Instructor: Dr. Steven J Zani

Email: zanisj@lamarpa.edu

Phone: (409) 984-6431

Office Location and Hours: EDUC-I 133

Additional Contact Information: None

Integration of critical reading and academic writing skills. Successful completion of this course (C or better) allows student to move to the College level/Co-Requisite course in the following semester /part of term. 

None: materials provided by instructor

Textbook Purchasing Statement: A student attending Lamar State College Port Arthur is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from the college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer.

None: materials provided by instructor

See placement guidelines (DENG students must be admitted to college but do not need to have met TSI reading/writing requirements)

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

Locate explicit textual information, draw complex inferences, and describe, analyze, and evaluate the information within and across multiple texts of varying lengths.

Comprehend and use vocabulary effectively in oral communication, reading, and writing. Identify and analyze the audience, purpose, and message across a variety of texts.

Describe and apply insights gained from reading and writing a variety of texts.

Compose a variety of texts that demonstrate reading comprehension, clear focus, logical development of ideas, and use of appropriate language that advance the writer’s purpose.

Determine and use effective approaches and rhetorical strategies for given reading and writing situations.

Generate ideas and gather information relevant to the topic and purpose, incorporating the ideas and words of other writers in student writing using established strategies.

Evaluate relevance and quality of ideas and information in recognizing, formulating, and developing a claim.

Develop and use effective reading and revision strategies to strengthen the writer’s ability to compose college-level writing assignments.

Recognize and apply the conventions of standard English in reading and writing.

Communication skills: Students will demonstrate effective written, oral and visual communication.

Critical Thinking Skills: Students will engage in creative and/or innovative thinking, and/or inquiry, analysis, evaluation, synthesis of information, organizing concepts and constructing solutions.

Teamwork: Students will demonstrate the ability to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal and consider different points of view.

Personal Responsibility: Students will demonstrate the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making.

The following are taken from Hawkes Learning lessons but are subject to change due to scheduling or other Correctional institutional scheduling demands.

1.1 Understanding Different Learning Styles

1.2 Determining Your Personal Learning Styles

1.3 Understanding and Reducing Stress

1.4 Keeping Yourself Organized

1.5 Managing Your Time Effectively

1.6 Taking Notes and Annotating Texts

1.7 Using Effective Study Strategies

1.8 Reducing Test Anxiety

1.9 Taking Advantage of Campus Resources

Reading Skills:

2.1 Preparing Yourself to Read

2.2 Using Visual Clues

2.3 Reading Actively and Purposefully

2.4 Deconstructing Topics, Ideas, and Details

2.5 Identifying Organizational Patterns

2.6 Using Context for Unfamiliar Words and Phrases

2.7 Using Word Parts for Unfamiliar Words

2.8 Making Inferences About a Text

2.9 Recognizing the Main Idea and the Supporting Details

Grammar and Mechanics:

4.1 Understanding Nouns

4.2 Understanding Pronouns

4.3 Understanding Verbs

4.4 Understanding Adjectives and Adverbs

4.5 Understanding Prepositions

4.6 Understanding Conjunctions and Interjections

4.7 Understanding the Characteristics of Sentences

4.8 Identifying Common Sentence Errors

4.9 Using Consistent Subjects and Verbs

4.10 Using Consistent Pronouns and Antecedents

4.11 Using Correct Pronoun Reference and Case

4.12 Using Commas

4.13 Using Semicolons and Colons

4.14 Using Apostrophes

4.15 Using Quotation Marks, Parentheses, and Brackets

4.16 Using Ellipses, Hyphens, and Dashes

4.17 Using Capitalization and Italics

4.18 Using Abbreviations and Numbers

4.19 Using Basic Spelling Rules

4.20 Spelling Commonly Confused Words

4.21 Proofreading Sentences for Grammar

Writing Paragraphs:

6.1 The Writing Process for Paragraphs

6.2 Choosing a Topic and Scope for a Paragraph

6.3 Writing a Topic Sentence

6.4 Choosing an Organizational Pattern

6.5 Drafting a Paragraph

6.6 Revising and Editing a Paragraph

6.7 Submitting a Paragraph

Approximate Scheduling (again subject to institutional changes)

Week 1: Welcome, Syllabus Review, Diagnostics, Discussion Forum

Week 2: Formatting; Microsoft Word

Week 3: Hawkes Learning: Study Skills

Week 4: Taking Notes and Testing

Week 5: Organization and Resources

Week 6: Hawkes Learning: Reading Skills

Week 7: Reading Skills, cont'd.

Week 8: Details and Main Ideas

Week 9: SPRING BREAK

Week 10: Hawkes Learning: Grammar and Mechanics

Week 11: Grammar and Mechanics, cont'd.; Vocabulary

Week 12: Cont'd.

Week 13:Hawkes Learning: Writing Paragraphs

Week 14: Paragraph Practice, Peer Review

Week 15: Cont'd.

Week 16: Hawkes Learning Wrap-Up

December 3rd, 2026

AD: 90-100

BD: 80-89

CD: 70-79

DD: 60-69

FD: 0-59

Students must earn a AD, BD, or CD in order to advance to Credit/Co-Requisite courses next semester.

This is an developmental intervention and not a credit course; therefore, course results will not affect a student's GPA. However, failure of the course may affect a student's financial aid standing. Consult with Financial Aid Dept. staff for more details.

Please make every effort to attend each class session.

Some automated Syllabus information embedded in Syllabus does not apply to Correctional students, such as the necessity of checking LSCPA e-mail correspondence.

Full attendance is required, though allowances will be made for necessary institutional-caused absences.

Be sure to check your campus email and Course Homepage using MyLSCPA campus web portal. You can also access your grades, transcripts, academic advisors, degree progress, and other services through MyLSCPA.

Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSCPA policies (Academic Dishonesty section in the Student Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Accessibility Services Coordinator, Room 119, in the Ruby Fuller Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241.

No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Use of electronic devices is prohibited.

This syllabus is part of LSCPA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.

As per Texas law and LSCPA policy, all LSCPA employees, including faculty, are required to report allegations or disclosures of child abuse or neglect to the designated authorities, which may include a local or state law enforcement agency or the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. For more information about mandatory reporting requirements, see LSCPA's Policy and Procedure Manual.

LSCPA is committed to establishing and maintaining an environment that is free from all forms of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other forms of sexual misconduct. All LSCPA employees, including faculty, have the responsibility to report disclosures of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual assault (including rape and acquaintance rape), domestic violence, dating violence, relationship violence, or stalking, to LSCPA's Title IX Coordinator, whose role is to coordinate the college's response to sexual misconduct. For more information about Title IX protections, faculty reporting responsibilities, options for confidential reporting, and the resources available for support visit LSCPA's Title IX website.

For more information about the Clery Act and crime reporting, see the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report and the Campus Security website.

If you have a grievance, complaint, or concern about this course that has not been resolved through discussion with the Instructor, please consult the Department Chair.