ENGLISH 1301:  Composition I

Course Information Sheet

Texas State Technical College

Fall 2009

Course Description

English 1301 emphasizes critical thinking skills in the composition of multi-paragraph essays about personl experience, current issues, and published material.

Course Prerequisites

An "A" in Writing 100 or at least a "C" in Writing 200.

Instrctor - F. Ilnicky        E-mail - frances.ilnicky@harlingen.tstc.edu Office - None                       Office hours - By appointment only

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK

Wyrick, Jean.  Steps to Writing Well:  with Additional Readings.  Seventh Edition. Thomson-Wadsworth, 2008.

SUGGESTED:  A standard American Dictionary (paperback); Roget's Thesaurus; MLA Handbook (6th ed. or later)

Required materials:

Current Student ID (for admission to writing labs); USB pen drive; black or blue ink pens; 3-ring loose-leaf college ruled notebook;  3 -ring one inch binde (portfolio), and two (2) pocket folders, color determined by instructor.

Note: The lowest possible grade for this course is a 60.

Accommodations:

If you have a documented disability which will make it difficult for yo to carry out class work as outlines and you wish to request reasonable accommodations, please notify me or the Support Services Office within the first two (2) weeks fo the semester.  For more information, call or visit the Support Services Office in the Auxiliary Service Building at (956) 364-4520.

COURSE PURPOSE & SCOPE

ENGL 1301 introduces students to critical thinking, close, analytical, college-leve reading of narratives, arguments, and expository prose, and to the writing of expository and argumentative prose in response to reading.  Additionally, students will have the opportunity to master the most basic methods of library research and college level essay documentation. 

Through your active class participation, you may gain an appreciation of the difficulties and rewards of producing writing for an audience, whether that be at work, school, or in the community, but you should leave the course also with better control over writing conventions, greater command of the content and structure of expository and argument, sharper critical thinking ability, and a renewed sense of your ability as a writer.

What you must do to succeed in this class:

• To succeed in this class, you must adopt an active and disciplined role.  The activities of the class are informed by writing strong, well-focused, error-free essays by responding to course issuses and discussions, and by completing assignments, papers and exams by deadline.  You must read carefully, study rigorously, reflect deeply on the issues, and, of course, write, edit, proofread and submit every writing assignment on time.
• Your regular attendance in class will benefit your writing and thinking, and help your classmates as well. 
• As in most learned activities, the adage "practice makes perfect" applies.  Writing is both an intellecual and social practice; to what extent and depth you write is--in large part---up to you.  The more attention to give to writing, the better the results. 

What the instructor expects of you:

• Regular and punctual attendance at all classes is expected.  A percentage of your final earned grade is based on your attendance.  The attendance policy of TSTC (and/or the respective high school for DL/DE students) will be followed. 
• Exchange e-mail addresses with at least two (2) class peers.  If you are absent, email them; do not expect me to fill you in on everything you missed!
• You may be allowed to make up work if your absence is due to a personal illness or emergency that is excused by the instructor.  Calling in does not make the absence excused.  A written explanation from the appropriate authority (doctor, funeral home, etc.) may be required.
• I do not accept late papers, and quizzes cannot be made up.
  
• Make arrangements with me on the fist day of your return to class to  possibly make up your work. 
• Expect to take notes during lectures!  All class notes must be included in the Writer's Portfolio.
• A series of short, unannounced quizzes may be given each week.  These are based on assigned readings as well as on instructor's lectures.  Quizzes may consist of definitions, important events, people, places or concepts.  Any missed quiz cannot be made up.
• Tests (exams) can be made up only if you have a valid, justified reason that is accepted by the instructor, and arrangements to take a make-up test have been made with me. 
• Assignments from this course are subject to be archived for general education assessment.  Procedures will follow protocols as prescribed by the research guidelines of the Association for Institutional Research.
• Student who do not regularty attenc each class throughout the semester, or who do not take the final examination will receive a failing grade in the course, regardless of previous grades earned.
• After the 12th class, the student is respnosible for officially withdrawing [notifing the appropriate offices and departments] from the course; otherwise, a greade of "F" will be assigned to the student at the end of the course.  
• Cell phones, PC's, hand-held games, or other personal recreational devices are not allowed in the classroom.  If your place of employment needs to contact you via cell phone, you must alert me to this fact before class.  Absoulutely no cell phones or other devices are allowed in the classroom during test times.

COURSE WORK:

Students will develop no less than three (3) assigned essays of the type I propose, in addition to a final project research paper (the subject of which will be determioned by the instructor).  The research paper is a "guided" project, and will depend heavily on the student's timely reasearch, an dappropriate MLA documentation; in part, this project will include a preliminary annotated bibliography, and also will contain a Works Cited page [in proper MLA format] at the submission of the final paper.  Each "step" will be awarded points based on solid (sic concrete) reproducible research, written content and theme development.  Details will be discussed at length in class.

A Writing Workshop/Peer Review will be held during the class prior to each assigned essay deadline.  For this session, students are asked to bring a minimum of two (2) legible copies of their draft to share with selecte peers (Instructor decides).  These writing workshops are designed to help students become better writers, increase writing communication knowledge, and refine attention as disciplined critics.  The environment of each Workshop/Peer Review depends on your active paticipation.  Attendance is mandatory.  For each Peer Review, an unexcused absence will lower the assigned draft's earned grade by one-half (1/2) a grade.

Specifically, the research paper project is "guided;" this simply means that I will work with yu each stip of the way in its development, providing that you display up-to-the-momoent preparations as I require.  Each step of the research paper is essential and is 'graded' by me; your timely preparation and involvement in the project significantly impacts your earned grade on this research (final) paper's earned grade.  Note: The research ppaer is weighted at 20% of you final earned grade in this course. 

Writing assignment guidelines:

1)  You are expected to keep a Writier's Portfolio of your work; iclusions will be discussed in class.  Your Writer's portfolio will be checked by me both at mid-term and again before the final exam date. 

2)  Because you are learning to become a better writer, I offer you the opportunity to rewrite - within certain time constraints- any of the first three (3) assignments which may have earned an "F."

BUT ---

• Missed or late assignments do not qualify for a "rewrite."
• I pay close attention to your writing progress, so handing in an assignment tah obviously has not initially received your best attention and writing care will not qualify as a "rewrite."
• Also, just retyping to correct the errors I have marked does not constitute a successful rewrite.  Content is the major factor. 
• Any paper that I allow you to rewrite must be returned to me _ with the original attached--within one week of my returning it to you.  Place both the original an the rewrite into your class folder, please! The deadline for the rewritten paper will be clearly marked on the returned original.
• Any rewritten paper's grade erases the initial "F" grade, and that rewritten paper grade will stand, regardless what is earned.  (e.g. If a rewrite earns an "A" (B,C, etc) then an "A" (B,C, etc.) is recorded; if "F" then an F is recorded. 
• If you need additional help writing papers, tutors are available in the Writing Lab:  W 124, but you must make an appointment!  This resource is part of your school fees; no payment is necessary.

3)  Use the designated color tow-pocket folder to turn in your work.  Any assignments not in a folder will no be corrected.  The format for essays will be discussed in class.  On occasion, I will ask you to turn your papers in at Ms Betty Emerson's office, W 352; she is the Secretary of the English/Spanish Dept.  Of course, you must have your work in the appropriate class pocket foder. 

4)  Please, use paperclips, not staples.

5)  If you are absent the day I return the bulk of assignments to the class, you may not rewrite that essay if you earned an "F."

6)  I do not accept late writing assignments.  Furtermore, no revisions/resubmissions can be attempted for assignments not turned in.

**Grammar and punctuation diagnotic test:  All students in ENGL 1301 are required to take a diagnostic test during the first week of the semester.  (Those in Saturday classes will take this test on the second scheduled Saturday.)  Bring a pencil and a green Scantron to class.  Those scoring below 70% will be required to complete a computer-assited grammar progrma in the Writing Lab (W-124) by midterm/Week 8.  this work will be done on your own time; falure to attend class because you are working on the Diagnostic test, is not an excused absence!  Remember to print out your Diagnostic work each time you are in the lab, and also save yoru work to your pen-drive.  Failure to complete this test and/or the subsequent lab-assigned remedial work will result in an "F" on the mid-term grade report.  Keep the Writing Lab's signed completed diagnostic test in your Writer's Portfolio.

Final Exam:  A final exam is given to this class.  Failure to take this exam will result in an "F" for the course, regardless of previous work and grades earned. As in most situations, being absent on the day of the date/time announcement of the fianl exam (or for any other such announcement) is no excuse to miss the final exam or any other test.