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English 103, Section 8051
Composition & Critical Thinking
Spring 2016
Instructor of Record: Professor R. Williams
Email: [email protected]
Campus Mailbox: B1, Reprographics Office
Office: GC 210B
Tel: 310.287.4550
Office Hours: TBA
*Prof. Williams will be out on sick leave for at least the first 6 weeks of
this course. For questions about this course during that period, please
contact the substitute, Dr. Setka.
Instructor for first 6 weeks: Dr. Stella Setka
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 310.338.3792
Office hours: Mondays 11-1 via Skype (fellowships.at.lmu),
6:30-7:30pm on Tuesdays, and by appointment.
Course Description
Welcome to English 103, an accelerated distance-learning course
conducted through Etudes (http://myetudes.org). This course is
designed to develop critical thinking, reading, and writing skills
beyond the level achieved in English 101. The course will focus on
the development of logical reasoning, analytical and argumentation
writing skills.
We will focus on rhetorical techniques—the structure of
arguments—as well as on the underlying beliefs, values, and
assumptions of various written arguments. In English 101, you
probably looked at opposing viewpoints, and formulated theses in
response to perceived conflicts in perspectives. In this course, we
will examine not just what is said, but how it is said. We will focus
on logic and logical fallacies in written arguments.
Contents:
Required Texts
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Technology
2
Nuts and Bolts
3
Contact
& Communication
3
Participation
4
Papers
5
Final Exam
6
Grading
6
Policies
7
Calendar
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Prerequisite Skills
Students must have successfully completed English 101 with a grade of C or better to be eligible to register
for English 103. In 101, students should have learned how to read critically and analytically. Additionally,
students should have mastered the following writing skills:
• Familiarity with the conventions of academic discourse
• Limiting the scope of an argument
• Establishing a thesis and developing support
• Recognizing occasions calling for research
• Evaluating outside sources
• Citing sources
• Composing fully developed paragraphs which are unified in thought
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Student Learning Outcome
At the end of the course, the successful student will be able to research, evaluate and cite outside sources
for use in the student's own writing.
Required Texts
Note from Dr. Setka: The original textbooks, as listed on Prof. Williams’ syllabus, are as follows. I may
supplement or substitute some of these readings by drawing on additional texts that will be made available to
you as PDFdocuments on our course site:
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Barnet, Sylvan and Hugo Bedau. Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing: A Brief Guide to Argument
Loomba, Ania. Antony & Cleopatra: Norton Critical Edition Series*
Makdisi, Saree. Palestine: Inside Out
Rice, Condoleezza. No Higher Honor
Wise, Tim. Affirmative Action
Stannard, David. American Holocaust
Wa Thiong'o, Nugugi. Petals of Blood
*Note from Prof. Williams: The play is available on the Internet, though the required critical essays, which may be
borrowed, are not. Available used, earlier editions of the required listed abovetexts may suffice. (Note that students
have the option to purchase books through the campus bookstore or one of the online booksellers like halfprice.com
or Amazon.com.)
You may purchase books in hard copy by ordering online from our bookstore:
http://onlinestore.wlac.edu/buy_courselisting.asp
Technology
All content, participation, and assignments will be facilitated online through Etudes (http://myetudes.org)
To complete this course, you will need access to
 A reliable internet connection and computer,
 Etudes via Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, or Google Chrome (Etudes does not always work well with
Internet Explorer),
 WLAC Email
 Microsoft Word,
 A DVD player or access to Netflix/Amazon.com (depending on how you choose to watch Smoke Signals).
Using Etudes: Once you log into Etudes and click on our course, you will see a menu on the left side of the
screen. This menu is the easiest way to find the tools we’ll be using throughout the semester. Plan to check
Announcements, Modules, and Resources pages frequently. Each week, I will post a learning module to
the Modules page, which will include links to supplementary readings or presentations and instructions
and links for completing the week’s participation activities. You are responsible for learning how to
navigate the Etudes site on your own. User guides and how-to videos are located here:
http://www.wlac.edu/online/login.asp.
Technical Assistance: If you need technical assistance, Distance Learning Support at [email protected] or
by calling 310. 387.4305. Visit http://www.wlac.edu/online/index.asp for DL’s hours of operation, a
description of their services, and helpful tutorials. If the support staff is unable to help you in a timely
manner and the problem you’re having prevents you from participating or submitting an
assignment on time, let me know immediately via email ([email protected]). .
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Course Nuts and Bolts
Schedule: At the end of this syllabus, you will find a schedule of readings and assignments for the first 6
weeks of the course (the calendar for the remaining weeks will be updated when the time for Prof.
Williams’ return arrives. Assignments include participation activities, short essays, a research paper, a
midterm, and a final exam. Along the way, I will provide various kinds of supplementary materials,
sometimes in the form of online presentations, PDF documents, or links to other websites. Be sure to read
these supplementary materials and the assigned readings before completing the week’s participation
activities.
Because this course relies heavily on student participation, it is paced, which means you have assignments
due every week. In order to provide you some flexibility in when you decide to complete assignments, I
have made all participation activities due Saturday at 11:59pm (Pacific Time), unless otherwise stated
on the calendar. Supplementary materials and instructions for completing the week’s participation
activities will always be posted by Monday on the week they are due; these materials and instructions can
always be found on the Modules page in Etudes.
Attendance: Although this is a distance course, you will have many opportunities to engage with your
classmates and me on a regular basis. I recommend that you log on to the course website at least 3-4 times
each week to check announcements, view course content, and complete participation activities.
Readings: Keeping up with the assigned reading is crucial to succeeding in this class. Do realize that in
addition to the substantial reading you’ll be completing each week, you’ll also be reading supplementary
materials, as well as each other’s and my comments on the Discussion Board. Complete assigned readings
and review any supplementary materials early in the week indicated on the Course Calendar prior to
completing the week’s participation activities. Please mark passages about which you have comments or
questions so you may bring them up on the Discussion Board.
Contact and Communication
Asking questions is crucial to your success in class. There are at two ways to ask questions related to the
week’s topics or assigned readings:
 Every week, I have designed a variety of participation activities; these include posting to the
Discussion Board, where we will discuss the week’s topics and assigned readings. These are the best
places to ask the kinds of questions you would ask during discussions in a face-to-face class, such as
requesting clarification about a specific reading. I check these forums every day during the week of the
assigned readings, and I will answer every question within 48 hours. Everyone in class will have access
to your questions and my answers.
 There is a Discussion Board forum entitled Questions about Course Nuts and Bolts, where you can
ask for clarification on the syllabus, assignments, due dates, expectations, etc. I check this forum every
few days, and I will answer every question within 72 hours (but often sooner). Everyone in the class
will have access to your questions and my answers.
If you have questions that are not relevant to the rest of class, do not hesitate to contact me privately:
 While Dr. Setka is your instructor: Email ([email protected]) is the best way to communicate
individual questions or concerns relevant only to you. For example, questions about a grade you
received should be directed to me via email. I check email every day and will respond within 48 hours.
 When Prof. Williams returns, you can message her using the Private Message feature on our Etudes site.
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 Skype Office Hours: I hold Skype Office Hours on Mondays from 11-1. My Skype address is
fellowships.at.lmu.
Participation
In a face-to-face English course, in-class participation consists of discussing concepts and readings and
completing individual or group activities. In this class, your participation takes the form of posting to the
Discussion Board and, occasionally, a small-group blog. Each weekly module contains instructions for the
assignments due that week and will specify how many times you need to post and what type of posts you
need to make (such as answering questions, interpreting the readings, leading discussions, or responding
to your peers’ posts).
 The Discussion Board is a place for Q&A sessions. I will periodically post questions about weekly
topics and assigned readings, and you’ll have the opportunity to respond to your peers and myself and
to ask questions. Aim for 5-10 sentences per post, and be prepared to support your responses with
references to specific passages or concepts in the readings. Note that I may not respond to each
individual post, but I will offer a post containing concluding remarks for each week that we have
discussion board assignments.
 Reading Responses (which you will find under the Assignments, Tests, and Surveys tab) is an
opportunity for you to write for my eyes only. I will periodically post prompts for you to respond to
using the journal. Often these prompts will be related to the concepts we have covered or to one of the
formal writing assignments (the two papers and final exam described on pages 5 & 6). Journal posts
give you the opportunity to practice applying concepts or prepare for formal writing assignments and
give us the opportunity to work together more closely to understand the readings.
 Logical Fallacies, Grammar, and Punctuation Quizzes will help to refresh your understanding of the
grammar and punctuation skills that you need to become a strong writer. You will have these quizzes,
plus prep material to review, a few different times during the term. Look for these in the individual
weekly modules.
Participation Protocols and Netiquette
 On weeks when the discussion board activities are assigned, check them throughout the week and not
just on the day work is due.
 Avoid posting all your contributions on the same day and/or at the last minute.
 Class discussions are most successful when you read the responses that have been posted before yours
and take them into the account when you’re composing your posts; I will let you know when
responding to your peers’ posts is required for your participation grade.
 Address your comments to your peers, not to me.
 Use content-specific subject headings (e.g. “Response to The Round House,” not “my post”).
 Be professional and respectful in your postings.
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The Discussion Board is a place to express your opinion and personal interpretations of the
readings informally—that is, in the written equivalent of a face-to-face discussion. However,
because this is an academic setting, you should always aim for thoughtful posts. This means
making sure your writing is clearly composed, supporting your opinions or interpretations with
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evidence from the text, and acknowledging authorship by quoting passages directly from the
readings, mentioning the author, and including page numbers.
Think carefully about being humorous or sarcastic; it’s very easy for tone to be misinterpreted
in a non-face-to-face setting, and something meant to be harmless might easily be read by
someone else as offensive.
Note that using all-caps is the written equivalent of SHOUTING, so avoid using them too
frequently.
Avoid emoticons or text-messaging shorthand.
 Respect the expectation of privacy set up by this class and refrain from inviting non-class members to
read other students’ postings without their permission.
 Please do not delete postings until the end of the course.
Late Policy: As with a face-to-face course, participation activities cannot be submitted late or made up
later because they depend on interaction with your peers. This means I will not read or grade any
participation activities submitted after 11:59pm on the day they are due.
Grading Class Participation: With the exception of the assignments for Week 1, which are due on a
Sunday, each week’s participation activities are due Saturday at 11:59pm. Here are the questions I
consider when grading participation:
 Are your posts insightful and original, and do you back up your opinions and interpretations with
specific evidence from the text?
 Are your posts clear enough for your classmates and instructor to understand? (In general, I do not
grade posts for grammar and punctuation, but I do expect your posts to employ standard grammar
and punctuation, so that everyone in class can understand what you’re saying. Be sure to read your
posts before submitting them and check for incomplete thoughts, unclear sentences, and missing or
confusing punctuation.)
 Do your posts meet the minimum length requirements?
 Have you met the minimum number of required posts and responses?
 If you are responsible for generating a discussion, did you post early enough to give your peers time
to respond?
 When you’re required to respond to your peers’ posts, do you take them into account (as opposed
to ignoring the posts submitted before yours and responding only to my question or prompt)?
Papers
You will have four short papers and one longer research paper due in this class. Detailed assignment sheets
are located in the Weekly Module folders indicated on the course calendar.
Format: All papers must be submitted in Microsoft Word and follow MLA format. This means they must be
double-spaced and typed in 12-point Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins. I only accept papers
formatted in MLA style and typed in Microsoft Word. For more information on MLA format, visit
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Purdue’s Online Writing Lab (OWL): http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/. Note that the
formatting guidelines are not suggestions; they are required.
Resources: There are a number of resources you can take advantage of when writing your papers,
including the HRLC, the Purdue OWL, the textbook, and the publisher’s website. I will provide links to these
resources on Etudes. You also have me as a resource: I will not grade papers in advance or edit them for
you, but I am always happy to answer specific questions (i.e. Is my thesis statement specific enough?),
discuss topics, instructions, and the paper structure and format with you—either in person or via email.
Submission: All papers must be submitted as Word .doc or .docx attachments via the links located in the
Assignments, Tests, and Surveys section of the course site.
Late Policy: I will not accept late assignments.
Grading: I will supply a rubric (a grading guide) with each assignment sheet, so you know how papers are
graded. I strongly recommend you compare each paper to the rubric before turning them in. It takes me 12 weeks to return graded papers.
Final Exam
There will be a final exam in this course, the content of which will likely be determined by Professor
Williams. More information about this exam will be forthcoming.
Late Policy: Late exams will not be accepted.
Grading: I will supply a rubric (a grading guide) with the assignment sheet, so you know how the exam is
graded. I strongly recommend you compare your finished exam to the rubric before turning it in.
Grading
Your grades will be available to you on Blackboard, one to two weeks after assignments are due. Grades are
assigned as follows:
Participation (based on Discussion Board assignments & Quizzes)
20%
Paper #1
5%
Paper #2
5%
Paper #3
5%
Paper #4
5%
Research Paper
20%
Midterm Exam
20%
Final Exam
20%
Total
1,000 points
Course grades are determined by the following percentage scale:
A 90-100
D 60-69
B 80-89
F 0-59
C 70-79
All grades take into account these criteria:
 A indicates work of exceptional quality. "A" work addresses assignments thoroughly, appropriately,
and insightfully.
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 B indicates work of above average quality. "B" work exceeds baseline expectations and addresses
assignments thoroughly and appropriately.
 C indicates satisfactory completion of assignments. "C" work meets baseline expectations but may need
some revision to successfully meet the goals of assignments.
 D indicates unsatisfactory but passing work. "D" work lacks the strength necessary to successfully
complete assignments. That may include failure to address instructions; unclear focus or purpose; or
confusing content, structure, or form.
 F indicates failing work, or work that does not meet stated expectations.
Policies
Academic Dishonesty: I follow the LACCD student code of conduct as it relates to student dishonesty
(Board Rule 9803.28): "Violations of academic integrity of any type by a student provides grounds for
disciplinary action by the instructor or college. Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited
to, the following actions: cheating on an exam, plagiarism, working together on an assignment, paper, or
project when the instructor has specifically stated students should not do so, submitting the same term
paper to more than one instructor, or allowing another individual to assume one’s identity for the purpose
of enhancing one’s grade. For more on the college’s policies regarding Student Conduct, see
http://www.wlac.edu/academics/pdf/WLAC_Catalog_Policies.pdf.
Disability: If you have any learning or physical disabilities, please contact the Disabled Student
Programs and Services Office in HLRC 121 at (310) 287-4450. The DSPS will then contact your instructors
to notify them of needed accommodations, such as additional testing time, note taker, etc. Do not be
embarrassed to seek help. Disabilities are not a reflection of who you are, but of how your brain works.
Understanding how you learn is to the first step to success.
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Course Calendar
***Note that reading list and assignments are not finalized and are subject to change***
Below is a schedule of course topics, readings, and assignments. Each week’s readings should be read in the
order that they appear here. Included in the assigned page range for each story is the author’s biography.
We won’t necessarily discuss the biographies, but they often provide context that may help you with
interpretation, so you should read them. Complete the assigned readings before completing assignments.
Week &
Topic
Readings:
Assignment due:
Week 1
2/8-2-13
Introduction
Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing, Chapters 1-2
Due 11:59pm on 2/13
All assignments and presentations
listed in Week 1 Module
Week 2
2/14-2/20
American Holocaust, Chapter 1
Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing, the first part of
Chapter 2 (in my edition, pages 31-46 (note: you do
not need to do any assignments in this chapter or read
any of the supplementary essays besides Jacoby’s).
American Holocaust, Chapter 2
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Chapters 611 (Visit http://www.gutenberg.org/Files/23/23h/23-h.htm)
Due 11:59pm on 2/20
All assignments and presentations
listed in Week 2 Module
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Week &
Topic
Readings:
Assignment due:
Week 3
2/21-2/27
Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing, Chapter 3
Due 11:59pm on 2/27
“Logical Fallacies” (located as a pdf under in the
“Required Readings” under the “Resources” tab of our
Etudes site).
All assignments and presentations
listed in Week 3 Module
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Paper #1
American Holocaust, Chapter 3
Week 4
2/28-3/5
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs
(http://hoodmania.com/incidents.pdf),
The following chapters
Chapter 1, “Childhood”
Chapter 5, “The Trials of Girlhood”
Chapter 10, “”A Perilous Passage in the Slave Girl’s
Life”
Chapter 14, “Another Link to Life”
Chapter 17, “The Flight”
Chapter 21, “The Loophole of Retreat”
Chapter 29, “Preparations for Escape”
Chapter 35, “Prejudice Against Color”
Chapter 40, “The Fugitive Slave Law”
Chapter 41, “Free at Last”
Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing, Chapter 4
American Holocaust, Chapter 4
All assignments and presentations
listed in Week 4 Module
“A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner (located as a
pdf under in the “Required Readings” under the
“Resources” tab of our Etudes site).
Due 11:59pm on 3/12
“A Summer Tragedy” by Arna Bontemps (located as a
pdf under in the “Required Readings” under the
“Resources” tab of our Etudes site).
Week 5
3/6-3/12
Due 11:59pm on 3/5
Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing, Chapter 5
“Allegory of the Cave” by Plato (located as a pdf under
in the “Required Readings” under the “Resources” tab
of our Etudes site)
“The Greater Part of the Stories Current Today We
Shall Have to Reject” (located as a pdf under in the
“Required Readings” under the “Resources” tab of our
Etudes site).
Antigone by Sophocles (available at Internet Classics
Archive or a local public, college, or university library)
All assignments and presentations
listed in Week 5 Module
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Paper #2
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Week &
Topic
Readings:
Assignment due:
Week 6
3/13-3/19
Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing, Chapters 6-8
Due 11:59pm on 3/19
Antony and Cleopatra (Acts I-III) by William
Shakespeare
All assignments and presentations
listed in Week 6 Module
Excerpt by Herodotus (located as a pdf under in the
“Required Readings” under the “Resources” tab of our
Etudes site and in the back of the Norton edition)
Excerpt by Plutarch (located as a pdf under in the
“Required Readings” under the “Resources” tab of our
Etudes site and in the back of the Norton edition)
Excerpt by Virgil (located as a pdf under in the
“Required Readings” under the “Resources” tab of our
Etudes site and in the back of the Norton edition)
Week 7
3/20-3/26
Antony and Cleopatra (Acts IV-V) by William
Shakespeare
“Early Modern Views of Egyptians” (located as a pdf
under in the “Required Readings” under the
“Resources” tab of our Etudes site and in the back of
the Norton edition)
Due 11:59pm on 3/26
All assignments and presentations
listed in Week 7 Module
“Early Modern Views of Gypsies” (located as a pdf
under in the “Required Readings” under the
“Resources” tab of our Etudes site and in the back of
the Norton edition)
Excerpt by Virgil (located as a pdf under in the
“Required Readings” under the “Resources” tab of our
Etudes site and in the back of the Norton edition)
Week 8
3/27-4/2
No Higher Honor by Condoleezza Rice, Chapters 4-6, 8,
& 10-12
Due 11:59pm on 4/2
Week 9
4/3-4/9
Spring Break!
Spring Break!
No class.
All assignments and presentations
listed in Week 8 Module
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Paper 3
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Week &
Topic
Readings:
Assignment due:
Week 10
4/10-4/16
Palestine Inside Out, pgs. 1-94
Due 11:59pm on 4/16
Week 11
4/17-4/23
No Higher Honor by Condoleezza Rice, Chapters 32, 41,
& 49
Week 12
4/24-4/30
Week 13
5/1-5/7
No Higher Honor by Condoleezza Rice, Chapters 13-15,
19, 25-26, & 58
Palestine Inside Out by Saree Makdisi, pgs. 153-234
Palestine Inside Out by Saree Makdisi, pgs. 235-298
“The Wall as a Prison” (located as a pdf under in the
“Required Readings” under the “Resources” tab of our
Etudes site)
Affirmative Action by Time Wise, Chapter 1
Affirmative Action by Time Wise, Chapter 2
Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing, Chapters 10 &
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All assignments and presentations
listed in Week 10 Module
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Midterm Exam on Antigone
Due 11:59pm on 4/23
All assignments and presentations
listed in Week 11 Module
Due 11:59pm on 4/30
All assignments and presentations
listed in Week 12 Module
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Paper 4
Due 11:59pm on 5/7
All assignments and presentations
listed in Week 13 Module
The Harmful Myth of Asian Superiority” by Takaki, in
Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing, pgs. 117-119
Week 14
5/8-5/14
“Nannies, Maids, and Sex Workers in the New
Economy”* by Ehrenreich and Hochschild (located as a
pdf under in the “Required Readings” under the
“Resources” tab of our Etudes site)
Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing, Chapter 9
“Let’s Put Pornography Back in the Closet” by
Brownmiller, in Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing,
pgs. 52-54
Due 11:59pm on 5/14
All assignments and presentations
listed in Week 14 Module
The Impact of Political Conflict on Women: The Case
of Afghanistan” (located as a pdf under in the
“Required Readings” under the “Resources” tab of our
Etudes site)
Week 15
5/15-5/21
“Culture of Honor, Culture of Change: A Feminist
Analysis of Honor Killings” by Sev’er and Yurdakal
(located as a pdf under in the “Required Readings”
under the “Resources” tab of our Etudes site)
Petals of Blood, Chapters 1-8
Due 11:59pm on 5/21
All assignments and presentations
listed in Week 15 Module
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Research Paper
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Week &
Topic
Readings:
Assignment due:
Week 16
5/29-6/4
Petals of Blood, Chapters 9-13
Due 11:59pm on 6/4
All assignments and presentations
listed in Week 16 Module
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Final Exam