Dr. Gavin Schulz
English 1302, HCC--Southwest
Fall 2015
Composition II Syllabus
Welcome to this Web-Enhanced Composition II course. The Web-Enhanced courses are primarily taught in the classroom, though a certain
percentage of the classwork is replaced by online work. This means we will be meeting regularly in-class from Mon-Thur. The other day of our
semester will occur online, using the Eagle Online system.
COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Dr. Gavin Schulz
Section: CRN# 75606
Eagle Online: eo2.hccs.edu
Office Hours: We do not have offices, but I will be available before class to meet with you on an appointment basis. Contact me via
email and I will set up a meeting.
PURPOSE OF THE COURSE
The purpose of this course is to prepare you for the short writing assignment one encounters in college. Developing conscientious
writing habits and mastering the various forms will provide a foundation for future writing tasks, even when they demand alternative, or more
sophisticated, forms. There will be an emphasis on organization, pre-writing, and revision skills in order to teach you the connected and
interactive process of writing. This approach is intended to foster the recognition that all writing, not merely poetry or fiction, is craft.
CONTACT INFORMATION
HCC E-mail: gavin.schulz@hccs.edu
How often I will check: I will check my email at least every morning; however, I generally do not check email after about 3 p.m., so
if you email me late in the day, do not expect an immediate response. The standard rule for all courses is to respond within 24 hours.
You must use your HCC email account when contacting me! Because of Phishing and viruses, I will not open emails from
students that do not originate from the HCC email system! This means you must contact me from your HCC email account, or from the
Quickmail system found within our Eagle class (both send all emails directly to one’s HCC email inbox).
In either case, you must check your HCC email account in order to get my emails to you. You have all been assigned HCC Email
accounts; you need to learn how to use it. You can find it by looking on the HCC homepage, opening the “Information For” section (upper-right)
and clicking “Students,” then find “Student Email” in the left-hand menu that opens up. HCC will use this system to make general
announcements, and I will use this system to make general announcements, so make sure you check it regularly. If you cannot access your
account, you must fix it by following the directions found on the “Student Email” page (see “Password Management”).
REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS
None. All readings will be taken from online sources.
IMPORTANT DATES
August 24 First Day of Classes
September 7
Labor Day Holiday
September 8
Day of Record
October 15Deadline to Register for Fall Graduation
October 30Last Day to Withdraw, 4:30 p.m.
November 26-7
Thanksgiving Holiday
December 6
Last Day of Classes
December 7-13
Final Exams (No Classes; Only Final Exams)
December 13
Semester Ends
December 18
Grades Available for Students
GRADING SCHEDULE
1] 2 semester essays (roughly 900 words each)
(Essay #1)
(Essay #2)
2] Research Paper (roughly 1800 words)
(Essay #3)
30%
3] Exercises/Quizzes
(4 lowest scores will be dropped)
4] Peer Evaluation Exercises
5] Final Essay
GRADING SCALE
15%
20%
15%
10%
10%
Evaluation Rubric: Grades will be assigned in accordance with the “Evaluation Rubric,” to which you will be given access. Grades will
be assigned on a +/- scale (point equivalents are 88/85/82 for a B+/B/B-, for example).
Grading Scale: Final grades are on an A/B/C scale. A final average of 90-100 will earn an A for the course; 80-89 will earn a B; 7079 will earn a C; 60-69 will earn a D, and 59 or below will earn F’s.
PAPERS
*You must submit all three main essays in order to qualify for a passing grade in the class*
Failure to Submit an Essay: I will not accept an essay until the previous essay has been submitted for a grade. So, for example, if
you do not complete Essay #1, you will not be permitted to submit any of the other essays.
Hard Copies of Major Essays: You must submit both a hard copy and an electronic copy of each major essay. I will consider the
essay as turned in once the first of these are submitted, but I will not grade the essay until both have been submitted.
How to Submit Your Papers and Exercises: You must submit your online work in one of the traditional processing formats (Word,
Richtext, for example). You may not use pdf’s, jpeg’s, or zipped files; the Moodle system generally does not read them and I need to be able to
manipulate the text. If you submit work in these forms, or if I cannot open what you submit, then I cannot grade them; thus, you will receive a 0
for these assignment, as I cannot prove that anything was actually submitted.
Save your files with a simple, clear file name that includes your name and the assignment.
Rough Drafts: I am willing to read complete or partial drafts of Essays #1 and 2 at any time before the day that Rough Drafts are due
for the Peer Evaluation exercises, or seven days before Essay #3 is due.
Returning Graded Papers: It will take about two weeks to grade a stack of essays.
Grading Late Papers: All essays turned in after class on the due dates, for whatever reason, will be placed in a separate pile and will
be graded only after all of the on-time essays have been completed.
Lost Papers: It is the student’s responsibility to back up files regularly. Do not get caught by a technical glitch. Keep a copy of your
papers for your own file; should a paper be lost in the system, it is your responsibility to give me another.
Peer Evaluation Exercises: You must have all of the paragraphs requested to participate, typed and double-spaced. No partial
participation will be allowed.
ESSAY REQUIREMENTS (LENGTH, RESEARCH, FORMAT, ETC.)
Requirements: Essays that fail to fulfill the assignment’s requirements will not be accepted. Instead, there is a four-part process for
all essays:
Step 1] Essays submitted on time and that fulfill all the requirements will be awarded a 5 point bonus on the essay grade;
Step 2] If your essay is submitted on time, but fails to fulfill the requirements, it will be returned and you will have 2 days to revise
your essay and resubmit it without penalty;
Step 3] If your essay now fulfills the requirements, it will be accepted without penalty. However, if your essay still does not fulfill the
requirements of the assignment, I will indicate which requirements on the Essay Assignment sheet you have failed to fulfill. There will be a 10
point penalty for this. You will then have 5 days to revise the essay and resubmit it;
Step 4] If your essay now fulfills the requirements, it will be accepted without further penalty. However, if your essay still does not
fulfill the requirements, it will not be accepted and you will earn a 0 for the assignment.
LATE ESSAYS
Late Essays: Papers must be submitted by 9:30 a.m. on the days they are due.
1] Essays that are up to 2 days late (48 hours) but that fulfill the assignment’s requirements will be accepted without penalty.
However, essays that are up to 2 days late (48 hours) and that fail to fulfill the assignment’s requirements will be automatically placed on step 2
(see the section above on requirements).
2] Essay submitted between 2 and 7 days late (between 48 and 168 hours) that fulfill the requirements will be accepted but assessed a
10 point penalty. However, such essays that fail to fulfill the requirements will earn 0’s.
3] Essays submitted 7 days or more late will not be accepted.
ATTENDANCE AND WITHDRAWAL POLICY
Absences: Attendance is required by the State of Texas. Students who have no record of attendance (including logging in and
submitting work) before the Official Day of Record (Sep. 8) will be automatically dropped from the course by the Registrar’s department.
Students dropped for nonattendance will not be reinstated.
In addition, attendance (including submitting online work) is required by the State of Texas and HCCS at all class meetings.
Instructors are expected to drop students who have missed more than 6 hours of class and/or its online equivalent. What does this mean?:
1] Students who miss more than 4 classes by Oct. 30 (the last day to drop with a W) will be dropped;
2] Students who fail to complete at least 50% of the online exercises by Oct. 30 will be dropped;
3] Students who fail to submit both Essay #1 and Essay #2 by Oct. 30 will be dropped.
FX Grades: In addition, should you fail because you have stopped attending/participating, the State of Texas now requires that you be
given an “FX”—a failure for reasons of attendance. What does this mean for us?:
1] Since all three major essays must be submitted in order to get a grade in the class, students who fail to submit Essay #3 will be
assigned an FX;
2] If you were passing the class, but end up failing because you did not submit the Final Essay, then you will be assigned an FX
Withdrawal: It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw; so, should you decide to drop the class, do not merely stop logging in to class.
While it is my intention to drop students for the reasons listed above, it is not my responsibility to drop you. If you are still on my roll at the end
of the semester, for whatever reason, you will receive a grade.
EXCUSES
Broken computers, printers out of ink, car running out of gas, illness, etc. These may be reasons why you cannot turn in your paper
on time, but they are not excuses. If you wait until the last minute to turn something in and fate conspires against you, then you have only
yourself to blame. Always keep a backup copy of your essay and do not wait until the last minute to submit your work.
EXTRA CREDIT
There is none. Your grade in this class will be determined by how well you do on the assignments themselves.
EAGLE ONLINE
It is the student’s responsibility to have dependable Internet access. Plan ahead—if your computer is down, keep in mind that
HCC provides computer labs for your use. Public libraries also offer computer access. This is a DE class, so access is a requirement. If you
cannot access the class, you cannot participate.
Online Participation: You should log into Eagle Online daily to check for announcements and do the required assignments for the
week. Unless you have informed me of an emergency, failing to log in the first week, failing to log in regularly throughout the semester, and
failing to complete assignments will be regarded as not attending, and absences will be recorded.
Technical Compliance: Things will go smoothly if you (1) install the free Firefox browser (not the beta version), (2) run the latest
Java script, and (3) allow pop-ups. You must use the Firefox browser for full compatibility with Eagle Online. Other web browsers are not fully
supported. Be sure to use Firefox for critical, timed tasks such as quizzes and assignment submissions. You will also need Adobe Acrobat
Reader. (Note that some systems do not respond well to Firefox; if you are having trouble accessing the material in Eagle Online, switch to
Internet Explorer or Google Chrome to see if they give you access.)
Eagle Online User ID and Login: Your login user ID is your HCC User ID (sometimes referred to as the “W” number). The
password should be the one you created for HCC email. If you have forgotten your W#, go to this address
(https://hccsaweb.hccs.edu:8080/psp/csprd/?cmd=login&languageCd=ENG) and click the link for forgotten ID. Go to this address
(http://www.hccs.edu/district/students/student-e-maileagle-id/) for information about resetting your password.
Technical Help: Many technical questions can be answered when you click on “Technical Requirements,” a link in your Online
Orientation, which is required for the course. I am glad to help you, of course, with course content, but Tech Support is there to help you with
your technical questions. If you have any problems other, contact the Eagle Online Help Desk (713-718-2000) for help.
Eagle Technical Problems: If technical problems occur, say, Eagle Online or the HCC network goes down, we will obviously have
trouble accessing the online platform and meeting deadlines. I will, then, adjust deadlines accordingly.
* TEXAS WITHDRAWAL RULE *
Students who repeat a course three or more times, or who accumulate 6 or more “W”’s during their college career, face significant
tuition/fee increases at HCC and other Texas public colleges and universities. If you are considering course withdrawal, confer with your
instructor/counselor as early as possible about your study habits, reading and writing homework, attendance, course participation, and
opportunities for tutoring that might be available. HCC has instituted an Early Alert process by which your professor may “alert” you and DE
counselors that you might fail a class because of absences and/or poor academic performance.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Receiving a “W” or an “FX” in a course may affect the status of your student visa. Once a “W” or an “FX” is given for the course, 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 any other transfer issues.
TUTORING: THE WRITING CENTER
The Southwest College Writing Centers provide a student-centered environment where professional tutors support student success for
all HCC students. The primary goal of the Writing Centers is to offer free, convenient, and personalized assistance to help students improve their
writing at any stage of the writing process required in any courses at HCC. Tutors will also assist students with their job application letters,
resumes, and scholarship/transfer essays. In one-on-one consultations tutors collaborate with students in understanding a writing assignment,
developing ideas, shaping content, writing a thesis, drafting, revising, self-editing, and learning to proofread. Tutors will also assist students with
learning about research and using sources. Furthermore, the Writing Centers offer access to computers and interactive websites for improving
grammar skills. At the Southwest College Writing Centers, each tutoring session becomes a learning experience.
The Southwest College Writing Centers are located in Room N-110 (Scarcella Center) at the Stafford Campus and Room C-218 at the
West Loop Campus, where tutoring is available. The hours will be posted each semester.
TUTORING: ASKONLINE
Askonline online tutoring strives to foster educational autonomy through asynchronous guidance in the writing process. It provides
one-on-one feedback from faculty tutors on student writing in grammar, structure, content, organization, and critical thinking in all subject areas,
not just English. Students can submit papers and questions 24/7/365 and can reasonably expect responses within 18 - 24 hours. All current HCC
students can register at hccs.askonline.net. We strongly suggest that all students view the 8-minute video on the log-in page before sending their
first submission.
BOOKSTORE
Please note that the bookstore is not run by HCC. It is a Barnes and Noble facility. We, therefore, have no say in how it is run, what
books they stock, how many copies of each book they stock, or what they claim you will need for any specific class.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS/CIRCUMSTANCES
Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychological, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable
accommodations must contact the Disability Services Office (713-718-7909) at the beginning of each semester.
NEW 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.
MENINGITIS IMMUNIZATION REQUIRED FOR SPRING REGISTRATION
Texas Senate Bill 1107 passed in May 2011, requires that new HCC students and former HCC students returning after an absence of at least one
fall or spring semester who are under the age of 30 are required to present a physician-signed certificate showing they have been vaccinated
against bacterial meningitis. Beginning with Spring registration, November 7, students will have to satisfy this requirement prior to enrollment.
For more information and a list of exemptions please go to
http://www.hccs.edu/hccs/admissions-registration-center/new-student-general-admissions-steps/submit-meningitis-documentation
VIRTUAL CLASSROOM CONDUCT & EAGLE ONLINE LMS
As with on-campus classes, all students who log into Eagle Online courses are required to follow all HCC Policies & Procedures, the Student
Code of Conduct, the Student Handbook (http://www.hccs.edu/hccs/current-students/student-handbook ), and relevant sections of the Texas
Education Code when interacting and communicating in a virtual classroom with your professor and fellow students. Students who violate these
policies and guidelines will be subject to disciplinary action that could include denial of access to course-related email, discussion groups, and
chat rooms, or even removal from the class.
POLICY ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Scholastic Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:
1] “Plagiarism”—using another person’s paper, words, or ideas without quotation marks (if exact words are used) or appropriate citation.
2] “Collusion”--the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work for credit.
A student guilty of a first offense will earn a grade of 0 on the assignment involved. For a second offense, the student will earn an F for
the course.
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ENGLISH MISSION STATEMENT
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 detaioled prose; and develop students’ reading, writing, and
analytical skills.
ENGLISH 13O2 COURSE DESCRIPTION
Intensive study of and practice in the strategies and techniques for developing research-based
expository and persuasive texts. Emphasis on effective and ethical rhetorical inquiry, including
primary and secondary research methods; critical reading of verbal, visual, and multimedia
texts; systematic evaluation, synthesis, and documentation of information sources; and critical
thinking about evidence and conclusions.
COURSE PURPOSE
English 1302 is designed to help students write multi-paragraph, analytical, and argumentative essays that have the following qualities:
·
clarity in purpose and expression,
·
appropriate and sensible organization,
·
sound content, including applications of concepts from and references to assigned readings,
·
completeness in development,
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unity and coherence,
·
appropriate strategies of development,
·
sensitivity to audience,
·
effective choice of words and sentence patterns,
·
grammatical and mechanical correctness, and
·
appropriate MLA citations format.
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.
Students enrolled in this core curriculum course will complete a research project or case study designed to cultivate the following core objectives:
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Critical Thinking Skills—to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information
Communication Skills—to include effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral and visual
communication
Personal Responsibility—to include the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making
Teamwork (Comp I, Comp II, and TW)—to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to
support a shared purpose or goal
Social Responsibility (Lit Only)—to include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making
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 out-of-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, pre-writing 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.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
1. Demonstrate knowledge of individual and collaborative research processes.
2. Develop ideas and synthesize primary and secondary sources within focused academic
arguments, including one or more research-based essays.
3. Analyze, interpret, and evaluate a variety of texts for the ethical and logical uses of
evidence.
4. Write in a style that clearly communicates meaning, builds credibility, and inspires belief or
action.
5. Apply the conventions of style manuals for specific academic disciplines (e.g., APA, CMS,
MLA, etc.)
Class Assignments/Topics Schedule
(* Assignments are to be completed by 9:30 a.m. on the days they are due *)
Week 1:
Aug.
24] Quick Introduction / Diagnostic Essay
Online] HCC Email Response Exercise due 8/30
Syllabus Quiz due 8/30
Week 2:
Aug.
31] Sample Diagnostic Essay / Introduction to Essay #1
Before Class: Read articles assigned for Essay Assignment #1
Online] Brainstorming Exercise due 9/4
Week 3:
Sep.
7] LABOR DAY HOLIDAY—NO CLASSES
Online] Plagiarism Exercise due 9/13
Week 4:
Sep.
14] Introductions / Thesis Statements / APA Format
Online] APA Format Quiz due 9/20
Week 5:
Sep.
21] Logic Chains / Opposition & Response Paragraph
Online] Rough Draft Online Submission due 9/24
Peer Evaluation Exercise due 9/26
Week 6:
Sep.
28] ** Final Draft of Essay #1 Due / Introduction to Essay #2
Turn in to me by 9:30 a.m.: Final draft and an electronic copy of your essay to the Turnitin link in our online class
Online] Brainstorming Exercise due 10/4
Week 7:
Oct.
5] Sample Analysis / Group Analysis / Conclusions
Online]
Week 8:
Oct.
Conclusion Exercise due 10/11
Chicago Format Quiz due 10/11
12] Defining Character Traits / Transitions
Online] Transition Exercise due 10/18
Week 9:
Oct.
19] Cause & Effect Argumentation
Online] Rough Draft Online Submission due 10/22
Peer Evaluation Exercise due 10/24
Week 10:
Oct.
26] ** Final Draft of Essay #2 Due / Introduction to Essay #3
Turn in to me by 9:30 a.m.: Final draft and an electronic copy of your essay to the Turnitin link in our online class
Online] Brainstorming Exercise due 11/1
** Fri., Oct. 30: Last Day to Drop With a “W” ** (4:30 p.m.)
Week 11:
Nov.
2] Library Introduction / Legitimate Sources / Database Research
Online] Legitimate Sources Exercise due 11/8
Week 12:
Nov.
9] Incorporating Sources
Online] Incorporating Forms Exercise due 11/15
Week 13:
Nov.
16] In-Text Citations / Opposition-Response Paragraphs
Online] MLA In-Text Citation Exercise due 11/22
Week 14:
Nov.
23] Works Cited Citations / Titles
Online] MLA Format Quiz due 11/29
Title Exercise due 11/29
Week 15:
Nov.
30] Last Day of Class
** Final Draft of Research Paper Due ** / Introduction to Take-Home Final Essay
Turn in to me by 9:30 a.m.: Final draft and an electronic copy of your essay to the Turnitin link in our online class
Week 16:
Dec.
7] Final Exam Week—No Classes
Online] Final Take-Home Essay Online Submission due 12/11 by 9:30 a.m. (no hard copy will be turned in for this
assignment)
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(** Note: changes can and may be made at the Instructor’s discretion **)
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