Composition I Syllabus for 2023-2024
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Instructor Information

Office Location

<p>Ordway Hall, Room 203A</p>

Office Hours

Spring II 2025:  9:00 - 10:00 am, Monday - Thursday, and by appointment.

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 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-1301-027 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

The Little Seagull Handbook with Exercises, 4th Edition. 

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

Supplies

Access to a computer is required.

Internet access is required for this course. Students may use the computers in The Underground, which is located in the basement of the Ware Student Commons to complete their assignments. Students may also access their assignments via the Internet at home or from an AC parking lot on the Washington Campus.

Student Performance

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Locate explicit textual information, draw complex inferences, and describe, analyze, and evaluate the information within and across multiple texts of varying lengths.
  2. Comprehend and use vocabulary effectively in oral communication, reading, and writing.
  3. Identify and analyze the audience, purpose, and message across a variety of texts.
  4. Describe and apply insights gained from reading and writing a variety of texts.
  5. Compose a variety of texts that demonstrate reading comprehension, clear focus, logical development of ideas, and use of appropriate language that advance the writer’s purpose.
  6. Determine and use effective approaches and rhetorical strategies for given reading and writing situations.
  7. Generate ideas and gather information relevant to the topic and purpose, incorporating the ideas and words of other writers in student writing using established strategies.
  8. Evaluate relevance and quality of ideas and information in recognizing, formulating, and developing a claim.
  9. Develop and use effective reading and revision strategies to strengthen the writer’s ability to compose college-level writing assignments.
  10. Recognize and apply the conventions of standard English in reading and writing.

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

All rules and regulations set forth in the "Student Code of Conduct" section in the current edition of the Students' Rights and Responsibilities publication will be followed in this course.  (Please see link above.)

Other responsibilities include:

  • Checking Blackboard several times a week to stay on top of assignments and deadlines.
  • Checking your grades regularly in Blackboard.
  • Communicating with your instructor if you have questions about your grades or about any assignment.
  • Reading the plagiarism policy at the top of this syllabus and avoiding plagiarism.  If you are concerned about plagiarism or are not sure if you've cited sources correctly on an assignment, please schedule a visit with me or a Writer's Corner tutor.

Grading Criteria

The following criteria will be used to determine your grade:

 A   90-100 
B 80-89  
C 70-79  
D 60-69  
F 59 or below 

 

Final grades are based on the following percentages:

10%  Quizzes

15% Minor Assignments (journals, rough drafts)

60%  Essays

15%  Final Exam

Attendance

 

This is an online course.  Students are expected to self-manage and complete weekly assignments. Since this is an eight-week course, it is imperative that you complete all assignments on time.  If you have a particular issue (technology, illness, etc.), please contact the instructor as soon as possible.

Assignment completion is necessary for satisfactory achievement; therefore, it is the responsibility of the student to check the class Blackboard page and to complete all assignments.  Above all, take time to watch videos that are posted by the instructor.

Students are expected to keep up with the class calendar and do all assignments on time.  You need to email the instructor when an email is sent to you and requests information. Read your email at least twice a week.  Regular class involvement is necessary for satisfactory achievement.  

The time on returning work might be 5-8 days for major assignments. Minor work should be returned in 2-5 days.

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.. Students MUST contact the instructor to withdraw. There is a form that must be signed by the instructor and the student before submitting it to an advisor to process the withdrawal.

If during the semester you consider dropping this class, please check with the instructor 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.

 

Amarillo College English and Cultural Studies Department Plagiarism, Collusion, and Cheating Policy, Revised Spring 2024

The English and Cultural Studies Department takes academic integrity seriously.  Scholastic dishonesty, punishable as prescribed by Board policies, shall include, but not be limited to plagiarism, collusion, and cheating on a test or written assignment.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined 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.” 

Self-Plagiarism

Self-plagiarism is defined as turning in your own previous work to meet a current assignment.  This policy will be amended at the discretion of each individual instructor.  

Collusion

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 Bard) to create a document is considered colluding. The use of Artificial Intelligence on specific assignments is at the discretion of the instructor. 

Cheating

“Cheating on a test” shall include:

  1. Copying from another student’s test paper.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Statement of Consequences

If you plagiarize, cheat, or collude, you will face consequences. Ignorance of the policy is not an excuse. Any work produced in part or in whole through plagiarism, collusion, or cheating may receive a penalty up to and including a zero for the assignment.  After assigning a zero, a subsequent infraction will result in a meeting the head of the Department and possible expulsion from the class. Another incident will result in a referral to the Vice President of Enrollment Management.

Calendar

WEEK 1:

Course/syllabus overview

Reading assignment: "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson

The Writing Process

The Basic Format of an Essay

Modes/Writing Strategies

The Literary Analysis Paper explained

Video: "The Lottery"

Pre-Writing Exercise

Journal Entry #1: due Friday @ 11:59 pm

Quiz #1: due Friday @ 11:59 pm

 

WEEK 2:

Short story discussion and analysis

Literary terms

Thesis Statements

Purpose and Audience

Rhetoric Explained

The Rubric

Journal Entry #2: due Friday @ 11:59 pm

Quiz #2: due Friday @ 11:59 pm

Assignment:  Paper #1 - "The Lottery" Literary Analysis Paper (Rough Draft due Sunday @ 11:59 pm)

 

WEEK 3:

Rough Draft issues

Collaborative workshop

Works Cited/In-text citations

Revising/Editing

Journal Entry #3: due Friday @ 11:59 pm

Quiz #3: due Friday @ 11:59 pm

"The Lottery" Literary Analysis Paper - final draft due Sunday @ 11:59 pm

 

WEEK 4:

Assignment:  Paper #2: The Researched Argument

Point of View/Tense

Academic Writing

Elements of research/Using AC databases

Journal Entry #4: due Friday @ 11:59 pm

Quiz #4: due Friday @ 11:59 pm

Assignment:  Paper #2 - The Researched Argument (Rough Draft due Sunday @  11:59 pm)

 

WEEK 5:

Fixed vs Growth Mindset

Quoting and Paraphrasing

Active/Passive Voice

Journal Entry #5: due Friday @ 11:59 pm

Quiz #5: due Friday @ 11:59 pm

Paper #2 - The Researched Argument - final draft due Sunday @ 11:59 pm

 

WEEK 6:

The Rhetorical Precis/Common Assessment

Discussion Board

Journal Entry #6: due Friday @ 11:59 pm

Quiz #6: due Friday @ 11:59 pm

Assignment:  Discussion Board items due Sunday @ 11:59 pm.

 

WEEK 7:

The Rhetorical Precis

Journal Entry #7: due Friday @ 11:59 pm

Quiz #7: due Friday @ 11:59 pm

Assignment:  Rhetorical Precis due Sunday @ 11:59 pm

 

WEEK 8:

Final Exam presentation/discussion

Final Exam: TBA

 

Additional Information

Syllabus Created on:

01/11/24 8:21 AM

Last Edited on:

01/16/24 7:40 AM