ENG101 Syllabus

Fall 2009
Item Instructor Information

Instructor: Dr. Alisa Cooper
Class Time: Online 24-7

Office: PAC735
Office Hours: MW: 10:30-11:30am (in PAC735), M-F: 2-4pm (Online), M-R: 8-9pm (Online)
Office Phone: 602-243-8309 (Use only during office hours - MW: 10:30-11:30am)
Cell Phone & Texts: 602-325-3259 (Anytime before 10pm)
E-mail: email10

Item Course Materials
Required Text: The Brief Penguin Handbook, 3rd Ed. Lester Faigley with the MyCompLab Access Code. Do not buy a used book because you will not have the needed access code.
Required Accounts: email, Blackboard, Ning, MyCompLab, WetPaint
Required Materials: headphones/speakers, phone or microphone
Recommended Materials: USB thumb drive, IM account
Item Course Description
Emphasis on rhetoric and composition with a focus on expository writing and understanding writing as a process. Establishing effective college-level writing strategies through four or more writing projects comprising at least 3,000 words in total.

Prerequisites: Appropriate English placement test score or (a grade of “C” or better in ENG071).

Course Note: Through four or more writing projects comprising at least 3,000 words (final drafts), the student will demonstrate an understanding of expository writing as a process per the course competencies.
Item Course Competencies

  1. Analyze specific rhetorical contexts, including circumstance, purpose, topic, audience, and writer, as well as the writing’s ethical, political, and cultural implications. (I, III)
  2. Organize writing to support a central idea through unity, coherence, and logical development appropriate to a specific writing context. (II, IV)
  3. Use appropriate conventions in writing, including consistent voice, tone, diction, grammar, and mechanics. (I, IV)
  4. Summarize, paraphrase and quote from sources to maintain academic integrity and to develop and support one’s own ideas. (III, IV)
  5. Use feedback obtained from peer review, instructor comments and/or other resources to revise writing. (II)
  6. Assess one’s own writing strengths and identify strategies for improvement through instructor conference, portfolio review, written evaluation, and/or other methods. (II, III)
  7. Generate, format, and edit writing using appropriate technologies. (II, IV)
Item Grading Policies
Grades for completed written work are given in percentages:
90-100 = A, 80-89 = B, 70-79 = C, 60-69 = D
Below 60 is a failing grade on an individual assignment; however, a score of below 60 does reflect credit for the work done and certainly is more valuable than a zero (0), which is a score when no work is turned in.

Grades:
A = 1000-895 pts
B = 894-795 pts
C = 794-695 pts
D = 694-595 pts
F = 594-0 pts


Final Note: 50% of your grade in this class is dependent on your essay writing skills. That’s half of your grade. You are guaranteed to not do well if you do not complete any one of the essay assignments. To give you a fair opportunity to do well in ENG 101, please complete ALL essay assignments.
Item Attendance Policies
You are expected to attend all class sessions. Sessions in an online class include any schedule chats or IM. Attendance is also measured by your activity in the online discussions and other activities scheduled for the class. You should plan to participate by logging in to Blackboard or the course network at least 3 days a week. Should you miss more than that you may be withdrawn from ENG101 due to excessive absences. You may also lose class participation/attendance points for excessive absences (not participating in online activities).
Item Late Work
You must turn in all assignments, discussion journals, and essays complete and on time. Complete means everything specified in the assignment. Incomplete assignments will not be graded. On time means by midnight on the date the assignment is due. The grade for any late ESSAYS or assignments will be reduced 10% each day it is late. Late essays and assignments will be accepted up to one week following the due date. Essay and assignments over a week late will not be accepted. No late discussion journals will be graded.
Item Plagiarism
It is important that you become familiar with the plagiarism policy of the English Division. Credit must be given where it is due. Creators of ideas deserve to be recognized for them. If you present material without acknowledging an outside source, readers will assume that you are its author. When writers deliberately present another author’s work as their own, they are guilty of plagiarism. When you write for others to read, as in an essay, you are bound by certain rules of fair play. Specifically, unless you quote directly, you must completely restate material borrowed from your sources using your own words and your own style. Failure to do so is called plagiarism, an act of dishonesty. If you plagiarize in any assignment in this course, you will receive zero (0) points for the plagiarized assignment, and possibly a failing grade for the class.
Item Paper Format
All papers and writing assignments handed in on paper should:

  1. be typed;
  2. have 1″ margins on top and bottom and 1.25″ on the sides;
  3. include the writer’s name, course title/time, assignment # & name, and date in upper left corner of the page.
  4. be saved as either MS Word (.doc) or Rich Text Format (.rtf)
  5. be saved with the following named format: first name and Assn.# (Tracy A1.doc)
  6. be uploaded to Blackboard

Assignments that do not follow these format guidelines will be penalized no less than 5% and no more than 10% of the grade.
Item Tutoring
The Learning Assistance Center provides help with study skills, writing, basic computer skills and content areas. Tutorial software, websites, study guides, videos and tutors are available in many subject area. A computer lab, study rooms and make-up testing are also available. Online tutorials and resources can be found at My Course Help
This service is FREE to students.

Contact the Learning Assistance Center, located in room SS-100.
Online: http://students.southmountaincc.edu/Resources/LearningCenter/


Phone: 602-243-8189
Hours:

  • 8:00am-8:00pm, M-TH
Item Disability Services
If any of you has a disability, including a learning disability, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss any potential accommodation needs.

The DRS office is here to assist you in:

  • Accessing and using resources that will help make you more independent and self-sufficient.
  • Developing skills needed for academic and personal success.
  • Creatively overcoming obstacles.
  • Achieving your maximum potential.

The DRS office is presently located in the Student Enrollment Services Building, Rm. 130. Fall & Spring office hours are: 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursdays, and Fridays 10 - 4. Appointments available by calling 602-243-8027. Otherwise, please visit the Advisement desk to make an appointment.
Item Final Statements

  • Information provided in the syllabus and due dates are subject to change due to the exigencies of the real world. Keep informed of any changes by attending class regularly and taking note of any announcements made in class. Students will be notified by the instructor of any changes in course requirements or policies.
  • As a registered student in this class you are responsible to know and understand the syllabus. The instructor is willing to answer any questions you may have concerning the syllabus. It is recommended that you keep this syllabus in the front of your notebook for this class to have easy reference.
  • Students are responsible to know their rights and responsibilities. You can find these in the College Catalogue and the Student Handbook