Eastfield College (Dallas County Community College District) Arts, Language and Literature division G138 Phone No: (972) 860-7124 Syllabus for English 1301Composition I, 3 credit hrs – Fall 2011 English 1301.4021 Monday/Wednesday 4:00-5:20 (G204) Professor: Dr. Ellen Hinson Office: G204 (By Appointment) Email: [email protected] English 1301: Composition I Course Prerequisites 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. DCCCD Catalog Course Description: English 1301 Composition I (3 Credit Hours) 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.(3lc.) Coordinating Board Academic Approval Number 2304015135 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 Recommended Text: Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research. 7th ed. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2009. Common Book Project : George Dawson and Richard Glaubman. Life Is So Good. New York: Penguin Books, 2000. ISBN 0-14-1000168-2. This is the publication selected for the ―Eastfield Common Book Project‖, Fall 2011. 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. Computer Literacy: understand our technological society, use computer-based technology in communication, solving problems and acquiring information. Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) English 1301 will address the following learning outcomes: - To understand and demonstrate the importance of purpose and audience. - Produce unified, coherent and developed essays above the 12th grade level. - Participate effectively in groups. - Understand and apply the basic principles of critical thinking, problem solving, and technical proficiency in the development of exposition and argument.2 - To understand and appropriately apply modes of expression, i.e., descriptive, expositive, narrative, scientific, and self-expressive, in written, visual, and oral communication. - To analyze and interpret a variety of printed materials-books, short stories, articles. - Understand and demonstrate proficiency as dictated by the writing process-planning, drafting, shaping, revising, editing, and proofreading. - Use computer-based technology in communication, solving problems, acquiring information. - Understand and utilize vocabulary above the 12th grade level. - Understand the basic principles of research. 1301 Student Learning Objectives: 1. Increasing Writing Skills A. recognize that writing is a process: generating ideas, drafting, revising, and editing; use thes e elements of the writing process appropriately. B. set appropriate priorities at each point in the writing process. C. adapt your writing process to different time constraints, such as a class period, several weeks, or a semester. D. write for a variety of audiences, not just your instructor. E. adapt your language, sentence structure, and organization to fit the audience, purpose, and topic of the writing task. F. write for a variety of purposes. G. focus on a central idea that controls and unifies the whole piece of writing. H. support your ideas with details (illustrations, examples, descriptions) that will make them clear to your readers. I. demonstrate a sense of personal voice in your own writing and the ability to vary it accordingly. J. produce effective and mature papers of several paragraphs. 2. Increasing Reading Skills A. identify the main ideas and supporting details in variety of reading selections, ranging from student to professional works. B. analyze how the work of student and professional writers achieves the writer’s purpose. C. produce writing based upon your synthesis of written material with your own knowledge and opinions. 3. Introducing Research Skills A. locate and evaluate sources for writing tasks. B. demonstrate preliminary research skills: summarize, paraphrase, synthesize, and document information. 4. Building Analytical Thinking Skills A. demonstrate maturity of thought by analyzing, questioning, and reflecting on ideas. B. understand the relationship between oral and written communication.3 5. Improving Attitudes towards Communications Skills A. develop confidence in yourself as a writer. B. understand the value of writing in your life as a way to learn, record, communicate, and understand. C. have more awareness of your own writing process. Students will learn to develop essays that reflect a higher education level. At the completion of this course, students will have the ability to develop a solid essay, execute critical thinking and analytical skills and strengthen their own individual reading and writing skills. Students will also be able to understand and effectively write personal, informative, comparison/contrast and argumentative/position essays. Basic principles of research will also be introduced in this course. Writing Expectations: All assignments must comply with standard MLA format. All essays must be in 12pt font, Times New Roman print and double spaced. Please consult the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers for MLA inquiries. Also, please remember to keep a saved copy of all of your work (including graded assignments). Guidelines English 1301 courses will require the following: - A minimum of five (5) essays written for several purposes using a variety of strategies. - A minimum of one (1) of the five essays written entirely in class. - At least one (1) of the five required essays undergoes collaborative peer review. - Grammar and mechanics instruction given to address common errors and to reinforce editing skills in the process of writing. (Interactive online instructions and exercises, PowerPoint overviews, in-class workshops, and other instructional methods may be used