English 12, DE English Part 1 (ENG 111)
Fall 2013, KWHS
Lori Kubinski Johnson, DE Instructor

Course Syllabus

Instructor Contact Information

Name: Lori Kubinski Johnson
Email: (preferred method of communication)
Home Telephone: 804.769.3231
Instructor Availability: Office hours by appointment via Skype or by phone
Response Time: Typically, I am not online after 9 p.m., and am unavailable Friday after lunch (unless it’s a school day) to Saturday sundown. I usually respond to emails within 24-36 hours, but technology is not foolproof.If you do not hear from me within 24 hours, I probably did not receive the email, so email me again, especially if you are sending me a paper. If you would like to schedule a Skype conference, please email me and give at least a 24 hour notice of your desired conference time.

Course Description

ENG 111 introduces students to critical thinking and the fundamentals of academic writing. Through the writing process, students refine topics; develop and support ideas; investigate, evaluate, and incorporate appropriate resources; edit for effective style and usage; and determine appropriate approaches for a variety of contexts, audiences, and purposes. Writing activities will include exposition and argumentation with at least one researched essay.

This course fulfills an English requirement for the General Education Certificate, the Associate of Arts and Science and the Associate of Applied Science degrees. Please consult with your academic advisor about the transferability of this course.

Course Credit: 3 credits

Prerequisites: Successful placement by the Virginia Placement Test for English

Exam Date: January 24, 2014

Objectives

Students will:

  1. Engage in all phases of the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and reflecting.
  2. Write for narrative, expository, and argumentative purposes.
  3. Plan and compose essays that draw upon personal observations or reflection as well as appropriate secondary sources from various media.
  4. Practice the basic skills of modern library research by locating and evaluating appropriate sources for their writing.
  5. Select and limit the scope of topics to suit particular audiences and purposes as well as the parameters of each assignment.
  6. Select and employ rhetorical strategies appropriate to their topics, audiences, and writing purposes.
  7. Create unified, coherent, welldeveloped texts that demonstrate a selfcritical awareness of rhetorical elements such as purpose, audience, and organization.
  8. Develop a thesis or argument and organize the contents of an essay in accordance with that thesis or argument and the demands of a particular audience and writing purpose.
  9. Practice the basic skills of quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, and documenting source materials to support a thesis or argument and to avoid plagiarism.
  10. Learn to read, think, and write with a self-critical eye, examining and questioning their biases, assumptions, and opinions in light of new evidence.
  11. Understand and employ the basic strategies of argumentative or persuasive writing.
  12. Use standard, English grammar, correct punctuation, effective diction, accurate spelling, and appropriate style.
  13. Format all written work according to guidelines supplied by the instructor.
  14. Employ word processing software to draft, revise, and edit essays.
  15. Produce, at a minimum, three researched essays of at least five double-spaced pages each that demonstrate your ability to use narrative, expository, and persuasive prose.

Method of Instruction

Through classroom lectures and discussion, students can choose to engage in the subject matter at a level that is commensurate with their desired grade. Students will be evaluated not only on the quality of their writing but also on their demonstrated ability to reason critically and coherently on the subject matter. Online learning will take place via Blackboard via discussion board activities with peers and journal writing. When necessary, lectures will be delivered via Blackboard by proctor. Assignments and supplementary materials will also be available in Blackboard; therefore students should have regular access to a computer possessing an Internet connection.

Instructional Materials

Bullock, Richard, Maureen Daly Goggin, and Francine Weinberg. The Norton Field Guide to Writing with Readings and Handbook, 2rd edition. New York: WW Norton, 2013.

Learning Sequence

Unit 1 – Narrative: Writing a Profile (~100 points)

Unit 2 – Exposition: Researching and Presenting Information (~100 points)

Unit 3 – Argumentation: Researching and Presenting a Point of View (~100 points)

Portfolio Preparation and Argument for a Grade (~50 points)

Posttest (20 points)

Total points for the class: 370 points

Extra credit can be given, at my discretion. Ask!

Grading and Evaluation

Your final course grade will be determined by the total of the points earned. Note: Final grade is also affected by tardiness, absences, and late assignments. Be on time, and be timely, so you will succeed.I use the following grading scale:

92-100 = A
84-91.9 = B
72-83.9 = C
60-71 = D

Attendance Policy

  • Students who are more than ten minutes late for class will be counted absent.
  • Students who accrue more than two absences will have their final grade lowered by one letter.
  • All work must be handed in by the deadline. I do not accept late work.

Testing Policy

You will be required to complete a posttest at the end of the semester, either online or on paper, at my discretion.

Withdrawal Policy

As this is a college-level course, I reserve the right to withdraw you from the course should I determine that continuing would harm your grade (i.e., drop below a “C”) and that your skills would be better developed in a regular English class.

Instructor Absences

If I am absent, log into Blackboard and follow the instructions on the Announcements page. A substitute will be called in to proctor the class.

Honor Code

RCC does not condone academic dishonesty. The complete policy may be reviewed at Violations of this code will be handled in one of the following ways, at my discretion:

a. You will be given a formal warning in an oral or written statement that you have violated the policy, and that this may result in more severe disciplinary action should the student be found guilty of any subsequent violation.
b. You will have the opportunity to repeat the quiz, test or assignment, which may be in a different format than the original.
c. You will be given a grade of zero (0) for the quiz, test or assignment.
d. You will be given a grade of F for the course.

Students have the right to due process and to appeal as defined in the sections on Student Disciplinary Procedure and Student Grievance and Academic Due Process in the student handbook.

Student Opinion Survey
A student evaluation form will be distributed for students to complete. Results of the evaluation will be used by the instructor to revise the course.

Important Notice

This course outline is intended to be used only as an introduction to the course. The official course information is maintained in Blackboard, which takes precedence over information in this outline. However, no major changes in course content or assignments will be made. Minor changes and up-to-date information will be posted on the home page or in Blackboard.Students are required to use Blackboard to follow the assignment schedule and access handouts and presentations posted there. Students should check the Blackboard announcements page in ENG 111 and their RCC email frequently. Students are responsible for being aware of and acting according to the information in Blackboard.

Teach Act Copyright Notice

The materials provided for this course are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course, and may not be retained or further disseminated.

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