Houston Community College
Course: ENGL 0349 Advanced Composition for Foreign Speakers
CRN: 33191
Location: Alief-Hayes
Instructor: Shana A. Trahan
Office Hours: At the end of class
Contact: Engrade or text: 832-305-7359
This syllabus is an overall representation of what the Instructor plans to cover during the course.
The instructor reserves the right to make any necessary changes to the syllabus by informing the
students in person. It is the students responsibility to know and understand each policy set forth
in the syllabus.
Instructional Materials
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New Directions by Peter S. Gardner, 2nd Edition
An English-English dictionary (The COBUILD Dictionary or the Longman Dictionary of
American English have been ordered by the college bookstore, but you may buy another
American English dictionary). Note: Students will not be permitted the use of any
electronic devices during exams. This includes electronic translation machines and
dictionaries.
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Pens (3 colors), highlighters (3 colors), a pencil, and an eraser, and stapler
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Scantrons
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A 1” ring binder to be used only for this course containing:
Lined, loose-leaf paper (standard size-8.5 by 11 inch);
All previous handouts
All homework assignments
All graded work
HCC Policy Statement – ADA: 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 Ability Services Office
in Room C136 West Loop Campus, or call Dr. Becky Hauri (713) 718-7910 to make necessary
arrangements at the beginning of each semester. Your instructor is authorized to provide only the
accommodations requested by the office of Ability Support Services.
HCC Policy Statement: 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 enforcement roles. You are expected to be familiar with the University's
Policy on Academic Honesty, found in the HCC catalog. What that means is: If you are charged
with an offense, pleading ignorance of the rules will not help you. Students are responsible for
conducting themselves with honor and integrity in fulfilling course requirements. Penalties
and/or disciplinary proceedings may be initiated by HCC System officials against a student
accused of scholastic dishonesty. “Scholastic dishonesty”: includes, but is not limited to,
cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion.
Cheating on a test includes:
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Copying from another students’ test paper
Using materials not authorized by the person giving the test
Collaborating with another student during a test without authorization
Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in whole or part the
contents of a test that has not been administered
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Bribing another person to obtain a test that is to be administered
Plagiarism means the appropriation of another’s work and the unacknowledged incorporation of
that work in one’s own written work offered for credit.
Collusion means the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work
offered for credit. Possible punishments for academic dishonesty may include a grade of 0 or F
in the particular assignment, failure in the course, and/or recommendation for probation or
dismissal from the HCC System. (See the Student Handbook)
HCC Policy Statement: Class Attendance
Class Attendance - It is important that you come to class! Attending class regularly is the best
way to succeed in this class. Research has shown that the single most important factor in student
success is attendance. Simply put, going to class greatly increases your ability to succeed. You
are expected to attend all lectures and labs regularly. You are responsible for materials covered
during your absences. Class attendance is checked daily. Although it is your responsibility to
drop a course for nonattendance, the instructor has the authority to drop you for excessive
absences.
If you are not attending class, you are not learning the information. Because the information that
is discussed in class is important for your career, students may be dropped from a course after
accumulating absences in excess of 12.5% hours (8 hours) of instruction (F-1 students should
particularly take note of this so as not to affect your visa status). The eight hours of class time
would include any total classes missed or for excessive tardiness. Remember: Class attendance
equals class success.
HCC Course Withdrawal Policy
If you feel that you cannot complete this course, you will need to withdraw from it prior to the
final date of withdrawal (See your course calendar). Before you withdraw from your course,
please take the time to meet with the instructor to discuss why you feel it is necessary to do so.
The instructor may be able to provide you with suggestions that would enable you to complete
the course. Your success is very important. 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 certificate and/or degree.
To help students avoid having to drop/withdraw from any class, HCC has instituted an Early
Alert process by which your professor can “alert” you and HCC counselors that you might fail a
class because of excessive absences and/or poor academic performance. 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 on withdrawing from your class, you MUST contact an HCC counselor or your
professor prior to withdrawing (dropping) the class for approval and this must be done PRIOR
to the withdrawal deadline to receive a “W” on your transcript. If you do not withdraw before
the deadline, you will receive an F or an IP (see below) as your final grade.
College Grading System:
Students who have completed English 0347 and show that they are ready for the next level
(ENGL 0349) with a final average of 70% or higher will receive a letter grade of A, B, or C.
Students who are not ready for English 0349 may receive a grade of IP. The IP grade is not a
good or bad grade; however, it means "IN PROGRESS" and requires the student to take English
0347 again because the student will benefit from another semester in 0347 to learn the skills that
are taught in this course. However, if a student repeats 0347 after receiving one IP, a letter grade
must be given (A, B, C, or F upon completing the course for the second time).
Repeat Course Fee
The State of Texas encourages students to complete college without having to repeat failed
classes. To increase student success, students who repeat the same course more than twice, are
required to pay extra tuition. The purpose of this extra tuition fee is to encourage students to
pass their courses and to graduate. Effective fall 2006, HCC will charge a higher tuition rate to
students registering the third or subsequent time for a course. 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.
Use of Camera and/or Recording Devices
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.
Use 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 reasonable accommodations.
Classroom Policies
1) Regular and punctual attendance is mandatory. After 4 absences, you may be dropped. Two
tardies (entering after the class is scheduled to start, leaving early, or leaving during class) count
as an absence. If you are absent, you are still responsible for the class work. The door will be
shut at 7:15. Please do not knock on the door after that time to be let in.
Always come to class on days that a test is being given or an essay must be written, typed or
turned in. Since I don’t have office hours it is almost impossible to schedule a testing time
outside of the class setting on the day that the test is being given.
2) Students are expected to participate in all class discussions and take notes in class.
3) Both textbooks and a 3-ring binder for all class work must be brought to class each day.
4) Please double-space all compositions and write neatly, on one side only, in blue/black pen.
When you type any work, please double space and use a size 12 font.
5) Written assignments, exercises, and all readings are to be completed before the class meeting
for which they were assigned. Late homework is not accepted. Homework is due before class
begins. Homework is not always collected. Rather it will be checked randomly, and missing
assignments will be counted against the final grade.
6) Anyone caught cheating on a test or composition will immediately be given a “0” on that
assignment. Anyone caught cheating twice will be dropped from the class. Cheating takes many
forms. One form is plagiarism, that is, using another person’s words or ideas without giving
them credit. In American schools, plagiarism is considered dishonest, like stealing or cheating.
Plagiarism can be “borrowing” a friend’s paper or downloading papers from the Internet. We
will learn language skills to avoid plagiarism and develop our understanding of it throughout the
semester, but if you think you might be plagiarizing, stop and don’t do it.
7) You are responsible for all the information on this syllabus. Put it in your notebook and bring
it to class with you. Read it over when you have a question about the course.
8) No cell phones or other electronic devices are to be used in class unless the teacher has
incorporated them into the assignment. Please arrange to take your calls before and after class.
Turn your phone off before class. Students who are in any way disruptive will be asked to leave
and marked absent. Following is a list of behaviors I consider unacceptable for class:
Sleeping or daydreaming during class
Chronic tardiness; be here when class starts!
Reading or working on materials that are extraneous to this class
Doing homework for this class inside the classroom
Walking or wandering around the classroom when not doing group work
Prematurely packing up your books and bags before class has ended
Chatting with your classmates while I am talking or your classmates are asking
Questions is unacceptable.
Using your cell phones or other electronic devices that are not related to the lesson is also
unacceptable.
Course Work
Compositions: You will write a minimum of 5 compositions this semester (including the final
essay). These essays will be written in class. All essays must be about 300-500 words in length,
and the Opinion essay must be 500 words. You will keep all of your drafts and comp. assignment
sheets in your binder. The final draft will be typed and must be submitted with the first draft(s) in
order to receive a grade for the composition.
NOTE: If you are absent when we have a test, there is no make-up test. However, at the end of
the semester, I will drop the lowest quiz grade for every student. In other words, if you miss a
test, you will get a “0” grade, but I will drop it—not use it—when I calculate your semester quiz
average.
Homework: You always have homework for this class. The HW assignments will be assigned
in class and is often posted on Engrade. If it is not posted on Engrade, it is your responsibility to
garner the information. An average homework load in ENGL 0349 is 1-2 hours for every hour in
class. If you are taking too many classes or working long hours, you will not have time to
complete the homework. Please do not remain in this class if you do not have time to complete
the work, for it will result in a failing grade.
In-Class Essays
Students write five in-class essays during the semester, plus the final exam essay. They must be
written on loose-leaf lined paper, on every other line (double-spaced). Pencil (only for the
exams) may be used. When you write, do so legibly because if I cannot read your writing, that
will be counted as an error. While the in-class essay is graded, no grades are recorded until you
have typed the in-class essay and corrected your errors. In other words, your grade is a zero for
the in-class essay until a second draft is done. If you do not return it typed and corrected, you
will receive a zero as a grade for that in-class essay.
Evaluation of Written Work
Grades for written work will take into account: content, logical sequencing, use of transitions,
topic sentences and support, range and sophistication of vocabulary, complexity of sentences,
grammar, spelling, and punctuation and length. Grammar errors result in the loss of points. More
points are taken off for other problems such as the lack of a thesis statement, problems with
topics sentences, or problems with content and length.
The Final Exams
A student who fails both the essay and grammar final will have to repeat ENGL 0349. If a
student has a passing average for the course but fails both parts of the final exam, the instructor
will meet and review that student’s work with the Department Chair for Academic ESL to
determine if that student needs to repeat this class.
Grading
If you find you are not mastering the material and skills, you are encouraged to reflect on how
you study and prepare for each class. Your instructor welcomes a dialogue on what you discover
and may be able to assist you in finding resources on campus that will improve your
performance. Please see the study skills document on the calendar that I have posted in Engrade.
Grading Scale
90 - 100 = A
80 - 89 = B
70 - 79 = C
69 and below = IP or F
Weight of assignments
Type
Percentage
Essays 1 & 2
15
Essays 3 & 4
20
Final Essay
25
Tests
25
Participation, Classwork,
Homework
7.5
Presentations
7.5
Totals
100
There are no make-up tests. You are responsible for all assignments despite being absent
from class and for turning them in on time.
Week(s)
Grammar
Writing
Weeks
Weeks 1 & 2
Unit 1
Unit 1
Weeks 1 & 2
Weeks 3, 4 & 5
Unit 2
Unit 2
Weeks 3 & 4
Weeks 6 & 7
Unit 3
Unit 3
Weeks 5 & 6
Week 8, 9 & 10
Unit 4
Unit 4
Weeks 7, 8 & 9
Weeks 11 & 12
Unit 5
Unit 5
Weeks 10,11 & 12
Weeks 13 & 14
Unit 6
Unit 6
Weeks 13,14 &15
Week 16
Finals
Finals
Week 16
Date
Event
January 30th
70% refund available
February 18th
Offices Closed, Presidents Day
March 11-March 17th
Offices Closed ,Spring Break
May 5, 2013
Instruction Ends
May 6-12th
Final Exams
May 17th
Grades available to students