Los Angeles Mission College/Spring 2009
English 28/Intermediate Reading and Composition
Instructor: G. M. Ladinsky
Email: ladinsg@lamission.edu Phone: 818-364-7698 Web Page: lamission.edu/~ladinsg
Office Hours: M 12:30-3:30; Tu 2-3:30; W 12:30-1:30 Location: Bungalow A
Course Objectives: Welcome to English 28! This course offers instruction in the fundamental techniques
of writing at the college level, progressing from multi-paragraph essays of 200-350 words to essays of
approximately 500-1000 words. In addition, you will strengthen your ability to read analytically, to think
logically, to analyze various writing strategies, and to write a focused thesis appropriate to the intention of
your essay.
Grammar, punctuation, and diction are taught systematically throughout the semester. To meet the
exit skills of the course, you will be required to demonstrate mastery in the skill of the writing process from
pre-writing to a final essay that demonstrates the ability to develop coherent ideas that are well organized
and that support a thesis. In addition, upon completion of the course, your essays will be expected to show
mastery of sentence structure and sentence organization. My goal as your instructor is to guide you
through these processes, so that you leave the course feeling confident about your writing and ready for
success as a college student.
Prerequisite: A grade of C or higher in English 21 or ESL 6A or appropriate skill level demonstrated
through the ENL assessment process.
Required Text:
Readings for Writers by Gina Ladinsky.
The Brief English Handbook by Edward Dornan. Eighth edition.
Suggested Text: A good dictionary
If you cannot afford to purchase the books, copies are on reserve in the library. You will be expected to
make copies of the section of the book we are covering and bring it to each class meeting. Books on
reserve cannot be checked out, but can be used for two hours at a time in the library.
Required Supplies for each class meeting:
Lined notebook paper
Pens with blue or black ink
Required for in-class exams:
One or Two large blue-books
Student Learning Outcomes: At the end of the course, the student will be able to produce a 350-500
word essay, utilizing standard rhetorical modes and maintaining unity and coherence. Evaluate the
elements of an expository essay in terms of logical fallacies and the judgments and assumptions of the
author. Produce a 1,000 word research paper which supports an argument.
Evaluation and Grading:
1. Attendance and preparation are mandatory. It is necessary for you to keep up with the in-class and
out-of-class assignments, which will not be possible if you are absent. The college allows three hours of
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unexcused absences. As stated in the LAMC catalog, “Whenever absences “in hours” exceeds the number
of hours the class meets per week, the student may be excluded by the instructor” (43). If we are past the
drop deadline, you will receive a lower grade for the course, depending on the number of un-excused
absences. If you have emergencies or special circumstances, please contact me. All excused absences
will require documentation. If you are unsure as to what constitutes documentation, please see me. Work
and non-emergency doctor’s appointments will not qualify as an excused absence. If you find you are
unable to attend the course, it is the responsibility of the student to complete the paperwork to drop
the course in a timely manner. If your name appears on the final grade roster, I will have to issue a grade.
→ Each three hour class meeting covers one entire week of material. In order to have a successful
outcome in this course, excellent attendance is required.
Tardiness: Coming late disrupts the class and causes me to have to repeat information already given to the
rest of the class. Three late arrivals will count as an absence, so do your best to be on time. Also,
leaving class early will have the same effect - three = one absence.
2. Essays: You will write three out-of-class papers that are 3-4 typed double-spaced pages. In that
writing is recursive, students who attend peer review with a typed draft, who hand-in their paper on time,
and who earn 70% or higher on the paper will have the option to revise for a higher grade. A
specified deadline for the revised draft must be met, and no revised papers will be accepted without the
previous draft with my comments attached. If you hand in a Arevised paper@ that is Anot revised,@ you
will receive a non-passing grade for the paper. Late papers will not be accepted. I do not accept
electronically submitted papers.
Peer review sessions are offered for out-of-class papers. These sessions will help you achieve the
highest score on your papers and require a typed draft to participate. Optional conferences with me will be
held during peer review on a first come basis. Sign up on the board when you arrive. Students will be taken
in order. If you are absent for peer review, you will be unable to earn the points for the peer review
3. Exams: You will write two in-class exams. Exams consist of writing an essay in class in response to
readings. You will need a large blue book (8.5 x 11) for each exam. To assure that you have met the exit
skills of the course, the final is weighted as 25% of your grade.
4. Homework: You will receive assignments in response to the readings and grammar exercises. Some
will be written in class; most will be written as homework. These assignments may be posted on my
website under Homework. Reading responses and exercises will be collected at various times throughout
the semester as indicated on the syllabus. It is important for you to clearly label each assignment. Keep
assignments in order, staple them together and hand them in with the most recent work on top. If you arrive
to class with homework for the day, you will be assigned a group to compare responses and then present
findings to the class. If you do not have the homework, you will not be placed in a group.
Late homework packets will not be accepted with ONE exception: I will accept one late homework packet
over the course of the semester with the understanding that the work is submitted at the next class meeting.
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In order to hand it in, you will need a No Questions Asked (NQA) Coupon. The coupons are not
applicable to essays. Each student will receive one at the beginning of the semester, during the second
week. Simply attach the coupon and hand in the homework packet – no questions asked.
5. Class work: I conduct the class using a variety of methods to include: lecture, in-class writing and
collaborative/workshop activities. You will be required to participate in class discussions as well as be an
active member of small group discussions. You will need notebook paper and pens for each class meeting.
You will also be expected to have your book(s) at each class meeting. Missed tests, quizzes, or in-class
papers (exams) cannot be made up without documentation.
6. Grading: Please keep all returned papers and all returned written assignments. In the unlikely
case that you feel you handed in an assignment that the instructor did not record, you must have the graded
work in your possession for evidence. Make a copy of all papers prior to handing them in. Keep them in
a safe place. Your grade will be based on the following:
Mid-Term Exam
Out-of-class essays (3)
Homework Collection
Final Exam
Total
20%
35%
20%
25%
100%
A: A's are for superior work, for writing that is often original and well-expressed. Students who expect to
receive A's always come to class, they participate in class discussion, they keep up with the reading and
have obviously asked questions of it and thought about it on their own. Students who do A work show
intellectual curiosity and initiative. A writing is intellectually engaging and well-reasoned, well-supported
and fluent, revealing complexity of thought, insight and originality. It is generally free of mechanical
errors. It follows MLA format.
B: B's are for good to very good work. Generally, students earn B's by being prepared for class and by
participating in class discussion. Writing tends to be less consistently analytic; it doesn't engage the issues
of the work as thoroughly as A papers do. Although it is generally free of mechanical errors, B writing
lacks the complexity of thought, support, and fluency that A papers demonstrate.
C: C's are for average university-level work. Students earn C's by completing all the requirements of the
course: that is, they accomplish the reading, and they turn in competently written assignments. They
participate in class discussion. C writing shows thinking that is developing skill in engaging with the
literature but, in comparison to A and B writing, is probably less insightful or original. Avoiding critical
analysis, it may sometimes lapse into plot summary. Writing may be clouded by surface errors or
occasional unsupported generalizations, while it shows thoughtfulness and general university level skill
and fluency.
Final Semester Grades will be broken down as follows:
A
B
C
D
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F
100% - 90%
89% - 80%
79% - 70%
69% - 60%
59% - 0%
Attendance: Will not assure a student a passing grade.
Extra-Credit: There is none. However, you can earn AWaves@ by participating in class discussions. Two
AWaves@ equal one Homework point. You are responsible to keep your AWaves@ and to hand them in
during the 15th week.
My Website: You may be asked to access my website for assignments, including reading assignments,
exercise assignments, class handouts, class announcements, and paragraph or essay assignments. My
website can be found at www.lamission.edu/~ladinsg
Plagiarism: Any form of plagiarism, which is the use of someone else’s words that you count as your own,
is an offense punishable by failure of this course. Further, any form of plagiarism is considered academic
dishonesty and may result in disciplinary action. You may be requested to upload your out- of-class papers
to Turnitin.com. Further instructions will be given in class.
LRC: LAMC has a fantastic Learning Resource Center that includes writing tutors and online tutorial
programs in grammar, reading, and writing. I may suggest using the LRC as a class unit or individually if
indicated.
Note: If you do not write all papers and exams assigned for the semester, you will not pass the course in
that the objectives set forth by the English Department must be met.
Electronic submissions of assignments, including papers will not be accepted.
Turn off all electronic devices before class begins and remove iPod earphones. If I observe you texting
during class, I will give one warning. The second time I will mark you absent.
Note: You are responsible for the information on this syllabus.
Note: I reserve the right to make changes to this syllabus.☺
Class Calendar:
These reading assignments need to be read before you come to class on the dates listed. The class
schedule is subject to change. ☺
Week 1
M Feb 9
Week 2
M Feb 16
Introduction to the Course/Syllabus Review
The Brief English Handbook: Effective Studying 28-34
School Holiday – Presidents Day
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Week 3
M Feb 23
Week 4
M Mar 2
Week 5
M Mar 9
Week 6
M Mar 16
Week 7
M Mar 23
Week 8
M Mar 30
Readings for Writers: Ch. 1: p 1-9
Readings for Writers: Ch. 2: p 10-13
Readings for Writers: Ch. 3: p 14-16
Readings for WritersB Ch. 4: p 17-24
The Brief English Handbook: Paragraphs 102-108; 111-114
The Brief English Handbook: The College Essay 36-43; 46-49; 53-60
The Brief English Handbook: The College Essay 60-76
The Brief English Handbook: Parts of Speech 448-455
Readings for Writers: Theme: Remembering
Sophronia Lui, ASo Tsi-Fai p 146-149
Gary Soto, AGrandfather@ p150-152
Paper 1 Assigned
Homework Collection 1
Writing Workshop
Peer Review Paper 1. Bring two typed copies of Paper 1 to class.
The Brief English Handbook: Sentence Errors 196-209 – apply to Paper 1
Readings for Writers: Theme: Stereotypes
Judith Ortiz Cofer, “The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria” p 4247
Zora Neale Hurston, “How It Feels to Be Colored Me” p 114-117
The Brief English Handbook: The Essay Exam 342-347
Paper 1 Due
Apr 6-Apr 12 Spring Recess
Week 9
M Apr 13
Week 10
M Apr20
Midterm Exam – Stereotypes - Bring a large Blue Book, pens and dictionary
The Brief English Handbook: Sentence Errors 209-222
Readings for Writers: Theme: Dreams and Disillusionment
Chief Seattle, “Address” p 138 -141
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Sherman Alexie, AThe Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven@ p 26-31
Paper 2 Assigned
Week 11
M Apr 27
Week 12
M May 4
Week 13
M May 11
Week 14
M May 18
Peer Review Paper 2 Bring two typed copies of Paper 1 to class.
The Brief English Handbook: Punctuation 244-251 – apply to paper 2
Readings for Writers: Theme: Fast Food Culture
Eric Scholosser, AWhat We Eat@ 85-91
Lars Eightner, AOn Dumpster Diving@ 52-62
Amitai Etzioni, “Working at McDonalds”
Paper 2 Due
Homework Collection 2 Due
Paper 3 Assigned
Peer Review 3. Bring two typed drafts.
The Brief English Handbook: Punctuation 263-275 – apply to Paper 3
Last day of class!
Readings for Writers: Theme: Conflict and Resolution
Shirley Jackson, AThe Lottery@ 63-70
Jack London, ATo Build a Fire@ 71-84
Paper 3 Due
Week 15
M May 25
School Holiday – Memorial Day
M June 8
Final Exam: 5:30-7:30 pm – Conflict and Resolution – Bring a large blue book, pens,
and a dictionary.
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