COURSE SYLLABUS and CALENDAR
Course Name & Number: Composition I Semester & Year: Fall 2017
ENGL 1301.700
T/R 1:00-2:20
Bowie Campus/Room 119
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:
The Everyday Writer with Exercises (and 2016 MLA update), Andrea Lunsford, 6th Edition,
ISBN: 9781319083441
Instructor’s Name: Alisha Dietz, MA Office Phone #: (940) 872-4002 X 5213
Remind App: @comp701 to 81010
Instructor’s Office: BOW 116 E-mail Address: adietz@nctc.edu
Use only when Canvas is unavailable.
Office Hours: Mon 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Tues/Thurs - 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Wed 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Friday – 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. (online only)
Sunday – 8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. (online only)
Learning Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete English 1301 will meet the following learning outcomes:
- Demonstrate knowledge of individual and collaborative writing processes.
- Develop ideas with appropriate support and attribution.
- Write in a style appropriate to audience and purpose.
- Read, reflect, and respond critically to a variety of texts.
- Use Edited American English in academic essays.
Core Objectives:
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
Grading Policy & Procedures:
Here is how to calculate your grade…
Writing Assignment I 20% A = 90-100
Writing Assignment II 20% B = 80-89
Writing Assignment III 20% C = 70-79
In-Class Writing/HW/PR/Q 20% D = 60-69
Annotated Bibliography 15% F = Below 60
Grammar 5%
*Note* Daily writing exercises and quizzes may not be made up if you are absent from class; one or two daily writing grades or quizzes will be dropped at the end of the term. [See attendance policy]
*Note* Students who visit the Writing Center or UpSwing for help with writing assignments will earn ten points on their lowest quiz grade for each visit. Documentation of visit must be provided to instructor. The Writing Center is located in Room 124.
Scholastic Dishonesty: 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.”
Plagiarism, which should be avoided at all costs, includes the following student actions:
- Turning in someone else's ideas, opinions, theories, or work as your own;
- Unintentionally or inadvertently turning in someone else's ideas, opinions, theories, or work as your own as the result of failing to document sources both internally and in the Works Cited;
- Copying words, ideas, or images from someone without giving credit; Failing to put a quotation in quotations marks;
- Giving incorrect information about the source of information, quotations, or images;
- Changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit;
- Copying so many words, ideas, or images from a source that it makes up the majority of the student's work, whether or not the student gives credit.
*Note* Students who plagiarize in ENGL 1301 will fail the plagiarized assignment and may fail the course. If you are a dual credit student, plagiarism could prevent you from graduating.
Student Handbook:
Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook and published online.
Attendance & Late Work Policy:
Because each day of instruction is important, attendance to each class meeting is imperative and mandatory. Students who miss 7 classes will fail the course, regardless of classroom ability or current GPA. No exceptions.
*Note* There are no excused/unexcused absences in college. An absence is an absence, unless a student is attending a college-sponsored event.
If you do miss class, it is your responsibility to learn from the course calendar, or from other students, what you missed. Do not contact your instructor asking to be “caught up” because you were unable to attend class. Furthermore, I do NOT accept late work. Make up work will be honored only for students who miss class due to extraordinary circumstances. Extraordinary circumstances may include a death in your immediate family, hospitalization, car accident, etc. and will require documentation. If you know in advance that you will be missing class, it is your responsibility to submit any assignments due that day prior to missing class. Dual Credit Students: Be prepared to honor this rule if you are a high school athlete or participate in extra-curricular activities.
Furthermore, if you should miss class on Peer Review day, you will receive a zero for peer reviews in addition to being without the benefit of feedback and constructive criticism from peers regarding your major writing assignments.
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. If tardy behavior becomes a problem, the door will be locked when class begins so as not to distract students who arrived on time.
Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is November 9, 2017.
Disability Services (OSD)
The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides support services for students with disabilities, students enrolled in technical areas of study, and students who are classified as special populations (i.e. single parents).
Support services for students with disabilities might include appropriate and reasonable accommodations, or they may be in the form of personal counseling, academic counseling, career counseling, etc. Furthermore, OSD Counselors work with students to encourage self-advocacy and promote empowerment. The Counselors also provides resource information, disability-related information, and adaptive technology for students who qualify.
If you feel you have needs for services that the institution provides, please reach out to either Wayne Smith (940) 498-6207 or Yvonne Sandman (940) 668-4321. Alternative students may stop by Room 170 in Corinth or Room 110 in Gainesville.
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.
Important Policies:
Do not use your cell phone, ipad, laptop, or any electronic device during class. Please place all electronics out of reach. Exceptions: If you are using an ebook for the course, your electronic device will be permitted for book use only. Also, if you have completed your work, and the instructor is not lecturing and/or we are not having a class discussion/activity, you may use your phone at that time.
NCTC Bowie prohibits food and drink in the classrooms. Students may bring in bottled water only.
Sleeping students will be awoken, asked to leave class, and counted absent for the day.
Our classroom is a safe environment for all learners. Be kind to each other at all times.
NOTE: If you are asked to leave class because of the above-mentioned behavioral issues, you will automatically be counted absent for the day. Consider your classroom audience, purpose, and occasion before making poor choices in our classroom.
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.