ENGLISH 120 #235 / MTWTh 10:30-12:35pm / RM 1434

Instructor: Rachel BarneyPhone: 253-3112

Office hours: TTH 12:40pm-2pmOffice: 1031 B

Email: Website:

Texts:

Hall, Donald and D.L. Emblen. A Writer’s Reader. 9th ed.

Hacker, Diana. A Pocket Style Manual. 5th ed.

A dictionary

Other Materials:

Blue books

Black/Blue ink pens

Paper for note taking & in-class essays

PC with Internet access

COURSE EXPECTATIONS: READING AND COMPOSITION 1

Course Description

English 120 develops expository, narrative, and argumentative writing based on reading and analysis of essays and other college-level texts. The course emphasizes critical thinking and reasoned support of ideas and reinforces the connections between reading and writing. Students will also apply advanced research and documentation skills. 6,000 to 8,000 words of writing are required.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to

  • Think, read, and write critically about a variety of ethical, civic, and intercultural issues
  • Write a unified, coherent, well supported, and grammatically correct document while also demonstrating adequate research skills, including locating, evaluating, integrating, and documenting sources using discipline appropriate styles such as MLA.

Assignments and Points:

Response Essay10%

Narrative Essay15%

Research Project30%

Midterm10%

Final10%

Class work15%

Quizzes10%

Essays

You will write two essays outside of class, the midterm and final in-class essays, and one research essay, written in several drafts, all of which are graded. All essays and drafts must be adhere to MLA formatting guidelines.

Paper copies of all essays are due by end of the day on the date posted on your assignment sheet and syllabus. If turning the essay into my mailbox, you must have the faculty secretary initial and date the paper. Late essays will receive a 10% reduction for eachday it is late. Electronic copies accepted only for late work. All major assignments must be completed within a week of the due date in order to pass the course. In other words, if you skip a major assignment, you will fail the course.

Class Work / Quizzes

There are no make-up quizzes or make-up in-class assignments period.

Attendance

Because of the complex nature of this course and the heavy workload, regular attendance is mandatory. If you miss two consecutive classes without prior notification, you will be automatically dropped from the course. Upon your fifth absence, I will drop you from the class roster provided that the deadline to do so has not passed. If the deadline has passed, you will receive a failing grade in the course. If you choose not to complete the course, you should complete the paperwork to drop; otherwise, you risk receiving an F. Additionally, you are expected to arrive on time to class and to stay for the entire session. Habitual tardiness is rude and unacceptable.

Dropping the course
It is the student’s responsibility to know the last day to drop in the session and to file the appropriate paperwork or receive a failing grade. I will drop any student who has exceeded the allotted absences if no prior arrangements have been made with me.

Make-up Exams
Make-up exams may be offered if you have notified me in advance or have a documented emergency.

Plagiarism
Every student is required to give credit to any material that is not original; this includes summarized and paraphrased text. Recently, the NVC Board of Trustees adopted an academic honesty policy designed to aggressively detect and punish violators. (See NVC Catalog) Please be advised that instructors also have access to a comprehensive plagiarism site turnitin.com that often requires only a word or a phrase to detect an incident of plagiarism. Students are required to submit electronic copies of their work to turnitin.com at the instructor’s direction. Failure to comply will result in a debit of 10 points per assignment.

Services for Students with Disabilities

If you think you have a physical, psychological, or learning disability, please contact the Office of Special Services (OSS). OSS can provide you with any necessary accommodations in the classroom and during exams, which students with disabilities are entitled to receive. Call 253-3080 (voice) or 253-3085 (TDD) for more information and assistance.

If you think you have a learning disability and need to be tested, please call 253-3284 for an appointment at the Diagnostic Learning Services located next to the Testing and Tutoring Center. DLS will be able to evaluate you for learning disabilities and/or screen for dyslexia.

Students with accommodations must provide written documentation from the appropriate authority at least two weeks in advance of using them.

Student Conduct

Students will treat the instructor and each other with respect; in addition, students are expected to attend class regularly, to arrive on time and prepared for class, and to behave as adults. Late arrivals or early departures, rude or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. (The instructor retains the right to determine what constitutes “rude and disruptive.”)

Personal Electronics

It is my hope to teach students how to think and write critically about important themes and topics. Cell phones, pagers, blackberries, iPhones and the like affect your concentration, resulting in unfocused and superficial thinking. They are wholly distracting. Please turn off all electronic equipment before class.