Amarillo College Logo

Freshman Composition I Syllabus for 2011-2012
Return to Syllabus List

Instructor Information

Instructor

Cindy Rogers (Curriculum Vitae)

E-Mail

carogers@actx.edu

Phone

Office Location

Office Hours

 

As I am a part-time instructor, I do not have an office.  You can reach me at any point using either AC email:  carogers@actx.edu OR carogers@amarillocollege.com.  If you go through our Blackboard class, the email will go straight to my AC account and will contain our class section number.  Unless I notify you otherwise, I will check the AC email several times a day.

I will be at AC every morning at least 30 minutes before class begins to offer help as needed.  Please feel free to come early.  If I'm not in the room, check in the office or around in the tutoring center, as sometimes I need to go either place.  

Course Information

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact disAbility Services (Student Service Center room 119, phone 371-5436) as soon as possible.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Administrative Drop Policy

N/A

Student Withdrawal Procedures

N/A

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

ENGL-1301-027 Freshman Composition I

Prerequisites

RDNG 0331 and ENGL 0302-minimum grade of C or scores on a state-approved test indicating college-level reading and writing skills

Course Description

Principles of effective writing, emphasizing organization of materials to produce a unified essay which supports convincingly a thesis statement. Review of conventional elements of writing and introduction to rhetorical analysis.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

\N

Occupational License Disclaimer

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec, 1 lab)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

\ Faigley, Lester, and Jack Selzer. Good Reasons. Custom ed. New York: Pearson Longman, 2011.

\
\ Kirszner, Laurie G., and Stephen R. Mandell. The Concise Wadsworth Handbook packaged with Insite Card (2 semester card) includes the 2009 MLA Update. 2nd ed. Boston: Cengage, 2008. (recommended but not required)
\
\  
\
\ Carter, Judith L., et al. A Rhetoric Handbook for English 1301 and 1302. 4th ed. Mason: Cengage, 2010.

Supplies

While I encourage you to keep a notebook, the only real requirements for each class meeting are:

paper

pen

previously taken notes

textbook(s) when requested

 

Student Performance

\ 1.  Understand basic rhetorical concepts: subject, audience, purpose, and appeals.

\
\ 2.  Apply rhetorical concepts in analyzing and evaluating text.
\
\  
\
\ 3.  Use standard American English to write essays that are rhetorically effective: clear, organized, detailed, grammatically correct, and audience specific.
\
\  
\
\ 4.  Use the library's online databases and other computer resources for research and word processing.
\
\  
\
\ 5.  Write a third person, argumentative research paper following the MLA format for citing sources.
\

\  

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

\ No cell phones, texting, pagers, Ipods, or any other electronic devices are allowed during class.  If you have an emergency or some other reason that you need to leave a cell phone on, please inform me at the beginning of the class.

\
\ ENGLISH DEPARTMENT PLAGIARISM POLICY (Revised January, 2009):
\
\  
\
\ Plagiarism:
\
\ According to the Amarillo College Student Code of Conduct, plagiarism is the "appropriating, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means another's work and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of it in one's own written work."
\
\  
\
\ Misdocumented Plagiarism:
\
\ 1.  Using someone else's exact words that are quoted but not cited or cited but not quoted.
\
\  
\
\ 2.  Using a citation at the end of a block of prose without clarifying which material is borrowed.
\
\  
\
\ 3.   Missing or incomplete works cited entries.
\
\  
\
\ Misdocumented plagiarism will receive a maximum 50 percent deduction for the first offense, and the student will be required to meet with the instructor.
\
\  
\
\ Undocumented Plagiarism:
\
\ 1.  Using someone else's exact words that are neither quoted nor cited.
\
\  
\
\ 2.  Paraphrasing someone else's words without citing them.
\
\  
\
\ 3.  Using someone else's research without citing it.
\
\  
\
\ Undocumented plagiarism will receive a minimum penalty of 50 percent for the first time and 100 percent off for all subsequent infractions. The student will be required to meet with the instructor and the English Department Chair.

Grading Criteria

50% Essays and Major Tests

10% "Daily" assignments--minor assignments that we will do throughout the semester to supplement learning

20% Researched Essay

20% Final Exam/Semester Test (in-class essay)
 
90-100 = A, 80-89 = B, 70-79 = C, 60-69 = D, Below 60 = F

No late work is accepted.  If an assignment is due and you must be absent, you must email your work to me before the class begins.   Being very late to a class meeting or missing one entirely to complete work due that evening is NOT acceptable and will result in a 10-20 point reduction on that grade.  In case of an emergency, please submit your paper with the appropriate proof of emergency within 24 hours of the missed class.

Specific assignments will be posted on the AC Online class the day after each class meeting.  It is your responsibility to look there and complete the assignment.

When we have peer-tutoring scheduled for a class period, that means that you are to have a complete rough draft with you.  It may be hand-written and "messy," but it must be there.  I do NOT mean simply a list of ideas or one paragraph scrawled on a piece of paper.  Even if you have difficulty with that particular assignment, you must write SOMETHING.  Failure to do so will result in a zero (0) on that day's daily grade.  These events are essential to your developing your ability to write well, and your classmates' opinions are as valuable to you as mine.

All scheduled essays/exams are required.  No "extra credit" or "dropped grades" are available.  In the rare instance that I offer an extra exam, that offer is granted to all students, regardless of their current average.

Essays which contain sentence fragments, run-on sentences, or first or second person pronouns will receive a penalty of up to 10 points per infraction. 


In the case of an emergency which causes you to miss an in-class test / essay, you will have until the following Monday to come to Computer Lab 101 between 7:15 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. to make the essay up.  (Because the lab is only open until 9:45 p.m., you will have to begin your test by 7:00 in order to have sufficient time to finish it.)


The lab is closed on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Attendance

Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the student to attend class and to complete all assignments. 

If you must miss a class, you must inform me, preferably by email, within 24 hours of the missed class.  I understand that things happen, but you must understand that each class meeting is the equivalent of one week's work.  To miss more than one or two meetings is simply not in your best interests.

Being tardy by more than a few minutes can result in that meeting counting as an absence.  Your classmates deserve your respect by everyone being on time.

I start my class promptly at the published start time and will assure you of a timely dismissal.

 

If during the semester you consider dropping, please check with me first for an alternate plan, one that protects your investment in the course and gives you an opportunity to complete it. Remember that the deadline for drops this semester is April 19, 2012.

Calendar

Calendar for 1301-027  (Spring)—These dates may change due to circumstances beyond our control, but they’re pretty close, especially the due dates.

Week 1—Jan. 17—Introduce class and review syllabus.

                                    Discuss arguments and ethos, logos, and pathos

                                    Begin discussion of analysis

                                                Assignment:  Read text pp. 182-187, 69-86, and 332-333 (in this                                                            order, please)

                                                            Find and bring a visual that you’d like to discuss (an

                                                            advertisement, political cartoon, or some other

                                                            interesting piece. (daily grade)

 

Week 2—Jan. 24—Look at visuals and discuss the processes which make them appealing.

                                    Begin process of rhetorical analysis using essay on pp. 332-333.

                                                Assignment:  Read sample essays posted on AC Online

                                                            Read text pp. 22-29

 

Week 3—Jan. 31—Complete process of analysis. 

                                    “Teletubby” articles

                                    Re-examine visuals using appeals p. 361.

                                                Assignment:  Prepare Analysis One for peer editing (specific

                                                            assignment to be given in class)—daily grade

                                                            Read text pp. 406-414  “El Doctor”

 

Week 4—Feb. 7--Discuss “El Doctor” both for content and for rhetorical devices.  Daily quiz

                                    9/11 activities

                                    Review analysis process and discuss difficulties encountered.

                                    Peer-edit analysis one  (reminder—daily grade)

                                                Assignment:  Complete analysis 1 (typed, double-spaced,

                                                            Times New Roman 12 point) for submission next week.

                                                            Read pp. 399, 144-152

 

Week 5—Feb. 14—Submit Analysis 1 for grading.  (grades to be posted by Saturday)

                                    American Rhetoric games

                                    Discuss reading, specifically how the authors achieved their purposes and

                                                what rhetorical devices were most effective.

                                    Discuss the process of completing the essay.

                                                Assignment:  Prepare Rough Draft of Analysis Two for

                                                            Peer-editing next week. (specific assignment given in

                                                                        class that week)  (daily grade)

                                                            Read pp. 458-459, 462-465

 

Week 6—Feb. 21—Return Analysis 1 and discuss problems.

                                    Regan’s shuttle speech

Discuss reading, specifically how the attitudes of the authors differed and

                                    how they conveyed those attitudes.—Daily Quiz

                                    Peer edit Analysis 2  (Reminder:  Daily grade)

                                                Assignment:  Complete Analysis 2 for submission next week.

 

Week 7—Feb. 28—Submit Analysis 2 for grading (Grades posted by Saturday)

                                    Obama’s We the People

                                    Begin discussing writing arguments and how the analysis process

                                                should help.  Examine possible topics.

                                    Write a sample argumentative essay in class (Daily Grade)

                                                            Assignment:   Write Analysis 3 for submission next      

                                                                        week.  There will be no peer editing of this one!

 

Week 8—Mar. 6—Hand back Analysis 2 and discuss difficulties.

Submit Analysis 3 for grading  (grades posted by Saturday)

                                    Look at sample “mini research” essays

                                    Discuss the process of citation.

                                    Review the plagiarism policy and look at Leonard Pitts essay

                                                Assignment:  Complete rough draft of Mini-research 1

                                                            Choose a possible topic for research paper

SPRING BREAK!!!!!

 

Week 9—Mar. 20—Hand back Analysis 3 and discuss difficulties

Discuss individual topic choices and Works Cited samples.

                                    Peer Edit Mini Research 1  (Daily grade)

                                                Assignment:  Complete Mini-research 1 for grading

 

Week 10—Mar. 27—Submit Mini-Research 1 for grading (Grades posted by Saturday)

                                    Discuss use of Library Data Bases.

                                    Go to Computer Lab to begin search for materials from Library Data

                                                Bases.  Bring a jump drive if possible.

                                                Assignment:  Complete Mini-research 2 for peer editing (daily

                                                                                                grade)

                                                                        Begin note taking process

                                                                        Bring at least three articles on your topic

 

Week 11—Apr. 3—Peer edit Mini Research 2  (Reminder:  Daily Grade)

                                    Return Mini-Research 1 and discuss difficulties

                                    Review Works Cited forms

                                    Work on completing a Works Cited for the articles you have

                                    Individual help on Works Cited forms

                                                            Assignment:  Prepare mini research 2 for grading--Continue research work

 

Week 12—Apr. 10—Submit Mini-Research 2 for grading (Grades posted by Saturday)

Computer lab writing time with individual help (daily grade)

                                                            Assignment:  Bring at least the introduction and one

                                                                        body paragraph to class next week along with

                                                                        your Works Cited forms

 

 

Week 13—Apr. 17—Discussion of final copy of research paper and Works Cited

                                    45 minute peer editing of Research paper (Remember:  Daily Grade)

                                    Computer Lab to work on papers and for individual help

                                                Assignment: Continue to work on papers.

 

Last day to drop any class is April 19.

 

Week 14—Apr. 24—Walk so that you can work on your paper. 

 

Week 15—May 1—Class will effectively begin at 7:30.  However, I will be in the computer                                                 lab from 6:30-7:30 to answer questions and help with last

                                                minute details.

 

                                    Research papers are due at 7:30, not 7:35.  There are absolutely no

                                    late papers accepted.  I will NOT accept emailed papers.

                                                At 7:30, we will discuss the final test and review for it.

 

Week 16—May 8—Final Exam.  7:00-9:00.   There will be at least one essay, but possibly more and possibly some objective questions.  That will be determined by the class work of the previous 15 weeks.  I will announce that material on May 1 after the research papers have been submitted.  However, most of the grade will be an in-class essay, so there will be little to prepare for outside of class.

Additional Information

\N

Syllabus Created on:

11/30/-1 12:00 AM

Last Edited on:

11/30/-1 12:00 AM