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Below is the common syllabus, mandated by the VCAA Office, for ENGL 10100. Please use this syllabus for
each section of ENGL 10100 that you are conducting this semester.
You will still need to fill in a few areas below (section number, your name, etc.). You will also need to decide
on the relative weight of all assignments. We have made some suggestions, but you can decide the weight of
assignment. Then, delete these four italicized paragraphs of instruction.
You are also welcome, but not required, to create a separate document that adds additional information for
your students. Please be certain that nothing in this document supersedes the guidelines in the syllabus,
though. We have provided a rubric for evaluation of portfolios on page 6; however, that is suggestive only.
What we would like to do, with your assistance, is develop a better instrument over the course of the semester—
especially one that fits our current Learning Outcomes a bit better.
When you have completed your syllabus, please upload it to the I-Drive and the Blackboard site for each
section. Don’t worry about length because we strongly urge you to treat this as an electronic document and not
a print document. While you may print out a set for your students, it would be best if you have students print
their own copies. They will always have access to the online version. If you are uncomfortable with that, then
print a truncated version. In addition, you are required to upload any document meant to add to the syllabus
(see above) and at least a general course schedule for the semester. We have posted a basic structure to make
that easy for you. Be sure to check the University Calendar at http://www.pnc.edu/schedule/future.html as you
prepare your schedule.
ENGL 10100—English Composition I
Inquiry & Analysis
Section xxxx Fall 2013
Class: (e.g. TR 10:00-11:15)
Office:
Office hours:
Location: (e.g. TECH 308)
Phone:
Instructor:
PNC Email:
English office: Tech 353, 785-5202
Course Description
ENGL 10100 is the first semester of the first-year composition sequence. This course is intended to help you write clear
and effective prose for your work at Purdue North Central and beyond. ENGL 10100 includes the study of the writing
process; matters of grammar, structure, and style; and entails extensive practice in the drafting and revising of expository
prose—with the general purpose of developing academic skills and knowledge.
Learning Outcomes
Rhetorical Knowledge
 Focus on a purpose
 Respond appropriately to different kinds of
rhetorical situations
 Understand how genres shape reading and writing
 Write in several genres
 Identify appropriate and useful research questions
Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing
 Understand a writing assignment as a series of
tasks, including finding, evaluating, analyzing, and
synthesizing appropriate secondary sources
 Use writing and reading for inquiry, learning,
thinking, and communicating
 Reflect on your own researching, writing, and
learning process
Processes
 Be aware that it usually takes multiple drafts to
create and complete a successful text
 Develop flexible strategies for generating, revising,
editing, and proof-reading
 Learn to critique their own and others' works
 Use a variety of technologies to address a range of
Knowledge of Conventions
 Develop knowledge of genre conventions ranging
from structure and paragraphing to tone and
mechanics
 Practice appropriate means of documenting their
work
 Learn common formats for different kinds of texts
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 Begin controlling such surface features as syntax,
grammar, punctuation, and spelling
audiences
Composing in Electronic Environments
 Use electronic environments for drafting, reviewing, revising, editing, and sharing texts
 Locate, evaluate, organize, and use research material collected from electronic sources
Course Materials:
Channell and Crusius. Engaging Questions: A Guide to Writing (Custom Edition). McGraw-Hill. 2012
The Merriam-Webster English Dictionary. Rev ed. New York, Merriam-Webster, 2004. (Recommended)
Internet Resources
Blackboard: http://blackboard.purdue.edu
PNCLibrary: http://www.pnc.edu/depts/ls/index.html
PNC Writing Center: http://www.pnc.edu/ll/writing
Purdue’s OWL: http://owl.english.purdue.edu
H- and I- Drive Access: https://home.pnc.edu/NetStorage
Policies & Suggestions
Reading Requirements
You should expect to read and refer to your textbook and handbook often. Some of the reading you will do will involve
the reading of essays related to the paper you are working on.
Grammar and style
Grammar will be covered throughout the semester as determined by your instructor. At the very least, you are responsible
for identifying and correcting sentence fragments, run-on sentence, fused sentences, and comma splices. Your instructor
will also help you learn about style throughout the semester and will refer you to the adopted handbook.
Special Accommodations
If you have a disability that will require accommodation over the course of the semester, please notify the instructor as
soon as possible so that your needs can be discussed. If you have not done so already, please also provide appropriate
documentation and request accommodations with the Disability Services Coordinator, SWRZ 38, (219) 785-5374.
Assignment Format
All final drafts should be typed according to “MLA Format for Page Layout” guidelines provided on our website
http://www.pnc.edu/engl/mla.html.
Late Work Policy
Late work is unacceptable. However, individual instructors will determine their own policies on penalizing late work.
Plagiarism
A detailed explanation of plagiarism may be found on our website http://www.pnc.edu/engl/plagiarism.html. A student
who plagiarizes may receive an F for the course or even be dismissed from the university.
Computer Classroom Protocol
As hard as it may be, you must refrain from using your computer at inappropriate times. No keyboarding or printing
should take place during lecture and discussion times and no checking of e-mail or surfing the Web is allowed during
class time unless requested by the instructor for research purposes. If a student is using the Internet, flipping through the
various drives, updating his/her desktop appearance, e-mailing, chatting on line, or instant messaging, the student will be
asked to leave and the absence will be considered unexcused. No food or drink is allowed in any computer lab.
Additional Information
 Please arrive on time for class and stay until finished.


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Any disagreement over grades must be accompanied by a one-page statement identifying the problem with the
current grade and what grade should have been given, listing the strengths in the composition which were
overlooked, and addressing the compositional concerns written by the instructor.
All cell phones and pagers must be turned off during class. Failing to follow this guideline will cause the student
to be asked to leave, and the absence will be considered unexcused. Note: You can of course ask your instructor
for permission to set your cell phone to “vibrate” if you are anticipate an emergency call—you must ask
permission at the start of class, though.
Attendance
Students are expected to be present for every meeting of the class. Individual instructors determine whether absences may
be excused for illness, death in the family, or official university functions, but they are not required to excuse such
absences. Federal regulations require that faculty report all students who miss more than two successive class sessions to
the Office of the Dean of Students for appropriate action. A student who finds that he or she is unable to attend the class
faithfully should consult with an advisor about withdrawing from the course. When a student misses a class, it is his or her
responsibility to get class notes and assignments from other students, and consult with the instructor about making up any
missed work. Work that is not submitted on the due dates because of absence from class will be penalized, unless students
have made satisfactory arrangements with their professors prior to the due date. Absence is no excuse for late or missing
work.
How Unexcused Absences Will Impact Your Final Grade
Classes that meet three times a week
3 absences = reduction of 1 letter grade
4-6 absences = reduction of 2 letter grades
7 or more absences = failure in course
Classes that meet twice a week
2 absences = reduction of 1 letter grade
3-4 absences = reduction of 2 letter grades
5 or more absences = failure in course
Classes that meet once a week
1 absence = reduction of 1 letter grade
2 absences = reduction of 2 letter grades
3 or more absences = failure in course
Overview of ENGL 10100 Assignments
Here are the basic requirements for ENGL 10100. Experienced faculty will write their syllabi according to
meet these requirements. A complete syllabus will be provided to new limited-term lecturers and any other
interested faculty.
Writing Assignments (approx. 60-70% of semester grade)
• At least 5,000 words of polished prose (typically, this would be the total number of words in final drafts)
• At least one writing project will cite sources that are documented according to MLA guidelines
• By the end of the semester, all assignments should have completed the required learning outcomes for
ENGL 10100:
• Types of essays:
Narrative
Profile
Criteria-Base Evaluation, e.g. movie review, restaurant review
Textual Analysis
Rhetorical Analysis
Media Analysis
Process Analysis
Reflection
Description
Proposal
Problem/Solution
Arguing a Position
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Process assignments (approx. 30% of semester grade)—work that enhances development of theses, audience
awareness, and various rhetorical skills. This work often focuses on prewriting and revision. Assignments that
familiarize students with library research should be offered.
Reading Critical reading of an array of texts (little or no fiction, poetry, or drama)
Proofreading and editing At the very least, students in English 10100 must present their final drafts in Standard
Written English
Evaluation Instructors will evaluate student work and assign appropriate grades (new faculty must attend a
calibration workshop at the start of their first semester).
Possible Breakdowns:
60% Portfolio
20% In-class Writing and other in-class activities
10% Mini-portfolios
10% Final Presentation
10%
20%
10%
60%
Class Participation (Peer Reviews, written Revision Plans, Early Drafts)
Weblog Assignments (from They Say/I Say)
Weekly Source Reports
Portfolio
10%
15%
75%
Writing Journal
Attendance and Participation
Writing Portfolio (submitted at the end of the semester)
*****If the PNC website is not available for more than twelve hours (power outage in Westville, server is
down), you can find information about your class at the PNC English Department Facebook site.
Course Number / Title, Semester, Course Schedule
List the agenda for the semester including when and where the final exam will be held. Indicate the schedule is
subject to change with fair notice and how the notice will be made available.
Week
1
2
3
4
5
Date
Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines
5
Week
Date
Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Final
Exam
Venue and Time
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ENGL 10100 Portfolio Rubric
This rubric is a set of guidelines which your instructor will use to evaluate your writing. It describes the
qualities your instructor will look for in five important areas: Purpose/Audience, Topic/Thesis,
Organization, Prose, and Process. In each column, you will find a general description of what an “A,”
“B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” portfolio will look like in terms of one of those five aspects. These descriptions are
not meant to be read as items on a checklist but as indications of what a typical A, B, C, D, or F portfolio
should look like. It is likely that your own writing has problems in some areas which are partially
balanced out by successes in other areas; your instructor will use these descriptions to guide his or her
evaluation of the quality of the portfolio as a whole.
Criteria
A
Purpose/ Essays
Audience  fulfill the
assignments in a
fresh and mature
manner
 establish the
writer's stance with
attention and
sensitivity to
audience, purpose,
and context
 when appropriate to
the assignments,
demonstrate
expertise in
employing appeals
to ethos, logos, and
pathos
B
Essays
 follow and fulfill
assignments
 establish the writer's
stance
 demonstrate a clear
sense of audience,
purpose, and context
C
Essays
 follow the
assignments
 demonstrate some
sense of audience and
purpose
Topic/ Essays
Essays
Essays
Thesis  have clearly defined  have fairly well
 have only generally
and focused topics
defined and focused
defined topics
topics
 have clear theses
 have only general
that are supported
 have thesis
thesis statements
with specific (and
statements which are  make responsible use
appropriate)
adequate but could be
of supporting
evidence, examples,
sharpened
evidence which may
and details
 present thorough and
be obvious and easily
 use outside sources
more than adequate
accessible
carefully and cite
reasoning and
 demonstrate little
appropriately
support
awareness of the
 demonstrate valid
 demonstrate a
topics’ complexities
reasoning, good
thoughtful awareness
or other points of
judgment, and an
of complexity and
view
awareness of the
other points of view
 need better
topic's complexities
development,
organization, and
reasoning
D
F
Essays
Essays
 attempt to follow
 are inappropriate in
the assignments
terms of the
purposes of the
 demonstrate little
assignments and
awareness of
their rhetorical
rhetorical situation
situations
 may over- or
under-estimate (or  show no clear
purpose or direction
ignore) the
audience's prior
knowledge,
assumptions, or
beliefs
 may show little
sense of purpose
Essays
 may have no thesis
statements (or, at
best, flawed ones)
 fail to give obvious
evidence
 may present
irrelevant evidence
 inadequately
interpret evidence
 demonstrate
insufficient
understanding of
the rhetorical
situation
 may rely too
heavily on
evidence from
published sources
or lectures without
adding original
analysis
Essays
 fall seriously short
of the minimum
length requirements
 are insufficiently
developed
 do not go beyond
the obvious
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Criteria
A
B
C
D
F
Organ- Essays
Essays
Essays
Essays
Essays
ization  use organizing
 have an effective
 are organized in a
 exhibit deficient
 are plagued by more
strategies
introduction and
fairly clear way
organization
than one of the
appropriate to
conclusion
organizational
 could be outlined by a  introductions or
purpose and subject  present information
deficiencies of a D
reader, despite
conclusions are
essay: i.e.,
 use introduction to
in a logical order
occasional lack of
not clearly marked
introductions or
establish context,
topic sentences
or functional
 use well-chosen
conclusions are not
purpose, and
transitions and topic
 have adequately
 paragraphs are
clearly marked or
audience
sentences
developed and
neither coherently
functional;
 use strong,
appropriately
divided
developed
nor
 divide paragraphs
paragraphs are
engaging topic
paragraphs
arranged
logically
neither coherently
sentences
 make transitions
 topic sentences are
 provides support for
developed nor
 present well
which
may
be
consistently
thesis, but may need
arranged; topic
developed
mechanical but foster
missing, murky, or
to do so in more
sentences are
paragraphs which
coherence
inappropriate
detail, more
consistently
progress logically
consistently, and/or
 transitions are
missing, murky, or
from what precedes
more precisely
missing or flawed.
inappropriate;
them
transitions are
 present conclusions
missing or flawed.
which go beyond
mere restatement of
the introduction
Prose Essays
Essays
Essays
Essays
Essays
 contain clear,
 contain clear and
 exhibit competent
 may have
 contain numerous
readable, and
readable prose
expression
numerous and
and consistent
sometimes
consistent errors
errors of spelling,
 use sentence
 use relatively simple
memorable prose
in spelling, usage,
usage, and
structure appropriate
sentence structure ,
and punctuation
punctuation which
 contain few surface
for educated readers,
relying on simple and
that reveal
hinder
errors, none of
including appropriate
compound sentences
unfamiliarity with
communication
which seriously
use of subordination,
 are generally free of
Standard Written
undermines the
emphasis, sentence
sentence-level errors
English (or a lack
overall effectiveness
variety, and modifiers  make correct though
of careful
of the paper for
 exhibit few sentencelimited word choices
proofreading)
educated readers
level errors
 contain errors in
 exhibit stylistic
 use precise and
spelling, usage, and
grace and flourishes
appropriate
punctuation revealing
(subordination,
vocabulary
unfamiliarity with
variation of
 contain punctuation,
Standard Written
sentence and
usage, and spelling
English
paragraph lengths,
conforming to
interesting
Standard Written
vocabulary)
English
Process Portfolio as a whole
 demonstrates
creative, flexible,
and effective
revision at both the
global and local
levels
 demonstrates
familiarity with
several methods for
generating material
(e.g., freewriting,
outlining,
clustering, etc.)
 exhibits outstanding
improvement in
writing over time
Portfolio as a whole
Portfolio as a whole
Portfolio as a whole
Portfolio as a whole
 demonstrates
 demonstrates some
 fails to
 fails to demonstrate
effective revision at
effective revision at
demonstrate
any revision
both the global and
the global level
effective revision
 does not
local levels
at any but a
 demonstrates
demonstrate
superficial level
 demonstrates
familiarity with at
familiarity with
familiarity with at
least one method of
 does not
methods of
least two methods for
generating material
demonstrate
generating material
generating material
(e.g., freewriting,
familiarity with
 does not exhibit any
(e.g., freewriting,
outlining, clustering.)
methods of
improvement in
outlining, clustering,  may not exhibit clear
generating
writing over time
etc.)
material
improvement in
 exhibits improvement
writing over time
 does not exhibit
in writing over time
clear improvement
in writing over
time