Composition I Syllabus for 2016-2017
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Instructor Information

Course Information

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Student Service Center office 112. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.

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If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.

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

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a class must:

• consult with their instructor to obtain a signed academic withdrawal request form to submit to the AskAC department for processing
• consult with the financial aid office if receiving financial aid
• consult with the Veterans Benefit Coordinator if receiving veteran benefits
• consult with their academic advisor to determine how withdrawing may affect their enrollment in future semesters
  • NOTE:  The Texas Education Code stipulates that students attending Texas institutions of higher education for the first time fall 2007 and later may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career, including courses from which transfer students have withdrawn at other Texas institutions of higher education. (Senate Bill 1231) Rule 4.10.

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-1301-041 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.

 

 

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Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec, 1 lab)

Class Type

Hybrid

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

A Rhetoric Handbook for English 1301 & 1302:  A Custom Publication for Amarillo College. First Edition.  Amarillo College English Department. Plymouth, MI: Hayden-McNeil Publishing, 2013.

The Norton Field Guide to Writing With Readings. 4^th edition. Richard Bullock, Maureen Daly Goggin. 2016.

 

 

Supplies

A word process program and a computer with reliable Internet access would be useful.  Students may use the English writing Lab in Ordway Hall, Room 101, on the Washington Street Campus during regular hours of operation.

Flash disk and a folder to collect all of your assignments, both daily and the papers. This folder will be needed for the final exam.

Student Performance

After studying the material presented in this course of study, the student will be able to do the following as evaluated by the faculty in the department/program:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of individual and collaborative writing processes.

2. Develop ideas with appropriate support and attribution.

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

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

5. Use edited American English in academic essays.

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 that follows the MLA format for citing sources and utilizes peer review.

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

ELECTRONIC DEVICES: Because your using of electronic devices may cause disruption, please be respectful of others in the classroom.

 E-MAIL ETIQUETTE: Should you choose to communicate with me through e-mails, please use standard American English. Like all academic work, you should examine your e-mails since your credibility as a writer, who is enrolled in a composition course, is reflected in the grammar, spelling, and sentence structure of the e-mail.

Grading Criteria

Final grades will be determined by exams, daily work, and successful completion of all assigned writing, research, and reading projects. In order to pass this class, students must turn in all of their assignments. 

GRADE BREAKDOWN:

Daily work, homework, lab & participation  25%

Attendance                                                       10%

 

 

 

Personal essay/Research proposal                 10%

Rhetorical Analysis                                              10%

Evaluation/Compare/Contrast Essay              10%

Researched Argument                                     15%

Final Exam                                                      20%

All work is due on the date assigned. The class calendar is usually followed, but it is always subject to change.  Regular viewing of the class calendar on AC Online/Blackboard is necessary so that a student will be aware of any class changes.  Work must be started on the start date according to the calendar. Because each assignment has a specific learning objective, I would rather you do the work properly even if it means starting over, rather than simply turning something in to meet a due date.  Keep up with the class calendar, which is located on Blackboard.

Attendance

Regular Scheduled Classes:

A grade will be given for attendance. You are allowed one absence. Beyond one absence, points will be taken away from your attendance/class participation grade. Your grade will begin as 100 and be reduced by the percentage of absences, down to a low grade of 70. Students with frequent absences will be encouraged to drop the course and re-enroll at a later semester when he or she is able to attend on a regular basis. Because writing involves a variety of skills, this course is considered the foundation for later success in your college career. We not only learn to express our thoughts in a professional manner, but to also think critically and analytically, which is developed through regular practice, not simply by reviewing a study guide.

Regular attendance is is the strongest indicator of earning an A or a B for the course. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the student to attend class and to complete all assignments. Students are expected keep up with the class calendar, and do all assignments on time. You need to email the instructor when an email is sent to you and requests information. Read your email at least twice a week. Regular class involvement is necessary for satisfactory achievement.  It is imperative that you communicate with me when an emergency arises.   If you must stop attending, withdraw officially by the deadline; otherwise, I must record an F for the semester. 

 

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. 

 

Calendar

Additional Information

Computers are available in the English Writing Labs (Ordway 101 and 104) for individual student use for word processing and Internet work. Students who use the lab are required to sign in for each visit. Students will do some writing on computers as a part of this class.  Students will need a USB (jump or flash) drive if they want to save their work in the labs.  This class also uses MS Word, and AC Connect/Blackboard.

Blackboard:

Blackboard is one program that we use in this class.  The class calendar is posted in Blackboard.  Assignments are posted under the content area.  The grade book and email are available for you through Blackboard, too.

TUTORING:

        Free tutoring is available through two sources: The Writers’ Corner and Smarthinking. The Writers’ Corner is on the first floor of Ordway Hall in room 102. It is suggested that you make an appointment at the Writers’ Corner, but you can also drop by for tutoring.  You can call for an appointment at (806) 345-5580

        In addition, AC subscribes to Smarthinking, an on-line tutoring service you may use free for 10 hours each semester. This service is available nights and weekends. Access instructions are located in AC Online.

TUTORING POLICY:

If you are dissatisfied with the grade on your essay, you can take the paper and meet with a tutor the tutoring center, The Writers’ Corner.  After you meet with a tutor, the tutor will send me a form explaining what they talked to you about. You will have two class days after the paper was originally returned to you to rewrite the paper with the advice you received from the tutor.  You will turn back in the original paper and the revised paper to me.  The revised paper will then be graded. (You must see a tutor in the Writers’ Corner, rewrite the paper, and turn in both the original and rewritten paper from when it was given to you to have the original grade removed.)