English 1302, Internet ,Houston Community College System
CRN's 70970, 70972, 70974
Procedures and Policies
Spring 2011—HCC Dual Credit Course, Lamar High School
Instructor: Dr. Robert Ford
Office/Phone: My office is in HCC's Central College, Fine Arts Building, 3517 Austin Street,
Room 319. The phone number for the English department is 713.718.6671. You may also leave
phone messages for me at directly at 713 718 6660.
Office Hours--in FAC 319 Central College, TO BE POSTED AFTER THE START OF THE
SEMESTER. Telephone during office hours: 713 718 6660.
Email through Blackboard: Robert.Ford (Notice the period between my two names); please use
this address as your main means of contacting me. (To write me through Blackboard, open the
"compose" option in Mail; in the "to" line click "Browse" and you'll see a list of class members
including the instructor).
Also, I can also be reached through the following email account, my main HCCS email account:
robert.ford@hccs.edu. However, I ask that you not send course assignments and work to that
email address (see below). Also, I do not send grades or coursework through internet email
accounts--only through your email account in Blackboard.
Part One: Basic Issues
1.1 My Blackboard Id
ID:
Robert.Ford please use this address as your main means of contacting me. (To write me
through Blackboard, open the "compose" option in Mail; in the "to" line click "Browse" and
you'll see a list of class members including the instructor).
1.2 Your Blackboard Id and Password:
Your Blackboard login user ID will be your HCC User ID (sometimes referred to as the “W” number).
All HCC students have a unique User ID. If you do not know your User ID you can look it up by visiting
the HCC home page:
o From www.hccs.edu, under the column “CONNECT”, click on the “Student System Sign
In” link
o Then click on “Retrieve User ID” and follow the instructions.
Or use the direct link to access the Student Sign In page:
https://hccsaweb.hccs.edu:8080/psp/csprd/?cmd=login&languageCd=ENG
The default student password is “distance.” Students will then be prompted to change their password
after their first login. Please visit the DE Technical Support website if you need additional assistance with
your login.
FIRST DATE TO ACCESS BLACKBOARD: January 18, 2011
LAST DATE TO ACCESS BLACKBOARD: Sunday, May 15, 2011
1.3 Distance Education Web Page for this Course:
You can access the website for our course by going to http://hccs.blackboard.com.and entering your ID
and password.
From time to time there may be problems logging into the class site. If you do have problems, note a link
for Student Help at http://hccs.blackboard.com. Network problems are not a major disruption for this
course--at all--but I want you to be aware that they can happen. After all, technology does sometimes
break-- you may have noticed this about computers.
1.4Textbooks:
MCGRAW"GREEN
EDITION"
MCGRAW-"RED
EDITION"
ARG
ARG
Maimon, Elaine P., Janice H. Peritz, and Kathleen Blake Yancey.
The McGraw-Hill Handbook. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2009. ISBN:
9780077395773 (Including Documentation Update for 2009)
(green/tan)
OR
Maimon, Elaine P., Janice H. Peritz, and Kathleen Blake Yancey.
The New McGraw-Hill Handbook. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2008.
ISBN: 978-0-07-332773-0 (Including Documentation Update for
2008) (red/tan)
AND
Lunsford, Andrea A.,John J. Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walters.
Everything's an Argument (with readings) Fourth Edition.2007.
Bedford/St. Martin's ISBN-13: 978-0-312-44750-2 or ISBN-10: 0312-44750-7 (blue cover)
OR
Lunsford, Andrea A.,John J. Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walters.
Everything's an Argument (with readings) Fifth Edition.2010 .
Bedford/St. Martin's. ISBN: 9780312538613 (yellow cover)
Notes about the Textbooks:
About The McGraw Hill Handbook: The current edition is the 2009 edition; I refer to this as the
"Green" edition in the syllabus. The previous edition, used and sold until Fall 2009, is the 2008 edition; I
refer to this as the "Red" edition in the syllabus. One odd point about these books-- they have titles that
could be (may be?) confusing-- the more current book -- the newer one -- is titled The McGraw Hill
Handbook, while the older one is titled The NEW McGraw Hill Handbook (emphasis added)--and this is
why I will refer to them as the "Green" (for the most recent edition) and the "Red" (for the previous
edition) editions. I hope this is not confusing to you--you should have only one of these!
Both of these have current MLA Documentation Updates and they will work for this course! If you have
an earlier edition of the McGraw Hill Handbook, it will work (the pages for the Red edition apply!) but it
will have a much more complicated and currently "incorrect" set of examples for MLA Documentation-be aware of this as we approach the documented essay for the course, Essay4!
About Everything's An Argument: BE SURE TO GET THE EDITION OF EVERYTHING'S AN
ARGUMENT WITH READINGS--THERE IS ANOTHER, SMALLER EDITION THAT WON'T
WORK FOR THE CLASS.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU BUY ONLY THIS EDITION-- OTHERWISE YOU WILL
HAVE GREAT DIFFICULTY WITH THIS COURSE! I mention this because each semester at least one
person doesn't buy the edition with Readings, causing problems with some assignments
The current edition of Everything's an Argument is the 5th edition (yellow cover), but the 4th edition
(blue cover will work). You will see some essays posted as course files and online links - - for essays
in one edition but not in the other!
NOTE: YOU NEED BOTH OF THESE TEXTBOOKS BY THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASSES! IF
YOU CAN, ACTIVELY WORK TO OBTAIN THEM AS SOON AS YOU CAN!
Also, you should have access to a dictionary/thesaurus for writing essays. Further, since a major part of
this course involves research, you will need to have the ability to obtain resources for this project over the
Internet and from an on-campus library.
1.5 Grade Percentages:
Here is how the final course grade is determined:
15%
Essay 1: Critical Analysis Essay (see Grading Profile in Course Files;
Assignment to be posted)
5%
Essay 2: Research Proposal (see Grading Profile in Course Files; Assignment to
be posted)
20%
Essay 3: Research Overview (see Grading Profile in Course Files; Assignment to
be posted)
25%
Essay 4: Research Argument Essay (see Grading Profile in Course Files;
Assignment to be posted)
15%
Essay 5: Language/Final Essay (see Grading Profile in Course Files; Assignment
to be posted)
10%
Research Discussion Project (see Grading Overview in Course Files; Assignments
(4 total) to be posted)
10%
Argument Discussion Project (see Grading Overview in Course Files;
Assignments (8 total (including Diagnostic Essay)) to be posted)
0%
Main Discussion (no credit)
100% total
(Note--there are no exams in this course, and there are no on-campus final essays or exams--the
above work determines the final grade.)
A--90 to 100
B--80 to 89
C--70 to 79
D--60 to 69
F--0 to 59
1.6 Problems with BLACKBOARD
If you have problems logging into the system, contact Dr. Robert Ford at Robert.ford@hccs.edu or by
calling 713.718.6660.
You can also send general technical questions, through email to the following alias--a technician will be
monitoring this address for questions and such: desupport@hccs.edu.
1.7
Dealing with Technical Problems
Sometimes, technical difficulties with Blackboard, with the HCCS network, or with the Internet may
make meeting deadlines difficult. When technical problems arise, I will work to adjust course deadlines
accordingly. Also, I realize that class members may have technical problems with their computers or their
Internet access—I understand such problems from my own experiences and will work to be flexible. If
you are experiencing severe technical problems, repeatedly, however, you should work to resolve them in
a timely fashion; otherwise, completing course projects will be difficult. See below about deadlines and
technical problems.
If for some reason the HCCS network does experience a problem, you should see a notification of this
problem on the page http://hccs.blackboard.com. After services are resumed a notification of what
happened should appear on this page.
Part Two: Department and CourseOverview, Administrative Procedures
2.1 Mission Statement for English
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, wellorganized, and detailed prose; and develop students' reading, writing, and analytical skills.
2.2 Course Goal and Prerequisites
In English 1302,students master persuasive/argumentative writing, critical analysis of reading selections,
and the research process. All elements of English 1302 require students to apply critical thinking and
writing skills introduced in English 1301.Please note that English 1301 is the prerequisite for this course
(although some may place in this course through appropriate scores on advanced placement exams). I
reserve the right to seek withdrawal of students who have not completed the prerequisites for this course
because I want each class member to be prepared to address this course's topics fully. English 1302 is the
prerequisite for a range of sophomore English courses. Therefore, taking English 1302 while taking a
literature course is violating HCCS policies for prerequisites. Please note also that it is inappropriate to be
taking this course, English 1302, at the same time one is taking English 1301; anyone taking both courses
at the same time may be removed from this course.
2.3 Basic Intellectual Competencies.
English 1302, as part of the HCCS Core Curriculum, addresses specific intellectual competencies
essential to the learning process. These include:
Reading: Reading material at the college level means having the ability to analyze and interpret a
variety of printed materials--books, articles, and documents.
Writing: 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 audience. These abilities are acquired through
practice and reflection.
Speaking: Effective speaking is the ability to communicate orally in clear, coherent, and
persuasive language appropriate to purpose, occasion, and audience.
Listening: Listening at the college level means the ability to analyze and interpret various forms
of spoken communication.
Critical Thinking: Critical thinking embraces methods for applying both qualitative and
quantitative skills analytically and creatively to subject matter in order to evaluate
arguments and to construct alternative strategies. Problem solving is one of the
applications of critical thinking used to address an identified task.
Computer Literacy: Computer literacy at the college level means having the ability to use
computer-based technology in communicating, solving problems, and acquiring
information. Core-educated students should have an understanding of the limits,
problems, and possibilities associated with the use of technology and should have the
tools necessary to evaluate and learn new technologies as they become available.
2.4 Course Objectives
Student Learning Outcomes, English 1302 (Established, Fall 2009):
1. Apply basic principles of rhetorical analysis.
2. 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 outof-class written discourse.
5. Demonstrate library literacy.
By the time you have completed English 1302, you will be able to:
1. generate and apply your own critical perspectives and the perspectives of other writers
leading to argumentative writing
2. analyze and criticize elements of writing such as audience, tone, style, rhetorical situation,
strategy, and purpose
3. research and write a thorough paper documented in MLA style.
2.5 English 1302 on the Internet
In taking English 1302 on the Internet, you will be completing approximately the same
assignments as students in the classroom. In addition, you will have the opportunity to practice
your writing skills extensively as you send messages to me, your instructor, and to other students
via the class discussion. You will benefit from the comments of other students and practice your
own analytical skills as you read and comment on the ideas of the other English 1302 students in
the class. As you do this, you will be practicing argumentative writing skills. You will write your
essays and upload and send them to me; I will then make comments on the essays, assess grades,
and upload and send them back to you. You will have the option of revising the three major
essays and the research paper--following instructions I'll post in the course.
2.6 Attendance, Withdrawals and Incompletes-- and related HCCS policies affecting this class
Note: this section contains a series of related policies that relate to school and course policies and
interpretations about course participation. The text in red comes from Distance Education; following that
you will see how this is interpreted in this course.
The State of Texas imposes penalties on students who drop courses excessively. Students are limited to
no more than SIX total course withdrawals throughout their educational career at a Texas public college
or university.
To help you avoid having to drop/withdraw from any class, contact your DE professor regarding your
academic performance. You may also want to contact your DE counselor to learn about helpful HCC
resources (e.g. online tutoring, child care, financial aid, job placement, etc.).
In order to withdraw from your DE class, you MUST first contact your DE professor, PRIOR to
the withdrawal deadline to receive a “W” on your transcript. After the withdrawal deadline has
passed, you will receive the grade that you would have earned. Zeros averaged in for required
coursework not submitted will lower your semester average significantly, most likely resulting in a failing
grade of an “F”. It is the responsibility of the student to withdraw from the class; however, your professor
reserves the right to withdraw you without your request due to excessive absences. If you do not feel
comfortable contacting your professor to withdraw, you may contact a DE counselor. However, please
do not contact both a DE counselor and your DE professor to request a withdrawal; either one is
sufficient.
Fall (16 weeks) Final Withdrawal Deadlines:
 Thursday, April 14, 2011, 4:30pm (NOTE: THE WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE FOR
THIS DUAL CREDIT COURSE WILL BE EARLIER—TO BE POSTED!)
**The posted withdrawal date for this semester is Thursday, April 14, 2011, 4:30pm **
Remember to allow a 24-hour response time when communicating via email and/or telephone with a
DE professor and/or counselor. If you do not withdraw before the deadline, you will receive the grade
that you are making in the class as your final grade.
Here's the HCCS policy on attendance:
Attendance Policy: Regular attendance is required. HCCS policy
states that a student who is absent more than12.5% (6 hours)of class may be administratively
dropped from the course. Students who intend to withdraw from the course must do so by the
official date or they may receive an F instead of a W.
Obviously, this doesn't exactly fit this online class. During the 16-week on-campus version of this course,
6 hours translates to two weeks. Attendance is based, in a sense, on participation in the course. You
should log into the system at least once a week. Mostly likely, you'll need to log in even more than once
a week, given the deadlines, especially for the research project. In addition, Blackboard keeps track of
statistics of when you log in and for how long and which pages you've opened. You should note that
logging in by itself doesn't really count as attendance-- if you log in but do not submit essays, or
participate in the discussions, you're not really attending class or participating in it.
Please note I will assume that class members who do not contact me for several weeks are in fact
intending to drop the class. If, however, you face problems that make timely completion of this course
difficult, please contact me--by email through Blackboard or by phone. I'm not opposed to rearranging
deadlines or considering incompletes, but I must be consulted in advance.
As a teacher, I do not like failing students who have stopped participating in the class. However, I view
a decision to withdraw as the responsibility of each student in the course. Thus, I will not generally
automatically withdraw students from the course, except those who never log into the Blackboard
course area or those who ask me to withdraw them.
In summary about withdrawals, please know the following (and this text in red comes from your
instructor, Robert Ford (otherwise known as "I" here) : I do reserve the right to withdraw nonparticipating students. If you are unable to complete the course and wish to be withdrawn, you
should contact me and I will withdraw you. Requests for withdrawal should be sent to me before
Thursday, April 14. Students whom I withdraw or view as non-participating will be blocked from the
course soon after I withdraw them. There is great flexibility in elements of this course-- but not
concerning withdrawal! If you contact me by April 14, 2011 at 4:30 I should be able to withdraw you-but the earlier you contact me the more we can be sure that this is processed!
MOST IMPORTANT: if your goal is to succeed in this course, do not stop participating: To make
a grade above that of an "F" you must:
1. Log into the course regularly--reading and understanding course materials.
2. Ask questions when something is unclear.
3. Turn in the assignments: essays and class discussions and research assignments. All will be
listed and highlighted in several ways.
4. Work on revising essays if necessary.
One more point (partially repeating): in previous semesters, I generally turned in grades of "W" for
"withdrawal" for student who had not officially withdrawn but who had stopped participating in this
course. Because of the changes mentioned above in HCCS policy, on my final grade sheet I will have
the option of turning in only the following grades: A, B, C, D, F, I.
The Grade of "I" for Incomplete:
If you receive an Incomplete in the course, you are agreeing to complete work not submitted
within 6 months from the end of the course (November 2011). Processing incompletes takes
time--I must read and review work, and paperwork must be submitted to the college; this process
can take a month or longer. An Incomplete not "completed" by the end of the next long semester
will become an I/F. An incomplete "completed" will become an "I/A," "I/B," "I/C,"or "I/D."
A grade of "Incomplete" is appropriate when a student has experienced an event or condition at
the end of the semester that makes it difficult to impossible to complete remaining assignments.
Persons experiencing similar problems before the administrative/student withdrawal date
(Thursday, April 14, 2011, 4:30pm!) should withdraw from the class. However, after this date
an incomplete may help someone complete the course and not receive a grade of "F." Persons
receiving incompletes will have to have already completed significant assignments for the course-someone who has turned in minimal course but who remains in the course after April 14 is not
likely to receive an Incomplete! Work turned in after the end of the semester is late, so it may be
subject to late penalties.
Finally, an incomplete is not an appropriate solution for someone who is not satisfied with his or
her progress or grade and simply wants more time to revise work. If you know that you wish to
make a certain grade in this course, and that appears not to be happening, you should remember
that April 14 is the deadline for withdrawing. However, much more importantly, you should stay
in touch with me for feedback and advice to help you make the highest grade possible for you in
this course. Meet the deadlines. Turn in all of the course assignments. Use my comments and the
information provided in the grading profile, along with the readings and ideas of others in the
class discussion to make your writing stronger. Revise your work! I have met many inquisitive
students while teaching this course; it is very possible to improve and meet the challenges that
such a course offers. I encourage you all!
VIRTUAL CLASSROOM CONDUCT:
As with on-campus classes, all students in HCC Distance Education courses are required to
follow all HCC Policies & Procedures, the Student Code of Conduct, the Student Handbook, and
relevant sections of the Texas Education Code when interacting and communicating in a virtual
classroom with faculty 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 being removed from the class.
BEING BLOCKED FROM THE BLACKBOARD CLASS SITE:
In certain situations I may disable your ability to log into the Blackboard course area. Usually I
take this action because I need to contact you about a serious enrollment or assignment issue-and other avenues have not been successful. If this happens, or if you are otherwise unable to log
into the Blackboard site for the course, email me at robert.ford@hccs.edu.
2.7 Late Work, Make-ups, and Extra Credit
The assignments for the course are due on Mondays (unless something is due in a week beginning with a
Monday holiday). These assignments may be submitted until the next Wednesday (2 days) without
penalty. After this date, I will view the assignment as late, at a reduction of 10 points for each week the
assignment is late. Late work may receive fewer comments, and I would hope that late work would show
the results of more time perfecting the writing.
Please note, though, that late major essays (including the 3 research project essays) over 1 week late
will not be accepted for credit.
Also--the very last date I will accept work for this semester is Wednesday, May 4, 2011--there are
no extensions to this date--sorry!
The class discussion assignments are due in the two-week or longer period in which they are assigned
(unless I post an extension to an individual deadline). I explain how I "grade" these in the Class
Discussions Assignment below and in a separate file posted in Blackboard
Sometimes, as I mentioned above, due to technical reasons you may not be able to access the Blackboard
site of the class. I try to keep aware of downtimes for our network, and in these times I know it's
impossible for a class member to submit work. (Sometimes, if the network goes down over a weekend,
even if assignments are due the following week, some students may be inconvenienced, given their
schedules.)
You'll see assignments in advance. Be aware of them, work on them in a timely way, and if you're unable
to submit them because of network problems, don't panic. When I know the distance education or
HCCS network is down, I automatically push deadlines back to compensate. You're welcome to
write me at robert.ford@hccs.edu if you wish to alert me to problems, but you should not send essays and
work to that address. If you have a question or concern about an assignment and the network is not
working, please do write me at this address though, but wait until you can access the Blackboard site to
submit the major assignments especially (this is because Blackboard keeps track of your work well, which
can help prevent lost assignments). PLEASE SEE THE ABOVE COMMENT ABOUT TECHNICAL
PROBLEMS AND HOW DEADLINES MAY BE AFFECTED (and extended).
I do not generally assign or accept Extra Credit assignments; I encourage each of you to do your best on
the major assignments; view participation in the class discussion as a vehicle for demonstrating your
interest in the course. (One additional reason for this- - especially if you work on all of the assignment
diligently, there is enough work in the class, already….)
2.8 Grading criteria
For each major essay, I will use the HCCS English Grading Profile--one for the essays and another for the
research paper--to assess a grade. You will be writing persuasive and analytical works, often based on
other readings. Thus, using persuasive techniques and procedures for discussing the writing of others
carefully will be most important. Generally, I'll also be looking for strong content (well-developed
paragraphs), a strong focus (usually indicated by a thesis sentence), a smooth flow from sentence to
sentence and paragraph to paragraph (normally achieved by transitional words and phrases), sentence
variety, and adherence to the conventions of written English (grammar, usage, mechanics). This is posted
in the Course Files area of the Blackboard site, along with a separate form for essays requiring use of
MLA documentation (and it is also copied at the end of this document).
Examining the categories and standards used for grading essays is probably one of the most important
steps you can take to help yourself do well in this course. Don't just focus on the final grade for essay
assignments. Instead, look at how this grade was determined-- notice your strengths and weaknesses. If
the strengths and weaknesses I see are similar to what you would see, then we're communicating. If,
however, my assessment differs from how you would assess a paper, then please consider contacting me
for an email, phone, or even face-to-face discussion. Writing is a personal thing, but there are also
standards for academic writing. I will try to communicate these, but if you don't understand them, please
let me know.
Ideally, as you finish this semester, you'll find yourself even more able to evaluate and assess your own
work. You're, after all, about to finish a year of freshman composition--and developing an ability to selfassess your writing is very important.
2.9 Academic Honesty Policy
Let me mention two points: why academic honesty is important and how I will handle instances in which
it is violated. What follows is a long explanation; most students in this course do not need this
explanation, so I wish I did not have to put all of this in these procedures and policies. However,
violations of academic honesty such as plagiarism have become growing problems and I want to be clear
about the policy of this course.
2.9.1 What Academic Honesty is:
Academic honesty is essential in a course such as this. This concept refers to the notion that the work you
turn in is work that you have produced, based on your thinking, your words, and your effort. It may be
work in which you use the ideas of others, but this use must follow acceptable conventions, including
appropriate citing of sources. I mention this because currently a major problem in education involves
academic dishonesty--especially the form labeled plagiarism: the inappropriate use of the works of
others. This use often comes out of a desire to avoid doing the work assigned in the course, but it is this
work which will help you become stronger, more powerful, and more polished as college writers and
students in general.
Given this, now notice the following explanation of plagiarism using an example. Here are the
opening lines of an essay I've received recently, one I consider plagiarized:
Throughout recorded history, we American have spent billions of dollars on products that do
nothing for us or may even harm us. We went to believe in miracles and want to find simple
solution and short cuts to better health.
Here's a version of the same wording from http://www.hoptechno.com/book40.htm
Title: "Quackery...The Billion Dollar Miracle Business"
This year, we Americans will spend billions of dollars on products that do nothing for us
- or may even harm us. And we'll do it for the same reason people have done it since
ancient times... we want to believe in miracles.
Here's another version of the same from: http://www.cheathouse.com/eview/3996_quackery.html
Author : Jeff2
This year, we Americans will spend billions of dollars on products that do nothing for us
- or may even harm us. And we'll do it for the same reason people have done it since
ancient times...We want to believe in miracles. We want to find simple solutions and
shortcuts to better health.
Comment: The above essay would be consideredplagiarized for the following reasons, focusing
on the inappropriate use ofideas and words.
Inappropriate Use of Ideas
First, in the paper the author did not mention from where the ideas were found;
actually, though I was able to find the above versions, I'm not really sure where they were
found either: I found versions of this passage on at least 4 different web sites, for
Hopkins Technology LLC, The "Academic Library," Cheathouse.com, andDuenow.com
Thus, the author is presenting someone else's writing as his or her own; that is wrong.
Second, it is possible that this passage may indeed have come from one of the
two sources above:Cheathouse.com or DueNow.com. Each of these, along with many
other similar resources on the web, are what I would call "Paper Mills" (see below): they
are places where one can purchase or subscribe to papers analogous to papers assigned in
high school and college courses. These sites do not emphasize the expertise of their
writers, they do not focus on the veracity of their information: they focus on how a paper
fits a certain kind of assignment--and how one can pay for it. Cheathouse is one of my
favorite paper mills, mostly because one can't see the entire paper until he or she does
purchase it, emphasizing the main focus of the site: money. These are not sites which one
visits to do research or for scholarship (Notice the authorJeff2--doesn't he sound like a
noted authority?). They are also not sites which one visits to see examples of "college
writing." They may contain examples of plagiarism and inappropriate use themselves (I
can't tell who wrote the above words!), and the essays may not be the best examples of
essays of their kind. In this course, if you want examples of writing, consult our
textbooks or contact me, your instructor.
Inappropriate Use of Words
Third, although there are minor changes, some of which change minor elements
of the text or contain errors, the passage is basically the same as the two other versions.
The same words are used and the same structure is followed. No one would think that the
writer had "paraphrased" the original passage acceptably. Thus, the author is presenting
someone else's words and sentences as his or her own as well; that is wrong--in fact I
would argue that this is a much worse violation of academic honesty than even the use of
someone's ideas inappropriately. In a course such as this, your goal should be to improve
your own skill at combining words in writing; taking the words of others doesn't do that.
Fourth, plagiarizing writers use others' words in various ways. Sometimes entire
papers are copied and presented as that of the writer. Sometimes, as in the above
examples, minor changes are made, perhaps to hide the origin of the passage, perhaps out
of carelessness or error. Sometimes, though, I've read plagiarized papers that have been
intricately assembled from various sources. On a certain level, I've even been impressed
by the work that went into these productions—sometimes plagiarism, like writing, can be
hard work. However, working hard to take someone else's words and put them into one's
own paper inappropriately is, as I 've been suggesting, wrong. One should put the effort
into working his or her own words into the best essay possible.
2.9.2 How Plagiarism is handled in this course:
According to the Student Handbook for the Houston Community College System, scholastic dishonesty
includes cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. Since you'll be writing essays (and a research
paper) in this class, I'll be most concerned with plagiarism, which means using another person's words or
ideas and assimilating them into your own written work without quotation marks (if exact words are used)
or appropriate acknowledgement if borrowed material is summarized or paraphrased. Based on the above,
the most serious form of plagiarism is, of course, copying a paper written by someone else and turning it-or part of it--in as your own.
Submitting a plagiarized paper will result in some or all of the following
1.
Plagiarism will result in a grade of "0/F" for the assignment and may lead to failing the
course (by over-riding the other grades of the course).
2.
An essay may be considered plagiarized if it contains one or more significant unquoted
phrases or sentences that clearly derive from the work of other writers: phrases or
sentences identical or very similar to work already created or published by other writers,
whether this phrasing and its ideas are cited or not. Quoted passages not cited clearly may
also be considered a form of plagiarism.
3.
Plagiarized assignments may not necessarily be revised or re-written.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Plagiarized assignments that can be shown to be based on or including passages from
Internet "Paper Mills" will cause a student to fail the course, no matter the other work of the
course. (Note: I can never know if the work definitely came from a paper mill, but if I find it
on one of these sites, I will view the work as coming from that kind of a source.)
Persons who submit plagiarized assignments but who later decide to withdraw before the
Administrative Drop Date (November 12) must request withdrawal (see above). As the
instructor, I will not view them as withdrawn unless they withdraw or request me to withdraw
them, leading to their receiving, most likely, a failing grade in the course unless they have
officially withdrawn from the course.
A person submitting more than one plagiarized essay will fail the course, no matter the
other work of the course.
I might also recommend academic suspension for especially serious instances of
plagiarism.
However, note that essays exhibiting relatively minor examples of plagiarism may not
receive the above penalties.
2.10 Reasonable Accommodations
FROM HCCS POLICIES Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning,
psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact
the appropriate HCC Disability Support Service (DSS) Counselor at the beginning of each
semester. Faculty is authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the Disability
Support Services Office.
Students who are requesting special testing accommodations must first contact the appropriate
(most convenient) DSS office for assistance:
Disability Support Services Offices:
System: 713.718.5165
Central: 713.718.6164 – also for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services and Students
Outside of the HCC District service areas.
Northwest: 713.718.5422
Northeast: 713.718.8420
Southeast: 713.718.7218
Southwest: 713.718.7909
After student accommodation letters have been approved by the DSS office and submitted to DE
Counseling for processing, students will receive an email confirmation informing them of the
Instructional Support Specialist assigned to their professor.
Note: There are no on-campus exams in this course--all work is due through the internet, and all
grades are based on either turning in short assignments or discussion postings on time or on the
quality of writing of major essays.
2.11 Student Services, Counseling, Tutoring (and related matters)
Tutoring, Counseling, Library, and Computer Lab services are available at each of the Central College.
Please contact your instructor for information on these services. You will learn more about library
services as the course progresses.
***Tutoring: At Central College, free tutoring is available in FAC 321B. As the semester begins, I'll let
you know of the hours available. Tutoring is also available, I've been told, at Southwest College and
Northeast College--contact those colleges for times and procedures.
***Library: Some services for the library may be accessed on-line, but HCCS has libraries at each
college. I STRONGLY encourage you to use the physical libraries here or at other institutions as part of
your research process. At Central College, the library is located on the second floor of the San Jacinto
Building, at the west end. Librarians are dedicated to helping you find whatever you need. At HCCS, you
will need your student ID card to check-out materials and to access the library databases off campus
through the internet. I'll talk about library issues later, in regards to the research paper.
***Open Computer Labs: HCCS has MANY computer labs. I encourage you to contact the campus
closest to you. I know that labs at Eastside, West Loop, Stafford, and other sites are excellent. You may
need to register at particular labs to use their computers--again, have your ID ready .At Central College,
computers are available for word processing in more than one lab—to be announced. Check for open
hours.
2.12 About Revisions of Essays
You are welcome to revise the early essays in the semester-- I will specify if an essay is subject to
revision with its assignment. A revision is an essay that has undergone a substantial change—not just
correcting problem areas I have marked. When revising an essay, one tries to make it deeper, more
effective, and even more profound. Ideas for revision maybe found in the handbook--see the handbook,
Chapter 5, pp. 90+. Essays submitted as revisions must be accompanied by the original version of the
essay along with a brief statement (short paragraph) of how the essay has been revised—what has been
the result. If the revised essay is substantially stronger, the grade will become the grade of the revised
essay. The grade may not change, but it will not be lowered. (As part of my files for Essay 1, I’ll include
an example of what revision can do. If you read through the series of drafts of a critical analysis essay,
you’ll have a stronger idea of how working on an essay can gradually change and improve it.)
Part Three: The Structure of our Blackboard Course, Special Procedures, About Assignments
3.1 My Blackboard for this course
When you log into Blackboard ,you'll see several icons for different areas of the course that we'll use at
the start of the semester:
1. An area, Course Files, containing multiple files from me. I will add to this file through the semester.
All Assignments will be located here and weekly files will be added.
2. An area, Mail, linking to email--to you and to others.
3. An area, Class Discussion, linking to the various discussions in the course.
Note that the Mail, Discussion, and Calendar icons will be highlighted when new information is added.
When you log into the system, you should see icons on your "My Blackboard" page to indicate that there
have been changes. Additionally, when you view the course homepage you'll see graphics around the
icons for these areas to indicate changes.
Note also that more icons may be added as the course progresses. You may have taken other Blackboard
courses here or elsewhere---I think the software is not difficult to use (but if this is your first time in a
course such as this, you may have some problems--start early and call or email for assistance).
3.2 Course Files (for weekly assignments)
Each week I will upload a file containing a "lesson" for the week. I will also upload the assignments for
the argument and research discussions, the major essays, including the 3 essays for the research project,
and perhaps a few other special files as the semester progresses. I will emphasize what I've uploaded by
posting a message in the course header-- you will see this when you log into the course.
I will post assignments in advance of their deadlines-- though you may see discussion assignments posted
on the first day of their 2 to 4 week period.
I strongly encourage you all to become familiar with this section, Course Files. If you don't, you won't
know the assignments, and I do reserve the right to reply to a student who is asking about a particular
assignment, especially if the question suggests that he or she has not read the assignment, to go to Course
Files and then ask a more specific question. If something specific is unclear in Course Files, please,
please let me know.
3.3 Email Messages--reading and sending
The email feature of the Blackboard system allows you to send and receive private mail. We will use this
in two main ways. You will send me some assignments (such as the major essays) through private email
(either as attachments or directly in email text). I would ask that you make the subject heading of such
email message clear, indicating that you are turning in an assignment. Further, though, I encourage you to
use email to send me messages with questions, comments, and concerns only. I will try to notice these
and respond as quickly as possible. If your message is urgent to you, please include a subject heading that
alerts me that I should respond to your message as quickly as possible.
Note that the mail system provides both an Inbox (where messages to you go) and an Outbox (where
messages from you are placed). The Outbox is a great place to check to be sure you have indeed sent a
message.
I encourage you not to erase messages from your Inbox or Outbox during the semester (I don't erase from
mine, either). Keeping track of messages can help you keep track of what you've turned in and so on.
You will find your graded essays go to your Inbox-- so if you don't erase those messages you will have a
record of graded work. Similarly, essays you mail to me will also be saved in your Outbox.
When you send essays to me, you will send them through private email. You can attach the files. To
attach a file, you will need to first find the file and then attach it. The process is a two-step process--you
should be able to see that a file is attached before you send it--or you can check your Outbox to be sure
that the attached file really is there. If I receive an email message that seems to have had an attachment
that didn't get attached, I will notify the sender to resend the file.
3.4 Class Discussion
In the Syllabus, you will find references to class discussion assignments. There are three forms of Class
Discussion in this course: the Research Discussion Project, the Argument Discussion Project, and the
Main Discussion
The Research Discussion Project will involve 4 separate discussions:
1. Popular and Scholarly Perspectives on Objects Project
2. MLA Principles Project
3. Research Survey Project
4. Research Argumentative Strategy Project
The Argument Discussion Project involves 8 separate discussions (really only 7 since the first
"discussion" is actually the "diagnostic essay" you will send to me through the Mail in Blackboard).
About Grading in these two discussions-- consult the Grading Overview file in Blackboard-- or go below
for a copy of that document.
The third area of the discussion, the Main Discussion, is a place where you can share general ideas with
each other-- participation optional and participation will not generally affect one's grade.
The main goal for all discussion assignments is for you to have an informal area to explore ideas related
to the readings of the course, working with other members of the class. In the process, you'll meet other
members of the class, be exposed to many different perspectives, and have a chance to "try out" ideas
before you write the major essays. Participation in the class discussion is the key issue in its "grading"; I'll
post more specifics about how these assignments will lead to the 20 percent of the final grade they
represent in total, but for now remember that the key issue in the discussion is participation--grammar,
mechanics, writing skill do not matter. Fragments, types, spelling errors are OK. A willingness to share
ideas, offer observations, take risks, and work with others, however, does matter. However, even more
importantly, I encourage you to come back and see the responses that others in the class have submitted-and respond to those. I realize that this word range may seem difficult, but I encourage you not to view
the discussion as a burden. View this as informal writing. Don't worry about making your writing perfect.
Try to say what you notice; focus on your observations and assessments.
One other thing about the discussion: Don't send attachments to the discussion. These will have to be
opened and or downloaded by class members--and they may not do this.
3.5 Comments on Papers
When you send in work tome or to the discussion list, I will copy the work to my word processing
software and make comments within your text. To do this, I use all-caps to make my comments on your
writing assignments; therefore, you should do all papers in lower case, following the conventions of
capitalization in your handbook. Please don't view my comments as, well, SHOUTING. I'm not-- just
trying to distinguish my comments from your wording. I view my grading and comments as my major
tool to assist you in your writing. (I've considered adding comments through formatting features available
through Microsoft Word, but I realize that students in a course such as this can use a range of software, so
I'm sticking with ALL CAPS.)
3.6 Sending files created in word processing software:
Most likely, you will want to write your major papers and even short assignments in your word
processing software (such as Microsoft Word, for example). When you wish to "turn this work in" you
will really have two options: (1) copying the information into email messages or (2) sending an
attachment. For discussions, you must copy text directly into the message window--or write directly in
the message window.
Copying the information directly into the text of an email message or a discussion list file is often the
easiest especially if your computer has enough memory to have the word processing software open at the
same time that you are surfing the internet. Selecting all of the text and then copying and pasting it into
the email text window would be the basic technique. Usually, it's a good idea to copy text that is fairly
simple, with not a large amount of special formatting. As long as I can read what you send--even odd
formatting problems are usually not a big concern. I am more concerned with reading your ideas than I
am in a beautifully formatted presentation--and email text is legible and clear. (The research argument
essay (Essay 4) should have appropriate formatting--but I'll say more later).
When you choose to upload a file as an attachment to email messages or to the class discussion lists, it's
MOST essential that you name the file clearly. I encourage you to include your last name or the first few
letters of it in the file name. Within such files, be sure to include your full name within the text of your
file (along with the date and the assignment). Otherwise, your file may be, in a sense, lost, and end up in
my folder of anonymous files. When I download your file, I will usually rename it based on your name
and the assignment (Jane Doe Essay 1)--but your names will help me make sure I name your work
appropriately. Please do not give your files generic names such as "Essay 1" or "Essay 2"--these are much
harder for me to process as they come to me.
I encourage you to send files sent as attachment in a "document" or "text" format. I am often able to open
"rich text" files but every so often I receive files I cannot open, that have viruses, are filed with lots of odd
characters and control codes. If I receive such a file, I'll ask you to resend it. Files with the extension
"wps" are usually problematic for me--try to save the files as "doc" instead. (If you use Word
Perfect or Microsoft Works, you will need to save your files in "text" format--I use Microsoft
Word--and Word Perfect and Microsoft Works files tend to be hard to read legibly.) Also, if you
have the new Microsoft Vista operating system, your files may have a "docx" extension. I am
unable to open these-- so you will have to save them in a lower format: "doc" or "text" again. I
may have to ask you to resend files I cannot open; this is generally not a big problem, but it is important.
Remember: a file containing an essay that I can't open is a file that, unfortunately, hasn't yet fulfilled its
assignment--I hope this makes sense. By the way, we call the c*a*n*i*n*e in my family R*u*d*y.
How I return files to you: I've found it best for myself to copy files sent to me as attachments directly
back into email when I return them to you. If you wish to put these back into your word processing
software, you will need to select all and then copy and paste from email into your word processing
software.
Finally, and MOST IMPORTANT: Be sure to keep backups of all work you send me; I have to view
this as your responsibility. I also encourage your printing copies for your records during the class.
These last points are very important--a student in a recent semester did not keep copies or work that did
not get to me and the work thus had to be done, again. Some class members will do their work for this
class in open computer labs at libraries and school campuses. For such people, keeping copies of their
work is especially important. Remember that the Blackboard Mail Outbox will maintain copies of what
you send.
3.7 Critical Analysis of Essays
After being introduced to analysis in English 1301, you will have the opportunity to expand your skills by
exploring pieces of writing in greater depth in English 1302 and writing your own essays which discuss
elements such as topic, purpose, audience, thesis, style, tone, strategy, etc. In your analyses of other
essays, you will also present your own views of what you have read. Because discussion of ideas is an
essential part of English 1302, you will be required to read essays on your own and make comments about
the essays to other students in the class (and, of course, to the instructor). To create a discussion of these
essays, you will respond to these comments, again sending messages to other students and the instructor
(as assigned). Essay One and Essay Three (600 words each) will focus, at least partially, on Critical
Analysis--one about an essay in the textbook and one about sources you've found through your research
process.
3.8 Argumentative Writing
Because you will require skills in argumentation as you take other academic courses in college, English
1302 also provides instruction and practice in argumentative and persuasive writing. You will learn to
recognize both deductive and inductive reasoning, and you will be introduced to logical fallacies and
ways to avoid these errors in reasoning. The Research Argument Essay (Essay Four) and the Language
Essay (Essay Five) will focus, at least partially, on Argumentation.
3.9 The Research Project-- and research in general
Another important purpose of English 1302 is to guide you in writing a research-based paper. The various
skills needed for researching, assimilating material, and writing a formal research-based project will be
extremely valuable to you in future courses. As an internet-based student, you will follow the same steps
as suggested for classroom instruction. As you will see when you read the files about the research project,
you may use one or two (or more) non-print sources: interviews, surveys, movies, television programs,
web sources, etc. You will also be required to investigate MLA style, documentation, and strategies to
avoid plagiarism and cite sources accurately. Plagiarism will result in your receiving a 0 on the paper.
(Note: You will use MLA style for the documented papers in this course.)
For this course, I will require that you target your interests towards the following general topic based on
some concepts from Everything’s an Argument: The Everyday Object: if "everything [is indeed] an
argument," what arguments are focused on a particularobject many of us don't usually think
about? I'll say more about this assignment soon, in a separate file in the course--and offer some
suggestions for how this project might begin.
Please note that the Research Discussion Project will help you in the doing of this research project,
focusing on MLA style, works cited entries, in-text citation, academic honesty, research, and argument.
Further, there are there major essays associated with the research paper: the Research Proposal (Essay 2),
the Research Overview (Essay 3), and the Research Argument Essay (Essay 4).
You'll notice that these three essays are worth different percentages of the final grade-- the reason for this
is the following: each builds on the previous assignment. The proposal is an essay which you can write
without having done any research; the overview will require research; the argument essay will require
that you use the results of your research to argue a point about your topic-- about your object.
TOTAL:
GRADE:
English 1302, Internet, Houston Community College System
Fall 2010, CRN's 70970, 70972, 70974
Syllabus: Readings and Deadlines
Spring 2011
PINK
Administrative Deadlines
and Dates to notice
List of the weeks
Major Essay Assignments
Research Discussion Project
Assignments
Argument Discussion Project
BLUE:
GREEN:
RED:
ORANGE:
MCGRAW
ARG
MCGRAW"GREEN
EDITION"
MCGRAW-"RED
EDITION"
The McGraw-Hill Handbook--Red (old) and Green (current)
editions
Everything's an Argument-- Blue (old) and Yellow (current)
editions
Maimon, Elaine P., Janice H. Peritz, and Kathleen Blake Yancey.
The McGraw-Hill Handbook. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2009. ISBN:
9780077395773 (Including Documentation Update for 2009)
(green/tan)
OR
Maimon, Elaine P., Janice H. Peritz, and Kathleen Blake Yancey.
The New McGraw-Hill Handbook. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2008.
ISBN: 978-0-07-332773-0 (Including Documentation Update for
2008) (red/tan)
AND
Lunsford, Andrea A.,John J. Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walters.
Everything's an Argument (with readings) Fourth Edition.2007.
Bedford/St. Martin's ISBN-13: 978-0-312-44750-2 or ISBN-10: 0312-44750-7 (blue cover)
OR
Lunsford, Andrea A.,John J. Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walters.
Everything's an Argument (with readings) Fifth Edition.2010 .
Bedford/St. Martin's. ISBN: 9780312538613 (yellow cover)
ARG
ARG
Here is how the final course grade is determined:
15%
Essay 1: Critical Analysis Essay (see Grading Profile in Course Files;
Assignment to be posted)
5%
Essay 2: Research Proposal (see Grading Profile in Course Files; Assignment to
be posted)
20%
Essay 3: Research Overview (see Grading Profile in Course Files; Assignment to
be posted)
25%
Essay 4: Research Argument Essay (see Grading Profile in Course Files;
Assignment to be posted)
15%
Essay 5: Language/Final Essay (see Grading Profile in Course Files; Assignment
to be posted)
10%
Research Discussion Project (see Grading Overview in Course Files; Assignments
(4 total) to be posted)
10%
Argument Discussion Project (see Grading Overview in Course Files;
Assignments (8 total (including Diagnostic Essay)) to be posted)
0%
Main Discussion (no credit)
100% total
(Note--there are no exams in this course, and there are no on-campus final essays or exams--the
above work determines the final grade.)
A--90 to 100
B--80 to 89
C--70 to 79
D--60 to 69
F--0 to 59
Be sure to consult this course's Procedures and Policies AND the Grading Overview for additional
policies and procedures that govern this course.
Week 1: Monday, January 24 to Sunday, January 30
Topics for the week:
 Introduction to the course.
 Work on Diagnostic Essay
Assignments posted or due this week:
Due: Diagnostic Essay, Friday, January 28 (Counts as Argument Discussion 1, but send
to Robert Ford through Blackboard mail)
Readings for the week:
MCGRAW Chapter 2, “Understanding Assignments,” (Green) pp. 20-33; (Red) pp. 2134
Chapter 3, "Planning and Shaping," (Green) pp. 33-55; (Red) pp. 35-63
MCGRAW
Chapter 4, " Drafting," (Green) pp. 55-76; (Red) pp. 64-89
MCGRAW
Chapter 5, "Revising," (Green) pp. 76-104; (Red) pp. 90-121
MCGRAW
MCGRAW
Chapter 20, "Plagiarism, Copyright, and Intellectual Property," (Green) pp.
306-314; (Red) pp. 341-346.
MCGRAW
Chapter 21, "Working with Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism," (Green) pp.
314-333; (Red) pp. 347-360
ARG
Chapter 1, "Everything is an Argument," (Blue) pp. 3-44; (Yellow) pp. 337
ARG
Chapter 18, "Intellectual Property, Academic Integrity, and Avoiding
Plagiarism," (Blue) pp. 514-527; (Yellow) pp. 536-548
Week 2: Monday, January 31 to Sunday, February 6
Topics for the week:
 Critical Analysis
Assignments posted or due this week:
Argument Discussion 2: January 31 to February 13, General Discussion about Arguments
(Open/on Time for 2 weeks)
Readings for the week:
MCGRAW
MCGRAW
ARG
ARG
ARG
ARG
ARG
ARG
Chapter 1, "Learning across Cultures," (Green) pp. 2-20; (Red) pp. 2-20
Chapter 7, "Reading, Thinking, Writing," (Green) pp. 120-137; (Red) pp. 142160.
Chapter 1, "Everything is an Argument," (Blue) pp. 3-44; (Yellow) pp. 3-37
Chapter 5, "Thinking Rhetorically," (Blue) pp. 102-136; "Rhetorical Analysis,"
(Yellow) pp. 95-130
Derek Bok, "Protecting Freedom of Expression at Harvard," (Blue) pp. 123-125
(Yellow) pp. 118-120
Milena Ateya, "A Curse and a Blessing," (Blue) pp. 126-128; (Yellow) pp121123
Guide to writing a rhetorical analysis, (Blue) pp. 129-134; (Yellow) pp. 124129
Chapter 6, "Structuring Arguments," (Blue) pp. 139-173; Chapter 7,
"Structuring Arguments," (Yellow) pp. 170-207
Week 3: Monday, February 7 to Sunday, February 13
Topics for the week:
 Critical Analysis
Assignments posted or due this week:
Argument Discussion 3: February 7 to February 20, Arguments about Essays for Critical
Analysis (Open-ended) (Open/on Time for 2 weeks)
Argument Discussion 4: February 7 to February 20, Arguments about Essays for Critical
Analysis (More Directed) (Open/on Time for 2 weeks)
Readings for the week:
MCGRAW
Chapter 7, "Reading, Thinking, Writing," (Green) pp. 120-137; (Red) pp. 142160
MCGRAW
MCGRAW
ARG
ARG
ARG
ARG
ARG
ARG
ARG
ARG
ARG
ARG
ARG
Chapter 9, "Interpretive Analyses," (Green) pp. 157-183; (Red) pp. 183-209
Chapter 10, "Arguments," (Green) pp. 183-212; (Red) pp. 210 - 236.
Chapter 6, "Structuring Arguments," (Blue) pp. 139-173; Chapter 7,
"Structuring Arguments," (Yellow) pp. 170-207
Chapter 8, "Arguments of Definition" (Blue) pp. 217-249; Chapter 9, (Yellow)
pp. 249-283
Chapter 9, "Evaluations" (Blue) pp. 250-284; Chapter 10, (Yellow) pp. 284334
Chapter 12, "Style in Argument," (Blue) pp. 369-392; Chapter 13, (Yellow) pp.
417-440
Chapter 17, "Fallacies of Argument," (Blue) pp. 491-513; (Yellow) pp. 515535
Chapter 10, "Causal Arguments" (Blue) pp. 285-326; Chapter 11, (Yellow) pp.
335-372
Guide to writing an argument of definition, (Blue) pp. 134-139; (Yellow) pp.
268-273
Guide to writing an evaluation, (Blue) pp. 269-273; (Yellow) pp. 305-310
Guide to writing a causal argument, (Blue) pp. 307-312; (Yellow) pp. 357-362
(Essay) Sayoh Mansaray, “The Offbeat Allure of Cult Films,” (Blue) pp.
242-245; (Yellow) pp 276-279
(Essay) Lynn Peril, “Pink Think,” (Blue) pp. 246-249; (Yellow) pp. 280-283
Week 4: Monday, February 14 to Sunday, February 20
Topics for the week:
 Critical Analysis
Assignments posted or due this week:
Due: Essay 1, Critical Analysis Essay, Monday, February 14
Research Discussion 1: February 14 to 27, Popular and Scholarly Perspectives on Objects
Project (Open / on Time for 2 weeks)
Readings for the week:
ARG or
Course File
ARG or Link
ARG or
Course File
(Essay) Nisey Williams, “Why I Hate Britney,” (Blue) pp. 276-280; see the
course file if you have the "yellow" edition!
(Essay) Jon Pareles, “The Case Against Coldplay” (Blue) pp. 281-284 or Link
(notice the correction at the end of the link!)
(Essay) La Donna Beaty, “What Makes a Serial Killer?” (Blue) pp. 315-322;
see the course file if you have the "yellow" edition!
Week 5: Tuesday, February 22 to Sunday, February 27
Monday, February 21, no class: President’s Day Holiday
Topics for the week:
 The Research Project
 Using HCCS Library Resources
 Sources and the Research Project
 MLA Style-Assignments posted or due this week:
Research Discussion 2: February 22 to March 6, MLA Principles Project (Open / on Time
for 2 weeks)
Readings for the week:
(Note: for this course you should ignore the chapters in the textbooks on other documentation styles
such as APA, CBE, and Chicago style, but be aware that they may be useful for other courses you may
take.)
Skim
MCGRAW
Skim
MCGRAW
MCGRAW
Chapter 6, "Document Design," (Green) pp. 104-120; (Red) pp. 125-141.
Chapter 8, "Informative Reports," (Green) pp. 137-157; (Red) pp. 161182
Chapter 15, "Understanding Research," (Green) pp. 250-259; (Red) pp.
278- 287
Chapter 16, "Finding and Managing Print and Online Sources," (Green)
MCGRAW
pp. 259-287; (Red) pp. 288-312.
Chapter
17, "Finding and Creating Effective Visuals," (Green) pp. 281Skim
289; (Red) pp. 313-321.
MCGRAW
Chapter 18, "Evaluating Sources," (Green) pp. 289-299; (Red) pp. 322MCGRAW
329.
Chapter 19, "Doing Research in the Archive, Field, and Lab," (Green) pp.
MCGRAW
299-306; (Red) pp. 330-340.
Skim
Chapter 22, "Writing the Paper," (Green) pp. 333-342; (Red) pp. 361MCGRAW
367.
MCGRAW
Chapter 24, "MLA Documentation Style," (Green) pp. 342-391; (Red)
pp. 374-426. (including sample research essay "Louis Armstrong and
Joe Glaser: More Than Meets the Eye," (Green) pp. 379+; (Red) pp.
415+
ARG
Chapter 14, "Visual Arguments," (Blue) pp. 411-440; (Yellow) pp. 441465
ARG
Chapter 16, "What Counts as Evidence" (Blue) pp. 469-490; (Yellow)
pp. 493-514
ARG
Chapter 20, "Documenting Sources" (MLA Style only) (Blue) pp. 549569; (Yellow) pp. 566-598
ARG
Guide to writing an argument of definition, (Blue) pp. 134-139; (Yellow)
pp. 268-273
ARG
Guide to writing an evaluation, (Blue) pp. 269-273; (Yellow) pp. 305340
ARG
Guide to writing a causal argument, (Blue) pp. 307-312; (Yellow) pp.
357-362
ARG
Guide to writing a proposal, (Blue) pp. 346-350; (Yellow) pp. 392-397
Readings about Academic Honesty, Intellectual Property, and Plagiarism:
MCGRAW Chapter 20, "Plagiarism, Copyright, and Intellectual Property," (Green) pp. 306314; (Red) pp. 341-346.
MCGRAW Chapter 21, "Working with Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism," (Green) pp. 314333; (Red) pp. 347-360
ARG
Chapter 18, "Intellectual Property, Academic Integrity, and Avoiding
Plagiarism," (Blue) pp. 514-527; (Yellow) pp. 536-548
Week 6: Monday, February 28 to Sunday, March 6
Topics for the week:
 The Research Project
 Using HCCS Library Resources
 Sources and the Research Project
 MLA Style-Assignments posted or due this week:
Argument Discussion 5: February 28 to March 13, Strategies for Evidence (1) (Open/on
Time for 2 weeks)
Readings for the week:
ARG
Chapter 18, "Intellectual Property, Academic Integrity, and Avoiding
Plagiarism," (Blue) pp. 514-527; (Yellow) pp. 536-548
ARG
Chapter 19, "Evaluating and Using Sources" (Blue) pp. 528-548;
(Yellow) pp. 549-565
ARG
Chapter 20, "Documenting Sources" (MLA Style only) pp. 549-569
MCGRAW
Chapter 18, "Evaluating Sources," (Green) p. 289-299; (Red) p. 322329.
MCGRAW
Chapter 20, "Plagiarism, Copyright, and Intellectual
Property," (Green) p. 306-314; (Red) p. 341-346.
MCGRAW
Chapter 21, "Working with Sources and Avoiding
Plagiarism," (Green) p. 314-333; (Red) p. 347-360
MCGRAW
Chapter 24, "MLA Documentation Style," (Green) p. 342-391; (Red)
p. 374-426. (including sample research essay "Louis Armstrong and
Joe Glaser: More Than Meets the Eye," (Green) p. 379+; (Red) p.
415+
Week 7: Monday, March 7 to Sunday, March 13
Topics for this week:
 Strategies for Using Evidence
 Examples of Using Evidence and Sources
Assignments posted or due this week:
Due: Essay 2, Research Proposal Essay, Tuesday, March 7
Research Discussion 3: March 7 to April 10, Research Survey Project (Open/ on Time for
4 weeks, counting Spring Break)
Argument Discussion 6: March 7 to March 27, Strategies for Evidence (2) Open/on Time
for 2 weeks, counting Spring Break
Readings for this week:
ARG
Chapter 7, "Arguments of Fact," (Blue) pp. 174-216; Chapter 8, "Arguments of
Fact," (Yellow) pp. 208-245
ARG
Chapter 11, "Proposals," (Blue) pp. 327-366; (Yellow) pp. 373-414
ARG
Chapter 16, "What Counts as Evidence" (Blue) pp. 469-490; (Yellow) pp. 493514
ARG
Chapter 19, "Evaluating and Using Sources" (Blue) pp. 528-548; (Yellow) pp.
549-565
MCGRAW Chapter 17, "Finding and Creating Effective Visuals," (Green) pp. 281-289;
(Red) pp. 313-321
MCGRAW Chapter 18, "Evaluating Sources," (Green) pp. 289-299; (Red) pp. 322-329
MCGRAW Chapter 22, "Writing the Paper," (Green) pp. 333-342; (Red) pp. 361-367
ARG
(Essay) Michael Osofsky, "The Psychological Experience of Security Officers
Who Work with Executions," (Blue) pp. 203-209; (Yellow) 236-242
ARG
(Essay) Manasi Deshpande, " A Call to Improve Campus Accessibility," (Blue)
ARG or Link
ARG or Link
ARG or
Course File
pp. 353-363; (Yellow) pp. 399-410.
(Essay) P.J. O'Rourke, "Mass Transit Hysteria," (Blue) pp. 364-366 or Link
(Essay) W. Charisse Goodman, "One Picture is Worth a Thousand Diets,"
(Blue) pp. 605-611 or Link
(Essay) David Carr, "On Covers of Many Magazines, a Full Racial Palette Is
Still Rare," (Blue) pp. 649-653; see the course file if you have the "yellow"
edition!
March 14 to 20, Spring Break—no HCC Classes
Week 8: Monday, March 21 to Sunday, March 27
Topics for this week:
 Strategies for Using Evidence
 Examples of Using Evidence and Sources
Readings for this week:
ARG
ARG
ARG
Course File
ARG
ARG
Course File
Course File
Chapter 2, "Arguments from the Heart--Pathos" (Blue) pp. 45-59; Chapter 2,
"Arguments Based on Emotion--Pathos" (Yellow) pp. 39-51
Chapter 3, "Arguments Based on Character--Ethos" (Blue) pp. 60-77; (Yellow)
pp. 52-68
Chapter 4, "Arguments Based on Facts and Reason--Logos" (Blue) pp. 78-101;
(Yellow) pp. 69-74
(Essay) Erica Goode, "Study Finds TV alters Girls' View of Body"
(Essay) Ellen Goodman, "The Culture of Thin Bites Fiji," (Blue) pp. 589-591;
(Yellow) pp. 608-610
(Essay) Anne E. Becker, "Abstract, Discussion, and Conclusions of Television,
Disordered Eating, and Young Women in Fiji: Negotiating Body Image and
Identity During Rapid Social Change," (Blue) pp. 592-600; (Yellow) pp. 611620
(Essay) Angela Neustatter, “Why Shouldn’t the Epidermally Challenged Get
Help?”
(Essay) Louisa Young, “Men Should Have Better Things to Do"
Week 9: Monday, March 28 to Sunday, April 3
Assignments posted or due this week:
Due: Essay 3, Research Overview Essay, Monday, March 28
Research Discussion 4: March 28 to April 10, Research Argumentative Strategy Project
(Open / on Time for 2 weeks)
Week 10: Monday, April 4 to Sunday, April 10
Topics for this week:
 Intellectual property and using sources
Readings for this week:
ARG
Chapter 18, "Intellectual Property, Academic Integrity, and Avoiding
Plagiarism," (Blue) pp. 514-527; (Yellow) pp. 536-548
ARG
Chapter 19, "Evaluating and Using Sources" (Blue) pp. 528-548; (Yellow) pp.
MCGRAW
MCGRAW
MCGRAW
549-565
Chapter 18, "Evaluating Sources," (Green) pp. 289-299; (Red) pp. 322-329.
Chapter 20, "Plagiarism, Copyright, and Intellectual Property," (Green) pp. 306314; (Red) pp. 341-346.
Chapter 21, "Working with Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism," (Green) pp. 314333; (Red) pp. 347-360
Week 11: Monday, April 11 to Sunday, April 17
Topics for the week:
 Using sources
 Working on the research project
Thursday, April 14, Last Day for Administrative and Student Withdrawals, 4:30 pm
Week 12: Monday, April 18 to Sunday, April 24
Topics for the week:
 Working on the research project
Assignments posted or due this week:
 Due: Essay 4, Research Argument Essay, Monday, April 18
 Argument Discussion 7: April 18 to May 1, Language (1) (Open/ on Time for 2 weeks)
 Argument Discussion 8: April 18 to May 1, Language (2) (Open/ on Time for 2 weeks)
Week 13: Monday, April 25 to Sunday, May 1
Topics for the week:
 Preparing for the Language Essay: Analysis, Evaluation, Argument
Assignments posted or due this week:
Readings for the week:
ARG
or
Link
ARG or
Course File
ARG
ARG
ARG
ARG
ARG
ARG
or
Link
ARG
ARG
or
Link
Dana Gioia, "Why Literature Matters," (Blue) pp. 323-326 or Link
Myriam Marquez, "Why and When We Speak Spanish in Public," pp. (Blue)
754-755; see the course file if you have the "yellow" edition!
Sandra Cisneros, from "Bien Pretty," (Blue) pp. 756-757; (Yellow) pp. 743-744
Marjorie Agosin, "Always Living in Spanish," (Blue) pp. 758-760; (Yellow)
pp. 745-747
Marjorie Agosin, "English," (Blue) pp. 761-762; (Yellow) pp. 748-749
Lan Cao, "The Gift of Language," (Blue) pp. 764-770; (Yellow) pp. 756-762
Firoozeh Dumas, "The 'F Word'" from Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing
Up Iranian in America, " (Blue) pp. 787-791; (Yellow) pp. 751-755
Ariel Dorfman, "If Only We All Spoke Two Languages," (Blue) pp. 797-799 or
Link
Amy Tan, "Mother Tongue," (Blue) pp. 804-809; (Yellow) pp. 763-768
John Rickford, "Suite for Ebony and Phonics," (Blue) pp. 810-817 or Link
ARG
or
Link
ARG
or
Link
David D.Troutt, "Defining Who We Are in Society," (Blue) pp. 818-821 or
Link
Steve Rushin, "Hip Unchecked," (Blue) pp. 828-829 or Link
Week 14: Monday, May 2 to Sunday, May 8
Topics for the week:
 Preparing for the Language Essay: Analysis, Evaluation, Argument
Assignments posted or due this week:
Due:
Essay 5, Language Essay, Monday, May 2
Week 15: Monday, May 9 to Sunday, May 15
Topics for the week:
 Preparing for the Language Essay: Analysis, Evaluation, Argument
Assignments posted or due this week:
Revisions and ALL late papers due: Monday, May 9
Readings for the week:
MCGRAW
Chapter 5, "Revising," (Green) p. 76-104; (Red) p. 90-121
LAST DATE TO ACCESS BLACKBOARD: Sunday, May 15
Grades turned in by instructor to HCC: by Monday, May 16, 2011, 12:00 Noon
HCC Grades available to students: Friday, May 20, 2011