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Course Syllabus for Freshman Composition II

ENGL 1213-405 Mondays 6:00 – 8:50pm Room L-132 and

ENGL 1213-412 Wedsnesdays 6:00 – 8:50pm Room L-120

Arguing Through Literature

Tulsa Community College, West CampusSpring 2012

“When I read great literature, great drama, speeches, or sermons, I feel that the human mind has not achieved anything greater than the ability to share feelings and thoughts through language.” James Earl Jones

“The man who does not read books has no advantage over the man that can not read them.” Mark Twain

“The answers you get from literature depend upon the questions you pose.” Margaret Atwood

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Instructor: Pamela Webb

Office: WritingCenter (I-116)

Phone: 595-8063

Email:

Liberal Arts Division

Division Associate Dean: Karen Harmon

Office: L144

Phone: 595-8080

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Catalog Description

Course Description & Prerequisites

English 1213 -- Freshman Composition II

A continuation of English 1113 (Freshman Composition I), Composition II involves critical reading, thinking, and writing.The course includes analysis and evaluation of reading selections and techniques of research and documentation.

This course will transfer readily to any public institution of higher education in Oklahoma.

TEXTBOOKS and Required Materials

Delbanco, Nicholas, and Alan Cheuse.Literature Craft & Voice.2nded. New York: McGraw Hill, 2012. Print.(ISBN# 9780073384924)

Fowler, H. Ramsey, and Jane E. Aaron, eds.The Little Brown Handbook.2ndCust.ed. for Tulsa Community College.New York: Pearson, 2012. (ISBN# 3781256707028)

A notebook or folder, with pockets—this will be your journal; you are expected to take substantial notes during this course and to keep copies of all assignments, instructions, and handouts as well as your returned work.

SUGGESTED RESOURCES/Materials

The Modern Language Association.MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 7thed. New York: MLA, 2009.

A college dictionary and a substantial thesaurus are extremely helpful, if not essential, for successful writing.

A portable storage device (such as a flash drive): it is a very good idea to keep copies of everything you turn in for this course.

GENERAL EDUCATION GOALS

General Education courses at TCC ensure that our graduates gain skills, knowledge, and abilities that comprise a common foundation for their higher education and a backdrop for their work and personal lives. TCC’s General Education goals are: Critical Thinking, Effective Communication, Engaged Learning, and Technological Proficiency.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

To be successful in this course, first read the “Prerequisites for Composition II” on page xv in The Little Brown Handbookand make sure they realistically apply to you. Your work must reflect your proficiency in these areas as well as your ability to:

  • Demonstrate and practice mastery of the grammatical and composition skills required forComposition I, English 1113.
  • Compose and develop coherent meaningful thesis statements
  • Write well-developed essays and research papers of five or more pages that address complex topics and use multiple writing strategies and modes of development
  • Use critical thinking in order to analyze and critique the ideas of others in texts, especially essays, articles, and short fiction
  • Write a well-developed, well-reasoned, accurately documented argumentative paper
  • Participate in civil academic discussion
  • Incorporate appropriate technology

ATTENDANCE

This is not High School--There is no such thing as an excused or unexcused absence.

Attendance is required and necessary to successfully complete this course because most of your writing will be based on or guided by material covered in class. Additionally, work assigned or completed in class cannot be made up, so if you miss class you will receive a zero for work done that day. Finally, any changes to the schedule, including changes to assignments, due dates, or class location, will be announced in class. For these reasons, any student who misses four classes (the equivalent of two weeks) will be reported to the Dean as excessively absent. Any student who misses six classes (the equivalent of 3 weeks) may be administratively withdrawn for the course, which will result in an AW as the final course grade on his or her transcript, or may receive an F for the course.

If you are absent, check your course schedule, Blackboard, and ask a classmate. NEVER ask if we “did anything important” in class—everything we do in class is important.You are responsible for developing your own buddy system with other students in the class. Use the class schedule, Blackboard, and your buddy system to keep up.

TEACHING METHODS

This course combines lecture, individual and group activities (on and off line), daily reading and discussion of assignments, individual conferences, and in-class writing sessions, as well as three formal essays to develop critical thinking and communication skills.

EVALUATION TECHNIQUES

To successfully complete this course, I expect you to: demonstrate regular, active attendance; adequately prepare for class; read all assigned material; take notes while reading on your ownand during class; demonstrate knowledge of both content and vocabulary through research, questions, and discussion;and complete allassignments on time and according to provided instructions. Your grades will be based on your skill and compliance in completing the following:

Formal Essays: Three formal essays of 4+ pages, including one research paper of 6-10 pages in length, which will be graded on compliance with the assignment requirements and the standards of good writing (see The Little, Brown Handbook and the Grade Descriptions herein for details).A detailed handout on grading elements and writing requirements is provided on Blackboard.

In Class Work and Active Participation: in-class writings, actively participating in group activities, and attending individual conferences with your instructor.

Journal: Three times during the semester, I will evaluate your journal (notebook), which should include your in-class andreading notations (questions, comments, ideas, word definitions, etc.) and three specific journal assignments, which may include a less formal essay.

Thesis: Working thesis for your final research paper.

Discussion Boards: Four discussion notes/responses to be posted on our Blackboard Discussion Board (specific instructions for each will be provided on Blackboard).

Reading Responses: Four analysis/response papers.

Final Exam: The final is an open book exam covering rhetorical principles and terms, literary analysis, and the conventions and rules of MLA documentation. A short essay/analysis section may be included. There is no makeup option for the final exam.

GRADING

Grades are not negotiable.The grade you earn is determined by the quality and persistence of your work.Extra credit is not an option.A number of assignments allow you to earn points for effort.Skipping this work is never a good choice.

Your grades are always available on Blackboard.Check and calculate them frequently. If you have a question about a grade, bring it to my attention immediately: within one week of the time the grade is posted, except for the final, which you must bring to my attention within 2 days of posting. Waiting until the last week or two of class to calculate your grade and beg for mercy is neither a wise nor productive strategy.You are responsible for keeping up with your progress.

Percentage/Points

1000—900A

899—800B

799—700C

699—600D

599 and belowF

Point Breakdown

Journal150

Essays 200 (2 @ 100 pts. each)

Thesis25 (For the Research Paper)

Research Paper (RP)150

In-class Work75 (includes points for mandatory conferences and chapter exercises)

Discussion Boards100 (4@25 pts. each)

Reading Responses200 (4@ 50 pts. each)

Final Exam100

Total Points 1000

SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS:BLACKBOARD

Please access Blackboard through Mozilla Firefox -- it is the most compatible with the current version of Blackboard used by TCC and there may be submission, access, or compatibility issues if you use a different browser when submitting your work. All assignments should be submitted through the appropriate assignment links on Blackboard, unless otherwise noted on the assignment instructions. The final exam will be completed and submitted on Blackboard during the designated class period. There is no make-up exam allowed for the final.

The assignment links close at the due date/time specified on the link. For example, if an assignment is due on Tuesday at 10:00pm, the link will close on Tuesday at 10pm. If you fail to upload by this time, you will receive a zero for the assignment. The only exception is if the Blackboard system is unavailable. If your computer is slow, or you are on a different time than Blackboard, or your ISP kicks you off, or your computer or software is incompatible with Blackboard, or your internet is down, or whatever the reason or excuse, I still expect you to submit your work on time, so plan to submit before the due date/time to avoid or adjust for unexpected difficulties.

Once you have submitted your work, an exclamation (!) appears in Blackboard. This means the file has been submitted and is waiting to be graded. It does not indicate that you have submitted the right file, only that a file has been submitted. For this reason, I encourage you to open the document (after submission) to make sure it is correct. If you submit the wrong document, or forget to attach a document, and do not correct your submission before the due date/time, you may be allowed to re-submit the assignment as Late Work, but you MUST follow the procedure for turning in Late Work as described below.

I allow 2 submission opportunities for each assignment, so if you make a mistake – submitting the wrong document, or no document, for example – don’t worry. You may use your second attempt to submit the correct document. NOTE: If you submit more than one document, I will discard the first attempt and grade the second, so stay focused and organized when submitting your work.

Reviewing Grade Commentary

Once your assignment is graded, I will upload the graded file. To review comments, click on your grade under the appropriate assignment, scroll to item #3 Instructor Comments and open the file attached.

LATE WORK POLICY

As a rule, I do not like to accept late assignments because doing so is unfair to the students who get their assignments in on time and because it is too difficult for students to keep up with scheduled activities and assignments when they are working behind. However, sometimes we make mistakes or something happens beyond our immediate control and we get behind. So, while I whole-heartedly discourage you from counting on this option, you may turn in up to THREE late assignments during the semester. To submit late work, the following rules and procedures must be followed:

  • In-class work cannot be made up, so it may not be submitted late
  • Only one Essay may be submitted as latework
  • Thefinal exam and Research Paper are ineligible to be turned in as late work
  • You must advise me by email within 1 day (24 hours) of the assignment due date that you will submit the work as late
  • Late Work must be submitted by email through Blackboard or TCC Outlook within 7 days of the due date
  • Email submission MUST include a note indicating that you are turning in late work and the following:
  • Assignment title
  • Original due date
  • Date of submission
  • Completed assignment attached as a Word document
  • If the email does not include all of these elements, you will receive a zero for the assignment

BlackBoard System Failure

Late days are not applied when Blackboard is down for the majority of the day on a due date.If Blackboard remains down, you have approximately twenty-four hours to submit your work once the system is operational.In those instances, I will know when the system is down and when it’s up and running.A revised due date will be posted under Announcements.

If you experience computer problems unrelated to Blackboard, computer labs are available on every campus to serve you. Your home computer problems, whatever their nature, do not excuse you from your course responsibilities. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO BEGIN OR TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK. Keep a copy of all of your work. Keep a copy of all email transmittals.

RECORDED DOCUMENTATION

For your own protection, always, ALWAYS, ALWAYSkeep a copyof your work. In addition to the hard drive copy you may have at home, I recommend a print copy and an electronic copy.No additional time or concession will be granted to work lost due to a technological malfunction, but if you save your work regularly and keep a copy, you will not have to completely redo it if you lose electricity, computer functions, etc.

COMMUNICATIONS

TCC Provided Email:TCC provides free email for students. Your college email address is automatically entered in your Blackboard courses. All communication from your instructors will be sent to this email address. You will not be able to change your email address in the Blackboard system.

The URL for the college e-mail is

All email correspondence must be conducted through the TCC email system: send email to me through Blackboard or your TCC email address ONLY, and check your TCC email often for communication from me. I will not respond to or accept email from personal email addresses after the 1st week of class. Keep a copy of your email to certify your email submittal (cc yourself when you send me an email).

COURSE WITHDRAWAL

The deadline to drop the course with a full refund and with no impact on your transcript is Friday, Jan. 25. The deadline to withdraw from the course and receive a “W” on your transcript is Friday, April 12. Contact the Counseling Office at any TCC campus to initiate a drop, to withdraw, or to change from Credit to Audit. Check the TCC Academic Calendar for additional deadlines.

It is every student’s responsibility to attend class and to complete all required course work. If you are unable to do so, for any reason, it is your responsibility to officially withdraw from the course. Non-attendance DOES NOT constitute official withdrawal. Students who stop participating in the course and fail to withdraw will receive a course grade of “F” or an “AW” at my discretion, either of which may incur financial aid or administrative discipline consequences for the student.

INSTITUTIONAL STATEMENT

Each student is responsible for being aware of the information contained in the TCC Catalog, TCC Student Handbook, Student Code of Conduct Policy Handbook, and semester information listed in the class schedule. All information may be viewed on the TCC website:

ADA POLICY

TCC provides accommodations for qualifying students in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.The Education Access Center (formerly the disABLED Student Resource Center) is the first stop to qualify students attending TCC’s four campuses and other locations for educational accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The Center's staff partners with students to begin the accommodation process and to provide access to classroom instruction and college services. The EAC is housed on the Metro Campus but is a college-wide function under the leadership of Dr. Jan Clayton, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs.For information, students may contact the Education Access Center at 918-595-7115 or or the Resource Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (RCDHH) at or 918-809-1864 (text).

If any student is in need of academic accommodations from either office, it is the student’s responsibility to advise the instructor so an appropriate referral can be made no later than the first week of class.Students may also contact the disabled Student Services Offices directly at the telephone numbers indicated.ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS WILL NOT BE PROVIDED UNLESS APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTATION IS PROVIDED TO THE DISABLED STUDENT SERVICES OFFICES TO SUPPORT THE NEED.

INCLEMENT WEATHER

TCC rarely closes.If extreme weather conditions or emergency situations arise, TCC always gives cancellation notices to radio and television stations.This information is also posted on the TCC website ( I cancel class due to weather, or any other reason, I will post an announcement on Blackboard and send an email notification through MyTCC, so check those resources often.

LEARNING SUPPPORT SERVICES: READING AND WRITINGCENTER

Students may find help with reading, writing, and study skills by visiting the Reading and WritingCenter located in the TechnologyLearningCenter in the Information Commons building.This service is offered to students free of charge.

COMPUTER SERVICES

Access to computing resources is a privilege granted to all TCC faculty, staff, and students.Use of TCC computing resources is limited to purposes related to the College’s mission of education, research, and community service.Student use of technology is governed by the Computer Services Acceptable Use Statements/Standards found in the TCC Student Code of Conduct Policy Handbook.These handbooks may be obtained by contacting any Student Activities or Dean of Student Services office.