ENGLISH 1301
English Composition (3-0)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Emphasizing the writing process, the course offers abundant practice in producing effective
prose essays as well as in analyzing and discussing selected readings.
Prerequisites: TSI Requirements Met
Upon successful completion of this course you should demonstrate the ability to:
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Analyze and specify audience and purpose and adapt communication to the needs of specific
audiences;
Apply appropriate form and content in written, visual, and oral communication;
Generate sufficient and appropriate detail to convince readers of the validity of a claim;
Write prose largely free of errors in grammar, diction, usage, and mechanics.
Apply the principles of critical thinking and problem solving in communication processes.
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A more specific discussion of course outcomes is provided in tabular form at the end of policies portion of
this document, prior to the course calendar.
COURSE WORK
If you want to do well in this class, you should plan to devote a lot of time and energy to it. You will not do
well in this class if you plan to regularly miss class or remain passive and disengaged from class
discussions and activities. If you hope to earn an “A”, get in the habit of doing the following on a
consistent basis:
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Completely and carefully read all reading assignments according to the reading schedule
Take careful notes during class lectures
Focus specifically on course material during class sessions
Work hard on all assignments, carefully attending to all details
Work proactively through challenging tasks
Ask questions of others and answer them for others when possible
GRADING
I will determine your final grade in this course based upon your performance on course projects. Each
area of your work will make up a specific percentage of your final grade in the course. Course projects
and their associated grade percentages are listed at the left for your reference.
THE DRAFTING PROCESS
For each of our four writing cycles in the course, you will create at least three complete drafts.
 Draft 1: Reviewed by me during a one-to-one conference
 Draft 2: Reviewed by a class member
 Final Draft: Submitted to me for a grade.
Your classmates and I will provide formative comments on your first drafts that will help you focus your
revision efforts on some of the most important areas of your essays. For final drafts, I will provide
summative comments that explain the strengths and weaknesses of the essay. I will also assign a grade
to this draft.
FINAL DRAFT SUBMISSION
The following documents should be included in your folder when you submit a final draft to me for
evaluation:
Left Pocket
Right Pocket
Draft 1 (With My Comments
Final Draft (Clean, new copy,
on it)
Stapled Together)
Draft 2 (With Completed
Revision Sheet Stapled to it)
You will lose points on your assignment if you submit your folder without all of these documents included
in the order and manner they are described here.
Additionally, you will also need to submit a Microsoft Word version of your final draft via Blackboard by
10:00 pm on the same day you submit your folder. Your assignment will not be considered as fully
submitted until I have received both your folder in class and your digital copy in Blackboard.
ESSAY REVISION
If you receive a grade of “D” or “F” on a final draft, you may choose to submit one more revised draft
beyond the final draft for evaluation. However, the highest grade you can earn upon revision is a “C.”
Keep in mind that if you decide to revise a final draft, you need to meet with me in person during my office
hours or by appointment within three school-week days of receiving your final draft from me to discuss
your revision strategy. You will then have just seven calendar days from our meeting to submit your
revised draft. If you do not meet with me to discuss your revision, I will not accept your revised essay.
You may only revise two of your four major essays.
ATTENDANCE
I require students to attend class, and I take attendance every day. I realize that sickness or emergencies
can occur. Such absences should not occur for any student more than six times this semester. Students
with absences beyond this will no longer be eligible for a passing grade in the course. Every two
late arrivals to class will constitute one absence. Leaving early without a valid reason will constitute an
absence. Missing a scheduled conference with me without notification will constitute an absence. For any
class that you miss, please also understand that the following consequences will apply:
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I will not allow you to make up any assignment or exercise given and completed within the
class period you missed.
You will need to determine what you missed during your absence by asking your classmates
or by seeing me during my office hours.
I do not differentiate between “excused” absences and “non-excused absences,” so please do not bring
me doctor’s notes with the expectation of having an absence excused.
PARTICIPATION
Attend and remain alert in every class period. Our class sessions will consist of class discussions, group
activities, in-class exercises, and individual work time. I expect you to actively participate in each of
these forms of learning. Missing in-class activities and exercises, arriving to class late or leaving early,
falling asleep, or otherwise disengaging from course business during class will negatively impact your
final course grade at my discretion.
Student Learning Outcomes and Assessments
THECB Core
Objective Area
Critical
Thinking
Communication
University SLO
Course SLO
Assessment Method
CT1: Gather,
analyze, evaluate,
and synthesize
information relevant
to a question or
issue.
Employ problem-solving strategies
to generate positions and
arguments and examine basic
principles of information gathering
to support a thesis.
CT2: Develop and
demonstrate a
logical position (i.e.
perspective, thesis,
hypothesis) that
acknowledges
ambiguities or
contradictions.
CS1: Develop,
interpret, and
express ideas
through effective
written
communication.
Analyze and evaluate their own
communication and that of others
to raise questions, make assertions
and generate discussion about a
topic or question.
Students produce five major essays;
Instructors assess one of these
essays using a locally produced
critical thinking rubric based upon
the VALUE rubrics created by the
Association of American College
and Universities.
Students produce five major essays;
Instructors assess one of these
essays using a locally produced
critical thinking rubric based upon
the VALUE rubrics created by the
Association of American College
and Universities.
CS2: Develop,
interpret, and
express ideas
through effective
oral
communication.
CS3: Develop,
interpret, and
express ideas
through effective
visual
communication.
Teamwork
Personal
Responsibility
TW1: Consider
different viewpoints
as a member of a
team.
TW2: Work
effectively with
others to support
and accomplish a
shared goal.
PR1: Demonstrate
the ability to
evaluate choices,
actions and
consequences as
related to ethical
decision-making.
Take into consideration audience,
purpose, and circumstances
relevant to written communication;
use relevant and appropriate
content for the specific rhetorical
situation in order to express their
position(s) effectively.
Take into consideration audience,
purpose, and circumstances
relevant to oral communication;
use relevant and appropriate
content for the specific rhetorical
situation in order to express their
position(s) effectively.
Take into consideration audience,
purpose, and circumstances
relevant to visual communication;
use relevant and appropriate
content for the specific rhetorical
situation in order to express their
position(s) effectively.
Work toward a shared purpose or
goal with the members of their
team, creating and evaluating their
peers’ drafts, presentations and
visual arguments.
Devote effort to team tasks;
interact with others; contribute to
the team; resolve and synthesize
divergent viewpoints within a
group.
Identify their own core beliefs and
the sources of those beliefs in
order to connect their choices and
actions to decision-making; also
recognize possible consequences
of their decisions.
Students produce five major essays;
instructors assess one of these
essays using a locally produced
written communication rubric based
upon the VALUE rubrics created by
the Association of American College
and Universities.
This area is formally assessed in
ENG 1302
Students produce several visual
(hand-drawn) responses to course
readings throughout the semester;
instructors assess a selection of
these responses using a locally
produced visual communication
rubric based upon the VALUE
rubrics created by the Association of
American College and Universities.
This area is formally assessed in
ENG 1302.
This area is formally assessed in
ENG 1302.
Students produce two personal
reflection essays; instructors assess
one of these essays using a locally
produced personal responsibility
rubric based upon the VALUE
rubrics created by the Association of
American College and Universities.