Syllabus Engl 1301 Composition I – Spring 2019
Telephone: (940) 668-7731 ext. 4306 E-Mail Address: lcoolen@nctc.edu
Office Hours:
MW 9:30-12:15, 2-2:2:30 TR 9:30-10:45, 2-2:30 and by appointment
Office hours are also posted in Canvas “Files,” in My NCTC, and by my office door.
Composition I Syllabus
Prerequisite: Satisfactory placement test score (Current NCTC Catalog)
Required texts:
Lusk, Jayson. Unnaturally Delicious. St. Martin’s P., 2016.
Palmquist, Mike. Joining the Conversation: A Guide for Writers at North Central Texas College. 3rd
ed. MacMillan Learning, 2017.
Recommended text:
Lunsford, Andrea A. The Everyday Writer with Exercises. 6th ed. (2016 MLA Update). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2016. Print.
Supplementary Texts and Materials:
Readings from literary genres including poetry, fiction, newspaper and journal articles to
compliment chapters in Unnaturally Delicious
A recent standard college dictionary
A recent thesaurus
Catalog description of the course:
“Composition I is a course designed for intensive study of and practice in writing processes, from invention and researching to drafting, revising, and editing, both individually and collaboratively.”
In Composition I, we emphasize “effective rhetorical choices, including audience, purpose, arrangement, and style.” We focus the assignments in the course on writing academic essays because that genre serves “as a vehicle for learning, communicating, and critical analysis.”
Learning Outcomes and Core Competencies: According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board ACGM, you should, when you conclude this course, be able to
- 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.
In addition, the writing assignments are designed to develop competency in communication, critical thinking, teamwork, and personal responsibility.
Tuesday, January 22-Thursday, January 31
Unit 1 Introduction to the Course: Joining a Conversation
January 22 Syllabus, texts, prerequisite completion verification form, course contract, class folder, and student card. Discuss the syllabus in detail.
Diagnostic Essay:
Jan. 22 Meeting a classmate (Follow directions on handout.)
Interview, Written Essay
Jan. 24 Oral introduction to the class/Submit written essay
Jan 29 Revise returned essay, Assign JC Ch. 1 Understanding Yourself as a Writer
Jan. 31 Discuss JC Ch. 1/Assign JC Ch. 2 Finding and Listening in on Conversations
February 5 Discuss JC Ch. 2/Save your returned Diagnostic Essay for the portfolio due at the end of
the semester/Assign JC Ch. 3 Reading to Write
Feb. 7 Discuss JC Ch. 3/Assign JC Ch. 4 Working with Sources
Unit 2 Working Together: Collaborative Project
Feb. 12 Discuss JC Ch. 4/Read information on Collaborative Project JC pp. xxii-xxxiii
Meet your teammates/Assign Ch. 1 Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Feb. 14 Disc Grapes of Wrath/view video of how technology helped usher in the Dust Bowl/
Assign teams chapters in Unnaturally Deliscious for collaborative project. Team members
should choose a leader and consider a plan for the project. A rough draft topic outline is
required.
Feb. 19 Team members should collaborate to plan the project and draft the outline. Consider how to
identify each member’s contribution to the project. Each member must clearly identify his/her
contribution.
Feb. 21 Brief discussion of UD Chapts. 1, 2, and 4/Work on developing the project rough draft
Feb. 26 Brief discussion of UD Chapts. 5, 8, and 9/Continue work on the rough draft/Make necessary
changes in the outline/Get help as needed from the professor and tutors
Feb. 28 Complete work on the rough draft/Create a visual aid (poster or power point)
March 5 Revise and edit the outline, final draft of the essay, visual aid
March 7 Collaborative Project Due: Submit the final draft to VeriCite, a hardcopy of each
member’s typed notes to the professor/ Briefly present the project to the class
March 11-15 Spring Break
Unit 3 Argument Overview
March 19 Return Collaborative Projects/Students should retain copies to include in the portfolio
Introduce/Introduce the Argument Overview: Focus on assigned chapters in UD/Read
pp. xxiv-xxvii in JC/Begin to brainstorm ideas for the essay and writing the introduction
March 21 Discuss writing the discussion sections and contextualizing source material/Write the
rough draft introduction and discussion sections
March 26 Further discussion of writing sections/Continue writing the rough draft (Get help from
the professor and tutors.)
March 28 Discussion of writing the conclusion/Avoiding plagiarism—JC Ch. 9
April 2 Complete the Argument Overview rough draft—Get help from the professor and tutors as
Needed
April 4 Last day to withdraw from a course with a grade of “W.”
Submit the final draft of the Argument Overview to VeriCite/Submit the rough drafts
and final draft hardcopies to the professor
April 9 Unit 4 Argument Evaluation
Beginning Your Search/Library Orientation
Review JC Ch. 6
April 11 Begin writing the Argument Evaluation rough draft/Develop an outline/How to locate
Sources—JC (review Ch. 7)
April 16 How to use sources effectively—JC (review Ch. 13) Continue locating sources
April 18 Continue work on rough draft/Revise outline/Using MLA manuscript style—
JC (review Ch. 15)
April 23 Argument Evaluation rough draft—check grammar and mechanics
April 25 Revise and Edit Argument Evaluation rough draft (review JC Ch. 14)
April 30 Complete the revision of the Argument Evaluation
May 2 Submit the final draft of the Argument Evaluation to VeriCite/Submit the hardcopies of
the rough drafts and final draft to the professor
May 7 Develop the Letter of Reflection in class—JC pp. xxxiv-xxxvi
May 9 Revise and edit the Letter of Reflection in class/Submit the final draft to VeriCite/Submit
all drafts to the professor
May 13-16 Final Exams You must come to class at the scheduled final exam date to confirm your
semester grade.
Portfolio: You should keep all your assigned writing activities in a portfolio during the semester. The portfolio is a record of your writing progress during the semester and will qualify as part of your “extra credit” points for the final grade.
May 17 Commencement Ceremonies
Makeup Work: Makeup work is rarely accepted. In case of an emergency, immediately contact the instructor to ask about making up the work. I must be notified no later than the due date. Any work submitted later than the original due date will receive a lower grade. No daily assignments or quizzes will be accepted late.
Attendance: Class attendance is required. Realizing that circumstances may prevent attendance, I allow students to miss up to two weeks. However, students who miss classes risk making lower grades than those students who do not. Since NCTC has an attendance policy, students who miss more than the allotted classes will risk being dropped from the class in addition to making a low grade in the class.
Classroom Etiquette: You should always be considerate of your professor and classmates. Do not do anything to disrupt the class including using discourteous language, coming late to class or leaving early, leaving and returning to class, talking out of turn, using crude or abusive language. Do not wear earbuds or have immediate access to electronic devices during class. Students who are crude or rude may be asked to leave a class or to drop it.
Grading System: Graded assignments include 4 essays. The diagnostic essay will be marked but not graded. You may earn up to 100 points (10%) “extra credit” by keeping up with your portfolio, taking the quizzes, doing the homework, and attending class on time. Points for attendance are given infrequently. You may not earn “extra credit” points for work turned in late.
Grade Distribution:
4 Essays 90% (Essay 1: 15%, Essays 2-3: 30% each,
Essay 4: 15%)
Earned Points: “Extra Credit” (100) 10% (P ortfolio, quizzes, homework, class attendance)
A 90-100, B 80-89, C 70-79, D 60-69, F grades below 60
Learning Outcomes: Students who successfully complete English 1301 will meet the following learning outcomes and core competencies:
- 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 Competencies
- Critical Thinking Skills (CT) - creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information
- Communication Skills (COM) - effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral and visual communication
- Teamwork (TW) - ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal
- Personal Responsibility (PR) - ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making
Help on assignments: You may make an appointment to see me, see me during office hours, call me, or send me a message through Canvas. My office hours are posted on the syllabus, in Canvas, and next to my office door Room 502 E. You should also take advantage of tutors on campus (Library Lyceum)
or online.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is cheating. It is academic theft. Students who plagiarize may receive a grade of F on essays or research projects, or they may receive an F for the semester grade. (See the attached NCTC English Department Statement on Plagiarism in First-Year Composition. Note that plagiarism may even result in suspension from the college.
Cheating: Cheating in any form, including collusion, is unacceptable and may result in an F in the course.
Syllabus Revisions: The professor reserves the right to make changes in the syllabus. All dates are approximate and may be subject to change. Assignments are clarified during class sessions. Do not contact me about assignments when you miss class. Make sure that you have at least two student contacts who can inform you what is due if you have to miss class.
See the Department Syllabus posted on Canvas for further information or clarification about the course.
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The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability. On the Corinth Campus, call 940-498-6207. On the Gainesville Campus, go to room 110 or call 940-668-4209. Students on the Bowie, Graham, Flower Mound, and online campuses should call 940-668-4209.
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http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/SupportServices.aspx
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