Prep for College ENG 111 Course Outline
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” Thomas Edison
ENF 3 Prep for College English (2 credits)
MW 12:30 - 1:20 PM
Room 2038
Professor: Joe Antinarella
Tidewater Community College, Chesapeake Campus
Phone: 822 - 5212 office (voice mail) UM
Email: jantinarella@email.vccs.edu
Office: Room 2019 Whitehurst Bldg.
Office Hours: (by appointment)
Access to The Quick Access Handbook (Troyka and Hess) or a current grammar handbook
No textbook required
All other required materials / sample essays / handouts provided by the instructor and/or posted on Bb
PREPARING FOR COLLEGE ENGLISH III (2 CREDITS)
This course provides integrated reading and writing instruction for students who require minimal preparation for
college-level English but still need some preparation to succeed. Students in this course are co-enrolled
in college-level English.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Apply of pre-reading, reading, and post-reading skills with college-level texts
2. Pre-write, draft, revise, edit, and proofread college-level texts
3. Expand vocabulary by using various methods
4. Demonstrate comprehension by identifying rhetorical strategies and applying them to college-level texts
5. Analyze college-level texts for stated or implied main idea and major and minor supporting details
6. Demonstrate critical thinking skills when reading and writing college-level texts
7. Write well-developed, coherent, and unified college-level texts, including paragraphs and essays
8. Identify, evaluate, integrate, and document sources properly
1
Course Requirements:
Regular and punctual attendance, participation on Course Bb, constructive participation in class.
I reserve the right to withdraw students who exceed more than 4 absences.
Final Grade is Satisfactory (S), Reenroll (R), Unsatisfactory (U),Withdrawn (W)
CURRICULUM GUIDE: PREPARING FOR COLLEGE ENGLISH III
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Demonstrate the use of pre-reading, reading, and post-reading skills with college-level texts
Use titles, subtitles, illustrations and text to make general predictions about the text: topic, purpose, audience, tone, and
main idea
Adjust reading strategies according to text
Identify the topic, purpose, audience, stated and implied main idea, and key details
Use a graphic organizer or outline to show structure of text
Answer content and inferential questions based on facts, opinions, context clues, connotation, and structure
Annotate, summarize, paraphrase, and respond to text
Reflect critically, interpret content, and make connections to other texts, situations, or disciplines
Pre-write, draft, revise, edit, and proofread college-level texts
Identify audience, purpose, and topic for a given writing prompt
Generate, gather, plan, and organize ideas for writing for a specific audience or purpose
Compose a draft of three or more paragraphs appropriate to a rhetorical situation
Revise for content, clarity, structure, and unity
Edit to correct most basic errors in sentence structure, agreement, consistency, usage, spelling, and mechanics
Proofread to identify and correct “accidental” errors such as typos, punctuation, and appropriate formatting
Expand vocabulary by using various methods
Use dictionary, thesaurus, and reference materials to determine appropriate unknown word meaning based on context
Use context clues to discern meaning in difficult texts
Use and explain word analysis strategies to decode general-purpose vocabulary and some specialized/academic
vocabulary
Demonstrate understanding and use of vocabulary for informal and formal communication
Select appropriate word meaning based on context
Recognize synonyms, antonyms, and word parts
Analyze word parts to discern meanings of new words
Demonstrate understanding of the difference between denotation and connotation
2
Apply strategies for learning new words, such as K-I-M, Frayer Models, Minute Sketches, Pyramid Summaries
Demonstrate comprehension by identifying rhetorical strategies and applying them to college-level texts
Identify audience, purpose, tone, and meaning of a text
Identify many of the rhetorical patterns, such as narrative, description, process, comparison/contrast, classification, and
definition
Identify and use a variety of organizational patterns/rhetorical modes in the context of reading as well as in writing
Annotate, summarize, paraphrase, and respond to more complex texts
Evaluate the appropriateness of text to audience
Evaluate the logic of text
Analyze college-level texts for stated or implied main idea and major and minor supporting details
Identify accurately and consistently the topic and explain the stated or main idea in a text
Differentiate between major and minor supporting details accurately and consistently
Create an outline with main idea and major and minor supporting details, demonstrating some awareness of patterns of
organization
Demonstrate critical thinking skills when reading and writing college-level texts
Identify audience, purpose, tone, and point of view in a text
Distinguish fact from opinion in a text
Identify valid points of supporting evidence for a text
Identify tone and make valid inferences in a text
Use analysis, synthesis, and perspective on a basic level to interpret texts
Identify a variety of patterns of organization
Develop a controlling idea or thesis statement in an essay
Provide logical and sufficient support of that idea or thesis
Apply appropriate language to achieve a particular tone and point of view when writing
Write well-developed, coherent, and unified college-level texts, including paragraphs and essays
Respond to a prompt and write a coherent and unified essay for an intended audience
Demonstrate knowledge of a text’s purpose and intended audience
Demonstrate an understanding of paragraphing including the use of topic sentences and appropriate transitions
Utilize a variety of patterns of organization
Identify, evaluate, integrate, and document sources properly
Identify and retrieve possible sources for a given topic
Evaluate the relevance and reliability of a source
Demonstrate note-taking competency
Integrate quoted and paraphrased material into a text, with some accuracy
Identify the meaning and consequences of plagiarism
3
Open Letter to Students
Hi Everyone,
The ultimate aim of ENG 95 (soon to be named ENF 3) is to enhance your writing ability and ultimate success in
ENG 111 and ENG 112. I hope you’ll benefit by increasing your confidence in writing, refining mechanics and improving
specific writing techniques. These fundamentals are ones you should apply in your all courses in which writing is
necessary. This course supports the work and techniques you are learning in ENG 111.
We will take the time in our meetings to discuss the work, essays and assignments more in depth. You should be
prepared to ask questions about areas that need clarification or further explanation. My experience indicates that you will
benefit most by sharing your writing, asking questions and actively participating in this class.
Ernest Boyer, a former United States Commissioner of Education and president of the Carnegie Foundation for the
Advancement of Teaching and author of The Undergraduate Experience in America, reminds us of the over-arching reason
to write and practice our writing. He believes this:
The foundation for a successful school experience is proficiency in the written and the spoken work.
Students need language to grasp and express effectively feelings and ideas. To succeed in school, students should
be able to write and speak with clarity, and to read and listen with comprehension. Language and thought are
inextricably connected, and as students develop their linguistic skills, they hone the quality of their thinking and
become intellectually and socially empowered.
I would like to use Boyer’s thought here as a guiding precept for our sessions. Your committed effort is required to affect
this change. It will not be a casual effort but rather one that requires diligence. There may be some obstacle and hurdle to
overcome, but anything worthwhile often comes with this price. I will do my best to help you succeed; I only need your
commitment to this end.
All the best,
Joe Antinarella
4
ENF3 Outline
Set 1 Weeks 1 - 5
This outline will model the ENG 111 outline you r received in class.

Review Personal Survey

Read and review essay guidelines and handouts on writing a personal expressive essay.

Review and discuss these selections for Set 1 Week 1 - 5:
James G., A Grumpy Old Man
Josh C., Front Porch-Sitting
Jim M., Back in the USSR
Melissa H., Crystal-Clear Mirage
Kari S., Home Again
Leslie Simmons, Sole Survivor
Roger Rosenblatt, A Game of Catch
Rick Bodamer, Litter-Bugged
James Braly, Oliver’s Pink Bicycle
SET 2
(person / experience)
(place / observation)
(person / experience)
(place / observation)
(place)
(object)
(experience)
(experience / observation)
(object / observation)

Review for Essay Quiz 1 (based handouts and posted essay samples)

Discuss Essay 1 (Personal Expressive) essay

Discuss how to write peer reviews

Review types of useful feedback leading to significant revisions
Week 6 – 10
Review sample essays for Set 2
Tom Standage, Bad to the Last Drop
Zak Moore, Defying the Nalgene
Susannah C., Hemp to the Rescue
Anne Fleming, The Things They Carry
Gene Weingarten, Pearls Before Breakfast
(Expository)
(Expository)
(Expository)
(Expository)
(Expository)
Read and review essay guidelines and handouts on the expository essay
5
Read essay samples above / note the characteristics of expository essay writing and the range of
possibilities
Discuss possibilities for your essay topic and find and discuss how to find credible outside sources about it
Review for Quiz on Set 2 essays
Review draft of your expository essay
Review required peer reviews
SET 3 Week 11 - 15
The Documented Essay presented in MLA style format
Important Discussion Questions:
1. Why get information from sources?
2. What information should you get from sources?
3. Where to get reputable sources?
4. What is plagiarism?
5. Why document/credential sources in-text versus parenthetical documentation?
Read and review sample essays for Set 3:
Basic Concepts of Documentation Style: Documenting Sources in MLA, In-Text Citations, MLA Works
Cited format
Review MLA style and Focused Argument Statements for use with the Documented Essay
Read and review essay guidelines, MLA format and handouts on a documented essay
Read essay sample essays
Decide upon your essay topic and read several outside sources about it
Review for Quiz on Set 3 essays
Review and revise your Focused Argument Statement that will guide your essay
Review and discuss your documented essay draft
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”
Thomas Edison
6
Important Notes:
Blackboard and Course Communication
You should check our course Blackboard regularly—2 times a week—and your VCCS student email account
daily. I am available via email, by phone voicemail 822-5212 or during office hours on campus room 2019
should you want to meet to discuss the course assignments or your progress. Generally, I will respond to your
email in 48 hours.
Course Policies
1. Attendance Policy: In an online course, all students are expected to maintain an online presence and post to
the Discussion Board on time and according to due dates.
Students who do not participate in class by posting by deadlines may be deleted from the course.
2. Late Work: In general, late work will not be accepted. In case of emergencies you must notify me before a
due date in order to have your work accepted; a deduction of credit, to be fair to students who submit on time,
must be made.
3. Statement on Behavior: TCC is committed to maintaining a social and physical environment conducive to
carrying out its education mission. Therefore, all members of the TCC community are expected to
demonstrate standards for civility. In an online environment, you should be civil in your communication
tone, respectful of others ideas and show reasonable standards of etiquette in how you interact and respond to
your peers.
4. Disposition of Classes for Emergency Shutdown of the College:
In the event of an emergency shutdown of the college, the president and her executive staff may elect
to conclude the term in session if eighty-five percent or more of that term has been completed. If the
term in session is concluded, faculty shall compute final grades of students based on coursework
completed at that point.
Academic Policies
Students are responsible for being aware of the policies, procedures, and student responsibilities contained within
the current edition of the TCC Catalog and Student Handbook. Students should familiarize themselves with the
college's policies regarding misconduct and inclement weather found in the Student Handbook.
Withdrawal Policy
Students who wish to withdraw without academic penalty should contact a counselor to determine the appropriate
procedure. Withdrawals through completion of 60 percent of a session will result in a W grade. After 60 percent
of a session is completed, a withdrawal will result in a grade of F in a credit course or a grade of U in a
developmental course, except under mitigating circumstances that must be documented by the instructor and
7
approved by the academic dean. Dynamic session classes have unique refund and withdrawal dates. Contact a
campus Enrollment Services Office for more information, or visit
http://www.tcc.edu/students/calendar/academic/Dynamic.htm.
A student who drops after the last day to withdraw does not receive a "W." He/she receives an "F," in
which case there is both an academic and financial penalty. A student who withdraws by the deadline faces
a financial penalty, but not an academic penalty.
Academic Integrity
TCC will expect students to demonstrate personal and academic integrity, to be open to new ideas, and to share in
a community where individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures help one another grow intellectually,
socially, and personally.
TCC expects students to achieve, not just to get by. And while many caring and talented faculty and staff are here
to help, students must take responsibility for their own learning. Students should strive for a high level of
academic performance and to be responsible, contributing citizens within the college and in outside communities.
Above all, TCC wants students to develop a love of learning that will last a lifetime, along with a life-long
interest in maintaining emotional and physical wellness.
Statement on Plagiarism and Academic Misconduct
Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to, the following actions: cheating on an examination or quiz—
either giving or receiving information; copying information from another person for graded assignments; using
unauthorized materials during tests; collaboration during examinations; buying, selling or stealing examinations;
arranging a substitute for oneself during examinations; substituting for another person, or arranging such a
substitution; plagiarism—the intentional or accidental presentation of another’s words or ideas; collusion with
another person or persons in submitting work for credit in class or lab, unless such collaboration is approved in
advance by the instructor.
Plagiarism is turning in or passing off someone else's work as your own intentionally or accidentally. Sometimes, the line
between borrowing and stealing is unclear. In an intellectual community, ideas are passed around freely. Most intellectual
inquiry could not take place without borrowing from the work of others. Responsible, honest writers indicate their debts to
others by clearly citing material and providing attribution for ideas and writing they have borrowed. Irresponsible or
dishonest writers often fail to cite their borrowings and are guilty of plagiarism.
Faculty members who have reliable evidence of academic misconduct will (1) investigate the matter, and (2)
review the facts of the matter and the proposed penalty with the appropriate academic dean. They may then take
one or more of the following actions:




Require the work to be accomplished again
Give no credit for the test, paper, or exercise
Assign a grade of F, U, or W for the course
Refer the matter to the campus Dean for Student Services or designee for possible disciplinary sanction
through the college’s disciplinary procedure
If the faculty member chooses to refer the matter to the campus Dean for Student Services or designee for
disposition, the Plenary Disciplinary Procedure shall be followed, and the student’s dismissal from the college is
a possibility.
8
Disability Services
Students who have documented, diagnosed disabilities, and who need special accommodations for tests, etc., are
advised to see the Disabilities Services staff in Student Services so that the instructor may be notified of what
accommodations are appropriate in each case. Requests for accommodations should be made to the designated
campus disability services counselor at least 45 days before classes begin. Documentation must be provided to
support the need for accommodations.
For assistance with disabilities, contact the campus Disabilities Counselor/Provider or the Coordinator of
Learning Disabilities Services: call 822-1213, visit Student Services/Development, or visit the Disability Services
webpage at http://www.tcc.edu/students/specialized/disabilityservices/index.htm
Student Success Resources
The following resources are available to TCC students. See the Student Handbook or visit
http://www.tcc.edu/forms/handbook/ for more information about student services and locations.
Learning Resource Centers
Each campus houses a library and media resources in a Learning Resources Center (LRC). A separate slide and
print library is located at the Visual Arts Center. The Learning Resources Centers contain research materials in
both print and electronic format to support the courses, curricula, and mission of the college. Library materials
include books, newspapers, magazines, journals and an extensive collection of indexes, abstracts and full text
databases. Media resources include videotapes, audiotapes, films, CD-ROM/DVD, computer files, and other
audiovisual materials. Visit this site for more information: www.tcc.edu/lrc/
Academic Support Services
Each campus provides various kinds of academic assistance. One-on-one tutoring, math and computer labs, and
other forms of individual and group assistance may be available. Students can also find free help for writing,
from short questions about commas and comma splices to a comprehensive review of research papers in progress,
in the Writing Centers.
Online Help Desk
Visit the following Distance Learning Resources for Students website for information about computer skills,
technical support, library services for online students, and much more: http://www.tcc.edu/students/dtls/
Important Websites
 College Website: www.tcc.edu
 Blackboard and Student E-mail: https://tcc.my.vccs.edu/jsp/home.jsp
 Student Handbook: http://www.tcc.edu/forms/handbook/
 TCC Catalog: http://www.tcc.edu/forms/catalog/
 Class Schedule: http://www.tcc.edu/schedule/
(or log-in to SIS for current course offerings)
 Academic Calendar: http://www.tcc.edu/students/calendar/academic/index.htm
 Distance Learning Resources: http://www.tcc.edu/students/dtls/
9
Vitae
Joe Antinarella
Assistant Professor of English
Tidewater Community College
757.822.5212
jantinarella@tcc.edu
Teaching English for thirty-six years, I have worked with a wide variety of students as both a teacher and coach
spanning from early-secondary to college and post-graduate levels. Fourteen of my early years teaching in New York, gave
me opportunities to teach English in a middle school, high school and finally in an alternative high school for students with
severe discipline and learning deficiencies. Teaching in diverse venues—in a prison, a corporate setting, Russia, Norway
and in rural upstate New York—has afforded me opportunities to interact with a diverse variety of students in traditional
face-to-face classes and in an online environment.
I enjoy teaching English full-time on the faculty at Tidewater Community College in Chesapeake, Virginia where I
also serve as assistant to the academic dean and head of the English department. I was nominated for the outstanding
faculty award for the State Council of Higher Education of Virginia in 1998. Then in 2003, I was selected as Outstanding
Professor at Tidewater Community College. I have served as an English department chair both in New York and Virginia,
and I frequently present at English conferences, sharing practical writing activities emphasizing critical connections that
exist with reading, writing and thinking.
I have been active as a member of our college International Education Committee and Literary Festival Committee.
I have served as co-director of the Tidewater Writing Project affiliated with Old Dominion University. Active in teacher
training and education, I teach writing across-the-curriculum, writing-to-learn strategies and teacher questioning skills in
the Career Switcher Program at ODU. I have also taught at the graduate level for George Washington University, Old
Dominion University and undergraduate writing for the University of Richmond. I taught writing at the Bodo Graduate
School of Business in Bodo, Norway, sixty miles north of the Arctic Circle; furthermore, and on four separate occasions
from 1993 to 2000, I taught conversational English, practical writing, and communication skills at the Baltic States
Technical University in St. Petersburg, Russia.
I’ve co-authored three books—the most recent Tried and True, which focuses on strategies and methods for
teaching writing in today’s English classroom. Recently, I had a chapter emphasizing expressive writing in an academic
setting published in a textbook entitled The Subject is Writing.
10