Composition I Syllabus for 2015-2016
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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.

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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

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Course

ENGL-1301-005 Composition I

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: 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

English Department Plagiarism Policy (Revised Spring, 2013):

The English Department takes plagiarism seriously.

 

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.

 

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. 

 

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.

 

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.

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 Services Center Room 119, Phone 371-5436) as soon as possible.

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

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

We will be using the books listed below:

• A Rhetoric Handbook for English 1301 and 1302, Amarillo College Department, 1st Edition
• The Concise Cengage Handbook, with the 2 semester card
• Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys, the AC Common Reader for 2015-2016

The textbooks are available through the Washington St. Campus Bookstore.  The Rhetoric Handbook is a great resource for explaining the different types of papers that will be assigned during the course, including the vocabulary we will be using to discuss writing.  The Concise Cengage Handbook will be our primary text for the course and will give you access to MindTap.  Between Shades of Gray is the common reader for 2015-2016.  AC is hoping to provide a copy of the common reader for students, so check with your instructor or your advisor for an available copy before buying one.

Supplies

A Jump/Flash/USB is vital for saving your essays so that you can work on them both at home and in the computer labs.  

You will need access to a computer outside of class for writing essays.  Students often

Student Performance

ENGL 1301 Composition 1

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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, communication, and critical analysis. 

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1.  Demonstrate knowledge of individual and collaborative writing processes.

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2.  Develop ideas with appropriate support and attribution. 

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3.  Write in a style appropriate to audience and purpose.

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4.  Read, reflect, and respond critically to a variety of texts.

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5.  Use Edited American English in academic essays.

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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.

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

The English Department takes plagiarism seriously. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

Late Work:  Late work will not be accepted for homework.  Late work will be accepted for essays and the research paper with a 10% penalty for every day the paper is late.  Once the tenth day has passed the grade for that paper will remain 0.  

 

Grading Criteria

Attendance and Participation--10%

Homework--20%

Informative Essay—10%

Midterm In-class Essay—10%

Analytical Essay—15%

Researched Argument Essay—20%

Final Examj—in-class, timed essay (2 hours)--15%

All grades will be kept in Blackboard.  You can check your grades by clicking the My Grades link in your AC Connect Course Menu.

89.5-100 A

79.5-89 B

69.5-79 C

59.5-69 D

0-59 F

Attendance

Each student will begin the semester with an A+ (100) for attendance.  Starting with the first absence (or tardy), the grade will be reduced by 10%.  4 absences will be reported to your advisor.  Excessive absences will contribute to failure of the course.

Tardies disrupt the entire class, so each tardy will be counted as an absence.

 

Calendar

Additional Information

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 the Human Resources, use "Exchange."  All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".