LEARNING SUPPORT ENGLISH

ENGL 0099 - Conger 318

MTWF 11:00 - 11:50

FALL 2007

 

Professor:       Erin E. Campbell                                 Office:                        Conger 311

E-mail:            ecampbell@abac.edu                          Office Hours: MWF 7:00 – 8:00 AM,

Office Phone:   391- 4953                                                                  MWF 9:00 – 10:00 AM,

                                                                                                            MWF Noon – 1:00 PM, and              

by appointment          

 

Required Texts:         Buscemi, Santi V.  A Reader for College Writers.  7th ed.  Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2005.

 

Hacker, Diana. A Writer’s Reference. 6th ed.  Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2007.

 

Haruf, Kent. Plain Song.  New York:  Vintage Contemporary, 1999.

 

Your ABAC e-mail address

 

Your WebCT (ENGL 0099) on which you will find announcements, assignment sheets, discussion board journals, etc.

 

A college-level dictionary of your choice

 

Additional Materials:            3-ring binder

USB drive

Looseleaf paper

Blue or black pens

Manila folder

Sticky notes

Highlighter

 

Course Description:

ENGL 0099 focuses on developing students’ proficiency and confidence in their writing processes and in reading and responding to the writing of others. Students will be introduced to writing-appropriate technology and review Standard English grammar and mechanics that they will employ in all writing projects.  This course provides the additional preparation necessary for students to enter Composition I.  Students will exit the course by earning a passing grade of C or better, passing the WPE and satisfying the minimum score (60) on the COMPASS Writing exam.

 

Course Methods: 

You will develop critical thinking, reading, and writing skills throughout this course.  In-class and out-of-class writings as well as class discussions of the assigned material will facilitate these skills.  You are responsible for the assigned material on the due date listed in the course calendar.  In addition, you will offer feedback on your classmates’ essays through peer responses.  Timed, in-class essays will allow you to synthesize your responses to the reading or discussion material as well as prepare you for the WPE.  Response papers and journals will further your ability to analyze and evaluate issues raised in class as well as increase your ability to manipulate both the language and the computer.

 

 

 

 

 

ABAC ATTENDANCE POLICY

 

Courses at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College are provided for the intellectual growth and development of students.  To attain maximum success, students must attend all their classes, be on time, and attend all scheduled course activities including, but not limited to, field trips, seminars, study sessions, individual conferences, and lectures.  This interaction with instructors and other students is an important element of the learning process, and a high correlation exists between class attendance and course grades. A student must understand the importance of regular participation in classroom and laboratory activities. The absence of any student affects not only his or her performance but the performance of the class as a whole. Absence from class, for whatever reason, does not excuse a student from full responsibility for class work or assignments missed. Students must accept this responsibility.

 

Instructors will keep accurate attendance records and must report the individual number of absences with midterm and final grades. Students whose number of unexcused absences is more than twice the number of class meetings per week (the equivalent of two weeks of instruction) will receive a grade of “F” for the course.  Fewer absences than twice the number of class meetings per week may result in grade penalties at the discretion of the instructor.  Specific attendance requirements applying to labs, clinics, accelerated classes or Learning Support will be adapted to the unique situation by the appropriate division.  Final determination of what constitutes an excused absence rests with the classroom instructor.  In implementing this Policy, faculty will not include in a student’s unexcused absences those absences incurred due to authorized and approved College sponsored events (or in the case of joint-enrollment students high-school sponsored events) in which the student represents the institution as part of a group or under the direct supervision of a faculty or staff member.

 

Whenever a student is absent, whether for official or personal reasons, the student must assume responsibility and provide notice to the instructor, preferably in advance, for making arrangements for any assignments and class work missed because of the absence. However, final approval for make up work remains with the individual instructor.

 

A student who stops attending class without officially withdrawing from the course is subject to this attendance policy and will receive a grade of “F” for the course.

 

At the beginning of each semester, instructors will explain clearly to their students specific attendance requirements (including possible penalties). Additionally, they will publish the attendance policy on their syllabi and web-sites.

 

 A student penalized for excessive absences may appeal through the grade appeal process, as stated in ABAC’s college catalog and student handbook.

 

SPECIFIC TO THIS CLASS:  Attendance is mandatory.  Missing more than eight classes will result in failure of the course.  Arriving after roll is called or leaving before class is dismissed (regardless of reason) will be weighted as a tardy. Three tardy arrivals and/or early departures will be weighted as an absence for determining failure criteria. If you arrive more than fifteen minutes late or leave more than ten minutes early, you will be counted as absent for the class.  An absence on a day of peer response will result in two absences.  Failure to have a draft on peer response day will result in one absence.  Late final drafts will be penalized by one letter grade per calendar day.  If you must be absent, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed on the day you return to class. The ONLY excused absences will consist of the following and require documentation:  hospitalization of yourself or your minor child, or institution sanctioned events.

 

 

 

Manuscripts: All out-of-class writings, both essays and response papers, will be typed in a standard 12-point font and typeface, double-spaced, with one-inch margins, including drafts for peer response. Take advantage of the computer labs on campus to produce your drafts.  Be sure to save your work on a disk, as well as making extra copies for your protection.  Do NOT wait until the last minute to type or print your drafts.  Computer difficulties such as “my disk crashed” is the 21st century’s equivalent to the clichéd excuse “the (fill in the animal of your choice) ate my homework.”

 

CAUTION: You will be learning how to use Office 2007 if you are taking CISM 2201 this term.  English department computer labs and Open Lab Conger 228 will have Office 2003 installed.  If you save a file as Word 2007, you cannot return it to a Word 2003 file.  You will be submitting files electronically to me on occasion. I CANNOT read a file in Word 2007 at this time. For your protection, if you plan to use both versions of Word, save ALL of your work as both 2003 version and 2007 version.

 

You do not need a title page.  Rather, your heading should appear, single-spaced, in the top left-hand corner of your first page as follows:

 

Your Name

ENGL 0099 MTWF (meeting time)

Dr. Campbell

Due Date

Assignment Name

 

Each essay must have a title that will be centered on line below your heading, prior to the first sentence of your essay.  Follow the standard rules of capitalization.  The only appropriate punctuation for your titles is bold font.  For example:

 

Down to the Nitty Gritty

 

Do not number your first page.  Begin numbering your pages on the second page with the following information in the top right hand corner:

 

Your last name: “Short Form of Title”/2

 

Tips for successful manuscripts:  Follow the format I have provided exactly. Avoid inserting more than 1 line between your heading and your title.  Avoid inserting more than one line between your title and the first line of your essay.  Avoid inserting extra lines between paragraphs. Pay attention to the details of formatting your essay as well as the details necessary to support your claims within the content of your essay. In addition, I am stickler for the minimum page length.  Failing to meet that minimum will result in lowering your grade for that assignment.  Thus, if I ask for two pages, you may wish to make sure that you have a line on the third page to absolutely ensure that you met the minimum requirement.  Start your writing projects early and often.  Procrastination is the number one cause of plagiarism – down with procrastination!

 

Diligently avoid plagiarism in all of its insidious forms, which include failure to document direct quotes and paraphrases within your text and on a works cited page, as well as outright theft of another’s writing, published or not.  All papers will be submitted using TurnItIn. This service is a tool to help you identify potential documentation errors and inadvertent plagiarism. The minimum consequence for plagiarism is failure of the assignment.  The maximum consequence is expulsion. 

 

Response Papers:  You will write a one-page minimum, typed, double-spaced response paper for each reading assignment you are given.  These short writings are not summaries of the articles, but rather your reaction to the ideas, issues, and/or arguments raised by the author.  Response papers will allow you to investigate your thoughts about the content of the assigned articles in writing in order to shape them logically.  E. M. Forster writes, “How do I know what I think until I see what I say?” (qtd. in Capossela 17). Figuring out what you think about things by writing about them is your goal as well.  You should practice the conventions of writing in your response papers in order to reinforce your writing skills.  As noted on your course calendar, response papers will require you to address a question or topic posed by your book,  These response papers will often lead directly into your multi-draft essay and thus should be helpful to you in your drafting process.

GRADES:

100 - 90 = A; 89 - 80 = B; 79 - 70 = C; 69 - 60 = D; 59 and below = F

IP (in progress): this grade is assessed to any student who passes the class but does not pass the compass and the WPE; a grade of IP requires the student to repeat the class.  To be eligible to receive a grade of IP, a student must meet one of the following criteria:

                      1. Earn a minimum of 60 as a class average or
                      2.  Earn a score of 59 or below on the Compass Exam  

If an eligible student does not take the WPE or the Compass Exam, he/she will receive a grade of F. 
If a student does not pass the Compass Exam and fails to retest during final exams, the grade will be IP.  

 

Participation(Quizzes, drafts, peer responses, response papers, etc.)             30%

Four out-of-class essays                                                                                  40%

In-class timed writings (WPE Practices)                                                        30%

 

Grades will be posted on WebCT and will include a Midterm advisory grade and the final grade. The midterm advisory grade will reflect the course grade as of the midterm break. If the midterm advisory grade is a “C,” “D,” or “F,” it will also be recorded on Banner. This grade is intended to guide your performance, should it need improvement, in the second half of the semester. If you receive one of these grades, I encourage you to meet with me to develop a plan for success for the rest of the course.

 

Classroom  Etiquette  (A Reminder):         

(    Remember to set your cell phones to silent while you are in class. 

o       If you have a valid reason for making/receiving a call, notify me before the class period. Anyone using a communication device in any other manner will be asked to leave the classroom and assessed an absence for the day.

:      Use of a lap-top, desk-top computer, or other electronic device including, but not limited to, cellphones, iPods, MP3 players, PDAs, etc. (except when part of the assigned work for the class) is not acceptable.

o        Do not check email; “surf” the internet; use MySpace, Face Book, weblogs, or use other personal accounts during class time unless part of the class assignment. Do not play music or video games. After one warning (per semester), anyone using a computer in violation of this policy will be asked to leave the classroom and will be considered absent. DO NOT turn on classroom computer monitors until directed to do so.

F     Personal grooming is inappropriate in a public place.

Q     Personal business should be conducted before or after class. 

%     Sleeping in class will result in an absence. 

Missing class for any reason is your choice and thus it is your responsibility to weigh the consequences of that choice.

 

PLEASE NOTE: Consult your student handbook for any policies not covered in this syllabus.  You are responsible for knowing campus rules and regulations regarding academic procedures.

ENGL 0099 - MTWF 11:00 - 11:50 a.m.

Conger 318

Tentative Course Calendar*

 

August            20:                   Course Introduction

21:                   Diagnostic writing (in class)

                        22:                   Using the Writing Process, 22 – 32

24:                   CONVOCATION

27:                   Description pgs. 229-32; Response paper from convocation due      

28:                   Description pgs. 233- 45; Choose one of the topics listed on pgs. 244 - 5 and bring a typed, 200+ word response to that topic

29:                   “Fish Camp,” pg. 260 – 65; bring a typed 200+ word response to Journal Entry #1 on page 265         

31:                   “If at First You Do Not See . . .,” pg. 346 - 50; bring a typed 200+ word response to Journal Entry #2 on pg 250

September         3:                   LABOR DAY (No Class)

  4:                   Writing Process, 32 –41; Discuss thesis and essay development      

  5:                   Practice thesis and development plans; Plain Song pgs. 1- 71               

 7:                    Essay #1 Peer response draft due

10:                   Writing Process, 41 - 49         

                        11:                   Comparison & contrast, pgs. 349 - 61; bring a typed 200 + word

                        response to one of the topics listed on pg 359 - 61

12:                   Temptations of Old Age, pg. 368-9; bring a typed 200+ word response to Journal Entry #2 on 369.

14:                   Essay #1 - Revision due; WPE Practice.

17:                   High Anxiety, pg 362-66; bring a typed 200 + word response to Thinking Critically #2 on pg. 366. 

18:                   Plain Song pgs. 72 -151  

19:                              

21:                   Essay #2 Peer response draft due

24:                              

25:                   Process Analysis, pg. 385 - 395.

26:                   On Fire, pg. 407 - 11; bring a 200 + typed response to Suggestions for Journals #2 on pg 411.

28:                   “Florida’s Fire Ants Head for Trouble”, pg. 412-6; bring a 200 + word typed response to Thinking Critically #1 on pg. 415.  Be sure to explain how and why humor is effective.

October             1:                   Essay #2 revision due;

  2:                   Plain Song pgs. 152 - 213

  3:

  5:                   Essay #3 peer response draft due

  8:                              

  9:                              

10:                   Essay #3 revision due

12:                   Argumentation and persuasion, pg. 463-73.  

15 -16:                         FALL BREAK

17:                   Argument, pg 475- 485.

19:                   “The Right to Be Let Alone,” pg.488 - 91; bring a 200 + word typed response to Journal Entries #2 (you may choose) on pg. 491.  As always, be specific to support your answer.

22:                   “A Cool and Logical Analysis of the Bicycle Menace,” pg. 492 – 7; bring a 200 + word typed response to Journal Entries #2 on pg. 497.

23:                   “Bilingual Education:  Opposing Views,” pg. 504 – 510;  bring a 200 + word typed response to Journal Entries #2 on pg. 509-10.                       

                        24:                   WPE practice

26:

29:                   Essay #4 peer response draft due

30:

31:                   WPE practice

November         2:

  5:                   Essay #4 revision due

  6:

  7:                   Plain Song pgs. 214 - 301

  9:

12:

13:                  

14:

16:

19:

20:                   Prepare for WPE

21:                   Prepare for WPE

22 - 23:                        THANKSGIVING

26:                  

27:

28:                   Prepare for Compass

29:                   WPE 6 - 8 PM

30:                                                                              

December          3:                  

                          4:                  

                          5:

                          7:

                        10 – 13:           EXAMS

  • I reserve the right to add, subtract, multiply or divide the course calendar as necessary

 

 

Writing Center:  The Writing Center, part of the Academic Assistance Center, is located in the Carlton Building on the first floor in room L-104. The Center is staffed with highly trained peer tutors to guide you through any stage of the writing process. To get the most out of tutoring, give yourself time to get the advice that you need.  In other words, procrastination and getting tutored don’t mix.  All students should take advantage of this free and beneficial service! 

 

Monday – Thursday 8AM – 8PM

Friday 8 AM – 1 PM

 

Course Assumptions:

 

1.         Reading, writing and thinking are integrated skills.

2.         Writing is learned individual behavior, requiring practice, feedback and revision.

3.         Writing is a recursive process involving collecting information, focusing, ordering, drafting, clarifying or revision, and editing.

4.         The priorities in any piece of writing are, in order, substance, organization, style and correctness.

5.         Consideration of audience, purpose, and voice is fundamental in the writing process.

6.         Writers must be able to adjust their writing processes to a variety of writing situations.

7.         Grammar, usage, and mechanics are best learned individually through reading, writing, revision, and editing.

8.         Informed use of technology can enhance writing and research for writing.

9.         Writing is a process of inquiry through which a writer learns and may share that learning.

 

Outcomes:

 

Students who successfully complete English 0099 will be able to

1.      Write logical, coherent, and well-developed paragraphs and assemble these into well-developed multi-draft essays with final drafts completed on a word processor.

  1. Practice and demonstrate the processes of writing, including prewriting, drafting, peer evaluation, revisions, and final draft

3.      Use Standard English grammar, punctuation, word choice, spelling, and sentence structure in writing with a level of error that does not impede understanding.  

4.       Demonstrate the ability to write a timed, single-draft essay that meets ABAC’s writing proficiency criteria for coherence, organization, development, and mechanical correctness.    

 

 

Logging in to WebCT Vista:

 

  1. From ABAC’s home page http://www.abac.edu
  2. If you do not know your ID (Username) for WebCT Vista,
    1. Banner Web [link] from ABAC’s home page
    2. Look up your New Student ID [link]
    3. Enter your information (First name, Last name, birth date, social security number)
    4. Continue [button]
    5. Your WebCT Vista ID (username) will be provided.
    6. Return to ABAC’s home page
  3. WebCT Vista (link)
  4. Login (link)
  5. Enter your WebCT ID (username) and Password
    1. ID/Username (NOT your 918xxxx ID – see instructions above for obtaining WebCT Vista ID from Banner web) – examples:  awillis1, awilli22
    2. Password: PIN (from Banner Web -- NOT your 918xxxx ID) – examples 010187, 121288
  6. OK (button)
  7. Selected Course (course link) (e.g. ENGL 1101, ABAC 1000)