Monday: 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Tuesday: By appointment. Wednesday, by appointment, reserved for online course. Thursday: 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Friday: no contact, my time.
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 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.
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
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.
Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016
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.
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 .
ENGL-1301-002 Composition I
Corequisite: INRW 0303 Prerequisite: Scores on a state-approved test indicating college-level reading and writing skills
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
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.
(3 sem hrs; 3 lec, 1 lab)
Hybrid
The Little Seagull Handbook with exercises. Third Edition. Bullock, Brody, Weinberg.
A Rhetoric Handbook for English 1301 & 1302. Fourth Hayden McNeil, 2019.
A laptop computer and a flash drive.
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 5%
Personal essay 15%
Rhetorical analysis 15%
Research paper 25%
Final Exam 15%
The class calendar is usually followed, but it is always subject to change. Changes will be announced in the Blackboard announcement tab and sent to you by email. 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 taking longer or starting over, rather than simply turning something in to meet a due date. If you are having trouble with an assignment, tell me right away so that if you need extra time, you can receive that. If you do not tell me and you take extra time, a grade penalty may be imposed.
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".
All rules and regulations set forth in the “Student Code of Conduct” section in the current edition of the Student’s Rights and Responsibilities publication will be followed in this course. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain a copy of the handbook from the Dean of Student Services Office and to become familiar with the contents and provisions of the college’s policies, rules, and regulations concerning student conduct.
Additionally, AC takes seriously its responsibilities as a Title IX campus. Please see this link for additional information: https://www.actx.edu/hr/title-ix
The class environment is based upon a simple principle: the instructor commits to treat you with respect, and you commit to treat each other and the instructor with respect. Everyone is equally responsible for maintaining a respectful dialogue and attitude. Disrespectful behavior towards anyone will not be tolerated in this class.
Learning outcomes
Grades will be based on the following system:
A 90-100= high achievement
B 80-89= above average achievement
C 70-79= satisfactory achievement
D 60-69= unsatisfactory achievement
F 0-59= unacceptable
Students are expected to attend all class sessions. We are a hybrid class, meaning that we meet twice a week in class and the remainder of the work is done as homework. In some weeks, that will mean more time spent on classwork outside of the classroom. The course focuses on the process of writing and revision, which means that if you miss one or more sessions, your ability to understand writing at the college level will be bumpy at best or grinding to a halt later on. Think of this the way you think of a job. No job has an optional attendance policy. Because of the collaborative nature of this course and the fact that success in this course depends on continuous practice and frequent direction from the instructor and work with each other, missing even one class can interfere with your grade. Absences start on the first scheduled day on which the class meets.
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 to arrive promptly each class session, keep up with the class calendar, and start all assignments on time.
A grade will be given for attendance. You are allowed one absence, after which, points will be taken away from your attendance/class participation grade. If you are sick or have a family or work emergency you will be expected to continue your work regardless of the reason. Contacting other students in this class is your best bet for the quickest response, but if you feel more comfortable contacting me, calling or texting the number above is fastest. 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.
It is the responsibility of the student to officially drop or withdraw from a course. Failure to withdraw may result in a grade of “F” for the course. A grade of “W” will be given for student-initiated withdrawals that are submitted on or before the withdrawal deadline listed on the online course calendar. Students can initiate a withdrawal by contacting me for the withdrawal form, which I will email to you to return to the registrar's office. Withdrawal requests will not be accepted by telephone.
If during the semester you consider dropping this class, please check with me first for an alternate plan that protects your investment in this course and that gives you an opportunity to complete it. Withdrawing early from a class could affect scholarship or financial aid monies. Check with a counselor or advisor before you withdraw from any class. Withdrawing from the class may delay your enrollment in your major courses. Thus, the best course of action is to attend regularly, and complete this course.
LSH: The Little Seagull Handbook. RH: Rhetoric Handbook.
1301-02 Calendar
Week 1: Week of May 22
Week of May 29:
Week of June 5:
Week of June 12: This week, we have some wiggle room, but we need early in the week two peer reviews, and I will give you my guidance and critique of your first draft. After receiving peer reviews and my comments, the revision of the research paper is due by the Week 5 Monday. In between, we will introduce the rhetorical analysis assignment and do the preparatory readings and assignments.
Week of June 19: Read each of the three articles for the rhetorical analysis assignment, and choose one for your analysis. Rhetorical analysis is a fancy name for the process that we use every day when we are confronted with new information -- we think, what is this about? Does this apply to me (How the information appeals to our emotions)? Am I convinced enough to act on the information (How the speaker or writer establishes a sense of authority with a presentation of factual information and their standing as an expert on the matter)?
Week of June 26:
During the course of the semester, these assignments will be supplemented with in-class exercises for grammar and sentence and paragraph structure, and on-line work that will count in the daily grade. These exercises will be done to addresses weaknesses that appear in the major assignments.
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 syllabus and class calendar are 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:
This is the tutoring policy for regular essays for this class. When you turn in a first draft of a paper and you fall below expectations for a B or an A grade, you still have a chance to make a one of those two grades. I will return a copy of the paper to you with comments aimed at improving your understanding of how to write at the college level. Additionally, 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. We will also do peer reviews, meaning students will pair up and read each other’s papers. You will need to help each other with grammar and spelling, and to make certain that your paper uses suitable grammar and diction to appeal to your target audience, other college students. Typically, we will have at least one week to go from the first draft to the final draft. For the final draft, which will be graded, if you do not earn an A or a B, you can revise again to receive full credit. Don’t put this off until the end of the semester, because the work will pile up and will detract from the later assignments.
Taking all of your essay assignments to the Writers Corner is advised because that typically will elevate your work to a college-level (which means suitable for not only Amarillo College, but also upper division work if you transfer to a four-year university, and for professional work within your field of study if you are in an associates degree program or job certification program.
05/11/23 12:59 PM
05/13/23 11:31 AM