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SYLLABUS
Tulsa Community College
Fall Semester 2014
Course:
English 1113 (Composition I)
Section #:
242
Day(s) and Time(s): Mon & Wed 930am – 10:50 am
Room 2303
Start/End date: 8/18/2014 - 12/14/2014
Course Delivery Method:
Lecture 3 HOURS
Instructor:
Najla Jean Watkins
OWASSO Campus
TO CONTACT THE DIVISION OFFICE:
Division: Communications
Associate Dean: Jocelyn Whitney
Office: NE2389
Phone Number: 918 595-7496
Course Ref #
17454
E-mail: Najla.Watkins@tulsacc.edu
TO CONTACT ACADEMIC & CAMPUS SERVICES:
Director: Dr. Michael Limas
Office: NE1126
Phone: 918 595-7473
Campus Police: 918 595-7562
CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
The first of a sequence of two courses, introduces students to academic writing, basic research, and documentation.
Prerequisite Engl 0933 with a grade of C or better, or appropriate placement score. Lecture 3 hours. Next course in
sequence: English 1213, Composition II.
TEXTBOOKS, SUPPLIES, & OTHER RESOURCES:
Title: The Norton Sampler
Edition: Eighth Ed.
Author: Thomas Cooley
The Little Brown Essential Handbook 8th Edition
Textbooks and supplies may be purchased at: NEC BOOKSTORE
Publisher: Norton
Pearson
GENERAL EDUCATION GOAL STATEMENT:
The general education goals are designed to ensure that graduates of Tulsa Community College have the skills,
knowledge, and attitudes to carry them successfully through their work and their personal lives. General education
goals relevant to this course include critical thinking, effective communication, engaged learning, and technical
proficiency.
ENGLISH DISCIPLINE GOALS:
The English discipline goals are designed to ensure that graduates of Tulsa Community College English courses have
the skills, knowledge, and attitudes to carry them successfully through their work and their personal lives. English
discipline goals relevant to this course include effective writing, informed discussion, critical reading and scholarly
research.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to—
o Produce clear sentences that demonstrate word choice, tone, and subject matter appropriate to most college
classes.
o Practice standard English usage and, over the space of the semester, reduce the numbers of errors in writing.
o Plan, write, and revise both freestanding and connected paragraphs that contain a topic sentence and two to four
supporting points.
o Use the MLA documentation system to compile a works cited page and show correctly quoted or paraphrased
material from a source.
o Recognize and avoid plagiarism in any writing.
o Apply the basic research process to find sources in the Northeast LRC or other libraries.
o Use word processing to help improve writing.
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o Present research or other ideas in a Power Point slideshow.
The NEC facet center combines instructional technology with individualized instruction and provides resources for help
in developing skills in writing, research, and computers. The Facet Center is located in the Enterprise Building.
TEACHING METHODS:
Activities will include brief lectures, discussion, group projects, individual conferences, tests/quizzes, out of-class
writing, in-class writing, and in-class rewriting.
EVALUATION TECHNIQUES:
Homework, exercises, participation, reading responses, quizzes, major paragraphs, major essays, mid-term
examination, research paper, final examination. Reading responses, homework and quizzes are 10 percent of the
grade; written essays are 30 percent of the grade. The mid-term examination is 10 percent of the grade. The
research project is 20 percent of the grade, and the final examination is 10 percent of the grade. Class participation is
20 percent of the grade.
Grading Scale
A
90 – 100 percent
B
80 – 89
C
70 – 79
D
60 – 69
F
Below 60 percent
FORMAT FOR WRITTEN WORK Assignments should be neat, and any corrections should be legible. All writing must be
double-spaced and either written in dark ink or typed/printed with a dark type. All pages should be numbered and stapled.
Margins should be left on all four sides. Nothing should be written on the backs of any pages. Use the MLA heading on the upper
left corner of the paper.
Betsy Student
Mrs. Watkins
Composition I
9 September 2014
ATTENDANCE: More than three hours of absence will be considered excessive. The student is responsible for
obtaining all assignments and completing any work missed.
LATE ASSIGNMENTS AND MAKE-UP WORK:
The final examination cannot be made up.
All other work missed should be submitted within one class period of due-date. Ten percent of total points possible
may be deducted for each class period the assignment is late.
DEPARTMENTAL PLAGIARISM POLICY: Definition of plagiarism: According to author and Professor Robert Harris,
“Plagiarism is using another person’s words or ideas without giving credit to the other person. When you use
someone else’s words, you must put quotation marks around them and give the writer or speaker credit by revealing
the source in a citation. Even if you revise or paraphrase the words of someone else or just use that person’s ideas,
you still must give the author credit in a note. Not giving due credit to the creator of an idea or writing is very much
like lying. […] Plagiarism is using any words or ideas without giving credit to the source If the plagiarizer copies
material that is also copyrighted, then the wrongdoing is potentially enhanced by the additional crime of copyright
infringement” (25-6).
Penalties for Plagiarism: Suspected plagiarism in this course will result in grade reduction on the assignment. Proven
Plagiarism will result in failure on that assignment
Harris, Robert A. The Plagiarism Handbook. Los Angeles: Pyrczak Publishing. 2001. Print.
Further: Plagiarism is claiming, indicating, or implying that the ideas, sentences or words of another writer are your
own. It includes having another writer do work claiming to be your own, copying the work of another and presenting
it as your own, or following the work of another as a guide to ideas or expressions that are then presented as your
own. The student should review the relevant sections of the TCC Student Code of Conduct Policy Handbook.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated and may result in dismissal from the course.
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The research project is due the fifteenth week of class but may be turned in early. The English 1113
research project will not be returned. Anyone wishing a copy of the paper should photocopy it before submitting it to
the instructor for evaluation. The research project should be typed in 10 or 12 point font, double-spaced, with 1-inch
margins. It should include a sentence outline or a topic outline, four or more pages of research with parenthetical
documentation, a works cited page with a minimum of three sources, and an annotated bibliography for each citation.
Documentation shall be in MLA format.
Course Withdrawal: The deadline to withdraw from a course shall not exceed ¾ the duration of any
class. Check the TCC Academic Calendar for the deadline that applies to the course. Begin the process
with a discussion of the faculty member assigned to the course. Contact the Advisement Office at any
TCC campus to initiate the withdrawal from a course (W grade) or to change from Credit to Audit.
Withdrawal and/or change to an audit from a course after the drop/add period can alter the financial
aid award for the current and future semesters. Students may receive an outstanding bill from TCC if
the recalculation leaves a balance due to TCC. Students who stop participating in the course and fail to
withdraw may receive a course grade of F which may have financial aid consequences for the student.
COMMUNICATIONS:
Email: All TCC students receive a designated Outlook email address (ex:
Jane.doe@mail.tulsacc.edu All communications to you about TCC and course
assignments will be sent to your Outlook email address; and you must use Outlook email
to send email to, and receive email from, the instructor regarding this course.
Inclement Weather: TCC rarely closes. If extreme weather conditions or emergency
situations arise, TCC always gives cancellation notices to radio and television stations.
This information is also posted on the TCC website (www.tulsacc.edu).
TOBACCO FREE COLLEGE: Tulsa Community College is a Tobacco Free college in accordance with the
Governor’s Executive Order 2012-01 and Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes, Section 1-1523 which
prohibits smoking or the use of any tobacco products in all public places, in any indoor workplace, and
all vehicles owned by the State of Oklahoma and all of its agencies and instrumentalities. This Order
includes property leased, rented, or owned by TCC including, but not limited to all grounds, buildings,
facilities, and parking lots. Tulsa Community College’s policy includes a tobacco free environment on all
campus and off campus locations conducting TCC credit or noncredit classes. The TCC Campus Police is
responsible for ensuring compliance with the Tobacco-Free Environment Policy. Violation of the policy
may be addressed through issuance of campus or state citations.
CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE: Open and mutually respectful communication of varied opinions, beliefs, and
perspectives during classroom or online discussion encourages the free exchange of ideas that is essential to higher
learning and to the ability to learn from each other. Use of any electronic device is at the discretion of the instructor.
Please place your cell phone in silent mode.
SYLLABUS CHANGES: Occasionally, changes to the syllabus may be necessary. Students will be notified of any
changes to the syllabus in writing.
DISABILITY RESOURCES: It is the policy and practice of TCC to create inclusive learning environments.
Accommodations for qualifying students in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504
of the Rehabilitation Act are available. To request accommodations, contact the Education Access Center (EAC) at
eac@tulsacc.edu or call (918) 595-7115 (Voice). Deaf and hard of hearing students may text (918) 809-1864.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: Academic dishonesty (cheating) is defined as the deception of others about one’s own
work or about the work of another. Academic dishonesty or misconduct is not condoned or tolerated at campuses
within the Tulsa Community College system. Tulsa Community College adopts a policy delegating certain forms of
authority for disciplinary action to the faculty. Such disciplinary actions delegated to the faculty include, but are not
limited to, the dismissal of disrespectful or disorderly students from classes. In the case of academic dishonesty a
faculty member may:
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
Require the student to redo an assignment or test, or require the student to complete a substitute
assignment or test;

Record a "zero" for the assignment or test in question;

Recommend to the student that the student withdraw from the class, or administratively withdraw the
student from the class;

Record a grade of "F" for the student at the end of the semester. Faculty may request that disciplinary
action be taken against a student at the administrative level by submitting such a request to the Dean of
Student Services.
INSTITUTIONAL STATEMENT: Each student is responsible for being aware of the information contained in the TCC
Catalog, the TCC Student Policies & Resources Handbook, and semester information listed in the class schedule. All
information may be viewed on the TCC website: www.tulsacc.edu
TENTATIVE COURSE CALENDAR:
Week 1 Introduce the course and syllabus; view the writing process. Read selections from reader to demonstrate developing a
thesis statement. Discuss descriptive and narrative writing. Discuss the research project due week 15. Read “On
Writing and Reading” (Cooley ), “Description,” and “A View from the Bridge” (90.) Read “The Miss Dennis School
of Writing” (96). Reading response. Discuss phrases.
Week 2 Review the persuasive documented paper: paraphrasing, summarizing, quoting sources, research process, MLA
documentation, thesis statement, long and short quotations, parenthetical documentation. Analyze a sample research
paper in MLA style. Discuss proofreading symbols, unity and coherence, development. Read from Description chapter:
(Cooley), “No Wonder They Call Me a Bitch” (106) and “Once More to the Lake” (114). Reading response. Write a
descriptive paragraph. Discuss clauses and sentence structures.
Week 3 Review phrases and complements. Read “Narrative” and “Orange Crush” (161); “The Sanctuary of School” (177) and
“Homeward Bound” (206). Reading response.
Write a narrative paragraph. Discuss subject/verb agreement and Pronoun/Antecedents. Write a descriptive and narrative
essay.
Week 4 Read and write critically. Discuss common writing errors and review the essay format. Complete a group assignment.
Read “Example” and “All Seven Deadly Sins Committed at Church Bake Sale” (200) and react in reading response.
Discuss nominative and objective case of pronouns and who/whom. Essay one due. Essay will be 800 words or more in
five or six paragraphs, typed, double spaced. The essay should contain an MLA heading, an original title, and end with a
works cited entry.
Essay one (five or six paragraphs) due (100 points). The first three essays will be of essay types: narrative,
classification, cause and effect, comparison-contrast, or persuasion.
Week 5 Review phrases, clauses, sentence structure, subject/verb agreement, and pronoun usage. Discuss pronoun usage. Read
“Classification” and “Stop Coddling the Super-Rich” (274); “The Toxic Truth about Sugar” (284) and react in Reading
response.
Week 6 Review sentence structures; subject/verb agreement, pronoun/antecedents. Read “Process Analysis” and “How Boys
Become Men” (316) “How to Get Out of a Locked Trunk” (333). Reading response. Essay two (five or six paragraphs)
due (100 points).
Week 7 Review pronoun/antecedent agreement, subject/verb agreement, and pronoun case. Discuss research techniques and
MLA format of parenthetical documentation. Read “Comparison and Contrast” and “Watching Oprah from Behind the
Veil” (368) “Gender in the Classroom” (397) and react in Reading response.
Week 8 Read “Definition” and “Guys Vs. Men” (427) and react in Reading response. Discuss midterm examination. Read “Se
Habla Espanol” (436) and complete reading response.
Week 9 Midterm Exam. Discuss unnecessary shifts in person and tense. Discuss research project. Read “Cause and Effect” and
“A Giant Step” (499); “Long Beautiful Hair” (510) and react in Reading response. Write a definition, cause and effect ,
or argument essay.
Week 10 Review wordiness, coordination, subordination, parallelism, parenthetical documentation, works cited entries. Read
“Argument” “Inaugural Address” and complete reading response.
Essay three due (definition, cause and effect or argument): Midterm Examination (objective) (100 points).
Week 11 Review research project. Discuss Variety, emphasis and logical fallacies. Discuss Title Page. Outline. Body of Paper.
Works Cited Page. Annotated Bibliography. Read “Should Batman Kill the Joker” (545). Read “Empathy: What We
Need Now” (550).
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Week 12 Read “Hal and Me” and “The Island of Plenty” (563). Write an in-class essay. Discuss Title Page, outline, body of
paper, parenthetical documentation, works cited page, and annotated bibliography. Turn in paper early for extra credit
points.
Week 13 Research Project. Outlining. Works Cited Page .Read “Using Sources in Your Writing” Argument Essay “Let Stars
Get Paid” (578) and “College Athletes Should Not Be Paid” (584). In-class essay.
Week 14 Read “How Big-Time Sports Ate College Life” (591). Review Appendix “Using sources in your writing” and study
sample Research Project. Discuss Parenthetical Documentation. Argument Essay.
Week 15 *Research project due fifteenth week *Project (1200 words or more in body) includes sentence or topic outline, four
full pages of research with parenthetical documentation in MLA style, and a works cited page with three or more sources. Provide
annotated bibliographies for the works cited entries. (200 points)
Week 16 Final Examination (This exam may not be made up.) The final exam is a five-paragraph essay over an assigned topic.
The issue will be announced in class two weeks before the final exam date. The final exam essay will be written in class, but the
student may research the topic before the exam and bring notes or printouts of sources to class to use in writing the essay.
Essay Format and Requirements: (Place the MLA heading in the upper left corner of the essay)
MLA Heading:
Betsy Student
Mrs. Watkins
Composition I #25945
13 January 2014
Center an original title.
Double space the essay (skip lines) and use word processing to type it.
Write five or six well-developed paragraphs with approximately 800 total words.
Maintain one tense throughout.
Use the historical present tense or past tense.
Do not use second person (you) in your essay.
Use mid formal stance. Do not use slang or abbreviations.
Write complete sentences and use a variety of sentence structures. Use transition, vivid language and sensory imagery in writing
the essay.
Use at least one quote from the source in the anthology and end the quote with parenthetical documentation.
End the essay with a works cited entry.
Provide an annotated bibliography for the works cited entry.
Annotated Works Cited
Adapted from Cornell University Library
What is an annotation in the works cited? Generally, annotations should be nor more than 150 words (or 4-6 sentences
long). They should be concise and well-written. Depending on your assignment, annotations may include some or all of
the following information:
*Main focus or purpose of the work
*Usefulness or relevance to your research topic
*Intended audience for the work
*Special features of the work that were unique or helpful
*Background and credibility of the author
*Conclusions or observations reached by the author
*Conclusions or observations reached by you
*How you located the source, i.e., through a Google or Yahoo search, library database, or print copy
An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. A brief explanation follows each
citation (usually about 50-150 words) providing a descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The annotation
informs the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited as well as how the researcher found the
source.
Creating an annotated bibliography calls for the application of a variety of intellectual skills: concise exposition, succinct
analysis, and informed library research.
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First, locate and record citations to books, periodicals, and documents that may contain useful information and ideas on
your topic. Briefly examine and review the actual items. Then choose those works that provide a variety of perspectives
on your topic.
Cite the book, article, or document using the MLA style.
Write a concise annotation that summarizes the central theme and scope of the book or article. Include one or more
sentences that (a) evaluate the authority or background of the author, (b)comment on the intended audience, (c) compare
or contrast this work with another you have cited, or (d) explain how this work illuminates your bibliography topic.
Critically appraising the book, article, or document:
For guidance in critically appraising and analyzing the sources for your bibliography, see “Critically analyzing
Information Sources”
Http://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/ref/research/skill26.htm
This examples uses the MLA format for the journal citation. Note: Standard MLA practice requires double spacing
within citations.
Waite, Linda J., Frances Kobrin Goldscheider, and Christina Witsberger. “Nonfamily Living and the
Erosion of Traditional Family Orientations Among Young Adults.” American Sociological
Review 51.4 (1986): 541-554. Academic Search Elite. Ebscohost. Web 4 Jan. 2011.
The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the National Longitudinal Surveys
of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes,
values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis
strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away
from parents before marrying increased individualism, self-sufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. I located
this article through TCC’s LRC database.
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