Valencia College
ENC1102 – English Composition II
Spring 2014
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Instructor:
Rebecca Shevlin
Telephone:
407-582-5654
Email:
Rshevlin@valenciacollege.edu
Office:
West Campus, Building 5, Room 117
Office Hours:
Monday: 11:30am-1:30pm; Tuesday: 1pm-3pm; Wednesday: 11:30am
1:30pm; Thursday: 1pm-3pm; Friday: 11am-1pm
(rshevlin@valenciacollege.edu)
Messages sent via Valencia email will be answered within 24 hours, except on weekends,
holidays, or when the college is closed. Do NOT use the Blackboard messaging system.
NEVER email from a private email account, such as hotmail, yahoo mail,
gmail, etc.
Office hours are subject to change. Any such change will be announced via Blackboard
announcements.
COURSE INFORMATION
Course Description
For this course to succeed, we must work together discussing and analyzing meanings in the
assigned texts. You will be asked to read closely and to think and to write critically about the
texts that you read. The reading will seem daunting at times, but if you keep up on a daily basis,
you should not be overwhelmed. You must be prepared (having read the assigned texts) and
willing to enter into our group discussions.
Valencia Student Core Competencies
Valencia has defined four interrelated competencies that prepare students to succeed in the
world community: Think, Value, Communicate, Act. The college catalog and the Valencia
website outline these competencies. The learning activities in this course will further develop
your mastery of the four core competencies. The ‘Resources’ section in the Blackboard course
contains a link to the Valencia Student Core Competencies on the Valencia website.
Textbooks
Richard Bullock and Francine Weinberg, editors. The Little Seagull Handbook
Kirszner and Mandell, editors. Portable Literature Eighth Edition
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Valencia College
ENC1102 – English Composition II
Spring 2014
COURSE INFORMATION (CONTINUED)
Blackboard Courses
This course uses the resources of the Blackboard online course management system to mimic
the classroom experience. Lecture presentations, readings, and various additional resources
will be available in Blackboard.
We will also use Blackboard for evaluation. You will use Blackboard to take tests, submit
assignments, and engage in discussions with your classmates.
Please understand that it is your responsibility to ensure that you are ready for Blackboardenhanced courses. This includes appropriate hardware and software, and reliable high-speed
internet connection.
Please use the first week of the semester to sort out any technical issues you might encounter.
Of course you can always use Valencia’s computer resources to take tests, submit
assignments, etc.
POLICIES
Attendance
Online attendance is MANDATORY. I will credit your attendance through your discussion
postings. No postings will be accepted late. After three missed postings, your overall grade
will be lowered one letter grade.
After five missed posts you will be withdrawn from the course. After the withdrawal deadline a
student with 5 or more missed posts will receive an F in the course.
You may not complete homework or late material for partial credit.
Student Conduct
In order to facilitate meaningful class discussion, you are expected to behave as responsible
adults and conduct yourself in a civilized and respectful manner at all times. Please respect
each other’s postings.
Withdrawal Policy
The withdrawal deadline to receive a ‘W’ grade for this course is listed in the Blackboard
course calendar. Students who withdraw from this course by this date will receive a ‘W’ grade
for the course. A ‘W’ grade will not be calculated into the student’s grade point average. In order
to receive a ‘W’ grade, YOU must withdraw before the withdrawal deadline. The instructor
will NOT withdraw you. If you miss the withdrawal deadline, you will receive a letter grade
(A, B, C, D, F), based on your performance in the course. It is YOUR responsibility to
withdraw from the course and adhere to the withdrawal deadline.
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Valencia College
ENC1102 – English Composition II
Spring 2014
POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Academic Dishonesty
In cases of academic dishonesty, it is up to the instructor to determine the appropriate
consequences, including a ‘Failed’ grade for the assignment or for the entire course. The
‘Student Resources’ section in the Blackboard course contains a link to Valencia’s Academic
Dishonesty (Plagiarism) Policy and other resources on how to avoid plagiarism.
Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities who qualify for academic accommodations must provide a letter from
the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and discuss specific needs with the instructor.
The Office for Students with Disabilities determines accommodations based on appropriate
documentation for disabilities. The ‘Student Resources’ section in the Blackboard course
contains a link to Valencia’s Office for Students with Disabilities.
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Valencia College
ENC1102 – English Composition II
Spring 2014
GRADING
The overall grade for the course will be calculated based on a 1,000-point system as follows:
Assignment
Score
Essay 1
Essay 2
Annotated Bib
Research Paper
Homework (10 total 10 points each)
Literature Test (2 total, 50 points each)
Final Exam Portfolio
Possible Extra Credit
100 points
200 points
200 points
200 points
100 points
100 points
100 points
40 points
Your final letter grade will be as follows:
Points
Letter Grade
1,040-900
A
899-800
B
799-700
C
699-600
D
599-0
F
This syllabus is subject to change. Any changes will be announced via the ‘Announcements’
tool in Blackboard, and in class.
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