ENGL 0310: Fundamentals of Grammar and Composition II
HCCS-CENTRAL COLLEGE (South Campus)
Spring 2011
Monday / Wednesday / Friday 10:00 a.m. -11:20 a.m.
CRN#: 76711
Instructor: Matt Henderson
Email: william.henderson@hccs.edu
Office hours: By Appointment Only
Required texts:
Course Materials:
75 Readings Plus, 9th edition
New McGraw-Hill Handbook 2nd edition
College-level dictionary; Blue or black pen; Pencil; 8 ½ x 11-inch
notebook paper
Catalog Description: ENGL 0310 is designed to prepare students for ENGL 1301. It
provides a basic review of the principles of grammar, usage, and mechanics and utilizes
the writing process to teach students to write short essays (350-500 words).
PREREQUISITES: Successful completion of ENGL 0300 or appropriate score on
placement test.
Course Requirements:
4 Major Essays
Midterm in-class essay
Final in-class argument essay
Journal Entries & Writing Deadlines
Homework Assignments & Reading Quizzes
40%
20%
20%
20%
Grading: Your grade will be determined by your performance on the required papers as
well as on weekly work comprised of reading quizzes, grammar review, writing
assignments and class discussion (and see above, Course Requirements). Discussions are
based not exclusively on personal opinions but on facts and opinions derived from the
essays we read from our book and from handouts. You are required to write a
minimum of six essays. You must be able to write satisfactory in-class essays in
order to pass this class.
Grading Scale: A 90-100% B 80-89% C 70-79% IP 60-69%
W (Withdrawn) may be given if a student misses more than 12.5% of instruction (8 class
hours). IP (In Progress grade) is given to students who do not meet the minimum grading
standards but who are otherwise in good standing (have completed all assignments on a
timely basis, have attended class regularly, have participated, etc.). An IP is not the same
as an Incomplete and does not affect a student’s GPA but does require the student to retake the course. IP may only be given once per course per student. A student who wishes
to drop the course must formally withdraw through the Registrar before the last drop
date. D or F may be given in cases of scholastic dishonesty or other severe academic
violations.
NOTICE: Students who take a course and then must repeat it two or more times may
soon face significant tuition/fee increases at HCC and other Texas public colleges and
universities. If you are considering course withdrawal because you are not earning
passing grades, confer with your instructor/ counselor as early as possible about your
study habits, reading and writing homework, test-taking skills, attendance, course
participation, and opportunities for tutoring or other assistance that might be available.
Class Policies and Procedures:
Attendance: Students must attend classes regularly, are responsible for material covered
during their absences, and must consult with the instructor for make-up assignments,
given at the instructor's discretion. (Note: Not all assignments may be made up after the
class during which they are due. All outside assignments will be collected at the
beginning of the due-date class and considered late if they are turned in after that time.
This applies even if a student is absent or tardy on that date) If a student misses more
than 10 minutes of a class for any reason they are considered tardy for that day. Being
tardy to class a total of three times will result in equaling one absence. At random,
quizzes may be administered and can not be made up. A student will likely be dropped
from the class for excessive absences (7.5 class hours or six class meetings. If a student
is not present they are absent or tardy regardless of reason or excuse. Save your
absences for emergencies!).
Scholastic Dishonesty: "Students are responsible for conducting themselves with honor
and integrity in fulfilling course requirements. Penalties and/or disciplinary proceedings
may be initiated by College System officials against a student accused of scholastic
dishonesty," (HCCS 2010 – 2011 Student Handbook). This includes cheating, plagiarism
and collusion. See the handbook for extended explanation.
Cell Phones, Laptops, and Texting: Ringing or vibrating cellular phones disrupt
instruction and must be turned off before class begins. Sending and receiving text
messages is not permitted inside the class room. Should the instructor notice a student
texting, they will be asked to leave and be counted absent for that day. Use of computers
is a privilege and should be limited to use that is relevant to the present course work.
Improper use of any computer may be grounds for dismissal from the present meeting, or
in severe cases, from the course.
Reasonable Accommodation: Any student with a documented disability (e.g., physical,
learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable
accommodation must contact the Disability Services Office at the beginning of each
semester. Faculty are authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the
Disability Support Services Office. If you have questions, please contact the Disability
Counselor or at 713-718-5165.
Support Services:
Tutoring: Free English tutoring is available in FAC 321b. Check the door for exact times
of service.
Library: The library is located on the third floor of the new Learning Hub/Science
Building (the new glass building). The librarians are dedicated to helping you find
whatever you need. For the south campus, your instructor can direct you to its location.
Open Computer Labs: Computers are available for word processing in SJAC 204, the
Macintosh Interdisciplinary Lab in JDB 203-204, and the Computer Writing Lab in FAC
302. Check for open hours. If you are attending the south campus, please consult the front
desk on the location of the Lab.
About writing assignments in general:






You may expect a reading response at the beginning of each class. There won’t
always be one, but be prepared.
All Essays completed outside of class must be typed, double spaced and in the
appropriate size and font.
Reading responses, in-class writing of any kind and all handwritten assignments
must be written in blue or black ink or pencil. Please skip lines. If these
requirements are not met, the instructor may not read the paper.
The least important part of your essay is the title! Just put your name at the top
with the number of the assignment (ex: Assignment #1, Mid Term, etc) and that
will be fine.
Do not use bold, italic, or any fancy fonts. Use 12 pt font size, preferably
Times New Roman. Anything else is going to look funny. Please, don’t use
cover sheets, plastic covers, cardboard folders and the like. Just the paper
with your name and which essay it is you are turning in (ex: Assignment #1,
Mid Term, etc).
Each Essay must be 5 paragraphs long unless otherwise instructed. Failure
to provide the appropriate paragraphs will result in major grade deductions.