SPRING 2011 – SECOND START
ENGLISH 1301 – FRESHMAN COMPOSITION I
SECOND START
HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Instructor: Joan Humphrey
718-6671
Email:
joan.humphrey@hccs.edu
arrangement
English Office: 713Office hours: by
MISSION STATEMENT OF THE ENGLISH
DEPARTMENT: The purpose of the English Department is to
provide courses that transfer to four-year colleges; introduce students to
literature from diverse traditions; prepare students to write clear,
communicative, well-organized, and detailed prose; and develop students’
reading, writing, and analytical skills.
REQUIRED TEXTS – to be brought to every
class:
Maimon, Peritz, and Blake Yancey: The McGraw-Hill Handbook,
nd
2 Ed.
Peterson and Brereton: The Norton Reader, 12th Ed. Full edition to
be purchased.
College-level dictionary.
CORE CURRICULUM COURSES:
Reading college level material means having the ability to
analyze and interpret a variety of printed material—fiction and non-fiction.
Writing at the college level means having the ability to
produce clear, correct and coherent prose adapted to purpose, occasion,
and audience. In addition to knowing correct grammar, spelling and
punctuation, students should also become familiar with the writing process,
including how to discover a topic, how to develop and organize it, and how
to phrase it effectively for their audiences. These abilities are acquired
through practice and reflection.
Discussion, an important step in the writing process, includes
clear speaking, perceptive listening, and willingness to share ideas.
Critical Thinking incorporates objectivity, analytical techniques,
and application of logical principles to the reading and discussion
stages, as well as the writing process.
ATTENDANCE: Students are expected to attend class regularly.
Classes will begin promptly at the appointed time, and attendance will be
taken every class period. HCCS attendance policy states that a student
who is absent more than 12.5% of total class time (6 hours; please keep in
mind that this is 6 hours, not 6 classes) may be administratively dropped
from the course. The minutes lost by arriving late and/or leaving early will
be counted toward the allotted absences. This policy will be scrupulously
enforced; there is no sense in wasting your time, your classmates’ time,
and my time with sporadic attendance. [Note: check the Student
Handbook for verification of the above policy.]
ABSENCES: Each student is responsible for any class materials
missed during an absence. This includes instructional information,
assignments, discussions, collaborative work, etc. Since there will be no
opportunity to make up graded work such as in-class quizzes and writing
assignments, regular class attendance will be very important. Therefore,
review your calendars and learn to manage your time in order to complete
your assignments to the best of your ability.
PROMPTNESS: As stated above, class will start promptly as
scheduled—students will be expected to be ready for instruction at the
beginning of each class. All outside written assignments must be
handed in on time at the beginning of class—late assignments will be
recorded as 0. However, since I understand that catastrophes do occur,
each student will have the opportunity to hand in one (1) late assignment
without penalty. To take advantage of this LATE OPTION, the student
must inform me of this intention as soon as possible and indicate the date
he or she intends to hand it in. All reading assignments must be
completed before coming to class. Manage your time efficiently so that
you comprehend the material in preparation for class discussion.
Having addressed the above “Attendance” and
“Promptness” issues, let me add the following:
although I do not have a separate “attendance
grade” that averages into a student’s final
grade, I have never, ever, known poor
attendance to enhance a student’s final grade
let alone his knowledge—in fact, quite the
opposite invariably happens. In the “real
world” you will be totally responsible for your
own conscientiousness, which will not, I
promise you, go unnoticed by your managers.
The above attendance policies are devised to
help you develop your own strategies for
promptness and attendance; they are not rules
to challenge or “bend.”
I am a serious educator; therefore, I look forward to a wonderful semester
working with students who are also serious about their education.
PHONES AND BEEPERS: Ringing cell phones or sounding
beepers disrupt instruction and learning. These must be turned off (not set
on vibration) before class begins.
SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY: “Students are responsible for
conducting themselves with honor and integrity in fulfilling course
requirements. Penalties and/or disciplinary proceeding may be initiated by
College System officials against a student accused of scholastic
dishonesty,” which includes cheating, plagiarism, collusion, and anything
else designed to deceive the instructor (see Student Handbook). Students
discovered to have plagiarized or to have otherwise misrepresented their
work can expect a zero for the assignment and an F in the course.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION: Any student with a
documented disability (e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing,
etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodation must contact the
Disability Services Office at the beginning of each semester. Faculty are
authorized to provide only accommodations requested by the Disability
Support Services Office. If you have questions, please contact the
Disability Counselor.
SUPPORT SERVICES: Free tutoring is available at the Central
Campus. Check the English Office for schedules. askonline is the online
tutoring service.
OPEN COMPUTER LAB: Computers are available for word
processing in the Open Lab. Check for hours.
RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS: According to the Student Handbook:
“A student who is absent from classes for the observance of a religious
holiday may take an examination or complete an assignment scheduled for
that day within a reasonable amount of time after the absence. The
student must notify the instructor in writing at least two weeks prior to the
anticipated absence. A ‘religious holiday’ means a holiday observed by a
religion whose place of worship is exempt from property taxation under
Section 11.2, Tax Code.”
GRADE PERCENTAGES:
Out of class papers (essays)
30%
In class writing assignments
30%
Instructors options (quizzes, etc.)
20%
Final
20%
Note: all assignments will be written; there will be no true/false, multiple
choice, etc. quizzes or tests.
GRADING: Students’ grades will be determined by performance on
assignments. Essays will be graded according to the following scale:
A = 90 – 100% Exceptional, superior work
B = 80 – 89%
Good; above average work
C = 70 – 79%
Average work
D = 60 – 69%
Below average work, but passing
F = 0 – 59%
Deficient, failing work
W = (Withdrawn) may be given if a student misses more
than 12.5%
of instruction (6 class hours).
I = Incomplete
REPEATING THE CLASS AND
CONSEQUENCES: Students who take a course and then must
repeat it two or more times may soon face significant tuition/fee increases
at HCC and other Texas public colleges and universities. 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.
ENGLISH 1301 COURSE SYLLABUS
SPRING 2011 - SECOND START
HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
The following reading assignments will be discussed in
class on the day indicated: that means the readings
must be completed before coming to class. All page
numbers refer to The Norton Anthology of British
Literature. Please note, however, the syllabus may be
revised at the discretion of the instructor.
02/15 Introductions; syllabus; course expectations
Sample reading (Updike handout)
02/17 Discuss: Staples (396), White (93), Sanders (121)
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02/22 “Unraveling the Assigned Texts” (both books must be
brought to class)
Composition basics
Discuss: Lee (1), Dickerson (399)
02/24 Composition #1 due
Discuss: Ephron (727), Tisdale (747), Chesterfield (674)
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03/01 Return Composition #1 and discuss
Handbook help
Discuss: Orwell (852), White (891), Twain (1135)
03/03 Composition #2 due
Discuss: Aesop (1127), Plato (1128), Jesus (1131), Zen
Parables (1134)
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*******************************03/08 Return Composition #2
and discuss
Handbook help
Essay assignment (first essay due 3/24)
03/10 Discuss: Brooks (412), Barthes (342), Holt (449)
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03/15 SPRING BREAK
03/17 SPRING BREAK
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03/22 Discuss: Roosevelt (913), Asimov (939), Highet (1201)
03/24 Composition #3 due (essay)
Discuss: Bambara (handout), Faulkner (929)
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03/29 Return Composition #3 and discuss
Handbook help
Discuss: Hughes (1139), Dennett (1153), Swift (858)
03/31 Discuss: Agosín (532), Thomas (553), Booth (566)
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04/05 Discuss: Rich (487), Goodheart (303), Gordon (740)
04/07 Composition #4 (essay) due
Discuss: Thoreau (776), Nabokov (1032)
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04/12 Return Composition #4 and discuss
Handbook help
Discuss: McCloud (1091), Ridley (966), Woolf (1188)
04/14 Discuss: King, Jr. (892), Teachout (1115), Dove
(1144)
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04/19 Discuss: Wallace (75), Sanders (226), Lynch (317),
Kristof (340)
Discuss: McMurtry (354), Douglass ((428), Keillor (535 537), Florey (562)
04/21 Composition #5 (essay) due
Discuss: Leopold (733), World War II (831 - 839)
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*******************************04/26 Return Composition #5
and discuss
Handbook help
Discuss: Rodriguez (517), Cronin (651), Chief Seattle (642),
Dobbs (758)
04/28 Discuss: Machiavelli (865), Bronowski (935), Thoreau
(1164), Graves (1160)
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05/03 Discuss: Gourevitch (839), Guinier (886), Frye (1037),
Op-Eds (403 - 416)
05/05 In-Class Essay
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05/09 - 13 FINALS WEEK
Final Paper due Tuesday May 10 at regularly scheduled time