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Ducat ENG 101 Fall 2011 - Mt. San Jacinto College
Section: ENGL 101
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ENGLISH 101: Freshman Composition
Course Information and Guidelines: Fall 2011
MT. SAN JACINTO COLLEGE
(class meets at Beaumont High School)
MTWThF 9:55-10:55 a.m.
Room D5
Contact Information
James Ducat
Telephone and Voice Mail: (951) 845-3171 x5027
Office: D5
Office Hours: by appointment
E-mail: jducat@beaumontusd.k12.ca.us
jducat@msjc.edu
Required Text
Axelrod, Rise B., and Charles R. Cooper. The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing. 9th ed.
Supplemental grammar work online at Bedford St Martin’s “Exercise Central”
http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/exercisecentral
Other Required Materials
A good college dictionary
3 bottom pocket folders (no hardware)
Three ring binder, paper, pen, pencils*
2 large blue books (8 1/2 by 11)
*BRING YOUR TEXTBOOK, LINED PAPER AND A PEN TO EACH CLASS.
SPIRAL BOUND PAPER CANNOT BE USED ON ASSIGNMENTS.
Prerequisite
A grade of “C” or better in English 98 or a qualifying MSJC assessment score.
Course Description
This course develops competence in rhetorical skills with an emphasis on writing for a purpose. Students will
learn to read and respond to a variety of sources appropriately, conduct academic-level research and
incorporate sources into carefully crafted essays, including an 7-10 page research paper. This course satisfies
graduation and transfer requirements.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to do the following:
1. Compose research-based essays incorporating at least six outside sources
2. Analyze academic texts, hypothesize effective arguments in reaction to the texts, and synthesize new
knowledge from various sources in order to write effective college-level essays
3. Demonstrate argumentative/persuasive writing and strategies without committing logical fallacies
4. Formulate library research strategies
5. Examine and use appropriate library resources and techniques of research
6. Document sources using MLA guidelines
7. Assess sources and integrate them within a formal research paper
8. Practice writing in a range of situations (both in and out of class) while relying on the writing process
(invention, drafting , revision, and editing)
9. Compose essays demonstrating a mastery of conventions of standard academic American written English
and be able to edit and revise papers
10. Work as a community of writers—reading critically and responding constructively to one another’s drafts
and participating in group activities and discussion
11. Demonstrate an ability to revise and edit
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Ducat ENG 101 Fall 2011 - Mt. San Jacinto College
Essays
Essays, including the first drafts, must be typed, double spaced, with the student's name, instructor's name,
course number, assignment and version, and date in the top left-hand corner of the first page, all pages
numbered, stapled, and placed in a bottom pocket folder, in standard MLA format. Do not use a title page.
Leave one inch margins on all four sides. Do not justify the right margin. Errors in formatting are penalized by
degree. Keep a copy of your work at home. All prewriting, drafting, revisions, notes, and peer reviews must be
turned in with the final draft. No draft will be considered complete without these materials. To be evaluated,
final and revised (rough) drafts, including my comments on roughs, if applicable, must be turned in along with
all prewriting notes, the first draft, and the peer critique(s) in a bottom-pocket folder. Include two copies of the
final draft. No paper will be considered complete without these materials. An incomplete submission
receives an "F."
Essay Topics
1. Explaining a Concept
2. Argument
3. Finding Common Ground
4. Proposing a Solution
5. Research/Argument/Synthesis
Drafts will be number 1A and 1B. The first draft (the A-draft) is your best work to that date and will receive
peer evaluation and instructor comment. The grade will be based on the second draft (the B-draft).
Quizzes
Short answer, essay, and definition/identification quizzes will be given throughout the semester without
advance warning. If you have kept up with the reading schedule, have read the text carefully, and have kept up
with the grammar assignments, you should have no problem passing the quizzes. Missed quizzes cannot be
made up.
Peer Review/Collaboration
In this class, workshop and group activities will be held regularly, and your active participation is required. Peer
review is a vital part of the process of revising a paper. Getting responses to a paper before it is turned in and
revising accordingly leads to better papers and better grades. Guidelines will be presented on the day of each
review. It is very important that you bring a typed A-draft on that day. Without it, you will lose a valuable chance
for a peer response and the opportunity to help a fellow student, not to mention points from your grade.
Requirements*
4 essays
1 research paper
Quizzes, peer evaluations, homework, participation
Mid-term exam
Final exam
40%
20%
20%
10%
10%
100% of final grade
*All assignments must be submitted to successfully complete the course.
*You are responsible for keeping duplicate copies all of work submitted for this class until the end of the
semester—that way “lost” work is never an issue.
Grading and Evaluation
All course work is evaluated according to MSJC English Department standards and will be tabulated according
to the following scale. Writing is a thinking activity that grows naturally through self-discovery, discussion,
collaboration with peers, and various phases of the writing process. Therefore, your writing and essays should
reflect involvement in the process as well as the product. (Papers that reflect no changes from the first draft to
the final draft will indicate failure to complete some of the steps in the writing process.) Your graded quizzes
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Ducat ENG 101 Fall 2011 - Mt. San Jacinto College
and in-class writings will reflect your knowledge of grammar and punctuation rules and usage and your
comprehension of the readings in the text.
A
B
C
D
F
Grading scale
90-100% of points possible
80-89%
70-79%
60-69%
0-59%
Papers will be awarded points based on the following rubric:
1. Content
Is the topic interesting and fresh?
Are the topic and supporting statements original?
Does the writer demonstrate intelligent, thoughtful analysis of topic?
2. Organization
Does the topic sentence/thesis statement function as it should?
Does the paper have a clear plan?
Is the paper unified?
Is all material presented relevant to the topic sentence/thesis statement?
Do transition words/phrases connect ideas clearly?
3. Development
Does the writer use examples, illustrations, facts, or other forms of evidence to support the topic
sentence/thesis statement?
Are they relevant? Are they sufficient?
4. Mechanics
Is the paper free of gross spelling errors?
Is punctuation used appropriately?
Is the paper free of errors of agreement (subject/verb, pronoun/antecedent)?
Is the paper free of major sentence errors (fragments, comma splices, fused or run-on sentences)?
5. Style
Does the writer use words as efficiently as possible?
Does the writer vary sentence length throughout?
Is the vocabulary that expected of a college student?
Papers receiving higher point values will demonstrate proficiency in all of these areas simultaneously. Papers
receiving lower point values may be deficient in one or more of these criteria.
Mt. San Jacinto College Grading Standards for English 101
The A paper has a strong, clear, arguable thesis, and its organization follows logically from the thesis. The
introduction and conclusion are effective. The writing style is clear, strong, and persuasive. The writer can
usually organize ideas logically, choose words aptly, use sophisticated sentences effectively, and observe the
conventions of written English. The A student also attends class regularly and completes all assigned work
with characteristic thoroughness and excellence.
Writing at the B level is clearly strong, competent writing that shows control of the elements of effective writing,
presenting thoughtful ideas in a generally well-organized manner and elaborating them with appropriate
examples and sensible reasoning. The writer has a less fluent and complex style, but does usually choose
Ducat ENG 101 Fall 2011 - Mt. San Jacinto College
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words accurately, vary sentences effectively, and observe the conventions of standard written English, perhaps
with minor flaws. The B student also meets the requirements of the class and completes assignments.
Writing at the C level is satisfactory, sometimes marginally so. The writer demonstrates adequate control of
the elements of writing, supporting ideas with relevant examples—but perhaps only in a limited way. Language
may be imprecise. Sentences may lack variety, and the writing may contain occasional major errors or frequent
minor errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics. Although this is not necessarily true in every case, the C
student may also miss or come unprepared to draft workshops, may not proofread final revisions carefully, and
may attend class irregularly and therefore miss in-class activities and assignments.
Writing at the D level is inadequate. The writing may not meet the criteria of the assignment or may lack a
focused thesis, a logical pattern of organization, and/or specific examples to develop adequately the writer's
argument. The writing may be characterized by errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics. The D student may
also attend class irregularly and fail to complete assignments.
Writing at the F level may be unfocused, poorly organized, and underdeveloped. The writing may be off topic,
may fail to meet the criteria of the assignment, or may be characterized by frequent and serious errors in
grammar, usage, and mechanics. The F student may also fail to complete assignments.
For this four unit class, you are expected to spend a minimum of eight hours each week outside of class on
the assignments. For most students interested in earning a grade of “A” or “B” in this course, more than eight
hours of outside work will be necessary.
Writing Assignment Format
All drafts of writing projects must be typed or processed on a computer and double-spaced. Use the Times
New Roman 12 point font and follow standard MLA format. Submit the final draft in duplicate.
All writing projects, to avoid a score of "F" for the assignment, must be submitted with the following materials in
a bottom-pocket folder:
Two copies of final typed draft
Prewriting: all handwritten notes, outlines, freewrites, etc.
Discovery draft (on non-spiral paper) and subsequent typed rough drafts
Mr. Ducat’s comments on drafts, if provided
Peer evaluations
Late Paper/Missed Quizzes
 There are no make-up quizzes.
 To take the midterm exam at a time other than the scheduled time, you must make arrangements with
me prior to the exam, and this is not possible with the final exam without the permission of the dean of
instruction.
Papers must be submitted by the beginning of the class period on the day on which they are due. I will not call
for papers—you are responsible for getting them to me on time.
All drafts of essays (and selected other writing assignments) must be submitted to www.turnitin.com to check
for plagiarism, revision, and originality. Failure to submit to www.turnitin.com by the due date will result in an F
for the assignment.
I will accept B-drafts of essays up to seven days late, but the grade of the late paper will be lowered by one
letter per day it is late. For example, if your essay is an “A” paper, it will be downgraded to a “B” the first day it
is late, to a “C” the second day, etc. However, no late submission will be accepted for the final paper.
Ducat ENG 101 Fall 2011 - Mt. San Jacinto College
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Attendance
Students are required to attend class. In this class, discussions and workshops require your active participation
in the classroom. You are responsible for all class material–assignments, announcements, and lecture–
whether or not you are present. In the event of an absence, homework and in-class assignments are still
considered due by the due date. All papers not turned in on or before the due date in class will be late.
Incomplete assignments will not be accepted or returned for completion. Students have one chance to earn
points on these assignments. If you are absent five or more days (for any reason), you are subject to a teacher
drop from the course.
Academic Integrity:
Plagiarism/cheating is a direct violation of intellectual and academic honesty. Plagiarism includes, but is not
limited to, representing somebody else’s words or ideas as one’s own, using a paper written by another person
or obtained from a commercial source, and paraphrasing an author’s ideas or quoting even limited portions of
his or her text without the proper citation. Plagiarism is a violation of MSJC policy will not be tolerated. It may
constitute grounds for a failing grade on the paper or in the course. Any act of plagiarism will be dealt with in
accordance with MSJC procedure in dealing with student misconduct (See attachment 1).
Classroom Decorum and Management
Students in this class have, by and large, voluntarily given of their time and money to attend. Disruptive
behavior, ranging from the seemingly innocuous act of talking to a neighbor as well as those items listed in
MSJC Catalog, interferes with the educational process and denies students the opportunity to learn. To ensure
each student's right to learn as fully as possible, I will begin proceedings to remove a student or a group of
students from this class if I must speak to the individual or group more than twice concerning what I consider
disruptive behavior.
No food or beverages are permitted in the classroom. All phones and electronic media should be turned off
(not left on or on vibrate mode) and stored off your person during the class session.
Disabled Student Services
If you have a physical, psychiatric/emotional, medical, or learning disability that may impact your ability to carry
out assigned course work, I urge you to contact the staff in Disabled Student Services, (951) 487-3305, who
will review your concerns and determine, with you, what accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All
information and documentation are confidential.
Individual Assistance
The MSJC Writing Center offers free tutoring and academic support for all MSJC writing students. Students are
encouraged to visit the Writing Center for additional assistance with any topic that involves writing and English
skills, including thesis statements and forecasts, organizing an essay, paragraph development, and MLA
citation standards.
The Mt. San Jacinto College Writing Center is located in the Milo P. Johnson Library, Bldg. 300, on the San
Jacinto campus. The mission of the Writing Center is dedicated to supporting writers, regardless of experience
or ability, in the development of their own skills toward becoming more confident, independent writers. The
Writing Center is staffed by professional faculty instructors and peer tutors who are all interested in writing and
in helping students become better writers. The tutors have completed training courses that address the latest
in writing tutoring theory and practice and are dedicated to student success.
Hours: Monday – Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; closed Saturday & Sunday
Your continued attendance in this class is acknowledgment that you have read and understand this
syllabus and your agreement to abide by the conditions described therein.
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Ducat ENG 101 Fall 2011 - Mt. San Jacinto College
Attachment 1
NOTIFICATION OF INSTRUCTOR ACTION
To:
Student
Student # -------
Date: 00 Month - Year
Re:
English 101 – Plagiarism.
You are receiving this notification in response to an act of plagiarism. You have misrepresented the
work of another writer as your own. The class syllabus for English 101 includes the following
Statement on Plagiarism:
Plagiarism/cheating is a direct violation of intellectual and academic honesty. Plagiarism
includes, but is not limited to, representing somebody else’s words or ideas as one’s own, using
a paper written by another person or obtained from a commercial source, and paraphrasing an
author’s ideas or quoting even limited portions of his or her text without the proper citation.
Plagiarism is a violation of MSJC policy will not be tolerated. It may constitute grounds for a
failing grade on the paper or in the course.
Your current grade has now been reduced to an “F.” Be further advised, as required by the college, a
form, “Violation of Student Code of Conduct,” describing the offense and including any evidence of
the violation will be submitted to the Dean of Matriculation/Outreach and Student Development for
further review and action.
Should you choose to remain in English 101, you are welcome to do so while attempting to earn the
necessary points to pass the course. Should you decide to remain, you will be assessed without
prejudice. In the alternative, you may choose to withdraw from this course before the drop deadline
of (Current drop date). Refer to your point sheet for current scores and class status.
Date: ________________________
James Ducat
___________________________________
Instructor of English
Mt. San Jacinto College
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Ducat ENG 101 Fall 2011 - Mt. San Jacinto College
Attachment 2
RESEARCH PAPER SCORING
Due: TBA
Name: _______________________
Grade: ________
Oral Presentation: Background/context
Thesis/forecast
Supporting evidence
Opposing viewpoints
Conclusion
10
_____
Weekly oral reports
10
_____
Research (Internet sources are limited to
those accessed through the MSJC library
data base or approved by the instructor.)
10
_____
Submission of drafts
10
_____
MLA formatting
10
_____
Writing (See rubric): Content
20
_____
Organization
20
_____
Development
20
_____
Mechanics
20
_____
Style
20
_____
Total Points
150 / _______
Scoring Key
150 – 135 = A
134 – 120 = B
119 – 105 = C
104 – 90
=D
90 & below = F
Ducat ENG 101 Fall 2011 - Mt. San Jacinto College
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Attachment 3
RESEARCH PAPER INSTRUCTIONS
1.
Choose a subject.
2.
Your introduction must include a thesis statement that is arguable/controversial and a forecast.
3.
You must use a variety of research materials including at least six sources (not including
encyclopedia or dictionary entries). Internet sources are limited to those accessible through the Mt.
San Jacinto College library data base or other electronic sources approved by the instructor. When
choosing a topic, be sure there are sufficient resource materials available.
4.
All exposition will incorporate the third person perspective.
5.
Papers will be 7 – 10 pages in accordance with MLA format. Cover/title sheets are not
required.
6.
Sources will be cited using MLA standards.
7.
Current research documentation and in-class progress reports are required for points.
8.
An oral, peer review presentation is required for points.
9.
Writing strategies will be modeled after specific text chapters.
10.
Previous topics written for class can be expanded.
11.
Current research for other classes can be consolidated.
12.
Past research papers cannot be restructured with additional research and content.
13.
Interpretations of literary works will not be accepted.
14.
Research should not be undertaken simply to confirm an existing opinion.
Addressing
opposing points of view is a key element to the paper. Be open to having your opinion changed
based upon your research.
15.
Research paper due: TBA
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Ducat ENG 101 Fall 2011 - Mt. San Jacinto College
Attachment 4
INFORMAL RESEARCH PAPER
PRESENTATION GUIDELINES
Due date TBA
Provide background and context for your research paper.
Why did you choose this topic?
Present typed copies outlining your research paper.
Outlines should include the following:
Thesis statement and forecast.
In general, the supporting evidence and more specific details.
Opposing points of view.
Your rebuttal.
A conclusion.
Hand in a typed Works Cited page utilizing MLA format. Works cited should be all those utilized to
date for the research paper.