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English 1301 Policies & Syllabus
Spring 2012
Room C243
Instructor: Rebecca Spears
Email: Rebecca.Spears@hccs.edu
Office Hours: Before and after class, and by appointment
English 1301 Course Description
English 1301 is a course devoted to improving the student’s writing and critical reading. The
course involves writing essays for a variety of purposes from personal to academic, including
the introduction to argumentation, critical analysis, and the use of sources. English 1301 is a
core curriculum course.
Required Texts
The Writer’s Presence (McQuade & Atwan)
The Little, Brown Handbook (Fowler & Aaron)
Other Materials:
A notebook with loose-leaf paper, a folder with pockets, paper and pens, flash drives, or zip
diskettes, or other file saving-devices.
HCC Learning Web Page – http://learning.hccs.edu/
Objectives of the course:
1. Demonstrate knowledge of writing as 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.
Course Purpose
English 1301 is designed to help students write multi-paragraph expository, analytical, and
argumentative essays that have the following qualities:
· clarity in purpose and expression,
· appropriate and sensible organization,
· sound content, including applications of concepts from and references to assigned
readings,
· completeness in development,
· unity and coherence,
· appropriate strategies of development,
· sensitivity to audience,
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·
·
·
effective choice of words and sentence patterns,
grammatical and mechanical correctness, and
appropriate MLA citations format.
Grading:
Assignment
Essay 1
Essay 2
Essay 3
Essay 4
Essay 5
Reading quizzes
Class participation
Mid-term Exam
Final Exam
Percentage of Final Grade
10
10
10
10
10
10
15
10
15
All of the above assignments will be discussed at length in class during the course of
the semester. All essays must conform to MLA standards and must be submitted as a
hard copy; the instructor may also require you to submit the papers to Turnitin.com
by the due date.
HCC Grading Scale
A = 100 – 90 (4 points per semester hour); B = 89 – 80 (3 points per semester hour); C = 79
– 70 (2 points per semester hour); D = 69 – 60 (1 point per semester hour); 59 and below =
F (0 points per semester hour); *W [Withdrawn] (0 points per semester hour); *FX [Failure
due to absence after the drop date] (0 points per semester hour).
Quizzes:
Students are expected to attend class prepared to discuss the previous readings accurately
and effectively. Students will also be quizzed over lecture materials. Quizzes will be given at
the instructor’s discretion and there will be no make-up quizzes given for those missed.
Mid-Term and Final In-Class Essays:
Each of these in-class essays will be a timed writing. You must make a grade of “C” or
better on your in-class writing assignments to potentially receive a grade of “C” or better in
the course, per HCCS requirements.
Evidence of Plagiarism will be graded as “0” (zero).
All students must demonstrate competence in their in-class writing assignments to
potentially pass English 1301. All segments of all assignments must be turned in and
accepted in order to potentially pass English 1301. The date listed on the syllabus is the very
last day on which the assignment will be accepted. All out-of-class essays must be submitted
to TurnItIn.com to be considered for credit. Absence is not a valid reason for failure to turn
in an assignment on time. All drafts of all out-of-class assignments MUST conform to MLA
standards and MUST be typed or word-processed. There is no extra credit, nor is there a
curve. You will receive the grade you have earned for the course.
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Classroom Etiquette:
“Use of recording devices, including camera phones and tape recorders, is prohibited in
classrooms, laboratories, faculty offices, and other locations where instruction, tutoring, or
testing occurs. Students with disabilities who need to use a recording device as a reasonable
accommodation should contact the Office for Students with Disabilities for information
regarding reasonable accommodations” (Spangler 2007).
In a non-computer classroom, students may have (and are responsible for any damage to the
room by) non-alcoholic beverages. Food is strictly prohibited from the class. In a computer
classroom, students may not have any food and/or beverage. This policy will be strictly
enforced.
Phone use or use of other electronic devices during class time will result in you being asked
to leave the classroom for the remainder of the class; in addition, you will be counted tardy
or absent.
Students are expected to participate in all classroom activities; in addition, students are
expected to respect other classmates and the instructor, especially by listening, speaking in
turn, and responding thoughtfully in discussions.
HCCS Policies:
Attendance Policy:
1. 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. Presenting the appearance of sleeping is the
equal of one absence. It is the responsibility of the tardy student to make sure, after
class, that her or his attendance has been recorded. Otherwise, such students will be
considered absent. If students stop attending the class, it is their responsibility to
formally withdraw by March 29, 2012. If they do not, they will receive an F for the
course.
2. If a student misses the first week of classes, the student will be automatically
withdrawn from the course.
3. After the official last day for student withdrawals, there is no longer an option for a
W to be granted; consequently, for every hour of absence over the allowed 6 hours
accrued by the student, 5 points will be deducted from the student’s overall class
grade.
4. If absent or late to a class, the student is responsible for any information missed.
Each student is to exchange 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 anything important was missed.
International Students:
Receiving a “W” in a course may affect the status of your student visa. Once a “W” is given
for the course, it will not be changed to an “F” because of the visa consideration. Please
contact the International Student Office at 713-718-8520 if you have any questions about
your visa status and any other transfer issues.
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Scholastic Dishonesty:
According to the Student Handbook for the Houston Community College System, scholastic
dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion.
1. Cheating on a test includes:
 Copying from another student’s test paper and using materials not authorized
by the person giving the test.
 Collaborating with another student during a test without authority.
 Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in whole
or part the contents of an unadministered test.
 Bribing another person to obtain a test that is to be administered.
2. Plagiarism means the appropriation of another’s words or ideas and the
unacknowledged incorporation of that work in one’s own written work offered for
credit.
3. Collusion means the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing
written work offered for credit.
Possible punishments for scholastic dishonesty may include a grade of 0 or F for the
particular assignment, failure in the course, and/or recommendation for probation or
dismissal from the College System.
In this class, the consequence of such dishonesty is a zero (0) for the assignment and
usually, an F for the course. This policy will be STRICTLY enforced. ALL source
material MUST be documented in compliance with MLA guidelines in all drafts of
all assignments submitted to the instructor.
Students are responsible for complying with the concepts of scholastic honesty. If you have
any questions concerning this issue or any major assignment for this course, arrange a
conference with me.
Inclement Weather
During inclement weather conditions (such as a hurricane), the College contacts local
television stations to inform them of campus closings. These stations broadcast school
closings on a regular basis. Students should monitor these stations if they have any concerns
about a campus closing due to weather conditions.
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.
Statement Regarding Special Conditions
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
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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.
District ADA Coordinator – Donna Price – 713.718.5165
Central ADA Counselors – Jaime Torres - 713.718.6164
Martha Scribner – 713.718.6164
Northeast ADA Counselor- Kim Ingram – 713.718.8420
Northwest ADA Counselor – Mahnaz Kolaini – 713.718.5422
Southeast ADA Counselor – Jette Lott - 713.718.7218
Southwest ADA Counselor – Dr. Becky Hauri – 713.718.7910
Coleman ADA Counselor – Dr. Raj Gupta – 713.718.7631
Free English Tutoring
The Southwest College offers you free tutoring at our tutoring centers where you will receive
individual attention with any of your writing concerns. Be sure to bring your books and
assignments with you when you go to the tutoring lab. List of Locations for Live ‘face to
face’ Tutoring: West Loop Center - Room 160 B, Tu – Th, 5:00 – 8:00 pm.
HCC also provides an online tutoring program. The URL for this tutoring option is:
http://hccs.askonline.net. In order to use HCC's Online Tutoring, students must first
register with www.hccs.askonline.net, and to do that they must use an email account. You
may use your personal email account or your HCC email account. To activate the HCC email, students should go to the HCC Home Page, click on "For Students," and from the
right column of choices, click on "Student E-Mail" and follow the directions.
Open Computer Lab
You have free access to the Internet and word processing in the open computer labs on the
West Loop Campus. Check the door of the open computer labs for hours of operation or
click on link below. All HCCS students are welcome to utilize this resource. Link to Open
Lab information: http://learning.swc.hccs.edu/technology/open-computer-labs/southwestcollege-student-open-computer-labs/ . Please Note: A fee is charged for printed work (per
page).
Library (Learning Resource Center)
The Southwest College has a Learning Resource Center at each campus for student use. The
library provides electronic resources including a computerized catalog system as well as
numerous data bases that contain full-text articles. Stop by your campus library to find out
hours of operation. All students will be required to obtain and/or update an HCCS Library
Card. Please note – your HCC picture id is your library card. http://library.hccs.edu/
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English Composition 1301
Spring 2012 Daily Syllabus
(Note: This syllabus is subject to change)
Week 1. Introduction to the course
Texts: The Writer’s Presence (WP); The Little, Brown Handbook (LBH)
Syllabus & calendar; class expectations. .
Week 2. In-class diagnostic essay.
Reading: Narrative essays from WP - Amy Tan (249); David Sedaris (234);
Edward Hoagland (137). Chapters 1 and 2 in LBH.
Narrative Essay topic assigned.
Week 3. Narrative Essay draft due. In-class revision.
Reading: Descriptive essays from WP – Judith Ortiz Cofer (64); Brian Doyle
(108); and Virginia Woolf (601).
Descriptive writing, in class.
Grammar Practice, as assigned.
Week 4. Final draft, Narrative Essay due.
Reading: Cause and Effect essays from WP – Siri Hustvedt (434); Lakshmi
Chaudry (632); Camille Paglia (791).
Cause/Effect Essay topic assigned.
Grammar practice, as assigned.
Week 5. Cause/Effect draft due. In-class activities.
Readings and grammar practice, as assigned.
Week 6. Final draft, Cause/Effect essay due.
Readings: Comparison/contrast essays from WP.
Comparison/contrast topic assigned.
Grammar practice, as assigned.
Week 7. Comparison/contrast (cont.)
Mid-term exam.
Grammar practice, as assigned.
Week 8. Comparison/contrast essay due.
Grammar exam.
Week 9. Readings: Division/classification essays in WP.
Division/classification essay topic assigned.
Grammar practice, as assigned.
Week 10. Division/classification (cont.).
Readings and grammar practice, as assigned.
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Week 11. Readings: Definition essays in WP.
Definition essay topic assigned.
Grammar practice, as assigned.
Week 12. Definition essay, in-class revision.
Final draft, Definition essay due.
Grammar practice, as assigned.
Week 13. Readings: Argument essays in WP.
Argument essay topic assigned.
MLA Documentation.
Grammar practice, as assigned.
Week 14. Final draft, Argument essay due.
Week 15. Review for final exam.
Week 16. Final exam.