English 99: Intro to Composition
Course Syllabus: Spring 2010
Seminar: M/W 9:00-9:50 am (O323)
Lab: T/Th/F: 9:00-9:50 am (C506)
Instructor Name: Ms. Rebecca Burman
Email: rburman@pierce.ctc.edu
Required Texts and Materials
English 99 Student Guide
The Writer’s World: Paragraphs and Essays
The Beggar King and the Secret of Happiness
Lesson Sheet (provided by the lab staff for the purpose of tracking attendance)
Pen and college-ruled paper
Functional email address and internet access
Three ring binder with dividers
Free Online Resources
OWL at Purdue resource website: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/
Guide to Grammar and Writing: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/index.htm
MLA Citation Aid: http://www.easybib.com/
Online Office Suite w/ File Sharing & Remote Storage: https://www.google.com/docs
Course Format & Grading
This is a seven unit course, and each unit contains a combination of readings, grammar work, and
writing exercises and assignments. Your final grades will be calculated based on your
performance in the following areas:
Attendance/Participation (10%): All students have a responsibility to help create a dynamic
learning environment in the classroom. Consequently, you must attend class regularly and come
to each seminar class prepared to participate fully in class discussions and activities. Expect to
contribute by posing questions, offering appropriately timed thoughts and/or insights about what
the class is reading or writing, participating in classroom activities, and responding to your
instructor’s questions. Since participation is graded, it would be wise to come to each class
prepared to say/ask something about the current topic(s) under discussion.
The instructor will not repeat lecture material covered in class; consequently, it would be wise to
exchange email addresses with a fellow student who can share his/her notes with you in the event
that you must miss a class. Courtesy dictates that you also notify your instructor in person or by
email (24 hours in advance if possible) if you will be absent. You are held responsible for turning
in all work on time, even if you will be absent on the due date. Plan ahead. Note: If you miss five
or more seminar classes, you should withdraw from the course as you will not pass.
Punctuation, Grammar Work, and Tests (30%): Every student will complete a diagnostic on
MyWritingLab.com that will determine which workbook and online grammar assignments s/he
will be required to complete. Students will be required to complete no more than 14 online topics;
for each topic to be completed, the student must first complete the workbook assignments and
then master (i.e. 80% or higher) the Recall and Apply sections online. Plan to complete two full
topics per week.
MWAs (40%): MWAs (Main Writing Assignments) are your formal writing assignments. Your
instructor will assess both the structure and the content of your MWAs, so give yourself ample
time to revise and proofread your work before submitting it.
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The rough and final drafts of all formal unit writing assignments must be typed, double-spaced,
and in 12 point Times New Roman font. When formatting your papers or citing source material,
you should use MLA format. Informal and in-class writings may be hand-written in pen;
however, the handwriting must be legible, or you will be required to rewrite the assignment. If
you are confused about any of the requirements, please ask.
All MWAs are due at the beginning of the class period on the due date. Please be advised that
assignments turned in more than five minutes after the class begins will be considered late and an
automatic one grade deduction penalty will be assessed. MWAs more than 24 hours late will not
be accepted without an extension certificate. Each student will be given one extension certificate
for the quarter – simply staple the certificate to your late work before turning it in, and your
instructor will accept it up to one week late (no questions asked). Use the certificate wisely,
though, as you will not receive another. If you attempt to submit an MWA more than 24 hours
after the due date without a valid extension certificate, you will receive a 50% on that assignment.
Formal unit writing assignments receiving grades ranging from A to C- cannot be revised and
resubmitted for an improved grade. You may revise and resubmit formal unit writing assignments
receiving grades of D+ or below unless the grade resulted from the your failure to 1) turn in the
paper on time or 2) turn in all required parts of the assignment. Rewrites must be completed
within seven days of the day you received the graded assignment.
Incomplete assignments are failing assignments – if you turn in an assignment that is under the
required length and/or does not include all the parts of the assignment (including required
prewriting and peer review sheets), you will receive a failing grade on that assignment. Each
complete MWA includes (in this order from top to bottom): 1) final draft, 2) assigned
prewriting, 3) at least one rough draft, 4) peer review sheet, 5) your self-grading sheet, and 6)
any assigned unit work.
Other Assignments and Exercises (10%): The instructor will regularly assign in-class writing
exercises and critical thinking assignments. Completion of all such assignments is required, so
prearrange your absences to ensure that you do not miss any assignments. Informal and in-class
writings may be hand-written in pen; however, the handwriting must be legible, or you will be
required to rewrite the assignment. If you are confused about any of the requirements, please ask.
Exit Exam (10%): You must pass the exit exam in order to receive at least a 2.0 in English 99,
which is the minimum grade required for those progressing to English 101. See the Student Guide
for additional information about the exit exam.
Numerical Grade Chart:
90-100% = 3.5-4.0 = A
80-89% = 2.5-3.4 = B
70-79% = 1.5-2.4 = C
60-69% = 0.7-1.4 = D
< 60
= 0.0-0.6 = F
Other Important Course Information
Respect in the Classroom: All students are expected to help foster an atmosphere of mutual
respect within the classroom. If you direct unhelpful and/or disrespectful comments toward
others, you may be asked to leave the classroom for the rest of the class period and will lose all
participation points for the day. You may also be asked to leave if you are caught texting in class
or engaging in disruptive behavior. Cell phones should be turned off or silenced before class
starts in order to avoid distracting your classmates. If special circumstances require that you keep
your cell phone on, please see the instructor.
Academic Honesty: Plagiarism is defined as using someone else’s words and/or ideas and not
giving that person proper credit, thus making it appear that those words and/or ideas are your
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own. All secondary source material must be cited. If you are caught engaging in plagiarism, you
will receive a failing grade in this class and may be subject to further disciplinary action by the
college.
Special Needs: Students with disabilities who believe they may need academic adjustments,
auxiliary aids or services to fully participate in course activities or meet course requirements are
encouraged to register with the Access and Disability Services (ADS) Office, Welcome Center,
3rd floor of the Cascade Building. You may also call the ADS Office to make an appointment to
meet with the ADS Coordinator at (253) 964-6468 or 964-6526. Students requesting
accommodations must obtain the "Approved Quarterly Academic Adjustments, Auxiliary Aids or
Services" (green) form provided by ADS.
School Closures: Reports of school closures can be found at: http://www.schoolreport.org/
Emergency Procedures for Classrooms: Call 911 and then Campus Safety in response to an
imminent threat to persons or property. In the event of an evacuation (intermittent horns &
strobes), gather all personal belongings and leave the building using the nearest available safe
exit. Be prepared to be outside for one hour and stay a minimum of 200 feet from any building or
structure. So long as it is safe to do so students are expected to stay on campus and return to class
after evacuations that last less then 15 minutes. Do not attempt to re-enter the building until
instructed by an Evacuation Director (identified by orange vests) or by three horn blasts or bell
rings. Please notify the nearest Campus Safety Officer or Evacuation Director of any one left in
the building or in need of assistance.
Fort Steilacoom Campus Safety (253) 964-6751
Important Dates
March 29: Intro to English 99, Independent Learner’s Contract Assignment
HW: Register on MyWritingLab.com. Print out and read syllabus.
Unit One: Narrative
March 30-April 5
March 30: Work on MyWritingLab.com diagnostic (diagnostic must be completed in lab)
March 31: Syllabus Q&A and Unit One
April 5: U1 MWA and Unit Work Due
Unit Two: Summary and Response
April 5-19
April 5: Introduction to U2
April 9: Finish diagnostic by this date
April 16: First two grammar topic completed by this date
April 19: U2 MWA and Unit Work Due
Unit Three: Advertisement Analysis
April 19-May 4
April 19: Introduction to Unit Three
April 23: Next two grammar topics completed by this date
April 30: No Classes. Next two grammar topics completed by this date
May 3-4: U3 In-class Advertising Analysis
Unit Four: The Perfect Job
May 5-17
May 5: Introduction to Unit Four
May 7: Next two grammar topics completed by this date
May 14: Next two grammar topics completed by this date
May 17: Unit Four MWA and Unit Work Due
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Unit Five: The Beggar King
May 17- June 1
May 17: Introduction to Unit Five
May 21: Next two grammar topics completed by this date
May 28: Final two grammar topics completed by this date
May 31: Memorial Day – No Classes
June 1: Unit Five MWA and Unit Work Due
Unit Six: Self-Evaluation/ Unit Seven: Exit Exam
June 1-8
June 1: Introduction to Unit Six
June 2-3: Exit Exam*
June 4: Portfolio Due (Second Chance Exit Exam 9-11am)*
June 7: Unit Six MWA and Unit Work Due
June 8: Last Day of Class
*dates subject to change.
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