Eng 111 College Composition I
Christina Vazquez DE Adjunct
Course Syllabus 2015-2016
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Instructor: Christina Vazquez
Office Hours: By Appointment
Email: christina.vazquez@lcps.org
Course Description:
English 111 introduces students to critical thinking and the fundamentals of academic
writing. Through the writing process students: refine topics, develop and support ideas,
investigate, evaluate, and incorporate appropriate resources, edit for effective style and
usage, and determine appropriate approaches for a variety of contexts, audiences, and
purposes. English 111 will prepare students for all other expected college writing and for
writing in the workplace through understanding the writing process and creation of
effective texts.
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Course Credit: 3 credit hours
Prerequisites:
Students must achieve satisfactory scores on placement tests or SATs as established by
the VCCS and adopted by their college, or have satisfactorily completed either ENF 1 or
ENF 2, depending on where the student was placed.
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Final Exam:
There is no formal exam; however, the final paper is a research paper which will serve as
the final assessment for the course (due week of January 19-check Bb for specific date).
Drop Date:
The last date to drop is October 19, 2015. If you are not proving successful in this college
course due to its rigor or personal issues, the course can be dropped by the above date.
Your school will not be billed for your participation in the course. With your agreement,
your teacher will send an e-mail with this request to the DE Registrar. If a transferrable
course, you must be removed from the course. If non-transferable, you can take the high
school only credit and remain in the course.
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Withdraw Date:
The last date to withdraw is December 11, 2015. If you missed the drop deadline, you may
also be withdrawn from the course. A withdraw places a “W”on your college transcript
but does not impact your college GPA. To be withdrawn, with your permission, your DE
Instructor will complete the DE withdraw form and send to the DE Registrar. Please
note, too many “W’s” on a college transcript can impact your ability to secure financial
aid in the future.
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Eng 111 College Composition I
Christina Vazquez DE Adjunct
Course Syllabus 2015-2016
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Course Objectives:
Upon completion the course, the student will be able to:
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Successfully complete this course will be able to produce an effective essay
through an organized and coherent process.
Develop a topic, draft an essay, revise the draft for improvement, and edit a final
copy.
Incorporate reading and experience into their writing.
Explain, describe and inform in expository writing and will be able to identify the
purpose of the mode of argument in persuasive writing.
Organize and explain ideas with clarity, vividness, effectiveness and grammatical
and mechanical correctness in expository essays.
Use evidence in a thesis-driven essay argumentatively asserting one viewpoint over
another. (A fuller and more robust study of argument is the province of ENG 112.)
Analyze and investigate ideas and present them in well-structured prose
appropriate to a particular purpose and audience.
Read, summarize, and respond to college level texts of varying lengths
Create unified, coherent, well-developed texts that demonstrate a self-critical
awareness of rhetorical elements such as purpose, audience, and organization.
Employ grammatical and mechanical conventions in the preparation of readable
manuscripts, including the documented research essay.
Use and evaluate outside sources of information, incorporate and document
source material and avoid plagiarism.
Produce 15-20 pages of finished, graded text, including a documented essay.
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Major Topics to be Included:
 Selecting/Refining topics
 Critical thinking
 Composing effective sentences and paragraphs
 Developing, organizing, and supporting ideas
 Investigating and evaluating resources
 Incorporating appropriate resources into a text
 Considering context, audience, and purpose
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Method of Instruction:
 Traditional classroom lecture and class discussion
 Group discussions and group activities
 Peer review sessions/workshops
 Discussion Boards on Blackboard
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Eng 111 College Composition I
Christina Vazquez DE Adjunct
Course Syllabus 2015-2016
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Presentations
Videos
Digital and paper assessments
Instructional Materials:
Readings listed on Blackboard.
Assignments/Activities Grading Breakdown:
 Essays: 50 points each
 Quizzes: 100 points
 Journals: 10 points each
 Punctuation Project: 50 points
 Annotated Bibliographies: 20 points each
 Writing Workshop Activities: 10 points each
 Research Paper: 100 points
 Class Participation: 10 points
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Final Grade for the course is derived from an average of total number of points the
student earns in the class, divided by the total number of points offered during the
semester (students will have the opportunity to earn about 700 points more or
less).
NVCC Grading Scale:
A = 100 - 90 B = 89 - 80
C = 79 - 70
D = 69 - 60
LCPS Grading Scale:
A+ = 100-98 A = 97-93
C+ = 79-77 C = 76-73
A- = 92-90
C - = 72-70
B+ = 89-87 B = 86-83
D+ = 69- 67 D = 66-63
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F = 59 and below
B- = 82-80
D - = 62-60 F = 59-
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Note: The NVCC grading scale does not use pluses or minuses. In terms of percentages, the
grade is the same as LCPS; however, on your LCPS transcript the grade will reflect the LCPS
grading scale.
Assignments:
 Reading Assignments/Reading Discussions — Class discussions and writing
assignments will be paired with assigned readings. Students are responsible for all
reading assignments both in and outside of class. Students must come to class
prepared to talk about the readings. Participation points are based on the level of
involvement in class discussions.
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Eng 111 College Composition I
Christina Vazquez DE Adjunct
Course Syllabus 2015-2016
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Daily Starters — A regular warm-up activity completed in class consisting of
grammar and various sentence structure exercises.
Journals/Discussion Board — Weekly responses to various readings; students
will reply to prompts using the Bb tools. Replies should be around 150-200 words.
Quizzes — Students may be assigned quizzes based on reading or workshoprelated activities including writing mechanics and integrating and citing sources.
Be prepared for pop-quizzes on readings.
Punctuation Project — Students will create a presentation on punctuation
marks, explaining how to correctly use the mark and show examples, from
billboards and signs, on the misuse of the punctuation marks.
Annotated Bibliographies — Students will research topics and find resources
which will help support their topics.
Peer Edits — Rough drafts will undergo mandatory peer editing by one or more
students during class time; students must be present and have a draft in order to
receive points (writing workshop).
Final Drafts — Final drafts reflect substantial time and effort devoted to revising,
with evidence of drafting and editing.
Research Paper — A final paper offering students an opportunity to apply various
skills to persuade readers.
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All essays need to be typed and double-spaced, in 12-pt. font (Times Roman), follow
MLA guidelines and must be turned in via SafeAssign.
Honor Code:
Neither cheating nor plagiarism will be tolerated. If you are found cheating or plagiarizing
you will receive a grade of 0 for that assignment, and the incident will be reported to the
principle and academic dean. According to the NOVA Student Handbook, “Academic
dishonesty cannot be condoned. When such misconduct is established as having
occurred, it subjects you to possible disciplinary actions ranging from admonition to
dismissal, along with any grade penalty the instructor might, in appropriate cases,
impose. Procedural safeguards of due process and appeal are available to you in
disciplinary matters.” The complete policy may be reviewed at
www.nvcc.edu/curcatalog/policies/integrity. Students have the right to due process and
to appeal as defined in the sections on Students Disciplinary Procedure and Student
Grievance and Academic Due Process in the student handbook.
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Special Services:
To the extent allowable by NVCC, students with IEPs or 504 plans will receive the
accommodations specified in those IEPs or 504 plans. It should be noted that such
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Eng 111 College Composition I
Christina Vazquez DE Adjunct
Course Syllabus 2015-2016
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modifications will NOT include excusing students from completing the minimum page
requirement for the class specified by the university.
Attendance:
Good attendance is imperative to success in the class. If an absence is unavoidable, it is
YOUR responsibility to check Blackboard (Bb) and keep up with the class.
Please note that if you have an assignment due on a day you are absent, you are required
to turn in your work, on time, for full points. If it is late, you will lose points (a
deduction of 20% of the total number of points available; see below for further
clarification), even if you were absent.
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Policy for Make-up Work:
Papers must be submitted at the time indicated on Bb, or assignments are considered late.
If you turn in an assignment past the due date, you will lose 20% of the total available
points. For example, if an assignment is worth 100 points, you will immediately lose 20
points for turning in the assignment late.
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Late assignments will be accepted up to one week from the original due date;
assignments will NOT be accepted if they are later than one week from the original
due date, and you will earn a “zero.”
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If you have a legitimate emergency and need to make arrangements for an
extension, you must do so before the due date. Communication is key.
Revision/Retake Policy:
Students will be allowed one revision on formal essays. Students will have one week from
the day the paper is returned to submit a revision; they will receive the higher grade.
No retakes on quizzes or in-class writings.
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Additional Course Information:
 Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is defined as using another person’s work or ideas without giving proper
credit. Any attempt to take credit for work that is not yours may lead to an
automatic zero for the assignment and a report will be filed with the academic
dean and principal.
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 Classroom Etiquette:
This is a college course, and you are expected to behave like a college student.
Your maturity when dealing with difficult and/or adult topics is expected. This
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Eng 111 College Composition I
Christina Vazquez DE Adjunct
Course Syllabus 2015-2016
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includes a willingness to consider opinions that differ from your own and an open
mind about a variety of subjects. It is not necessary for you to agree with or
support ideas in order to engage with them. Additionally, please refrain from all
distracting behavior, including participating in irrelevant discussions, using
personal electronic devices, and completing work for another class. Cell phones
are not allowed in class, unless we are working on something and need to
use them for instruction. Turn them off before class begins and keep
phones in your bag. Texting also counts as cell phone use. If you are using
your phone during class, I will ask you to leave class, and you will NOT be able to
make up whatever is missed.
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 Miscellaneous Information:
o NVCC IT Help Desk: 703-426-4141
o Writing Center (make an appointment first): 703-450-2511 [located in LR
250]
o NVCC ID cards: Bring your student ID number to: LR 241
o Parking is free at NVCC after 4 p.m. in student lots.
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Class Schedule: The schedule is subject to change.
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Eng 111 College Composition I
Christina Vazquez DE Adjunct
Course Syllabus 2015-2016
Dates
Week 1:
08/31-09/04
Overview of the Week
Course introduction & Syllabus
Writing Process
What is academic writing?
Figurative language
Parts of a Sentence
Readings
 “50 Pieces of
Writing Advice
from Successful
Authors”
 “Grandma’s House”
Assignments
 Online
Syllabus Quiz
 Journal #1
Response
 Drawing
Week 2:
09/07-09/11
Strategy 1: Description
Using figurative language- chart
Group Project: “Chesterfield
Couch”
MLA format
Assign Paper 1
Punctuating Dialogue
Description, continued
How to annotate
Details in writing/Capitalization
Peer editing
Discussion of Essays/Writing
Passive Voice
Strategy 2: Narration
What is narration?
College Essay prompt
Passive Voice
Thesis Statement
Assign Paper 2
The Comma
Narration, cont.
Developing Voice
Diction
Introductions/Conclusions
Dependent/Independent Clauses
Strategy 3: Expository Writing
What is expository writing?
Assign Paper 3
The Semicolon
Strategy: Process Analysis
Writing a process analysis paper
Select a topic/Research
Assign Infographic
Peer Edit Paper 3
The Colon
 “At the Fish
Houses”
 “The Death of a
Moth”
 “In Praise of the
Humble Comma”
 Journal #2
 Begin Rough
Draft (typed,
follow MLA
format)
 “A View from the
Bridge”
 “No Wonder They
Call Me a Bitch”
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 “The Ashen Guy:
Lower Broadway,
September 11, 2001”
 “Mary Ellen’s
Story”
 Research a
narrative
following the
attack on
World Trade
Center
 Journal #4
 Journal #5
 Essay #2 Due
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*09/07 No
School
Week 3:
09/14-09/18
Week 4:
09/21-09/25
Week 5:
09/28-10/02
Week 6:
10/05-10/09
Week 7:
10/12-10/16
*10/12 No School
 Sample college
essays-Group work
 Ted Talk: Joseph
Kim
 “So What’s So Bad
about Being SoSo?”
 “This Is Water”
 “How Boys
Become Men”
 “How to Poison the
Earth”
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Journal #3
Rough Draft
Essay 1 Due
Grammar
Quiz 1
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 Journal #6
 Grammar
Quiz 2
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 Journal #7
 Presentations
to the class
 Work on the
Infographic
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Eng 111 College Composition I
Christina Vazquez DE Adjunct
Course Syllabus 2015-2016
Week 8:
10/19-10/23
Week 9:
10/26-10/30
*10/30 End of
Quarter 1
Week 10:
11/02-11/06
*11/02-11/03 No
School
Week 11:
11/09-11/13
Week 12:
11/16-11/20
Week 13:
11/23- 11/24
Strategy: Process Analysis
Understanding process writing
Presentations in class
Computer Lab
Ellipses
Strategy: Comparison &
Contrast
Continue Presentations
Patterns in writing (Point by Point
vs. The Block)
Annotated Bibliography
The Apostrophe
Strategy: Comparison &
Contrast
Assign Paper 4
Subject-Verb Agreement
 “How to Write a
Letter”
 “On Keeping a
Notebook”
 Paper 3 Due
 Work on
presentations
 “Two Ways of
Viewing the River”
 “Neat People vs.
Sloppy People”
 Journal #8
 Grammar
Quiz 3
 Ted Talk: Ken
Robinson
 Ted Talk: Amy Tan
Strategy: Definition
MLA: Citations/Works Cited
What is the database?
Developing a definition paper
Assign Annotated Bibliography
Strategy: Classification
Library research
Computer Lab
Understanding the Essay
Assign Essay 5
Who vs. Whom
Strategy: Classification
GMO OMG worksheet
 “What is Poverty?”
 “Needs”
 Read/annotate
three articles
on your topic
 Prepare an
annotated
bibliography
 Journal #9
 Begin to read
and annotate 3
articles on
your topic
 Annotated
Bibliography
 Journal #10
 Grammar
Quiz 4
Strategy: Classification
Understanding the Essay
Annotate a Classification Essay
Peer Edit Essay 5
I vs. Me
Strategy: Argument/Research
Analyzing Ads
Developing an Argument
Logos, Ethos, Pathos
MLA Internal Citations
Essay 5 Due
 “The Plot Against
People”
 “But What Do You
Mean?”
 Annotated
Bibliography
Due
 Journal #11
 “Free Pass Fails
Kids”
 “Retaining Kids No
Answer”
 MLA
Scavenger
Hunt
 MLA Quiz
 Journal #12
 “On Being a
Cripple”
 “The Way we Lie”
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 Complete
Worksheet
* 11/25-11-27 No
School
Week 14:
11/30-12/04
Week 15:
12/07-12/11
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Eng 111 College Composition I
Christina Vazquez DE Adjunct
Course Syllabus 2015-2016
Strategy: Argument/Research
Assign Essay 6: Research Paper
Library Research
Fed Up worksheet
 Bring in Op-Ed
Pieces this week-be
prepared to discuss
Week 17:
01/04-01/08
Strategy: Argument/Research
Work on Rough Drafts
Work in Library/Computer Lab
 4 annotated
articles which
support your
research
Week 18:
01/11-01/15
Grammar Quiz
Peer Edit Essay 6
 “The Exclamation
Mark”
Week 16:
12/14-12/18
*12/19-01-01 No
School
Week 19:
01/18-01/22
Week 20:
01/25-01-29
Assign Punctuation Project
Computer Lab
Essay 6 Due
Project Presentations
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 Journal #13
 Complete
Worksheet
 Annotated
Bibliography
 Grammar
Quiz 5
 Essay 6
 Annotated
Bibliography
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 Journal 14
 Review notes
for quiz
 Essay 6
 Punctuation
Project
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01/28 End of
Semester
01/29 Moveable
Holiday
Northern Virginia Community College Course Policies and procedures can be
found at http://www.nvcc.edu/current-students/policies--forms/students-handbook/
Teach Act Copyright Notice: “The materials provided for this course are only for the use of students enrolled in this
course, and may not be retained or further disseminated.”
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Eng 111 College Composition I
Christina Vazquez DE Adjunct
Course Syllabus 2015-2016
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Teach Act Copyright Notice "The materials provided for this course are only for the use of students enrolled in this
course for purposes associated with this course, and may not be retained or further disseminated."
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