Jackson College
English 132.51 – Writing Experience II
Fall Semester 2015
Instructor:
Nicole D. Brake
Email:
brakenicoled@jccmi.edu
Cell Phone:
(517) 513-2254
English Dept: (517) 796-8582
Class Time:
September 21 – December 7, Monday, 6:00 – 9:38 PM
Class Location: William N. Atkinson Hall – Central Campus, Room 116
Required Texts:
 Bullock, Richard and Francine Weinberg. The Little Seagull Handbook. New York: W.
W. Norton, 2011. ISBN 978-0-393-91151-0
 Bullock, Richard and Maureen Daly Goggin. The Norton Field Guide to Writing with
Readings. 3rd ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. ISBN 978-0-393-91957-8
 Graff, Gerald and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say, I Say: The Moves that Matter in
Academic Writing. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. ISBN: 978-0-393-93361-1
Required Materials:
 Computer/Internet/Printer access outside of class
 Flash drive
 Two-pocket folder
 Pens/Pencils/Highlighters
 Notebook paper
Course Description: “This is an intensive writing course. Analytical and persuasive modes are
stressed. Advanced research writing strategies are used. Database and primary research methods
are emphasized. An end-of-the-semester portfolio is required” (JC Catalog, 2014, p. 145).
Continued Description: As a continuation of the writing instruction and practice begun in ENG
131, ENG 132 emphasizes critical thinking, academic research, and forms of writing useful to
academic, professional, and personal life. Required units of study include argumentation and
analysis. Learners should expect to achieve proficiency with Modern Language Association
(MLA) style and conventions. The course requires participation in discussions, course activities,
and guided peer review. Standard English grammar and structures are requisite skills in this
course.
Instructor Role: Designer, Facilitator, and Evaluator
My role is to assist you in the learning process, provide information and guidance, evaluate your
progress through a variety of assessments, and give you feedback on your writing. Additionally,
I am also responsible for adapting the course to fit the needs of the class, so I will also learn from
your assessments. I will learn how effective my teaching has been and I will seek ways to
improve my instructional methods.
Learner Role: Independent and Collaborative
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Learner success relies on the ability to plan, prepare, study, and engage phases of the
writing process, to apply global and local essay strategies, critical thinking skills,
research strategies, and peer response skills.
Learners will create four formal, research supported essays. Essays will be accompanied
by a title page and, when sources are used, a Works Cited page. Specific page lengths
will be defined in essay assignments.
Learners will apply active reading strategies to assigned course materials and can expect
to encounter a minimum of 20 pages of reading each week.
Learners need to plan to spend at least nine (9) hours a week on the course, including
assigned readings, collaborative discussions, and individualized writing.
Learners will be required to attend conferences as needed, based on each learner’s
progress.
Associate Degree Outcomes: The course goals and objectives incorporate specific Associate
Degree Outcomes (ADOs) established by the JCC Board of Trustees, administration, and faculty.
These goals are in concert with four-year colleges, universities, and reflect input from the
professional communities we serve. ADOs guarantee students achieve goals necessary for
graduation credit, transferability, and professional skills needed in many certification programs.
The ADOs and course objectives addressed in this class include the following:
 ADO 1: Writing Clearly, Concisely, and Intelligibly (Proficient)
 ADO 7: Critical Thinking (Proficient)
Learning Objectives: Correlating with and extending ADOs 1 & 7, these outcomes refer to the
actions, feelings, and thoughts learners are expected to develop as a result of the instructional
process in English 132:
Critical Thinking, Reading,
Rhetorical Knowledge and
Electronic Environment
and Writing Processes
Conventions
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Demonstrate and
employ proficiency in
active reading
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Understand the
differences between
discipline specific
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Use technology to
deliver information in
multi-modal forms
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strategies
Identify and
contextually evaluate
assumptions, points of
view, stylistic
choices, and
implications born of
reasoning
Conduct primary and
secondary research
Evaluate source
reliability
Recognize academic
writing as a social,
political, and/or
informative act
between writer and
reader
Synthesize ideas and
integrate sources
Offer formative
feedback in peer
review sessions
Engage metacognitive
reflection
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writing genres
Acknowledge other
writers’ perspectives
Recognize and
employ ethos, logos,
pathos and other
rhetorical topoi in
written
communication
Modern Language
Association (MLA)
style in academic
research and writing
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Locate, evaluate,
organize, and use
research material
collected from
electronic sources,
including scholarly
library databases;
other official
databases (e.g.,
federal government
databases); and
informal electronic
networks and internet
sources
Demonstrate how to
engage in the
electronic research
and composition
process common in
particular fields
Grading Procedure: I use a 1000 point grading scale. You can easily keep track of your
progress in the class by checking your points in JetNet:
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Final Portfolio – 400 points
Essays, including pre-writing activities – 330 points
Reflection Essay – 50 points
Presentation – 100 points
Attendance/Participation/In-Class Work – 120 points
Grading Scale:
4.0 = 92 – 100%
3.5 = 86 – 91%
3.0 = 80 – 85%
2.5 = 75 – 79%
2.0 = 70 – 74%
1.5 = 66 – 69%
1.0 = 60 – 65%
0.5 = 55 – 59%
0.0 = 0 – 54%
HQV Grading: Jackson College requires four formal progress and grading reports to be filed
for each student in each of their classes. Referred to as HQVs, these reports are entered into your
e-services transcript and serve as a record of your progress, indicate the need for interventions
that can help you be more successful, and can save you from unnecessary education debt.
The dates for recording English 132 HQV grades are:
 September 26, 2015
 October 10, 2015
 November 4, 2015
The first three reports will indicate your progress in the class with a letter.
V = Verification of current class success
Q = Verification that you have quit the class or have been dropped from the class
H = Verification that you need help in the class and will be contacted by a representative from
The Center for Student Success
Attendance and Tardiness Policy: While I understand that some absences are unavoidable, you
should be aware that missing class sessions seriously impairs your ability to learn the course
material and to complete the course requirements.
If you miss class on the due date for a paper, you must contact me before the class you miss. Late
work is not accepted without prior notice and approval. Excessive absences may result in failure
of the class. You will not receive full participation credit if you arrive late or leave early.
If you do miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed and how you can
made the work up before the next class period. In-class work cannot be made up because of the
nature of peer/group work.
REFUND/DROP NO W BY: September 28, 2015
DROP WITH W BY: September 29, 2015
WITHDRAW LAST DAY BY: December 4, 2015
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Withdraw: After the add/drop period, a student may withdraw from a course in
accordance with the dates published in e-services.
Incomplete Policy: In accordance with JCC policy, an Incomplete or “I” grade is only
issued to students who have demonstrated good standing in the class and hold a passing
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grade at the time of an extenuating circumstance that precludes completion of the class.
Documentation validating the circumstance may be required.
Late Work and Makeup Policies: I do not accept late work – it is your responsibility to
get work completed and submitted by the deadline.
Academic Honesty Policy: JC has an academic honesty policy, which will be adhered to
in this class. In essence, the policy requires that all work must be done by the student
whose name it bears. The full policy can be accessed at
http://www.jccmi.edu/policies/Academics/
Failure: Plagiarism, the submission of another’s writing, whether directly copied or
paraphrased, may result in a failing grade and can be grounds for removal from class.
Cases of plagiarism are dealt with by the instructor on an individual basis; the instructor
will make decisions regarding the student's ability to correct the problem. All cases of
plagiarism are reported to the Office of the Academic Dean.
Course Organization: We will use our class time to write, talk about writing, and share the
writing we have done. I envision this as a workshop environment designed to improve your
writing skills. I will give you feedback and formal instruction, but must of your true
improvement will come from the practice you will get by actually writing. We will also have
reading assignments from the text and we will discuss and write about those writings.
Writing Help: When opting for help with your writing, bring the following:
 a copy of the assignment
 your draft or work thus far
 specific areas with which you need help
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Instructor Support: I am available to meet with you before or after class. I am also
available via email, phone call, or text message.
Writing Fellows: Located in the Atkinson Building, breakout room 107, Writing
Fellows can help you on all stages of the writing process including prewriting, drafting,
revising, editing, and citing sources—no matter what JC class you are enrolled in. You
may drop in during their working hours, generally 9-4 Monday through Thursday, or set
up an appointment in advance. Students may also submit a draft for review online via
the Writing Fellow link in the Student Union on JetNet. Bring or submit a copy of the
assignment requirements, work completed on the assignment so far, and writing related
questions.
Center for Student Success (CSS) Writing Tutors: located in Bert Walker Hall 125. For
more information about the CSS go to http://www.jccmi.edu/success/.
Caveat: It is always possible that inclement weather, facilitator illness, facility power failures,
emergency-related problems, or other procedural unknowns can alter class schedules. Policies
and schedules on this syllabus and the class calendar are subject to change. You will be
responsible for the material on the syllabus, as well as for the material covered in class, including
additions or changes to the syllabus or the class calendar. If cancellations are necessary, I will
put an announcement in the course JetNet. Make-up sessions will be scheduled as time permits.
If we must miss a class session, we will cover the expected material from that session in the next
class or online, so dates may change from time to time.
Additional Information:
 All essays must be typed, double-spaced, and include one-inch margins on all sides. Use
twelve-point, Times New Roman font style. The final draft, along with any/all prewriting and rough drafts should be submitted in a two-pocket folder. Please do not use
three-ring binders. You will also be responsible to upload an electronic version of your
final draft in JetNet.
 Points will be deducted for papers that do not meet the length requirement. One-half page
shortages will be a half a letter grade deduction; one page shortages will be a full grade
deduction.
 Works Cited pages are required when using source material. The absence of a Works
Cited page will lower the paper grade by one letter.
Computer Issues: Computers are often problematic. However, you are responsible for all of
your work. To avoid losing work, you should do the following:
 Create your documents offline in Word, then upload or copy/paste
 Save documents regularly
 Back up in a second location: email the final draft to yourself, save things on a flash drive
as well as your computer, use an online backup, etc.
 Give documents that you submit for grading a clear name – preferably use your last name
and the assignment title (i.e. Brake, Essay 1)
 Never delete work before the class is finished
Tentative Class Schedule:
 Weeks One, Two, Three, Four – Position (four page minimum)
 Weeks Five, Six, Seven – Evaluating (four page minimum)
 Weeks Eight, Nine, Ten – Argument / Proposal (four page minimum)
 Weeks Eleven and Twelve – Presentations and Portfolios