Composition I Syllabus for 2013-2014
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Course

ENGL-1301-034 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

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.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

\ Amarillo College English Department Plagiarism Policy, revised Spring 2013

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\ The English Department takes plagiarism seriously.

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\ Plagiarism is defined as the following:  the use of someone else’s exact words that are neither quoted nor cited; paraphrasing someone else’s words without citing them; or using someone else’s research without citing it.

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\ Student plagiarism in the Amarillo College English Department is internally tracked.  To clarify, records will be kept in the Department of those students who have plagiarized.  At the beginning of each new semester, the names of students who plagiarized the previous semester will be sent to all English Department faculty. 

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\ Plagiarism may receive a penalty of a zero.  A subsequent infraction will be deemed a reason for expulsion from the class. At this point, the case will be referred to the Vice President of Student Affairs.

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\ Note: Self-plagiarism will be discussed with the class by each instructor and infractions for such are left up to the individual instructor’s discretion.

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\ In addition to the learning outcomes listed, students will be expected to use the library’s online databases and other computer resources for research and word processing. Also, all students will write a third person, argumentative research paper following the MLA format for citing sources.

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Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec, 1 lab)

Class Type

Dual Credit Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

All textbooks will be supplied by Caprock High School.

Supplies

Students will need the following supplies:

• Pen or pencil in class EVERY DAY
• Blank notebook paper for taking notes EVERY DAY
• A 2-inch 3-ring binder with pockets to keep notes and assignments

• Student Performance

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  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

  If a student receives an office referral for behavior, that is a first warning.  Any further office referrals may result in a student's removal from my dual credit class at my discretion.

  Grading Criteria

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  Attendance

  All srudents will be required to meet the .attendance standards of Caprock High School.

   

  If a student is absent and misses a lecture, it is the student's responsibility to get the lecture notes from a classmate.  

  Calendar

  **Each day will start with a “guerilla grammar lesson” working on grammar skills which the class has a demonstrated need for.  These will serve as “bell work” and will also receive a grade.

  Essays: I will hand out expanded topic details in class, including page length etc., but these are the required essays.

  ·        Essay 1:  The Things they Carried by Tim O’Brien (your summer reading) employs the strong voice of a first-person narrator.  Re-tell an important event in your life in a strong first-person voice.

  ·        Essay 2:  analyze the rhetorical appeals in a visual source

  ·        Essay 3: analyze the rhetorical appeals, paying particular attention to literary devices, in a written essay 

  ·        Essay 4: research paper;  stake a claim and persuade your reader

  ·        Essay 5: write a descriptive essay of a place (this topic might change, depending on where we are at the end of the semester)

  Week 1:  Aug. 26-30

                 M

  • ·        informational Index cards;
  • ·        class rules;
  • ·        seating chart;
  • ·        icebreaker exercise

                 T

  • ·        class rules;
  • ·        seating chart;
  • ·        index cards;
  • ·        ACNet Id / login collection;
  • ·         icebreaker exercise

                 W

  • ·        ACNet Id / login collection;
  • ·        Lecture: what is plagiarism?

                 Th

  • ·        ACNet Id / login collection;
  • ·        Strategies: how to avoid plagiarism

                 F

  • ·        ACNet Id / login collection;
  • ·        Lecture: rhetorical appeals

  Week 2: Sept. 2 – 6

                 M Labor Day

                 T

  • ·        Lecture: Search engine strategies (Boolean searches, wildcarding etc.);
  • ·        Follow-up on rhetorical devices,
  • ·        The Things they Carried by Tim O’Brien  (your summer reading)

                 W

  • ·        Follow-up on search engine strategies;
  • ·        rhetorical devices in The Things they Carried

                 Th

  • ·        exercise for search engines;
  • ·        Lecture: introductory paragraphs;
  • ·        TP/CASTT  (an analysis strategy)

                 F

  • ·        work on introductory paragraph for Essay #1 on first-person narration, such as that demonstrated in TTTC; narrate an event from your life

  Week 3: Sept. 9  - 13

                 M

  • ·        work on intro paragraphs for Essay #1;
  • ·        Lecture: transitions;
  • ·        Lecture: quoting;
  • ·        Lecture: MLA formatting for academic writing

                 T

  • ·        Follow-up on transitions;
  • ·        Follow-up on quoting;
  • ·        Follow-up on MLA formatting for academic writing
  • ·        Lecture: elegant sentences
  • ·        work on body paragraphs essay #1

                 W

  • ·        work on Essay #1;
  • ·        Lecture: conclusion paragraphs;
  • ·        Follow-up on transitions;
  • ·        Follow-up on quoting;

                 Th

  • ·        Work on Essay #1;
  • ·         individual writing conferences (IWC)

                 F

  • ·        Essay #1 draft 1 due

  Week 4: Sept. 16 – 20

                 M

  • ·        Lecture: visual rhetoric;
  • ·        The Livingroom Candidate.org

                 T

  • ·        Follow-up on visual rhetoric;
  • ·        Lecture: MLA citations;
  • ·        Lecture: proof-readers’ marks

                 W

  • ·        revise Essay #1;
  • ·         IWC

                 Th

  • ·        revise Essay #1;
  • ·         IWC

                 F

  • ·        Essay #1 draft 2 due;
  • ·        receive topic for Essay #2:  analyze rhetoric of a visual source

  Week 5: Sept. 23 – 27

                 M

  • ·        Lecture: Works Cited pages;
  • ·        Work on visual rhetoric essays;
  • ·        Follow-up on MLA citation format

                 T

  • ·        Work on introductory paragraphs;
  • ·        Lecture: using AC research databases;
  • ·        Lecture: source evaluation

                 W

  • ·        Follow-up on using AC research databases;
  • ·         IWC;
  • ·        Follow-up on source evaluation

                 Th

  • ·        work on essay #2;
  • ·        IWC

                 F

  • ·        draft 1 of essay #2 due;
  • ·         IWC

  Week 6: Sept. 30 – Oct. 4

                 M

  • ·        Essay study week
  • ·        Prologue to the Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison;
  • ·        TP/CASTT

                 T

  • ·        Prologue to the Invisible Man;
  • ·        “I Want a Wife” (essay) by Judy Syfers;

                 W

  • ·        "Stickeen" by John Muir (essay)

                 Th

  • ·        “Memories of Dating” (essay) by Dave Barry

                 F

  • ·        work on topic for Essay #3;
  • ·        work on introductory paragraphs;
  • ·        IWC

  Week 1:  Oct. 7 – 11

                 M

  • ·        finalize topic of essay #3;
  • ·        work on draft 2 of essay #2;
  • ·        IWC

                 T

  • ·        work on draft 1 of essay #3,
  • ·        work on draft 2 of essay #2;
  • ·         IWC

                 W

  • ·        work on draft 2 of essay #2,
  • ·        work on draft 1 of essay #3;
  • ·         IWC

                 Th

  • ·        draft 2 of essay 2 due;
  • ·        IWC

                 F

  • ·        work on draft 1 of essay #3;
  • ·         IWC

  Week 2: Oct. 14 – 18

                 M

                 T

                 W                          Catch-up week; work on draft 3 of essays 1 and 2 if necessary; IWC

                 Th

                 F                            Drop everything and read day

  Week 3: Oct. 21 – 25

                 M

  • ·        Essay #3 due

                 T

  • ·        Lecture: Research paper processes

                 W

  • ·        Review of Research topics; research paper will require writer to “make a claim” and persuade the reader
  • ·         IWC

                 Th

  • ·        Review of Research topics;
  • ·         IWC

                 F

  • ·        Choose topic, essay #4:  research paper;
  • ·        IWC

  Week 4: Oct. 28 – Nov. 1

                 M

                 T

                 W                          Research Papers; IWC

                 Th

                 F

  Week 5: Nov. 4 – 8

                 M

                 T

                 W                          Research Papers; IWC

                 Th

                 F

  Week 1: Nov. 11 – Nov. 15

                 M

                 T

                 W                          Research Papers; IWC

                 Th

                 F

  Week 2: Nov. 18 – 22

                 M

                 T

                 W                          Research Paper presentations

                 Th

                 F

   

   

  Week 3: Nov. 25 – 26

                 M                      Research paper presentations

                 T

                 W – Th - F Thanksgiving

  Week 4: Dec. 2 – 6

                 M

  • ·        Lecture:  descriptive essays

                 T

  • ·        (descriptive essay mentor text TBD)

                 W

  • ·        Essay #5 topic given out:  write a descriptive essay

                 Th

  • ·        Work on essay #5
  • ·        IWC

                 F

  • ·        Work on essay #5
  • ·        IWC

  Week 5: Dec. 9 – 13

                 M

  • ·        Work on essay #5
  • ·        IWC

                 T

  • ·        Essay #5 due

                

                 W

                 Th                          Creative writing (short story; poetry; etc.)

                 F

  Week 6: Dec. 16 – 20

                 M

                 T

                 W                          Semester test week; semester exam is REQUIRED and will be an in-class essay

                 Th

                 F

   

   

  Additional Information

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  Syllabus Created on:

  11/30/-1 12:00 AM

  Last Edited on:

  11/30/-1 12:00 AM