Ms. Molnar 1
Lorain County Community College/Lorain County JVS
ENGL 161: College Composition I
Fall 2015
Instructor: Ms. Molnar Email:
Room: B-206 Phone: 440-774-1051 ext. 22456
COURSE OVERVIEW
English 161 is an introduction to the reading, thinking, and writing skills that produce good academic writing. As the term implies, academic writing is the type of writing one does within the community of students, faculty, and staff who work and share ideas within a college environment. When writing for members of this community, it is important to keep in mind their expectations, values, and interests. This means, of course, that writers use critical reading and thinking skills to develop the ideas they write about and also that they monitor the appropriateness of their topic, language, tone, organization, grammar, punctuation, etc. Learning the relationship between critical thinking and academic writing will be essential to your success in this course. This class requires homework (out-of-class reading and writing). It also requires considerable in-class writing, which will be evaluated as part of the writing process.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
English 161 is a holistic approach to the study of critical thinking, reading and writing through the development of student writing communities, collaborative teaching/learning, and intensive skills building, including an introduction to the research process. Completion of English 161 and English 162 fulfills the requirement for freshman composition.
In this course you will work to develop the following skills:
Thinking To think critically for comprehension, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation ideas.
Reading To read different forms of written discourse critically.
Rhetorical To recognize elements that shape rhetorical situations and to compose writing that responds to the needs of intended audiences.
Academic Writing To write different forms of academic discourse clearly, logically, and fluently by using grammatical and mechanical conventions appropriately.
Writing Process To view writing as a process that involves techniques of invention to select and narrow topic, form a thesis or purpose, and develop an organizational plan; techniques of drafting that emphasize methods of organization, development, and continuity; techniques of editing and revision that foster self-evaluation skills.
Research To use a variety of procedures for gathering, reading, and acknowledging information taken from sources.
REQUIRED TEXTS
Behrens, Laurence and Rosen, Leonard J., eds. Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. 13th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2016.
Pausch, Randy, and Jeffrey Zaslow. The Last Lecture. Hyperion, 2008. Print.
Troyka, Lynn Q., and Douglas Hesse. Quick Access: Reference for Writers. 7th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2013.
OTHER REQUIRED MATERIALS
Writing supplies: lined notebook paper and pens/pencils
Highlighter
Flash drive
Additional copies of drafts/assignments, as noted on daily schedule
PEER RESPONSE/WORKSHOPS
In this course, you will also be receiving various kinds of feedback from the instructor and from your classmates. The workshop component of the course requires your writing will be “public”—meaning that classmates will read and discuss your work. You will be asked to engage thoughtfully in giving feedback to your classmates. While you may wonder if you are properly prepared to comment on someone else’s paper, consider this: you are already an experienced reader and writer, so use that experience to do the best you can. There are some particular worksheets for Peer Response that I will be offering you as guides for giving feedback. Try to be honest and encouraging when giving feedback. To maximize a workshop’s usefulness, you will all have to develop ways to express your ideas respectfully, thoughtfully, and helpfully. You may be surprised by how much you learn about writing by not only offering feedback to your peers, but also by being exposed to your peers’ various writing styles.
LATE WORK
Essays are due at the beginning of class on the dates listed (even if you are absent). Note: computer/printer problems are not legitimate excuses in a college-level course. It is your responsibility to find an alternative way to type or print your paper before arriving to class. Papers will drop 10% for each day late.
*If you do not have your paper the day we are doing peer response workshops in class you will receive a zero on that assignment (no late grades will be awarded). You do not have your work; therefore, you cannot actively participate in the workshop.
ESSAY FORMAT
The essays you write in this course must be typed and follow the MLA format, which is described and illustrated on pp. 258-71 of Quick Access. In a nutshell: 12-point font (Times New Roman), double spaced, 1-inch margins in all directions, appropriate header and heading, original (creative) title. All papers should conform to this style. The physical appearance of your essay provides a critical first impression; act accordingly. Also, proofread your essays carefully.
PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism is a serious offense that could result in a failing grade and jeopardize your enrollment in this course. LCCC’s Division of Arts and Humanities’ policy on plagiarism states:
All academic work submitted by as student to the instructor is expected to be a result of the student’s own thought, research, or self-expression. When a student submits work purporting to be his or her own, but in any way borrows ideas, organization, wording or anything else from another source without appropriate acknowledgment of the fact, the student is guilty of plagiarism. In any case in which a student is unsure about a question of plagiarism involving written work, he or she is obligated to consult the instructor on the matter before submitting the work.
If you do not know whether you should cite something you write or not, cite it. When in doubt, cite. You will probably not encounter any problems here if you follow that rule.
CANVAS
LCCC’s online course management system provides an avenue of communication. We will explore the possibilities this system can provide throughout the semester.
ATTENDANCE
This course demands preparation, attendance, punctuality, and participation. Absences, late arrivals, and early departures will cause points to be deducted from your grades. In accordance with the policies of the Division of Arts and Humanities, students who miss more than the equivalent of 5 class hours for a 3-credit hour course will fail to meet minimum participation requirements, leading to failure of the course. This means missing seven or more classes, for whatever reason, will result in an automatic failure. Should circumstances prohibit students’ attendance, they are encouraged to withdraw from the course.
College regulations allow student withdrawals from courses through the end of week twelve of the term. Note: The last day to withdraw from the course and receive a “W” is Friday, November 13th. HOWEVER, if a student has an F at the time of withdraw, then they are forced to take the F in the course. Students who drop after this date will receive an “F.”
CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR
Please demonstrate common classroom courtesies to your classmates and me. Come to class on time and remain for the entire class session. Bring the required texts, materials, and assignments. Do not do homework (for this or any other class), check email, send or receive text messages, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, or partake in any other social media outlet. Turn off your cell phones (or mute them) and put them away (out of your sight and mine). Any discourteous behavior can result in point deductions from your grade, whether or not behavior results in dismissal from class. These behaviors include texting, extended private conversations, not bringing the required texts or drafts, etc.
COURSEWORK for the semester ______
Diagnostic Essay
Assignment 1/Summary (200-300 words)
Assignment 2/Summary Response Essay (1000 words)
Assignment 3/Literary Analysis Essay (1250 words)
Assignment 4/Analysis Essay (1250 words)
Assignment 5/Synthesis Essay (1500 words)
Assignment 6/In-Class Final Exam (700 words)
Homework, In-Class Writings, Peer Workshops
You will receive a weekly syllabus as the course progresses so you know what is expected. There will not be a day that you will be unaware of what you will be doing in class.