This document provides information about an EWRT 1B course taught by Kim Palmore in winter 2014, including class times, goals, requirements, policies, and textbook information. The class aims to develop students' ability to understand and discuss complex texts and convey that understanding in essays. Students must write five formal papers, participate in class, complete homework and tests. The grading scale and point values for assignments are outlined. Academic honesty, attendance, and conduct policies are also summarized.

1. 1
EWRT 1B: Winter 2014
EWRT-001B Reading, Writing, and Research
Kim Palmore, PhD
Email: Palmorekim@fhda.edu
Office: F1-IL
Cell Phone: 408-674-3005
Class Time: 8:30 AM- 10:45AM MW
11:00 AM- 1:15 PM T/TH
Office Hours: MW 7:30-8:15 and 10:45-11:15 AM
TTh 9:45-10:45AM
and by appointment
Goals: Through reading, discussion of, and writing about literature, students will develop a greater ability to
understand complex texts and critical essays they read and to convey that understanding in a variety of clear,
unified, coherent, well-developed and effective essays.
Requirements:
1. Participating in class discussions and regular attendance.
2. Keeping up-to-date on the assignments and reading.
3. Writing five formal papers, two of which will be written in class.
4. Posting homework and comments to the class website.
5. Taking tests and quizzes and doing in-class assignments.
Class Website:
Our class website is http://palmoreenglish.wordpress.com. In order to do the homework, you must
establish an account. To make your own FREE Word Press account, go to wordpress.com and click on
the large, orange button that says, “Get started here.” The system will walk you through a series of steps
that will allow you to set up your own user-friendly Word Press blog, sign up for just a user name, or
sign in with your Facebook account. Make sure you sign in with YOUR Word Press username before
you post on our class page so you get credit for your work.
If you prefer not to use your own name, you may use a pseudonym. Please email me your username if it
is significantly different from your real name.
If you cannot establish your website and username, please come to my office hours as soon as possible,
and I will help you with the process. Much of our work will take place online, so establishing this
connection is mandatory.
Texts and Required Materials:
PRIMARY TEXTS
Available on the Website
v Chesnutt, Charles “The Passing of Grandison”
v Far, Sui Sin, “Leaves from the Mental Portfolio of an Eurasian”
v Hughes, Langston, “Passing,” (the poem), “Passing,” (short story), and “Who’s Passing for Who.”
v Morrison, Toni, “Recitatif”
Available at the Bookstore or online
v Feinberg, Leslie, Stone Butch Blues
v Hwang, David Henry, M Butterfly
SECONDARY TEXTS
Available on the Website
v Assorted Journal Articles
Please bring the appropriate text to every class meeting; this means that you should print the short stories
from the website or be able to access an electronic copy. Bring your laptop or draft copies on the days
we write in class.

2. 2
GRADING:
Grades for this course will be based on a 1000-point scale divided as follows:
Assignment
My Score Point
Assignment
Value
75
Essay #1 (in-class 2-3 pages)
Website Posts
150
Essay #2 (4-6 pages)
Four Terms Exams 3x25 1x50
150
Essay #3 (4-6 pages)
Participation, Quizzes
200
Essay #4 (5-7 pages)
75
Essay #5 (in-class 2-3 pages)
Total
I will assign traditional + and - grades
Grade
Points Required
A
900-1000
B
800-899
C
700-799
Grade
D
F
My
Score
Point
Value
150
125
75
1000 points
Points Required
600-699
599 and below
CLASS POLICIES:
Essay Submission:
All out of class essays are to be submitted to me electronically before the class period in which they are due. They
must be submitted as an attachment in Microsoft word. No other saved forms are acceptable. If you do not have
Microsoft word software available, leave yourself time to save and send your work from a library computer. Essays must
also be in MLA format. I will read and return essays in the order they are received, with comments both in the text and in
the margins.
Academic Dishonesty:
Plagiarism includes quoting or paraphrasing material without documentation and copying from other students or professionals.
Intentional plagiarism is a grave offense; the resulting response will be distasteful. Depending upon the severity, instances of
plagiarism may result in a failing grade for the paper or the course and possible administrative action. All assignments will be
scanned and scrutinized for academic dishonesty. Please refer to your handbook for more information regarding
plagiarism.
Attendance:
Attendance is a significant part of this course, and success in this course depends on regular attendance and active
participation. Participation points will be part of our daily activities. If you are not in class, you cannot earn these points.
You should save absences for emergencies.
It is your responsibility to talk to me your absences or other conflicts. Work done in class cannot be made up. If you must
be absent, please arrange with a classmate to get assignments and notes. Also, please arrive on time, as you will not be able
to make up work completed before you arrive, including quizzes.
Conduct, Courtesy, and Electronic Devices:
In this class, we will regularly engage in the discussion of topics that may stir passionate debates. Please speak freely and
candidly; however, while your thoughts and ideas are important to me and to the dynamics of the class, you must also
respect others and their opinions. Courtesy will allow each person to have the opportunity to express his or her ideas in a
comfortable environment.
Courtesy includes but is not limited to politely listening to others when they contribute to class discussions or while they
give presentations, not slamming the classroom door or walking in front of classmates giving presentations if you do arrive
late, and maintaining a positive learning environment for your fellow classmates. To help maintain a positive learning
environment, please focus on the work assigned, turn off all cell phones and Ipods before class, and do not text-message in
class. If your behavior becomes disruptive to the learning environment of the class, you may be asked to leave and/or be
marked absent.
Participation:
Participation includes doing all work asked of you inside and outside of class, maintaining a positive learning environment
for your classmates, and contributing to class discussion. Participation points are accrued based on your in class
participation.

3. 3
Quizzes:
I may decide to include pop quizzes from time to time to ensure you are completing all readings in a timely fashion. There
are no make up opportunities for quizzes.
Exams:
We will have several terms tests during the quarter. I will offer one opportunity late in the quarter to re-take or make-up one
of the first three terms tests.
Late Work:
I do not accept late work. I do, however, extend an opportunity to revise either essay #2 or #3 for a better grade. If you
miss an essay due date, you may submit that essay when the revisions are due on the last day of the term. This does
disqualify you from revising another essay.
Revisions:
Revisions must be significant to earn a grade change. This means you must do more to your paper than edit the grammar
and punctuation errors I point out to you on your first submission. I recommend reading my suggestions and corrections
carefully and then thinking about how to apply what you have learned to your entire paper. Feel free to make an
appointment with me to discuss further revisions after you finish the first step. Any revisions submitted with MLA errors
will not be considered. This includes those essays you are submitting for the first time as a “revision.” Do be careful.
Appointments:
You can schedule an office visit with me by using the appointment finder on the class website. Alternatively, you can just
drop by to see if I have a vacancy. Or, you can email me if you need to make an appointment outside of my formal office
hours.
Adding and Dropping:
Adding and dropping this class is the responsibility of the student. Please observe all deadlines regarding the same should
you wish to add or drop this class.
Educational Use of Student Papers:
Occasionally, I retain copies of written work to share with this class or future sections of the course; selections of student
work used in these ways will be anonymous. However, if you absolutely object to the use of your work in these ways,
please let me know now, so that I can respect your preference.