Instructor contact information
Instructor:
Bola Owolabi
Office Phone:
832-392-6782
Office:
HCC Northwest
Office Hours:
M/W 7:00PM – 9:00PM
(or hours of availability)
E-mail:
Department/Division
Contact:
porvida881@yahoo.co.uk
Trans. Studies/Dev. Writing 1
Website:
Welcome to
Course Title:
Course Prefix:
Course Number:
Course CRN :
Credit Hours:
Lecture Hours:
Lab Hours:
Dev. Writing 1
ENGL
0300
28084
3.0
3/3
1/1
Semester and Year:
Fall 2012
Class Days & Times:
M/W 7:00–9:00PM
Class Room Location:
Alief 124
External Hours:
Total Contact Hours:
(All hrs. x 16)
64hours per semester
CEU’s (if linked w/ credit course):
NOTE: divide the credit contact hours by
10 to get the Continuing Education Units.
Course overview
For details go to HCC Learning web
Catalog Description:
The first of two developmental writing courses are designed to improve the student's basic writing skills. Class activities and lab
assignments will be used to produce clarity and precision in sentence and paragraph structure. Specific course topics include an
introduction to the writing process and a review of grammar, usage and mechanics. This course carries institutional credit but will not
transfer and will not be used to meet degree requirements.
Course Learning Outcomes:
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1
Select a topic appropriate to the audience, purpose, situation, and length of assignment.
State and maintain a focus in a brief piece of writing.
Edit to avoid major errors in formation and punctuation of basic sentence structures.
Recognize and edit for mechanical errors such as capitalization, subject-verb agreement, pronoun
Reference, and tense shifts and punctuation errors such as commas.
Use a variety of tools to recognize and edit for the correct spelling of common words.
Provide at least minimal support for statements.
Produce a piece of writing that includes a paragraph that functions to introduce the main idea and a
Paragraph that creates a sense of closure.
Getting ready
Prerequisites:
Placement by testing
Co-requisites:
The Writer’s World Paragraphs and Essays (Third Edition)
Required Material:
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Optional Materials
or Reference Texts:
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3-ring binder with notebook paper;
Blue/ black pen, pencil,
Laptop
4-5 different colors highlighters;
Merriam-Webster's dictionary
Positive attitude,
Desire to succeed
You will be notified in advance if
additional material are needed for
this class
Instructor guidelines and policies
Attendance:

Attendance is not optional. You can miss no more than 2 hours of classes (including labs)

If you exceed the allowed number of absences, you will be withdrawn from this class

There are no excused or unexcused absences: labs count as absences.

If you exceed the number of absences after the official withdrawal date, I will use my discretion to
determine the penalty up to assigning an IP for the class.

Should you miss a day, you have to notify your instructor; however, it does not mean that your absence
will be automatically excused. I understand that there might be some extenuating circumstances beyond
your control; I will deal with such situations on an individual basis;

I will count 3 (15 minute) tardies as an absence; leaving class early counts as a tardy;
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Come in quietly if you are late;

Notify the instructor before class if you must leave early and do so quietly;
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Make up work for days missed will not be allowed

Texas State Law designates 87.5% minimum attendance for college courses. This requirement
allows a 12.5% absence maximum which computes as 6hrs.
2
Assignments:
Are recorded on the date they are due and will be discussed in class. For example, to find out what you need to
study and do for class on Wednesday 9/18 you will need to find this date on the syllabus and complete the
assignment listed on this date before coming to class.
You will write 4-5 out of class essays in each course. Grades will be received for 4 essays, Midterm and Final
Examinations, Oral Presentations, Journals, and Grammar Exercises. In order to truly improve your writing skills
and earn high grades plan to edit, revise, and proofread your papers several times. You are welcome to use
library tutoring center. It is a wonderful free service available to our students. I strongly recommend it!
Workload and time management:
Fast track class is a fast paced course that will require a lot of dedication and hard work. I want you to be aware
that in college a student should budget at least 2 hours of out-of-class time for homework and independent work
per each contact hour in class. If you are taking a regular 4 hour course, you should budget 8 hours per week
for homework and studies. If you are taking a course that meets 8 hours a week (like a fast track course), you
should budget on average 15-16 hours weekly for homework and other independent studies.
Make-up Exams:
Make up work for days missed will not be allowed. If you miss one of the major in-class exams due some
serious circumstances, you might be granted a make-up opportunity upon review of the circumstances.
Cell phones and beepers:Are not to be seen or heard in class. Please, switch your phones and pagers to
"silent" mode or turn them off before class and put them away so that they are not visible. Should you try to
use one of these devices during class in any way (including having the phone on your desk), you will
receive a zero for the day's work and a warning. If the problem persists, I will consider dropping you from
the class.
EGLS3 -- Evaluation for Greater Learning Student Survey System
At Houston Community College, professors believe that thoughtful student feedback is necessary to improve
teaching and learning. During a designated time, you will be asked to answer a short online survey of researchbased questions related to instruction. The anonymous results of the survey will be made available to your
professors and division chairs for continual improvement of instruction. Look for the survey as part of the
Houston Community College Student System online near the end of the term.
3
HCC Policy Statement – ADA
Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who
needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability Services Office at the respective
college at the beginning of each semester. Faculty is authorized to provide only the accommodations
requested by the Disability Support Services Office.
For questions, please contact Donna Price at 713.718.5165 or the Disability Counselor at your college. To
visit the ADA Web site, please visit www.hccs.edu then click Future student, scroll down the page and
click on the words Disability Information.
District ADA Counselor Donna Price 713.718.5165
Central ADA Counselors Jaime Torres 713.718.6164
Martha Scribner 713.719.6164
Northeast ADA Counselor Kim Ingram 713.718.6164
Northwest ADA Counselor Mahnaz Kolaini 713.718.5422
Southeast ADA Counselor Jette Lott 713.718.7218
Southwest ADA Counselor Dr. Becky Hauri 713.718.7910
Coleman ADA Counselor Dr. Raj Gupta 713.718.7631
HCC Policy Statement – Academic Honesty
A student who is academically dishonest is, by definition, not showing that the coursework has been
learned, and that student is claiming an advantage not available to other students. The instructor is
responsible for measuring each student’s individual achievements and also for ensuring that all students
compete on a level playing field. Thus, in our system, the instructor has teaching, grading, and enforcement
roles. You are expected to be familiar with the University’s
Policy on Academic Honesty, found in the catalog. What that means is: If you are charged with an offense,
pleading ignorance of the rules will not help you. Students are responsible for and/or disciplinary
proceedings may be initiated by College System officials against a student accused of scholastic
dishonesty. ―Scholastic dishonesty‖ includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism, and
collusion.
Cheating on a test includes:
horized by the person giving the test;
test that has not been administered.
4
Plagiarism means the appropriation of another’s work and the unacknowledged incorporation of that work
own written work offered for credit. Collusion means the unauthorized collaboration with another person in
preparing written work offered for credit. Possible punishments for academic dishonesty may include a
grade of 0 or F in the particular assignment, failure in the course, and/or recommendation for probation or
dismissal from the College System.
HCC Policy Statements
Class Attendance—It is important that you come to class! Attending class regularly is the best way to
succeed in this class. Research has shown that the single most important factor in student success is
attendance. Simply put, going to class greatly increases your ability to succeed. You are expected to attend
all lecture and labs regularly. You are responsible for materials covered during your absences. Class
attendance is checked daily. Although it is your responsibility to drop a course for nonattendance; the
instructor has the authority to drop you for excessive absences.
If you are not attending class, you are not learning the information. As the information that is discussed in
class is important for your career, students may be dropped from a course after accumulating absences in
excess of six (6) hours of instruction. The six hours of class time would include any total classes missed or
for excessive tardiness or leaving class early.
You may decide NOT to come to class for whatever reason. As an adult making the decision not to attend,
you do not have to notify the instructor prior to missing a class. However, if this happens too many times,
you may suddenly find that you have ―lost‖ the class.
Poor attendance records tend to correlate with poor grades. If you miss any class, including the first week,
you are responsible for all material missed. It is a good idea to find a friend or a buddy in class who would
be willing to share class notes or discussion or be able to hand in a paper if you unavoidably miss a class.
Class attendance equals class success.
HCC Course Withdrawal Policy
If you feel that you cannot complete this course, you will need to withdraw from the course prior to the
final date of withdrawal. Before, you withdraw from your course; please take the time to meet with the
instructor to discuss why you feel it is necessary to do so. The instructor may be able to provide you with
suggestions that would enable you to complete the course. Your success is very important. Beginning in
fall 2007, the Texas Legislature passed a law limiting first time entering freshmen to no more than SIX
total course withdrawals throughout their educational career in obtaining a certificate and/or degree.
To help students avoid having to drop/withdraw from any class, HCC has instituted an Early Alert process
by which your professor may ―alert‖ you and HCC counselors that you might fail a class because of
excessive absences and/or poor academic performance. It is your responsibility to visit with your professor
or a counselor to learn about what, if any, HCC interventions might be available to assist you – online
tutoring, child care, financial aid, job placement, etc. – to stay in class and improve your academic
performance.
If you plan on withdrawing from your class, you MUST contact a HCC counselor or
your professor prior to withdrawing (dropping) the class for approval and this must be done
PRIOR to the withdrawal deadline to receive a ―W‖ on your transcript. **Final withdrawal
deadlines vary each semester and/or depending on class length, please visit the online
registration calendars, HCC schedule of classes and catalog, any HCC Registration Office, or any
HCC counselor to determine class withdrawal deadlines. Remember to allow a 24-hour
response time when communicating via email and/or telephone with a professor and/or
counselor. Do not submit a request to discuss withdrawal options less than a day before
the deadline. If you do not withdraw before the deadline, you will receive the grade that you are
making in the class as your final grade.
5
Repeat Course Fee The State of Texas encourages students to complete college without having to repeat
failed classes. To increase student success, students who repeat the same course more than twice, are
required to pay extra tuition. The purpose of this extra tuition fee is to encourage students to pass their
courses and to graduate. Effective fall 2006, HCC will charge a higher tuition rate to students registering
the third or subsequent time for a course. 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.
Classroom Behavior As your instructor and as a student in this class, it is our shared responsibility to
develop and maintain a positive learning environment for everyone. Your instructor takes this
responsibility very seriously and will inform members of the class if their behavior makes it difficult for
him/her to carry out this task. As a fellow learner, you are asked to respect the learning needs of your
classmates and assist your instructor achieve this critical goal.
To be successful in this class, it is the student’s responsibility to:
ss discussions and activities
Grading
Your instructor will conduct quizzes, exams, and assessments that you can use to determine how successful
you are at achieving the course learning outcomes (mastery of course content and skills) outlined in the
syllabus. If you find you are not mastering the material and skills, you are encouraged to reflect on how you
study and prepare for each class. Your instructor welcomes a dialogue on what you discover and may be
able to assist you in finding resources on campus that will improve your performance.
GRADE DETERMINATION:
Your grade will be determined
by the following
Details
Points
(if applicable)
Percent of
Final
Average
10%
Paper # 1
Narrative/Descriptive
Paper # 2
Process
10%
Paper # 3
Comparison and Contrast
15%
Paper # 4
Argument
15%
Final
Essay
20%
Quizzes
Reading and grammar
10%
Class, lab, and homework
Be in class and work hard /Journals
10%
Computer Applications
10%
My Writing Lab/McGraw-Hill
6
LETTER GRADE ASSIGNMENT:
7
Letter Grade
A
Final Average in Percent
90 - 100
B
80 - 89
C
70-79
D
60-69
F
Below 60
Tentative Instructional Outline:
Week One : August 27/29
Chapter 1: Exploring
Chapter 2: Developing
Chapter 3: Revising and Editing
Chapter 16: Simple Sentences
Chapter 17: Compound Sentences
Week Two
Chapter 4: Illustration
Reading 14: The Beeps
Reading 18: When the Legal Thing Isn’t the Right Thing
Chapter 18: Complex Sentences
Week Three
Chapter 5: Narration
Reading 10: Musicophilia
Reading 17: Why I Worked with La Migra
Reading 19: Interview with Jimmy Baca
Chapter 19: Sentence Variety
Chapter 20: Fragments
Chapter 21: Run-Ons
Week Four
Chapter 6: Description
Reading 1: Bound Feet
Reading 11: Aunt Tee
Chapter 22: Faulty Parallel Structure
Chapter 23: Present and Past Tenses
Week Five
Chapter 7: Process
Reading 8: Control Your Temper
Reading 16: How Spies Are Caught
Chapter 24: Past Participles
Chapter 25: Other Verb Forms
Week Six
Chapter 8: Definition
Reading 2: Being a Hyphenated American
Reading 7: Dancing with Fear
Chapter 26: Subject-Verb Agreement
Chapter 27: Tense Consistency
8
Week Seven
Chapter 9: Classification
Reading 3: Fads
Reading 12: Advertising Appeals
Chapter 28: Nouns, Determiners, and Prepositions
Week Eight
Review and Midterm Testing
Week Nine
Chapter 10: Comparison and Contrast
Reading 6: Religious Faith Versus Spirituality
Reading 15: Gone with the Windows
Chapter 29: Pronouns
Week Ten
Chapter 11: Cause and Effect
Reading 9: Don’t Worry, Be Happy
Reading 13: Job Candidates and Facebook
Chapter 30: Adjectives and Adverbs
Chapter 31: Mistakes with Modifiers
Week Eleven
Chapter 12: Argument
Reading 4: The Case for Affirmative Action
Reading 5: It’s Class, Stupid!
Chapter 32: Exact Language
Chapter 33: Spelling and Commonly Confused Words
Week Twelve
Chapter 13: Writing the Essay
Chapter 34: Commas
Week Thirteen
Chapter 14: Essay Patterns
Chapter 35: The Apostrophe, Quotation Marks, and Titles
Week Fourteen
Chapter 15: Enhancing Your Writing with Research
Chapter 36: Capitalization and Other Punctuation Marks
Week Fifteen
Chapter 37: Editing Paragraphs and Essays
Week Sixteen
Review
Week Sixteen: Final Exam
9
EGLS3 -- Evaluation for Greater Learning Student Survey System
At Houston Community College, professors believe that thoughtful student feedback is necessary to improve
teaching and learning. During a designated time, you will be asked to answer a short online survey of researchbased questions related to instruction. The anonymous results of the survey will be made available to your
professors and division chairs for continual improvement of instruction. Look for the survey as part of the
Houston Community College Student System online near the end of the term.
10