Composition I Syllabus for 2023-2024
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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 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-1301-026 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

Tech Supported

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Amarillo College English Dept., eds. A Rhetoric Handbook: A Custom Publication for Amarillo College  5th ed., Macmillan Learning Curriculum Solutions, 2023. 

Richard Bullock, Michal Brody, and Francine Weinberg. The Little Seagull Handbook with Exercises, 4th ed., W.W. Norton and Company, 2021.

Supplies

You must have access to a reliable computer with Internet Access and either Google Docs or Microsoft Word. Wordpad, Notepad, etc. are not options due to these programs having issues with other programs used within this course.  Assignments must be uploaded as Word files (.doc; .docx); or as PDFs (.pdf).  The computer must also be able to access Blackboard. These programs will allow you to access class materials , communicate with me via email, and submit assignments.

If you require a computer, there are computers available in the Underground for your use. Furthermore, the AC Bookstore rents out laptops for $60 a semester (16 week semester)

 For this class, you will need your preferred note-taking supplies: spirals, pens/pencils, highlighters, Microsoft Word, a Notes App, whatever you prefer. You will need these for note-taking both in and out of class. I'd advise a notebook especially for essay feedback from our in-class writing sessions.

Lastly, you should have a USB drive. They are useful for ensuring you have a copy of documents you can move from computer to computer; if something happens to the computer or system, the copy on the drive remains intact. It’s also useful for saving online documents so that you can access them on any computer, wifi or not. I’ve had students fail my course because they lost their Final Papers due to computer loss, and while I like Google Docs, I've seen it swallow essays as well. Flashdrives are cheap and available from the Bookstore, Walmart, Walgreens, etc.

Student Performance

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

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

We are all adults and should know how to act. My primary concern is making sure EVERYONE in class has a safe environment conducive to learning and expanding viewpoints. As long as you act in a mature manner that does not hinder other students’ efforts to learn, we have no problems.

 A few ground rules:

 

1. No talking out of turn when I am lecturing. Raise your hand and as soon as I finish my thought I'll call on you. You can also type your thought or question into chat.
2. No cell phones during class, keep them off or silent. Minimize what other distractions you can as well.
3. Log in to class early, or at least on time. If you are late (it happens to all of us at one point or another) please join the classroom quickly. Be sure to consult me or a classmate after class to learn what you’ve missed.
4. Keep up with everything, assignments, readings, and more for each week on Blackboard. Use it, especially if you’re going to miss class. Do the readings and check with me or another student if you have questions.
5. Let’s be respectful of everybody in class, faculty, staff, student, or property.

Teacher Expected Behavior:

1. At any time (not during class, but before or after is fine), you may email me or speak to me during office hours about your grades, for specific assignments or overall. The best way is to email me. I'll either email you a response or email you to set a time to meet and talk in person.                                                                                                                                   

2. If you email me, I will do everything I can to email you back within 24 hours. 

3. I will do everything I can to get all assignments graded within a week of submission. It usually takes me much less time than that, but that's my personal deadline. 

4. Grades are an invitation to a conversation. If you have questions about an assignment's grade, you're more than welcome to speak with me about it. 

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. 

To summarize, the main reason not to plagiarize that should matter most to you: Plagiarized assignments in my class receive an automatic zero in the gradebook. Subsequent plagiarism will lead to expulsion from the class and a referral of the student to the Vice President of Enrollment Management

Grading Criteria

This I Believe Essay (10%): DUE Monday Week 2

Rhetorical Analysis Essay (10%): Due Sunday Week 4

Research Argument Essay  (20%): DUE Friday, Week 7

Final Essay (20%): DUE Wednesday, Week 8

Attendance (10%) Be In Class Every Day

Journals (10%) DUE Weekly on Sunday 

Discussions (10%) DUE Weekly on Sunday

Quizzes (5%)  DUE Weekly on Sunday

 

A 90-100

B 80-89

C 70-79

D 60-79

F 0-59

 

Extra Credit: I do not generally give extra credit, but I do allow essays turned in on time that score a D or below to be resubmitted for a better grade if done in a timely manner. You will be required to meet with me or the Writer's Corner to go over and correct the essay. The highest grade achievable for resubmission is a 75. With the shortness of the semester and the loaded assignment schedule, I would say if you can get it done within a week, do so, otherwise focus on the next assignment.

Mandatory Tutoring: If you score below a 70 on an Essay, or your overall grade drops below a 75, you will be assigned mandatory tutoring with me (in-person or virtually) or with the Writer's Corner (in-person or virtually) to improve and resubmit the essay, or figure out what's preventing you from passing and and finding a solution.

Late work policy: All late work will suffer a 10-point reduction for each day late, to a maximum grade of 30 points. I encourage you to try and complete assignments before the due date when possible. If you encounter difficulties technological or otherwise, please contact me as swiftly as possible before time runs out so that I can help you.

Attendance

Perhaps the easiest and also most difficult ways to ensure a good grade in any college course is to show up on time, not skip class, and to complete assignments on time. Students who complete these three objectives consistently are far more likely to pass a class in my personal experience. Log in to to class on time, complete assignments on time, and you will do well in this class. 

Part of this is also contacting me promptly with any questions, concerns, or any major issues. My email is always open, and I’m always happy to schedule an appointment with you in the virtual classroom. 

Student Withdrawal Procedures: Students who wish to withdraw from a class must do so before Tuesday, February 27th, in order to count as a withdrawal and not a drop. It is better to withdraw than drop, but I encourage you to contact me or an advisor before it gets that bad so that I/they can help you.

Administrative Drop Policy: Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date Tuesday, January 23rd, will be administratively dropped.

Calendar

Additional Information

Contacts:

The other people in this class are students just like you. I encourage you to get the contact information (name, phone number, email address) of 2-3 (one at the least) classmates. Call or Email them if you need help with something to do with this class (copy of notes from a day you missed, advice on a homework assignment, reminder of page numbers, etc.). There is strength in numbers, and a college class is no exceptions.

 

Useful Phone Numbers:

 

AC Advocacy & Resource Center

806-371-543

 

AC Counseling Center

806-371-5191

Amarillo College offers help in the form of counseling and other assistance for students facing personal issues that might affect their ability to complete the course. While I encourage you to think of this course as a chance to take a break from other concerns and focus on something else, I'd rather offer help to address issues that might prevent you from succeeding in my class. I highly encourage you to reach out to me if you're experiencing difficulties. I'm happy to use the Student Retention Tool to recommend you to either of the services above. If you or another student you know  needs help of this nature, then call the numbers above or visit the websites provided below.   The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/.  The A.R.C. offers social services such as housing, utilities, legal assistance, childcare, and medical or dental help. Additionally, the Timely Care feature on AC Connect can provide medical assistance and mental health aid. 

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES and the ADVOCACY & RESOURCE CENTER:

Amarillo College offers free services to assist students with personal issues, such as anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down or depression, 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. If you or someone you know is 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.