Dr. V's Classes

 

English 1301: Basic English Composition

CRN 20751

T-Th

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part One: Instructor’s Course Requirements

 

 

A. Required Text books:

1. Bullock, Richard and Maureen Daly Goggin. The Norton Field Guide to Writing with Readings. Third Ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2009. ISBN13: 9780393933819.

(1.) English 1301 Online Reader: available at: http://1301.english.googlepages.com

2. Hacker, Diana. The Writer’s Reference with Literature Supplement. Seventh edition. Bedford/St. Martins. 2007. ISBN-13: 9780312464387.

 

B. Materials:

1. A good dictionary

2. Pens AND Pencils

3. Writing paper and a way to organize it (folder, notebook, etc.)

 

II. Attendance: Attendance is expected and necessary for success.

 

A. More than three absences will result in a written warning.

B. After five absences I may drop you from the course. It is your responsibility to drop the course if you have a good reason; failure to formally dropping the course will result in failing the course, and the F will appear on your transcript. Please counsel with me if you think you need to drop the course, or if your absences are excessive.

C. The only excused absences are those students who must miss class for military duty, emergency services (EMS, fire department, police department), or college sponsored activities. These exceptions must be cleared through the dean of the department; take your documentation to the dean and bring me the dean’s signed memo regarding these special circumstances.

D. I will take attendance every day . Three tardies will count as one absence. 

E. If you anticipate being absent from a scheduled class it is your responsibility to arrange for doing missed work. Although I will accept missed work or late work (under my conditions, outlined below), there is much that goes on in class that cannot be made up—lecture, explanations, dialogue, etc. Also, after absences, students should come prepared for the next class, including readings or homework.

F. It is against college policy to smoke inside buildings. This applies to electronic or smokeless cigarettes.

G. Make-up work policy: I will not accept work after two class meetings following its original assignment date. Exceptions may be made after absences longer than two consecutive days, but you must have my permission for any exceptions to this rule.

III. Participation: ` Your success partly depends on participation in class discussions and small group work. You should come prepared for class, read all assigned reading, finish assignments before class begins, and study outside class. Asking and answering questions, volunteering personal insights, participation in discussions, and doing your part in small groups are assessed by me and your classmates.

IV. Class rules are necessary in maintaining order and mutual respect in the class; please comply with my class rules and those of EPCC; the following are my EPCC classroom rules:

A. Do not bring children to class (college on-site).

B. Turn off cell phones and all personal electronic devices (except laptop computers when you are given permission to use them for prewriting or writing drafts of essays in class). Keep these devices out of public view. Do not send or answer text messages or any type of paging signal.

C. Your time in class is exclusively for class-related activities. Do not engage in disruptive conversations, work for another class, or personal activities while you are in class.

D. Be respectful of me and your classmates. Especially avoid any communication or action that might fall under definitions of legally proscribed activity, including sexual harassment. Do not be inattentive, rude or obnoxious.

E. The student code of conduct provides that I, as your instructor, may take proper action if your behavior disrupts the learning environment. This includes but is not limited by items on the list above.

F. The formula for student success is no mystery: Anticipate, be prepared for, and enthusiastically act for achievement of your academic goals. You will get out of this class what you put into it!

V. Cheating, Plagiarism, and Collusion: Cheating, plagiarism, and collusion are defined as intellectual theft and academic dishonesty. They are well defined in communications to students by the college, and cheating of any kind will not be tolerated in this class. I will follow procedures in detecting and identifying offenses and in providing names for administration sanctions, should these activities occur. Sanctions include failure of the assignment, failure of the course, academic probation, and expulsion from the college. Your responsibility is to educate yourself as to what is allowed and what is not allowed in completing academic assignments. Failure to know or apply the rules concerning plagiarism or cheating will not excuse you.

V. Course Work:  Please type and use MLA format for all essays and formal papers. Assignments, readings and study aids are described in detail in the calendar.

VI. Calendar#

VI. CALENDAR**
*Unit/Week	Info, Reading(s)& Demonstrations	Graded Assignment(s)
1	View PPT “The Writing Process”    Syllabus & clarification/discussion        Emblematic Essay Example: Just Like Papi Guerro Emblematic Object Essay Instructions	Emblematic Object Essay topic chosen
2	Grammar Assessment Exam Writing down the Basics pp 1-8 sentences	Grammar Assessment Exam (for data only) First draft of Emblematic Object essay due Sentence errors quiz
3	Introduction to Description      View PPT “Beginnings and Endings”   Write prewriting and first draft of descriptive paper	Final Draft Due: Emblematic Object Essay Prewriting Descriptive paper due First draft of descriptive paper due
4	Handout “Proofreader’s Marks”    Read from The Short Prose Reader	Final Draft Descriptive paper due       Deconstructing models practice exercise Writers Techniques questions due
5	Writing down the Basics pp 8-11 agreement    Read Writer’s Reference pp 163-171 Subject/Verb agreement,	Agreement quiz
6	Read Writer's Reference pp 333-340 Pronoun agreement	Pronoun agreement quiz
7	Read Writer’s Reference pp 259-267 Commas, pp 273-278 semicolon, colon	Punctuation quiz
8	Personal narrative example: True Wealth is Measured in Gumballs	Prewriting for Narrative Paper due
9	Writing a Narrative Paper Example of narrative Essay #2	First Draft Due
10	Complete Rubric Checklist for first draft     Revise and complete second draft	·         Second Draft Due with revision: Narrative Essay
11	Complete final draft of essay: narrative in class	Final draft of narrative essay due
12	Writing Down the Basics: Paragraphs and Essays    Read Writer’s Reference pp 24-31, Writing paragraphs, and 37-40, Designing documents        This I believe essay example	Paragraphing Quiz
13	Read Online: The Beatles Live On Always Go To The Funeral       Using narrative and example in any essay: Read Writer’s Reference pp 93-111	Thesis and outline due
14	View The Parts of Speech: Prepositions and Their Phrases PPT         Develop plan for memorizing / Memorize 10-20 common prepositions Read Online:  The Connection Between Strangers  You're Never Too Old for Disneyland	List prepositions from memory Prepositions Quiz
15	“This I believe” essay introduction  Write First Draft “This I believe essay       Read Writer’s Reference pp 137-140 Word Choice	First Draft due
16	View “Peer Editing” PPT Participate in Peer Editing        Revise and complete second draft	Personal  “word demons” exercise
17	Final Grammar Exam	Final Draft Due : “This I believe essay       Final Grammar Exam
18	Final Essay Exam	Final Essay Exam

* This calendar is designed for the high school 18 week calendar. For classes that meet twice a week, the assignments due any week will be split between the two meeting times.

# All readings and assignments are tentative and subject to change

 

 Revised by Discipline: Fall 2012

 

 El Paso Community College

Syllabus

Part II

Official Course Description

SUBJECT AREA English

COURSE RUBRIC AND NUMBER ENGL 1301

COURSE TITLE Expository English Composition

COURSE CREDIT HOURS 3 3 0

Credits Lec Lab

I. Catalog Description

 

Emphasizes intensive study of and practice in writing processes, from invention and researching to drafting, revising, and editing, both individually and collaboratively. Emphasizes effective rhetorical choices, including audience, purpose, arrangement, and style. Focuses writing the academic essay as a vehicle for learning, communicating, and critical analysis. Prerequisite: ENGL 0310 or INRW 0311 or ESOL 0341 with a "C" or better or by placement exam. (3:0).

II. Course Objectives

 

Upon satisfactory completion of this course, the student will be able to accomplish the following.

A. Develop critical thinking skills.

B. Demonstrate an understanding of Standard Written English in terms of grammatical sentence structure, spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage.

C. Analyze the subject, occasion, audience, and purpose of writing assignments.

D. Apply appropriate strategies to generate ideas and use modes of expression for writing assignments.

E. Draft essays of approximately 700-1000 words that focus on a thesis statement, with introduction, multiple body paragraphs which develop the major points indicated in the organizational plan of each essay, and an appropriate conclusion.

F. Integrate peer responses and instructor suggestions into the revision process.

G. Revise the essay.

H. Edit to improve content, organization, style, grammatical correctness, spelling, punctuation and mechanics.

I. Analyze assigned readings and relate the styles and approaches to the student's own writing.

J. Demonstrate comprehension of the reading assignments in class discussions, exercises, summaries, and/or objective quizzes.

K. (Optional) Demonstrate basic library and research skills by using reference materials such as periodicals, books, electronic sources, and interviews.

L. (Optional) Demonstrate interpretive insight in a written response to a short story, poem, play, or film.

III. THECB Learning Outcomes (ACGM)

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of individual and collaborative writing processes.

2. Develop ideas with appropriate support and attribution.

3. Write in a style appropriate to audience and purpose.

4. Read, reflect, and respond critically to a variety of texts.

5. Use Edited American English in academic essays. ENGL 1301; Revised Fall 2013

Revised by Discipline: Fall 2012

 

IV. Evaluation

A.. Activities and Other Concerns

1. Students will write a minimum of five major essays or other types of writing projects, including the in-class essay that is written during the final exam period. It is suggested that at least one other essay be written in class. These essays should involve the multiple stages of the writing process and demonstrate a variety of strategies. These assignments may vary in length, depending on the nature of the project, but the major essays should be at least 700 words. In addition to academic writing assignments, other types of writing assignments may include proposals, reports,

commentaries and reviews. One of these activities must comply with the Quality Enhancement Plan, “Learning about the Community as a Community.” Students should compose at least one assignment on a word processor or computer.

2. Correct use of Standard Written English will be emphasized, including grammatical sentence structure, spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage.

3. The various rhetorical patterns may be covered separately; however, instructors should stress the potential of these approaches to overlap.

4. Plagiarism is both intellectual theft and academic dishonesty and will not be tolerated. Any work that is plagiarized could result in failure of the course. See the Student Handbook.

B. Final Examination

1. A final examination is required in all English 1301 classes. The exam should consist of (or at least include) an essay written in class during the scheduled two-hour final examination period. The topic will be assigned by the instructor and should lend itself to one or more of the rhetorical approaches the student has studied during the semester.

2. The final essay should satisfy the course objectives: use of appropriate essay form, attention to rhetorical strategies, a clear thesis, satisfactory organization, adequate and relevant content, and basic mechanical competence.

3. If the instructor thinks the final essay does not satisfy the course objectives, the exam may be used as a justification for failing the student for the course. In such cases, it is advisable to have one other instructor confirm the evaluation of the essay.

4. If the instructor judges that the final essay meets the course objectives satisfactorily, the essay should be graded and may be averaged in with the other course work to determine the course grade.

C. Grading Percentages

Grade percentages for determining the course grade may be devised by the individual instructor, but the writing projects/essays will account for at least 70% of the student's grade. At the instructor's discretion, the grade for the final exam may be averaged as part of the 70%.

D. Remediation

At the instructor's discretion, students may be allowed to rewrite papers or retest for higher grades. Students seeking additional help may obtain tutoring assistance from one of the Writing Centers, located at most of the campuses.

E. Grading Scale

Note: This course is the prerequisite for all further English courses, including literature courses, and must be passed with the grade of “C” or better before it can be used as a prerequisite.

A = 90 - 100

B = 80 - 89

C = 70 - 79

D = 60 - 69

F = below 60

I = Incomplete

W = Withdrew or withdrawn ENGL 1301; Revised Fall 2013

Revised by Discipline: Fall 2012

 

V. Disability Statement (American with/Disabilities Act [ADA])

EPCC offers a variety of services to persons with documented sensory, mental, physical, or temporary disabling conditions to promote success in classes. If you have a disability and believe you may need services, you are encouraged to contact the Center for Students with Disabilities to discuss your needs with a counselor. All discussions and documentation are kept confidential. Offices located: VV Rm C-112

(831-2426); TM Rm 1400 (831-5808); RG Rm B-201 (831-4198); NWC Rm M-54 (831-8815); and MDP Rm A-125 (831-7024).

VI. 6 Drop Rule

Students who began attending Texas public institutions of higher education for the first time during the Fall 2007 semester or later are subject to a 6-Drop limit for all undergraduate classes. Developmental, ESL, Dual Credit and Early College High School classes are exempt from this rule. All students should consult with their instructor before dropping a class. Academic assistance is available. Students are encouraged to see Counseling Services if dropping because exemptions may apply. Refer to the EPCC catalog and website for additional information.