Composition I Syllabus for 2017-2018
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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

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 course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are 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. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

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-1301-024 Composition I

Prerequisites

<p>Prerequisite: RDNG 0331 and ENGL 0302-minimum grade of C or scores on a state-approved test indicating college-level reading and writing skills</p>

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 ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Student Performance:

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 are expected to complete all work in order to pass the class.

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.

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact your advisor, the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec, 1 lab)

Class Type

Hybrid

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

We will be using the books listed below:

A Rhetoric Handbook for English 1301 and 1302, 2nd ed. Amarillo College English Department. You will need the book published in 2017. It has a lavender-blue cover. The older editions do not include all of the information you will need.

The Little Seagull Handbook with Exercises, 3rd ed. Bullock, Brody and Weinberg. You will need the book published in 2017. It has a sky blue cover. The older editions do not include the information that you will need.

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. Paper (paper with jagged edges from being torn from a spiral will not be accepted for in-class work), pens or sharpened pencils (there may not be a pencil sharpener in the classroom), and multicolored highlighters.

Bring a paper copy of your current essay or research paper to class on the assigned dates, and to every tutoring session or teacher conference. Since you will be working with another person, accessing the paper on a laptop or on your phone is not appropriate for these situations.

Student Performance

ENGL 1301 Composition 1

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.

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 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 or 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 will receive a penalty of a zero. A subsequent infraction will be deemed a reason for expulsion of 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.

Class Conduct: Be on time. Be courteous and respectful to your instructor and fellow students. Take care of personal business (going to the restroom, making phone calls, etc.) before class.

Cell Phones, Pagers, and Other Electronic Devices: Cell phones are distracting, and the concept of multi-tasking is a myth. Please do not turn on a cell phone or other electronic device in class unless it is related to class activities.

Grading Criteria

Essay 1--15%

Essay 2--20%

Researched Argument Essay--30%

Peer Reviews--15%

Quizzes and Minor Assignments--10%

Final Exam (in-class, timed essay)--10%

All grades will be kept in Blackboard. You can check your grades by clicking the My Grades link in your AC Connect Course Menu. All grades will be rounded up according to the guidelines below.

Late work: Late work will not be accepted.

89.5-100 A

79.5-less than 89.5 B

69.5-less than 79.5 C

59.5-less than 69.5 D

0-less than 59.5 F

Submitting Papers: Since many alternative writing programs are not compatible with Blackboard, Word is recommended (.docx). As a safeguard to you, all assignments will be written in Word (.docx) and turned in through Blackboard. You will need access to a computer outside of class for writing essays and completing online work. Computers with Word are available on campus in the Writing Lab in Ordway 101 and in the Library.

If you have trouble turning in the assignment from your home computer, get assistance from AC's Information Technology (IT) Services, 806-371-5409. Alternatively, you can get assistance submitting the paper to Blackboard from a flash drive or computer in the Writer's Corner, the Writing Lab, or the Library.

Attendance

You are enrolled in a hybrid course which combines in-person lectures, peer interaction, and online instruction as part of the learning process.

On-campus

The unique learning opportunities available in the on-campus portion of the class cannot be duplicated by other media. Attendance in the on-campus portion of the course is critical for students who would like to pass this course. Frequent absences generally end with the student dropping or failing the course. If you need a class with more flexibility because of your job or other responsibilities, contact your advisor about switching to an online course.

Absences:

If you miss a class, you are still responsible for the material covered in class. Class lectures are not available in other media and cannot be condensed to an email. Group activities cannot be made up outside of class and will earn a grade of 0. Check the syllabus and the course content areas in Blackboard to see what was covered. Contact a classmate for notes from the class you missed. If you need additional guidance, contact your instructor through the course email to set up an appointment. 

Hybrid:

Hybrid classes are designed to combine on-campus learning with online learning to give the student more flexibility. The hybrid portion of the class includes mini-lessons, quizzes, discussions, and peer reviews. Self-motiviation is needed to complete online work for a hybrid class. This work has due dates, and each assignment builds upon the previous work to enhance the learning process. Because the mini-lessons, quizzes, and minor assignments act as building blocks to support essential concepts, quizzes and minor assignments that are turned in after the due date earn a grade of 0. You will find the instructions you need to complete this work in Blackboard. If you need additional guidance, email your instructor through the class to make an appointment.

3 points of extra credit will be added to the final grade for students with perfect attendance and good conduct for the course. To earn this extra credit, students must arrive on time to class, stay for the duration of each class, and participate courteously in discussions and group activities both on campus and online. This extra credit will be assigned at the discretion of the instructor after the final exam.

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.

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

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 .

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."