Eastfield College /English 1301-4007 Autumn 2011 Course Syllabus – M/W/F 9:05-10:00 (C 279) Professor: Rodnez R. Small Office: C291 Email: [email protected] Appointment Hours: Mon. & Wed. 11:15 Prerequisite: One of the following must be met: (1) Developmental Reading 0093 and Developmental Writing 0093; (2) English as a Second Language (ESOL) 0044 and 0054; or (3) have met Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Reading and Writing Standards Course Description: This course focuses on the development of student writing skills. It emphasizes reading and analytical thinking and introduces research skills. Students practice writing for a variety of audiences and purposes. Required Text: Kirszner, Laurie and Stephen Mandell. Patterns for College Writers: A Rhetorical Reader & Guide. 11th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, 2010. ISBN 0-312-60152-2 *Classroom Expectations: Anything construed by the professor as disrespectful such as: immature behavior, disruptions and distractions, excessive talking, text messaging, malicious or rude attitudes, sleeping, will not be tolerated. All mobile phones, iPods, and distracting electronic devices must be turned off during class. Laptops and iPads are permitted during in-class writing assignments. As an adult, contributing member of this society, you are expected to: - Be to class on time. Three missed classes will significantly reduce the student’s overall grade. - Be in class the entire time unless an emergency occurs. Six or more absences can result in the failure of this course. - Refrain from using profanity, racial slurs, or offensive comments about classmates or the professor either verbally or in writing. - This is a lecture course; therefore, you are expected to not use your ear buds, or listen to anything digital or electronic during lectures, but expected to take notes. - Turn off any electronic devices that are not immediately pertaining to the course. - Loud and excessive talking during class will not be tolerated. FOOD AND DRINK POLICY Please be advised that food and drinks are not allowed in the classroom. The lounge areas in the foyers or the Atrium are for your meals. Please, make sure your water bottles are capped. Consequences: 1. If necessary, offending student will be asked to leave the class and will be marked absent that day. 2. Any escalation, campus police will be called.2 Writing Format Expectations: Please follow these instructions when writing your papers: ● All writing assignments must be typed. ● Use a sans serif font (Comic-sans, Verdana, Arial) and font size of 12 pt. ● Double-space or 1.5 line spacing; never use single-space. ● Each essay must be composed of five or more paragraphs in length. ● Essay Writing Assignments are to be 6+ paragraphs in length. ● Essay Response Assignments are to be one full page in length. ● Pay attention to spelling, grammar, and punctuation. ● Due dates for all assignments are noted on the Course schedule. - All essays turned in to the professor need a cover page that is correctly labeled: 1. Title of essay 2. Your Name 3. Course and Section number 4. Professor’s name 5. Due date Insert a footer to each essay page with your name, the file name, and the date. Also, please remember to keep a saved copy of all of your work (including graded assignments). * Late essays will NEVER be accepted. Your essay must reach me by the end of class on its due date. Do not email me your essay. It must be turned-in in class or placed in my mailbox with a time stamp by an Adjunct TLC office personnel. The exact due date of each Essay is in the course schedule. COURSE GRADES Evaluation: Your grade will be based on the following points: Participation 30 (1pt. per session) Quizzes 100 (10 pts. Each) Journal 75 (5pts. Per entry) Midterm 50 Essays 500 (100 pts. Each) Final Exam 100___________________ Total Points 855 Course Grade: Points Letter Grade 855 - 729pts. A 728 - 602pts. B 601 - 427pts. C 426 - 300pts. D 299 - 0 F3 Assignments: Please thoroughly read all assigned readings prior to class to ensure active participation in weekly class discussions. Students participate by contributing to daily Collaborative Activities: Discussions, Quiz Reviews, Peer Evaluations, and Journal Writings. Essays are seriously due on the exact day mentioned in the schedule. Journal: Students will create fifteen, two to three paragraph length Journal Entries in response to class Readings and Discussions throughout the semester (due approx. every week). These journal entries will be online and read by other members of the class. Intellectual Competencies:  Reading—ability to analyze and interpret a variety of printed materials, including books, documents, articles, above 12th grade  Writing—ability to produce clear, correct, and coherent prose adapted to purpose, occasion, and audience, above 12th grade  Critical Thinking—think and analyze at a critical level  Computer Literacy—understand our technological society, use computer-based technology in communication, solving problems, acquiring information. Exemplary Educational Objectives: 1. To understand and demonstrate writing and speaking processes through invention, organization, drafting, revision, editing, and presentation 2. To understand the importance of specifying audience and purpose and to select appropriate communication choices 3. To understand and appropriately apply modes of expression, such as, descriptive, expositive, narrative, scientific, and self-expressive, in written, visual, and oral communication 4. To participate effectively in groups with emphasis on listening, critical and reflective thinking, and responding 5. To understand and apply basic principles of critical thinking, problem solving, and technical proficiency in the development of exposition and argument Intellectual Competencies: - Reading: the ability to analyze and interpret a variety of printed materials-books, documents, articles-above 12th grade level. - Writing: the ability to produce clear, correct and coherent prose adapted to purpose, occasion and audience-above 12th grade level. - Critical Thinking: think and analyze at a critical level.4 - Computer Literacy: understand our technological society, use computer-based technology in communication, solving problems and