GREAT BASIN COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
ENGLISH 411B. 1001: Principles of Modern Grammar
Fall 2015
Instructor: Dr. Linda Uhlenkott
Email:WebCampus e-mail
Texts and Materials: Engaging Grammar: Practical Advice for Real Classrooms. Benjamin and Oliva ISBN: 978-0-8141-2338-6 (required).
Catalog Description: Modern English grammar and usage. English 411B is designed for students seeking certification in secondary English.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or instructor’s approval. Credits: 3
Course Goals: English 411B is designed to help students better understand and explain the production of grammatical spoken and written English, to make choices between different forms of grammar, and to explain why one choice is preferable. English 411B is designed, as well, to help students become more able to evaluate the rules given in grammar books and to make stylistic choices in their own language use.
Methods of Instruction: This course is designed as anonline course. Students will participate in online discussions; they will read and respond to material from the text; they will use writing workshop techniques to evaluate and edit their own written papers and some papers provided by the instructor.
Assignments: Assignments will be posted in weekly modules. They are also linked to the calendar.
Attendance: Although we will not be meeting in a traditional classroom, you will be expected to log onto the WebCampus course at least three times a week. You are also expected to log on and make contact with the instructor within the first week of course. Students who fail to logon will be dropped from the course.
Student Outcomes / MeasurementsExamine own beliefs about grammar and
the teaching of grammar / Short paper, discussion (100 pts.)
Compare differences between prescriptive
and descriptive grammar / Analysis of sections of a selected
handbook such as SF Writer or Everyday
Writer (100 pts.)
Identify word classes / Analysis, dissection of words in specific
texts (150 pts.)
Analyze form and function / Chart (100 pts.)
Categorize sentence constituents / Analysis of specific texts (150 pts.)
Show basic sentence patterns / Diagrams (100 pts.)
Use rhetorical grammar as a method of
revising sentences / Short paper (100 pts.)
Design a series of grammar lessons / Completed lesson blueprint (200 pts.)
Grades: Grades will be updated as assignments, discussions and the like are completed. Different types of assignments carry different weights. Please ask if you have questions about the weighting.
The instructor uses a grade system which awards +’s and -’s and gives a W until the 13th week of class, after which an F will be given. A student must formally withdraw by Nov. 2 to avoid earning an F for the course. According to the policy established by Great Basin College, to receive an Incomplete, a student must have completed at least 3/4 of the course with a grade of C or better, but be unable to complete the class for good cause.
Following is the breakdown of percentages and letter grade equivalents.
100 - 94% A
93 - 90% A-
87 - 89% B+
84 - 86%B
80 - 83%B-
77 - 79%C+
74 - 76% C
70 - 73% C-
67 - 69% D+
64 - 66% D
60 - 63% D-
59% and below F
Academic Integrity Policy: Academic dishonesty is defined as an act of deception in which a student claims credit for the work or effort of another person or uses unauthorized materials or fabricated information in any academic work. Academic dishonesty is a violation of the GBC Student Code of Conduct and will not be tolerated in this class. Any evidence of academic dishonesty/plagiarism in this course will result in a failing grade on the assignment and/or a failing grade for the course. Appropriate
institutional consequences such as academic probation or suspension will also be employed if necessary. This is a very critical offense. If you are ever uncertain about your use of another person’s work (ideas, language, data, etc.), you must come to see me about it.
Acts of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited, to the following:
CHEATING – unauthorized copying or collaborating on a test or assignment or the use or attempted use of unauthorized materials.
TAMPERING – altering or interfering with evaluation instruments and/or documents.
FABRICATION – falsifying experimental data or results, inventing research or laboratory data on results for work not done, or falsely claiming sources not used.
PLAGIARISM – representing someone else’s words, ideas, artistry, or data as one’s own, including copying another person’s work (including published and unpublished material, and material from the Internet) without appropriate referencing, presenting someone else’s opinions and theories as one’s own, or working jointly on a project, then submitting it as one’s own. (I have a computer program that will search your words on the Internet, so do not make the choice to plagiarize).
If you have concerns or academic problems, or if you feel you need special assistance, please discuss all matters with me first, and as soon as you can. See the GBC General Catalogue 2015-16, "Grade Appeals or Questions of Professional Conduct," on the procedure to follow should you need to protect your rights in any class.
ADA Statement: It is the policy and practice of Great Basin College to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and state and local requirements regarding students with disabilities. Under these laws, no qualified individual with a disability shall be denied access to or participation in services, programs and activities of Great Basin College. For more information, contact the GBC ADA Officer at 775.753.2271.