[Everything in brackets and gray highlighting is a note for the instructor; please follow the instructions in the note and then delete it before distributing the syllabus to students.]

English Composition I with Workshop

ENGL 111-[Section Number] and ENGL 070-[Section Number]

[Days, Times, and Room Locations]

Spring 2018

Instructor Information:

Instructor Name:

Office Location:

Mailbox Location:

Email Address:

[If you plan to keep regular office hours, you can include that information here.]

Catalog Description for English Composition I:

Prerequisites: Grade of A in ENGL 050 or ENGL 060, grade of B in ENGL 050 or ENGL 060 with corequisite of ENGL 070, or appropriate score on placement test. English Composition I is the first in a two-course composition sequence. The central purposes of English Composition I are to develop critical reading and thinking skills and to write thesis-driven, text-based essays. The course takes a process-oriented approach to writing that incorporates prewriting, drafting, reviewing, and revising. Students in English Composition I learn basic research skills and apply them to at least one text-based research essay.

Catalog Description for English Composition I Workshop:

Prerequisite: Grade of B in ENGL 050 or ENGL 060, or appropriate score on placement test; Corequisite: Each section of this course is linked to a single section of English 111. English Composition I Workshop is linked to English Composition I and is designed to enhance that course for students who need support in reading/writing. It takes place in a word processing lab where students are coached in structured ways to use the computer as a tool to improve reading and writing skills with an emphasis on process. The combined English Composition I and English Composition I Workshop sections allow students to work on English Composition I reading and writing assignments in a way that is paced, encourages full comprehension of the reading, and provides guidance during revision.

Required Texts:

[Please be sure to include the statement below about printed vs. digital versions of the texts.]

Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst, eds. They Say I Say with Readings. 3rd. ed. Norton, 2015.

Students in ENGL 111 English Composition I are strongly encouraged to rent or purchase the printed version of the required course text rather than the digital copy.

Note about Required Books:

[Consider including the following statement about books:]

If you buy or rent your books from the college bookstore, make sure you are aware of the refund, buyback, and rental policy. Your English instructor will likely encourage if not require you to annotate, underline, and/or highlight your text. You are still able to do all of these activities, even if you rent the book or want to sell it through buyback. The store’s policy states that “Writing, highlighting andunderlining are acceptable” when it comes to buyback and rented books. You should check with the bookstore for more information, including problems that do impact the book’s value.

Other Learning Materials:

[Create a list of any other materials that you require or recommend. Below is an example.]

  • Multiple ways to back up your work on a computer because computer problems are not an appropriate excuse for handing a paper in late.
  • A notebook (any kind) for class notes.
  • Several folders so you can organize handouts from class as well as your writing

Student Learning Outcomes:

[Please include the following items as they’re listed here.]

  1. Apply the writing process: invent, draft, revise and edit using the conventions of academic writing. (NJCCC Core SLO)
  2. Analyze and synthesize textual evidence to produce academic writing with attribution. (NJCCC Core SLO)
  3. Compose essays that assert and develop a debatable thesis statement by using relevant evidence in academic discourse. (NJCCC Core SLO)
  4. Evaluate and integrate sources using proper documentation. (NJCCC Core SLO)

Grading Policy:

[The following list is from the course outline. Revise #2, #3, and #6 to suit your specific class, but make sure you work within the options listed and clarify the relative weight of each item. Keep the other items as they’re listed.]

English Composition I requires:

  1. 25 pages of text-based, graded writing
  2. 4-5 out-of-class essays of 4-8 pages
  3. A minimum of 3 in-class timed essays (including the final in-class essay)
  4. At least one out-of-class essay involving text-based research
  5. A common departmental final in-class essay synthesizing 2 or more texts
  6. Requirement that at least 80% of the student’s final grade be derived from graded essays, with the following ranges: 45-55% of the final grade should be out-of-class essays, 25-35% should be in-class timed essays, and 10-20% should be class participation and preparation.
  7. Class preparation and participation

Attendance Policy:

[Please include the following statement:]

Students are expected to attend all classes, laboratories, and clinical sessions for every course in which they are enrolled. To accommodate students’ reasonable personal situations that might prevent them from attending classes, each student is entitled to absences amounting to the equivalent of one week’s class time in a semester. Any absence in excess of this standard can prevent students from achieving the course learning outcomes as evaluated by the instructor.

Attendance means more than just being present in class. It means that you are prepared and participate in each class. Being prepared includes completing all homework that is assigned (including reading), taking part in class activities (such as discussion, group work, peer review), having your essay drafts (rough and final) on the day they are due, and maintaining a positive learning environment (being on time for class, using technology appropriately).

Successful students attend class consistently. Missing two weeks’ worth of class means that you’re missing critical class time spent on strategies that will help you develop your critical reading, writing, and thinking skills. If you miss that many classes, either consecutive or not, or if you are consistently late to class, you will not be able to pass the class. Exceptions will only be made under extraordinary circumstances. If you are struggling, please talk to your professor and take advantage of the resources the college offers, including the Academic Support Center and Advising & Counseling.

Students have the option to withdraw themselves from courses until Friday, April 6. Instructors cannot withdraw students, so students need to take that responsibility themselves.

Make-up Policy:

[Clarify your policy regarding missed in-class essays and late out-of-class essays. Explain any grade penalty for late out-of-class essays. Consider the following statement:]

Make-up in-class essays will only be given if you have a documented emergency.If you are absent when an assignment is due, drop it off or email it to me on the day it is due so that it is not counted late. Exceptions will be made in the case of an emergency.

College Classroom Etiquette:

[Consider using the following statement:]

As stated in the Student handbook, the College has a Code of Student Conduct. It states: “Faculty members have the authority to take actions which may be necessary to maintain order and proper conduct in the classroom. Students whose behavior disrupts the class will be subject to removal and may be charged with a violation of the Code of Student Conduct. Code of Conduct charges will be investigated by the Assistant Dean of Student Services. If the student behavior presents a concern for immediate safety of the student or members of the community, the student may be suspended until a Disciplinary Reviewis held.”

Plagiarism Policy:

[Consider using the following statement:]

The Student Handbook states the following: “Raritan Valley Community College requires independent, honest work on the part of its students, and students are expected to conduct themselves with scholarly integrity. Each confirmed incident of academic dishonesty, cheating or plagiarism must be reported by the faculty member, in writing, to the appropriate Divisional Dean.” In addition, the Student Handbook states, “The faculty member will have the authority to issue a failure on the paper, exam, assignment or course in which cheating or plagiarism was established.”

Examples of plagiarism include, but are not limited to:

  1. Copying answers from a textbook to submit for a grade.
  2. Quoting text or other works without citation when requested by the faculty member to present one’s own work.
  3. Submitting a paper or essay obtained from a term paper service or taken from the Internet.
  4. Submitting a paper or report written by another student, aspouse, or a colleague as one’s own.
  5. Submitting another student’s project, essay, research paper, or computer program as one’s own.
  6. Submitting a paper wholly or in substantial part using the exactphrasing of source material.
  7. Submitting a paper closely paraphrased from source material, where the original source material is simply edited withperhaps minor word changes occurring.
  8. Submitting a paper closely paraphrased from source material, splicing together sentences from scattered segments of theoriginal.

RVCC Email:

[Consider using the following statement:]

Every student automatically receives an RVCC email account. You are responsible for checking this account regularly; otherwise, you will miss crucial college information. If I need to reach you, I will email you at your RVCC account, so it’s important that you check it at least several times a week.

Essay Requirements:

[Create a statement that includes some basic information about the rough draft and final draft writing process and requirements. If you allow students to revise graded out-of-class essays, explain that policy here. Below is an example.]

Essays should follow the assignment guidelines. All out-of-class essays (including rough drafts) should be word-processed. Due dates for rough and final drafts are listed on the assignments.

Academic Support Center:

The Academic Support Center in S020 offers free drop-in tutoring and supports services for most disciplines offered by RVCC, including all composition classes.

Reasonable Accommodation:

Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course MUST provide documentation of accommodations from the RVCC Office of Disability Services, C124. No accommodations will be made without this documentation.

Class Preparation and Participation:

[Create a statement that includes some basic information about how students should prepare for class. Below is an example. The statement about the number of hours spent outside of class is required by the college. Be sure to include it on your syllabus.]

Come to every class prepared. Preparation involves doing and bringing the assigned reading and writing assignments; be ready to discuss and write about the assigned readings in class. Class participation involves paying attention in class, contributing to the discussion, and listening to your peers.It can also involve free writing exercises, group work, and pop quizzes. Use of technology unrelated to the course (cell phones, laptops, etc.) can negatively impact your participation grade.Come to class ready to share your ideas, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

In addition to the 6 hours spent in the classroom and computer lab, you should anticipate that success in English Composition I with Workshop will require at least another 6 hours of work outside of class every week.

Course Schedule:

[At minimum, create a week by week schedule of reading assignments and essay assignment due dates (for both in-class and out-of-class essays) so students have a general idea of what to expect. If you prefer, you can create a daily calendar schedule. The one below is an example of a weekly schedule specific to Spring 2018. It does not specify any readings, aside from the “how to” chapters from They Say I Say with Readings. Instructors are free to assign readings as they see fit, provided they come from They Say I Say with Readings.

Also, the example below assigns four in-class essays, even though only two are required; this is not including the final in-class essay. In this model, you can then drop the student’stwolowest of the four in-class essay grades, not including the final in-class essay. Also, this sample assigns a total of four out-of-class essays, although you may assign a fifth one if you wish.

Before or at the beginning of the semester, you should arrange for a Library Instruction session to be held at the library with a librarian. The library’s website has a form for you to fill out to schedule it. This session needs to be in advance of your out-of-class essay assignment that requires research, which will likely be your Out-of-Class Essay 4.]

Dates / Readings and Assignments
January 22 to January 26 / Introduce course; distribute syllabus; diagnostic in-class writing; [specify assigned readings]; TSIS Introduction and Chapter 1
January 29 to February 2 / [specify assigned readings]; prepare for In-Class Essay 1; TSIS Chapter 2 and 3.
February 5 to February 9 / In-Class Essay 1; assign Out-of-Class Essay 1; [specify assigned readings]; TSIS Chapter 4
February 12 to February 16 / Prepare for Out-of-Class Essay 1; TSIS Chapter 5;1st draft Out-of-Class Essay 1 due for Peer Response/Instructor Response
February 19 to February 23 / Final draft of Out-of-Class Essay 1 Due; [specify assigned readings]; prepare for In-Class Essay 2; TSIS Chapter 6
February 26 to March 2 / In-Class Essay 2; assign Out-of-Class Essay 2; [specify assigned readings]; prepare for Out-of-Class Essay 2; TSIS Chapter 7
March 5 to March 9 / [specify assigned readings]; 1st draft Out-of-Class Essay 2 due for Peer Response/Instructor Response
March 12 to March 16 / Spring Break. No classes.
March 19 to March 23 / Out-of-Class Essay 2 Due; [specify assigned readings]; prepare for In-Class Essay 3; TSIS Chapter 8
March 26 to March 30 / In-Class Essay 3; assign Out-of-Class Essay 3; prepare for Out-of-Class Essay 3; [specify assigned readings]; TSIS Chapter 9 and 10
April 2 to April 6 / 1st draft Out-of-Class Essay 3 due for Peer Response/Instructor Response
April 9 to April 13 / Out-of-Class Essay 3 Due; [specify assigned readings]; assign Out-of-Class Essay 4; prepare forOut-of-Class Essay 4
April 16 to April 20 / Work on Out-of-Class Essay 4
April 23 to
April 27 / 1st draft Out-of-Class Essay 4 due for Peer Response/Instructor Response; assign readings for Final In-Class Essay
April 30 to May 4
[Last day of classes is Saturday, May 5.] / Out-of-Class Essay 4 due; Final In-Class Essay

Note: There is no final during final exam week. The final is given on the last day of class for English Composition I or the last day of lab for English Composition I with Workshop.

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