Composition I Syllabus for 2019-2020
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Instructor Information

Course Information

COVID-19 Protocols

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.

Amarillo College Web Accessibility Policy Statement

Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.

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:

The Tutoring for Success policy applies to any student whose grade or performance in the course falls below a departmentally determined minimum threshold. In either of those cases, the instructor will direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. Under this policy, the instructor will follow specific departmental guidelines governing the use, duration, and grade component of the tutoring need.

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-1301-041 Composition I

Prerequisites

Corequisite: INRW 0303 Prerequisite: 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 ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

STUDENT PRINTING PROCEDURES

For students to put money on their account, they must go to this website https://acprinthub.actx.edu/myprintcenter/ and either use PayPal account or their credit/debit card to add money, or they can go to the Student Services building to add money with credit/debit or with cash. Neither Writers’ Corner or the Writing Lab can add money to the account.

However, if the students need help adding money to their account, we can help them do that here in the lab. All students are responsible for adding money to their own account. But students need to have money on their own account in order to print anywhere on campus.

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:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact 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

Online Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Amarillo College English Dept., eds. A Rhetorical Handbook for English 1301, 1302 and 2311, 4th ed., Hayden-McNeil, 2019.

Richard Bullock, Michal Brody, and Francine Weinberg. The Little Seagull Handbook with Exercises and InQuizitive, 3rd ed., W.W. Norton and Company, 2017.

 

Supplies

A computer with reliable access to the internet and a word processing program, such as Word or Works. Open Office, Notepad, and Wordpad are not acceptable word processing programs for this course because their formatting features do not work with other programs used in the course.

Students may use the computers in the English Writing Lab in Ordway 101, which are equipped with Word, during its regular hours of operation. See http://www.actx.edu/english/index.php?module=article&id=11.

This course will use material in InSite and AC Online. To find these programs, log in to http://www.actx.edu and click on the "AC Online" link at the top of the page. Links to InSite appear in several places in our AC Online class.
 

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-appropriate text.

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 will become critical readers, writers and thinkers

Students will discover the art of persuasion including logos, ethos, and pathos

Students will learn logical fallacies as means of persuasion.

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

Policy on Cheating and Plagiarism

Cheating will not be tolerated in this class.

Cheating includes but is not limited to: copying or leaving the test with a test or questions from a test, helping or attempting to help other students cheat on a test or plagiarizing on a paper. 

Amarillo College 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.

 

English Department Plagiarism Policy (Revised January, 2009):

Plagiarism:
According to the Amarillo College Student Code of Conduct, plagiarism is the "appropriating, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means another's words and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of it in one's own written work."

Misdocumented Plagiarism:
1. The use of someone else's exact words that are quoted but not cited or cited but not quoted.

2. Using a citation at the end of a block of prose without clarifying which material is borrowed.

3. Missing or incomplete works-cited entries.

Misdocumented plagiarism will receive a maximum 50 percent deduction for the first offense, and the student will be required to meet with the instructor.

Undocumented Plagiarism:
1. The use of someone else's exact words that are neither quoted nor cited.

2. Paraphrasing someone else's words without citing them.

3. The use of someone else's research without citing it.

Undocumented plagiarism will receive a minimum penalty of 50 percent for the first time and 100 percent off for all subsequent infractions. The student will be required to meet with the instructor and the English Department Chair.

Grading Criteria

Grading Criteria

 

Rhetorical Analysis Essay: 20%

Annotated Bibliography: 20%

Research Argument Essay: 20%

Minor Assignments, Peer Review, Discussions, Quizzes:  30%

Final: 10%

 

GRADING SCHEMA:

A - 90-100 High  Achievement

B - 80-89 Above Average Achievement

C - 70-79 Average Achievement

D - 60-69 Below Average Achievement

F - 0-59 Unacceptable 

Attendance

Students attend this class at Tascosa High School and must abide by AISD attendance policy.

Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement.  Therefore, it is the responsibility of the student to attend class and to complete all assignments. 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 November 16, 2010. 

 

The Texas Education Code stipulates that students attending Texas institutions of higher education for the first time in 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. There are certain exceptions to this policy and petitions for exceptions should be directed to the Registrar.

Calendar

Additional Information

Please note the calendar, all assignments, and dates are assigned at the discretion of the instructor, and therefore, are subject to change if the situation warrants. 

Please be advised that this is a college level course and may include adult subject matter