Prof.

James Click
Spring- 2011

Pasadena City College Professor James Click

Spring 2011 Room C161
English 1C: Critical Thinking and Argument Office Hours: By Appointment
Section #4740- MW 6-8:15pm Email: profjamesclick@gmail.com
Class Website: http://profclickenglish.blogspot.com Mailbox: C-245

Required Texts:
Sigmund Freud- Civilization and It’s Discontents. Norton
Aeschylus- Oresteia. Oxford World Classics
Dave Eggers- A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. Vintage
Diana Hacker- A Writer’s Reference 6th Ed. (P.C.C. Custom)
An English language college dictionary
(You will also need a wide-ruled composition book and a thumb drive to save
ALL work until grades have been issued)

Thinking Beyond the Limits of Convention

Course Overview: Language, literature, writing, argument, research, teaching, learning, etc. are all
governed by conventions or rules, both explicit and implicit. In fact, it is very difficult to think of an
aspect of our lives that isn’t governed, in some way, by conventions. Nevertheless, we tend to operate
under the assumption that we are autonomous individuals whose actions, beliefs, and perspectives are
always the product of conscious choices. However, as critical thinkers, we might want to ask whether the
concept of free-will is itself a convention, and if so, to what extent? For example, think about the culture
you were raised in; in what ways has it determined how you see yourself, the world, and others? In
addition, we might want to ask whether this immense network of conventions that governs our lives has a
limit, and what happens when we cross that limit? In this class, we will explore these questions and how
they relate to advanced critical thinking, reading, writing, and research. We will do so by closely reading
and discussing texts representing a variety of perspectives, including Literature, Psychology, Philosophy,
and personal experience. You will be expected to write two in-class essays, three independent research-
related papers, and to contribute to a group project and presentation.

Grading Breakdown: Grading Scale:

In-class essays…………………………….. .10% 90 – 100 = A
Papers…………………………………….....60% 80 – 89 = B
Reading Journal/Quizzes……...….................10% 70 – 79 = C
Group Project/Presentation………………....10% 60 – 69 = D
Attendance/Participation/Writing Center.......10% 0 – 59 = F

Rules & Procedures:

• Come to class fully prepared. This means you will bring pen, paper,
reading journal and the textbook or reading handout to each class
meeting.
• To be successful in college, you must keep up with the reading; it is
critical for participating in class discussions, understanding lectures, and
crafting well-argued papers. It is also your responsibility to ask questions
in class or outside of class if a reading or assignment is unclear or
confusing.
 Prof. James Click
Spring- 2011

• Each student has a “free pass,” which is good for a 48 hour extension on
ONE of the independent paper assignments. If you plan to use the
pass, notify me in class on the paper due date; the pass can be used only
once during the semester. If the pass is not used during the semester, you
will automatically receive 5 “extra credit” points added to your class point
total. Without my approval, late work will NOT be accepted under any
other circumstances and will receive a “zero.” An assignment is
considered late if it is not submitted at the beginning of class on the due
date.
• Papers and essays containing plagiarized material will
automatically receive a grade of “zero.” Academic dishonesty is a serious
crime and includes: collusion or lending work to another to submit as his/her own, and
plagiarism or the presentation of another person’s work as your own, whether intentional or
not. The College has a zero tolerance policy for plagiarism. If you are suspected of academic
dishonesty, you will be subject to disciplinary sanctions, ranging from a lowered grade to
failure in the course, and you WILL be reported to the Dean of English.
• Missing more than 3 class meetings WILL BE considered unexcused and
can result in being dropped from class. Three tardies = one unexcused
absence. Leaving early without permission will be considered an
unexcused absence
• All hand-held devices such as cell-phones, Blackberries, etc. must be
turned off while in class. There will be NO TEXTING during class!
• Avoid sleeping during class and talking over others; these WILL impact
your class grade negatively!

The Student Learning Outcomes for this course are to:

1. Write research-based essays employing a variety of rhetorical modes and utilizing critical
thinking strategies, which include constructing claims, examining alternative points of view,
analyzing evidence, explaining assumptions, and drawing conclusions
2. Research and evaluate primary and secondary sources, both paper and electronic, and correctly
integrate those sources into written work
3. Apply conceptual and theoretical frameworks in research-based essays and an extended
research project
4. Read critically by recognizing claims, questioning the reliability of evidence, and evaluating
alternative points of view and underlying assumptions
5. Interpret and appraise the cultural, social, and historical contexts of texts from a variety of
disciplines

I do believe that there might be ways in language to express

the extreme, the fleeting, the fugitive states that hover
at the outermost boundaries of speech.
—Carole Maso