English 0099

Fall 2012

Mission Statement:

I WILL BECOME A PROFICIENT WRITER AND FIND MY VOICE IN WRITING. I WILL ENJOY WRITING, AND I WILL LEARN THE RULES OF GRAMMAR. I WILL PASS THIS ENGLISH COURSE. I WILL PASS THE WRITING COMPASS WITH A SCORE OF ______.

Gordon College

Fall 2012

English 0099

Contact Information Course Information

Instructor: Mrs. Michele Perry-Stewart Course Title:Pre-College Composition

Office #: Student Center, Room 202 Course Day: MTWR

Office Hrs.: 9:00-10:00 am/2:00-1:00 pm Course Times: 10:00 am/11:00 am/12:00 pm

Phone #: 678 359 5096 Course Location: Academic 212

E-Mail: Course Semester Hours: 4

Website: http://www.gdn.edu/Faculty/mperry%2Dstewart/

Required Text: Evergreen Fawcett Ninth Edition (APLIA)

Supplementary Text: Dictionary/Thesaurus, Online Resources

Course Material: Highlighter/Binder/Dividers

Course Description/Objectives: See Course Guide

Course Work: (Tentative Schedule)

Evaluation: Essays – 40% Unit Grammar Tests- 30%

Midterm-10% Homework /Lab Requirements - 20%

A.  Lab Requirement: Students will be required to have access to the APLIA program, which accompanies the textbook, or may be purchased online. In addition, students will complete the minimum required lab assignments by midterm and prior to the Compass. Appropriate lessons and other assignments have been selected. Online resources such as practice tests are available with this textbook.

Grammar Websites: Listed below are websites for additional practice.

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/ (**Recommended)

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/

http://www.act.org/compass/index.html

http://www.chompchomp.com/exercises.htm

http://college.hmco.com/devenglish/fawcett/grassroots/9e/resources.html

B.  Homework: Homework will be assigned. Additional assignments may be required. Homework may be randomly checked throughout the semester.

C.  PADD ( Participation, Attendance, Determination, and Demeanor): Students may earn a maximum of 3/three points added to the Final Grade for exemplary participation, attendance, and determination.

D.  Model Student Writing: Model student writing will be shared with the entire class for instructional purposes. If students decide to opt-out of having their writing presented, they are to contact the instructor via email stating that they would not like their worked presented to the class.

E.  Other Requirements: All students will be required to maintain a 1 ½ inch binder for this course. This binder should be divided into sections as indicated by the instructor.

F.  Online Diagnostic:http://highered.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0072381329/student_view0/diagnostic_c.html

Students will complete online chapter assignments related to grammar test results. All results must be printed and filed.

G. Grades: All course grades will be maintained in the Engrade program. Students may request access to their grades.

Tentative Semester Schedule
*Please note that this schedule is subject to change.
WEEK / DATE / LEARNING
OUTCOMES / TOPICS / CHAPTERS/
ASSIGNMENTS / ONLINE
1
Getting
Started / Aug. 13-
Aug. 16 / -To demonstrate knowledge of the purpose of LS ENGL, the disadvantages/ advantages, and the requirements necessary for success
-To distinguish the parts of the college essay / -Orientation to course: Guide/Syllabus, LS Expectations, Aplia, and Grading
-Diagnostic Testing
(Online Test/Essay #1)
- Review Writing Process
-Parts of the college essay / -Diagnostic Essay
-Diagnostic Online Grammar Test
-CH. 1-Reading
-CH. 40-Complete
- Revision
(Essay #2/Pull-Apart)
-Essay Conference
-Letter to Self
2
Writing
To Create,
Engage, &
Take Charge / Aug. 20-
Aug. 23 / -To demonstrate the writing process with engaging paragraphs / -Prewriting and the Thesis
-Process of Writing Paragraphs
(Special and Body)/Density
- Expository Essay (#3) / -CH. 2/3-Reading
-CH. 14-Reading
-In-Class Essay #3
-Essay Conference
-Reading w/ Writing / APLIA
3
Sentence
Sense / Aug. 27-
Aug. 30 / -To locate the subject, verb, and prepositional phrases in a sentence
-To identify a run-on, comma splice, and fragment
-To apply the five methods of correcting sentence errors / -Simple Sentences
-Prepositional Phrases
-Avoiding Sentence Errors
(C/S, R/O, & Frag.)
-Grammar Review
-Essay Conference / -CH. 25-Complete
-CH. 26-Complete
-CH. 27-Complete
-Combining Sentences
Worksheet
-Essay Conference / LAB
APLIA
Langan
Everwrite
4
Experiences / Sept. 4-
Sept. 6
*Labor Day
Holiday / - To construct sentences that use clear word usage
-To write an engaging narrative essay / -Grammar Review
-Compass Practice Test
- The Narrative Essay (#4)
-Peer-Editing / - Grammar Test
(Ch. 25, 26, 27, & 33)
-CH. 15 & 16-Reading
-Drafting Essay #4
-Reading w/ Writing / LAB
APLIA
Langan
Everwrite
5
Pro-Me,
Pro-Nouns / Sept. 10-
Sept. 13 / -To apply the rules of pronoun case, reference, and agreement
-To revise and reconstruct a narrative essay / -Pronouns
-Grammar Review
-Essay Conference / -CH. 32-Complete
-Narrative Essay Due
-Essay Conference / LAB
APLIA
Langan
Everwrite
6
Firsts / Sept. 17-
Sept. 20 / -To apply the rules of verb tense, irregular verbs, subject-verb agreement, and –ED verbs / -Verbs
-Expository Essay (#5) / -CH. 28
-CH. 29
-CH. 30
-Reading w/ Writing / LAB
APLIA
Langan
Everwrite
7
Power
Of
Punctuation / Sept. 24-
Sept. 27 / -To apply the six basic uses of the comma
-To apply the rules of apostrophe and mechanics / -Commas
-Apostrophe
-Mechanics
-Essay Conference / -CH. 35-Complete
-CH. 36-Complete
-CH. 37-Complete
-In-Class Essay #5
WEEK / DATE / LEARNING
OUTCOMES / TOPICS / CHAPTERS/
ASSIGNMENTS / ONLINE
8
MIDTERM / Oct. 1-
Oct. 4 *Midterm-
Oct. 4 / -To demonstrate competency in grammar and writing skills / -MIDTERM EVALUATION
-Expository Essay (#6) / -Grammar Review
-Midterm Essay #6
-Cumulative Online Midterm Test
-Conferences / LAB
APLIA
Langan
Everwrite
9
Writing
With Voice and Details / Oct. 10-
Oct. 11
*Fall Break
Oct. 8-9 / -To revise and edit a college essay
-To analyze a college essay for grammar, style, content, and organization / -Improving Your Writing
Consistency & Parallelism
- Sentence Variety
-Compass Test Practice / -CH. 21-Complete
-CH. 22-Complete / LAB
APLIA
Langan
Everwrite
10
Proofreading
For Clarity
And
Conciseness / Oct. 15-
Oct. 18 / -To revise and edit a college essay
-To demonstrate the skills needed for rethinking and revising a college essay / -Diction
-Dangling/Misplaced Modifiers
-Essay #7
-Model Student Essays / -CH. 20-Complete
-CH. 23-Complete
-In-Class Essay #7
11
Are You a Better Writer? / Oct. 22-
Oct. 25 / -To revise and edit a college essay
-To demonstrate the skills needed for rethinking and revising a college essay / -Mock Writing Sample
-Grammar Test
-Peer-Editing/Round-Robin
-Conferences / -Grammar Test
(CH. 21, 22 & 20- 23) / LAB
APLIA
Langan
Everwrite
Compass Prep
12
Pre-Planning for Exit Test / Oct. 29-
Nov. 1 / -To demonstrate competency of basic writing skills / -Essay Revision Day
-Mock Compass Test
-Compass Test Preparation
-Essay Conferences / -CH. 24-Reading
Reading w/ Writing / LAB
APLIA
Langan
Everwrite
Compass Prep
13
Writing
Sample / Nov. 5-
Nov. 8 / -To demonstrate competency of basic writing skills / -Writing Sample Exit Exam
-Putting Your Proofreading Skills to work
-Compass Test Orientation / -Writing Sample
-CH. 38-Complete
-CH. 34-Complete / LAB
APLIA
Langan
Everwrite
Compass Prep
14
Compass
Prep / Nov. 12-
Nov. 15 / -To demonstrate competency in basic writing skills / -Compass Test Prep
-Writing Sample Exit (Conferences)
-Post-Diagnostic Test
-Aplia Review / -Compass Test Review
-Reading w/ Writing / LAB
APLIA
Langan
Everwrite
Compass Prep
15
Conference/
Compass
Prep / Nov. 19-
Nov. 20
*Thanksgiving
Nov. 21-23 / -To demonstrate competency in basic writing skills / -Compass Test Prep
-Conferences (Final Grade) / -Compass Test Review
-Return Letter to Self / LAB
Compass Prep
16
Compass
Writing Exit
Exam/Finals
Week / Nov. 26-
Nov. 29
------
Dec. 3-6 / -To demonstrate competency in basic writing skills / -COMPASS TEST
______/ -Compass Test
______/ LAB
Compass Prep

COLLEGE ESSAY RUBRIC

1 / 2 / 3 / 4
Content-25%
1. Starts with an engaging introduction and draws the reader into the topic / Weak / Fair / Good / Strong
2. Focuses on a specific, well-defined topic -- an incident, experience, person or idea
3. Tells an interesting story and elaborates with specific, vivid images and examples
4. Explains why the topic is important
5. Ends with a satisfying conclusion
Organization-25%
6. Follows a coherent pattern of organization (beginning, middle, end) / Weak / Fair / Good / Strong
7. Demonstrates proper and effective paragraphing
8. Uses transitional words and phrases to maintain coherence and establish sequence within and between paragraphs
Style-25%
9. Uses a vivid, precise vocabulary that is appropriate for the essay's audience /

Weak

/ Fair /

Good

/ Strong
10. Uses a variety of clear, correct sentence structures
11. Written with a distinctive "voice" that conveys the personality of the writer
Conventions-25%
12. Contains no more than one or two minor/major errors in grammar or usage / Weak / Fair / Good /

Strong

13. Contains no more than one or two minor/major errors in spelling, capitalization or punctuation
14. Essay is written or typed neatly, with adequate margins and complete heading
TOTAL

Essay #1

Name______

Course Time______

Directions:

·  Diagnostic Essay (Essay will be graded; however, it will only be counted in final grade if passing)

·  Select one of the following topics and write an essay which reflects your knowledge of this skill.

·  Please refer to guide for submitting essays.

1.  My life is complicated because. . .

2.  High school was a challenge for me, but. . .

3.  If graduation begins today, I must. . .

4.  “An unexamined life is not worth living.”--Socrates (Explain this quote in terms your life

experiences (i.e. five year plans, self-evaluation, regrets/success, etc.)

Guideline for submitting essays

**The instructor reserves the right not to accept any work that does not follow the guidelines.

1. All papers are submitted on the date scheduled on course syllabus unless prior arrangements have been made with the instructor.

2. Do not write on the back of the paper.

3. Name, class, and date are placed in the top left-hand corner of paper. If the

paper is to be folded lengthwise the name, class, and date are also placed on the

outside of the paper.

4. If the paper is handwritten, it is written in blue or black ink only.

5. Penmanship must be legible. All letters are distinct. *If penmanship problems exist such as all capital letters, undistinguishable lettering, and miniscule letters, an initial attempt will be made by the instructor to assist students; thereafter, papers will be returned for students to revise.

6. If a title is given, it is not underlined or placed in quotation marks and key words

are capitalized.

7. Commas, periods, and other punctuation marks are firm and clear.

8. The first line of each paragraph is indented from the left-hand margin.

9. No words are broken at the end of a line.

Prewrite Below: