Composition I Syllabus for 2025-2026
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Instructor Information

Course Information

AI Statement

Collusion is defined as “the unauthorized collaboration with another person or by any other means, including artificial intelligence (AI) and computer translators, in preparing work for fulfillment of course requirements.” Using AI like (ChatGPT or Google Gemini) to create a document is considered colluding. The use of Generative Artificial Intelligence on specific assignments is at the discretion of the instructor.

Title IX and Sexual Misconduct Reporting

Amarillo College prohibits discrimination and harassment based on sex, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking, under Title IX and Texas Education Code §51.253–255. Faculty and staff are mandatory reporters and must share any related concerns with the Title IX Coordinator at titleix@actx.edu. Reports and additional information are available at https://www.actx.edu/hr/title-ixtitle-ix. Confidential counseling and advocacy services are available through the Counseling Center and Advocacy & Resource Center.

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 Enrollment Center, Suite 700. 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:

Tutoring for Success applies to any student whose overall performance in the course falls below 75%. The instructor will create the task in the Student Engagement Portal (Watermark) to direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty- or SI-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. The tutoring service assigned, the due date for when the tutoring must be completed, and the amount of tutoring required are at the discretion of the instructor. Additionally, the task will alert the student’s success team. Students who do not fulfill the assigned tutoring task may be subject to program- and course-specific penalties that could result in a grade reduction and/or in not being allowed to progress in the course until the tutoring requirement has been satisfied.

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-1301-009 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 Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

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

Hybrid

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Required:

A Rhetoric Handbook, 5th ed.

A Pocket Style Manual, 10th ed.

Supplies

A writing utensil  is a necessity.  Please be aware that there may not be a pencil sharpener in the classroom.

Ruled paper on which to write daily assignments.  

Access to the internet.  All major assignments will be turned in online both at home and in the computer labs. Lost documents are not the responsibility of the instructor. 

Printing:  Rough drafts need to be typed and printed out.  As an AC student, you have $20 automatically in your account each semester.  You can use any of the printers on campus to print your paper, including the printer on the first floor of Ordway.

You MUST KNOW YOUR AC Connect ID NAME AND PASSWORD to use the printers and/or campus computers. Also, you will need to know this information to access Blackboard from any computer.

Student Performance

Words are powerful.  Words have the power to make others laugh, cry, think, and act.  Your voice is important and unique.  The more you strengthen your voice, the more power you will have in your career and the more power you will have to make a difference in this world.  

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

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

Classroom Conduct

I truly like to hear what college students think and their reasons for thinking that way.  To accomplish that goal, the classroom needs to be a place where everyone’s voice can be heard and where everyone can fully focus. My first and most important expectation of you is that you show respect to me and to the other students in the class.  If you use foul language or disrespectful language or are distracting others from learning, I will ask you to leave the classroom. I also ask that you don’t smoke/vape in class.

Amarillo College English Department Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism

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. Attempting to pass off AI-generated writing as one's own also constitutes plagiarism.

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.

Collusion:

Collusion is defined as “the unauthorized collaboration with another person or by any other means, including artificial intelligence (such as ChatGPT or Gemini) and computer translators, in preparing written work for fulfillment of course requirements.”  Using AI to create a document is considered colluding.  Using AI for aspects of an assignment may be authorized by the instructor.

Cheating

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. 

Grading Criteria

ESSAYS: 60%

1. Persuasive Essay 20%
2. Research Essay 25%
3. Common Assessment 15%

DAILY GRADES:  10%

1. Journals

2. In-class Assignments

3.  Rough Drafts (count as two daily grades)

4. Other Minor Assignments

QUIZZES:   10%  

FINAL EXAM:  20%

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

Attendance

I don’t have a grade solely for attendance; however, I do give a number of “daily assignments.”  I drop three daily grades, so if you need to miss occasionally, it should not greatly affect your grade.  However, missing frequently will have a detrimental effect on your grade as you accrue zeros for those daily assignments. It is quite possible to have a 100 average for your daily grades, which counts 10% of the course, so be sure to be here. Be here and on time each class day (unless you have an emergency—it’s helpful to let me know if there is an emergency).  I understand that life happens and that you may have to be late at some point.  Please just slip in quietly if that is the case.

Calendar

Additional Information

Contacts

I highly recommend that you write down the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of three classmates. Call or text them if you need help with something to do with this class if you are unable to contact me. 

Other Help:

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 806-371-5191.  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 www.actx.edu/arc

AC Advocacy & Resource Center

806-371-543

AC Counseling Center

806-371-5191

Dr. Lori Boykin

lkboykin22@actx.edu