Instructor: Cecile Davila
Office: Fremont Campus 6110
Email/Phone: [email protected]; 510-659-6175
Office Hours: (by appointment): M-W 1:00-2:00 T-Th 7:00-8:00
This course is run through the course management platform Canvas. You will receive an
email from me explaining how to sign up and log into the site. You can access the site at:
https//canvas.instructure.com/. Once inside the course, click on any of the headings to see
the course schedule, assignments, and deadlines.
Grading:
There are no points or letter grades assigned to the work you do this semester. Essays are
graded "High Pass," "Pass," "Low Pass." or "Not Passing." Reading quizzes are graded
Credit/No Credit.
To Pass the course (lowest passing grade is a C), you must:
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Miss no more than 4 classes for the entire semester ( two tardies= 1 absence).
Submit all essays ( on time using a token*).
Earn a "Pass" or "Low Pass" for all essays. One "Not Passing" essay is OK.
Earn a grade of "Pass" on your prep sheets. That means completing at least 75%
of them on time.
Earn a "Credit" for 3 out of 6 reading quizzes.
Participate in the group presentation.
Attend tutoring sessions if I ask you to do so.
To earn a B in the course, you must:
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Miss no more than 3 classes for the entire semester ( two tardies= 1 absence).
Submit all essays ( on time unless using a token*).
Earn at least a "pass" for all essays.
Earn a grade of "pass" on your prep sheets. That means completing at least 75%
of them on time
Earn a "Credit" for 4 out of 6 reading quizzes.
Participate in the group presentation
Participate regularly in group work, in-class activities, and classroom discussion.
Attend assigned conference with the professor.
Attend tutoring sessions if I ask you to do so.
To earn an A in the course:
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May miss a maximum of two classes for the entire semester (two tardies= 1
absence).
Submit all essays ( on time unless using a token*).
Pass all essays and earn a "High Pass" for at least two essays.
Earn a grade of "A" on your prep sheets. That means completing at least 90% of
them on time.
Earn a "Credit" for 5 out of 6 reading quizzes.
Participate regularly in group work and in-class activities. Speak othen in
discussions.
Attend assigned conference with the professor.
Attend tutoring sessions if I ask you to do so.
Please note that you must meet ALL of the requirements for a grade in order to earn that
grade. For example, if you meet all the requirements for an A but you have missed three
classes, you will earn a B.
Tokens
You are given five "tokens" at the beginning of the semester. You can use a token to:
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Revise an essay for re-grading ( See below for details on revisions.)
Make up one absence ( or two tardies )
Turn in an essay up to one week late
Make up an in-class essay or a reading quiz (one week extension)
Give you a "free pass" on a prep sheet
Revisions
You may use a token to revise any of the essays in this class except for in-class essays
and the final essay on
Wes Moore. Please check in with me before doing your revision so I can confirm your
deadline and make sure you're on the right track. Revisions are due two weeks after you
received your essay back. Go to "Files" under Canvas to see the full Revision
Requirements.
How to Contact Me
The best way to contact me is through email or in person. If you are absent, please
don't contact me about what you missed; instead, get in touch with another student.
For quick questions, talk to me before or after class or send me an email. For longer
discussions, please get in touch to set up an appointment for a 15-minute office hour visit.
Email Etiquette
When you email me (or any professor), please follow these basic rules of professional
etiquette:
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Identify yourself in your email by your full name and say what class you're in.
Most professors teach 4 separate classes, with at least 30 students per class. We
don't always know which class you're referring to when you ask a question.
Put something in the subject line that sums up what your email is about.
Use professional writing with proper punctuation and capitals at the beginning of
each sentence.
Attendance
You must attend class the first day in order to avoid being dropped. At any point in the
semester, if you miss two classes in a row without contacting me, expect to be dropped. I
reserve the right to drop any student who demonstrates irregular attendance or habitual
lateness.
What is English 151RW?
English 151RW is an accelerated class designed to help motivated students reach English
101A faster. The readings and assignments in English 151RW will be fun, challenging,
and relevant to real life. English 151RW is a fast-paced course with a rigorous schedule
of reading and writing, but it will also offer you plenty of support to help you succeed.
The course will prepare you for all types of readings and assignments you will encounter
in English 101A and beyond. Class time will be dedicated to discussions, small group
work, critical thinking activities, reading/writing practice, presentations, independent
writing, and mini-lecture.
Student Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
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Determine the main idea and organizational pattern in various types of reading
Demonstrate the ability to read analytically, identify main and supporting ideas,
and evaluate evidence.
Develop college-level academic vocabulary, and apply strategies for
comprehending and remembering texts.
Analyze,evaluate, and synthesize information from texts in writing.
write well-organized and well-developed paragraphs and essays with supporting
evidence and correct documentation.
Apply correct punctuation, grammar and sentence in writing.
Course Materials
Most of the readings for this course will be provided as handouts or are available online.
Be sure to purchase a notebook for in-class work, a small stapler to carry with you, and
some multicolored highlighters. A laptop is a great investment for any college student,
though not strictly necessary for this class. Please purchase this book at the Ohlone
Bookstore or any on-line bookstore: The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore
Course Readings
Much of the homework for this class involves reading. If you are struggling with a
reading for whatever reason, first of all, recognize that this is normal. College-level
readings should be challenging. Don't panic. take a break and come back to the reading
later, if possible. Try to avoid distractions in your environment ( cell phones,
computers,people ). College reading involves retraining our brains, and like any workout;
it's not easy. Be patient. As you read more, it will get easier. If you don't understand
something in the reading, that's OK, as long as you have given it your best effort. Bring
any questions you have to class. Chances are, if a reading was difficult for you, others
found it hard, too.
Prep Sheets
I will ask you to complete prep sheets along with most of your readings. These sheets are
designed to help you read more carefully and more productively, so that you will be
ready for our class discussions. After completing your prep sheet, take a picture of it and
email this picture to [email protected]. Prep sheets are due by the start of class and
cannot be handed in late. If you have trouble sending me a photo due to technological
reasons, show me your completed prep sheet at the beginning of class and I'll check you
off. You can also type your prep sheet responses and send them to my email as a word
document.
Late Work & Make-Up Work
Late work is not accepted; however, if you have a token available, you may use it for a
week's extension on an essay. You may also use a token to make-up an in-class writing,
reading quiz, or prep sheet.
Tutoring
This class has an embedded tutor who will be available to help you before class and at
various other times. Check the home page of Canvas to see the embedded tutor's hours.
Free drop-in tutoring is also available in the Newark Library and the Fremont ELC )
located in the 2nd floor of Hyman Hall). Research has shown that students who meet with
tutors generally earn better grades than those who don't. If you need help in getting a
tutor, please see me.
Electronic Devices
I ask that you put away cell phones and laptops during class. I do reserve the right to
penalize or drop students who cannot follow this request.
Disruptive Behavior
Disruptive behavior in the classroom is not usually a problem, but I reserve the right to
drop any student whose behavior is impending the learning of other students or making it
impossible for me to do my job effectively. Disruptive behavior includes but is not
limited to outburst, frequently interrupting students or the professor, habitual lateness, or
consistent phone use during class.
Special Circumstances
If something really bad happens in your life, such as a serious illness or the death of a
family member, please let me know! Your professors care about you and want to help
you stay on the path to success.
DEAF AND DISABLED STUDENTS: If you are deaf or have a documented disability and need
accommodations for this class, please see me as soon as possible or contact the Disabled Students Programs
and Services (DSPS) office for assistance. The DSPS office is located in Bldg. 7, Rm. 7217. Call(510) 6596271(voice) or 510-344-5701 (video phone).
Mental Health and Stress Management:
The staff and faculty of Ohlone College are here to see you succeed academically and care about
your emotional and physical health. You can learn more about the broad range of confidential
student services, including counseling and mental health services available on campus by visiting the
Student Health Center in building 7 or http://stepupohlone.org/oncampus-resources/. The Crisis Support
Services of Alameda County offers a 24-Hour Crisis Line: 1-800-309-2131.
Academic Integrity
All of the work you do for this class must be you own. Any instance of cheating or
plagiarism, no matter how minor, means that you fail the course, with no option to
drop. Ohlone's policy on academic integrity appers below. It is your responsibility to ask
questions if you don't understand a policy. There are no second chances or "make-ups"
for these offenses.
Policy on Academic Integrity
Definition of Cheating:
Ohlone College defines cheating as " the act of obtaining or attempting to obtain credit
for academic work through the use of any dishonest, deceptive, or fraudulent means."
Cheating in this course includes:
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Copying from another student's exam, essay, or homework
During an exam, using sources or materials not authorized by the instructor
Altering grades
Having someone take the exam for you, or taking the exam for someone else.
Representing someone else's work as your own (plagiarism)
Definition of Plagiarism:
Ohlone College defines plagiarism as " the act of representing the work of another as
one's own ( without giving appropriate credit) regardless of how that work was obtained
and submitting it to fulfill academic requirements. In plain language, plagiarism is
copying someone else's words or ideas without giving that person credit.
There are two types of plagiarism. You are committing intentional plagiarism if you
intentionally misrepresent someone else's work as your own. Examples of intentional
plagiarism:
Taking an essay or part of an essay from the internet, a magazine, a book, or a
friend, and submitting it as your own.
2. Incorporating someone else's ideas, paragraphs, sentences, or words into your
paper, with the intention of representing them as your own.
3. Turning in any writing that you yourself did not do
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Your are committing unintentional plagiarism if you fail to give credit to any author
whose ideas or words you use in your writing. Examples of unintentional plagiarism:
"Borrowing" paragraphs, phrases, or words (three or more in a row) or from an
author without giving credit to that author
2. Failing to give the name of the author whose ideas you are using in your paper
3. Failing to put quotation marks around phrases or passages that you have taken
directly from a source
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