English Composition I with Workshop

ENGL 070-L27 and ENGL 111-L27, 8:30-9:50am

Mon. (S-014), Tues. (S-350), Wed. (S-014), and Thurs. (S-350)

Fall 2017

Instructor Name: Dr. Karen Gaffney

Office Location: S-341

Mailbox: Somerset, 3rd floor

Email Address: (Email is the best way to reach me.)

Office phone: 908-526-1200 ext. 8293

Office hours:Mondays 10-12, Tuesdays 10-11, and Thursdays 10-11and by appointment

Catalog Description for English Composition I:

Prerequisites: Grade of A in ENGL 050 or ENGL 060, grade of B in ENGL 050 or ENGL 060 with corequisite of ENGL 070, or appropriate score on placement test. English Composition I is the first in a two-course composition sequence. The central purposes of English Composition I are to develop critical reading and thinking skills and to write thesis-driven, text-based essays. The course takes a process-oriented approach to writing that incorporates prewriting, drafting, reviewing, and revising. Students in English Composition I learn basic research skills and apply them to at least one text-based research essay.

Catalog Description for English Composition I Workshop:

Prerequisite: Grade of B in ENGL 050 or ENGL 060, or appropriate score on placement test; Corequisite: Each section of this course is linked to a single section of English 111. English Composition I Workshop is linked to English Composition I and is designed to enhance that course for students who need support in reading/writing. It takes place in a word processing lab where students are coached in structured ways to use the computer as a tool to improve reading and writing skills with an emphasis on process. The combined English Composition I and English Composition I Workshop sections allow students to work on English Composition I reading and writing assignments in a way that is paced, encourages full comprehension of the reading, and provides guidance during revision.

Additional Information:

This 6-credit course combines English Composition I and English Composition I Workshop. The English Composition I aspect of the course is fully integrated into the Workshop so that it will feel like one course. You have to enroll in both courses together, and if you withdraw, you must withdraw from both. If you get a D or higher in the course, you will get a letter grade for English Composition I and a Pass for English Composition I Workshop. If you fail the course, you will get an F in both courses. The 6 credits for this combined course mean 3 credits of college level English plus 3 credits that apply to your status as part time or full time but not to graduation.

Required Texts:

  • There is one required book for this course, and it’s important you have it for the entire semester (either purchased, rented, or borrowed).
  • The book is in paperback and available at the college bookstore. If you are on Financial Aid, make sure you contact that office about a book voucher.
  • If you cannot get the book right away, then you are still responsible for doing the required reading, and for that purpose, the book is on reserve at the RVCC library (you can ask for it at the Circulation desk). However, the book cannot leave the library. You can check it out and read it inside the library and photocopy it there, too. (Please make sure you bring copies of the reading to class if you’re using this backup system.) Just keep in mind the library reserve book should only be used to get you started; it is not a semester-long solution. You need to have your RVCC ID with you in order to check out books on reserve at the library.
  • Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst, editors. They Say I Say with Readings. 3rd ed.,Norton, 2015. (Please make sure you get the 3rdedition and that it says “with readings.”)
  • Cost at the college bookstore (per the course schedule website):
  • Buy, new: $54.50
  • Buy, used: $41
  • Rent, new: $45.78
  • Rent, used $23.98
  • Students in ENGL 111 English Composition I are strongly encouraged to rent or purchase the printed version of the required course text rather than the digital copy.

Note about Required Books:

If you buy or rent your books from the college bookstore, make sure you are aware of the refund, buyback, and rental policy. Your English instructor will likely encourage if not require you to annotate, underline, and/or highlight your text. You are still able to do all of these activities, even if you rent the book or want to sell it through buyback. The store’s policy states that “Writing, highlighting andunderlining are acceptable” when it comes to buyback and rented books. You should check with the bookstore for more information, including problems that do impact the book’s value.

Other Learning Materials:

  • Multiple ways to back up your work on a computer because computer problems are not an appropriate excuse for handing a paper in late. (A flash drive is recommended.)
  • A notebook (any kind) for class notes.
  • A folder for each of the following (total of 4):
  • Syllabus, assignments, and other handouts (Please always bring this folder to class.)
  • Submission of out-of-class essays
  • All of your returned work (including Critical Reading activities and summaries, in-class essays, and out-of-class essays, but not the Self-Reflections)
  • Self-Reflection Portfolio (As you write Self-Reflections in class throughout the semester and they are returned to you, keep them in this folder, and submit this folder on the last day of class for your Self-Reflection Portfolio grade.)

Student Learning Outcomes:

  1. Apply the writing process: invent, draft, revise and edit using the conventions of academic writing. (NJCCC Core SLO)
  2. Analyze and synthesize textual evidence to produce academic writing with attribution. (NJCCC Core SLO)
  3. Compose essays that assert and develop a debatable thesis statement by using relevant evidence in academic discourse. (NJCCC Core SLO)
  4. Evaluate and integrate sources using proper documentation. (NJCCC Core SLO)

IDEA Objectives:

Above you’ll see the specific learning outcomes unique to this course. Below, you’ll see more general objectives that are used when we ask students to report their progress in the course. Toward the end of the semester, you may be asked to fill out a survey in which you identify the level of progress you’ve made on these objectives. It’s important that you understand these objectives from the beginning of the semester so you can keep them in mind throughout the course.

  • Developing skill in expressing oneself orally or in writing
  • Learning to analyze and critically evaluate ideas, arguments, and points of view
  • Learning how to find and use resources for answering questions or solving problems
  • Acquiring an interest in learning more by asking questions and seeking answers

Required Course Work:

  • Out-of-Class Essays: These four essays are completed on your own time, and you’ll be required to submit both a rough draft (for peer review and feedback from me) and a final draft (revised based onthat feedback). All of these deadlines are listed in the syllabus, and you’ll receive assignment instructions for each essay. Essays should follow the assignment guidelines.
  • Rough drafts and final drafts are due at the beginning of class on the day listed.
  • When a rough draft is due for an out-of-class essay, three copies of the rough draft must be brought to class, one for me and the rest for the peer workshop. If you miss this class, arrive late, come to class without your draft, or do not participate in the peer workshop, then that essay’s grade will be dropped a full letter grade, and you will lose the opportunity to revise. An exception might be made due to an emergency; if that occurs, email me as soon as you can. An emergency does not include a computer problem; you need to back up your work in multiple places to avoid losing it.
  • When the final draft is due for an out-of-class essay assignment, if it is late, the essay’s grade will be dropped a full letter grade for every day (that’s every single day, not every class meeting) a final draft is late. An exception might be made due to an emergency; if that occurs, email me as soon as you can. Again, an emergency does not include a computer problem.
  • Revisions: You have the option of revising out-of-class Essays #1, 2 and 3. You can revise as few or as many of these essays as you would like. To take advantage of this option, you must meet all of the following criteria for that particular essay:
  • Come prepared to the peer workshop for that essay
  • Submit that final essay on time
  • Submit your revision with your original graded essay
  • Revisions are due no later than during class on Wed., Dec. 13, but you may submit them earlier. Please let me know if you want help revising.
  • In-Class Essays: There are four in-class essays throughout the semester, including the final in-class essay, given on the last day we meet in the lab. Of the first three in-class essays, your best two will count toward your final grade, and the lowest one will be dropped. You’ll write them during class time on the computers when we meet in the lab. You’ll need to have your textbook with you for the first three in-class essays and the final reading packet for the last one, but you won’t be able to refer to the web or other materials. If you have an accommodation due to a disability and you would like to use the Testing Center and receive additional time, you must share the official RVCC accommodation letter with me before the in-class essay so that I can make arrangements for you. In addition, make-up in-class essays will only be given if you have a documented emergency.
  • In-Class participation: Your participation grade will be based on a rubric (in WebStudy) that emphasizes: being on time and present, using technology appropriately, coming to class prepared and referring to materials appropriately, respecting your peers and the classroom environment, participating in class activities, listening actively, and participating in whole class discussion. Come to class ready to share your ideas, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you miss class, please come to my office hours or make an appointment to meet with me so you stay caught up.
  • Use of technology unrelated to the course (via cell phones, tablets, laptops, etc.) can negatively impact your participation grade. Cell phones should be turned off for the duration of class (not just to vibrate but with the sound completely off). You should not use class time to talk to someone on your cell phone, listen to someone, check your voicemail, send a text, check your texts, etc. Doing so will negatively impact your participation grade in the course.
  • If you have a personal situation where you need to keep your phone on to receive an emergency call or text, let me know at the beginning of class, and your grade will not be affected.
  • You are strongly discouraged from using a laptop or other device to take notes, though there are situations where this is appropriate. In general, though, I discourage such use because research shows that students learn better when they take notes by hand rather than on a laptop, everyone has trouble resisting multi-tasking when on a device and multi-tasking impairs learning, and other students sitting near a student on a laptop are distracted by the computer use and their learning is impaired. (I’ve posted articles about this research in WebStudy if you want to see more information.)
  • Using a device (including the computers in our class lab) for non-class purposes like Facebook, surfing the web, online shopping, emailing, chatting, etc. is not allowed, and doing so will negatively impact your participation grade in the course.
  • Class Participation will be graded in WebStudy 7times (once every 2 weeks) throughout the semester.
  • Homework: A variety of homework assignments will be given. These include Critical Reading Steps, thesis statements, rough drafts, etc., which are assigned as listed in the syllabus. Your homework grade will be based on a rubric (in WebStudy) that emphasizes following the assignment directions carefully and thoroughly, submitting homework on time, and writing in standard academic English with few errors. While I will record your homework grades and return homework to you on an ongoing basis, your Homework will be graded in WebStudy 7 times (once every 2 weeks) throughout the semester.
  • Self-Reflection Portfolio:You will be asked to reflect on your progress in the course at various points in the semester. These informal writing activities will be done in class, and they will be collected. However, they will not be graded individually. Instead, as soon as I return each one to you, keep it in a folder that will become your Self-Reflection Portfolio. You’ll hand that folder in on the last day of class, and that portfolio will be graded. The portfolio’s grade will be based on the portfolio’s inclusion of all Self-Reflections completed over the semester and the detail and thoughtfulness included in each one. Self-Reflection assignments are not included individually on the syllabus since they will be done periodically during class time. However, if you’re absent for a Self-Reflection in class, Karen will email it to you, and it’s your responsibility to complete it on your own within the assigned time frame.

Grading Policy:

English Composition I requires:

  1. 25 pages of text-based, graded writing
  2. 4 out-of-class essays of 4-8 pages
  3. 4 in-class timed essays (including the final in-class essay)
  4. 1 out-of-class essay involving text-based research
  5. A common departmental final in-class essay synthesizing 2 or more texts
  6. Requirement that at least 80% of the student’s final grade be derived from graded essays: 50% of the final grade should be out-of-class essays, 30% should be in-class timed essays, and 20% a combination of participation and homework.
  7. Class preparation and participation

The grades you receive towards the end of the course are weighed more heavily than the grades you receive at the beginning of the course:

  • Out-of-class essays: 50% (total)

Essay 1: 5%

Essay 2: 10%

Essay 3: 15%

Essay 4 (Research essay): 20%

  • In-class essays: 30% (total)

Your best 2 in-class essays out of 3: 7.5% each

Final in-class essay: 15%

  • In-Class participation (work done in class, aside from in-class essays): 8%
  • Homework (completed outside of class):8%
  • Self-Reflection Portfolio: 4%

Note:

  • In order to pass the course, all four out-of-class essays must be submitted.
  • In addition to the 6 hours spent in the classroom and computer lab, you should anticipate that success in English Composition I with Workshop will require at least another 6 hours of work outside of class every week.

Grading Scale:

1

97-100: A+

93-96: A

90-92: A-

87-89: B+

83-86: B

80-82: B-

77-79: C+

73-76: C

70-72: C-

67-69: D+

63-66: D

60-62: D-

59 and below: F

1

Note: RVCC allows for the final course grades of: A (90-100), B+ (87-89), B (80-86), C+ (77-79), C (70-76), D (60-69), and F (59 and below). (A “D” or above is considered passing, but a C is generally needed to transfer.)

WebStudy:

WebStudy is the online platform that RVCC uses for online courses and to supplement in-person courses. This course will use WebStudy in several important ways. First, it will be the place where you can check your grades and get feedback about your work in the course. From the “Grades” feature, you’ll be able to see a grade, a rubric, and comments for out-of-class essay assignments, timed in-class essay assignments, in-class participation, and homework. It will be your responsibility to check your grades and feedback on a regular basis. Second, WebStudy is a place you can go to get a backup copy of important documents from the course (like the syllabus and out-of-class essay assignments) as well as to find additional supporting materials. Third, there will be an occasional WebStudy Forum (discussion board) assignment.

Attendance Policy:

Students are expected to attend all classes, laboratories, and clinical sessions for every course in which they are enrolled. To accommodate students’ reasonable personal situations that might prevent them from attending classes, each student is entitled to absences amounting to the equivalent of one week’s class time in a semester. Any absence in excess of this standard can prevent students from achieving the course learning outcomes as evaluated by the instructor.

Attendance means more than just being present in class. It means that you are prepared and participate in each class. Being prepared includes completing all homework that is assigned (including reading), taking part in class activities (such as discussion, group work, peer review), having your essay drafts (rough and final) on the day they are due, and maintaining a positive learning environment (being on time for class, using technology appropriately).

Successful students attend class consistently. Missing two weeks’ worth of class means that you’re missing critical class time spent on strategies that will help you develop your critical reading, writing, and thinking skills. If you miss that many classes, either consecutive or not, or if you are consistently late to class, you will not be able to pass the class. Exceptions will only be made under extraordinary circumstances. If you are struggling, please talk to your professor and take advantage of the resources the college offers, including the Academic Support Center and Advising & Counseling.

Students have the option to withdraw themselves from courses up until November 17, 2017. Instructors cannot withdraw students, so students need to take that responsibility themselves.

College Classroom Etiquette:

As stated in the Student handbook, the College has a Code of Student Conduct. It states: “Faculty members have the authority to take actions which may be necessary to maintain order and proper conduct in the classroom. Students whose behavior disrupts the class will be subject to removal and may be charged with a violation of the Code of Student Conduct. Code of Conduct charges will be investigated by the Assistant Dean of Student Services. If the student behavior presents a concern for immediate safety of the student or members of the community, the student may be suspended until a Disciplinary Reviewis held.”