Course Syllabus

Introductory College Reading and Writing II

Course Information

Cassie Cross       
cassie.cross@bellevuecollege.edu
Office Hours: Mondays and Tuesdays 10am-12pm in D221

Over the 7 weeks of this quarter you will be reading and discussing the works of others as well as writing and sharing your own work. This course will focus on developing clear, effective writing skills. We are here to become better writers by communicating our thoughts clearly and concisely to an audience. No one said this would be easy. In fact, I can tell you without a doubt, after spending all of my life working on it, writing is hard. Even published authors struggle with it.

Don’t be afraid to give yourself a break! But also, don’t underestimate the amount of time it can take to find the right words.

Writing is a process and in this course you will learn how to do clear and thoughtful revision of your work. Your classmates will also respond to your writing and you will give thoughtful comments on your peers’ papers as well. Responding to writing—published writers as well as your classmates’ work—will help you to think more critically and objectively about your own writing. Ideas, given time and reflection, can develop and grow; in this course you will have the opportunity to make use of the process format and succeed in writing well-informed, highly developed essays. Also, a little creativity never hurts!

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Use all stages of the writing process effectively
• Identify the needs of your audience
• Produce a substantive topic
• Create a unified, coherent, and well-developed piece of writing which consistently follows appropriate conventions of Standard English
• Use a variety of purposes for essay construction, such as analysis, exposition, and/or persuasion.
• Demonstrate ability to recognize strengths and weaknesses in your own writing, based on specified criteria.

Materials Required

 

1. America Now, 12th Edition, Edited by Robert Atwan (ISBN: 978-1-319-05511-0)
2. Access to Learning Curve

Grades

Grade breakdown is as follows: 

Discussions          20%

Annotations          15%

Peer Review         10%

Learning Curve    10%

Essays (3)             45%

Late Policy: Late essays lose 5 points every day they are late. Late discussions and annotations lose 1 point every day they are late. Unfortunately, peer reviews cannot be turned in late. 

Plagiarism is grounds for probation or suspension from Bellevue College as well as for failure in this course. I will not tolerate it, and will report any instance of plagiarism I find to the Vice President of Student Services. Plagiarism is a counterproductive, non-writing behavior that is unacceptable in a course intended to aid your growth as an academic writer. Any instances of plagiarism I find in your essays will result in an immediate failing grade on that assignment, and possible failing grade for the course.

Campus Resources 

The Writing Lab at Bellevue College

The Writing Lab offers one-on-one help with writing, including class assignments, college applications, resumes, and more. Make an appointment online or just stop by D204.

The Disability Resource Center 

The Disability Resource Center serves students with a wide array of learning challenges and disabilities. If you are a student who has a disability or learning challenge for which you have documentation or have seen someone for treatment and if you feel you may need accommodations in order to be successful in college, please contact the DRC as soon as possible. If you are a student with a documented autism spectrum disorder, there is a program of support available to you.  

The DRC office is located in B 132 or you can call the reception desk at 425.564.2498. Deaf students can reach the DRC by video phone at 425-440-2025 or by TTY at 425-564-4110.  

The Academic Success Center 

If at any point throughout the quarter an issue comes up that prevents you from succeeding in this course, consider contacting the Academic Success Center. A helpful link is listed in the left menu. The Academic Success Center provides drop-in and tutoring help for Bellevue College students.

Student Success and Counseling Center 

Our mission is to advocate for student, college, and community success by promoting balanced learning in an academic environment which embraces intellectual, physical, spiritual, social, and emotional values. BC Faculty Counselors, some of whom are licensed in the state of Washington, provide short-term individual counseling at no charge for registered BC students. Our professional, confidential counseling is available for you when you need someone who will listen, help, and assist in providing coping skills, developing insights and exploring alternatives consistent with your personal values. This guidance is provided to enhance your success and wellness at BC.

Affirmation of Inclusion 

Bellevue College is committed to maintaining an environment in which every member of the campus community feels welcome to participate in the life of the college, free from harassment and discrimination.

We value our different backgrounds at Bellevue College, and students, faculty, staff members, and administrators are to treat one another with dignity and respect.