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General Information

Course ID (CB01A and CB01B)
ESL D273.
Course Title (CB02)
Introduction to the Essay
Course Credit Status
Credit - Not Degree Applicable
Effective Term
Fall 2021
Course Description
This is an introduction to the principles and techniques of academic essay writing based on critical reading and thinking.
Faculty Requirements
Course Family
Not Applicable

Course Justification

This advanced course provides the required foundation skills in essay writing as well as critical reading and thinking to prepare students for transfer-level courses. It is a basic skills stand-alone course.

Foothill Equivalency

Does the course have a Foothill equivalent?
No
Foothill Course ID

Course Philosophy

Formerly Statement

Course Development Options

Basic Skill Status (CB08)
Course is a basic skills course.
Grade Options
  • Letter Grade
  • Pass/No Pass
Repeat Limit
0

Transferability & Gen. Ed. Options

Transferability
Not transferable

Units and Hours

Summary

Minimum Credit Units
4.0
Maximum Credit Units
4.0

Weekly Student Hours

TypeIn ClassOut of Class
Lecture Hours4.08.0
Laboratory Hours0.00.0

Course Student Hours

Course Duration (Weeks)
12.0
Hours per unit divisor
36.0
Course In-Class (Contact) Hours
Lecture
48.0
Laboratory
0.0
Total
48.0
Course Out-of-Class Hours
Lecture
96.0
Laboratory
0.0
NA
0.0
Total
96.0

Prerequisite(s)

ESL D261. and ESL D265. (or ESL D461. and ESL D465.) with a grade of C or better; or a qualifying score on the English as a Second Language Placement Test

Corequisite(s)

Advisory(ies)

Limitation(s) on Enrollment

Entrance Skill(s)

(Restricted to students whose native language is not English.)

General Course Statement(s)

Methods of Instruction

Lecture and visual aids

Discussion of assigned reading

Quiz and examination review performed in class

Homework and extended projects

Field observation and field trips

Collaborative learning and small group exercises

Collaborative projects

Computer Assisted Instruction

Assignments

  1. Reading of authentic nonfiction, academic texts such as articles, essays, and excerpts from college-level textbooks.
    1. Analysis of and response to texts in the form of annotating, short answers, journaling, and discussion.
    2. Vocabulary exercises and activities include using vocabulary items from texts in students' own writing.
  2. Writing of expository essays on three separate prompts, each about 1000-1250 words in length, that integrate ideas, perspectives, and support from assigned texts. The essays should follow the general MLA citation and formatting guidelines.
    1. The first prompt leads to a multiple-draft essay to be written outside of class. The instructor must give feedback on one draft before the final draft is graded.
    2. The second prompt leads to an in-class essay that will not be revised. It will be included in the portfolio once it has been graded by the instructor.
    3. The third prompt leads to an in-class essay, which is later revised as an out-of-class essay.
      1. The in-class essay is written without any feedback from the instructor. It will be included in the portfolio once it has been graded by the instructor.
      2. Once graded, the in-class essay should be revised substantially for another grade. The revised essay should be further developed with quotes, paraphrases, and citations.
      3. The in-class essay and the revised out-of-class essay should be weighted equally.
  3. Portfolio
    1. The portfolio includes one of the out-of-class essays, both in-class essays, and one self-reflective writing in the form of an essay or personal statement. Students must pass the portfolio as well as receive a passing grade from the course in order to pass the class.
    2. In lieu of taking a final exam, students submit the portfolio on the day of the final exam for instructor evaluation and grade.
  4. Grammar, editing, and writing exercises and activities include but are not limited to tense, clauses (adjective, adverb, noun, and conditional), sentence boundaries, sentence combining, transitional devices, parallelism, paraphrasing, summarizing, and citing sources.

Methods of Evaluation

  1. Two multi-drafted essays, each about 1000-1250 words in length, evaluated and graded by the instructor based on content, organization, vocabulary, language and mechanics.
  2. Two in-class essays, each about 1000-1250 words, graded by the instructor based on content, organization, vocabulary, language, and mechanics without prior feedback.
  3. A final portfolio evaluated by the instructor and peer 273 instructors based on content, organization, vocabulary, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other mechanics. Students must pass the portfolio as well as receive a passing grade in the course in order to pass the class.
  4. Graded homework assignments and quizzes on reading texts, grammar, writing techniques, and vocabulary.

Essential Student Materials/Essential College Facilities

Essential Student Materials: 
  • None.
Essential College Facilities:
  • None.

Examples of Primary Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisherDate/EditionISBN
Fitzpatrick, Mary. Engaging Writing 2, 2nd ed. Pearson Longman, 2011.
Oshima, Alice and Ann Hogue. Longman Academic Writing Series Book 4: Essays, with Essential Online Resources. 5th ed. Pearson, 2016.
Smalley, Regina, Mary Ruetten and Joann Rishel Kozyrey. Refining Composition Skills: Rhetoric and Grammar, 6th ed. Heinle ELT, 2011
Smoke, Trudy. A Writer's Workbook with Text Readings, 4th ed. Cambridge Press, 2005.

Examples of Supporting Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisher
Lane, Janet and Ellen Lange. Writing Clearly: An Editing Guide. 3rd ed. Heinle and Heinle, 2011.
Brown, H. Douglas. Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. 5th ed. Pearson, 2006.
Gardner, Peter. New Directions. Cambridge, 2007.
Celce, Murcia. Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. 4th ed. Cengage, 2013.
Ferris, Dana. Response to Student Writing: Implications for Second Language Students. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2003.
Ferris, Dana. Treatment of Error in Second Language Student Writing, 2nd ed. University of Michigan, 2011.
Ferris, Dana and John Hedgcock. Teaching L2 Composition: Purpose, Process, and Practice. 3rd ed. Routledge, 2014.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

Course Objectives

  • Read, comprehend and analyze texts from a variety of cultural, societal and personal perspectives.
  • Write expository essays, each about 1000-1250 words in length, on a variety of academic topics in response to texts that demonstrate critical thinking and support ideas with evidence.
  • Develop writing process skills including brainstorming, outlining, revising and editing of own and peers' writing.
  • Demonstrate strong competence in using advanced sentence structure, grammar, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and other mechanics.
  • Employ basic MLA citation and format style.

CSLOs

  • Write well-developed essays that analyze and synthesize main ideas and differing viewpoints from a variety of academic reading materials.

  • Demonstrate advanced grammar, sentence structures and vocabulary in writing.

  • Evaluate one's own writing for rhetorical structure and clarity by means of revision and editing.

Outline

  1. Read, comprehend and analyze texts from a variety of cultural, societal, and personal perspectives.
    1. Read college-level texts that reflect cultural, ethnic, gender, sexual and socio-economic diversity.
    2. Identify thesis, main ideas, supporting details, and the author's perspective, purpose, intended audience, tone, bias, and credibility.
    3. Demonstrate comprehension, analysis, and critical thinking by engaging in such activities as class and small group discussions, sharing own related experiences and knowledge, debates, presentations, and journal writing.
  2. Write expository essays, each about 1000-1250 words in length, on a variety of academic topics in response to texts that demonstrate critical thinking and support ideas with evidence.
    1. Identify and employ various rhetorical modes appropriate for the purpose and audience, such as logical division, cause, and effect, compare and contrast, and argumentation.
    2. Construct an effective introduction with a hook and a clear thesis statement; body paragraphs that support the thesis with logical reasoning and evidence; and a concluding paragraph that summarizes the main idea and makes a final comment on the topic.
    3. Respond to and incorporate ideas and perspectives from assigned texts by paraphrasing, summarizing, and synthesizing.
  3. Develop writing process skills including brainstorming, outlining, revising, and editing of own and peers' writing.
    1. Brainstorm ideas for essays by implementing a variety of pre-writing strategies, such as listing, clustering, and freewriting.
    2. Organize ideas by creating an outline that includes a thesis statement, major points, supporting points, and a concluding statement.
    3. Improve content, structure, grammar, and vocabulary through guided peer review, and feedback from instructor and peers.
  4. Demonstrate strong competence in using advanced sentence structure, grammar, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and other mechanics.
    1. Produce advanced complex sentence structures using a variety of clauses, such as adjective, adverb, noun, and conditional.
    2. Demonstrate strong proficiency in advanced grammar skills including but not limited to tense, clauses, sentence boundaries, and sentence combining.
    3. Employ advanced academic vocabulary to express meaning clearly and accurately.
  5. Employ basic MLA citation and format style.
    1. Cite sources both in the text and end of text following the Modern Language Association (MLA) style.
    2. Format papers according to the Modern Language Association (MLA) guidelines.
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