ENGC 0800 List “A” Appeal
Part I: Composition Curriculum:
Learning to write, and the teaching of writing, focuses on the acquisition of similar skills at different
grade levels, with increasing levels of complexity and fluidity as the grade level rises.
For example:
From the Minnesota Academic Standards-- English Language Arts K-12—note the following 6th grade
benchmark:
6.7.1.1 “Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.”
Notice how little of the language changes for the 9th grade benchmark:
9.7.1.1 “Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid
reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.”
Part II: Proof of Text Level:
Normandale’s ENGC 0800 was placed on “List A” due to the appearance of below high school-level
material being taught in this course. However, this is not accurate. The typical course textbooks
readings are at Lexile rates of 960L and higher, which is 9th grade complexity level and above. The
following examples are textbooks that are used in ENGC 0800, which are at the appropriate level.
Stepping Stones by Chris Juzwiak is at Lexile level of 1010L, 9-10th grade level. An additional text, Writing
First: Practice in Context by Kirsner and Mandell, is at a Lexile score of 960L. A final example is Writing
Paragraphs and Essays by Wingersky, Boerner, and Holguin-Balogh, which has a Lexile score of 1170L—
10-11th grade level. [Please see document A at the bottom of this document for more information about
ENGC 0800 textbooks.]
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Part III: Normandale’s ENGC 0800 Common Course Outline vs. Minnesota Academic Standards—English
Language Arts K-12—Writing Standards [Please see Document B at the end of this document for Normandale’s
ENGC 0800 Common Course Outline]:
The following Learning Outcomes on Normandale’s updated ENGC 0800 Common Course Outline correspond with
the following Reading Benchmarks for Grade 9-10 students (pages 63-65 and 75-77 of the Minnesota Academic
Standards—English Language Arts K-12) http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/EdExc/StanCurri/K12AcademicStandards/
Benchmark Number
Key Ideas and Details
9.7.1.1 Write arguments
to support claims in an
analysis of substantive
topics or texts, using valid
reasoning and relevant
and sufficient evidence.
“Introduce precise
claim(s). . . and create an
organization that
establishes clear
relationships among
claim(s), reasons, and
evidence. . . . Establish and
maintain a formal style
and objective tone while
attending to the norms
and conventions of the
discipline in which they
are writing.”
9.7.2.2 Write
informative/explanatory
texts to examine and
convey complex ideas,
concepts, and information
clearly and accurately
through the effective
selection, organization,
and analysis of content.
“Introduce a topic; organize
complex ideas, concepts,
and information tomake
important connections and
distinctions. . . Develop the
topic with well-chosen,
relevant, and sufficient
facts, extended definitions,
concrete details,
quotations, or other
information and examples
appropriate to the
audience’s knowledge of
the topic.
Use appropriate and varied
transitions to link the major
sections of the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the
relationships among
complex ideas and
concepts. . . . Establish and
maintain a formal style and
objective tone while
attending to the norms and
conventions of the
discipline in which they are
writing.”
ENGC 0800 CCO Content and
Assignments
IV. B. Development of main
idea, supporting evidence, and
coherence
V. A. Reading, analyzing, and
discussing model texts and
student writing
V.B. Completing a variety of
exercises, paragraphs, and
short essays
IV. B. Paragraph and essay
structure: thesis; topic
sentence; transitions; clear,
logical sequence of ideas and
relevant detail; conclusion
V. A. Reading, analyzing, and
discussing model texts and
student writing
V.B. Completing a variety of
exercises, paragraphs, and
short essays
ENGC 0800 CCO
Learning Outcomes
III. E. Respond to
various writing
models (published
material and class
assignments) in
group discussion and
short paragraphs
III. F. Create
organized short
essays with an
introduction, body
paragraphs, and a
conclusion
III. C. Write
successful
paragraphs
III. E. Respond to
various writing
models (published
material and class
assignments) in
group discussion and
short paragraphs
III. F. Create
organized short
essays with an
introduction, body
paragraphs, and a
conclusion
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9.7.3.3 Write narratives
and other creative texts
develop real or imagined
experiences or events
using effective technique,
well-chosen details, and
well- structured event
sequences.
“Use a variety of
techniques to sequence
events so that they build
on one another to create a
coherent whole. Use
precise words and
phrases, telling details,
figurative and sensory
language to convey a vivid
picture of the experiences,
events, setting, and/or
characters. Provide a
conclusion (when
appropriate to the genre)
that follows from and
reflects on what is
experienced, observed, or
resolved over the course
of the narrative or creative
text.”
IV. B. Paragraph and essay
structure: thesis; topic
sentence; transitions; clear,
logical sequence of ideas and
relevant detail; conclusion
V.B. Completing a variety of
exercises, paragraphs, and
short essays
III. C. Write
successful
paragraphs
9.7.4.4 Produce clear and
coherent writing in which
the development,
organization, and style
are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience.
(Grade-specific
expectations for writing
types are defined in
standards 1–3 above.)
“arguments. . . .
informative/
explanatory texts. . . .
narratives.”
IV. B. Paragraph and essay
structure: thesis; topic
sentence; transitions; clear,
logical sequence of ideas and
relevant detail; conclusion
IV. C. Sentence structures:
Coordination/subordination;
sentence variety (simple,
compound, and complex
sentences); parallelism;
avoiding fragments, run-ons,
comma splices, and fused
sentences
V.B. Completing a variety of
exercises, paragraphs, and
short essays
V. C. Proofreading and editing
III. A. Write
effective sentences
with attention to
variety and
grammar
III. F. Create
organized short
essays with an
introduction, body
paragraphs, and a
conclusion
III. C. Write
successful
paragraphs
III. F. Create
organized short
essays with an
introduction, body
paragraphs, and a
conclusion
III. G. Edit and
proofread to ensure
clear ideas and
recognize awkward
sentences and
errors in grammar,
usage, spelling, and
punctuation
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9.7.5.5 “Use a writing
process to develop and
strengthen writing as needed
by planning, drafting,
revising, editing, rewriting, or
trying a new approach,
focusing on addressing what
is most significant for a
specific purpose and
audience. (Editing for
conventions should
demonstrate command of
Language standards 1–3 up
to and including grades 9–10
on page 75.)”
9.7.9.9 Draw evidence from
literary or informational texts
to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
Note that conventions of
Standard English include
9.11.1.1.a. use parallel
structure. This does not
appear in the Standards until
9th to 10th grade. It appears
in the ENGC 0800 CCO
content items.
IV. A. Writing process: prewriting,
drafting, revising
IV. C. Sentence structures:
Coordination/subordination;
sentence variety (simple,
compound, and complex
sentences); parallelism; avoiding
fragments, run-ons, comma
splices, and fused sentences
V. C. Proofreading and editing
The course textbooks and
readings in ENGC 0800 are at
Lexile rates of 960L and
higher, which is 9th grade
complexity level and above.
(Please see proof of text level
in Part II above for further
information.)
IV. B. Paragraph and essay
structure: thesis; topic sentence;
transitions; clear, logical sequence
of ideas and relevant detail;
conclusion
V. A. Reading, analyzing, and
discussing model texts and student
writing
III. D. Use effective
writing processes:
prewriting, drafting,
revising, and editing
III. G. Edit and
proofread to ensure
clear ideas and
recognize awkward
sentences and errors
in grammar, usage,
spelling, and
punctuation
III. E. Respond to
various writing
models (published
material and class
assignments) in
group discussion and
short paragraphs
V.B. Completing a variety of
exercises, paragraphs, and short
essays
9.7.10.10 Write routinely
over extended time frames
(time for research, reflection,
and revision) and shorter
time frames (a single sitting
or a day or two) for a range
of tasks, purposes, and
audiences.
Note that 9.7.10.10
emphasizes writing as a
process, which is also covered
in IV.A. and IV.B. Students
work with longer and shorter
time frames, paying particular
attention to the rhetorical
situation: subject, audience,
and purpose of the task.
IV. A. Writing process: prewriting,
drafting, revising
9.11.1.1 Demonstrate
command of the conventions
of standard English grammar
and usage when writing or
speaking.
a. “Use parallel structure.”
b. “Use various types of
phrases (noun, verb,
adjectival, adverbial,
participial, prepositional,
absolute) and clauses
(independent, dependent;
noun, relative, adverbial) to
convey specific meanings and
add
variety and interest to writing
or presentations.”
IV. C. Sentence structures:
Coordination/subordination;
sentence variety (simple,
compound, and complex
sentences); parallelism; avoiding
fragments, run-ons, comma
splices, and fused sentences
IV. B. Paragraph and essay
structure: thesis; topic sentence;
transitions; clear, logical sequence
of ideas and relevant detail;
conclusion
V. C. Proofreading and editing
III. E. Respond to
various writing
models (published
material and class
assignments) in
group discussion and
short paragraphs
III. G. Edit and
proofread to ensure
clear ideas and
recognize awkward
sentences and errors
in grammar, usage,
spelling, and
punctuation
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Document A:
Author: Chris Juzwiak


ISBN/SKU: ISBN-10: 0-312-67599-2
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-67599-8
Year: 2012
Page Count: 527
Reading Level: 9-13
Recognizing that many students in the sentence-to-paragraph-level course have
experienced repeated failure in the past, Stepping Stones takes a fresh approach
to the core challenges of the course. The book clearly articulates — textually and visually — the sentence patterns
that college writers need to master. Then, it patiently guides students through every step of building these
sentences and recognizing common problems in them. Additionally, the book offers unusually thorough, carefully
staged guidance in developing and organizing ideas — two of the most difficult tasks for developmental students.
Drawing on years of classroom experience, award-winning educator Chris Juzwiak recognizes that all students have
the potential to become better writers and just need the right tools to succeed.
http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/Catalog/product/steppingstones-secondedition-juzwiak
Author: Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell

ISBN/SKU: 13: 978-0312542566 ISBN-10: 0312542569


Year: 2012
Page Count: 768
Reading Level: 9-13
Best-selling authors and veteran college writing instructors Laurie Kirszner and
Stephen Mandell believe that students learn to write best when they use their
own writing as a starting point. In Writing First with Readings: Practice in
Context, designed for the paragraph to essay course, Kirszner and Mandell take seriously the ideas and expressive
abilities of developmental students, as well as their need to learn the rules of writing and grammar. Visual writing
prompts that open every chapter get students writing immediately. By moving frequently between their own
writing, writing models and instruction, and workbook-style mastery exercises, students get constant
reinforcement of the skills they are learning. Thoughtful chapters on college success, research, and critical reading,
along with high-interest essays, round out the text, making it the perfect introduction to college writing.
http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/Catalog/product/writingfirstwithreadings-fifthedition-kirszner
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Author: Joy Wingersky Glendale Community College, Arizona, Janice K.
Boerner Emerita, Glendale Community College, Arizona, Diana Holguin-Balogh
Emerita, Front Range Community College
ISBN/SKU: 1413033466 ISBN-13: 9781413033465

Year: 2009
Page Count: 544
Reading Level: 9-13
Master writing paragraphs and short essays with WRITING PARAGRAPHS AND
ESSAYS, 6e. Successfully class-tested by thousands of students, this new edition shows you how to create effective
introductions, support paragraphs, and strong conclusions. Learn smart strategies for organizing and presenting
your ideas and use real examples from students and professional writers to help guide your work. Take your skills
to the next level with exercises designed to reinforce key concepts and boost your confidence as you apply them to
your writing. [This textbook had one of the higher Lexile scores.]
http://www.cengage.com/aushed/instructor.do?product_isbn=9781413033465
Document B: ENGC 0800 Common Course Outline
NORMANDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE June 2011
COMMON COURSE OUTLINE
EngC 0800, Fundamentals of Writing
I. Identifying Information
A. EngC 0800: Fundamentals of Writing
B. Fall, Spring
C. 3 credits
D. D. Prerequisite: Placement into ENGC 0800 and eligibility for READ 0860 or a Pass/C or better in EAP
0760 and eligibility for READ 0860.
II. Catalog Description
This course focuses on the writing skills needed to produce paragraphs and short essays. During the
semester, students 1) analyze ideas; 2) follow a process for academic writing; 3) communicate clear
ideas in developed paragraphs with main points and logically sequenced sentences; 4) demonstrate
conventional sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling, as well as vocabulary and usage. Grading
options are A-F or Pass/No Credit. A grade of Pass/C or better is required to register for EngC 0900.
III. Learning Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete 0800 are able to:
A. Write effective sentences with attention to variety and grammar.
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B. Build vocabulary, and analyze word choice.
C. Write successful paragraphs.
D. Use effective writing processes: prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing.
E. Respond to various writing models (published material and class assignments) in group discussion and
short paragraphs.
F. Create organized short essays with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
G. Edit and proofread to ensure clear ideas and recognize awkward sentences and errors in grammar,
usage, spelling, and punctuation.
IV. Outline of Major Content
A. Writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising
B. Paragraph and essay structure: thesis; topic sentence; transitions; clear, logical sequence of ideas and
relevant detail; conclusion
C. Sentence structures: coordination/subordination; sentence variety (simple, compound, and complex
sentences); parallelism; avoiding fragments, run-ons, comma splices, and fused sentences
V. Assignments
A. Reading, analyzing, and discussing model texts and student writing
B. Completing a variety of exercises, paragraphs, and short essays
C. Proofreading and editing
VI. Evaluation
A. Writing assignments and related exercises
B. Other methods as the instructor chooses
http://www.normandale.edu/Documents/cco/ENGC0800.pdf
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