Syllabus, Eng. 111 Fall 2020

Rick Dollieslager, Asst. Professor of English

Email me at dollier@tncc.edu

I. Materials

• English 111 class resource page.
• Access to Google Drive storage and Google Docs for all of your course documents, through your MyTNCC login.
• Remind.com: Download the Remind app to your smart phone, text 81010 and then use the class registrtion code, which is @3b3f9fc

II. e-Books & Software

• Little Seagull Handbook & InQuizitive registration site: https://digital.wwnorton.com/littleseagull3 You will need an access code from the bookstore (cost is $20), or you will need to purchase the products with a credit card for less: $15. Use the Bookstore for purchase if you are eligible for financial aid. Otherwise, save yourself $5 by purchasing from the publisher.
• We will use "OER's"--i.e., Open Educational Resources--in this class, aside from the Little Seagull/InQuizitive package, 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 my suggested 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 are also provided without additional charge to all TNCC students through your MyTNCC login.

III. 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.

IV. Catalog Description and VCCS Student Learning Outcomes

English 111 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..

V. Instructional Methods and Attendance

Read: "Did I Miss Anything?" a poem by Canadian professor and poet, Tom Wayman, and his explication of it.

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 sessions which are predominantly lecture and discussion, but there will be a good deal of in-class activities and projects, so you should expect to and be prepared to work in class at every scheduled meeting.

Homework/class preparation: 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. While this is a hybrid class online class it is a three-credit course, which would meet in a face-to-face classroom for appx. three hours per week. That should equate to 6 to 9 hours of study time per week.

Absences: English Department policy stipulates that I should fill out a drop form for any student who has missed 20% or more of the scheduled classes. I can't help you to achieve your goals if you aren't in class to work toward them. Attendance means one is present for the entire class. Anyone who misses three scheduled classes before the Week 11 final withdrawal date should withdraw or be dropped. I have found that anyone can succeed who tries hard enough. If you must miss class, it is your responsibility to view the Zoom class recording to catch up on what you missed.

Grading: First, keep electronic 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). Essays will total 6 points possible and various assignments of lesser magnitude (quizzes, critical thinking journals, tutorials, etc.) will total 2 or 4 points possible. The total points for the semester will be around 60..

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 to Canvas, our Learning Management System. Canvas will accept uploads in Google Docs format as well as MS Word, PDF, and .rtf (Rich Text Format) which is a save option on nearly all word processing systems.

Format and Deadlines: All final drafts of paragraph and essay assignments will be typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12-point font size with i.d. heading at the beginning, per MLA format conventions. In order to receive timely feedback for revision, all work will be submitted on time. I am in no way obligated to accept late work for any reason whatsoever. If assignments miss deadline, and I choose to grade them nonetheless, grades will be significantly reduced. Projects will not be accepted at all if they are submitted more than a week past due date.

VII. Other Course Policies

Respect: We will discuss a variety of topics in class. It is mandatory that we treat each and every person’s prerogative to express their thoughts and ideas with respect. You don’t have to agree with each other, but you do have to listen and respond respectfully to one another. Opinions themselves are not always worthy of respect; however, in our society a person's right to express them is protected. That protection extends to the classroom. Disrespectful comments will not be tolerated and are grounds for being removed from the class. Because this course is about communicating professionally, gratuitous foul language is not acceptable and the consequences for use of foul language for gratuitous reasons will be addressed as is stipulated in the Student Handbook and Code of Conduct. Because foul language is, nevertheless, a part of our wider culture in this country, study of the nature of the use of foul language as it is sometimes used in context is both non-gratuitous and is germane to the content of a course in rhetoric and public discourse.

Email Policy: During the week, I try to answer email within a day of receipt. Over weekends or holidays, I will return email when the week resumes.

VIII. Instructor Responsibilities

It is my responsibility to guide and support each student’s learning in this course. This means that I do my best to provide clear instructions for all assignments, to identify additional resources as necessary, and to provide rubrics and other criteria for evaluation of assignments. I am here to help you, so do not hesitate to ask me questions.

It is my responsibility as your instructor to:

• Support your learning in this course
• Fairly assess your progress in this course
• Return assignments to you in a timely manner
• Communicate with you in a professional and respectful manner
• Provide clear instructions for all assignments
• Answer questions about the assignments and identify additional resources as necessary
• Provide rubrics and other criteria for the evaluation of assignments and projects

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IX. Rules for Success

• “A” is for Achievement.
  • “A” is for Attitude.  “A's" come from your attitude.
  • Visualize yourself doing well in every situation.
  • Believe you can achieve. Attitude and work equal 100% of success.
• Network.
  • Surround yourself with positive people who support your success:  supportive family members, class colleagues, faculty members, advisors.
  • Connect to the college: participate in activities, meet new people, want to be here.
• Collaborate, cooperate, and participate.
  • No one gets through college alone.
  • Learning only results from stimulation; if you are bored, you are not learning.
  • Devise ways to learn from each other and to stay engaged with the learning material during class.
• Stay focused on the long run. Don’t let personal setbacks or downturns in personal or family relationships affect your studies.
• Create the results you wish to experience. Your happiness and your success depend on you, not on other people or outside forces.
• Persevere.
  • Faced with difficulty, don’t give up.
  • Understand that success results from hard work, not luck or circumstances.
  • You can pull your grade up from a D to a C, or from a C to a B, but you can’t “work up to” an A.  
  • An A for the semester requires consistently superior work turned in on time. There are no short cuts to a superior grade.
• Aim high.
  • You’ll never earn an A by accident.
  • You’ll never earn an A if you’re shooting for a C.
  • Don’t hold vague hopes for good outcomes; rather set specific goals.
  • The more concrete your goals, the more likely you are to achieve them.

X. Success Habits and Behaviors

• Plan ahead. If you earn a bad grade, understand why, and make a plan for “the next time.”
• Don’t procrastinate. Do assignments first then the other things. Reward yourself in some way for each task you accomplish.
• Prioritize. The most important tasks come first. Make “to do” lists and schedule tasks in a daily planner and weekly calendar.
• Manage time; don’t let time manage you.
  • Make a regular daily study schedule and stick to it.
  • Identify, in your weekly schedule, at least six hours of available study time for each class.
• Stay focused. Important things happen in class.
  • Stay engaged with the material.
  • Put away cell phones and other electronic devices which aren’t being used for class purposes.
  • Distractions destroy grades.
• Take notes in class!!
  • You will stay engaged, prevent boredom, know important material, and avoid distractions.
  • You will NOT remember information which you do not record, and ears are not recording devices.
• Show up for class. There are no excused absences. You are either in class or you are not.
• Show up on time. Don’t miss important instruction.
• Submit work on time. Your professors have no obligation whatsoever to accept late work.
• Use your tools. Embrace communication technology and use assistive technology apps.
• Read! Don’t skim.
  • That’s high school stuff—just looking for answers rather than absorbing useful knowledge.
  • Google has all the answers, but the world needs knowledge, wisdom, critical thinking.
• Think! Professionals have knowledge and know how to connect it to create worthwhile outcomes
• Communicate! My job is to help you be successful, not to weed you out of college, so be proactive in seeking help and support.
• Talk to me!
  • See me during office hours; that is why we schedule them.
  • Talk to me after class.
  • Ask questions about things you don’t understand during class.
  • Pay attention to me so that I know when to pay attention to you.
  • Email me.
  • Text me through Remind.

I care about the future of my country. You ARE the future of this country. Meet me half way: CARE, WORK, SHOW UP, SUCCEED!

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