Composition I Syllabus for 2021-2022
Return to Syllabus List

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-1301-005 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

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

Required Textbooks:

Amarillo College English Department. A Rhetoric Handbook for English 1301 and 1302. 2nd ed., Hayden McNeil, 2019.

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

*These books are available for purchase only at the AC Bookstore.

If you have questions regarding your textbooks call the AC Bookstore at (806) 371-5307.     

Supplies

Regular computer access with Internet.  I highly recommend the use of googledocs.  It is free and it will save all your information for you so you will never lose it.

Something to write things down on.

If you do not have a laptop, the AC Bookstore rents laptops for $65 per sixteen-week semester.

Student Performance

No performance information available

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

• Communicate, Communicate, Communicate.  I cannot help you if I don’t know what is going on.  I can’t allow you grace on something if I do not know what is happening.  I really can’t help you if I do not know what the problem is.  PLEASE, please communicate with me…email me…text me…give me a call, come see me during my office hours: those don’t work for you?  Make an appointment and we can have a zoom meeting at a suitable time for you.
• Due to the short, intense nature of this course, students are expected to log on at least once every week day.
• Please be courteous about using Air/earpods while we are trying to have a conversation or someone else is talking.  (Not applicable to online class)
• Plagiarism will most likely result in a zero on an assignment, which may fail the student for the course.

 

Expected Teacher Behavior:

• At anytime you may contact me to see about your grades.
• The best way to get ahold of me is to text me through my Remind app.  I will get try to back with you within 2 hours between the hours of 7am-10pm on weekdays and 10am-7pm on weekends. 
• If you email me, I will get back to you within 24 hours, unless I otherwise note.
• I will grade everything generally within 72 hours of submission, though I usually get to them before that. (Unless I am out which may take longer)
• If you disagree with an evaluation or would like to have it explained to you, please contact me so we can discuss during tutoring hours or some other time that is convenient for us both.

Grading Criteria

Course Evaluation  

Minor Assignments 15%

Grammar Quizzes 10%

Expository Research Assignment 10%

Essay 1: This I Believe  15%

Essay 2: Summary Rhetorical Analysis 15%

Essay 3: Researched Argument 20%

Final Exam 15%

Minor Assignments includes quizzes (not Grammar), short writing assignments, various assessments and discussion board posts. All of these will account for 15% of your overall grade.

Discussion Boards Each week you will be required to read a document or view a video that you will then respond to on a discussion board. You will need to answer two questions posted by me in at least 100 words a piece and respond to two of your peers’ comments in at least 75 words a piece for a total of FOUR responses EACH WEEK.

These assignments are due on the day it is expected.  Each week all work will be due at midnight of a specific day. It is traditionally my policy that no credit given for late assignments.  Of course, it is up to my discretion whether or not I excuse a late assignment.

Grammar Quizzes There will be 2 grammar quizzes on blackboard that each student needs to take for Modules 2-5. You can take them on your own time before the due date of each week.  You will have three attempts to take each quiz and the highest grade will be recorded.  These will count for 10% of your overall grade.

Expository Research Assignment  You will be given a list of interesting topics and have to find three credible web sources that explains the topic.  You will compile a Works Cited, in MLA, and record yourself talking about the topic.  This will account for 10% of your grade.

Essays

This I Believe You will write in a story from something that happened to you where you learned an important life lesson.  This is worth 15% of your overall grade.

Summary-Analysis You will read an article, and summarize it according to the rules set forth in class.  You will then determine uses of rhetorical appeals and how the use of these appeals determine the effectiveness of purpose in the text.  This is worth 20% of your overall grade.

Researched Argument You will research a topic of choice and write a unique argument for or against it using specific sources outlined in class.  This is worth 20% of your overall grade. 

Major essays will be penalized 15 points for each day it is late; a day is a 24 hour period. 

Re-write Policy  Any of the major papers turned in on time that score a 69 or below can be resubmitted for a better grade.  The student must first meet with the instructor and discuss the paper, and then the work can be revised and resubmitted within a week of receiving the grade. The highest grade achievable for resubmission is a 70.

Attendance

No attendance information available

Calendar

Additional Information

Expected Netiquette for Students

• Use proper language as much as possible.

Remember u r not txtng.  Try to spell things correctly.  Spell out words.  Capitalize letters.  Add punctuation.  A good way to do this is to read through your response before you post it.  Be careful not to SHOUT at people as well.

• Avoid emoticons.

Smiley faces are more appropriate chatting with your friends; discussion boards are reserved for more professional, academic writing.

• Stick to the discussion.

Avoid rants.  Talk about what the discussion board and I am asking for.  When you write off-topic, your peers wonder what is wrong with you—and you do not get any credit for it either!

• Be careful of your language.

Avoid humor and sarcasm because it is easy to misinterpret words on a discussion board because there are no facial or voice communication clues.  A good way to do this is to read aloud your submissions before you add to the thread.

• Recognize and respect diversity.

Cultural backgrounds, linguistic terminology, and abilities to express oneself in written language may vary significantly in an online learning environment. This is why it is important to respect diversity and opinions different from yours, no matter where they come from. It is ok to disagree with a point of view, but it is definitely inappropriate to disrespect and be offensive towards others. Being open to different points of view is a sign of intelligence; furthermore, paying attention to alternative viewpoints is one of the greatest ways to learn. Needless to say, profanity, and racist, sexist, ageist, and religious comments are unacceptable, no matter how innocent or “funny” may sound to you. On the other hand, if you are the victim of an insulting remark, try to maintain your calm and resist returning the offense. Rather, report the issue directly to me.

• Control your temper.

Remember you won’t win any argument if you lose your temper.  Instead, take a break, walk away from your computer, and take a break; come back to the discussion board later.  This helps you to respond to the argument and not the attacker.   If there is something offensive, report the issue directly to me.

Guidelines for Discussion

• Write in complete sentences.  Capitalize words and letters.  Spell out words.  Use punctuation.  Don’t use acronyms and abbreviations.
• Specifically address the questions posted.  Try to stay on topic.  When you stray off topic, you sound funny and other people get confused.
• Say something worth saying.  Don’t just say a bunch of fluff because you don’t understand the original question or need to make your response longer.
• Responses such as “Cool!,”  “I agree.” “Nice!,” etc. say nothing of note and will not receive any credit.
• A good rule of thumb is to answer the question in four to five complete sentences or 80 to 100 words, and to respond to your peer’s posts in three to four complete sentences or 60 to 80 words.
• Connect to prior understanding.  It is okay and encouraged to put in your own opinion or share a story of something that happened to you.