Welcome to
English Composition I
Course: ENGL 1301 Section: CRN 73120
Tuesday & Thursday, 2:00 – 5:00 P.M., Katy Campus Room 108
3 Credit Hours / 48 hours per term, Lecture / Core Curriculum
Fall 2015 - 1st 8 Week (A) Term: Aug. 24 – Oct. 18, 2015
Instructor: Mr. Robert Forker, M. Ed.
Contact Information:
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Telephone:
Email: robert.forkerjr@hccs.edu
Learning Web: http://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/robert.forkerjr
Office: - Katy Campus – Room 108 (2:00-5:00 only)
Appointments: Tuesday 1:00-1:45 P.M. and/or Thursday 5:15-6:00
I will be happy to meet with you (probably in the library) by appointment before or after
class or at another arranged time Monday through Friday at either the Katy or Spring
Branch campus. I know you have busy lives and many responsibilities, so feel free to set
up a time with me that will conveniently fit into your schedule.
Additional Support:
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Tutoring and Writing Centers
o On-Campus tutors in the Katy Campus Writing Center, Room 321, which
is located across from the third floor Library. Look for posted hours or call
713-718-5841.
o Writing Center at Spring Branch Campus, South Hall, Room 703. Look
for posted hours or call 713-718-5889.
On-Line Tutors: http://askonline.net
Prerequisites:
A satisfactory assessment score, completion of English 0310 or
(for non-native speakers) English 0349.
See a brief Syllabus Overview – last page of this syllabus!
Materials (See p. 9 below for Calendar details):
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Kennedy, X. J., Kennedy, D. M. and Aaron, J. E. The Bedford Reader, Eleventh
Edition, Bedford / St. Martin’s. 2012 (GR)
Connect Composition (CC) Online Review
o Our Site - http://connect.mheducation.com/class/forkerjr_28161
o CC Support – http://www.mhhe.com/support or 1-800-331-5094.
The New McGraw-Hill Handbook. (MH) – available online above at CC
English 1301 Study Guide. (SG) – available online above at CC
Suggested Text: College Level Dictionary
Blue Books for formal in-class assignments (BB)
Journal – Bound Composition Book or Spiral – your choice (JL)
Flash Drive / Jump Drive for maintaining eDocuments
Course Goals:
In English 1301, we seek to provide writing instruction and practice that will help
students master writing the short essay while developing critical reading skills. We
believe that in mastering this particular kind of writing, students will also gain skills that
will permit them to be successful at writing tasks in other college courses, their careers,
and in their personal lives.
Course Description:
A course devoted to improving the student’s writing and critical reading. Writing essays
for a variety of purposes from personal to academic, including an introduction to
argumentation, critical analysis, and the use of sources.
How Goals and Description Apply to You:
According to the Houston Community College core curriculum, the purpose of Freshman
Composition – English 1301 – is “to prepare students to write clear, communicative,
well organized and detailed prose.” The course aims to accomplish this. The HCC
curriculum adds that this introductory composition course has been designed to:
1. “build a sufficient foundation for . . . courses involving writing,”
2. prepare “students for all other college courses by introducing [them to] the rigors
of the academic environment,” and
3. develop “necessary skills for success later in life.”
English Composition I Student Learning Outcomes:
1. Demonstrate knowledge of writing as a process.
2. Apply basic principles of critical thinking in analyzing reading selections,
developing expository essays, and writing argumentative essays.
3. Analyze elements such as purpose, audience, tone, style, strategy in essays
and/or literature by professional writers.
4. Write essays in appropriate academic writing style using varied rhetorical
strategies.
5. Synthesize concepts from and use references to assigned readings in their own
academic writing.
See a brief Syllabus Overview – last page of this syllabus!
English Program Student
Learning Outcomes:
1. Write in appropriate genres using
varied rhetorical strategies.
2. Write in appropriate genres to
explain and evaluate rhetorical
strategies.
3. Analyze various genres of
writing for form, method,
meaning, and interpretation.
4. Employ research in academic
writing styles and use
appropriate documentation style.
5. Communicate ideas effectively
through discussion
Instructional Methods:
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To develop confidence and a foundation for the writing and speaking process,
you will practice a variety of writing activities to share with class members.
So that you can better understand your audience and write with purpose, you
will study how to take aim and target your written communications.
So that you will become more flexible and adaptable communicators, you will
study how to apply and to combine various differing modes of writing.
In order for you to become effective team players, you will learn how to
listen, reflect and participate in group dialogue.
To become proficient technically as a writer, you will practice how to
demonstrate explicit, clear, critical, analytical thinking and problem solving.
To justify and benefit from the fair integration and recognition of the thoughts
of other writers, you will develop research and document proper citations for
quotations from scholarly publications.
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 insure 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.
See a brief Syllabus Overview – last page of this syllabus!
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 synthsis 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 and Comp II) – 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 – to include the ability to connect choices, actions, and
consequences to ethical decision-making
Minimum Writing Requirement:
You are to have submitted a minimum of 5000 written words during the semester
according to the Student Assignments break-down below.
Student Assignments:
The course content and the associated materials are designed to give you an opportunity
to gain control over your own writing and by inference over your own thinking. You
will begin by taking an uncomplicated approach, a straight forward approach, by trying
and using basic expository writing modes so that you can develop a sense of confidence
and balance for your writing. Soon you will find that you can expand your own
expectations and communicate more complex, ambitious and even more challenging
written ideas in the form of analyses and persuasive presentations. The goal here is to
get you started and further to encourage you to practice showing your readers exactly
what you mean to say about absolutely anything. To do this well you will need to submit:
Two Expository essays (each a minimum 750 words (X2) = 1500 w.)
demonstrating expression in modes such as: Narrative; Descriptive;
Division/Classification; Definition; Comparison/Contrast;
Exemplification/Illustration; Causal Analysis,
One Critical Analysis Essay (min. 750 words) to give you a chance to look
carefully at and explain how and why another author’s work is or is not
effective,
The Midterm Exam in class essay using Analysis (min. 750 words), your score
determining your passing eligibility and indicating your degree of learning
progress in the course,
One Persuasive Research Project (min. 1250 words), combining your own
thinking with that of outside experts to convince your readers of your
thesis and
See a brief Syllabus Overview – last page of this syllabus!
The Final Exam in class essay (min. 750 words), your score [2/3] when
averaged together with the Midterm Exam [1/3] determining your eligibility for
passing the course (See Instructor Grading Criteria below for details.).
Student Assessments:
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30% Two Expository Essays – 300 = 2 x 150 (Turnitin.com) points each
15% Critical Analysis Essay – 150 points
10% Analysis in class essay – Midterm Exam – 100 points
25% Researched Rhetorical Essay Project – *250 points
20% Persuasive in class essay – Final Exam – 200 points
Each online essay includes points for: Proposal / Plan (10); Rough Draft (10);
Peer Review Commentaries (up to 30); Final Draft (100 / *200).
Where to Find Copies of Specific Assignments and Written
Support for this Class:
Assignments and assignment instructions will be found for the class at Turnitin.com
for registered class members. Points awarded for each submission will appear within
each student’s online portfolio.
On the eLearning site noted above, this syllabus and calendar, assignments, handouts, and
other materials concerning English are available to read, download and/or print.
Instructor Essay Grading Criteria:
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Online papers (4) – Expository (2) Critical Analysis (1) and Persuasive (1) – will
receive an online grade based on your completion of all assignment parts: Topic
Proposal, Review Draft, Peer Review and Final Draft.
o Rubric scoring: (0%); (+25%); (+50%); (+75%); (+100%) of categories:
 24% Content / Thesis / Main Points
 20% Organization / Paragraphs
 16% Grammar / Usage/ Sentence Structure
 12% Tone and Diction
 08% Mechanics / Punctuation
 +40% Basis Points = Completed Word-Count / Submitted /
Deadline / Formatting
Midterm and Final (in class essays)
o These papers written in class will be graded by English Discipline
standards, which include grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, word
usage, tone, and mechanics. The grading profile is weighted by the
following percentages:
 Content 27%
 Organization 23%
 Sentences (Usage) 20%
 Diction (Word Choice) and Tone 17%
 Punctuation and Mechanics 13%
See a brief Syllabus Overview – last page of this syllabus!
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In addition to the average of grades on out-of-class writing, a student must
obtain a passing in-class essay average (70 - 100) on in order to make at
least a C in the course. If the average of in-class essays is a D (60 - 69),
the student must receive (can receive no better than) a D in the course. If
the average of in-class essays is an F (0-59), the student must receive an F
in the class.
The average of in-class essays is formed by counting the first in-class
essay once [1/3] and by counting the last one twice [2/3].
HCC Grading Scale:
A = 100 – 90; B = 89 – 80; C = 79 – 70; D = 69 – 60; F = 59 and below
Instructional Requirements:
Rules for Submission of Materials:
o In-class written examinations must be written on blank blue books.
Unless told otherwise, students will write on one side of a page. One page
will be designated as a blank page on exam day. Your exam will not be
accepted without this page left blank. Make-ups for in-class exams must
be hand written and undertaken through the Testing Center Services by
making an appointment. I can not accept made-up exams that are
delivered from the Testing Center.
o Online class work (proposals, drafts and essays) must be turned in online*
at Turnitin.com before the assignment due date deadline by class time –
2:00 P. M. (see Paper Option below*).
o Late work: Expect to loose one letter grade (10 points), may be
deducted for each day a paper is late. All late work must be submitted
online.
o MLA: Out-of-class essays must follow basic MLA rules (covered in
class). The Modern Language Association (MLA) is the generally
accepted standards authority for the writing industry.
o *Paper Option (available only by Due Date): If you would like a more
detailed mark up, then you may also hand me a paper copy of any essay
typed, double spaced, and printed on 8 1/2 x 11" white paper with 1"
margins and use a 12 pt. plain font – no need to submit title sheets, cover
booklets, or bindings – secured with a staple or paper clip.
Electronics in the classroom: As a student active in the learning community of
this course, it is your responsibility to be respectful of the learning
atmosphere in your classroom. To show respect of your fellow students
and instructor, you will turn off your phone and other electronic devices
and will not use these devices in the classroom unless you receive
permission from the instructor. If such a device sounds or is used during
class, it will be considered a disruption of the educational process (such as
other forms of inappropriate behavior) and the student may be asked to
leave for the rest of the class period. If a student expects an emergency
call, he or she must speak to the instructor to receive an exception to this
policy.
See a brief Syllabus Overview – last page of this syllabus!
HCC Policy Statements:
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Discipline: As your instructor and as a student in this class, our shared
responsibility is to develop and maintain a positive learning environment for
everyone. I take this responsibility seriously and will inform members of the
class if their behavior makes it difficult for me to carry out this task. As a fellow
learner, you are asked to respect the learning needs of your classmates and to
assist me achieve this critical goal. (See Student Handbook)
EGLS3 -- Evaluation for Greater Learning 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.
Academic Honesty: A student who is academically dishonest is, by definition,
not showing that the coursework has been learned, and that student is claiming
an advantage not available to other students. The instructor is responsible for
measuring each student’s individual achievements and also for ensuring that all
students compete on a level playing field. Thus, in our system, the instructor has
teaching, grading, and enforcing roles. You are expected to be familiar with the
HCC’s policy on Academic Honesty found in the catalogue. What that means is
that if you are charged with an offense, pleading ignorance of the rules will not
help you.
Plagiarism: Just so there is no misunderstanding, plagiarism (using another's
ideas or words without giving credit), Collusion (unauthorized collaboration with
another person in preparing written work offered for credit), and other forms of
cheating will not be tolerated. To be accepted, all papers require proof of their
development. Students who plagiarize, collude, or cheat may face disciplinary
action including the grade of 0 for the assignment, an F for the course, and/or
dismissal from the college. For more on plagiarism, see "Plagiarism" in The New
McGraw-Hill Handbook, second edition. (See Student Handbook)
Special Needs: Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical,
learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable
accommodations must contact the Disability Services Office at the respective
college at the beginning of each semester. Faculty is authorized to provide only
the accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services Office. For
questions, please contact Donna Price at 713.718.5165 or the Disability
Counselor at your college. To visit the ADA Web site, please visit
www.hccs.edu then click Future students, scroll down the page and click on
the words Disability Information. Northwest ADA Counselor – Mahnaz Kolaini
– 713.718.5422
See a brief Syllabus Overview – last page of this syllabus!
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Missing Class: If absent or late to a class, the student is responsible for any
information missed. Each student should exchange emails or phone numbers
with at least three other students. After an absence, students are to find out what
they missed before returning to class. Do not ask the instructor if you missed
anything important. If students come in tardy, it is their responsibility to find out
what they missed and to make sure, after class, that their attendance has been
recorded; otherwise, they will be considered absent.
Attendance/Withdrawals: As a result of absences, you should understand that
your in-class grade will suffer, and of course, your ability to do the work
required in the course will also be weakened and grades on that work will
naturally be lower. If a student misses more than 6 hours of class, excused or
non-excused absences, the student may be dropped from the course. Three
tardies equal one absence. Leaving early is the same as a tardy. If students stop
attending the class, they will receive an Fx, failure due to absences, on their
transcript.
o If you feel that you cannot complete this course, please take the time to
meet with me to discuss why you feel it is necessary to do so (See Contact
Information above). I may be able to provide you with suggestions to
enable you to complete the course. Your success is my primary goal.
o If you wish to withdraw, fill out the withdrawal form online and submit it.
Faculty can only withdraw you from a class for excess absences.
However, before you withdraw from any class, please consider the
following carefully: The State of Texas imposes penalties on students
who drop courses excessively. For example, if you take the same course
more than two times, you have to pay extra tuition. In 2007, the Texas
Legislature passed a law limiting new students (those starting college in
Fall 2007) to no more than six total course withdrawals throughout their
academic career in obtaining a baccalaureate degree. There may be future
penalties imposed.
o International Students: Receiving an Fx in a course may affect the status
of your student Visa. Please contact the International Student Office at
713-718-8520 if you have any questions about your visa status and other
transfer issues.
See a brief Syllabus Overview – last page of this syllabus!
 Last day for Administrative Student Withdrawals:
Monday, September 28, at 4:30 P. M.
HCC Student Services Information:
Student Services (SS) provides master’s and doctoral-level
counseling for the Northwest College student body.
Counselors are available at each campus to assist students
in creating class schedules, evaluating college transcripts,
and completing degree/certificate plans.
SS Regular Business Hours: (both campuses)
 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. M – Th
 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. F – Sat
SS Phone numbers:
 Katy Campus, 713-718-5751
 Spring Branch Campus, 713-718-5669
Additional Information:
http://northwest.hccs.edu/northwest/campus-servies
Early Alert: HCC has instituted an Early Alert process by
which your professor will “alert” you through counselors
of concerns that you might fail a class because of excessive
absences and/or poor academic performance.
See a brief Syllabus Overview – last page of this syllabus!
Syllabus Overview
English Composition I
Mr. Robert Forker, M. Ed.
Sec. No. 73120
Katy - Room 108
Houston Community College - NW
Aug. 24 – Oct. 18
Tues. & Thurs. 2:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Course Goal: In English 1301, we seek to provide writing instruction and practice that will
help students master writing the short essay while developing critical reading skills. We
believe that in mastering this particular kind of writing, students will also gain skills to ensure
success at writing tasks for all college courses, their careers, and in their personal lives.
Required Materials:
 Kennedy, X. J., Kennedy, D. M. and Aaron, J. E. The Bedford Reader, Eleventh Edition,
Bedford / St. Martin’s. 2012 (GR)
 McGraw Hill Connect Composition (CC) Website: http://www.mhhe.com
o Registration: http://connect.mheducation.com/class/forker_73120
o Support: http://www.mhhe.com/support or 1-800-331-5094.
 English 1301 Study Guide. (SG) + McGraw-Hill Handbook. (MH) – get online at CC.
 Blue Books for formal in-class assignments (BB)
You may need access to additional materials such as:
 College Level Dictionary; Journal or Notebook; Digital Storage Medium.
Minimum Writing Requirement: You will be expected to write 5000 words during the term.
Each in-class Exam must be written in a Blue Book. Each Essay Project (proposals,
drafts and essays) must be submitted in online at Turnitin.com by the assignment due
date deadline.
Student Essay Projects* and Exams:
 30% Two Short Essays (500 words each)
Turnitin.com – 300 points
 15% Critical Analysis Essay (1000 w.)
– 150 points
 10% Analysis in class essay (750 w.) – Midterm Exam - BB
– 100 points
 25% Researched Persuasive Essay Project (1500 w.)
– 250 points
 20% Persuasive in class essay (750 w.) – Final Exam - BB
– 200 points
 * For full credit each Essay Project requires these related assignments to be
submitted online: 1. A Plan or Outline (4%); 2. A First Draft for PeerMark® (10%) 3. A
PeerMark® Session (20%); Final Draft (66%).
Calendar of Due Dates:
 Tues. Aug. 25 –
Diagnostic Essay Assignment – Print 2 pages on paper – okay!
 Thurs. Aug. 27 –
Diagnostic Essay DUE + Essay One Plan / Outline DUE
 Tues. Sep. 01 –
Essay One Draft DUE for Peer Review
 Thurs. Sep. 03 –
Essay One Final Draft DUE + Essay Two Plan / Outline DUE
 Tues. Sep. 08 –
Essay Two Draft DUE for Peer Review
 Thurs. Sep. 10 –
Essay Two Final Draft DUE. Midterm Exam next week in class
 Tues. Sep. 15 –
Write Midterm Exam – Analysis in class BB essay – 3 Hours!
 Thurs. Sep. 17 –
Critical Analysis Plan / Outline DUE
 Tues. Sep. 22 –
Critical Analysis Draft DUE for Peer Review
 Thurs. Sep. 24 –
Critical Analysis Essay Final Draft DUE
 Tues. Sep. 29 –
Persuasion Research Proposal DUE
 Thurs. Oct. 01 –
Persuasion Research Project Draft DUE for Peer Review
 Tues. Oct. 06 –
Works Cited DUE at end of class.
 Thurs. Oct. 08 –
Write Final Exam – Persuasive in class BB essay – 3 Hours!
 Tues. Oct. 13 –
Persuasion Research Project Final Draft DUE
 Thurs. Oct. 15 –
Closing Thoughts; Prepare for: ENGL-1302