Welcome to English
Composition II
English 1302 - 0023 (76506)
5:30 – 8:00 pm M-R Room 604
3 Credits
Instructor: Jo Harper
Contact Information:
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jo.harper@hccs.edu
Please contact me concerning any problems that you are experiencing in this course, and
remember that you do not need to wait until you have received a poor grade before asking for my
assistance. I can meet with you individually by appointment. I’ll be glad to discuss things with
you. Also, be sure to take advantage of the tutors at the Writing Center.
Additional Support:
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Tutoring and Writing Centers
Writing Center at Spring Branch Campus, South Hall, Room 703. Look for posted
hours or call 713-718-5889.
On-Line Tutors: http://askonline.net
For help with grammar and punctuation please look online at this address:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/
Prerequisites:
English 1301 or the equivalent
Instructional Materials:

Your reading assignments are available online. There is no textbook required.
 Online grammar and punctuation handbook: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/
Course Goals:
In English 1302, we seek to provide writing instruction and practice that will help students
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
skill introduced in English 1301.
Course Description:
A more extensive study of the skills introduced in English 1301 with an emphasis on critical
thinking, research, documentation techniques, and literary and rhetorical analysis. Prerequisite:
English 1301 or a satisfactory score on the CLEP Exam. Credit: 3 semester hours (3 lecture
hours).
English 1302 is a course that involves reading, writing, and research. It is a very important
course; it teaches skills that are essential to your college career and which will help you
throughout your life. To succeed in this course, you must be consistent in doing your homework.
The reading assignments and handouts you are given should be read thoughtfully. You must
write three questions on each reading assignment you are given. These are to be turned in to
the teacher and are an important part of your daily grade. You should keep a copy of these
questions in your notebook. ALWAYS KEEP COPIES OF YOUR PAPERS ON A DISK.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Apply basic principles of rhetorical analysis
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.
6. Experiment in creative and
reflective approaches to writing.
1.
2.
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 others’ writings 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:
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Guidance as to how to write analyses and arguments, including models of exemplary
writing
Detailed critiques of your papers with individualized follow-up instructions
Collaborative activities— interviews, discussion, group work, and peer reviews
Practice different styles of writing
CORE Curriculum Competencies:
This course stresses the HCC CORE Competencies of reading, writing, speaking, listening,
critical thinking, and computer literacy.
Minimum Writing Requirement:
As in any other skill, practice advances mastery. In this course you will write more than 6,000
words.
Student Assignments:
ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE ON THE DATE LISTED.
WRITE THREE QUESTIONS ON EVERY READING ASSIGNMENT. THESE ARE TO
BE TURNED IN. THEY ARE A LARGE PART OF YOUR DAILY GRADE.
WE WILL ALSO HAVE NUMEROUS POP QUIZZES OVER THE READING
ASSIGNMENTS.
Attendance and Class Behavior: You are expected to attend class regularly and to be an active
participant in discussions. This means you should:
1. Be on time and stay until class is dismissed.
2. Class attendance is required. A student may be dropped from the course after five absences.
3. If you are unavoidably late, quietly take a chair near the door. Try not to disturb the rest of the
class.
4. Be considerate and respectful of your fellow class members and your instructor.
Writing your papers:
1. Always put your name and phone number and email address on the upper right-hand corner of
your papers.
2. At-home writing assignments must be written on a word processor or a typewriter.
3. Be sure that your printer has ink or that the ribbon on your typewriter is not worn out. Papers
that are too pale to be easily legible will not be accepted.
Due dates: Assignments on the syllabus are due on the date on which they are listed. Reading
assignments on this syllabus may be added or changed as I have more insight into your needs.
Changes will be made in the syllabus as the needs of the class become apparent.
Assignments include:
Class work, at home exercises, and participation
20%
Various quizzes
10%
Paper 1, July 18
Interview paper
10%
Paper 2, July 26
In-class paper, character analysis
10%
Paper 3, August 1
Research paper
20%
Paper 4, August 9
Case study
20%
Paper 5, August 11
Final exam In-class paper
10%
Interview Paper: You will interview three classmates and write a paper based on the interviews.
Find a commonality and develop a clear thesis presenting it.
Midterm Analysis: a 600+ word in-class mid-term in which a student analyzes a piece of
literature based on techniques learned in class.
Research Paper: a 2000 – 2500 word paper showing an evaluation of an artist’s work (NOT
simply a biography). Use MLA documentation. Each student will research a different person.
Case Study: a 2000 – 2500 word paper. Read several works by the same author. Write a paper
making and proving observations about the body of work. These may include but are not limited
to subject matter, theme, writing style. Present your own ideas and those of critics found during
the research. Use MLA documentation. Each student will study a different person.
Final: a 750+ word in-class argumentative paper on a subject to be assigned at the time.
Instructor Grading Criteria:
o
o
Papers will be graded by English Discipline standards, which include grammar,
sentence structure, punctuation, word usage, tone, and mechanics. The grading
profile is weighted by the following percentages:
 Content 27%
 Organization 23%
 Sentences 20%
 Word Use and Tone 17%
 Punctuation and Mechanics 13%
In addition to the average of grades on out-of-class writing, a student must obtain
a passing average (70 - 100) on 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. (The average of in-class essays is formed by
counting the first in-class essay once and by counting the last one twice.)
HCC Grading Scale:
A = 100 – 90
B = 89 – 80
C = 79 – 70
D = 69 – 60
F = 59 and below
Further Requirements:
Submission of materials. As in any activity, writing follows certain rules so that audience and
participants know what to do and what to expect.
o In-class essays will be written using computers. Notes may be written in advance
on one sheet of paper and must be shown to the instructor in advance.
o Out-of-class essays must follow basic MLA rules (Modern Language
Association: the writing body that is the equivalent of the NBA) and be typed,
double spaced, and printed on 8 1/2 x 11" white paper with 1" margins and use a
12 pt. plain font. For my class, unless told otherwise, please do not submit title
sheets, cover booklets, or bindings. Secure the required materials with a staple or
paper clip.
Electronics in the classroom: As a student active in the learning community of this course, it is
your responsibility to be respectful of the learning atmosphere in your classroom. To show
respect of your fellow students and instructor, you will turn off your phone and other electronic
devices and will not use these devices in the classroom unless you receive permission from the
instructor. This includes text messaging devices. 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.
HCC Policy Statements:
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Discipline: As your instructor and as a student in this class, our shared responsibility is
to develop and maintain a positive learning environment for everyone. I take this
responsibility seriously and will inform members of the class if their behavior makes it
difficult for me to carry out this task. As a fellow learner, you are asked to respect the
learning needs of your classmates and to assist me achieve this critical goal. (See
Student Handbook)
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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
enforcing roles. You are expected to be familiar with the HCC’s policy on Academic
Honesty found in the catalogue. What that means is that if you are charged with an
offense, pleading ignorance of the rules will not help you.
Just so there is no misunderstanding, plagiarism (using another's ideas or words without
giving credit), Collusion (unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing
written work offered for credit), and other forms of cheating will not be tolerated. To be
accepted, all papers require proof of their development. Students who plagiarize,
collude, or cheat may face disciplinary action including the grade of 0 for the
assignment, an F for the course, and/or dismissal from the college. For more on
plagiarism, see "Plagiarism" in The New McGraw-Hill Handbook, second edition. (See
Student Handbook)
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Special Needs: 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 students, scroll down the page and click on
the words Disability Information.
Northwest ADA Counselor – Mahnaz Kolaini – 713.718.5422
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Missing Class: If absent or late to a class, the student is responsible for any information
missed. Each student should exchange emails or phone numbers with at least three other
students. After an absence, students are to find out what they missed before returning to
class. Do not ask the instructor if you missed anything important. If students come in
tardy, it is their responsibility to find out what they missed and to make sure, after class,
that their attendance has been recorded; otherwise, they will be considered absent.
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Attendance/Withdrawals: You should understand that your in-class grade will suffer
as a result of absences, and of course, your ability to do the work required in the course
will also be impaired and grades on that work will naturally be lower. If a student
misses more than 6 hours of class, excused or non-excused absences, the student may be
dropped from the course. Three tardies equal one absence. Leaving early is the same as a
tardy. If students stop attending the class, it is their responsibility to formally
withdraw so as not to receive an F in the course.
o
If you feel that you cannot complete this course, you will need to withdraw from
the course prior to the final date for withdrawal. Before you withdraw from the
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.
o
If you wish to withdraw, obtain the withdrawal form from Student Services and
submit it in the registration office or see me about withdrawing you. However,
before you withdraw from any class, please consider the following carefully: The
State of Texas imposes penalties on students who drop courses excessively. For
example, if you take the same course more than two times, you have to pay extra
tuition. In 2007, the Texas Legislature passed a law limiting new students (those
starting college in Fall 2007) to no more than six total course withdrawals
throughout their academic career in obtaining a baccalaureate degree. There may
be future penalties imposed.
o
In consideration of the above law, I will not give a “W” as a grade option unless
you have submitted the withdrawal form yourself before the deadline for
withdrawal. I will only submit the grade earned by adding up your grades to date.
Other instructors may have different rules concerning giving a "W" grade. Please
read the syllabus for each of your classes to be informed of the rules.
o
International Students: Receiving a W in a course may affect the status of your
student Visa. Once a W is given for the course (after you have submitted a
withdrawal form formally), it will not be changed to an F because of the visa
consideration. 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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Last day for Administrative /Student Withdrawals:
July 29, 12:00 noon
HCC Student Services
Information:
Student Services provides master’s and
doctoral-level counseling for the Northwest
College student body. Counselors are
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 both campuses. Phone numbers:
* 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. M – Th
* 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. F – Sat
* Katy Campus, 713-718-5751
* Spring Branch Campus, 713-718-5669
Additional Information:
http://northwest.hccs.edu/northwest/campus
-servies
Early Alert: HCC has instituted an Early
Alert process by which your professor will
“alert” you through counselors of concerns
that you might fail a class because of
excessive absences and/or poor academic
performance.
Calendar for Composition II: Summer 2011
Readings and assignments must be read or completed by the date assigned, and they may be
augmented or deleted by instructor.
1. Monday, July 11
Review syllabus; conduct interview
2. Tuesday, July 12
Laurie Lee, The Edge of Day, selections to be read aloud in class from a handout
Prepare for paper 1
3. Wednesday, July 13
Begin consideration of character analysis and a character analysis paper.
Katherine Anne Porter “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall”
http://people.morrisville.edu/~whitnemr/html/The Jilting of Granny Weatherall.htm
“There were three stout pillars ...” Stephen Vincent Benet
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/618
“Spade,” Stephen Vincent Benet, handout
4. Thursday, July 14
Visit Museum of Fine Arts
WEEK 2
5. Monday July 18 – Interview Paper Due
Eudora WA worn Path
http://www.theatlantic.com/past/docs/issues/41feb/wornpath.htm
“Mr. Flood’s Party,” E.A. Robinson
http://www.bartleby.com/233/802.html
6. Tuesday, July 19
Shirley Jackson, “The Lottery”
http://www.americanliterature.com/Jackson/SS/TheLottery.html
E.A. Robinson, “Richard Cory”
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/ihas/poet/robinson.html
E.A. Robinson, “Ruben Bright”
http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/m_r/robinson/additional.htm
7. Wednesday, July 20
“No Name Woman,” Maxine Hong Kingston
chake.chinatefl.com/class/No%20Name%20Woman.doc
opens as a word document
8. Thursday, July 21
Kate Chopin, “Desiree’s Baby”
http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/DesiBaby.shtml
WEEK 3
9. Monday, July 25
Work on research paper
Select author for Case Study
Conferences
10. Tuesday, July 26
In Class Paper, Character Analysis, Paper 2
11. Wednesday, July 27
Louise Erdrich, “Saint Marie”
http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/erdrich/stmarie.htm
12. Thursday, July 28
Louise Erdrich, “Fleur”
WEEK 4
13. Monday, August 1
Research Paper on Visual Artist Due, Paper 3
http://www.internal.org/Robert_Frost
“Desert Places,” “Fire and Ice,” “Home Burial,” “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” “Stopping
by the Woods,” “To Earthward,” “Tree at my Window”
14. Tuesday, August 2
Tobais Wolff, “Powder”
www.ccdmd.qc.ca/media/pdf/en/EEE_Powder.pdf
William Faulkner, “Barn Burning”
http://www.rajuabju.com/literature/barnburning.htm
15. Wednesday, August 3
Flannery O’Connor, “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~surette/goodman.html
Gerard Manley Hopkins, “God’s Grandeur,” “Carrion Comfort,” “Spring and Fall,”
“My Own Heart, Let Me Have More Pity On,” “No Worst, There is None,”
http://poetry.poetryx.com/poets/26/
16. Thursday, August 4
T.S. Eliot, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”
http://www.bartleby.com/198/1.html
WEEK 5
17. Monday, August 8
Anton Chekhov, “Misery”
http://members.multimania.co.uk/shortstories/chekhovmisery.html
18. Tuesday, August 9
Case Study Due, Paper 4
19. Wednesday, August 10
To Be Announced
20. Thursday, August 11
Final Paper, Paper 5
Interview paper
1. Interview three of your classmates. What you choose to talk about is your personal
decision. (Done in class). Be sure to exchange phone numbers and email addresses as
more questions will probably occur to you.
2. Write a 750 word paper based on the interviews. This is a descriptive paper. You
are describing the persons. Remember that descriptions of people include their
personalities and bearing. Be guided by the descriptions from The Edge of Day by
Laurie Lee that we read in class.
3. Remember to have a clear thesis statement (the main idea of your paper).
4. Attempt to find a unifying idea so that you can incorporate all three persons you
interview into one paper. If you are unable to do this, you may write on the three
individuals separately.
5. Never forget that while grammar and punctuation are fundamental, a writer is also
obligated to interest his reader. Find interesting things about your classmates. Your
reaction to them is perfectly appropriate to include.
6. You may need to interview several people in order to find three that suit your
needs for the paper. Tell only the truth about them. DO NOT MAKE ANYTHING UP
Research Paper on a Visual Artist
First acquaint yourself with the works of the artist you have selected. Be sure that you
have selected someone you like and find interesting. It will be to your advantage to
spend time making your choice.
The paper is to focus on the work of the artist. The artist’s time and place will
influence his work, as will events in his personal life. Those aspects of his experience
that affect his work should be mentioned. Personal experiences are interesting, but
you should slant all the information toward its importance to his art.
You must have at least three sources; one must be a book.
You must use parenthetical notes and must have a bibliography. Be very careful to
use the correct MLA format. Consult http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ or a
handbook.
You should form your own opinion about the artist’s work; then look at what critics
have said. In your paper, you may report general critical opinion and may agree or
disagree.
I will be glad to confer with you after class about organization and other issues you
may have.
The paper should be 1,500 to 2,000 words in length.
CASE STUDY
1. Select an author we have read that you would like to explore further, or select any
author in our text book. This may be a short story author or a poet.
2. Read a variety of works by that author. You must read enough to be able to make
general observations about the author’s writing – subject matter, style, themes.
3. In your paper, locate the author in time and place. Consider influences. Make
observations about the author’s work and prove them by citing examples from the
work using the techniques you learned for our papers on characterization and
literary analysis.
4. Having established your own points and proofs by example, look at what the
critics have said about the works. Consider whether or not you agree with them
and why.
5. Use internal citations to credit sources. You must have a bibliography of at least
three sources, and at least one of them must be a book.
6. Suggested length:
2,000 words