Heartland Community College
Humanities & Fine Arts
Course Syllabus for Students
Course Prefix and Number: ENGL 080
Course Title: Grammar Fundamentals
Credit Hours: 3
Lecture Hours: 3 Laboratory Hours: 0
Days and times the course meets: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 12-12:50
Introduction: Welcome to the class. Please let me know if you have any questions at any time.
Catalog Description:
ENGL 080 is an intensive developmental course in the principles of grammar, usage, and
mechanics, designed to promote the writing of grammatically correct and structurally effective
sentences that convey the intended meaning. ENGL 080 uses a process approach to correct
grammar, acceptable usage, and effective writing mechanics, such as punctuation, capitalization,
spelling, and basic format. Students are required to write sentences and short essays that are
appropriate within the academic setting. Credit for the course does not apply to graduation.
Instructor Information:
Instructor name: Jennifer Witt
Phone number to contact instructor: 309-820-9820
Instructor e-mail address: jlwitt@ilstu.edu
Hours and days of instructor's office hours: by appointment
Required Textbook: Emery, Donald W., John M. Kierzek, and Peter Linblom. English
Fundamentals. 13th ed. New York: Pearson, 2004.
Required Supplies: a jump drive, a folder, a note book, a brightly colored pen.
Suggested Supplies: a small dictionary.
Relationship to Academic Development Programs and Transfer:
This course is a developmental course intended for students who need preparation work in
grammar, usage, and mechanics on a sentence level before going on to a course in writing
instruction. The completion of this course with a C or higher allows the student to retake the
writing placement examination at Heartland Community College.
Outcome
1. Write grammatically
correct and effective
sentences.
2. Demonstrate ranges of
word choice and of word
order that are acceptable
within the academic setting.
3. Write sentences that have
correct mechanics.
4. Demonstrate an effective
range of sentence variety,
General Education Outcomes Range of Assessment Methods
CT1
CT1
CT1
CT1

class discussions

exercises

demonstrations

quizzes

tests

short essays

exercises

demonstrations

quizzes

tests

short essays

class discussions

exercises

demonstrations

quizzes

tests

short essays

class discussions
through subordination and
coordination of grammatical
elements.
5. Create basic page formats
that are acceptable within the CT1
academic setting.

exercises

demonstrations

quizzes

tests

short essays

exercises

quizzes

tests

short essays
Course/Lab Outlines:
1. Introduction to course and computers.
2. Learn the relationship between the meaning of grammatical units in the sentence and their
contribution to the meaning of the whole sentence.
3. Learn the elements of the base clause of a sentence.
4. Learn the role of the subject part of the sentence.
5. Learn the role of the predicate part of the sentence.
6. Learn the role of modification in the sentence, specifically in the case of prepositions, adjectives,
adverbs, nouns, verbs, and their corresponding phrases.
7. Learn the role of subordination and coordination among grammatical parts in order to achieve
coherence within the sentence.
8. Learn the role of punctuation with respect to subordination and coordination.
9. Learn the role of capitalization.
10. Learn the role of spelling with respect to grammar and meaning, specifically homophones and
other words that are easily confused.
11. Learn basic page formats acceptable to the academic setting.
12. Learn to analyze meaning in reading materials by applying principles of grammar, usage, and
mechanics.
Method of Evaluation (Tests/Exams, Grading System):
The grading system rewards progress in applying principles of grammar, usage, mechanics, and
format to the sentence. Students are required to participate in interactive explanations and
demonstrations and in guided exercises. These activities are graded to measure and encourage
learning. Frequently, student knowledge is evaluated through short quizzes. Regularly, student
knowledge is evaluated through tests and short essays.
Grading Policy:
The final grade is based on the following categories:
Participation and preparation
10%
Exercises, practice work, and demonstrations
10%
Quizzes
30%
Tests
30%
Short essays
20%
Final grades are determined according to the following scale:
A = 92 -100%
B = 83 - 91%
C = 74 - 82%
D = 65 - 73%
F = Below 65%
Participation (or Attendance): Participation will be graded weekly on a scale of 1 to 10. If you
come every day and participate in a positive way, you will most likely get a 10. If you miss class
or do not participate, your grade will be lower.
Make-up of tests and assignments: Only 2 quizzes or in-class assignments may be made up.
They may only be made up within a week of the absence. Tests and essays may be made up only
if you make arrangements with me before the absence or immediately upon return.
Deadlines: Due dates will be given for all assignments and essays. Points may be deducted for
lateness.
Required Writing and Reading:
Students are required to write exercises and produce sentences during each class period.
Exercises and other forms of guided work are assigned as homework. Both in-class work and
homework are shared during class in ways that help the whole class learn and help the individual
student receive frequent feedback. Study guides are assigned to prepare for quizzes and tests.
Short essays are assigned to practice and to test the ability to correctly and effectively apply
principles of grammatical, usage, and mechanics.
Reading assignments are based on the textbook and on handouts from the instructor. Readings,
exercises, and quizzes in web format might be required.
Student Conduct: Please be respectful of the opinions of others and of their right to learn. Try
to stay organized. Make sure you ask questions if you are confused or need help.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a fundamental principle of collegial life at Heartland Community College
and is essential to the credibility of the College's educational programs. Moreover, because
grading may be competitive, students who misrepresent their academic work violate the right of
their fellow students. The College, therefore, views any act of academic dishonest as a serious
offense requiring disciplinary measures, including course failure, suspension, and even expulsion
from the College. In addition, an act of academic dishonesty may have unforeseen effects far
beyond any officially imposed penalties.
Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to cheating, aiding or
suborning cheating or other acts of academic dishonesty, plagiarism, misrepresentation of data,
falsification of academic records or documents and unauthorized access to computerized
academic or administrative records or systems. Definitions of these violations may be found in
the college catalog.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the presenting of others' ideas as if they were your own. When you write a paper,
create a project, do a presentation or create anything original, it is assumed that all the work,
except for that which is attributed to another author or creator, is your own. Plagiarism is
considered a serious academic offense and may take the following forms:
1 Copying word-for-word from another source and not giving that source credit.
2 Paraphrasing the work of another and not giving that source credit.
3 Adopting a particularly apt phrase as your own.
4 Using an image or a copy of an image without crediting its source.
5 Paraphrasing someone else's line of thinking in the development of a topic as if it were your own.
6 Receiving excessive help from a friend or elsewhere, or using another project as if it were your own.
Note that word-for-word copying is not the only form of plagiarism.
The penalties for plagiarism may be severe, ranging from failure on the particular piece
of work, failure in the course or expulsion from school in extreme cases.
[Adapted from the Modem Language Association's MLA Handbook for Writers of
Research Papers. New York: MLA, 1995: 26]
Support Services:
Heartland Library Information
The Library, located in the Students Commons Buildings at the Raab Road campus, provides
Heartland students with a full range of resources including books, online journal databases,
videos, newspapers, periodicals, reserves, and interlibrary loan. Librarians are available to assist
in locating information. For more information please call the Library (309) 268-8200 or (309)
268-8292
Tutoring Center
Heartland Community College offers tutoring in various forms at no cost to Heartland students at
the Academic Support Center (ASC) in Normal and at the Pontiac and Lincoln Centers. Tutors
are available at convenient times throughout the week. Study groups, group tutoring facilitated
by a specially-trained tutor, are also available by request. For more information about services
available at each location, please call the ASC in Normal (309) 268-8231; the Pontiac Center
(815) 842-6777; the Lincoln Center (217) 735-1731.
Testing Center
The Testing Center provides a quiet environment for students to complete make-up exams,
online exams, and exams for students with special accommodations. Students may be able to
complete exams in the Testing Center if arrangements are made with their instructor. For more
information, contact the Testing Center at (309) 268-8231.
Course Calendar:
1/18
Class begins
3/13 -3/18 Spring break, no class
5/17
12-12:50, final exam
***A more detailed schedule of due dates for tests and essays will follow.