Course Syllabus
Academic Year 2013/2014

Course Information
Course Name
Critical Reading and Writing
Course Code
COMM3210
Course Dates
September 2 – November 8, 2014
Meeting Day, Time, and Location
ONLINE; please note this course begins on a Tuesday and ends on a Saturday.

Instructor Details

Other Details

Course Objectives:
This course has two aims:
1. To improve critical reading/thinking skills. Through a structured, disciplined study of various forms of literature and film, students will evaluate how language works to influence perception, and how language relates to politics, society and business.
2. To improve writing skills. Instruction will cover writing techniques and documentation, and students will practice their skills in a variety of written assignments.
Required Textbooks:

Lewis, K. (2007). Word and World: A Critical Thinking Reader.
Engkent, L. & Engkent, G. (2013). Essay Do’s and Don’ts: A Practical Guide to Essay Writing.
Orwell, George. 1984.
Additional readings are available via Moodle.

Evaluation Criteria
Students are expected to perform all readings and assignments on schedule, and to post at least two comments each week: one response to the post I submit, and at least one response to the posts classmates submit. As this is a condensed course, please be prepared for an average of ten hours per week of reading/writing/posting.
The final paper involves a peer-edit session; failure to participate in this session will result in a 25% loss on the paper’s grade.
Late assignments will be docked 25% and will not be accepted more than one week after the due date. Students may submit late papers without penalty if they can provide appropriate documentation for situations of emergency (such as illness or a death in the family). Unexcused failure to complete an assignment or essay during the prescribed period will result in a grade of zero for the assignment.
A passing grade in this course is no less than 50% on both the final paper and in the course overall.

Forum posting: participation and quality 20%
Library assignment 10%
Summary assignment 10%
Media analysis short essay 10%
Metaphor analysis short essay 15%
Critical analysis final essay 35%

Academic Integrity

Section 4 (Academic Integrity) of the Academic Procedures & Regulations outlines expectations for student conduct at NAIT. It is the student’s responsibility to understand these regulations and to adhere to them as a member of the NAIT community. While NAIT endeavors to inform students of special criteria of academic integrity pertinent to the class or course, failure to provide such special information does not in any way exempt a student from penalties imposed by or on behalf of NAIT. The following examples, though not exhaustive, represent activities that constitute a breach of academic integrity:

Cheating, which includes but is not limited to any form of fraud, deceit, omission or misrepresentation of information including, but not limited to, the use or attempted use of unauthorized material in examinations, representing oneself as another in an examination, classroom or lab-related activity, or being represented by another.
Plagiarism, which includes but is not limited to taking the work of another person and passing it off as one's own work. Consequently, no student shall submit the words, ideas, images or data of another person as the student's own in any academic writing, essay, project, laboratory or assignment in a course or program.
Falsification or misrepresentation of documents or credentials which are subject to academic evaluation.
Using or attempting to use other student's answers or providing answers to other students on any document, whether written or electronic, which is subject to academic evaluation.

Format for Papers

All written assignments for this course are individual assignments.
All assignments must follow standard APA Style essay format,