Course Syllabus

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English 201

Summer 2018

Instructor: Elizabeth Harazim

Section: OAS   Item: 1068

E-mail: e.harazim@bellevuecollege.edu

Office: R-230 O

Mailbox: R-230      Phone: 425-564-2076

 

Welcome to English 201!

Here you will find a course overview with information as possible about who I am, what you will be doing in this class, and what to expect this quarter. This syllabus is kind of long. Take some time to read it over the first day or two; think of it as our map for the term.

 

Your instructor:

My academic training is a mix of the social sciences, statistics, and rhetoric. I have a particular fondness for research and the methods of inquiry employed by scholars in the humanities—so I love teaching this course.  

I know that this is a required class for many of you. Nevertheless, I hope to impress upon you the usefulness of researching well, formulating strong arguments and analyzing the world around you.

But I am realistic about the fact that some among us would rather have a tooth pulled than research academic sources for weeks on end or share our writing with groups of people (both of which will happen this quarter), so I do everything I can to make this class interesting, dynamic, relevant, and- yes, hopefully- fun.

 

What is ENGL&201 and why should you take this class?

This is a Liberal Arts course in research skills and rhetoric. What you will learn in this class prepares you for advanced work in a diverse range of fields:  nursing, political science, law, economics, professional writing and scholarship, to name a few.

I am a huge proponent of the Liberal Arts, so I speak and write constantly about how crucial a component they are in our public education system. Studying the Liberal Arts prepares people to be leaders and to make meaningful contributions to the world, no matter what their professions.

So, take this class if you plan to go into a field that requires strong research and writing skills; say, if you want to be a lawyer, a nurse, a business analyst, a psychologist. Or take this class because you have to fulfill a transfer requirement. But most of all, take this course if you want to develop skills that will transfer to all your future endeavors…

 

Your grade breaks down like this:


Research Assignments  40%  of final grade

Quizzes & Workshops  10%  of final grade

Participation & Seminars  50%  of final grade

 Pay attention to the percentages. I assign points to each assignment because Canvas works well that way, but your final grade is weighed by assignment group. 

 

 

RESEARCH ASSIGNMENTS

Research Assignments comprise the scaffolding that builds up to the final research essay. You will complete four of these assignments throughout the quarter. 

 

FINAL RESEARCH PROJECT

Your Final Research Project is an 8-10 page research paper.

  • For this project, you will choose the topic based on the work we’ve done with identity throughout the quarter.
  • You will draft this essay in stages. We spend a lot of time discussing ideas and reviewing structure and formatting.
  • For each draft you must be prepared for a peer review of some kind. You will earn points for these based on your preparation and participation.

 

An important note about Workshops and Peer Reviews:
Any day we have a Workshop or Peer Review, I monitor your participation and draft submission by dropping in on your groups. Please make sure to submit drafts on time; Peer Reviews and Workshops are only as effective as the effort you put into them. Take your responsibility to your classmates seriously. I will close access to the group a few hours after the deadline; trying to edge in late to a seminar or peer review is just as disruptive online as it is in class.  

 

QUIZZES & WORKSHOPS

  •  I try my best to schedule quizzes the same days of the week (but sometimes holidays and unforeseen circumstances get in the way of this. Especially summer and winter quarters.) 
  • The points for each quiz may vary slightly, but the total for all quizzes makes up 10% of your grade.
  • For the first few quizzes I set up a practice quiz beforehand. I do this so you can test your own level of preparation. I strongly believe that assessments shouldn’t confuse, overwhelm, or especially discourage anyone. I care about you learning the material, not figuring how to answer “trick” questions or spending half the time trying to navigate strange phrasing or a stealthy testing method. Quizzes are open book, and most of them don’t have time limits. 

 

PARTICIPATION 

Participation in this class takes many forms.

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Your participation score is comprised of points from "Try Your Hand" discussions, seminars, workshops/quizzes, and overall engagement with the class.

  • Remember that I have a special “teacher tool” that allows me to see what you’ve clicked on, when you’ve been logged in, how many posts you’ve read and responded to, and how much time you’ve spent doing it. This information will be used to assess part of your overall participation.

 

This is the translation of points to your final grade:

Course Grade                           Point Total           

A                           =             940-1,000 points

A-                           =              900-939 points

B+                          =              870-899 points

B                            =              830-869 points

B-                            =              800-829 points

C+                           =              770-799 points

C                             =              730-769 points

C-                           =              700-729 points

D+                          =              670-699 points

D                            =              600-669 points

F                             =              0-599 points

 

 

The following outlines what I expect of you as a student in this class:

 

Be respectful:

  • Be engaged with scheduled group work for which your peers rely on your promptness and contributions.
  • Any comments or jokes that belittle another person (based on physical attributes, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or anything else) will not be tolerated. Inappropriate comments and/or behavior will result in you being removed from class and / or directed to the Associate Dean of Student Conduct.

 

Contribute in a positive way to the classroom environment:

  • Contribute meaningfully to class discussions in a way that furthers the discussion and invites other students to do the same. Ask questions, offer insight based on personal experience, and ground your comments with material we’ve learned and read in class.

 

Be honest:                               

Plagiarizing is a form of cheating that includes using another's words or ideas and representing them as your own.

 It can mean having someone write a paper or part of a paper for you. It can mean copy / pasting from Wikipedia or other online sources. It can also mean failing to cite information properly (something we will learn a lot more about in this course.)

Bellevue College uses a plagiarism detecting service, so don’t bother. If you are caught plagiarizing, you fail the course. There is no excuse in the world that would prevent this repercussion; it’s not worth it!  

 

What to do if you miss class and/or assignments:

We cover a lot in this class, and we move forward at a brusque pace. In addition, the nature of a hybrid or online course requires a great deal of discipline and planning on your part, since so much of the coursework takes place online. 

Thus, Participation coursework cannot be made up or turned in late. Please do not contact me about accepting late assignments or I will also not respond to emails asking about what you missed when you were out of town / away from the internet / on vacation.  There is no such thing as an “excused” absence from our learning management system, so please plan trips, vacations, journeys out of the country or away from an internet connection accordingly. Being prepared and present online and turning things in promptly is vital because strong preparation and participation creates a strong learning community. The stronger learning community we build, the more you get out of our class.

Also, our work in this class is cumulative. This means that smaller assignments and daily activities build toward the final project. So, missing class sessions affects not just your Participation points, but your Final Research Essay grade as well.

I do understand that life happens. Some of you participate in extracurricular activities, are athletes, act in plays, play music in a band, contribute art to galleries, or travel with student organizations. I understand that some of you have children who will get sick or will get sick yourselves. And some of you are holding down jobs and taking care of others whilst enrolled in college classes. I fully support you participating in extracurricular activities and taking care of yourselves and your families.

Keep me apprised of any situation that creates extenuating circumstances for you. I will almost always make arrangements for you to get caught up if you fall behind--
but, if you don’t let me know beforehand what’s happening, there is little I can do.

 

The following outlines what you may expect of me as your instructor:

 

Be a resource for you to improve your writing skills:

This class focuses on rhetoric, argument, research and writing. So it goes without saying that I am here to teach you to write well.

But I’m going to say it again: I am here to teach you to write well. Writing is a foundational skill, so I have a big job here. Becoming a strong writer is important not just for this class, not just for your future classes, but forever. Writing well is inexorably linked to a few other important abilities; namely, reading and critical thinking. I hope to impress upon you the significance of this. So, in our class, you will read a great deal, and we will our flex critical thinking muscles all the time.

 

Contribute in a positive way to the classroom environment:

This necessitates that I create a space in which all students feel comfortable speaking and are encouraged to make meaningful contributions to our learning community (but establishing a strong learning community goes both ways-- see “What I Expect of You” above.)

Class activities are as diverse, interesting and inclusive as I can make them. We will watch films, discuss responses, and engage in a wide variety of experiential activities. My philosophy is that the more learning styles and approaches I offer through class activities, the better you will learn.

 

Help with access to resources:

I also believe that student success is directly correlated with access to student resources. I can help with the access part— but make sure to let me know if you’re struggling so there’s no time lost in getting my assistance and / or connecting you with a department that can help you.

 

 

Academic Calendars                                                                                    

Click these links to find information about holidays, closures and important enrollment dates such as the finals schedule.

Enrollment Calendar - http://bellevuecollege.edu/enrollment/calendar/deadlines/. On this calendar you will find admissions and registration dates and important dates for withdrawing and receiving tuition refunds.

College Calendar - http://bellevuecollege.edu/enrollment/calendar/holidays/0910.asp. This calendar gives you the year at a glance and includes college holidays, scheduled closures, quarter end and start dates, and final exam dates.

  

Bellevue College Email and Access to MyBC                                              

Students registered for classes at Bellevue College are entitled to a network and e-mail account. 

Your student network account can be used to access your student e-mail, log in to computers in labs and classrooms, connect to the BC wireless network and log in to MyBC. To create your account, go to:  https://bellevuecollege.edu/sam

  

Where to Find Resources on Campus                                                             

 

Writing Lab         D 204

The writing lab is a valuable resource!

The BC Writing Lab gives students a free place to go for revision of any writing project, including class assignments, college applications, resumes, and personal projects.  During 25-minute sessions, tutors in the Writing Lab help students individually by identifying weaknesses in a student’s writing and explaining how to overcome them.

During times when no instructors have reserved the Writing Lab computer room, it is an open lab where students can use Microsoft Office, write and print papers, conduct research on the Internet, or practice exercises on the available grammar and writing skills development software.  

Hours: Mondays-Thursdays, 8:00 am to 8 pm, Fridays 8-3:30 pm and weekends 11-4.

To arrange an appointment in the writing lab to have your paper checked, please call 425.564.2200 or visit

http://bellevuecollege.edu/writinglab/

 

TRiO                           B 233

The TRiO Student Support Services program furthers the Bellevue Community College Mission of educational excellence and equal access by providing first generation college students with limited income and/or disabilities a multiplicity of academic and personal support services: study skills development to achieve academic success, tutoring to master course content, and intensive academic and personal advisement to build confidence and promote student success.

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*TRiO offers many kinds of support; I encourage all who qualify to take advantage of this amazing resource:

To qualify, a student must be a US Citizen or permanent resident, be a full-time student, and have assessed into at least English 070 or higher. You must also meet one of the following criteria:

  • Be a first generation college student (neither parent has a bachelor’s degree)
  • Have a limited income (according to federal guidelines)
  • Have a documented disability

For application instructions and office hours, visit:
http://bellevuecollege.edu/trio/

 

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Multicultural Center (MCS)        B 233

A message from MCS:

 “There is more to college than just getting good grades and attending your classes. Whether you want to go into the workplace or go on to a transfer college it is really important to have a well rounded college experience. This includes getting necessary life and leadership skills that will help you in the classroom, in your workplace, and your community for the rest of your life. Bellevue College has amazing opportunities for you to get involved.”

 

Through MCS you will find access to these and other valuable resources:

 

Disability Resource Center (DRC)           B 132

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 us as soon as possible.

If you are a person who requires assistance in case of an emergency situation, such as a fire, earthquake, etc, please meet with your individual instructors to develop a safety plan within the first week of the quarter.

Call the reception desk at 425.564.2498.  Deaf students can reach us by video phone at 425.440.2025 or by TTY at 425.564.4110.   .    . 

Visit the website for application information and other helpful links:

http://bellevuecollege.edu/drc/

  

Academic Success Center           D 204

The mission of the Academic Success Center is to provide the best resources available to meet the needs of all students registered at Bellevue College in academic programs. Tutoring begins the second week of the quarter.

Contact the academic tutoring center at 425.564.2200 or
http://bellevuecollege.edu/tutoring/

More Tutoring Options:

Science Study Center, located in B105, or call 425-564-3122

Math Lab, located in D204, or call 425-564-2492

Writing Lab, located in D204-D, or call 425-564-2494

Reading Lab, located in D202, or call (425) 564-2494

 

Computer Services                     

BC offers a wide variety of computer and learning labs to enhance learning and student success. Find current campus locations for all student labs by visiting:

http://ac.bcc.ctc.edu/LabsInfo/ComputerLabs.aspx

Request technology assistance by calling 425.564.5555 or visiting here:

https://bellevuecollege.edu/STSC/

 

LGBTQ Resource Center             C 225

The LGBTQ Resource Center is a place on campus where students can feel safe to be themselves, free from harassment, prejudice, or ridicule. Hang out, meet new people, use the computers to get some work done, or check out the books on a variety of LGBTQ-related themes. For more information, stop by their office in C225 or call them at (425)564-6041.

 

Center for Career Connections   B 231

Are you a veteran? Looking for a job? Need to learn more about how to write a resume or look for work? Want to know more about college majors and employment options and opportunities in your chosen field?

Find these valuable resources and more at the Center for Career Connections:

Contact the Center for Career Connections at:
http://bellevuecollege.edu/careers/

 

Veteran’s Office                    B 231

If you are a veteran of the United States Military, BC’s Veterans Office can help you with a variety of issues, most notably financial assistance. They will guide you along the GI Bill benefits, and they can help you activate your Veterans Affairs Educational Benefits. For more information about your options, call call (425) 564-2220 or visit http://fa.bellevuecollege.edu/veterans

 

Office of Equity and Pluralism                        A 201E

The Office of Equity and Pluralism supports the following programs:

BIRST (Bias Incident Response and Support Team)
The Bias Incident Response and Support Team is composed of high level administrators that can quickly respond to bias incidents. Learn more about BIRST.

Find out more about the Office of Equity and Pluralism here:
http://bellevuecollege.edu/pluralism/info.html

 

Student Success and Counseling Center          B 233

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.

http://depts.bellevuecollege.edu/counseling/

 

Public Safety       K 100

BC’s Public Safety Department provides personal safety, security, crime prevention, preliminary investigations, and other services to the campus community, 24 hours per day,7 days per week. The Public Safety website is your one-stop resource for campus emergency preparedness information, campus closure announcements and critical information in the event of an emergency.

http://bellevuecollege.edu/publicsafety/  or call 425.564.2400

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due