Composition II Syllabus for 2023-2024
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Course Information

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Disability Statement

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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.

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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.

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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-1302-013 Composition II

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: ENGL 1301

Course Description

Intensive study of and practice in the strategies and techniques for developing research-based expository and persuasive texts. Emphasis on effective and ethical rhetorical inquiry, including primary and secondary research methods; critical reading of verbal, visual and multimedia texts; systematic evaluation, synthesis and documentation of information sources; and critical thinking about evidence and conclusions.

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

Hybrid

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

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

 Little Seagull Handbook with Exercises (Bullock) 4th Edition

Supplies

Regular computer access with Internet is required for this course. Students may use the computers in the Underground in the Ware Building or on the 4th floor of the library in Ware on the Washington Street campus. The public library also offers access to computers. 

Paper and pen

Student Performance

 

STUDENT PERFORMANCE

1. Demonstrate knowledge of individual and collaborative research processes.

2. Develop ideas and synthesize primary and secondary sources within focused academic arguments, including one or more research-based essays.

3. Analyze, interpret, and evaluate a variety of texts for the ethical and logical uses of evidence. 

4. Write in a style that clearly communicates meaning, builds credibility, and inspires belief or action.

5. Apply the conventions of style manuals for specific academic disciplines (e.g., APA, CMS, MLA, etc.)

 

Departmental expectations:

6. Demonstrate an understanding of literary genres and the basic vocabulary of literary analysis.

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

Expected Student Behavior

English Department Plagiarism Policy (Revised Spring, 2013):

The Amarillo College English Department defines plagiarism as "using exact words from any outside source without using quotation marks or properly citing them, paraphrasing words from any outside source without citing them; or using research from any outside source without citing it."

The Amarillo College English Department defines collusion as "the unauthorized collaboration with another person or by any other means, including artificial intelligence and computer translators, in preparing written work for fulfillment of course requirements." Using AI to create a document is considered colluding. The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on specific assignment is at the discretion of the instructor. 

Any work produced in part or in whole through plagiarism or collusion may receive a penalty on the paper's grade, up to and including a zero for the assignment. A subsequent infraction will result in expulsion from the class. At this point, the case will be referred to the Vice President of Enrollment Management. 

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.

The Amarillo College English Department defines Cheating as the following:

     a. Copying from another student's test paper.

     b. Using test materials not authorized by the person administering the test. 

     c. Collaborating with or seeking aid from another student during a test without permission from the test administrator. 

     d. Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, or soliciting, in whole or in part, the contents of a pending test. 

     e. The unauthorized transporting or removal, in whole or in part, of the contents of the pending test. 

     f. Substituting for another student, or permitting another student to substitute for one's self, to take a test.

     g. Bribing another person to obtain a pending test or information about a pending test. 

Respect towards other students and the instructor is expected.

Due to the short, intense nature of this course, students are expected to be in class and on time every day.

Late work is not accepted without prior approval. Each student is expected to come to class prepared every day. Some assignments are ONLY completed during class.

Grading Criteria

Grading Criteria

Attendance 5%

Minor Assignments (Assignments, Discussions, & Journals)  20%

Literary Analysis Essay 20%

Research Argumentative Essay 25%

Capstone 10%

Final Essay 20%

 

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

Attendance

ATTENDANCE 

Attendance counts as 10% of your grade. 

Excessive absences may result in the administrative withdrawal of a student or failure.

It is important that you attend every class. Otherwise, you will miss out on the many engaging learning activities. If you have to miss, please contact the instructor prior to the absence so that I can keep you caught up on your work. 

If during the semester you consider dropping the course, please check with me first. We will look at you progress to see if there is an alternate plan that protects your investment in this 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: February 27, 2024.

Calendar

Additional Information

TUTORING:

Amarillo College is committed to providing support to all students. The best tutoring resource is your teacher. For additional tutoring assistance, the Writer's Corner is available during specified times. 

If a student scores below 70% on an exam or writing assignment, he or she will be required to attend tutoring per the instructor’s directions before receiving any grades on the next assigned work.

If a student's average falls below 75, he or she will be required to attend tutoring per the instructor's directions before receiving any grades on the next assigned work..