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Welcome to English Composition II
Engl 1302 – Fall 2015
CRN: 73361 / TR 5.30-6.50pm
CRN: 72893 / TR 7.00-8.20pm
3 Credit Hours / 48 hours per semester
Lecture / Core Curriculum
Instructor: Dr. David Brenner
Contact Information:
david.brenner@hccs.edu
Office Hours: by appt. & before/after classes (in / near classroom)
LEARNING WEB Website Coordinates:
http://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/david.brenner
TURNITIN Website Coordinates:
http://www.turnitin.com
MAJOR WARNING: BOTH of the out-of-class essay assignments also MUST be electronically
submitted via turnitin.com; otherwise, you will FAIL the course!
Turnitin.com Class ID and Enrollment Password for this class are TBA***
PROFESSOR Coordinates:
Email: david.brenner@hccs.edu
Phone: (832) 930-1780 (leave message)
Please feel free to contact me at any point during the semester if you have any questions –
and especially if you are having problems in the course! Email is always the best way to reach
me; I guarantee a response usually within 24 hours! I also encourage you to make use of the
tutoring available for you at HCC Writing Center and http://hccs.AskOnline.net. To reach the
helpdesk for IT/computer-related issues at HCC, you should call 713.718.8800.
I. COURSE OBJECTIVES AND MATERIALS
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
1) Brenner’s “Learning Web,” i.e., every single text/ reading posted to the Learning Web
by Dr. Brenner! To be re-read frequently, daily if possible!
2) Arguing About Literature: A Guide and Reader, ed. John Schilb & John Clifford. New York:
Bedford/St. Martin's [First Edition], 2014. USE THIS ISBN NUMBER TO ORDER IT:
9781457662096. Warning: do not order 9781457664830, the “brief” version (for chumps )
3) English 1302 Study Guide (comes in shrink-wrapped packet, bookstore—new editions
come with e-access)
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4) Possession and use of an active email account at hccs.edu; some other email accounts
(e.g., yahoo.com) will go straight to your instructor’s junk/spam mail and never be
answered or acknowledged!
5) Access to a working computer and a working internet connection all semester
RECOMMENDED MATERIALS:
1) Access to The McGraw-Hill Handbook, eds. Elaine P. Maimon, Janice H. Peritz, and
Kathleen Blake Yancey, 3rd edition ONLY! 2012. Web. [This should be accessed via the
Connect Composition website at connect.mheducation.com]
2) Access to the Purdue OWL website
3) Access to a good pocket dictionary
4) Ink pens for in-class writing (pencil is harder to read)
5) Lined notebook paper for in-class writing
6) A printer at home with plenty of printer ink, or a printing account at school, or both
PREREQUISITES
Successful completion of ENGL 1301 or satisfactory score on the CLEP Exam.
Course description
A more extensive study of the skills introduced in ENGL 1301 with an emphasis on critical
thinking, research and documentation techniques, and literary and rhetorical analysis. (Core
Curriculum course)
Course Goals
In English 1302, we seek to provide writing instruction and practice that will help students to
master critical analysis of reading selections (both fiction and non-fiction) and the research
process, as well as to continue to creatively implement persuasive/argumentative writing
techniques. All elements of English 1302 require students to apply critical thinking and writing
skills introduced in English 1301.
General core objectives
Given the rapid evolution of necessary knowledge and skills and the need to take into account
global, national, state, and local cultures, the core curriculum must ensure that students will
develop the essential knowledge and skills they need to be successful in college, in a career, in
their communities, and in life. Through the Texas Core Curriculum, students will gain a
foundation of knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world, develop
principles of personal and social responsibility for living in a diverse world, and advance
intellectual and practical skills that are essential for all learning.
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Students enrolled in this core curriculum course will complete a research project or case study
designed to cultivate the following core objectives:
o Critical Thinking Skills—to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis,
evaluation and synthesis of information
o Communication Skills—to include effective development, interpretation and expression
of ideas through written, oral and visual communication
o Personal Responsibility—to include the ability to connect choices, actions, and
consequences to ethical decision-making
o Teamwork—to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work
effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal
Student proficiency in Communication Skills will be assessed as a formal written out-of-class
essay, which is at least 3 pages long and which includes an oral presentation component as well
as a visual component. Student proficiency in Critical Thinking will be assessed by a formal outof-class essay assignment. Personal, Social Responsibility, and Teamwork will be assessed as
part of long unit or major essay assignment, which will include assigned reading responses, prewriting activities, multiple drafts, and group activities (such as peer review or group
presentations). Student project grades will account for at least 5% of the final course grade.
English Program Student Learning Outcomes
(Composition, Literature, Creative Writing, and Technical Writing)
1. Write in appropriate genres using varied rhetorical strategies.
2. Write in appropriate genres to explain and evaluate rhetorical and/or literary strategies
employed in argument, persuasion, and various genres.
3. Analyze various genres of writing for form, method, meaning, and interpretation.
4. Employ research in academic writing styles and use appropriate documentation style.
5. Communicate ideas effectively through discussion.
Expected Student Learning Outcomes:
1. Apply basic principles of rhetorical analysis.
2. Write essays that classify, explain, and evaluate rhetorical and literary strategies
employed in argument, persuasion, and various forms of literature.
3. Identify, differentiate, integrate, and synthesize research materials into argumentative
and/or analytical essays.
4. Employ appropriate documentation style and format across the spectrum of in-class
and out-of-class written discourse.
5. Demonstrate library literacy.
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Learning Objectives:
1. Demonstrate the ability to coherently analyze: divide a text into rhetorical parts,
name the parts, identify examples that illustrate each part, and evaluate the
contribution of each in one or more essays;
2. Apply the basic principles of critical thinking—evaluation, analysis, and synthesis—
in written essays that persuade or argue;
3. Distinguish fact from opinion in other writers’ work and evaluate whether they
prove their points and/or whether they can be appropriately used as sources in
documented papers;
4. Research and write documented paper(s) using proper MLA style;
5. Find and evaluate library books, journals, magazines, and/or data-bases to find
information on a topic or issue;
6. Expand the scope, confidence, and creativity of written expression
Instructional Methods
I use a variety of instructional methods to help you become the best possible thinker, reader,
researcher, and writer. To encourage you to participate as a thinker in conversations of
importance to both citizens and scholars, we will be looking at texts that embody and grapple
with the complexity of real-world issues. To widen your idea of what counts as a “text,” we will
engage with visual, audio, and written materials across several genres. To help you on your
way as a researcher, we will investigate the responsibilities of writers-as-researchers, research
methodologies, and research presentation/formatting. And to expand your understanding of
yourselves as writers, we will write both short and long, formal and informal, in-class and outof-class, analytical and creative assignments. In-class time will be divided between lecture and
discussion, with some group work and class work. Major writing assignments will be
accompanied by specific guidelines.
II. THE GROUND RULES: CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR AND ACADEMIC HONESTY
Discipline: Instructors and students in this class share the responsibility for developing and
maintaining a positive learning environment. I take my part of this responsibility seriously
and will inform students in the class if their behavior makes it difficult for me to fulfill that
objective. As a student, you should respect the learning needs of your fellow learners (see
HCC Student Handbook for the complete rules). Since we want each and every student to get
as much out of class as possible, we expect of students professional, adult conduct. Please
treat everyone in the class with respect.
This class will mimic a “real-world” working environment, and students are expected
to participate professionally: that is, to be on time, arrive prepared, meet deadlines,
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collaborate with others, and contribute to a positive learning environment. Professionalism
includes all of these behaviors as well as regular attendance and voluntary participation in all
facets of classroom learning.
Disruptive behavior that interferes with teaching or learning will not be tolerated. It
can even result in an administrative withdrawal without refund. In addition, a faculty
member may temporarily suspend a student from his/her classroom for the remainder of the
class, whenever the student is disrupting the class to the point that there is no longer a
meaningful (i.e., positive) learning environment.
Electronics in class: Please turn off all cell phones, iPods, and electronic hand-held devices
before coming into class. It goes without saying: anyone checking their email, texting,
answering their phone, playing a video game, or listening to music will be asked to leave for
the class period and may be marked absent.
If such a device sounds or is used during class, it will be considered a disruption of the
educational process (such as other forms of inappropriate behavior), and the student may be
asked to leave for the rest of the class period. If a student expects an emergency call, he or
she must speak to the instructor to receive an exception to this policy.
If personal use of electronic devices is excessive in a class, a penalty of a 10-percent
deduction on the next major assignment will be enforced! While you may be asked to use
laptops or tablets for in-class purposes (such as workshops), checking your
email/Facebook/etc. is ABSOLUTELY PROHIBITED. This is an issue of general professional
etiquette. Inattentiveness is distracting to both your instructor and fellow students, and it
devalues the overall course.
Official HCC policy concerning camera phones, cameras, audio/tape recorders, video
recorders and any other electronic device that is capable of recording the human voice or
image declares that the “[u]se of recording devices, including camera phones and tape
recorders, is prohibited in classrooms, laboratories, faculty offices, and other locations where
instruction, tutoring, or testing occurs. Students with disabilities who need to use a recording
device as a reasonable accommodation should contact the Office for Students with
Disabilities for information regarding [such] accommodations.”
Food, Beverages, and Use of Tobacco Products: Please do not consume food during class.
Drinks are fine dependent upon building policy. In addition, the use of tobacco products, such
as “chew” or “snuff,” is prohibited in the classroom.
Scholastic Dishonesty: A student who is academically dishonest is unable to demonstrate 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 enforcing roles. You are expected to be
familiar with the HCC’s policy on Academic Honesty found in the catalogue. What that means is:
if you are charged with an offense, pleading ignorance of the rules will not help you.
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According to the Student Handbook for the Houston Community College System,
scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a test, collusion, and
plagiarism. Cheating on a test includes
 copying from another student’s test paper and using materials not authorized by the
person giving the test;
 collaborating with another student during a test without authority;
 knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in whole or part the
contents of an unadministered test; and
 bribing another person to obtain a test that is to be administered.
Collusion means the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work
offered for credit.
Plagiarism means the appropriation of another’s words or ideas and the
unacknowledged incorporation of that work in one’s own written work offered for credit. DO
NOT PLAGIARIZE ANY MATERIAL: IT IS UNETHICAL, UNADULT, UNPROFESSIONAL, AND A
FORM OF STEALING. Plagiarism can also include the use of a student’s prior work in another
course and/or school to qualify as an assignment in part for this course. In order to use any preexisting work, a student must receive permission from both instructors in order to resubmit the
assignment for this course. In other words, all assignments must be original; do not use a paper
written in another class for this one.
SUMMARY OF PLAGIARISM PENALTIES: The punishments for scholastic dishonesty
such as plagiarism in this class will be either: (1) a grade of zero for the particular assignment;
(2) failing the entire course; or (3) a recommendation for probation or dismissal from the HCC
System!
III. ASSIGNMENT AND GRADING POLICIES
INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS:
We assess student performance based on the work students contribute to the course.
For each of the assignments you will be provided with detailed assignment sheets, portions of
A-level examples, and several hours of classroom instruction and guidance. In addition, there
are also class sessions dedicated to hands-on writing workshops. You are also encouraged to
ask questions in person or via email about any of these assignments or to seek additional
guidance at the HCC Writing Center. Both the mechanics and the content of major
assignments will be evaluated in the grading process! By the end of the course, I hope you
will become more confident in your writing abilities and better able to communicate your
perspective -- and value that of others.
MINIMUM WRITING REQUIREMENT FOR ENGL 1302:
To be good on a computer, one must spend many hours on it. To become a good shortstop in
baseball, one has to field endless amounts of grounders. To be a good writer, one must . . . . As
in any other skill, practice advances mastery: 6,000 words is the minimum amount required in
this course!
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GRADING AND ASSESSMENT:
The quality of your work will be assessed throughout the semester. Prior to each of the
major assignments, you will receive detailed instructions on the parameters of the
assignment and how its components will be evaluated. All of the assignments listed here
should be submitted in MLA format, examples of which can be found in the Comp I Study
Guide, the McGraw-Hill Handbook, the Purdue OWL website, and on my Learning Web course
website.
Finally: make sure to always have some competent human proofread your assignments
carefully before turning them in. Allow yourself time to review for not only content but also
grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. Remember: if you aren’t revising, you aren’t really
writing!
 20% Researched Argumentative Essay (i.e., “Term Paper” / “Critical Reviews”): Three
preliminary stages, including a rough draft (i.e., a 1500+ word essay) using MLA
documentation/citation throughout.
 15% Researched Argumentative Essay (i.e., “Term Paper” / “Critical Reviews”: Final
draft - a 1500+ word essay. This fourth and final stage of the “term paper” assignment
requires you to perfect – or at least revise radically!--your rough draft.
 10% Critical Rhetorical Analysis of a Text – a 1000+-word out-of-class analysis in which
students critically assess the primary writing strategies (“rhetorical elements”) that an
author uses to effectively communicate his or her point (or “thesis”).
 10% Written In-Class Final Essay: a 650+ word in-class argumentative paper that takes
a stand on an issue in a text discussed in class and refutes two opposing ideas after
making concessions to them. This essay will allow you to exhibit your ability to argue a
clear thesis and persuade your audience of it.
 20% Quizzes: quizzes will be daily (20-25 minutes) and will consist of short answer
questions, freewriting/journaling opportunities, etc. All but two will count toward the
final quiz grade. These quizzes alone require you to write 1250+ words!
 15% Class Participation/Professionalism: for details, consult the rubric for grading this
aspect of the course.
 10% Group Projects/Presentations (quality trumps quantity): for details, consult the
rubric for grading this aspect of the course.
Please note the following points:
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Grades will NOT be discussed publically in class—between myself and students nor
between students.
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Before you and I discuss any questions or comments you have regarding a grade on an
assignment, you must read my comments and then schedule an appointment.
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All assignments will be discussed in detail, both in writing and orally in class, during the
semester. Although I will provide handouts that outline the requirements and grading criteria
for these tasks, you may fail the course if you do not keep up with assigned readings or pay
attention in class. Work that is off-topic or fails to follow instructions will not receive credit.
You will get the grade which you earn!
One letter grade will be deducted for each and every day an out-of-class assignment is
late. Workshops and quizzes may not be made up. However, one letter grade will be added
for each class day an out-of-class assignment is early.
MAJOR WARNING: Midterm and Final: In addition to the average of grades on out-of-class
writing, a student must obtain a passing average (70 - 100) on all in-class writing in order to
make at least a C in the course. If the average of in-class writing is a D (60 - 69), the student
must receive a D in the course. If the average of in-class writing is an F (0-59), the student
must receive an F in the class! There will be no make-ups of the major exams unless the
student provides timely, written, and verifiable documentation of a grave illness or other
emergency within 48 hours of the scheduled exam date.
Out of class papers/essays: If you do not complete each of these two assignments
satisfactorily, you will FAIL the class! All of these will be graded by the standards of the
discipline of English, which include not only content and critical thinking but also grammar,
sentence structure, punctuation, word usage, and other “mechanics.”
Grading Scale: Grading will be reflected by traditional letter grades, A through F (see the
number equivalents). The interpretation of these letters and numbers are as follows:
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A (90-100%): The student demonstrates superior ability and originality. Thorough
knowledge of the material is displayed. The quality of submitted work is consistently
high with minimal, superficial stylistic or rhetorical errors.
B (80-89%): The student demonstrates above average ability. Knowledge of the material
exceeds basic requirements: moments of strong insight and/or creativity are
demonstrated. The quality of submitted work contains few stylistic or rhetorical errors.
C (70-79%): The student presents work that adequately treats the assignment. A “C”
paper may also include minor erroneous evaluation of the material and/or sources
and/or minor misinterpretations of the assignment. Errors in proofreading, mechanics,
style, and rhetorical devices appear throughout less than 50 percent of the essay.
D (60-69%): The student submits below average work. This typically indicates that a
student has erroneously evaluated the material and/or sources AND/OR has
misunderstood the assignment. In addition, the work may also contain repeated
mechanical and stylistic errors that compromise the clarity of the student’s writing.
F (0-59%): The student submits sloppy, poorly organized work containing excessive
stylistic and rhetorical errors. The work displays little student effort and interest and/or
does not reflect the assignment.
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Out-of-Class Assignments: You are responsible for keeping up with the reading and homework.
Throughout the semester there will be daily quizzes. Readings are from both printed and online
materials.
Out-of-Class Essay Submission Formats: All out-of-class essays (two) must be submitted at the
beginning of class on their due dates in the following HARD COPY format:
 Typed on white paper (8.5 x 11) in black ink (handwritten assignments not accepted)
 Double-spaced, with 1” margins, 12-point plain font (e.g., Times New Roman)
 MLA formatting and manuscript submission guidelines (if you need a review of MLA
paper format, visit: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ )
 Points will be deducted from papers that do not meet requirements.
 MAJOR WARNING (repeated): The final drafts of your out-of-class essays must also be
electronically submitted via TurnItIn.com or else you will FAIL those assignments.
Revision/Rough Draft Policy: If the student opts to revise her essay, she is encouraged to read
carefully through the instructor’s comments, discuss revision strategies with the instructor,
and/or also seek additional guidance from a tutor. A student usually gets ONE WEEK from the
day she has received her graded paper back from the instructor to resubmit a revised version,
i.e., a printed copy to the instructor and an electronic copy at turnitin.com. That said, rough
drafts are always required on the major out-of-class writing assignments. These are a great
opportunity to address the overall direction and organization of your essays. Also take
advantage of the instructor’s suggestions, the in-class peer reviews, and HCC tutoring/writing
center services to ensure that your written work is improving!
IV. ATTENDANCE, TARDINESS, AND LATE WORK POLICIES
Attendance (roll is taken at the beginning of class): You should understand that your course
grade will suffer as a result of absences. And of course, your ability to do the work required
will also suffer, and thus grades on that work will be lower. Any time you are/will be absent,
you owe the instructor an email explaining why you were absent!
If you miss more than SIX (6) hours of class, excused or non-excused, you should withdraw
from the course (dependent upon communication with the instructor and/or reasons for
absences). That means: you might be excused, but only if you put your excuse into writing, in
an email to the instructor!
Again: if you have missed FOUR classes, anything beyond this point exceeds the
designated HCC limit of absences. If you stop attending the class, it is your responsibility to
withdraw formally.
 A valid reason for missing class is an unavoidable emergency. If you wish to have the
absence excused, you must provide documentation for it and forward that
documentation to me via email. If you have a cold or travel plans, those events do not
qualify as emergencies.
 If students stop attending the class, it is their responsibility to withdraw formally. If they
do not, they will receive an FX grade (a “failing” grade) for the course.
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You are responsible for all assignments even if you are absent or tardy. Do not ask the
instructor what you have missed! Instead, you are still responsible for what happens
in class. Hence, the following warnings:
o any work due the day you miss class is still due even if you are not there;
o any announcements still apply to you if you are not there; and
o You should contact another student in your section to find out what you missed. I
am glad to meet with you during office hours to answer questions, but I won’t email
a summary of the class to you or re-teach that day’s class to you individually!
Tardiness: Attendance, participation and your full, undivided attention are the components
that most enhance your educational experience. Tardiness limits the above. In addition, it is
distracting and often creates logistical issues in the way a class is run. For example, time has to
be taken away from the class so that you may understand what everyone else is currently
working on. Not only is lateness disruptive, but it is also a breach of professionalism and
etiquette. Students who make a habit of arriving 10 to 15 minutes late will also miss the quizzes
or other assignments given at the beginning of class.
Late and Missed Assignments:
 Quizzes, in-class assignments, group work, and/or peer editing workshops cannot be
made up (so you don’t need to offer . . .)
 There are NO makeups on major exams unless arranged in advance.
 All papers, rough drafts and assignments will be reduced by a full letter grade (10 full
points!) for every calendar day past their due date. (By the same token, essay
assignments submitted in advance will be eligible for an increase of a full letter grade.)
Students who are late on one of the major out-of-class assignments typically receive
final course grades of C or lower.
 Late essays will not be accepted after one week! Any excuses/reasons for lateness
must be provided in writing via email!
V. OTHER IMPORTANT POLICIES AND INFORMATION
HCC Student Services Information: Student Services provides master’s- and doctoral-level
counseling for the Northwest College student body. Advisors are also available at each campus
to assist students in creating class schedules, evaluating college transcripts, and completing
degree/certificate plans. Student Services regular business hours are the same at the Spring
Branch and Katy campuses: Mon-Thu 8:00am-7:00pm; Fri-Sat 8:00am-1:00pm. Locations and
phone numbers are: Alief Campus, Room A-111, 713-718-5669; Katy Campus, Suite 150, 713718-5751; Spring Branch Campus, The Welcome Center, 713-718-5669. For more information,
see http://northwest.hccs.edu/students/ .
Tutoring: You are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the free tutoring available to you
in the Writing Center at Katy, Spring Branch, and Alief campuses. Tutors can help you organize
and develop ideas for your writing assignments and to work on problems in grammar and
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sentence structure. Writing tutors do not write, rewrite, edit, or correct papers for you.
Rather, they can help you to do the tasks better yourself. (However, neither the tutor nor any
person—your mother, your high school teacher, your friend, and so on—other than your
instructor is the final judge of your work!).
Hours for all three centers are posted on the Writing Center page, located at website at:
http://northwest.hccs.edu/programs/english/writing-center/. On-line tutoring (almost 24/7)
is also available at http://hccs.AskOnline.net. To reach the helpdesk for IT/computer-related
issues at HCC, one should call 713.718.8800. If you go, be sure to have the tutor print his or her
name on the top page of the rough draft, along with a signature (I believe some of them use a
Writing Center stamp, which is also acceptable).
The HCC Libraries offer assistance in finding and documenting resources. If you would like help
with research, you may contact the librarians. For locations and times, see
http://library.hccs.edu/home. See your “Student System Sign-In” records (under “demographic
data”) if you need help finding your library barcode.
HCC Course Withdrawal Policy: If you feel that you cannot complete this course, please take
the time to meet with me to discuss why you feel it is necessary to do so. I may be able to
provide you with suggestions to enable you to complete the course. Your success is important
to us.
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 degree. To help students avoid having to 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, poor academic performance, and/or inclass behavioral problems. 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 to withdraw from the course, this must be done PRIOR to the withdrawal
deadline in order to receive a "W” on your transcript.
Last day for Administrative/Student Withdrawals: ***
If a student stops attending the class, it is his or her responsibility to withdraw formally.
If he or she does not, he or she will receive an FX grade for the course.
Students who enroll for most credit CEU classes for a third or more times will be
charged an additional $50.00 per semester credit hour and $3.00 per contact hours.
International Students: Receiving a W or an F in a course may affect the status of your student
visa. Once a W or F is given for the course (after you have formally submitted a withdrawal
form), it will not be changed to an F because of any visa considerations. Please contact the
International Student Office at 713-718-8520, if you have any questions about your visa status
and other transfer issues.
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HCC Policy Statement – ADA Accommodations / Services to Students with Disabilities: 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 are only authorized to
provide only the accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services Office.
Northwest ADA Counselors: Lisa Parkinson – 713.718.5422 (officed at Spring Branch); Dr.
LaRonda Ashford – 713.718.5409 (officed at Katy). To visit the ADA Web site, go to
http://central.hccs.edu/students/disability-services/overview-of-services/
(N.B. Please give me your accommodations letter at the beginning of the semester.)
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
research-based 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.
FINAL NOTE: On the Intrinsic Value of This Course [ [adapted from Dr. Chris Carney]:
English 1302 is possibly one the most valuable classes you will take in your entire college
career, and certainly if you plan to transfer to a university. Why? Because of the higher
emphasis this class places on critical thinking, logic, persuasion, argumentation, and research
skills. In short, this course will activate and sharpen your critical thinking and other cognitive
skills more than many other classes you will take in your college career. Here, you will deal
with some complex issues (without easy fixes) in order to practice thinking hard about
problems, their causes, potential solutions, realistic obstacles to proposed solutions, and the
challenging ethics that pertain to such problems. In addition, this class will challenge you to
think critically about cultural norms and the messages you might have otherwise received
passively—particularly those messages delivered to you via mass media!
[See the official Schedule/Calendar on the LW for complete calendar]