SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGES AND LITERATURE (901) 333-5208
Course Name: English Composition I
Course Number/Section/Credit hours/Lecture hours/Lab hours:
ENGL1010-135/3 credit hours/3 lecture hours
Instructor/Rank: Instructor Emily Ford
Office Location:
Thorton 101 - adjunct office
Office Phone or How
to contact the instructor/Fax/Internet/E-mail:
333-4243/ eford@southwest.tn.edu
Department: Fine
Arts, Languages, and Literature
Course
Term/Location/Room: Fall 2013/ Macon Academic Building C – Room 193
Office Hours: Fri.
by appointment
Course Description
and Pre-requisites/Co-requisites:
Through writing compositions and reading essays and short
fiction critically, students are taught to organize and develop ideas, using
various rhetorical modes and editing techniques. The course focuses chiefly on
improving the clarity and effectiveness of writing and includes instruction and
practice in the research process.
Prerequisite: READ 0810 and ENGL 0810 or satisfactory
performance on the Compass or ACT test.
Entry Skills
To be successful in Composition I students should bring
these skills and knowledge to the course:
- the
ability to write a paragraph—a clear sense of distinct beginning, middle
and end.
- the
ability to support ideas with specific evidence.
- the
ability to demonstrate basic sentence grammar, such as accurate verb forms
and tenses, correct punctuation and spelling, and varied sentence
structure—writing substantially free of fragments, fused sentences, comma
splices, subject-verb agreement errors, and verb form/tense errors.
- the ability to read and comprehend popular
non-fiction writing by identifying and distinguishing main ideas and
evidence.
Learning Outcomes:
The goal of the Communication requirement is to enhance the
effective use of the English language essential to students’ success in school
and in the world by way of learning to read and listen critically and to write
and speak thoughtfully, clearly, coherently, and persuasively. Students will demonstrate
the ability to:
1. Analyze and evaluate written expression by
reading critically for elements that reflect an awareness of situation,
audience, purpose, and diverse points of view.
2. Distill a primary purpose into a single,
compelling statement and order and develop major points in a reasonable and
convincing manner based on that purpose.
3. Develop appropriate rhetorical patterns
(i.e. narration, example, process, comparison/contrast, classification,
cause/effect, definition, argumentation) and other special functions (i.e.
analysis or research), while demonstrating writing skills from process to
product.
4. Understand that the writing and/or speaking
process includes procedures such as
planning, organizing, composing, revising, and editing.
5. Make written and/or oral presentations
employing correct diction, syntax, usage, grammar, and mechanics.
6. Manage and coordinate basic information
gathered from multiple sources for the purposes of problem solving and
decision-making.
7. Recognize the use of evidence, analysis,
and persuasive strategies, including basic distinctions among opinions, facts,
and inferences.
Required
Texts/Supplementary Course Materials:
1. Fowler, H. Ramsey, and Jane E.
Aaron. The Little, Brown Handbook. 12th
ed. New York: Pearson-Longman, 2012.
2. Kirszner, Laurie G., and Stephen R.
Mandell, ed. Patterns for College Writing.
12th ed. Boston
3. The
American Heritage Dictionary. 4th
ed. Boston
4. manila folder (8 ½ x 11)
5. standard loose-leaf notebook paper
and a flash drive (labs)
6. blue or black ink pens
Instructional/Learning Methods:
The methodology
is a mixture of lecture, discussion, and lab for writing.
Methods of Evaluation:
Essays 400 points (4 x 100)
Journals 100 points
Minor
assignments 100 points
Final exam essay 100 points
Total 700
points
Grading Scale:
100-90 = A; 89-80
= B; 79-70 = C; 69-60 = D;
59-0 = F
Major Assignments: Five essays (Description,
Definition, Cause/Effect, Comparison/Contrast, and Final Exam). Combined your
essays should be a minimum of 2500 words.
Minor Assignments: These consist of
homework assignments, minor in-class writing assignments, or quizzes. There
will be a total of 12 assignments worth 10 points each. The lowest two scores
will be dropped making the total points possible 100. You will know due dates
for each assignment and can turn in assignments late if you are absent. But
assignments can not be made up. Journals will be short writing assignments done
at the beginning of class on the homework readings.
Final Exam: Friday,
Dec. 6, 9:45 – 11:45 a.m.
ADA Statement: Southwest is committed
to providing reasonable accommodation for all qualified students
with
disabilities. It is the responsibility of the student to contact the Counseling
Office to
arrange for
appropriate accommodation. When the disability has been documented and
verified, a
counselor will notify the instructor regarding any special accommodation to be
provided.
For more information, contact the Career Counseling
Center
of the Farris
Complex, Room 2144, 333-4223
Misuse of Computers:
Computers located
in Southwest’s classrooms, laboratories, and Academic Resource Center
(ARC) are for educational purposes only. You will be asked
to leave class if you use them for any other purpose during class (i.e.
checking personal e-mail, playing solitaire, Facebooking, etc.)
You must arrange ahead of time with the instructor if you
feel it necessary to bring your personal laptop to class. Headphones are not
allowed in class.
Instructor Policies:
Attendance/Punctuality:
Because attention to lectures
and participation in class discussions are aids to learning, regular attendance
is required for the full period; excessive absences and tardiness may affect a
student’s final course grade:
2 absences (or six hours) for classes
meeting one times each week
For each absence missed after
the allowed 2, 10 points will be
deducted from your final point total.
Students who arrive after class has
started are required to sign in. Students who need to leave early for a
legitimate reason are required to inform the instructor before class begins.
Students are responsible for all
information missed due to absences.
Make-ups: Any late papers will require either an essay of apology
to be written and presented to the class and instructor before being accepted
or a ten point deduction. Papers will not be accepted for any reason if they
are more than one week late. It is your responsibility to personally turn in a
late paper to me. Do not put it in your folder for me to find later.
No
late papers will be accepted on the day of the final exam unless prior arrangements
with me have been made.
Information regarding the drop process: Fri., Nov. 1, is the last day to withdraw
from the course with a grade of “W.” If you stop coming to this course, but do
not officially drop, you will receive an F.
Information regarding the taking of daily attendance and reporting
attendance: Attendance will be taken daily.
The instructor reserves the
right to dismiss any student who violates class policies by engaging in
excessive talking, eating, drinking, texting, playing computer games, twittering,
or sleeping. In other words, don’t be obnoxious.
Class Structure: This course is organized around the writing of five
essays. In order to learn the process of writing, each essay will go through
several stages of planning and revision-prewriting or invention, a rough draft(s),
and a final draft. Part of the revision process will also involve peer editing.
The fifth essay (the final exam) is also
the Writing Assessment and must be written in class during a two-hour period of
time and will incorporate the use of outside sources.
Web Information:
You can access our class blog at: http://efordcomp.blogspot.com. The
purpose of this blog is to continue our conversations outside of class. It
should in no way replace your physical presence in class for three hours every
Friday! You are not required to comment, but should you choose to, please use
proper punctuation and grammar.
Note: This is not a web-assisted
course. This course can not be looked up on PAWS. Do not try to email me
through PAWS.
Formatting and Styles:
In general, your essays should be double-spaced, typed pages, approximately
2-4 pages in length.
Cheating/Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is using another person’s words or ideas as your own. The penalty
for plagiarism is failure. If you are in doubt about how to use sources, ask
your instructor.
Student Engagement to Improve Learning
Faculty in Fine Arts, Languages, and Literature courses
strive to teach the skills and competencies that students need. Academic
success requires the full participation of the students; therefore, we
communicate the following expectations to improve learning:
Attendance/Punctuality:
- Regular and punctual attendance is required
for the entire period: students should arrive on time and remain until the
end of each class meeting.
- Only registered students may attend class.
- For online courses, attendance is determined
by the submission of assignments, not by simply logging on to the course.
Academic
Preparedness/Participation requires that the student:
- Read the assigned lessons.
- Bring all necessary course materials to all
class sessions.
- Complete and hand in assignments on time.
- Complete all tests on the scheduled date.
- Take advantage of tutoring at the
- Refrain from cheating, including
plagiarizing, which constitutes Academic Misconduct.
Classroom Behavior
requires that the student:
- Be fair, accurate, and respectful in all
communications with instructors, fellow students, and staff.
- Turn off and put away all cellular
telephones, pagers, and any other distracting devices before coming into
classrooms and labs.
- Use computers only as directed by the
instructor.
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