Syllabus,
ENG 111, Fall 2015
Computer-Mediated
College Composition I
Office Hours in room 233: 9:00-10:00 M-Th (4 hours) &
11:40-12:30 M-Th (3.5 hours)
In my office, room 207-A: 1:45-3:00 M-W (2.5 hours)
Email me at dollier@tncc.edu
Materials
e-Book & Software
*Note: We will use "OER's"--i.e., Open Education Resources--in this class, which is to say free, available material on the Internet, so you will not need to purchase a textbook for this course. Microsoft Word is our word processing system. You need not purchase Word since it is available on campus, and you get a free download of the Microsoft Office products (including Word) provided to you by the college. We will also use Google documents and various Google applications, which is also provided without additional charge to all TNCC students through your MyTNCC login.
Purpose
ENG 111 College Composition I is a required writing course in many programs at Thomas Nelson, including all transfer programs. ENG 111 is a prerequisite for ENG 112: College Composition II. ENG 111 transfers to most public four-year institutions in Virginia, usually to fulfill a general education requirement in writing. Students intending to transfer should meet with advisors at Thomas Nelson and the transfer school and should check the transfer school’s transfer guide to see how this course will fit into their curricula.
Catalog Description
Introduces students to critical thinking and the fundamentals of academic writing. Through the writing process, students refine topics; develop and support ideas; investigate, evaluate, and incorporate appropriate resources; edit for effective style and usage; and determine appropriate approaches for a variety of contexts, audiences, and purposes. Writing activities will include exposition and argumentation with at least one researched essay.
Prerequisites: Satisfactory scores on the placement exam or satisfactory completion of prerequisite writing course.
Instructional Methods
The course will be conducted in workshop fashion, requiring individual work at the computers, small group discussion and exercises, peer evaluation, and group or student/instructor conferences. There will be a few sessions which are predominantly lecture and discussion, but there will be a good deal of in-class writing and a number of Internet-based projects, so you should expect to and be prepared to work in class at every scheduled meeting.
For each college course that you enroll in, you should expect to spend two to three hours outside of class for every hour of seat time, in order to study and to complete your assignments. English 111 is no different. We will meet for approximately three hours per week, which means that you should plan to devote six to nine hours per week outside of class to complete the work, do the research, study the handbook sources and the assigned on-line readings and lessons. This class will require you to do on-line research. This course will not require a printed reader or textbook.
Tardiness: It is important to be at class at the start so that you know what activities we will work on during class and so that you do not disrupt your colleagues by having to get caught up. If life intervenes, and you are going to be late, let me know or let one of your colleagues know so that the day's lesson and activities won't be badly interrupted. Repeated tardiness is not excusable; that's simply poor planning on your part, or it is life telling you that you are toooo busy to be a college student right now. Chronic tardiness will result in withdrawal from the class.
Grading and Assignments
First, keep electronic and/or paper copy of all handouts and assignments that you receive or do this semester. That way, if there is any question of policy or of accuracy in recording a grade, you have copies of everything of importance. All graded work will be typed. In order to receive full credit, all work will be submitted on time (by the posted or stated deadline). You will be given an NQA, "No Questions Asked," coupon which will allow you to submit one assignment, and one assignment only, after its due date. No other late submissions will be accepted.
You are required to have ALL of your work with you at all times that the class meets. This is easily accomplished by using your two paper folders for handouts and printouts, and by storing all of your drafts and projects on your portable storage media and "in the cloud" through use of Google apps, DropBox, or another universally accessible mode of storage which you may prefer. "I finished it, but I forgot to bring it" is a completely unacceptable excuse which will result in a grade of 0 for any project or paper which is due, or it will require redemption of the No Questions Asked Coupon (one time and one time only).
We will use the Internet for our readings and research/analysis projects. All of the graded assignments will be worked on the computer and the papers will be submitted first as hard copy, then revised and edited to include in your web folio. You will publish your class papers on the Internet by developing an electronic portfolio as one of the major projects for the semester. We will use the Wix webpage builder application for these "webfolios." Likewise, off-campus access to the Internet will be convenient but not mandatory, as you will have access through the TLC (Technology Learning Center) in the back of the library.
Final Grades: Graded projects will range from a minimum of 1 point to a maximum of 6 points, and the points accumulate. The final project will be a revision of your major assignments for inclusion in your electronic webfolio.
Course Rules for Success
According to the policies of TNCC and the VCCS, as quoted from the Student Handbook, "Inappropriate classroom behavior impacts the learning process of students. Th e instructor is responsible for maintaining an environment conducive for student learning as an official College representative." To those ends we will use the Student Handbook and Code of Conduct as our guide to professional and collegial classroom deportment, as outlined in that document and below.
Students’ expectations of self and colleagues collected in class, via email, and from hard copy submissions. These are the success rules developed by students in Mr. D's classes in the previous semester and adopted by agreement. At the end of the semester, we will revisit and revise this section of the syllabus based upon your experiences in English 111.
Mr. D's rule: Turn off your cell phone!! There is one authorized use for cell phones once class has started: If you have the phone number of a class colleague who is not in class for a group project, you will be asked to contact your colleague. Otherwise, turn them off.
Project professional demeanor:
Absences: English Department policy stipulates that I should fill out a drop form for any student who has missed 20% of the scheduled classes. I can't help you to achieve your goals if you aren't in class to work toward them. Anyone who misses six twice-a-week or three once-a week classes will be dropped. There are no exceptions and no excuses will be accepted. I have found that anyone can succeed who tries hard enough.
Cell Phones: Turn off your cell phone during class! There will be no cell phone use, including texting during classes. If you use your cell phone during class, you will express your apology to your professor and class colleagues for your disruptive behavior by bringing doughnuts, for everyone, to the next class. The same is true if the professor's cell phone goes off during class. Cell phone use in class also constitutes Disruptive Behavior, according to the TNCC Student Handbook (50-52), and other consequences may ensue.
Important Dates and Announcements
Last date to withdraw with a refund: 8/30/16
Final date to withdraw from the course: 10/28/16
Finals "Week: 12/12/16-12/17/16
Grades Posted by noon on 12/20/15
Plagiarism: In accordance with provisions published in the TNCC Student Handbook (page 52-53), disciplinary action will result if plagiarized work is turned in. The TNCC Student Handbook describes plagiarism thus: "To steal and pass off as one's own the ideas or words of another; to use without crediting the source; to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source; to commit literary theft." Whether intentional or inadvertent, plagiarism is a serious academic offense, and the consequences for intentional plagiarism are severe, as stipulated in the TNCC Student Handbook: "Plagiarism at Thomas Nelson Community College will constitute a dismissible offense..."
TNCC Retake policy: Enrollment in a course is limited to two times. If a student needs to enroll for a third and final time, he or she must submit a written petition to the Vice President of Academic Affairs (or her designee) for approval.
ADA Compliance: If you have any diagnosed physical or learning disabilities please go to meet with Professor Nancy Bailey in the Office of Student Services to register for support services or accommodations covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
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