Date Approved or Revised: 07/10/2017
Angelina College
Liberal Arts
English 1302, Composition II
Instructional Syllabus
I. BASIC COURSE INFORMATION:
A. Course Description:
Three hours credit. Intensive study of and practice in the strategies and techniques for developing research-based expository and persuasive texts. Emphasis on effective and ethical rhetorical inquiry, including primary and secondary research methods; critical reading of verbal, visual, and multimedia texts; systematic evaluation, synthesis, and documentation of information sources; and critical thinking about evidence and conclusions.
B. Intended Audience:
Students who have successfully completed ENGL 1301 or its equivalent.
C. Instructor:
Name: Diana Throckmorton
Office Location: Liberal Arts 211
Office Hours: By appointment. Online Hours: Monday - Thursday: 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Phone: 936.633.5430 or LA office 936.633.3275
E-mail Address: .
PLEASE send all emails through the Message/Email area of our Blackboard class
II. INTENDED STUDENT OUTCOMES:
A. Core Objectives
1. Critical Thinking: to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information
2. Communication: to include effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral and visual communication
3. Teamwork: to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal
4. Personal Responsibility: to include the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making
B. Learning Outcomes:
• Demonstrate knowledge of individual and collaborative research processes
• Develop ideas and synthesize primary and secondary sources within focused academic arguments, including one or more research-based essays
• Analyze, interpret, and evaluate a variety of texts for ethical and logical uses of evidence
• Write in a style that clearly communicates meaning, builds credibility, and inspires belief or action
• Apply the conventions of style manuals for specific academic disciplines (e.g., APA, CMS, MLA, etc.)
III. ASSESSMENT MEASURES
A. Assessments for the Core Objectives
1. Critical Thinking: Students will read expository prose critically to distinguish between perception and inference, surface and implied meanings, fact and opinion. Students will formulate and develop arguments and critical theories about issues, argumentative prose, and literary interpretations. A rubric will be used to assess critical thinking skills as demonstrated through embedded questions on standardized exams.
2. Communication: Students will write researched essays and other written compositions. Students will prepare visual aids to use in oral presentations over literary works being studied. A rubric will be used to assess the effective development, interpretation and expression of written, oral, and visual communication as demonstrated through embedded questions on standardized exams.
3. Teamwork: Students will engage in teamwork exercises to demonstrate each member’s ability to consider different viewpoints and work towards a common goal. These exercises may include a mixture of peer editing in groups, group research projects, and group oral presentations of findings. A rubric will be used to assess teamwork as demonstrated through embedded questions on standardized exams.
4. Personal Responsibility: Students will be required to make choices in the composition of written assignments that demonstrate their ability to connect choices and actions, engage in ethical decision-making, and understand its consequences. A rubric will be used to assess personal responsibility as demonstrated through embedded questions on standardized exams.
B. Assessments for Learning Outcomes
1. Students will demonstrate knowledge of individual and collaborative research processes by engaging in a guided research project.
2. Students will demonstrate the ability to develop ideas and synthesize primary and secondary sources within focused academic arguments by preparing a major research paper over a literary topic.
3. Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze, interpret, and evaluate a variety of texts for the ethical and logical uses of evidence by preparing a researched essay that requires this ability.
4. Students will demonstrate the ability to write in a style that clearly communicates meaning, builds credibility, and inspires belief or action by preparing a research paper over a work of literature.
5. Students will apply the conventions of MLA style correctly in regards to page format, in-text citations, and works cited entries in a research paper.
IV. INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES:
Methodologies that may be utilized in presenting course content include in class or online lecture notes, paper and pencil or online grammar exercises or research exercises, in person or email workshops for student writings in progress, audio-visual presentations for view in class or outside of class, online discussions (synchronous or asynchronous), student presentations to groups or to instructor only, and guest participants.
V. COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND POLICIES:
A. Required Textbooks and Recommended Readings, Materials and Equipment
Literature: Craft & Voice. Delbanco and Cheuse, 2nd edition. Students are also required to obtain a copy of Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird as well as a copy of a play by Tennessee Williams; obtaining the film versions of each of these works is required as well. The specific plays will be assigned later in the semester; there is a choice of five plays.
B. Course Policies – This course conforms to the policies of Angelina College as stated in the Angelina College Handbook.
1. Academic Assistance – If you have a disability (as cited in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) that may affect your participation in this class, you should see Sellestine Hunt, Associate Dean of Student Services, Student Center, Room 200. At a post-secondary institution, you must self-identify as a person with a disability; Ms. Hunt will assist you with the necessary information to do so. To report any complaints of discrimination related to disability, you should contact Mr. Steve Hudman, Dean of Student Affairs, in Student Center, Room 101, (936) 633-5292 or by email: .
2. Attendance – Attendance is required as per Angelina College Policy and will be recorded every day. Any student with three (3) consecutive absences of four (4) cumulative absences may be dropped from the class. Records will be turned in to the academic dean at the end of the semester. Do not assume that non-attendance in class will always result in an instructor drop. You must officially drop a class or risk receiving an F. This is official Angelina College Policy.
3. Additional Policies Established by the Instructor
To “attend” an internet course, you are required to log into Blackboard once per week; you may need to log in more often to check Announcements in Blackboard to keep current with class assignments, updates, and information. Keep in mind that you may not have time to complete assignments if you wait until the last minute to check online. You will sometimes be required to complete a task, perhaps a quiz, or respond to me or your classmates in a discussion (posting) that has a limited time frame. Remember that the tasks and quizzes have time limits, so give yourself enough time to complete your work.
Obviously, it will not be sufficient to simply log in and then log out. I will communicate with you through Announcements and the Message/Email area of Blackboard; if I notice that you are not logging in and/or completing your work, I will send you an email. If you do not respond to my email within three calendar days, I will drop you from the course.
You will have assignments due every week that must be completed in a timely fashion, or you will receive a zero grade for that assignment. I drop a certain number of your quiz grades to address forgetfulnessJ. QUIZZES CANNOT BE MADE UP, SO PLEASE DO NOT ASK!! I do not reset the time factor, so be sure to check into Blackboard and pay careful attention to due dates and time factors.
ANY INSTANCE OF PLAGIARISM, WHICH IS THE UNACKNOWLEDGED USE OF ANYONE ELSE'S WORK—PUBLISHED OR UNPUBLISHED—OR CHEATING OF ANY KIND, WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE AND IRREVOCABLE FAILURE FOR THE ENTIRE COURSE. *Working together on assignments that do not specifically denote collaboration IS CHEATING, and you will be dropped for it. If you need assistance with essay writing, you may utilize the STAC tutoring center or online tutoring services offered by Angelina College. Information about both is in the Menu area to the left of the screen on our class’s Blackboard Homepage. If you utilize either of these resources, you need to provide the notes from the tutor with your essay. If you get someone else to “help” you with your essays, I advise you to be very careful that you are doing your own writing and not having someone else do it. If your online writing on timed quizzes or other communication is significantly different from the longer, untimed essays you submit, I will ask you to come to the campus discuss your essay writing discrepancies. ACADEMIC HONESTY IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE. A lack of academic honesty is a form of cheating, and as I have already stated, you will be dropped for cheating of any kind.
You will be submitting all of your work electronically THROUGH BLACKBOARD. You need to submit your essays in MS Word or in Rich Text Format. Before you send your document, do “save as” and in the “file type” menu, choose Rich Text Format (rtf) or MS Word. You will attach your document to an email that you will send THROUGH BLACKBOARD. Your assigned essays will be evaluated on fulfillment of the assignment. This includes correct organization, content, grammar and mechanics, formatting, documentation and following instructions. All essays MUST follow MLA format. You will be given complete and detailed instructions on these expectations before your work is assigned or assessed. You will be able to view a rubric in the Content area of Blackboard by which your essays are evaluated.
According to Education.com, “The etiquette guidelines that govern behavior when communicating on the Internet have become known as netiquette.” If this were a traditional classroom setting, you would be required to practice good manners and be polite. The same applies in an internet course. For netiquette reminders, please go to albion.com/netiquette/corerules. If you are rude, disrespectful, or offensive to anyone (me or a classmate), you will be dropped from the course, and you will not be readmitted. If you use crude or vulgar language, you will be dropped from the course, and you will not be readmitted. I have a no tolerance policy for that sort of behavior.
I encourage you to talk to me about the course, and please send me an email (through Blackboard) if you do not understand the material. If you are having difficulties or you have special needs, please bring them to my attention right away. I CANNOT GIVE YOU HOPE OF INCREASING YOUR AVERAGE OR YOUR UNDERSTANDING IF YOU WAIT UNTIL THE DAY OF OR THE DAY BEFORE AN ASSIGNMENT IS DUE TO ASK FOR HELP OR CLARIFICATION, OR IF YOU WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE SEMESTER TO EXPRESS YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR GRADE. ALSO, I cannot let you retake a quiz or an exam if you have special needs that you did not address with the Dean of Student Affairs’ office beforehand. If you have special needs, you need to follow protocol with college policy at the very beginning of the semester so that we can address those needs in a timely fashion and insure that you have the help you need.
These policies are applicable to everyone throughout the entire semester. Please do not embarrass both of us by asking for exceptions to be made for you. Your enrollment in this course constitutes a binding agreement to these policies.
VI. COURSE OUTLINE: Online Course
The following is a tentative schedule of topics and works to be covered during the designated times. The calendar also contains exam and essay due dates. You will be notified on Backboard of any calendar changes. BE SURE TO CHECK BLACKBOARD REGULARLY FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR ASSIGNMENTS. Please note: the Announcements in Blackboard are the most current and correct
July 11-13 Overview/Orientation- must be completed by designated times; see Blackboard
Announcements
July 14 Assign: Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” p. 291
William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” p. 323. In Introduction: Elements of Fiction and Short Stories folder in Contents/Document area of Blackboard, read Elements of fiction information. Also read the info on elements of fiction in your textbook pp. 64-69; read the notes on Poe (in Bb); bio info on Poe and Faulkner, and both of the stories (textbook). Complete quizzes on both stories in Bb before midnight, Sunday, July 16.
July 17 Assign: Read lecture on functions of Setting in folder in Bb and Welty’s “A Worn Path” p. 457.
Read bio on Welty; note elements of fiction in “A Worn Path.” Check for quiz in Bb.
July 19 Assign: Read Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird Chaps. 1-11; you will have quiz over all assigned chapters of the novel…do your reading!
July 20 Read bio of Harper Lee (link in Novel folder/Content/Documents tab in Bb) and intro to novel lecture (Information area in Bb); note element of fiction: Theme. Read lecture on theme in To Kill a Mockingbird. Note similarities to (historical background) Scottsboro case. Consider the organization, setting, characters of the novel. See character list for novel (Content/Document area Bb) and enumerate elements of fiction for novel, like setting, background information, etc. Notice info link on Great Depression
July 22 Assign: Read Chs. 12-24. Check for quizzes on Bb
July 24 Complete reading novel Assign: Chs. 25-31
Watch film of To Kill a Mockingbird by July 25
July 25 Consider film verses novel
Assign: Essay writing assignment on novel due July 31.
REVIEW MLA FORMAT AND SENTENCE STRUCTURE RULES. See documents in Writing folder in the Content/Document tab in Bb.
Continue work on essay questions; pay close attention to MLA format and grammar errors. Note Worksheet on MLA format in Writing folder in Blackboard
July 27 Assign: Read Glaspell’s Trifles p. 1005. Read bio of Susan Glaspell in Drama folder in Content/Document tab in Bb. Check for quiz on Bb.
July 28 Review for Midterm Exam; check Bb notices.
July 29 Midterm exam – open all day in Tests and Quizzes area of Bb