Instructor: Margie Ricks
Office Hours: M-Th 11:20-11:50 a.m.
or by appointment
CRN: 36370
Phone: 713-718-5561
Days/Time: M-Th 12:00- 3:20 p.m.
Email: Margie.ricks@hccs.edu
Course: ENGL0310
Room Number: MOCC 214
ENGLISH 0310 SYLLABUS AND CALENDAR
TEXTBOOKS: The Simon& Schuster Short Prose Reader (SPR) 5th ed Funk et al
The Little Brown Handbook (LBH) 10th Edition: Fowler, Aaron and Okoomian
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the time students have completed English
0310, they will be able to:
1. Use a variety of sentence patterns in writing.
2. Comprehend and respond to assigned readings.
3. Employ the writing process (planning, drafting, editing, revising, and developing
thesis and topic sentences) in assigned writings.
4. Write a variety of essays using appropriate rhetorical modes.
5. Incorporate the ideas and words of other writers in their own essays using
established strategies.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: 3 Essays (10% each)
Collaborative Writing Project
Quizzes
My Writing Lab
Journals
Class Participation
Final Essay (In class)
Final Exam (Objective)
IMPORTANT DATES:
06/30
07/05
07/06
07/07-08
30%
10%
10%
05%
10%
05%
20%
10%
Last Day for Withdrawals
Independence Day Holiday
Instruction Ends
Final Exams
COURSE CONTENT: The instructor will make specific page assignments and dates for
assignments. The instructor may make additional assignments and/or changes in
assignments during the semester.
Session One: Monday, 06/07
Diagnostic essays; Introduction to Course
LBH: Chapters 1, and2
SPR: Chapter 3: Narrative/descriptive essays
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Writing Process; reading and writing strategies and key terms; Purpose and audience;
Methods of content development
Terms to know (1): Purpose, audience, the writing process, pre-writing, thesis, topic
sentence, paragraph, essay, pattern of development (rhetorical mode), transitions,
introduction, conclusion, narration and description, figurative language
Session Two: Tuesday, 06/08
LBH: Chapters 3 and 4
Discuss Narrative/descriptive essays; Reading Quiz – Narrative Descriptive Essay
Begin Narrative/Descriptive Reading journal in class
Begin Essay One with essay assignment, topic (SPR: Page 38 WSS, #1, or 2;
Page 55 WSS, #1; Page 62 WSS, #1 or 2; or topic approved by Instructor) and
inventions; Topic and pre-writing due for Essay One
MWL: Diagnostic Pre-Tests (Sentence Grammar, Punctuation and Mechanics,
Usage and Style and Basic Grammar); The Writing Process; The Essay and
Paragraph Patterns
Session Three: Wednesday, 06/09
Narrative/Descriptive Reading Journal Due
Rough Draft Essay One Due
LBH: Parts of Speech – Pages 232-264
Terms to know (2): Parts of Speech
MWL: The Editing Handbook- Section 5: More Parts of Speech; The Editing
Handbook- Section 6: Modifiers
Session Four: Thursday, 06/10
Discuss Parts of Speech
Parts of Speech Practice Exercises
Essay One Due
SPR Comparison/Contrast essays – Chapter 7
Session Five: Monday, 06/14
Discuss comparison/contrast essays; Reading Quiz - Comparison/Contrast Essay - TBA
Begin Comparison/Contrast Reading journal in class
Parts of Speech Graded Exercises
Session Six: Tuesday, 06/15
Comparison/contrast Reading Journal Due
LBH: Sentence Types – Pages 252-266
Terms to know (3): Simple, Compound, Complex and Compound-Complex
Sentences*; Phrase, Clause, Independent Clause, and Dependent Clause
MWL: The Editing Handbook-Section 1: Effective Sentences
Begin Essay two with essay assignment, topic - SPR: P.192 WSS or #4; Page 202 #3;
Page 209 WSS, #1 or #2; Page 217 WSS, 226 #2, or 3; or topic approved by instructor)
and inventions (In class)
Discuss Sentence Types
2
Session Seven: Wednesday, 06/16
Sentence Types Practice Exercises
Rough Draft Essay Two Due (In class)
Session Eight: Thursday, 06/17
Sentence Types Graded Exercises
Quiz: Parts of Speech/Sentence Types
Essay Two Due
SPR: Definition essays - Chapter 5
Session Nine: Monday, 06/21
LBH: Major Sentence Errors – Pages 334-349
Terms to know (4): Major sentence errors- Fragment, Run on (fused) Sentence and
Comma Splice
MWL: The Editing Handbook-Section 2: Common Sentence Errors
Discuss definition essays; Reading Quiz - Definition Essay TBA; Begin Definition
Reading journal in class
Discuss Major Sentence Errors
Session Ten: Tuesday, 06/22
Definition Reading Journal Due
Major Sentence Error Practice Exercises
Begin Essay Three with assignment, topic -SPR: Page 117 WSS; Page 125 #1;
Page 126 #4; Page 132 WSS; Page 139 WSS or topic approved by instructor), and
inventions
Session Eleven: Wednesday, 06/23
Major Sentence Errors Graded Exercises
Quiz Major Sentence Errors
Rough Draft for Essay Three Due
SPR –Chapter 10- Argument and Persuasion
Session Twelve: Thursday, 06/24
Essay Three Due
LBH: Subject Verb Agreement – Pages 305-313
Terms to know (5): Subject verb agreement, third person, subject verb agreement rules
MWL: The Editing Handbook-Section 4: Verb Agreement and Consistency
Discuss Collaborative Writing Projects/Argumentative Essays; Reading Quiz –
Argumentative Essay TBA
Discuss CWP: Select groups and topics – topic approved by instructor), and inventions
Begin CWP Reading Journal In Class
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Session Thirteen: Monday, 06/28
LBH: Verb Tense - Pages 275-304
Terms to know (6): Irregular verb, participle verb form in present, past, and future
tenses
Bonus: Conjugate the verb “to be” in present, past and future tense.
MWL: The Editing Handbook-Section 3: Problems with Verbs
Discuss Verb Tense
Subject Verb Agreement Practice Exercises
Topic, pre-writing and copies of sources for CWP Due
CWP Reading journal Due
Individual Rough Draft for CWP Due
Session Fourteen: Tuesday, 06/29
Subject Verb Agreement Graded Exercises
Verb Tense Practice Exercises
LBH: Pronoun Case, Antecedent Agreement, and Reference – Pages 267-274, 313-319,
and 350-357
Terms to know (7): Pronoun Case, Pronoun Agreement, Pronoun Antecedent, Pronoun
Reference
MWL: The Editing Handbook- Section 5: More Parts of Speech (Pronouns,
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement, Pronouns- Vague Pronouns
Discuss Pronoun Case, Antecedent Agreement, and Reference
Group Rough Draft for CWP Due
Session Fifteen: Wednesday, 06/30
CWP DUE
Pronoun Practice Exercises
Verb Tense Graded Exercises
Optional Journal (out of class)
Quiz: Subject Verb Agreement/Verb Tense
Session Sixteen: Thursday, 07/01
CWP Presentations
Discuss Final In Class Essay
Pronoun Graded Exercises
Quiz: Pronoun Case, Reference and Agreement
Session Seventeen: Monday, 07/05
Review for Final Objective Exam
Begin Final In Class Essay
Session Eighteen: Tuesday, 07/06:
Final In Class Essay
Session Nineteen: Thursday, 07/08:
Final Exam Objective – Thursday, 07/08 10:30 am – 12:30 p.m.
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NOTES
Course Prerequisites and Placement: Students are responsible for registering for and
taking the correct courses to meet department, institutional, and state requirements. A
student who is taking developmental English, reading, or math to meet minimum
standards as set by the state government will be blocked from registering for certain
college-level courses based on a lack of prerequisites. Example: a student tries to
register for History 1301; however, the student has not passed the reading and writing
sections of the placement test. The student also has not completed GUST 0342 and
ENGL 0310 (or ENGL 0349 for the non-native speakers). The student will be blocked
from registering for HIST 1301 because prerequisites have not been met.
Developmental Courses and ENGL 1301: Students taking developmental English and
reading courses to meet state and institutional requirements must complete GUST 0342
and ENGL 0310 (or ENGL 0349 for non-native speakers) before taking ENGL 1301.
Course Overview: The dominant focus of English 0310 is on Writing Process, reading
and thinking critically for evaluation purposes, and the production of writing products
that demonstrate both provocative reading and effective presentation. Students will have
ample opportunities to learn, apply, practice, and refine writing skills. While grammar,
usage and mechanics are covered in this course, the central focus is on the Writing
Process.
Academic Honesty: for each student to meet the course goals and as effective writing
skills are central to success in college and the work place, student honesty is required on
all assignments and exams. Turning in any work for a grade and claiming it as your own
when it was taken in whole or part from any other source, without proper credit is
plagiarism. This includes material taken from the Internet, books, newspapers,
magazines, other students, or any person beside yourself.
Student Handbook: “Possible punishments for academic dishonesty may include a grade
of 0 or F for the particular assignment, failure in the course, and/or recommendation for
probation of dismissal from the College System” (35).
Attendance Policy: Class attendance is mandatory. Students will be dropped from the
course after missing six hours of class (three absences). In cases of emergency, contact
the instructor as soon as possible. Find a “class buddy”. That person can get handouts for
you if you are absent and let you know about any assignments you missed. Students who
miss more than six hours of class must: 1) get the instructor’s permission to remain in
the class 2) make up all missed work and 3) not miss anymore class.
ADA Compliance (Americans with Disabilities Act): Please notify the instructor in
writing if you have a medical condition or personal circumstances that may limit your
ability to complete the work in this class. Faculty are authorized to provide only the
accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services office. Dr. Becky Hauri is
the ADA counselor for SW College; she can be contacted at 713-718-7910.
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Sexual Harassment: It is a violation of HCCS policy for an employee, agent or student
of the college to engage in sexual harassment as defined in the EEOC guidelines.
(EEO/AA Compliance Handbook 47)
Punctuality Policy: Punctuality is expected of all students. Three tardies of 15+
minutes will be recorded as one absence. If you are more than half an hour late, you will
be marked absent. If you leave early, you will also be marked either absent or tardy,
depending on when you leave.
Late Paper Policy: 1-2 days = -10
3-4 days = -20
5-6 days = -30
7+ days = not accepted
* If you email your essay and I do not receive the email, the late paper policy will apply
based on the day that I receive the essay.
Grading Scale:
70 –79 = C
0– 69 = IP/F
90-100 = A
80- 89 = B
In Progress Grade – IP: Beginning in the Fall 2001 semester, students taking
developmental courses may only receive an In Progress or IP grade one time for each
course. The student must receive a letter grade in the second attempt (A, B, C, or F).
NOTE: A “D” grade is not a passing grade in a developmental course.
Note: Students who repeat a course three 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. If you are attending on a student
visa and withdraw from the class, your grade report will reflect a W not an IP or F.
Grade Reports: Students will get their grades online at www.hccs.edu
Extra credit work: As the course assignments are given for the semester and there are
no unreasonable demands requested of students beyond minimum course requirements,
no extra credit work will be given.
Bonus Points – journals: Rough draft with tutor signature or Ask On Line
documentation attached to final draft +3
Bonus Points - compositions: Rough draft with tutor signature or Ask On Line
documentation attached to final draft +5
Negative Points – compositions: No grading profile attached -5
Grading profile attached but not scored -4
Grading profile attached but scored incorrectly -3
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Dictionary Policy: use of a dictionary for translation, spell check, definition, etc. is
encouraged for out of class assignments; however, no dictionaries are allowed for in class
writings.
Format of compositions: Typed (12 pt. Font), double spaced, front side only
Classroom Conduct:
 Get handouts and returned work before class begins or after the class ends. DO
NOT walk up to the desk during the class.

Turn off IPODS and cell phones prior to entering class. No calls, text messages,
photographs, or any other electronic communication should be sent or received
during class. If your phone rings, you make calls in class or you send text
messages, I will note it in a special “Classroom Interruption” log. You will get a
verbal warning. If it happens again, you will be dismissed from the class for the
rest of the day. If it happens a third time, you will be dropped from the class.

If you sleep in class, on the first occurrence you will receive a verbal warning. If
it happens again, you will be dismissed from the class for the rest of the day. If it
happens a third time, you will be dropped from the class.
Completion of course: Students must write a minimum of five essays (two in class) and
must earn a minimum of 70 on: 1) the final in class essay 2) the departmental final exam
and 3) the overall course average to successfully complete this course.
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TERMS TO KNOW
Define and give example
Purpose 1A
Audience 1A
Unity 1A
Coherence 1A
The Writing Process 1A
Pre-writing 1B
Thesis 1B
Topic 1B
Sentence 1B
Paragraph 1B
Essay 1B
Pattern of Development (Rhetorical mode/rhetorical strategy) 1C
Transition 1C
Introduction 1C
Conclusion 1C
Narration/Description Rhetorical Mode 1C
Figurative Language 1C
Parts of Speech 2
Comparison/Contrast Rhetorical Mode 2
Sentence Types (Simple, Compound, Complex and Compound-complex) 3*
Phrase 3
Clause 3
Independent Clause 3
Dependent Clause 3
Definition Rhetorical Mode 4
Fragment 4
Run on (Fused) Sentence 4
Comma Splice 4
Subject Verb Agreement (Third Person) 5
List 5 Subject Verb Agreement Rules 5
Verb Tense 6
Irregular Verb Forms 6
Present and Past Participle Verb Forms 6
Pronoun Case 7
Pronoun Agreement 7
Pronoun Antecedent 7
Pronoun Reference 7
The use of who and whom 7
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