Houston Community College
Fall 2014
English 1301 Course Calendar
Mo-We 10:00 a.m. 11:30 a. m.
Room 153 San Jac Bldg
Mr. William Miller
Office 215 San Jac Bldg.
William.miller@hccs.edu
Prerequisite: Students enrolled in English 1301 must have sufficient diagnostic
test scores or have successfully completed English 0310. It is the student’s
responsibility to make sure they have satisfied all requirements to be properly
enrolled in English 1301.
Course Materials: The required txt for the class is the Norton Reader 13th ed.
Students must have a textbook, a pocket size dictionary, and a standard size
college rule notebook.
Students are required to review the HCCS Online Handbook for Policies and
procedures.
Course Description: English 1301 is the first part of the two part freshman English
require. The course is designed to enhance students’ critical reading, writing, and
analytical skills in writing several multi paragraph essays. Essays will be written
both in class and outside of class.
Requirements: Students are required to have a copy of the text and attend class
at least 87.5% of the scheduled class meetings. Also students shall not miss either
the Mid-Term or the Final Exam. Failure to take either exam will result in an
“F”forthe class.
Students enrolled in English 1301 must master the following skills.
1. Demonstrate Knowledge of writing as a process.
2. Apply basic principles of critical thinking in analyzing reading selections,
developing expository essays, and writing argumentative essays.
3. Analyze elements such as purpose, audience, tone, style, strategy in essays
and/or literature by professional writers.
4. Write essays in appropriate academic writing style using varied rhetorical
strategies.
5. Synthesize concepts from and use references to assigned readings in their
own academic writing.
Assignments: Students will be required to write three in class essays, two outside
essays, the Mid-Term, and the Final Exam. As a general rule students will not be
allowed to make-up assignments. There will be no make-up for the Mid-Term, InClass, or Final Exam. Any make-up shall be at the sole discretion of the instructor.
In any event no student will be permitted to make-up more than one assignment
during the semester. Essays written in class shall be written in blue or black ballpoint pen. Students are reminded not to write on both sides of a single sheet of
paper. Any paper written in pencil will not be graded. Essays written outside of
class shall be typed, double spaced, using ten or 12 font size. The type must be
black ink on white paper. All assignments are due on the due dates listed in this
document.
Assignments will be evaluated fairly and consistently; however, if a student feels
that his or her essay has not been properly or fairly graded, the student should
feel free to appeal the grade: first do so by speaking with the instructor and from
there the student should go to the department. HCC instructors are committed to
assisting each student to reach his or her maximum potential. Furthermore, HCC
provides free tutorial to students in all academic disciplines.
Attendance: Students are required by the State of Texas and HCCS to be present
87.5% of the class time. Thus, for this class students are permitted to miss four
class; otherwise, it will have a negative impact upon your grade. Please be advised
that there is no distinction between excused and unexcused absences.
Grade Calculation:
In-Class essays_________________30%
Outside essays_________________20%
Instructor’s choice______________10%
Mid-Term_____________________20%
Final Exam_____________________20%
Cell Phones: Please turn-off all cell phones upon entering the class room. If your
phone rings during class, you may be asked to leave that class period and you will
be counted absent for that period.
Reasonable Accommodations: Students in need of special services must contact
the Office of Student Disability Services and accommodations shall be provided.
Please be aware that HCC is committed to providing a learning and working
environment that is free from discrimination on the basis of sex which includes all
forms of sexual misconduct. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
requires that when a complaint is filed, a prompt and thorough investigation is
initiated. Complaints may be filed with the HCC Title IX Coordinator available at
713 718-8271 or email at oie@hccs.edu.
Incompletes: Students enrolled in English 1301 may receive an incomplete based
solely on unique and unavoidable circumstances. The general rule is that students
enrolled in English 1301 will receive a letter grade for the final grade for the class.
Schedule of Assignments
Week One (Aug. 25-27)
Discuss course overview and review the text book.
Assignment: Read “Single-Handed Cooking,” “On Being a Cripple,” and “Beauty:
When the Other Dancer Is the Self”
Week Two (Sept. 3) No Class on the first.
Discuss reading assignments.
Week Three (Sept. 8-10)
Continue discussion of readings and review essay writing guidelines. Discuss
Determinism, Epistemology, and Existentialism as the terms relate to literature.
Assignment: In-Class essay Wednesday Sept 10, 2014. Read: “More Room,”
“Strangers,” and “Sowers and Reapers”
Week Four (Sept. 15-17)
Continue to discuss literary terms plus Cultural Precepts and review essays.
Week Five (Sept. 22-24)
Discussing readings. Assignment- Outside writing assignment.Write a welldeveloped essay discussing “Strangers from the perspective of the character
portrayed as the stranger. Read “Being a Man,” “Looking at Women,and “Why
Women Smile”
Week Six (Sept.29-Oct.1)
Discuss reading assignments. Read “Black Men in Public Spaces,” and “Stranger in
the Village.
Week Seven (Oct. 6-8)
Continue discussions and outside essay on “Stranger” due before the end of class
on Wednesday October8, 2014.
Mid-Term Exam Wednesday October 15, 2014. Please bring large blue Book to
write essay.
Week Nine (Oct. 20-22)
Review Mid-Term Exam. Read: “The Gender Gap at School” and “Taking Women
Students Seriously.” Outside essay assignment: See handout for instructions.
Week Ten (Oct. 27-29)
Discuss reading assignments.
Week Eleven (Nov.3-5)
Continue discussion and Outside due November 5, 2014 before the end of class.
Read: ”Who Owns Global English” and “Politics and the English Language”
Week Twelve (Nov. 10-12)
Discuss reading assignments and Outside essay due November 12, 2014
Week Thirteen (Nov. 17-19)
Continue discussions and In-class essay on November 19, 2014. Read “Salvation,”
and “Sight into Insight”
Week Fourteen (Nov.24-26)
Discuss readings.
Week Fifteen (Dec. 01- 03)
Continue discussion and In-class essay on December 3, 2014
Week Sixteen (Dec.8-12)
Final Exam in accord with the college schedule: Monday December 8, 2014