San Jose State University 
Department of English and Comparative Literature 
English 1A: Freshman Composition 


Instructor: Peter Gambrill 
Department: English Department 
Office Location: Faculty Offices Building 213 
Telephone: (408)-924-4490 
Email: am.project@gmail.com 
Office Hours: Tu 12:00-1:00, 3:00-3:30; Tr 12:00-1:00 
Class Times: TuTr 10:15-11:30 
Classroom: Sweeny Hall 410 
Class Overview 

You may not think it, but you're a writer. Ever since you penned that first �My Summer Vacation� 
exercise in elementary school, you've been a member of the literate community. You may think 
yourself a �good� writer or a �bad� writer; you may write Facebook updates worthy of Shakespeare but 
be terrible with timed essays; maybe you love to write announcements for your church or community 
group, but reserve a special loathing for the research paper. Whatever your successes or your failings 
have been thus far, they have worked to create who you are as a composer of words, sentences, 
paragraphs, pages. So, if you're already a writer, what are you doing here? 

The purpose of this course is to prepare you to engage in academic and professional discourses� 
certain modes of writing that require a different vocabulary, sentence, and argument structure than 
maybe you've ever encountered before. But keep in mind that you're not here to be rebuilt, 
reprogrammed, or reconstructed as a writer; you come into this class with a vast body of experience in 
language, from writing often, from speaking daily, from thinking every waking moment of your life. 
I'm here to help you build from this experience and create a bridge between the modes of writing you 
already know and the modes of writing you'll need to know for success in the university and beyond. 

How long does it take to become a �good� academic writer? The process lasts however long your 
college career lasts, whether it be four years or the rest of your life. There's always room for 
improvement, but you can think of this class as the first step in a long series. If you think of achieving 
your bachelor's as climbing Mount Everest, then this is base camp 1. The first step�the primary goal 
of this class�is to get you to think of yourself as a writer. Sounds simple enough, but it's a bit more 
complicated than saying �I'm a writer� to yourself five times before going to bed every night. In order 

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to think of yourself as a writer, you must think like a writer. This means reading as a writer, looking for 
themes, structures, and rhetorical devices�pretty much anything that the author uses to convey the 
message and achieve what he or she sets out to do. We must also write like writers, which means 
applying the same critical eye to our own writing and asking questions about our audience, purpose, 
and techniques. As such, we can separate this class into two broad goals, both of which we'll work to 
achieve every single class period: to read as writers and to write as writers. 

All your writing will, of course, be your own, but your reading will come from three primary sources. 
First, you will read the works of accomplished, experienced, professional writers to learn how its done. 
We can't learn how to write in a vacuum, and one of the best ways to learn how to write is to learn from 
the masters. You will also critically read and respond to your fellow students' writing. We all 
encounter similar obstacles when beginning our careers as academic writers, and seeing how your peers 
face and overcome similar challenges will help and (hopefully) inspire you do the same. And finally, 
you will critically read, edit, and revise your own writing by integrating the critiques of myself and 
your fellow students, as well as what you've learned from reading and analyzing other writers. 

Required Texts and Materials 

The Curious Writer, 3rd Ed. Bruce Ballenger. 

50 Essays, 2nd Ed. Samuel Cohen. 

The Everyday Writer, 4th Ed. Andrea A. Lunsford. 

A spiral bound, college-ruled notebook. 

Grade Distribution 

20% � University-Wide English 1A Exam 
10% � In-Class Essays: 1,500 words (3 x 500 words ea.) [SLO 2, 3, 4] 
10% � Writer's Autobiography: 1,250 words [SLO 1, 2, 3, 4] 
15% � Peer Reviews: 1,800 words (6 x 300 words ea.) [SLO 2, 3] 
10% � Process Analysis: 1,000 words [SLO 1, 2, 3, 4] 
10% � Critical Review: 1,200 words [SLO 1, 2, 3, 4] 
10% � Proposal: 1,250 words [SLO 1, 2, 3, 4] 
15% � Writing Journal and Quizzes [SLO 1, 2] 


Grading 

The Department of English reaffirms its commitment to the differential grading scale as defined in the 
official 91ÁÔÆæ Catalog (�The Grading System�). Grades issued must represent a full range of student 
performance: A = excellent; B = above average; C = average; D = below average; F = failure. Courses 
graded according to the A,B,C,NoCredit system shall follow the same pattern, except that NC, for 
NoCredit, shall replace D or F. In A,B,C,NoCredit courses NC shall also substitute for W (for 
Withdrawl) because neither NC nor W affects students� grade point averages. 

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In English Department courses, instructors will comment on and grade the quality of student writing as 
well as the quality of the ideas being conveyed. All student writing should be distinguished by correct 
grammar and punctuation, appropriate diction and syntax, and well-organized paragraphs. 

Class Policies 

In-Class Essays 

Over the course of the semester, you will write three timed and graded in-class essays (as well as one 
timed, ungraded diagnostic essay at the beginning of the semester). The purpose of these assignments 
is to prepare you for the university-wide final exam for English 1A. For each essay, I will give you one 
hour to respond to a passage using personal and outside examples. Your writing should demonstrate a 
singular argument and focus, as well as a clear structure that divides examples, sub points, 
counterpoints, an introduction, and a conclusion. We will go over effective strategies for generating 
ideas in a timed essay. I know we all have bad days, and sometimes those days happen to fall on the 
day of a timed-essay. Therefore, I will count only the two best essay scores; the third will be dropped. 
I still encourage you to give your all on every in-class essay. It's always wiser to use the third as a 
safety net. 

Out-of-Class Essays 

All assignments written outside of class must by typewritten, double spaced, with a 12-point, standard 
font and 1-inch margins on each side. All essays must have a title, as well as your name, date, and 
course title in the upper left-hand corner. Each page must be numbered and all of the pages must be 
stapled or paper clipped together. Consult the MLA section in The Everyday Writer for examples of 
correct formatting. 

Peer Reviews 

In order to help you assess the strengths and weaknesses in both your writing and your peers' writing, 
we will conduct peer-reviews of the writer's autobiography, critical review, and proposal. I will place 
you into groups of three, which will remain the same through all three peer-editing cycles (unless I 
need to change them for special circumstances). You will submit a copy of your rough draft to each 
group member, as well as to the instructor. This means that you will need to bring three copies of your 
paper on rough-draft due dates! 

I will give you a guideline for each peer review, a series of questions you will need to answer in a short 
(500 word) essay. You must also mark up the paper of each peer with suggestions, comments and edits. 
The following week, you will spend a class period in your groups discussing the strengths and 
weaknesses in your peers' writing. Make sure to put your name on your peers' marked up drafts. You 
will attach your peers' responses to the back of your final draft and turn in the peer reviews to me 
separately. You will also include a 1-2 page response with the final draft discussing the suggestions 
you implemented and those you didn't, as well as a rational for your decisions. 

The peer-review process is essential to completing the autobiography, critical review, and proposal 
assignments. Failing to complete any step in the process will hinder your group mates' ability to 
succeed. Therefore, failure to complete any of the three essential steps (providing three copies of your 
rough draft, marking up your peers' rough drafts, and attaching your marked-up drafts to your final 
paper) will result in a letter-grade reduction�with few, if any, exceptions. 

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Late Papers 

All due dates are final for both rough and final drafts, unless I announce an extension. I will allow 
extensions for students in extreme circumstances, provided I receive sufficient evidence (i.e. doctor's 
note). Come talk to me in person as soon as possible if you don't think you'll complete an assignment 
by the required date. Any late assignment without sufficient explanation will be deducted one full 
grade for every weekday (not class day) it is late. For the peer-review process, it is your responsibility 
to give your group members sufficient time to review your paper. 

Grade Challenges 

If you believe a grade you receive on any assignment is unfair, you are welcome to challenge the grade 
by the following process. Referring to the course learning objectives and the assignment sheet, argue 
in writing why you think your grade was undeserved and suggest what grade you think you deserve. 
For the longer papers, this rationale should be no less than 2 pages, though it may be as short as 1 page 
for smaller assignments. I reserve the right to not change the grade, or to not raise it as high as 
suggested, according to how well I believe you argued your case. 

Attendance 

I cannot force you to come to class, but I will be using your writing journals as a way to monitor your 
attendance. Missing a day of class means not completing a journal entry, which cannot be made up; 
therefore, the grade you get for your journal will reflect your attendance and participation grade. 

Quizzes 

I will give short quizzes on the reading at the beginning of certain class periods. These quizzes are 
given at random dates and will not be announced ahead of time. They cannot be made up. 

Turnitin.com 

All major assignments (with the exception of in-class essays and the timed final) must be submitted to 
turnitin.com on or before the due date. I will not grade the paper copy of an assignment until an 
electronic copy is submitted to turnitin.com. In order to submit papers to the class account, you will 
need the class ID, which is 3378952, and the password, which is �ahab.� 

Laptops 

Laptops are a fantastic tool for many situations and in many environments. However, I have never, 
ever seen it used during class for anything other than Facebook or World of Warcraft. Therefore, I will 
not allow laptops to be open and on during class. 

Ground Rules for Writing and Class Discussion 

Academic discourse is founded on principles of honesty and free thought; however, some lines should 
not be crossed in any public forum. I will not tolerate personal attacks upon other students or 
instructors, nor will I tolerate attacks upon another's race, ethnicity, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. 
I will eject from the class any student who I believe is offending other students or disrupting the class. 
I will also give no credit to any writing assignment (including entries in the writing journal) containing 
such offensive material. 

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University Policies 

91ÁÔÆæ Academic Integrity Policy 

Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State University, and 
the University�s Academic Integrity Policy require you to be honest in all your academic course work. 
Faculty are required to report all infractions to the office of Judicial Affairs. The policy on academic 
integrity can be found at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/S04-12.htm. The 91ÁÔÆæ rules against plagiarism are 
set forth in the 91ÁÔÆæ Catalog, which 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. Plagiarism at 91ÁÔÆæ includes, but is not limited to: (1) the 
act of incorporating the ideas, words, sentences, paragraphs, or parts thereof, or the specific substance 
of another�s work, without giving appropriate credit, and representing the product as one�s own work. It 
is the role and obligation of each student to know the rules that preserve academic integrity and abide 
by them at all times. This includes learning and following the particular rules associated with specific 
classes, exams, and/or course assignments. Ignorance of these rules is not a defense to the charge of 
violating the Academic Integrity Policy. 

Campus Policy on Compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act 

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need special 
arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as 
possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03 requires that students with 
disabilities register with DRC to establish a record of their disability. The DRC website is 
http://www.drc.sjsu.edu. 

Course Guidelines 

English 1A is the first course in 91ÁÔÆæ�s two-semester lower-division composition sequence; it provides 
an introduction to baccalaureate-level composition, with attention to the �personal voice� and personal 
experience, on the one hand, and the more formal attitudes and demands of writing at the university 
(expository and argumentative essays), on the other. Students will develop college-level reading 
abilities, rhetorical sophistication, and writing styles that give form and coherence to complex ideas and 
feelings. 

Prerequisites 

Placement by the English Proficiency Test (EPT), or passage of an approved substitute course for the 
EPT. 

Course Objectives 

Students shall achieve the ability to write complete essays that demonstrate college-level proficiency in 
all of the following: 

� 
Clear and effective communication of meaning. 
� 
An identifiable focus, tailored to a particular audience and purpose (argumentative essays will 
state their thesis clearly and show an awareness, implied or stated, of some opposing point of 
view). 
� 
The ability to perform effectively the essential steps of the writing process (prewriting, 
organizing, composing, revising, and editing). 
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� 
The ability to explain, analyze, develop, and criticize ideas effectively. 
� 
Effective use within their own essays of supporting material drawn from reading or other 
sources. 
� 
Effective organization within the paragraph and the essay. 
� 
Accuracy, variety, and clarity of sentences. 
� 
Appropriate diction. 
� 
Control of conventional mechanics (e.g., punctuation, spelling, reference, agreement). 
General Education Area A2 Student Learning Outcomes 

SLO 1: Students shall write complete essays that demonstrate the ability to perform effectively the 

essential steps in the writing process (prewriting, organizing, composing, revising, and editing). 
SLO 2: Students shall write complete essays that demonstrate the ability to express (explain, analyze, 

develop, and criticize) ideas effectively. 
SLO 3: Students shall write complete essays that demonstrate the ability to use correct grammar 

(syntax, mechanics, and citation of sources) at a college level of sophistication. 
SLO 4: Students shall write complete essays that demonstrate the ability to write for different 

audiences. 

Writing 

Writing assignments shall give students repeated practice in all phases of the writing process: 
prewriting, organizing, writing, revising, and editing. This class requires appropriately sequenced 
essays totaling a minimum of 8000 words. This minimum requirement excludes the final examination, 
journal writing, quizzes, and any brief or informal assignments. However, it can include assignments 
that require major revisions of drafts already submitted for a grade and commented on by peers and/or 
instructor. A major revision is defined as a significant rethinking and reworking of an assignment, and 
not a simple �correcting� of mechanical errors noted on the original. At least three (but no more than 
four) essays shall be written in class. How the 8000-word minimum will be met and distributed must be 
clearly indicated on greensheets. Students shall receive frequent evaluation of their writing from the 
instructor. In evaluating student writing, instructors shall comment on specific features of individual 
papers. Comments shall encourage and acknowledge student success as well as note problems and 
suggest ways to improve. 

Reading 

Reading for the course shall be extensive and intensive and include useful models of writing for 
academic, general, and specific audiences. 

Reasearch 

English 1A may initiate students in the use of the library, but library research is not a required element 
of the course. 

Diversity 

Assignments (both reading and writing) shall address issues of race, class, and gender when 
appropriate, and the perspectives of women and diverse cultural groups shall be incorporated into 
course instruction and materials in an inclusive and comprehensive manner whenever possible. 

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Tutoring 

San Jose State University provides students with free tutoring at the Learning Assistance Resource 
Center (LARC) and at the Writing Center. Both of these centers will help students at any stage of the 
writing process, from brainstorming to major reorganization to stylistic polishing. Students of all 
abilities are encouraged to use these services; it is a common myth that these services are for "dumb" 
students, but no published author made it without another pair of eyes on her/his work. 
LARC is located under the 10th Street parking garage in SSC 600. (408) 924-2587 
The Writing Center is located on the first floor of Clark Hall in Room 126. (408) 924-2308. You can 
schedule an appointment here: 

http://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/tutoring/requestforappointment/index.htm 

Course Materials 

A dictionary, a rhetoric (or rhetoric/reader), and a handbook are appropriate materials to require of 
students. 

University Final Essay Examination 

A common essay final, graded holistically, shall count 20 percent toward the course grade. A single 
university-wide final will be developed around a college-level reading passage each semester by the 
English Department Composition Committee. All faculty members teaching individual sections will 
grade the examination holistically under controlled conditions. Students must take the final exam in 
order to pass the course. 

Grading 

A-F. This class must be passed with a C or higher to move on to English 1B (C- is not acceptable for 
1B). A passing grade in the course signifies that the student is a capable college-level writer and reader 
of English. 

Class Schedule and Due Dates 

Thursday, Aug. 26th - Introductions 

Tuesday, Aug. 31st - Diagnostic Writing Exam [SLO 2, 3] 
Thursday, Sept. 2nd - Blank Writing Journals Due; Read CW 9-15 and Langston Hughes, 
�Salvation� 

Tuesday, Sept. 7th - Read CW 16-23 and George Orwell, �Shooting an Elephant� 
Thursday, Sept. 9th - Read CW 24-29 and N. Scott Momaday, �The Way to Rainy Mountain� 


Tuesday, Sept. 14th - Read CW 75-78, 88-92 and Maya Angelou, �Graduation� 
Thursday, Sept. 16th - Writer�s Autobiography Draft Due, Read David Sedaris, �Me Talk 
Pretty One Day� [SLO 1, 2, 4] 

Tuesday, Sept. 21st - In-Class Essay #1 [SLO 2, 3] 
Thursday, Sept. 23rd - Peer Comments and Discussion Due [SLO 1, 2] 


Tuesday, Sept. 28th - Final Draft Due, Read Sherman Alexie, �The Joy of Reading and Writing� [SLO 


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1, 2, 3, 4] 

Thursday, Sept. 30th - Read Frederick Douglas, �Learning to Read and Write� and Malcom X, 
�Learning to Read� 

Tuesday, Oct. 5th - Read Lars Eighner, �On Dumpster Diving� 
Thursday, Oct. 7th - Process Analysis Due [SLO 1, 2, 3, 4] 

Tuesday, Oct. 12th - Read CW 107-111 and Edward Said, �Clashing Civilizations?� 
Thursday, Oct. 14th - Read CW 112-118 

Tuesday, Oct. 19th - Review Analysis Due, Read Sarah Vowell, �Shooting Dad� [SLO 1, 2, 4] 
Thursday, Oct. 21st - Read CW 122-127 and Virginia Wolf, �The Death of the Moth� 

Tuesday, Oct. 26th - Critical Review Draft Due, Read Bill Bryson, �How you Became You� [SLO 1, 
2, 4] 
Thursday, Oct. 28th - In-Class Essay #2 [SLO 2, 3] 

Tuesday, Nov. 2nd - Peer Comments and Discussion Due [SLO 1, 2] 
Thursday, Nov. 4th - Read CW 141-146 and Marie Winn, �Television: The Plug-In Drug� 


Tuesday, Nov. 9th - Final Draft Due, Read Natalie Angier, �Men, Women, Sex, and Darwin� [SLO 1, 
2, 3, 4] 
Thursday, Nov 11th - Veteran�s Day: No Class 

Tuesday, Nov. 16th - Read CW 147-154 and Plato, �Crito� 
Thursday, Nov. 18th - Read CW 155-164 and Henry David Thoreau, �Where I Lived, and What I 
Lived for� 

Tuesday, Nov. 23rd - Eric Liu, �Notes of a Native Speaker� 
Thursday, Nov. 25th - Thanksgiving: No Class 


Tuesday, Nov. 30th - In-Class Essay #3 
Thursday, Dec. 2nd - Proposal Draft Due, final exam strategies [SLO 1, 2, 4] 


Saturday, Dec. 4th - Final Exam: 8:00AM 


Tuesday, Dec. 7th - Peer Comments and Discussion Due [SLO 1, 2] 
Thursday, Dec. 9th - Final Draft Due; Bagels, Coffee, and Farewell [SLO 1, 2, 3, 4] 


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