COURSE SYLLABUS and CALENDAR
Course Name & Number: First Year Composition Semester & Year: Fall 2017
ENGL 1301
Instructor’s Name: M. Rebecca Pace, M.Ed. Office/Cell Phone #: (817) 992-5169
E-mail Address: mpace@nctc.edu OfficeHours:MW8:00-9:00PM;Tues10:00- 11:00 via Canvas/Email
Office: #201 Corinth
Catalog Description: Intensive study of and practice in writing processes, from invention and researching to drafting, revising, and editing, both individually and collaboratively. Emphasis on effective rhetorical choices, including audience, purpose, arrangement, and style. Focus on writing the academic essay as a vehicle for learning, communicating, and critical analysis.
Prerequisite: Satisfactory placement test score or passing grade in ENGL 0305.
Textbooks & Materials:
Lundsford, Andrea, et al. Everyone's an Author w/Readings, W.W. Norton, 2013. ISBN: 978-0-393-91201-2
Lundsford, Andrea. The EverydayWriter w/Readings, Bedford/St. Martin’s, 201. ISBN: 978-1-319-11780-1
Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of English 1301, students should be able to accomplish the following:
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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.
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Core Objectives
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Foundational Component Area: Communication
Courses in this category focus on developing ideas and expressing them clearly, considering the effect of the message, fostering understanding, and building the skills needed to communicate persuasively. Courses involve the command of oral, aural, written, and visual literacy skills that enable people to exchange messages appropriate to the subject, occasion, and audience.
*Critical Thinking Skills (CT)- to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information
*Communication Skills (COM)- to include effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication
*Teamwork (TW)- to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal
*Personal Responsibility (PR)- to include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making [Rev. 5-2014 THECB]
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Grading Policy & Procedures:
Here is how to calculate your grade…
Writing Assignment I 20% A = 90-100
Writing Assignment II 20% B = 89-80
Writing Assignment III 25% C = 79-70
Attendance/Participation/Assessments 25% D = 69-60
Final Exam 10% F = 60 or Below
*Note* If at any time I suspect students are not reading the required material, I will administer quizzes. These quizzes will be configured into “Attendance and Participation”
Scholastic Integrity: Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. See Student Handbook “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct [FLB
(LOCAL)]” #18. Disciplinary Actions [Student Handbook, p. 164, #5] “When cheating, collusion, or plagiarism has occurred beyond any reasonable doubt, the instructor may give the student or students involved an “F” on a particular assignment or in the course. [See Scholastic Dishonesty FLB (Local)] The instructor shall make a written report of the incident and of the planned action to his Department Chair. The Department Chair shall report the incident and action to appropriate instructional dean who shall review the case, notify the student and, if necessary, take further action. This may involve either probation or suspension of the student or students in question. If such disciplinary action is deemed necessary, the Dean of Student Services shall be notified, and the action shall be taken through that office.”
*Note* Students who plagiarize in ENGL 1301 will fail the course.
Attendance Policy: Because each day of instruction is important, attendance to each class meeting is imperative and mandatory. Students will suffer a reduction of points from the attendance and participation grade for each absence. Students who miss more than three (2) classes will be dropped a letter grade.
Students who miss more than five (3) classes will be dropped from the course. Every single class is important. To miss one class is to miss important information. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to learn from the course calendar, or from other students, what you missed. Make up work will be honored only for students who miss class because of a school-sanctioned field trip, athletic event, religious holiday, (or in dramatic instances circumstances). In most cases, I will require students to turn in assignments prior to missing class. Be prepared to honor this rule if you are an athlete or participate in extra-curricular activities. I will consider weather and traffic issues on a case-by-case basis.
Please arrive to class on time. Students who arrive to class more than 7 minutes late three times throughout the term will be counted absent on their 3rd tardy. Students who are excessively tardy—more than five times throughout the term—will receive a grade of “D” (65) in Attendance and Participation.
Late Papers: Papers are due in class or via instructor approved electronic submission on the day they are due. The submission must include a hard or paper copy as well as an electronic submission according to instructor’s request. Late papers will be severely penalized–up to 20% per day. If an emergency arises, students should contact the instructor and make arrangements. Certain allowances may be made for emergencies; allowances will be made strictly at the instructor’s discretion.
Short papers: Papers not meeting the minimum word requirement for the assignment will be docked points equal to the percentage of words missing from the assignment. For example: If a paper is only 700 words when it should be at least 1000 words, it will lose 30 points before the instructor begins to grade it. .
Revision: Students will be allowed the opportunity to revise some essays. Revision involves making significant changes to structure, content, and mechanics as suggested by the instructor. The revision will receive the original points plus one-half of the points originally deducted. In other words, students can earn half of the points they lost back on the final grade. This means that the initial grade is important because it limits what the essay grade, a significant percentage of the final grade, can be. Revisions must be completed and turned in before the next paper is due.
Extra Credit: Extra credit is not offered in this course. If you are having problems, see instructor during office hours – NOT during class time.
Disability Accommodations: NCTC’s Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability. A disability is anything that can interfere with learning, such as a learning disability, psychological challenge, physical illness or injury. Accommodations may include extra time on tests, tests in a non-distracting environment, note taker in class, etc. On the Corinth Campus go to room 170 or call 940-498-6207. On the Gainesville Campus go to room 110 in the Administration (100) Building or call 940-668-7731 ext. 4321. North Central Texas College is committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, ADA Amendments Act of 2009, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112).
ACCESS Program: The ACCESS Program provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability. A disability is anything that can interfere with learning, such as a learning disability, psychological challenge or physical illness or injury. Accommodations may include extra time on tests, tests in a non-distracting environment, a note taker in class, etc. On the Corinth Campus, contact: Wayne Smith, ACCESS Coordinator, at (kwsmith@nctc.edu), 940-498-6207 or Penny Cogbill, Departmental Assistant, at (pcogbill@nctc.edu, 940-498-6212) or William Leija, Departmental Assistant, at wleija@nctc.edu, 940-498-6224 in Suite 170. For the Gainesville, Bowie, or Graham Campuses, contact Yvonne Sandmann, ACCESS Specialist, at (ysandmann@nctc.edu, (940) 668-7731 ext. 4321) in Room 110 on the Gainesville Campus. NETWORKS is a childcare reimbursement program that may assist technical students with partial childcare reimbursement for those who apply and qualify. Contact Yvonne Sandmann, ACCESS Specialist, for more information.
Student Success Center: The Student Success Center is designed to help all students at NCTC develop tools to achieve their academic goals. This program also links students to FREE tutoring, including a Writing Center, a Math Lab, and free 24/7 online tutoring and helps new students acclimate to college by providing computer lab services for prospective students. All students are invited to visit the Student Success Center on the Corinth Campus go to rooms 170, 182, or 188; on the Gainesville Campus go to rooms 114 or 111; on the Flower Mound Campus go to room 111, on the Bowie Campus go to room 124.
TRIO Program: TRIO Programs are federally funded programs, which offer services designed to assist students in achieving their academic goals. Services include educational workshops, academic advising, tutoring, personal counseling, career counseling, cultural enrichment, and financial aid information. Students may be eligible for TRIO if they are currently enrolled at North Central Texas College, have academic need, and meet at least ONE of THREE criteria which include: 1) first generation status—neither parent has graduated from college, 2) income level is within federal low income guidelines, and/or 3) has a documented disability. TRIO is located in Room 170 on the Corinth Campus, Room 112 on the Gainesville Campus, and Room 124 on the Bowie Campus. Contact Jessica DeRoche, TRIO Coordinator, at jderoche@nctc.edu, 940-498-6212 on the Corinth Campus for more information.
Students can also access the Department of Student Success’ website by going to www.nctc.edu and clicking on the red button in the middle of the page labeled “Tutoring and Other ACADEMIC SUPPORT SERVICES” or by going directly to http://www.nctc.edu/Student_Services/Access/AcademicandStudentSupportServices.htm.
Units of Study:
Students will read and analyze a variety of selections from the adopted textbook.
- Block II: Quizzes, Examinations, and the Final Exam
Students may be required to take quizzes or tests over assigned readings and/or related materials. The class MUST meet during the final exam week. A final exam, if given, may count no more than 25% of the semester grade.
Students will write a minimum of 5,000 words (20 pages) in a variety of compositions—formal and informal. As part of this required writing, students will produce a minimum of four graded assignments. At least two of these must use the complete writing process, which may consist of the following:
- Invention
- Drafting
- Peer Review
- Revision
- Final Draft
- Block IV: Grammar and Mechanics
Students will study grammar and mechanics in the adopted handbook in order to meet departmental standards. This study may be done by examination of units in the handbook or through writing as a process, according to the discretion of the instructor.
Students will utilize library and electronic resources. They will submit a written assignment, such as an annotated bibliography, a documented essay, or several short compositions, using MLA style documentation. Pages generated as part of this research block are included in the required writing stipulated in Block III.
EEOC Statement: North Central Texas College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, or disability in the employment or the provision of services.
Etiquette/Professionalism Policy: Often, we will read material from a diverse group of thinkers and writers. Always, we will be sharing a variety of ideas and values, many with which you may not agree. Polite debate is welcome; insults and denigration of the ideas of another student or me is not welcome and will not be tolerated. Any student who mocks or scoffs anyone else in the class will be promptly dismissed, counted absent, and may not return to class until the offensive student has experienced a conference with me and the chair of the Department of English, Speech, and Foreign Language. Please conduct yourself as a professional in our classroom. Consider your academic audience, purpose, and occasion at all times.
Tobacco Free Campus: NCTC restricts the use of all tobacco products including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, electronic cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco on campus property. NCTC is aware that tobacco use influences underage students, which cumulates unsightly tobacco litter and interferes with assuring clean air for all who come to NCTC. NCTC recognizes the health hazards of tobacco use and of exposure to second hand smoke. Information on a tobacco cessation program is available for students, faculty, staff who wish to stop using tobacco products. We would like to "thank you" for your help in making our campuses Tobacco-Free. For questions or concerns, please contact the Office of Vice President of Student Services at 940-668-4240.
Important Policies:
Do not text message, accept incoming calls, or use your cell phone or iPod during class.
Do not wear ear buds to class, even if your stereo device is turned off.
You may bring a small, odorless snack or covered container of drink to class. Do not bring a meal to class. Do not bring wet foods to class. Do not bring any food item possessing an odor to class.
If you are asked to leave class because of behavioral issues, you will automatically lose 10 points from your Participation/Professionalism grade. Consider your classroom audience, purpose, and occasion before making poor choices in our classroom.
Sleeping students will be awoken, asked to leave class, and counted absent for the day. A conference with me may or may not follow the incident involving the sleeping student.
COURSE CALENDAR & Reading Schedule - See CANVAS & Course Announcements