacollege.edu.

The contents of this syllabus are subject to change at the instructor's discretion.