SOUTHWESTERN MICHIGANCOLLEGE

School of Business

NILES CAMPUS, Michigan

COURSE SYLLABUS

Fall Semester 2004

COURSE TITLE:Editing & Grammar SkillsCOURSE NO: OADM 111

SECTION NO:4203

CREDITSCredit Hours: 2

TR 6:30 – 9:40pm

INSTRUCTOR:Dr. Peggie Ncube

Phone Number: 269-687-0340

E-mail:

TEXTBOOK REQUIRED: ROWE COLLEGE BUSINESS ENGLISH,Mary Anderson Bogle, Rowe Company, 1999, Third Edition, ISBN 0-88294-227-1

OPTIONAL: Reference manual, dictionary

PREREQUISITE:none

COURSE DESCRIPTION:This course is intended to improve the student’s command of the English language and to teach students how to use reference material as a resource to assist in the preparation of written communication. The following subjects are included in the class: grammar, word usage, conciseness, clarity, capitalization, number usage, spelling, and useful reference works. Exercises are used to reinforce the language arts skills needed to proofread and edit documents at an on-the-job level of proficiency.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

  • To improve the quality of language skills in talking, reading and writing by focusing on parts of speech, word choice, punctuation, and proofreading skills.

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  • To recognize proper and common nouns
  • To form plural nouns
  • To recognize personal definite and indefinite pronouns
  • To use interrogative, relative, and demonstrative pronouns
  • To use comparative forms of adjectives
  • To select correct tense of a verb
  • To use irregular verbs accurately
  • To recognize active and passive verb forms
  • To recognize verb forms not used as predicate verbs
  • To use verb forms that match their singular or plural subjects
  • To recognize how adverbs are used
  • To identify prepositions and conjunctions
  • To distinguish between words often confused
  • To use commas, semicolons, colons, dashes, parenthesis, quotation marks, periods, apostrophes and hyphens
  • To follow guidelines for using capital letters and numbers

NOTICE: Information in this syllabus was to the best knowledge of the instructor, considered correct and complete when distributed for use at the beginning of the semester. The instructor, however, reserves the right, acting within the policies and procedures of Southwestern Michigan College, to make changes in course content or instructional techniques.

HONESTY POLICYCheating or plagiarizing will absolutely not be tolerated at SouthwesternMichiganCollege. Any student found cheating or plagiarizing material in any manner may be assigned a failing semester/session grade in this course. A second such incident while at SMC could result in suspension or expulsion from the institution. A student found in violation of this section of the syllabus will not be allowed to drop this course. Additional detail regarding cheating and/or plagiarism may be found elsewhere in this syllabus.

Other Course You are expected to read the assigned pages and be

Expectations prepared to participate in class discussions

No open food or drink is allowed in the classroom.

Turn off cell phone prior to entering the classroom.

Children are not allowed in the classroom.

Computer settings are to be left as is. Do not make

changes in the default settings.

METHOD OF INSTRUCTION: A textbook, worksheets, lecture, discussion, group work, overhead projector, dictionary, reference manual and written assignments will be used.

EVALUATION:There are 1,000 possible points in this course. You will earn points as listed on below:

Class participation 100 points

Spelling 100 points (25 spelling quizzes weekly—-No make up quizzes)

Quizzes 200 points (each quiz is worth 40 points. Five best quizzes count)

Quiz 1 Units 1-4

Quiz 2 Units 5-6 plus reference manual

Quiz 3 Units 7-10

Quiz 4 Units 11-22

Quiz 5 Units 23-24

Quiz 6 Units 25-27

Quiz 7 Units 28-33

Tests 400 points (there are 4 tests; each test is worth 100 points. If taken late, 10 points will be deducted.)

Test 1 part A covers Units 1-12 (50 points)

Test 1 part B covers Units 1-22 (50 points)

Test 2 covers Units 23-33 (100 points)

Test 3 covers Units 1-33 (100 points)

Test 4 covers proofreading/editing (100 points)

Final Exam 200 points

GRADING SCALE: 1000 - 900 points= A(90 - 100% = A)

899 - 800 points = B(80 - 89% = B) 799 - 700 points = C (70 - 79% = C)

699 - 600 points = D(60 - 69% = D)

ATTENDANCE POLICY:Attendance is expected at every class session. Three absences will lower your semester grade one letter grade. To emphasize the importance of promptness in business, a deadline is set for each assignment. This deadline is always the BEGINNING of the class hour.

TESTING POLICY:Students are expected to take all examinations as scheduled. Students who are ill and contact me may take the test during office hours at the time arranged by instructor. Any test taken late will receive a late grade. I reserve the option to determine whether a make-up test will be given and the format of the testing method. Tests may be taken in advance of a known future absence.

IMPORTANT FALL DATES

August 30 Classes Begin

September 3-7 Labor Day Recess Begins—NO CLASSES

October 8 Fall Break Begins—N0 CLASSES

November 12 Last Day to Withdraw from fall Semester

November 24-29 Thanksgiving

December 13 Fall Classes end

December 14Preparation day--NO CLASSES

December 15-19 Final Exams

December 19 FALL SEMESTER ENDS

ASSIGNMENTS COURSE

DateUnitsAssignmentPRIOR to class.

AssignedRead all rules and examples and

complete Practice A & B.

Sept21 & 2Common and proper nouns

93 & 4 & 5Plural nouns & possessive nouns

166 & 7Possessive nouns & personal pronouns

238 & 9 & 10Indefinite interrogative, demonstrative, and relative pronouns

3011 & 12Adjectives

Test 1 part A covers Units 1-12

Oct 713 & 14 & 15Verbs and verb tenses

1416 & 17 & 18Irregular verbs, voice and mood and 10-verbals

2119 & 20Subject-verb agreement and adverbs

2821Prepositions

Nov 422 & 23 & 24Conjunctions and Words often confused

Test 1 part B covers Units 14-22

1125 & 26Commas

1827 & 28Commas, semicolons, colons

2529 & 30 & 31Dashes, parentheses, quotation marks, end marks, apostrophes and hyphens

Test 2 covers units 23-33

Dec232 & 33Capital letters and numbers

Test 3 covers Units 1-33

9REVIEWTest 4 proofreading/editing

16Final Exam

OADM 111GRAMMAR AND EDITING SKILLS______

20 HOMEWORK/ CLASS PARTICIPATION GRADES (100 points possible)

*5points per class as assigned

______

______

______

______

SPELLING(100 points possible)

MAKE A CORRECTION PAGE AND CORRECTLY WRITE FIVE TIMES ALL WORDS MISSED ON SPELLING TESTS

______

______

5 best QUIZ grades (200 points possible)

*40 points per quiz possible; NO MAKE-UP QUIZZES * for each quiz error, write five sentences using rules from text

______

4 TEST GRADES (400 points possible)

100 per test possible

______

1 FINAL (200 points possible)_____

EVALUATION:

Class participation. .10% Spelling . . . . . 10%

Quizzes...... 20% Tests...... 40%

Final ...... 20%

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