English 101: Composition I

Great BasinCollege

PahrumpValleyCenter

Spring 2011

Instructor: Dr.Dale Griffith

Office: 101A

Office Phone: (775) 727-2008

E-mail:r

Office Hours: Monday 1:30-2:30 pm, Tuesday 12:30-2:30 pm, Wednesday 7:00-8:00 pm, Thursday 10:00-11:00 am

And by Appointment

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Textbooks:

I have become increasingly disenchanted with the high, and higher, costs of text-books. I have endeavored to do away with assigned text-books in my classes. In regards to formatting of academic essays and term-papers, all of this information is now accessible on the Internet.

The following is a link to updated MLA formatting posted on the Webb by Perdue University; all students are expected to download and copy ALL of the pages in this source. It is to be copied and placed within a binder for use in this class with section dividers. This needs to be done within the first week of class:

For MLA formatting:

Since we may be reading, analyzing, and quoting poetry it is necessary to know the rules for quoting poetry according to MLA formatting as well, such information can be found here:

For MLA formatting for poetry: Poetry_Using_MLA.rtf

Other reading materials or their Internet Webb pages will be passed out in class. If a student misses the day such materials are passed out, it is the student’s responsibility to get them from another student. Do not ask the instructor.

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Course Description: Critical reading and writing of college-level essays. This course emphasis the writing process, including strategies for organization, and revision.

Course Objectives: During the semester students will produce writing assignments which will demonstrate the following:

  • Use of the writing process, from generating ideas through revising the final draft
  • Choosing a point of view, diction, and organization appropriate to a stated audience
  • Recognizing and using rhetorical patterns, modes, and organizations
  • Understanding and using the principles of coherence, clarity, and unity
  • Revising early drafts by using the fundamentals of addition of specific detail, subtraction of deadwood, and reorganization
  • Grammatically correct writing
  • Close reading with comprehension
  • Use of MLA documentation

Student Outcomes: Written Activities/Measurements

  • Generates ideas and determine purpose in preliminary drafts:Rough drafts three essays
  • Choose appropriate diction, point of view, structure based on well-defined audience:Opinion essay
  • Identify organization/rhetorical patterns:Reading responses to assigned essays
  • Write grammatically correct prose: Editing of own writing
  • Read with improved comprehension: critical thinking and analysis of assigned reading for essays # 2 and #3
  • Practice fundamentals of revision: Revision of all rough drafts of assigned essays
  • Write with attention to coherence:Revision for coherence in essays
  • Use MLA formatting and documentation: All final copies must follow MLA formatting rules.All major assignments must be submitted in proper manuscript form: double-spaced and word processed using 12 point font and standard script (Times New Roman), with one inch margins on standard sized white paper. The final essay must contain a works cited page

Revision Policy: Students in English 101 are expected to revise drafts for clarity. Students will be permitted to re-write essays #1 and #2 for a higher grade.A re-written essay must be resubmitted within one week of receiving the essay back; if a student has numerous absences the privilege of rewriting essays may be withdrawn.There will be no re-writing of the final essay.

Essay Topics:Three essays will be assigned this semester.

Essay 1: Personal Narrative: (2-5 pages)

In this essay the student will focus on a SINGLE issue that they feel has importance in their life, is comical, or has simply contributed to who they are as an individual.This essay must be written using proper MLA formatting, and although a personal narrative, it will follow all of the conventions of an academic composition. This essay may be re-written for a higher grade.

Essay 2: Essay of Reading Interpretation (2-5 pages)

This essay gives the student the opportunity of reading a short story of recognized literary value that presents either differing points of view or gives contrasting characters. This essay must contain quotes from the actually story to support one’s critical interpretation and comparison of character or plot; all quotes in this essay, although from a single source, must be cited using MLA formatting. This essay may be re-written for a higher grade.

Essay 3: Single Source Essay (Opinion essay): (2-5 pages)

In this final essay, which will be similar to a research essay, the student must attempt to understand the point of view of a particular writer from primary source material. This essay must contain quotes from the assigned reading. The first part of a single source essay consists of an introduction. The student needs to present a one paragraph introduction that will introduce the subject matter to be presented. Next, the students needs to write not more than two paragraphs of summary that gives a concise but clear grasp of the essay’s thesis and main ideas. Be certain to provide author, credentials and the name of the primary source material under discussion; include a few key details and a well-chosen quote or two to convey a sense of the essay. In the second part of the essay the purpose is to explore some of the ideas of the original writer that are of interest and that the student wishes to explore at some length. The student has the freedom to explore ideas which come to them in the reading as long as these ideas are firmly based upon information presented in the text. This may not be re-written for a higher grade.

Due Dates for Essays:

First essay due: February 22

Second essay due: March 28

Third and final essay due: May 16

Student Evaluation: The final grade will be determined by the following criteria:

Three essays and several short quizzes based upon the readings.

The College uses a grade system which awards +’s and –‘s and gives a W until the 13th week of class, after which an F will be given. A failing student must formally withdraw before the Friday of the 13th week to avoid earning an F for the course. According to the policy established by the College, to receive an Incomplete, a student must have completed at least ¾ of the course with a grade of C or better, but be unable to complete the class for good cause.

Classroom Conduct:

Students are expected to observe the conventions of common courtesy: no cell phones in class (please put on vibrate or the preferred method is to turn it off) if a student does answer a cell phone during class, leave the class to do so, and do not come back until the next class (it is disruptive enough to leave the class, do not add insult to injury by disturbing class once again to come back), prompt attendance, courteous listening, and attention to due dates. Male students will please refrain from wearing hats during class (Please remember that the instructor is an antique and used to differing concepts of etiquette).

Policy of Academic Integrity: Students are expected to be honest in all their academic endeavors. If ideas are borrowed, the source must be given credit using standard MLA documentation rules. Internet sources are subject to documentation as well. Plagiarism violates the standards of intellectual honesty. Students who violate such standards are subject to punishment ranging from failing the class to dismissal from the College.

Policy Regarding Late Submissions: The English department has adopted the policy that no late papers will be accepted, but extenuating circumstances may be taken into consideration.

Grade Appeal of Professional Conduct: Any student with concerns or academic problems, or needing special assistance, may discuss such matters firstly with their instructor---and as soon as possible. Please see the College Catalogue on the procedure which deals with such issues.

ADA Statement:GBC supports providing equal access for students with disabilities. An advisor is available to discuss appropriate accommodations with students. Please contact the ADA Officer (Julie Byrnes) in Elko at 775.753.2271 at your earliest convenience to request timely and appropriate accommodations.

Attendance: It is the policy of the College that students attend all classes.Regular attendance is critical to success in this course. GBC’s attendance policy allows up to three absences in a three-credit class without penalty, but those should be used to cover emergency absences. In a 3-credit class held once a week, the absences should not add up to more than three total hours. Instructors may drop students for excessive absences. There has been a growing problem with class attendance, unless there are truly, documented, extenuating circumstances, I shall drop a student after six absences.

Outcomes: General Education and English 101

Communication Skills

Written Communication

Students who complete general education courses will demonstrate the ability to use written communication skills in the following ways:

  • Choose essay/paper format appropriate to audience and purpose
  • Choose diction and style appropriate to audience and purpose
  • Integrate evidence, examples, and details to support the central idea or thesis of the text
  • Develop coherent and effective paragraphs
  • Use standard edited English and the documentation style appropriate to the discipline

Reading Skills

Students who complete General Education courses will:

  • Adjust reading speed according to genre, difficulty of text, and reading purpose.
  • Recognize functions of various selections of text, i.e. offering evidence to support a point
  • Identify the purpose of the author as presented in a text
  • Summarize and /or paraphrase main points
  • Create new text which integrates and synthesizes pre-existing knowledge and knowledge gained from reading in the writing of new texts (papers, essays, and the like)

Measurement of student outcomes

All English 101 students produce a research paper which fulfills the above standards.

Technological Understanding

Use basic computer technology competently in current applications.

Measurement of learner outcomes

Students demonstrate the ability to use word processing programs to produce accurately formatted papers, which will then be sent to the instructor as Word attachments.

Student Outcomes / Measurement
Communication Skills / Completed Research Paper
Develop hypothesis, gather data, draw conclusions, present conclusions in written format / Evaluation of essay’s fulfillment of expected outcomes.
Communicates and expresses thoughts fluently and expressively / Written essay evaluated for ease of reading and understanding of presented information

ENG 101 1