Mrs. Caid
email: hcaid@rivervalleyschools.org
Phone: 756-9541, extension 1111
Lake Michigan College
COURSE SYLLABUS
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I. Course Identification:
Discipline: English and Communications
Course Title: ENGL 101
Credit Hours: 3
Instructor: Mrs. Caid
Telephone: 269-756-9541 ext. 1111
Email address: hcaid@rivervalleyschools.org
Planning Period: 4th hour (10:50-11:51AM)
Prerequisite: ACT Reading score of 17 and English score of 18 OR a C or passing score on the Compass Assessment.
Semester: Fall, 2011
II. Textbooks and Materials:
- Patterns for College Writing. Eds. Laurie G. Kirszner and Steven R. Mandell. 11th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, 2010.
- The DK Handbook with Exercises. Anne F. Wysocki and Dennis A. Lynch. Custom edition for Lake Michigan College.
- Flash Drive for storing and transporting your work
- Three-ring binder for collecting all course materials, essay drafts, and notebook entries in paper format and for presenting your final portfolio.
- Tabbed dividers (optional)
III. Course Description:
This first course in the two semester English sequence focuses on expository writing and the closely related activities of critical reading and thinking. Primary attention is given to the formal elements of short essays based upon or incorporating documented source material. (This sequence can be completed by taking either 102 or 103.)
IV. Goals and Objectives:
Successful completion of this course contributes to the fulfillment of the following General Education Requirements:
2. Communication – the ability to “Express ideas...in writing; ...to understand written communications; [to] convey purpose, meaning, and main ideas effectively to individuals and groups.”
3. Critical Thinking – the ability to "Identify central issues and assumptions in an argument, recognize important relationships, locate additional information sources, make reasonable inferences from data, deduce conclusions from data or information, interpret whether conclusions are warranted on the basis of the data analyzed, and evaluate evidence and authority."
7. Technology – the ability to “use computers and related technology to manage and access information."
Communication Related Course Goals & Objectives:
Goal 1.
An understanding of the composition process as applied to writing critical expository essays. This Goal will be met by a student attaining the following Objectives:
A. Applying the Composition Process by writing several formal essays including one 7-10 page research paper incorporating critical thinking and at least 5 sources. Graded writing should total 18 to 25 (250 word) pages.
B. Participating in class activities related to these essays that focus on the techniques and strategies involved in the Composition Process.
Goal 2. The ability to write unified, coherently developed essays. This Goal will be met by a student attaining the following Objectives:
A. Demonstrating a practical understanding of the main formal elements of the essay.
B. Demonstrating a practical knowledge of basic patterns of development.
Goal 3. The ability to draft, revise, and edit formal essays to meet the needs of diverse readers. This Goal will be met by a student attaining the following Objectives:
A. Demonstrating a practical understanding of American-English language conventions related to mechanics, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and paragraphing.
B. Demonstrating a basic mastery of APA documentation techniques, forms, and conventions.
Critical Thinking Related Course Goal & Objectives:
Goal 4: The ability to critically understand and evaluate print and electronic documents. This Goal will be met by a student attaining the following Objectives:
A. Demonstrating the ability to interpret, analyze, and evaluate evidence and authority in both print and electronic source materials.
B. Demonstrating an understanding of central issues and assumptions in an argument, recognizing important relationships, making reasonable inferences, deducing conclusions, interpreting whether conclusions are warranted from sources, and deriving a personal opinion based on the information analyzed.
Technology Related Course Goal & Objectives:
Goal 5: The ability to use a computer to access and communicate information. This Goal will be met by a student attaining the following Objectives:
A. Demonstrating an understanding of how to find, access, and use electronic documents and resources.
B. Demonstrating an understanding of how to use computers as a composition tool.
V. Expected Student Outcomes
As part of the college’s commitment to student success, activities designed to measure the effectiveness of teaching and learning in the classroom will be conducted during the semester. These activities may take the form of surveys, group activities or brief informal writing assignments. Outcomes to be measured will include understanding and applying the writing process, and using essay format. These Expected Student Outcomes will be related to the Goals and Objectives in Section IV.
Instructional Methodology
Instruction will include some lecture, class discussion, group activities, peer reviewing and individual conferences.
Writing Across the Curriculum Strategy
Writing skills learned in English Composition will transfer to writing assignments throughout the college
Grading Criteria and Requirements
Grading in a writing class is a very difficult and subjective process. While most of your final grade depends upon the quality of the written communication you accomplish by the end of the term, those accomplishments depend greatly upon all the other aspects of your coursework and class participation. Essentially, you earn your final grade based upon the quality of your work in the following areas:
- Final Writing Portfolio (most important, and will include most of your written work and your ability to consciously demonstrate how it represents your learning)
- Essays and Revision Work (very important, as the quality of your Final Portfolio depends upon it)
- Your Writing Notebook (very important, as the quality of your writing work and your understanding of written communication depends upon it)
- Your writing notebook serves as a depository for all of your minor writing activities, including in-class writings, class discussion notes, responses to readings, and any reflection you may wish to do upon the class on your own. You can do notebook entries by hand in a notebook that you keep with your binder or on paper in your binder, or you may do your entries electronically and print them out for inclusion in your binder. Various entries will be collected periodically.
- Printed in the upper right hand corner of the first page of each assignment must be: Your name
“Title” of text you are responding to
OR
Title of assignment
Date due
- Every assignment must be neat and legible.
- Participation (very important, as the quality and completeness of all of your work depends upon it)
- Participation: You are expected to participate fully and enthusiastically in all class discussions and activities. Being prepared for class and activities is an important part of the learning process and will make the class more fun and beneficial for us all. You will be given participation points for your contributions to class discussions.
- Because written communication is an inherently social activity, the development of your understanding and your skills depends greatly upon sharing your work with others. This may include sharing drafts of your written work with reading partners, small groups, or the entire class; conducting whole-class workshops with your writing drafts; and sharing my written and oral responses to your writing work. If you have any concerns about sharing your work and my responses with other members of the class, please make an appointment to talk with me before we engage in those activities.
Evaluation and Grading Scale
River Valley High School’s grading scale will be followed:
The grading scale is: A = 90-100; B = 80-89; C = 70-79; D = 60-69; F (E) = 0-59
The semester grade will be based upon the following:
1. The final portfolio—This is your semester exam grade (3-4 best essays; the 3-4 highest grades) 20%
2. Research essay ≈ 20%
3. All other assignments/essays/quizzes including participation ≈ 60%
Make-Up Policy
- Essays must be submitted the class period they are due, regardless of whether you are in school that day or not. If you are absent, it is YOUR responsibility to deliver your essay to me by 8:31am, and it is also your responsibility to make sure that your absence is an excused absence. Any essay that is turned in one class period late will automatically drop one full letter grade. Essays that are later than three days late will not be accepted, unless there are special circumstances.
- If you miss a scheduled discussion of a reading, you must turn in a one page analysis of that reading (including any notes that you took while reading as well as any questions that I may have assigned).
Attendance/Withdrawal Policy
River Valley High School’s attendance policy will be strictly adhered to. Please see student handbook.
Assignment Schedule
The Assignment Schedule will be followed as closely as possible; however, changes may be made at my discretion. This schedule lists material to be covered in the approximate order in which it will be covered. Because the writing process is fluid, no specific time-lines are given. What is ultimately important is that we all achieve the same goal: Improved writing.
Introduction to the writing process
Writing a narrative essay
Introduction to the research process
Introduction to the research format
Writing description
Writing comparison/contrast
Writing cause/effect
Writing argumentation
Writing a research paper
At least three essays will involve the use of sources (introducing author/credentials, paraphrasing, quoting) and documentation, including at least two using APA format.
We will read articles, essays, blogs, etc. and often use those readings for a topic for our papers. We will also learn about documentation and research. Most of our essays will be arguments. In 101, we do not write short stories, poems or other kinds of creative writing, but instead concentrate on the essay.
Academic Honesty & Plagiarism
Students should conduct themselves with honesty and consideration. Cheating and stealing or altering the work of others will result in serious penalties.
Plagiarism-- the use of ideas from a source without proper acknowledgment or documentation-- whether intentional or not-- will result in a failing grade for the paper and possibly for the course.
Quoting-- using more than 4 words consecutively from a source-- without quotation marks and citation of the source-- constitutes plagiarism.
Paraphrasing– putting ideas from a source into one’s own words-- without citation of the source-- constitutes plagiarism.
Your First Assignment…
Reflection and Self-Assessment
This will be the first entry in your Writing Notebook, which means that you must adhere to the specifications set forth in section VIII.
After carefully reading this syllabus, please respond to the following questions using complete sentences and rephrasing the question in your response:
- What are your past experiences with English classes? (like/dislike, explain)
- What do you think a person needs to know and be able to do to be successful in college? What are YOU most concerned about being able to do?
- What are your English-related and school-related strengths? Weaknesses? Things that scare you about this class?
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