ENG 101—Composition
Course Syllabus and Schedule of Graded Activities
Housatonic Community College, 900 Lafayette Blvd, Bridgeport, CT 06604
FALL 2021
CRN 3338 & 3339
Professor Eleanor J. Bloom, MA
Students: Please review the information in this Syllabus carefully. You are responsible for
checking this document for due dates, grading policies, textbook and other information.
Click on headings in the Table of Contents to move directly to that section in the syllabus.
Table of Contents
Part I: Course Syllabus ............................................................................................................... 2
Course Purpose .......................................................................................................................... 2
Prerequisites .............................................................................................................................. 2
Textbook: ................................................................................................................................... 2
General Expectations ................................................................................................................ 2
Course Outcomes ....................................................................................................................... 2
Faculty Office Hours and Contact Information ..................................................................... 3
Course Grading Overview ........................................................................................................ 3
Grading Policies: About Deadlines, Missed Tests or Assignments, Extra Credit, etc ....... 4
Mobile Policy Statement ........................................................................................................... 4
Course Discussions .................................................................................................................... 5
Academic Honesty ..................................................................................................................... 6
Cheating ..................................................................................................................................... 6
Plagiarism and the Use of Anti-Plagiarism Software in this Course .................................... 6
Safe and Supportive College Environment……………………………………….…………………………7
Part II: Schedule of Graded Activities & Module Outcomes .................................................. 8
Schedule of Graded Activities: Availability and Due Dates* ............................................... 9
Weighting of Grade Categories .............................................................................................. 11
Unit Outcomes ......................................................................................................................... 12
Weekly Readings List…………………………………………………………………………………….…………...13
ENG101 p.1
Part I: Course Syllabus
Course Purpose
This course engages students in the study of skills necessary for effective written communication.
The course includes analyses of outstanding prose works. The principles of rhetoric and logic are also
applied in frequent writing assignments.
Prerequisites
ENG* E092 with a minimum grade of C# and ENG* E094 with a minimum grade of C#) or (ENG* E073 with a minimum grade of
C# and ENG* E043 with a minimum grade of C#) or (ENG* E092I with a minimum grade of C# and ENG* E094I with a minimum grade
of C#) or ENG* E093 with a minimum grade of C# or Test EA03 with a minimum score of 083.0 and Test EA04 with a minimum score
of 088.0 or Test ECHE with a minimum score of 08 and Test EA03 with a minimum score of 083.0 or Test ECHE with a minimum score
of 08 and ENG* E092 with a minimum grade of C# or ENG* E092I with a minimum grade of C# or ENG* E073 with a minimum grade
of C# or Test RSAT with a minimum score of 450 or Test RST1 with a minimum score of 25 or Test ACT1 with a minimum score of
042.0 or Test GEDR with a minimum score of 165 or Test EN03 with a minimum score of 258.0 or Test XSGP with a minimum score of
3.0 or Test XOGP with a minimum score of 3.0 or Test EN03 with a minimum score of 258.0
Textbooks:
Rosa, Alfred and Paul Eschholz. Models for Writers. 14th ed. Bedford/St. Martin’s 2021.
ISBN: 9781319214722
Hacker, Diana. A Pocket Style Manual. 9th ed. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2021.
ISBN: 9781319169541
General Expectations
The outline and structure of this course creates a set of common expectations for your work.
Here are some general considerations the College wishes to emphasize:
• Please keep current in class. Learners who fall behind are less likely to get feedback
from others in online discussions. If something happens that is going to cause you to fall
behind, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY by contacting your instructor immediately.
•
Please read the information contained in the College Resources link in your Blackboard
course to become familiar with college policies and procedures. Policies and procedures
are also available on the college website.
Course Outcomes
Respond to Rhetorical Situations
1. Adapt writing as audience and purpose requires
2. Develop and apply an independent writing process that includes generating, revising,
editing, and proofreading
3. Reflect on and explain writing choices regarding audience and purpose
Engage with and Use Authoritative Sources
4. Use the reading process to differentiate between supporting points, evidence, and
reasoning in complex texts (texts that engage with multiple perspectives and use a variety
of rhetorical strategies and evidence)
5. Employ effective annotation skills to the reading of complex texts
6. Locate and evaluate sources appropriate to the rhetorical situation
7. Interpret and analyze argument, evidence, and rhetorical strategies in complex texts
8. Evaluate information in complex texts for accuracy, validity, and relevance, with particular
attention to the type and purpose of source material
ENG101 p.2
9. Demonstrate critical and evaluative reading comprehension
10. Write accurate summaries and paraphrases of complex texts and differentiate these from
student’s own writing
11. Respond to an argument in a complex text and synthesize perspectives in multiple texts
12. Integrate complex texts to fulfill the rhetorical purpose
Craft Logical Arguments
13. Produce essays with clear thesis statements (or controlling ideas) and logical support for
assertions
14. Compose unified, coherent, and fully developed paragraphs with attention to transitions
and signal phrasing for source material
15. By the end of the semester, write at least one thesis-driven, text-based essay of 1500 words
demonstrating competent argumentation using complex texts
Apply Language Conventions
16. Apply Standard English language conventions (diction, tone, or level of formality)
consistently, with particular attention to college-level writing situations
17. Cite varied sources in MLA citation style
Faculty Office Hours and Contact Information
The instructor delivers three clock hours of real-time office hours, available online. Office hours
(online via WebEx):
If these are not convenient, please let me know so we can schedule another time.
•
Wednesdays 4:00pm-6:00pm EST
• Thursdays 12 NOON-1pm EST.
Locations:
• Virtual Office Hours in my WebEx Personal Meeting Room:
If you wish to meet online video conference via WebEx, you must schedule a
meeting and also let me know that you want it to be online via WebEx.
To join the WebEx meeting: EBloomhcc.commnet.edu@ctedu.webex.com
To join audio, use a built-in mic, headset with microphone, or use this Call-in toll-free
number 1-877-668-4493 (US/Canada) Access code: 646 580 174
• On-campus: (NOTE: Face-to-face appointments are not available Fall 2021)
Contact Information: (Students can expect a response within 24 hours Mon. – Fri.)
•
Email – ebloom@hcc.commnet.edu
•
Office phone – 203-332-5269 /cell 203-701-6067
Course Grading Overview
•
Grading will consist of short writing assignments (SWA), worksheets, gradable
discussions, formal papers, and a final reflection essay.
•
Detailed instructions for each assignment and all other deliverables are outlined in the
appropriate area in Blackboard.
•
All deliverables are due on a week-by-week basis, as specified in the Schedule of Graded
Activities in Part II of this Syllabus.
ENG101 p.3
Grading Policies: About Deadlines, Missed Assignments, Extra Credit
•
Part II: Schedule of Graded Activities, found in the next section of this syllabus,
contains all due dates for this course. Take responsibility for reviewing these.
•
All four formal papers and End-of Semester Reflection Essay must be completed
with a grade of 72% or higher. (Rewrites of formal paper is available if requested
within one week of grade posting. Rewrites will require a conference with the
professor before a rewrite can be submitted.)
•
Work submitted late will automatically receive one (1) point. Work posted past the
deadlines in the course Schedule of Graded Activities is not graded, unless
o An extension is requested in advance and the student has obtained
prior permission from the instructor.
o An assignment deadline was missed due to illness or emergency. In the
event of a missed assignment due to illness or emergency:
 My expectation is that you will contact me either on the date of the
missed assignment or the day after, with the exception of truly
serious emergencies.
•
There is no opportunity for extra credit at the end of the term because of poor grades,
or due to missed tests or assignments.
•
The power for success resides within you. You earn the grade you get in this course.
You are responsible for turning your work in on time. You are responsible for
maintaining the quality of the work that will earn you a desired grade.
Mobile Policy Statement
•
You should not be using the web-browser on your device to access Blackboard Learn.
Mobile device browsers are not full-fledged browsers and are missing many of the vital
components necessary for Blackboard use. Instead, you should download the
Blackboard mobile app or use your desktop / laptop.
•
If you opt to use the Blackboard Mobile app, it’s important to understand that the app
does not provide the full functionality of Blackboard Learn. Your computer or laptop
with supported browser and java settings needs to be the primary online tool for your
course. Technical support is not available for problems that occur on the mobile app.
•
While mobile devices provide convenient access to check in and read information about
your courses, the Academic Deans Council of the Connecticut Community Colleges has
stated that mobile devices “should NOT be used to perform work such as taking tests,
quizzes, completing assignments, or submitting substantive discussion posts.”
•
The Blackboard mobile app is available for download for Android/Google, iOS,
Microsoft, Palm devices. The log-in procedure for all community college students is as
follows:
o Search for the school named “Connecticut Community Colleges”
o Your username is just the number part of your NetID
o Your password is the same as myCommNet
For more information on mobile devices, please visit:
•
ENG101 p.4
https://cscu.edusupportcenter.com/sims/helpcenter/common/layout/SelfhelpArticleVi
ew.seam?inst_name=cscu&article_id=1912-1463992
Course Discussions
Discussion Requirements
•
In each week’s discussion, you must post both an INITIAL RESPONSE to the
discussion prompt(s) for the forum, as well as REPLIES to two other learners.
•
Your Initial post, and both of your Replies, must be made by the deadlines in
the Schedule of Graded Activities in the syllabus.
•
The Initial post and the two replies must be completed to be awarded credit
for a week’s discussion. No “partial credit” if both are not posted (unless
previously approved by the instructor—see Grading Policies section).
•
Your Initial post must be at least 150 words, but it can be more if you wish.
You can reply to more than two others if you wish.
•
The Replies to other learners' postings should add to the substance of the
posting: request clarification, provide a different perspective, or challenge the
assertions made by providing real or hypothetical scenarios that the original
posting does not adequately address. There is no length requirement for replies,
but both required replies must be substantive by the above standard.
Discussion Etiquette:
•
We are committed to open, frank, and insightful dialogue in all of its courses.
Diversity has many manifestations, including diversity of thought, opinion, and
values. We encourage all learners to be respectful of that diversity and to refrain
from inappropriate commentary. Should such inappropriate comments occur,
faculty will intervene as they monitor the dialogue in the courses. Faculty will
request that inappropriate content be removed from the course and will
recommend university disciplinary action. Learners as well as faculty should be
guided by common sense and basic etiquette. The following are good guidelines
to follow:
 Never post, transmit, promote, or distribute content that is known to be
illegal.
 Never post harassing, threatening, or embarrassing comments.
 If you disagree with someone, respond to the subject, not the person.
 Never post content that is harmful, abusive; racially, ethnically, or
religiously offensive,
 Never post content that is vulgar; sexually explicit; or otherwise
potentially offensive.
 The disciplinary policy that addresses these issues is available
ENG101 p.5
Academic Honesty
• All online students are expected to conform to the accepted standards of academic
honesty. Any clear violations of these standards, such as cheating, violating copyright
laws, or plagiarism are handled promptly, firmly, privately, and fairly by the Professor.
The Professor will promptly notify the College of the discovery of the incident.
• First-time violations may result in an "F" being assigned for the course in which the
violation occurs and the placement of a letter in the student's file. A second violation
may result in dismissal from the College.
• The student may appeal any decision to the Chancellor who will render a final decision
after appropriate investigation.
Cheating
Cheating shall be defined as
•
•
•
•
Copying to any extent the work of another student
Intentionally assisting another student during an examination
Possessing or having access to unauthorized copies of an examination
Departing from any stated examination conditions
Plagiarism and the Use of Anti-Plagiarism Software in this Course
The American Heritage Dictionary defines plagiarism as "To appropriate passages or ideas from
another and use them as one's own."
Plagiarism involves:
• Submitting another person's work as one's own
• Submitting work from any source that is not properly acknowledged by footnote,
bibliography, or reference within a paper
• Submitting work pieced together from phrases and/or sentences from various sources
without acknowledgement
• Submitting work with another person's phrase(s) rearranged without acknowledgement
• Submitting work that uses any phrase, sentence, or stylistic mannerism without
acknowledgement
• Omitting quotation marks from any directly quoted material
• Failure to use three dots (...) to indicate omission of one or more words
• Any other actions deemed to be plagiarism by the faculty
Notice: Anti-plagiariasm Detection Software
SafeAssign, TurnItIn or other anti-plagiarism detection software products may be used in this
course. Anti-plagiarism detection software products assist faculty and students in preventing
and detecting plagiarism. Professors may utilize such software in order to check the originality
of the academic work students submit in a course by comparing submitted papers to those
contained in its database consisting of submitted papers and other sources. Anti-plagiarism
detection software returns an “originality report” for each submission. The report is limited in
scope to merely identifying passages that are not original to the author of the submitted work
and which may include correctly cited quotations and information.
Professors and students must carefully review such reports. No adverse action may be
taken by a professor with respect to a student solely on the basis of an originality report
which indicates the potential for plagiarism.
ENG101 p.6
Safe and Supportive Community:
Housatonic Community College is committed to creating a community that is safe and supportive of
people of all gender and sexual identities. This pertains to the entire campus community, whether
on ground or virtual, students, faculty, or staff.
Sexual assault and intimate partner violence is an affront to our national conscience, and one we
cannot ignore. It is our hope that no one within our campus community will become a victim of these
crimes. However, if it occurs, the Center for Family Justice has a Domestic Violence 24-hour hotline
1-888-774-2900; and a Sexual Assault 24-hour hotline 1-888-999-5545. Incidents of sexual assault
and intimate partner violence can be reported to Public Safety (203)-332-5040, the Title IX
Coordinator (203) 332-5013 or Dean of Students (203) 332-5184.
ENG101 p.7
Part II: Schedule of Graded Activities & Module Outcomes
Please be sure to carefully review all of the information in Part II of this syllabus. Please note the
following:
•
The required due dates for all gradable activities are included in the Schedule of Grade
Activities on the next page. This table displays every important date in the course,
including when items become available in Blackboard and when they are due.
•
Many assignments, and all discussions, make use of a grading rubric, with specific
values for various steps that must be completed. Carefully review the rubrics.
•
Each category of assessment or activity (discussions, response papers, literary
analysis, engagement project, term paper, exams) are weighted differently to
determine your final grade. Weighting percentages with their actual points by
category are shown in the table below the schedule. A conversion of points to letter
grade follows the percentages/points chart.
•
Outcomes for each unit in the course are listed below the grading information.
Scroll to NEXT PAGE
ENG101 p.8
Schedule of Graded Activities: Availability and Due Dates
Unit/Week’s Discussion or
Assignment/Paper
Item is available
(if no date is listed the
item opens at the same
date/time as week’s
lessons)
Initial
discussion Post
due
Due Date/Time
(all Wednesdays)
UNIT 1: Process and Choice Driven Writing
Week 1
W1 Disc initial post
W1 Assignment
W1 Disc responses to two
other students (2)
Sun. 8/29, 12:01 am
Week 2
W2 Disc initial post
W2 Assignment
W2 Disc responses (2)
Sun. 9/5, 12:01 am
Week 3
W3 Disc initial post
W3 Assign. Paper #1 Draft
W3 Disc responses (2)
Sun. 9/12, 12:01 am
9/1, 11:59 pm
9/8, 11:59 pm
9/15, 11:59 pm
Fri. 9/3, 11:59 pm
Sun. 9/5, 11:59 pm
Fri. 9/10, 11:59 pm
Sun. 9/12, 11:59 pm
Fri. 9/17, 11:59 pm
Sun. 9/19, 11:59 pm
Unit 2: Reading and Writing Critically
Week 4
W4 Disc initial post
W4 Assignment: Paper 1
Final Draft (with reflection
W4 Disc responses (2)
Sun. 9/19, 12:01 am
Week 5
W5 Disc initial post
W5 Assignment
W5 Disc responses (2)
Sun. 9/26, 12:01 am
Week 6
W6 Disc initial post
W6 Assign. Paper 2 Draft
W6 Disc responses (2)
Sun. 10/3, 12:01 am
9/22, 11:59 pm
Fri. 9/24, 11:59 pm
Sun. 9/26, 11:59 pm
Week 7
Sun. 10/10, 12:01 am
W7 Disc initial post
W7 Assignment: Paper 2
Final Draft (with reflection
W7 Disc responses (2)
ENG101 p.9
9/29, 11:59 pm
10/6, 11:59 pm
10/13, 11:59 pm
Fri. 10/1, 11:59 pm
Sun. 10/3, 11:59 pm
Fri. 10/8, 11:59 pm
Sun. 10/10, 11:59 pm
Fri. 10/15, 11:59 pm
Sun. 10/17, 11:59 pm
Unit/Week’s Discussion or Item is available
Assignment/Paper
(if no date is listed the
Initial
discussion Post
due
item opens at the same
date/time as week’s
lessons)
Due Date/Time
(all Wednesdays)
Unit 3: Winning Techniques of Argument and Research
Week 8
W8 Disc initial post
W8 Assignment
W8 Disc responses (2)
Sun. 10/17, 12:01 am
Week 9
W9 Disc initial post
Sun. 10/24, 12:01 am
10/20, 11:59 pm
Fri. 10/22, 11:59 pm
Sun. 10/24, 11:59 pm
10/27, 11:59 pm
W9 Disc responses (2)
Sun. 10/31, 11:59 pm
Week 10
W10 Disc initial post
W10 Assignment
Paper 3 Draft
W10 Disc responses (2)
Sun. 10/31, 12:01 am
Week 11
W11 Disc initial post
W11 Assignment:
Paper #3 Final Draft (with
reflection
W11 Disc responses (2)
Sun. 11/7, 12:01 am
11/3, 11:59 pm
Fri. 11/5, 11:59 pm
Sun. 11/7, 11:59 pm
11/10, 11:59 pm
Fri. 11/12, 11:59 pm
Sun. 11/14, 11:59 pm
Unit 4: Deepening Power in Research-Based Arguments
Week 12
W12 Disc initial post
W12 Assignment A
W12 Assignment B
W12 Assignment C
W12 Disc responses (2)
Sun. 11/14, 12:01 am
Week 13
(W 13 Lessons)
Sun. 11/21, 12:01 am
Week 14
11/17, 11:59 pm
Fri. 11/19, 11:59 pm
Fri. 11/19, 11:59 pm
Fri. 11/19, 11:59 pm
Sun. 11/21, 11:59 pm
Sun. 11/28, 11:59 pm
[Thanksgiving Recess]
Sun. 11/28, 11:59 pm
W14 Disc initial post
12/1, 11:59 pm
W14 Assignment
Fri. 12/3, 11:59 pm
W14 Disc responses (2)
Sun. 12/5, 11:59 pm
ENG101 p.10
Unit/Week’s Discussion or
Assignment/Paper
Initial
discussion Post
due
Item is available
(if no date is listed the
item opens at the
same date/time as
week’s lessons)
(all Wednesdays)
Week 15
Sun. 12/5, 12:01 am
W15 Disc initial post
W15 Assignment: Paper #4
Final Draft (with reflection)
W15 Disc responses (2)
Week 16
Course Survey*
Due Date/Time
12/8, 11:59 pm
Fri. 12/10, 11:59 pm
Sun. 12/12, 11:59 pm
Sun. 12/12, 12:01 am
WED. 12/15, 11:59 pm
Must be completed to
trigger opening of Endof-Semester Reflection
Essay
End-of-Semester
Reflection Essay*
WED. 12/15, 11:59 pm
Overview Schedule of unit PAPERS and End-of-Semester Reflection Essay
Item is available
Due Date/Time
Paper 1
Sun. 9/5, 12:01 am
Paper 2
Sun. 9/26, 12:01 am
Paper 3
Sun. 10/17, 12:01 am
Paper 4
Sun. 11/14, 12:01 am
End-of-Semester
Reflection Essay
Sun. 12/12, 12:01 am
Fri. 9/24, 11:59 pm
link available in Week 4
Fri. 10/15, 11:59 pm
link available in Week 7
Fri. 11/12, 11:59 pm
link available in Week 11
Fri. 12/10, 11:59 pm
link available in Week 15
WED. 12/15, 11:59 pm
Weighting of Grade Categories
Discussions and collaborative
activities
Short Writing Assignments,
worksheets, and Topic Exploration
Memo (for Paper 3 & 4 topic)
Papers 1. 2, and 3
Research related assignments
Paper 4
Reflection Essay (End of Semester)
TOTAL
15%
(150 points)
20%
(200 points)
30%
10%
15%
10%
100%
(300 points)
(100 points)
(150 points)
(100 points)
(1000 points)
93-100=A 90-92=A- 87-89=B+ 83-86=B 80-82=B- 77-79=C+ 73-76=C 70-72=C- 67-69=D+ 63-66=D 60-62=D- 0-59=F
ENG101 p.11
Unit Outcomes
Unit 1: Process and Choice Driven Writing
Objectives
Upon completion of this unit, you will be able to:
• Develop and apply an independent writing process that includes generating, revising, editing,
and proofreading
• Produce an essay with a clear thesis statement and logical support for claims
• Integrate source quotes into sentences
• Compose unified, coherent, and fully developed paragraphs with attention to
transitions and signal phrasing for source material
• Adapt writing as audience and purpose requires
• Reflect on and explain the effectiveness of your writing choices regarding the
audience, purpose
• Apply Standard English language conventions (diction, tone, or level of formality) consistently
Unit 2: Reading and Writing Critically
Objectives
Upon completion of this unit, you will be able to:
• Employ effective annotation skills to the reading of complex texts
• Demonstrate critical and evaluative reading comprehension
• Write accurate summaries and paraphrases of complex texts and differentiate these from
student’s own writing
• Comparatively analyze commercials/advertisements for persuasive strategies
• Cite varied sources in MLA citations style
Unit 3: Winning Techniques of Argument and Research
Objectives
Upon completion of this unit, you will be able to:
• Use the reading process to differentiate between supporting points, evidence, and reasoning
in complex texts
• Identify differences between popular and scholarly texts
• Evaluate information in complex texts for accuracy, validity, and relevance, with particular
attention to the type and purpose of source material
• Integrate complex texts to fulfill the rhetorical purpose
• Adapt writing as audience and purpose requires
Unit 4: Deepening Power in Research-Based Arguments
Objectives
Upon completion of this unit, you will be able to:
• Locate and evaluate sources appropriate to the rhetorical situation
• Interpret and analyze argument, evidence, and rhetorical strategies in complex texts
• Respond to an argument in a complex text and synthesize perspectives in multiple texts
• Write a thesis-driven, text-based essay of 1500 words demonstrating competent
argumentation using complex texts
ENG101 p.12
Weekly Readings List: [for those who like advance notice of text readings]
All readings listed below are from Models for Writers 14e (MfW) or from A Pocket Style Manual 9e
(PSM). Reading the entire chapter (MfW) or section (PSM) provides you with deeper levels of the
concepts presented. While full chapters are listed below, weekly lessons will focus attention on
particular pages from the chapters or sections listed. Some weeks online articles will also be included
in lesson readings.
UNIT 1
Week 1
MfW Ch. 1
PSM Section 34
Week 2
MfW Ch. 3, Ch. 7
PSM
MfW Ch. 4, Ch. 6, Ch. 8, Ch. 9, Ch. 11, Ch. 14
PSM Sections 18 and 20
MfW Ch. 2, Ch. 20
PSM Sections 5 and 9
MfW Ch. 10
PSM Sections 28c and 30-31
MfW
PSM Section 33
MfW Ch. 21, Ch. 24*
PSM Sections 1-24 (*as needed—see Paper 1 style and conventions
feedback)
MfW Ch. 23
PSM Sections 25, 26, 27
MfW Ch. 22, Ch. 18
PSM
MfW
PSM Sections 31d and 33a-b
MfW Ch. 24 (review as needed)
PSM Sections 1-24 (review as needed)
MfW
PSM Sections 26-27 (a-c)
Week 3
UNIT 2
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
UNIT 3
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
UNIT 4
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
MfW Ch. 22
PSM
MfW
PSM Sections 33 a-b, 34 a-b
ENG101 p.13