Welcome to your class page! You will be using both this website and Moodle for reference and submitting your work. This handout shows how to access Moodle. 

Here is the link to your class Syllabus and the class Schedule - on which the textbook Exploring Language chapters, essay due dates, class activities and the assigned homework articles are indicated. Download, print, read, and sign the Student Learning Agreement contract to remain in the class: this must be submitted by the second week of class to continue in the course. 

Required materials:

•  Exploring Language, 14th edition  - click on title for Amazon link. Here is a list of discount textbook sites. Be sure to get the correct edition.

 Blank lined composition book for your Writing Journal 

English 1A is comprised of four components:

1. Weekly Writing Assignments
2. Three Multi-Draft Essays
3. Group Presentations
4. Reading Discussions 

 1. Weekly Writing Assignments:

 The homework assignments are hyperlinked articles listed on the Schedule and in Moodle with underlined hyperlinks - click control/enter to open the link and access the  article. If it doesn't work, try switching browsers or right clicking and opening the link. 

Here is a helpful page showing how to login to Moodle. 

For the homework, your task is to read the assigned articles and write a two paragraph response and summary for each article. Insufficient responses receive partial credit.

1. Paragraph one summarizes the article, identifying the main points and discussing what the article is about.
2. Paragraph two is your response, framed in terms of how the ideas relate to you and your writing experience. 

Some weeks will have TWO articles to read; some weeks have one. In both cases, you will write a summary and response for each article.

Homework must be submitted through Moodle, and is due on Thursdays by 5 pm; hard copy or emailed work is not accepted.

Work is accepted late for only partial credit. Full credit = 5 points if submitted by the due date; the following week = 3 points, and 1 point the following week, and after which the link expires. This means you have three weeks to submit assignments; after that work is not accepted.

2. Multi-Draft Essays:

You will write three essays in the class that will include required multiple drafts and peer reviews. Should you choose to revise and resubmit an essay, please download these Essay Revision Guidelines. Grading is based on overall writing quality and improvement.

To better understand what a good essay is, read the Essay Grading Rubric. 

Use this template for your essay formatting. 

Here is information about citing sources: How to Cite Sources in MLA and Sample Works Cited List.

Click on each one to read the guidelines:

  Essay One: Perspectives on Language - Chapter 6

  Essay Two: Technology and Language - Chapter 8

  Essay Three: Language and Thought - Chapter 14

All essays will be submitted to Moodle. Late essays are NOT accepted. NO exceptions; manage your time accordingly. 

In Moodle, you will be directed to submit essays to Turnitin.com. 

Here is a link: Turnitin.com  (Course # xxxxxx password: english) 

Here is the process:

1. go to www.turnitin.com  

2. click on “create account” (upper right) 

3. click on "create account" and scroll down to select “student”

4. under “turnitin class id”, type xxxxxxxx 

5. under “class enrollment password”, type english 

6. enter your e-mail address 

7. enter a password of your selection 

8. you’re in! follow the instructions to submit papers (Word or rtf format), view marked essays or grades, or otherwise use turnitin.com.

Turnitin FAQs - Answers to Top Questions Students Ask:

1. Trouble submitting a file to a Turnitin assignment: Click here.
2. Help resetting a Password / Forgot password: Click here.
3. Originality Report not showing up after resubmission (the 24hr delay): Click here.
4. GradeMark unavailable / Cannot see grades: Click here.
5. How to resubmit to an assignment:  Click here.
6. How to add new classes to an existing Turnitin account? Click here
7. How to create a new account on Turnitin? Click here.

Suggested Materials: 

• Dropbox.com is a free online storage space that synchronizes your documents and folders
• iCloud for iPhone users 
• a flash drive to save your work as a backup when you work in the computer lab

Contacting your instructor: It is best to make an appointment to speak to me either before or after class. If, however, you must email me about anything, I prefer emails be sent through Quickmail in Moodle. If sent outside Moodle, emails MUST have Merritt English 1A and Your Name in the subject line of the email to receive a response. I respond to emails between 9 am and 5 pm; emails received in the evening or over the weekend will receive a reply the following weekday.

3. Presentations - You will do two presentations:

a. Group Writing Presentations (click for the guideline page) In small groups of 3 or 4, you will present a topic about writing to the class.  Once everyone has signed up, click on the list of topics and presenters.

b. Group Critical Rhetorical Essay Analysis:

In your small group, you will select an essay from the textbook (that we have not analyzed in class) and create a class presentation analyzing the essay from a rhetorical standpoint.

Details are provided on the Rhetorical Analysis Group Presentation webpage. Presentations will be the last week of the semester.

Each group will submit a collaborative Group Portfolio about the presentation.

(Here is a good Project Timeline Creation Template that you might find useful.) 

4. Reading Discussions: Each week, we will be reading the articles in the textbook, Exploring Language, that you will use as references in your essay. In order to thoroughly cover each article, you will need to read them prior to class. To prepare yourself for the classroom discussion, you may download this Exploring Language Discussion Questions that each small group of students will respond to during the class. 

Upswing Online Tutoring through Merritt College: 

Upswing is Merritt College's new FREE 24/7 online tutoring option for all of your subjects.

Get the help you need in ALL of the subjects you are taking. Try it today!
Here's how you get started: 

1. Go to login Page to Upswing Online Tutoring
2. Click New User and enter your Merritt email address that you use in Passport.
3. Click on the reset password link in your email and schedule a session with a tutor!

If you have any questions, please contact Walter Johnson—wjohnson@peralta.edu

How to Write a Good Essay video

PaperRater.com

Classroom Materials

Peralta VPN

PPTs:

Day One Slides 

How to be a Successful Student

End of Class 

Survey Monkey Link

Exploring Language Group Discussion Questions