Metropolitan Community College
Course Syllabus – Spring 2010
COURSE IDENTIFICATION
Title:
Fundamentals of College Writing
Prefix/Section:
ENGL_0960_1B Fundamentals of College Writing
Credit Hours:
6.0
Begins/Ends/No-Class Days:
March 11- May 25
Class Census Date:
3/24/2010 (see attendance policy)
Last Date to Withdraw:
5/10/2010
Meeting Time:
Tuesday/Thursday 10:00-12:55 pm
Class Location:
Elkhorn – Room 407
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CONTACT INFORMATION
Instructor Name:
Office Hours:
Email Address:
Dean’s Office Telephone:
Elizabeth Mack
By appointment only
emack@mccneb.edu
738-4590, Dean Susann Suprenant, Associate Jacquie Woods
*Note: The dean’s area number is given in case you have an
issue that you are unable to resolve with an instructor. The dean
can only help you, however, if you have a written record (e-mail)
showing your attempt to first resolve the issue with the instructor
directly.
Metro Username and password: _____________________________________________
Exercise Central username and password: ______________________________________
COURSE INFORMATION
Course Description: This course develops students’ abilities to write clearly and effectively for different
audiences and purposes. Instruction emphasizes the fundamentals of effective expository writing
processes including invention, organization, and revision with an emphasis on editing, coherence, and
sentence structure. Assignments introduce students to various types of college writing including both
polished short essays and in-class writing. Students also learn to read critically as a means to analyze
and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses and to apply appropriate revision strategies. This is a
developmental course and does not fulfill graduation requirements .
Course Prerequisites: Assessment testing in Reading and English
Course Objectives:
Upon completion, the student will be able to:
1. Understand and use writing as a process
2. Write clearly and effectively for different audiences and purposes
3. Independently use writing and reading as tools for learning
4. Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of their own writing and that of others
5. Grow as writers
Required and Supplemental Materials:
Text: Successful College Writing 4thd Edition by Kathleen T. McWhorter = REQUIRED
Purdue Owl Website: Access this website for additional help with any kind of writing-related questions
and ESL help: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
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Class Materials: --One notebook and one folder dedicated to our class
--Portable electronic storage device (flashdrive)
--College dictionary
--Metro email account
† You must come to each class with your textbook. If you do not have your textbook by the second class
session, you will begin to accumulate absences, and may not be allowed back without the text.
*All Metro computers have 2007 Word; if you have 2003 or older Word, Works, a Mac or any other
program, you may not be able to open your work in class. Also, work saved at Metro cannot be
reopened in an older version; you must save all work done in class in the old version. If you use
another program at home, save as Rich Text Format (RTF). If you fail to do so and cannot open
work in class when needed, you may miss out on participation and workshop points, and may be
given an absence. I suggest to always email your work to yourself so you can access it as a
backup.
Course Structure: Weekly classes will be made up of some traditional & some non-traditional class
periods of instruction by the teacher and application by the students; mini-lessons about grammar; group
discussions; and one-on-one, as well as, peer conferencing. There will be weekly reading and writing
assignments; however, we will work on some shorter writing in class (please make sure to have a
portable electronic storage device, ie, flashdrive). Regular writing will be accomplished through a
grammar journal, short papers, and essays. The class will end with a final expository timed essay exam.
COURSE ASSESSMENT
1. Types of Assessment- Classroom writing; group conferencing; and homework
comprised of reading, writing, & critical thinking
Course Objectives
1. Understand and use writing as a process
Assessment Measures
1. For each writing assignment, students will
produce evidence of invention, planning,
drafting, revising, and editing
2. For each writing assignment, students will
demonstrate competence in development,
organization, style, and mechanics consistent
with a particular purpose and appropriate for a
specific audience
3. For each writing assignment, students will
demonstrate critical thinking and reading skills
4. For each writing assignment, students will
conduct peer and personal evaluations and
will provide and incorporate useful feedback
5. At the end of the course, students will
demonstrate their growth as writers
2. Write clearly and effectively for different
audiences and purposes
3. Independently use writing and reading as
tools for learning
4. Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of
their own writing and that of others
5. Grow as writers
Grading Policy
Your final grade in the course will be based on your attendance, participation, and completion of required
assignments. Each of your major assignments will receive a grade and comments from me on its revised
draft. This will allow you to keep track of your progress throughout the quarter. Although no letter grades
(A, B, C, D, F) are given in developmental classes, students will be aware of their letter-grade standing. A
passing grade of 70% or above on all major assignments and the final in-class essay as well as
satisfactory completion of all other course is required to receive a passing grade of a (P). A (P) indicates
that the student has satisfactorily met all objectives and completed the assigned work. A grade of reenroll (R) indicates that the student has attempted to meet course objectives and complete the assigned
work but has either been unable to or is not prepared to move on. To earn an (R), the student must have
completed all assigned work and attended class regularly. A failing grade (F) indicates that a student has
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not met some or all objectives and/or has not completed all assigned work. If a student fails because of
poor attendance (see policy), the grade of an (FX) will be given, which is the same as an (F) but indicates
that absences played a role in the evaluation. If you have questions or concerns about your course
standing at any time, please do not hesitate to schedule an appointment with me to discuss them.
2. Assignments (used to determine final course grade):
Essay 1
Essay 2
Essay 3
Final In-Class Essay
Grammar Exam 1
Grammar Exam 2
Participation and Preparedness
Total Points Possible
100 Points
100
100
100
25
25
50_______
500 points
Late Assignments: Assignments are due on the dates indicated in the Schedule of Assignments (or
as specified by instructor) whether you are in class or not. Late assignments are considered low priority
for instructor assessment and will lose 10% per day late.
*Note: After one week, late assignments will not be accepted.
Maintenance of Student Records- With few exceptions, assignments are returned one-two
weeks after they are turned in. Students are expected to keep track of their graded assignments
and should know where they are grade-wise before the class ends. The instructor does not
figure grades for students before the end of the course.
STUDENT EXPECTATIONS
1. Attendance Policy
Attendance in this class is vital to your final course outcome. Following a professional model, no distinction
is made between excused and unexcused absences—if you are absent, I assume it is for a good reason,
but you are nevertheless responsible for turning in work due that day on time and coming prepared for the
following class. Upon the fifth absence, the student will receive an absence related failure (FX) for the
course if you do not withdraw before the deadline. Once you have reached the FX assessment, I will no
longer accept assignments from you or provide feedback about your writing. Students who attend no class
meetings up to and including the Section Census Date published in the Class Schedule at
www.mccneb.edu/schedule/ may be disenrolled from the class (WX). There is no appeal for this
disenrollment.
Any student who misses 3 consecutive classes will receive an absence related failure (FX) as the final
course grade. Because punctuality is important, being late 15 or more minutes or leaving 15 or more
minutes early 3 times will result in an absence.
This policy is in accordance with the English department’s policy that students must be present for at
least 80% of class sessions to have the opportunity to earn a passing grade. There will be no
exceptions to this policy, including circumstances such as illness or family emergency; the two allowed
absences are built in specifically for such issues. If personal circumstances force you to miss more than
two weeks of class, it is best that you pick it up at a later date.
**THERE ARE NO “EXCUSED” ABSENCES.
2. Class Participation
Students are expected to be active participants in the classroom by actively listening and contributing
to classroom activities, projects, and discussions.
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3. Portable Electronic Devices Usage
Using cell phones and/or text messaging is completely inappropriate and unacceptable during class.
In the college classroom, TEXTING IS CONSIDERED NO DIFFERENT THAN TALKING ON A CELL
PHONE IN CLASS AND WILL BE TREATED AS SUCH. All phones/ electronic devices should be
turned off until breaks or after class. If I see you using any electronic devices during our class –
INCLUDING TEXTING - you will be asked to leave and will receive an absence for the day.
4. Expected Classroom Behavior
As a student in this class, you are expected to treat your fellow classmates and your instructor with
respect. All students come to class with different backgrounds, beliefs, and values and we will treat
views with the respect they deserve. As a college student, you are expected to take responsibility for
your learning through active involvement. This means that you must attend all class sessions, read all
assigned materials, ask questions as needed, participate thoughtfully in class discussions and
projects, and complete assigned writing projects on time, revising as needed. The extent to which you
participate in these activities as well as the skill level and depth of knowledge you display in their
completion will influence the final grade you earn in this course.
Understand that certain behaviors disrupt the classroom environment for other students and the
instructor, and they will not be tolerated. Any student engaging in these behaviors after an initial
verbal reminder is given will be dismissed from class and receive an absence for the day; he or she
will be unable to return until the following session. Prohibited behaviors include, but are not
necessarily limited to:
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Using portable electronic devices in class (cell phones, pagers). Silence them when you enter the
classroom. Absolutely NO TEXTING is allowed during class time.
Talking out of turn. When the instructor or another student has the floor, you are not permitted to
carry on your own conversation.
Sleeping.
Using computers for tasks unrelated to assigned work (e-mail, internet surfing, chatting, social
networking).
Any behavior (verbal or nonverbal) that disrupts the learning environment will not be tolerated. If
disruptive behavior occurs, the offending student will be asked to leave and will receive an absence
for the day.
Finally, any student who is disrespectful to other students or to the instructor will be required to meet
with the instructor to discuss ways he or she will change the behavior. If the behavior continues to be
a problem, proceedings to remove the student from the class will be initiated with the campus dean
as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.
COMPUTERS
Computers are for the use of class purposed only; surfing Facebook or Myspace or checking emails
is prohibited during class time. Repeated abuse will result in accumulating absences.
When you use computers in College computer labs, learning centers, libraries and many classrooms, you
will need to login using your student username and password. Your username is the same as your
WebAdvisor username and your initial password is your student ID with leading zeros to make it seven
digits. If you need assistance, please contact staff at any of the computer labs, learning centers and
libraries.
COMMUNICATION
The instructor will contact you with important class information or messages via your Metro student email,
including class cancellations, assignment reminders, grade warnings, etc. Please check your Metro email
regularly to access any correspondence from the instructor.
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LEARNING SUPPORT
Metro's Academic Resource Centers, Math, and Writing Centers can help you achieve educational
success. The staff in these centers provide drop-in assistance with basic math, reading, writing and
computer skills. We offer a friendly, supportive learning environment. Self-paced computer-assisted
instructional support in reading, vocabulary, typing, English as a Second Language, and online course
orientation is also available.
Detailed information about these services are in the Student Handbook, College Catalog, and online.
Links to these resources are located at http://www.mccneb.edu/learningcenter/.
COLLEGE POLICIES
College policies, such as student rights and responsibilities, academic standards, plagiarism, and etc. are
outlined in the College Catalog and Student Handbook. This information can be accessed via the online
catalog at http://www.mccneb.edu/academics/catalog.asp.
STUDENT WITHDRAWAL: If you cannot participate in and complete this course, you should officially
withdraw by calling Central Registration at 402-457-5231 or 1-800-228-9553. Failure to officially withdraw
will result in either an attendance-related failure (FX) or failing (F) grade. The last date to withdraw is
noted in the CLASS IDENTIFICATION section of this syllabus.
STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT: The College has a standard code of conduct that involves
consequences for specific academic and non-academic behavior that may result in a failing grade,
probation, or suspension from the college. More complete information about the code of conduct is
located in the Student Services portion of the online catalog
(http://www.mccneb.edu/catalog/studentinformation.asp).
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: If you have a disability that may
substantially limit your ability to participate in this class, please contact a Disability Support Services
Counselor, located in the Student Services Office on each campus. Metropolitan Community College will
provide reasonable accommodations for persons with documented qualifying disabilities. However, it is
the student’s responsibility to request accommodations. For further information, please contact the
Student Services Office at your campus.
ADDITIONAL COLLEGE POLICIES
A. ACADEMIC HONESTY STATEMENT
Students are reminded that materials they may use as sources for this course may be subject to copyright
protection. Additional information about copyright is provided on the library webpage at
http://www.mccneb.edu/library, by your instructor, or by the College's Copyright Officer. In response to
incidents of student dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, etc.), the College imposes specific actions that may
include receiving a failing grade on a test, failure in the course, suspension from the College, or dismissal
from the College. The disciplinary procedures are available in the Counseling/Advising Centers.
B.
USE OF TURN IT IN.COM
To promote ethical use of source materials and integrity in students’ written work, Metro Community
College now subscribes to Turnitin.com, a service that provides document source analysis in order to
detect plagiarism. Students enrolled in this section of ENGL-0960 agree that required work may be
submitted by the instructor to Turnitin.com.
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SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS
Note: This schedule is tentative and subject to change. Chapters covered for the week are listed on the bar
above the week. Homework (other than as listed on the syllabus) will be determined in each class based on
what we complete while in class, so if you are not present, you must contact me or a classmate to learn
what is expected of you in the next class. Neither quizzes nor in-class writings can be made up if you are
absent or unprepared. All reading assignments are due on the class following their announcement unless
otherwise indicated.
Week 1
3/11
Day 1: Welcome!
Course syllabus; Course expectations
Introductions
Metro username and password
Exercise Central
Computers 101, a crash course (optional)
College Paper formatting; saving to Word 2007 & RTF
Assignment: Get book before next class!
Week 2
3/16 – 3/18
Day 1: Chapter 1& 2 — cover in class
Purdue Owl Website
Take Learning Styles Inventory
Introduce 1st assignment
Sentence Boundaries: Independent and Dependent Clauses
Prewriting activities/outlining
Assignment: Read Chapter 3 for next class, pp 43-55
Day 2: Discuss Chapter 3
Begin Ch. 7 in class
Poverty Simulation Guest Speaker
Sentence Boundaries: Comma Splices
Assignment: Read Ch. 7pp. 142-150
Week 3
3/23 – 3/25
Day 1: Discuss Ch. 7
Read beginning of Ch. 5 in class: Thesis Statements
Outlining basics
Begin drafting first assignment in class
Sentence Boundaries: Fragments
Assignment: write first draft of essay and make 4 typed copies for next class; email copy to your
Metro email account. **IF YOU USE SOMETHING OTHER THAN MS WORD, YOU MUST
SAVE IN RTF; METRO COMPUTERS CANNOT READ OTHER PROGRAMS!
Day 2: Group Workshops
First Essay draft due for review (typed, four copies)
Failure to have copies to workshop will render you unable to participate in group
workshop and will result in absence. Bring saved draft to work on in class.
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Revise essay for instructor
Week 4
3/30 – 4/1
Day 1: “Why I Came To College” essay #1 due to instructor (with process work)
Introduce Compare and Contrast Essay
Read Ch. 14 in class: p. 341 “Amusing Ourselves…” and p. 343 “Dearly Disconnected”
PowerPoint ART
Assignment: read Chapter 14 pp. 361-369
Day 2: Discuss Ch. 14 reading: p. 361 “Border Bites”
Group work handout
Discovering topics
Developing a thesis statement
Week 5
4/6 – 4/8
Day 1: Organization of essay
Transitional Words handout
Graphic outline
Sentence Boundaries: Semi-colons & Run-on sentences
Do Ex. Central 963; 478; 783; 560 in class
Begin drafting in class (outline)
Assignment: Write comparison and contrast essay and email copy to your Metro email account
Day 2: Hump Day!
Sentence Boundary Class: Students teach grammar/punctuation class
Grammar Exam #1
Week 6
4/13 – 4/15
Day 1: Group Conferences with Instructor
Draft due for review (typed, five copies)
Failure to have copies to workshop will render you unable to participate in group
conferences and will result in absence.
Day 2: Group Conferences with Instructor
Draft due for review (typed, five copies)
Failure to have copies to workshop will render you unable to participate in group
conferences and will result in absence.
Week 7
4/20 – 4/22
Day 1: Comparison and Contrast essay #4 due to instructor (with process work)
Introduce Persuasive Essay assignment
Read Ch. 18 pp. 483-494 in class;
Research topics ideas
Sentence Boundaries: Commas usage with introductory elements
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Day 2: Read Ch. 18 in class: “How Much is that Kidney…” and “Strip Mining the Dead”
Writing developed essays
Brainstorming/topic approval
What do the experts say? Researching for information
Assignment: read Ch. 19, pp. 515-19
Week 8
4/27 – 4/29
Day 1: Discuss reading; ex. 19.1
Workshop thesis/reasons/opposition/rebuttal
Graphic Organizer
Paragraph Structure
Outlining/drafting in class
Assignment: write persuasive essay and email copy to your Metro email account
Day 2:
NO CLASS: Conferences
Individual conferences with instructor; you must have a
rough draft at conference or you will be counted absent.
Week 9
5/4 – 5/6
Day 1: NO CLASS: Conferences
Individual conferences with instructor; you must have a
rough draft at conference or you will be counted absent
Assignment: revise essay for group workshop
Day 2: Group Workshops
Draft due of Persuasive essay for review (typed, four copies)
Failure to have copies to workshop will render you unable to participate in group
workshop and will result in absence.
Bring saved draft to work on in class after workshop is complete.
Assignment: revise essay
Week 10
5/11 – 5/13
Day 1: Persuasive Essay Due to Instructor with all process work
Introduce In-class essay
Begin covering Chapter 17 in class
Grammar Exam #2
Assignment: finish reading Chapter 17 to page 472
Day 2: Discuss Ch. 17
Discuss pre-reading and analysis
In-class writing strategies and structure
Read in class, “When Volunteerism Isn’t Noble”, pp. 485-86
Practice in-class writing using marked essay
Assignment: Read Final Exam essay, Ch. 17, pp. 472, “Part-Time Employment” essay
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Week 11
5/18 – 5/20
Day 1: Discuss reading
More practice with responding critically in class
Thesis statements, author tags, quoting, and paraphrasing
Discuss portfolio requirements
Reflection Paper in Class
Day 2: LAST DAY OF CLASS
In-class writing exam
Final portfolio due
Week 12
5/25
Day 1: Pick up graded portfolio (optional)
Grades will be posted by Wednesday 5/26
TREAT THIS SYLLABUS WITH CARE. THE ONLY WAY TO KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING
IN CLASS IS TO READ AND REFER TO THIS SYLLABUS DAILY. IT IS THE STUDENT’S
RESPONSIBILITY TO REFER TO THIS SYLLABUS TO DETERMINE DUE DATES, READING
ASSIGNMENTS, AND ANY OTHER IMPORTANT CLASS-RELATED INFORMATION. IT IS
NOT THE INSTRUCTOR’S RESPONSIBILITY TO REMIND STUDENTS OF DUE DATES.
Please re-read and understand the content of our class syllabus because:

Your attendance after the first day of discussing the syllabus communicates your
acceptance of the policies and procedures outlined within this document.

The syllabus will be referred to frequently throughout the course and should
prevent any confusion about policies or procedures in the class.
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