Composition II Syllabus Page 1
Composition II (ENC1102)
Valencia Community College, West Campus
Spring 2011, Friday from 6:00 p.m. till 8:45 p.m.
Instructor: Michael Robbins
E-mail: mrobbins9@valenciacc.edu or
michaeljrobbins@gmail.com
Online Office Hours: I will have dedicated
online office hours available on Tuesday
between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. If you wish to meet
face-to-face, please contact me via e-mail and I
will make arrangements with you
Class Times: ENC1102 meets Friday from 6:00 p.m. till 8:45 p.m. at West Campus (Building 1,
Room 147).
Course Description: In ENC1101, students learned the ability to write in a concise and strategic
manner is one of the most valuable skills a college student can acquire. This course will take the
lessons on rhetorical analysis from Composition I and put them to practical use in the study of
literary works. ENC1102 strives to reinforce those skills through applicable practice, focusing
on critical reading and the evaluation of source materials; documentation and research; and
finally the production of a short documented research paper. Additionally, students will cultivate
their abilities to research potential topics, develop ideas, and edit not only their own work, but
the work of their peers. This course will hone students’ critical thinking skills, acting on
Valencia’s Core Competencies: Value, Think, Communicate, and Act.
Prerequisite: Students must have earned at least a C in ENC1101 or ENC1101H, or bypassed
the ENC1101 requirement (through testing, such as Advanced Placement).
Course Objectives: By the end of the semester, the student will have met the following learning
objectives:
(1) To compose a documented research paper
(2) To access research materials and determine if those materials are relevant or
academically sound based on evaluation, interpretation, and synthesis.
(3) To evaluate various literary genres using multiple rhetorical strategies, focusing on the
development of critical reading and critical thinking skills.
Required Texts: Students will need the most current copy of the following texts:
Portable Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing 7th Edition, by Laurie Kirszner and Stephen
Mandell
The Brief Wadsworth Handbook, 9th Edition, by Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell
Recommended Texts and Supplies: It would behoove the student to own a current edition of a
college-level dictionary and thesaurus. If you cannot obtain a copy, you should have access to a
computer with online capabilities; I can recommend a number of websites to you. Additionally,
students should bring a blue or black pen to each class, and have access to paper that is the
standard 8.5x11.
Composition II Syllabus Page 2
Online Component and Computer Competency: I will be notifying many of you of changes to
the course via Atlas, and will provide valuable course materials through e-mail. I expect any
student to have computer knowledge; if you do not, this is the perfect opportunity to develop
those vital computer skills. Valencia Community College offers multiple computer labs, and the
library, both the public library and Valencia’s private library, has access to computers with
online-capability.
Plagiarism and Academic Honesty: Plagiarism is the act of taking another individual’s writings
or ideas and passing them off as your own. This includes directly copying even a small portion
of the text, paraphrasing ideas without correctly attributing the source, and using another
individual’s research without the correct attribution. Any act of plagiarism or academic
dishonesty will result in an automatic “F” on the assignment, no matter how small the infraction.
Additional action may be taken with the college’s administrative offices. Do not endanger your
academic career: if there is a severe issue, or you feel dishonesty is your only solution, contact
me immediately and we will discuss the matter.
Attendance: Attendance is mandatory. Students are allowed a maximum of three absences;
after the third absence, the student will be automatically withdrawn from the course. Students
will only receive excused absences for religious holidays, jury duty, participation in collegerelated events, or short-term military obligations. There are no medical absences, and I do not
want nor need to see a physician’s note. Do not e-mail me if you are going to be absent: the
policy above is clear, and it does not matter the circumstances unless if falls under the excused
absences listed. If you have a serious illness, consult with the college’s administration for
information on medically withdrawing from the course.
Tardy Policy: Class begins promptly at 11:00. I understand there are extenuating circumstances
such as traffic or car trouble, and allow four “tardy excuses.” For every incident after the tardy
incident, I will consider it to be a full absence.
College Policies and Procedures: Valencia Community College’s policies and procedures can
be found at http://www.valenciacc.edu/policies. Consult the website for any specific questions
about college policy, and see me if you need any special accommodations or have additional
questions about individual course policies.
Participation: Students are expected to attempt to actively participate in in-class discussions, as
well as participate regularly in peer editing and group work.
Assignments: Students will write two critical evaluation essays, one major research paper, and
six in-class essays.
Critical Evaluation Essays: Students are expected to complete two critical evaluation essays
based on the reading assignments. These essays will be approximately 1000 to 1250 words. All
papers must follow proper MLA formatting, and must be stapled before you arrive to class. We
will discuss MLA formatting in class, before the first assignment is due. Never ask the instructor
for a stapler.
Research Paper: Students will write a fully documented research essay, which will include a
minimum of five sources to a maximum of ten sources. These sources should be varied and
come from books, essays, online research, and audio/visual material. The paper will range from
Composition II Syllabus Page 3
1200 to 1800 words. This paper will follow MLA formatting rules and must be stapled. Never
ask the instructor for a stapler.
In-Class Essays: Throughout the semester, there will be six in-class essays. These will range in
topic and will typically be based on reading materials assigned outside class. These will range
from 300 to 500 words, and will typically only require one to three pages. There are no makeups for the in-class essays. You may write on the back of a piece of paper for these assignments,
and you do not need to staple them; however, you should remember to include your name on
each sheet of paper, and to number the pages used. The lowest grade for an in-class writing
assignment will be dropped.
Rough Draft: Students are expected to follow the writing process – this means you must plan,
draft, and revise every major essay. As such, there is a deadline for a rough draft of your paper.
This rough draft will account for 10 points of your final grade on the assignment (counted toward
the “Mechanics” portion of the grade). These rough drafts will be necessary for peer review
sessions and consultations with the instructor; they should be as complete as possible (meaning
there should be an introduction, a body, and a conclusion – this is not planning, so these should
be complete paragraphs as opposed to an outline or notes). Rough drafts should be typed.
Final Grade: To satisfy state requirements for the Gordon Rule, students are required to
complete multiple writing assignments and achieve a grade of C or higher. The following is the
breakdown for all assignments, out of 100 points total:
Two Critical Evaluation Essays: 25% each, 50% of total grade (1000-1250 words)
Research Essay: 40% of total grade (1200-1800 words, minimum five sources, maximum ten
sources)
Six In-Class Writings: 2% each, 10% of total grade (lowest grade dropped)
Grading Scale: 100-90 A; 89.99-80 B; 79.99-70 C; 69.99-60 D; 59.99 and Below F