ENGLISH 1113-303-30509
SUMMER SEMESTER 2015
Kara M. Ryan-Johnson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of English
Associate Dean: Mary Cantrell (interim)
Communications Division: 1202
E-Mail: kara.ryan-johnson@tulsacc.edu
Phone: 595-7613
Office: 1217
Office hours: M & W 2-4:30; T & R 9-11:30 (online)
Course Description
The first in a sequence of two courses; introduces students to academic writing, basic research, and
documentation. You will be reading approximately 30 pages a week for this class. Course work will include quizzes,
exercises, summaries, three essays, two of which may be revised for a better grade, and a final exam essay. For more
information, see page xxx in Little, Brown.
Prerequisites
Appropriate Compass or ACT score, or completion of ENG 0923 and ENG 0933 with a grade of “C” or
better, or permission of the Associate Dean. For more information about prerequisites, see Little, Brown, page xi-xiii.
You should be comfortable with the following:
 using a word processor (changing font, spell check)
 using email for communication
 sending an email attachment
 navigating the Internet
 downloading appropriate plugins
 using an Internet search engine
Next Course in Sequence
English 1213: Composition II
Course Objectives
As you begin this class, I assume that you know and practice the fundamentals of grammar. This class focuses
on developing the techniques that will be crucial for your success in college, your profession, and your life. Upon
successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 Analyze academic writing situations to determine purpose, audience, and focus for a written composition.
 Choose the best possible words to communicate clearly and effectively.
 Construct sentences that emphasize your meaning and make your writing interesting.
 Think critically to develop and support thesis statements that make specific, arguable claims.
 Create a coherent, unified essay with an orderly progression of ideas.
 Write focused, detailed, coherent paragraphs that develop your ideas with evidence appropriate to the academic
situation.
 Incorporate responsible and appropriate sources into your writing by quoting, paraphrasing and summarizing,
and documenting according to MLA guidelines.
 Use the TCC library for college-level research.
 Read, comprehend, and respond to college-level texts.
Texts/Materials and Required Technology
Fowler, H. Ramsey and Jane E. Aaron, ed. The Little, Brown Handbook: Custom Edition for Tulsa Community College.
New York: Pearson/Longman Custom Publishing, 2012. ISBN: 978-1-256-70702-8.
Graff, Gerald and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. 3rd Ed. New
York: W. W. Norton, 2014. 978-0-393-93584-4.
Moore, Wes. The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates. New York: Random House, 2011. 978-0-385-52820-7.
[This book is not available from our campus bookstore. You must purchase on your own. You
can find inexpensive used copies at Amazon.com.]
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
05.31.15
-1 of 6-
Engl 1113-303-201530



Loose-leaf notebook paper for quizzes and notes.
Microsoft Word 97 or later; if you do not have Office, you can download it from Blackboard free: go to the
“Organization” tab; search for “software”; enroll in the “Organization” and follow the on-screen instructions
Regular access to your TCC email address--http: www.outlook.com/tulsacc.edu
Reserve copies of both texts are held in the Southeast Campus (SEC) library and in the SEC Writing Center.
Email
All communications to you about TCC and course assignments will be sent to your TCC email address; and you
must use TCC email to send email to, and receive email from, the instructor regarding this course. Mondays through Fridays, I will
usually respond to emails within 24 hours. On weekends, I may check email less frequently. Emails to me or to any
professor should contain a salutation (Dear Professor Ryan-Johnson), should be written using formal, professional
language, and should be signed. I do NOT accept emailed assignments unless Blackboard is not functioning. All work
must be submitted to the appropriate area in Blackboard.
Teaching Methods
Each class period will involve a variety of activities including lecture, discussion, group work, and writing. I
grade essays and summaries manually and provide feedback to help you improve your writing. For more information,
see pages xxiii-xxv in Little, Brown.
Teaching methods are not nearly as important as the strategies you implement to learn. You are expected to
take reading notes, and to take notes during lectures and discussions. To encourage you to read carefully, I will
administer at least 10 unannounced reading quizzes. During these reading quizzes, you may consult your reading notes
(but not the assigned text).I expect you to participate earnestly in class discussions and activities; to read my feedback
on graded work; to study specific writing strategies; and to spend sufficient time (6-8 hours a week) reading, writing and
revising.
Grading
Course work will be measured in terms of engagement in the learning community as “makers of knowledge"
(active participation on-line), quality of thought and content, precise use of the English language, and appropriateness
of style.
Reading Quizzes
Summaries
Essays
Reading Notes/Journal
Essay 3 draft
Total
5@20 pts each
4@25 pts each
3@100 pts each
100
100
300
75
25
600
F<357 D=358-417 C=418-536 B=478-537 A=538-600
Essays and summaries, including the midterm and the final exam essay, will be graded using the criteria
described on pages xvii-xxii in Little, Brown. Quizzes consist of several short answer questions over assigned readings
and lectures. Students may refer to their notes (NOT their assigned texts) during quizzes. English Professors assign "I"
grades only when genuine emergencies prevent a student from completing the class and/or from withdrawing before
the deadline and only when the student is earning a satisfactory ("C" or better) grade.
Assignment Format
All essays and summaries should follow MLA format as described in the Handbook and must be submitted to
SafeAssign, a program that checks for plagiarism. Save your work as a Microsoft Word document and name it
yourlastname and the assignment (e.g., SmithS1.docx for summary 1). Students who do not have a version of Word on
their computers should download it free from the TCC Web site. If you submit your assignments in a format other than
Microsoft Word, I may not be able to open it, which means you will receive a “0” for that assignment, with no
opportunity to resubmit.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
05.31.15
-2 of 6-
Engl 1113-303-201530
Revision Policy
You may revise and re-submit one or two essays at the end of the semester. Revisions should be accompanied
by a 250-300 word letter explaining the specific improvements you’ve made, based on my feedback and on the readings
from the course texts. If the letter convinces me that you have made significant and informed changes, I will grade the
revision and replace the original grade. If the letter does not convince me that you have studied appropriate materials to
revise effectively, or if you submit a revision without the letter, I will not grade your revision. Note: plagiarized essays
may not be accepted for revision.
Late Work
Essays only may be submitted late but are not eligible for revision, will not be graded until the end of the
semester, and will be penalized one letter grade, regardless of the reason for being late. Late essays are due to the
appropriate area of Blackboard by the date specified on the course agenda. (I do NOT accept emailed assignments
unless Blackboard is not functioning. All work must be submitted to the appropriate area in Blackboard.)
Please note: If you submit a late essay, I will not grade it until the end of the semester, which means you will be
failing the class. Important: Note that if you are a concurrent high school student and you are failing this class, you will
be ineligible to participate in extracurricular activities. Concurrent students who wish to remain eligible should not
submit late essays.
Unannounced reading quizzes cannot be made up. However, I have built extra quizzes into the schedule, so if
you must miss class during the semester, you will have the opportunity to make up the lost points with the extra
assignments. Students who do not miss any work may complete the additional quizzes as extra credit. I have also built
one additional summary into the schedule. Students may submit summary 6 for extra credit.
Attendance/Withdrawal Policy
To succeed in this class, you must attend regularly, be on time, and come prepared (i.e., read and annotate
textbooks and assignments and bring them to class). I will take attendance each class period. Students who are clearly
not prepared for class will be dismissed and counted absent. You indicate that you are prepared for class by coming
with the assigned readings and by actively participating in class
For an 8 week class, missing more than two class sessions is considered excessive even when students have a
good reason to miss class. I will, therefore, withdraw (i.e. “drop”) any student who misses more than two class sessions.
(Note: absences because of cell phone use will count.) In addition, students who are making unsatisfactory progress,
including students who attend but who do not submit work, may be dropped from this class.
Dropping or being dropped from a class will not affect a student’s college grade point average, but it can affect
your financial aid. Students who miss class should contact another classmate to find out what they missed. Inclass work cannot be completed outside of class, but students can submit summaries and essays and collect missed
handouts through Blackboard. If you must miss class, you do not need to contact me to explain why; I will assume it is
for a good reason, but the class attendance policy applies in all but extreme cases.
Plagiarism
Please see definitions of plagiarism in your Little, Brown. All work must be submitted to SafeAssign, a program
that checks for plagiarism. If you submit any assignment containing plagiarism, and it is your first offense, you will
receive a 0 for that assignment and will need to send me an email explaining why you received the 0, what plagiarism is,
and how to avoid it. If I’m convinced that the plagiarism occurred accidentally and that you understand plagiarism, I
may allow you to rewrite the assignment, but I am not obligated to do so. A rewrite will not be permitted for cases in
which the plagiarism appears to be deliberate and/or extensive. A second offense will result in a grade of F for the
course, and I will report you to the Dean of Student Services and the Associate Dean of the Communications Division
for violation of TCC’s policies on academic integrity.
Academic Dishonesty and Misconduct Policy
See p. xxvii in Little, Brown.
Classroom Etiquette:
See p. xxix in Little, Brown. Violation of the etiquette policy may be grounds for dismissal from class. With the
exception of the computer at the front of the room, our classroom is tech free zone. This means that cell phone or
laptop use during class—e.g., talking, texting, surfing—violates our etiquette policy and may be grounds for dismissal
from class.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
05.31.15
-3 of 6-
Engl 1113-303-201530
Writing Center:
Each campus has a writing center where students may receive one-on-one help with the writing process. For
more information about the SEC WC, see http://www.tulsacc.edu/campuses-and-centers/southeastcampus/southeast-divisions/communications/sec-writing-center
Disability Resources
It is the policy and practice of Tulsa Community College to create inclusive learning environments.
Accommodations for qualifying students in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act are available. To request accommodations, contact the Education Access Center (EAC) at
eac@tulsacc.edu or call (918) 595-7115 (Voice). Deaf and hard of hearing students may text (918) 809-1864. For more
information, see p. xxvi-xxvii in Little, Brown.
FERPA
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a Federal law designated to protect the privacy of a
student’s education records and academic work, applies to all schools, colleges, and universities, including TCC, that
receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. This law protects your right as a
student by stipulating that instructors will not share information about your grades, your progress in the class, or any
materials you submit in their courses with any one other than you.
Many college students sign a waiver of their FERPA rights. This waiver authorizes the release of academic
records to the individuals identified by the student, but it does not compel the release of information. I will not discuss
your academic progress with anyone else—including your parents. If your parents have concerns about your grades,
you, not I, should talk to them. If you have concerns about my teaching or grading, you, not your parents, should
contact me to discuss those concerns.
General Education Goals Statement
The General Education Goals are designed to ensure that graduates of Tulsa Community College have the
skills, knowledge, and attitudes to carry them successfully through their work and their personal lives. General
Education Goals relevant to this course include Critical Thinking, Effective Communication, Engaged Learning, and
Technological Proficiency.
English Discipline Goals
All English courses are designed to help students meet the English discipline goals, which are Effective
Writing, Critical Reading, Informed Discussion, and Scholarly Research.
Inclement Weather Policy
If extreme weather conditions or emergency situations arise, TCC sends alerts to all students
(http://www.tulsacc.edu/about-tcc/tcc-alerts), gives cancellation notices to radio and television stations, and posts
notifications on the TCC website. If you lose power, call the TCC main number (918-595-7000) for an updated,
recorded message regarding closure. If the college has to close because of weather, students will be expected to
complete any homework assigned and may have to complete assignments online, using Blackboard.
Institutional Statement
Each student is responsible for being aware of the information contained in the TCC Catalog, the TCC Student
Policies & Resources Handbook, and semester information listed in the class schedule. All information may be viewed
on the TCC website: www.tulsacc.edu.
Other
Occasionally, when genuine emergencies or problems occur, the course policies outlined here can be modified
to help a student complete the course, but only if the student has been participating regularly, has completed most
assigned work, and is earning at least a "C." It is always in your best interest to contact me immediately if an
unavoidable crisis prevents you from participating in several class activities.
Schedule
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
05.31.15
-4 of 6-
Engl 1113-303-201530
See next page. Note that the instructor reserves the right to alter the schedule to accommodate students’
academic needs. Revisions to the schedule will be announced in class and posted on Blackboard.
SCHEDULE
Work should be completed in the order listed. Summaries and essays must be submitted to the
appropriate area in Blackboard before the beginning of class on the day they are due (unless specified otherwise).
Date
In class
Due
Assigned essays can be found in Reading and Assignments
folder of course Blackboard site.
Week 1
6-1
6-3
Week 2
6-8
6-10
Course introduction: Syllabus, Agenda,
Summaries, etc.
Reading Quiz 1; Personal Introductions (My
Bag); discuss reading, summaries, and
plagiarism
---
Discussion: Why summarize and what
makes a good summary?
Read LBH, 6a AND TSIS, Ch. 2 and 12; AND, James M. Lang,
“Cheating Lessons, Part 3” (in Readings and Assignments folder
on course Bb site)
Review Course Syllabus; read, in They Say, I Say (TSIS), Preface
and Introduction, Ch. 1; AND, in The Little, Brown Handbook
(LBH), pp. vii-xxxix, Ch. 6-8, 44, and 46
Summary 1 due to Bb by 8:30 a.m. AND bring hard copy to
class
Read Malcolm X, “Learning to Read”
Discussion
Week 3
Summary 2 due to Bb by 8:30 a.m., Wednesday, 6/10
6-15
Reading quiz 2; framing quotations and
Rose essay
Read TSIS, Ch. 3 and 17; AND, LBH, 43b-e; AND, Mke Rose, “I
Just Wanna Be Average” AND Jean Anyon, “Social Class and the
Hidden Curriculum of Work”
6-17
Reading quiz 3; Discussion
Read, TSIS, Ch. 4-5 AND Read Richard Rodriguez “The
Achievement of Desire”
6-22
Discuss reading and emphatic sentences
6-24
Reading quiz 4; discuss readings and
revision (complete revision worksheet in
class)
6-29
Discussion
Week 6
Read TSIS, Chapters 4-6; AND, Aaron H. Devor, “Becoming
Members of Society: Learning the Social Meanings of Gender”;
AND, LBH, Ch. 23
Summary 3 due to Bb by 8:30 a.m., Monday, 6/22
Read TSIS, Ch. 7-8; AND, Judith Ortiz Cofer, “The Story of My
Body”; AND, LBH, Ch. 24-26
Reading TSIS, Ch. 9-10, AND, Michael Kimmel, “‘Bros Before
Hos’: The Guy Code”
Summary 4 due to Bb by 8:30 a.m., Monday, 6/29
Week 5
Week 4
Essay 1 due to Bb 11:59 p.m., Saturday, 6/20
7-1
Reading quiz 5; discussion
Purchase The Other Wes Moore!
Reading Dan Kindlon, “The Descent of Men” AND Reihan
Salam, “The Death of Macho”
7-6
7-8
Film
Film
Bring Reading Notes/Journals to class for grade
Essay 2 due to Bb by 11:59 p.m., Saturday, 7/11
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
05.31.15
-5 of 6-
Engl 1113-303-201530
Week 7
Week 8
7-13
Discuss reading and essay revisions
Reading: Wes Moore, from The Other Wes Moore: “Introduction”
and “Part I: Fathers and Angels,” AND Essay Revisions
Guidelines document, AND TSIS, Chapter 11
7-15
Reading quiz 6; discuss The Other Wes Moore
and Essay 3
Reading: Wes Moore, from The Other Wes Moore: “Part II: Choices
and Second Chances,” “Part III: Paths Taken and Expectations
Fulfilled,” AND “Epilogue.”
7-20
Peer Review
7-22
No class—optional conferences in my office
Summary 5 (optional) due by 8:30 a.m., Wednesday, 7/15
Essay 3 draft due in class—2 copies, two pages minimum
Essay 3 and revised essays due to Bb by 11:59 p.m., Saturday,
7/25
Reading Notes/Journals due to office by 11 a.m., Monday,
7/27.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
05.31.15
-6 of 6-
Engl 1113-303-201530