Composition I Syllabus for 2015-2016
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Instructor Information

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-1301-009 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

Online Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Kirszner, Laurie G., and Stephen R. Mandell. The Concise Cengage Handbook 5^th Ed. Boston: Cengage, 2015.

A Rhetoric Handbook for English 1301 and 1302. Amarillo College English Department First Ed. 2013

* If you have questions regarding your textbooks call the AC Bookstore at (806) 371-5307.   The class is short. You need your books now.

Supplies

\ None

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.
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\ 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

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

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT PLAGIARISM POLICY (Revised Spring Semester 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 nee semester, the names of students who plagiarized the precious 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.

Grading Criteria

\ Tentative and Subject to Change

\ 55% Essay Works

\ 10% Journal

\ 5% Grammar Test

\ 20% Homework Assignments Including Rough Drafts, Critiques, and Discussions.

\ 10% Final Essay

\ 90-100 = A, 80-89 = B, 70-79 = C, 60-69 = D, Below 60 = F

\ No late work will be accepted after one week unless there is a valid reason.  After the due date, there will be a penalty of  10 points per day subtracted from the grade given for the paper when graded.

Attendance

Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement. Online, it is the responsibility of the student to attend class (sign into the class) and to complete all assignments.

No late work will be accepted after one week. After the due date, there will be a penalty of 10 points per day subtracted from the grade that would have been given if the paper were not late. Since this is an online class, there are no excuses for a late paper. If you are going to be away from a computer, do your work early. There are computers at libraries and at the college. If you computer or Internet goes down, find another way to access your class.

 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 August 4, 2016.

Calendar

Additional Information

Tutoring through SmartThinking or through Blackboard sources are highly recommended. More so would be Writers’ Corner in Ordway. Call and make an appointment. E-mail your paper to writerscorner@actx.edu.

Most homework assignments will be submitted via Blackboard.