ENGL 1301 411 - COMPOSITION I

Introduction

Syllabus

Course Name & Number

Composition I ENGL 1301

Semester & Year

Summer 2018

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.
Instructor’s Name	Jacob Arnold	Office Phone #	940-498-6282
Instructor’s Office #	COR 324		Ext. 6513
E-mail Address	jarnold@nctc.edu	Course Room #	Online

Office Hours

Monday-Thursday: 8:30-9:30 AM and 12:00-1:00 PM

Please know that I will meet you at other times if at all possible at your emailed request. We can chat or message on Canvas, and you can leave me a message on my office phone and I will return it as soon as I can. My goal is your success and will help in whatever way I can. Just contact me and let me know how.

Important Dates

Classes Begin – June 4, 2018

Last day to drop with a “W” – June 28, 2018

Fourth of July (college closed) – July 4, 2018

Final Exam – July 5, 2018

Textbooks & Materials

Required / Recommended

Unnaturally Delicious: How Science and Technology are Serving up Super Foods To Save the World by Jayson Lusk ISBN: 978-1-250-07430-0

Amazon Link: CLICK ME

Electronic, custom NCTC writing Textbook (available on Canvas)

Evaluation Criteria

Course Discussions/Quizzes

Reading/Writing/Reflection Journal

Argument Overview

Argument Evaluation

Group Project – Public Service Announcement: print ad

Final – Letter of Reflection

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

All grades taken will be weighted equally and entered into Canvas under the same category. Everything that we do is important to me (and hopefully to you). The average reflected in Canvas will be the accurate and sole average for the course as it develops. Everything will be graded on a 100 point, percentile based scale. Final drafts are rubric assessed. At the end of the semester, your grade in Canvas will be your final average for the course. It is your responsibility to keep up with your grades in Canvas. Please contact me first with any issues/discrepancies you might come across. There will be no extra credit given at any time. Here is a basic breakdown of what your final grade means:

A (90-100) level work: What you submitted is filled with your voice, maturity, and academic prowess. It seems evident that you practiced a writing process, planned your work out, thought about your audience, revised, and put forth great effort. Your words are carefully chosen and your sentences rhetorically strong. The hope of the work is clear and your development/organization are on point. You have exceeded my expectations.
B (80-89) level work: What you submitted shows signs of your voice, maturity, and academic prowess. It seems likely that you practiced a writing process, planned your work out, revised, and put forth effort. Your word choice is sharp, but your piece as a whole lacks rhetorical consideration. The hope of the piece is explicitly stated, and the development/organization needs some attention. You have met my expectations, and I can see potential in your work.
C (70-79) level work: What you submitted shows minimal signs of voice, maturity, and academic prowess. It seems like your piece was only created once and/or not revised enough. The work has a undeveloped point, and it is not developed well enough. You’ve accomplished the minimum. The base level of expectations have been met, but I can tell that you have more to give.
D (60-69) level work: What you submitted doesn’t show signs of voice, collegiate work, or academic prowess. The piece feels rushed and is not at college level. I cannot see the hope of your work and there isn’t much development or organization. The base level of expectations was not met.
F (59 and below) level work: What you submitted fails to meet any expectations or you didn’t submit something complete enough for me to evaluate at the collegiate level.

Please contact me first with any questions or concerns about a grade you received. I am more than happy to go into further detail with you about my reasoning and philosophical ideas concerning grading writing based projects.

ADA Statement

North Central Texas College does not discriminate on the basis of disability for admission or access to its programs. The College is committed to providing equal access to its students with disabilities by providing appropriate accommodations; a variety of services and resources are made available through the ACCESS Department. Students are responsible for notifying the ACCESS Department of their need for assistance. Students with documented disabilities, such as mobility impairment, hearing or visual impairment, learning, and/or psychological disorders are eligible for services.

Disability Accommodations

The 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 distraction-reduced environment, volunteer 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 Building (100) or call 940-668-4209. Students on the Bowie, Graham, Flower Mound, and online campuses should call 940-668-4209 to arrange for an intake appointment with OSD.

North Central Texas College is on record as being 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).

http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/SupportServices/Disabilityservices/DisabilitiesFacultyResources.aspx

Attendance Policy

Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered. All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor. It is the student responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgement by the faculty member. Approved college sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence. Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work. Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor. A student who is compelled to be absent when a test is given should petition the instructor, in advance if possible, for permission to postpone the exam. Student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives. Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)

Prompt attendance is an expectation for this course. Please be ready to start class at the intended time if it is a face to face course. Please prepare time daily to work online. Don’t make a habit of being late to scheduled classes or committed time online.. I understand that there are unavoidable instances that arise in life, but through all action, reaction is born. After four (4) absences or two weeks of missed assignments, we will have a conversation about your performance thus far and likelihood of success for the future. No decisions will be made without first consulting with one another. Each issue concerning absences that presents itself will be handled individually and ALWAYS after we discuss everything together. If you remain in the course with an exceptional amount of absences or late work, please continue to do work and give more effort than you previously have.

Late work will not be accepted without a formal cover letter explaining why the assignment is late. In a face to face course, both must be printed off and brought to me during normal class time. Online, a separate email must be sent including both documents. If work is not turned in to me at the previously posted/discussed date, it will be considered late. I will accept late work over one week late only in dire circumstances, and it is at my discretion as to whether or not it will be formally graded. After two cover letters, we will have a conversation about how to solve whatever environmental stressors have arisen. I reserve the right to not evaluate late work and administratively drop students not meeting the expectations of our attendance and late work policy.

If you are going to receive a zero for an assignment, I still expect to read and view your work. Please do not give up if you miss a due date. Have grit. Again, all situations will be evaluated on their own and acceptance for a grade is up to my personal evaluation of the reasoning provided.

*** The bottom line is: Please don’t be absent, and work hard. ***

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, #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.

Please don’t cheat on an assignment. Ever. If you are struggling, contact me and we can work through any issue together. Even if you get away with it and fool me, you’ve gained nothing. Email me if you’re feeling the urge to cheat on any assignment, big or small.

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.

Other Pertinent Information

Etiquette/Professionalism Policy

We will read material from a diverse group of thinkers and writers. There will be a constant sharing of ideas and values, many with which you may not agree. Polite debate is welcome and will be required from time to time. Insults and denigration of the ideas shared is not welcome and will not be tolerated. Any student who mocks or scoffs at 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 the chair of the Department of English, Speech, and Foreign Language and me. Please conduct yourself as a professional in our classroom. Consider your academic audience, purpose, and occasion at all times. Listen and be kind to one another.

Gender Identity

This course affirms people of all gender expressions and identities. If you prefer to be called a different name than is what on the class roster, please let me know. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records, and so I may call you by your correct name and pronoun.

Support Services

Counseling and Testing staff offer a variety of services to current and prospective students, such as College 101, placement testing, academic advising and course registration, transfer assistance, and College Success seminars (Time Management, Study Skills, Test Anxiety, Choosing a Major, Learning Style Strategies, Career Exploration), and much more.

http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/CounselingTesting.aspx

Student Success offers academic coaching, tutoring, including a Writing Center, a Math Lab, free 24/7 online tutoring through Grade Results and assist new students acclimate to college by providing computer lab services for prospective students. First generation students can also participate in TRIO which offers specialized support services.

http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/SupportServices.aspx

Financial Aid offers financial resources for students that qualify, visit the financial aid offices for more information.

http://www.nctc.edu/FInancialAidHome.aspx

Early Alert/CARES

The NCTC Early Alert program has been established to assist students who are at risk of failing or withdrawing from a course. Your instructor may refer you to this program if you are missing assignments, failing tests, excessively absent, or have personal circumstances impacting your academic performance. If submitted as an Early Alert you will be notified via your NCTC e-mail address and then contacted by a Counseling and Testing advisor or counselor to discuss possible strategies for completing your course successfully. The NCTC CARES (Campus Assessment Response Evaluation Services) Team addresses behavior which may be disruptive, harmful or pose a threat to to the health and safety of the NCTC community-such as stalking, harassment, physical or emotional abuse, violent or threatening behavior, or self-harm. As a student, you have the ability to report concerning behavior which could impact your own safety or the safety of another NCTC student. Just click the NCTC CARES Team logo posted on MyNCTC, or send an e-mail to CARESTeam@nctc.edu. As always, if you feel there is an immediate threat to your own safety or welfare (or to another student), please call 911 immediately.

Student Life!

At NCTC, we are working hard to provide an array of fun opportunities for students to come together in a social setting with their classmates and other members of the college community. These opportunities range from student organizations, student activities, leadership retreats, service learning trips, intramural sports, outdoor pursuits and everything in between. It’s all aimed at providing a place for students at NCTC to learn and grow outside of the classroom. Contact Brisa Chavez in Room 173 (bchavez@nctc.edu) for more information. Get connected with Student Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram “lifeatnctc” or Snap Chat “lifeatnctc5.”

For Service Learning Trip information you can visit:

http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/StudentLifeHousing/ServiceLearning1.aspx

Calendar or Course Outline

The following is a basic breakdown of the next five weeks. I reserve the right to change dates on assignments to better serve the needs of the class. I will never change things at your detriment, so don’t worry about that. Many activities will require you to access Canvas. Please have access to a computer to complete these as the app can be finicky at times. All due dates are already programmed to your Canvas calendar. If you have any questions, just let me know.

Week 1

Introductions all around

Writing processes, environmental sustainability, argumentation

Begin Challenge 2 module in Canvas and all required activities

Week 2

Argument Overview

Finish Challenge 2 module and begin Challenge 3 module in Canvas and all required activities

Week 3

Argument Evaluation

Finish Challenge 3 module and (if we have time) begin Challenge 4 module in Canvas and all required activities

Week 4

Group Work (Public Service Announcement ad)

Continue Challenge 4 module in Canvas and all required activities

Week 5

Group Work (Public Service Announcement ad)

Final

Finish Challenge 4 and Challenge 5 modules in Canvas and all required activities

ENGL 1301 411 - COMPOSITION I

Introduction

Syllabus

Semester & Year

Catalog Description

Instructor’s Name

Office Phone #

Instructor’s Office #

E-mail Address

Course Room #

Learning Outcomes

Core Objectives

ADA Statement

Attendance Policy

EEOC Statement

Syllabus File(s)

Unit 1 [unit]