ENGLISH 1301 -- Composition I – 2013 – WHITEBIRD
CRN 32130, 32281, 32445
Instructor:
Scott Whitebird, English and Communications, Spring Branch
scott.whitebird @hccs.edu
Advising, Office
Texts:
AD6 M-Th 5-5:30, classroom
TR 9:30 by appt 9:30
The Norton Reader
Stylebook with MLA (current)
Composition Study Guide (NW English Dept.)
Catalog Description: A course devoted to improving the student’s writing and critical
reading. Writing essays for a variety of purposes from personal to academic, including
the introduction to argumentation, critical analysis, and the use of sources. Core
Curriculum course.
Prerequisite: A satisfactory assessment score, completion of ENGL 0310 or (for nonnative speakers) ENGL 0349.
Credit: 3 (3 lecture)
Course Purpose: English 1301 is the first of two basic college-level writing courses (the
second course is Freshman Composition and Rhetoric II – ENGL 1302). English 1301 is
intended to introduce students to basic forms of writing used in most academic contexts.
This course provides excellent preparation for English 1302. ENGL 1301 is designed
around writing as a process which enables students to develop organized, focused essays
that demonstrate mastery of the following skills:
 Analytical thinking (critical thinking)
 Clear thesis statements
 Relevant, engaging details and support
 Focused organization based on a unifying principle
 Appropriate strategies given audience, purpose, and subject
 Skillfully constructed and varied sentences
 Appropriate diction, style, and grammar
 Appropriate tone
 Correct manuscript form
Student Learning Outcomes: By the time students complete English 1301, they will:
 understand writing as a connected and interactive process which includes planning,
shaping, drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading;
 apply the writing process to out of class writing;
 apply writing process as appropriate to in-class, impromptu writing, thus showing an
ability to communicate effectively in writing in a variety of writing situations;
 apply suggestions from evaluated compositions to other writing projects;
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understand and apply basic principles of critical thinking in analyzing reading
selections, in developing expository essays, and writing argumentative essays;
apply concepts from and use references to assigned readings in developing essays;
analyze (for elements such as purpose, audience, tone, style, writing strategy), in
writing, essays by professional writers;
complete short writing assignments, journal entries, reading quizzes, and other
activities to strengthen basic thinking and writing skills;
understand and appropriately apply various methods of development in writing
assignments; and
fulfill the writing requirements of the course, writing at least 5000 words during the
semester.
*An average of “C” (70%) must be earned on the two in-class essays (midterm and final)
to receive a grade of “C” of better in the course. A “D” (60-69) on these essays will
mean a course grade of “D.” An “F” average (0-59) on these essays will mean an “f” in
the course, regardless of your other grades.
Passing grades are required on essays 1, 2, and 3 IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE
FOR PORTFOLIO REVISIONS.
CLASS POLICIES
Attendance and Withdrawal
Attendance is required. You are responsible for ALL materials covered in class. In
addition, HCCS has an attendance policy. You may miss no more than 12.5%, or six
class hours, or the instructor may drop you for non-attendance or require makeup work.
Should you have to miss class, you are still responsible for all material covered. As soon
as you can, be sure to get the name and phone number of a fellow student to contact.
You may also leave me a message on my voicemail at 718-5678 – although we should
see each other regularly at class. Should you stop attending class, it is your responsibility
to withdraw from class, or you may receive an “F.”
Tardiness and Leaving Class Early
Anything more than occasional tardiness is not acceptable. Students arriving late must
make sure that class roll is correct by seeing the teacher after class. Leaving early should
be cleared/explained to instructor prior to leaving in the middle of class. Questions
already answered and topics covered will not be repeated during class time and remain
the student’s responsibility.
Class Preparation
Preparation is also required. Students should know calendar and syllabus information,
and should bring their syllabi to class. Assignments should be read and considered prior
to class, and re-read if necessary so that you can participate in class. Expect occasional
quizzes. Take notes in class; review them regularly.
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Late Work
Late work costs points. Ten points off for each day (not class period) late; 20 points off
for a weekend. No papers accepted more than ONE week late. Unusual lateness caused
by illness, death in the family, and/or other emergencies must be explained in writing,
and documented if possible. Papers will be collected at the beginning of class and are
late after that. Papers turned in on the specified date but after papers have been
collected will be penalized 5 points.
Make-up Work
If you know you must miss the midterm for a good reason, we can schedule a make-up
time. If you simply miss the midterm, you must have an excused absence and be ready to
take the midterm immediately when you return. The Final in class essay cannot be
rescheduled, so plan accordingly.
Scholastic Dishonesty (Plagiarism, Collusion, Cheating)
The student handbook lists cheating, plagiarism, and collusion as scholastic dishonesty.
It defines plagiarism as “the appropriation of another’s work and the unacknowledged
incorporation of that work in one’s own written work offered for credit.” It defines
collusion as “ the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written
work for credit.” Possible punishments are “a grade of 0 or f on the particular
assignment, failure in the course, and/or recommendation for probation or dismissal from
the College System.” See Student Handbook. NOTE: Teachers use computers
regularly, and advanced searches make it quick and easy for us to check phrases,
sentences, keywords, paragraphs, etc. Be HONEST, and be careful – GOOGLE
RULES. And then there’s Turnitin.com….
Special Accommodations
Students needing special accommodations must give the teacher a current request from
The NWC ADA office. Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical,
learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc) who needs to arrange reasonable
accommodations must contact the Disability Services Office at the respective college at
the beginning of each semester. Faculty are authorized to provide only the
accommodations requested by the Disabilities Support Services Office.”
Repeating Courses Three Times or More
Students who enroll for most credit or CEU classes for s third time of more will be
charged an additional $50.00 per semester credit hour and $3.00 per contact hour.
EGLS3 -- Evaluation for Greater Learning Student Survey System
At Houston Community College, professors believe that thoughtful student feedback is
necessary to improve teaching and learning. During a designated time, you will be asked
to answer a short online survey of research-based questions related to instruction. The
anonymous results of the survey will be made available to your professors and division
chairs for continual improvement of instruction. Look for the survey as part of the
Houston Community College Student System online near the end of the term.
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ESSAYS
All out of class work, including reading log entries, must be typed or computer
printed in 12 pt. type, double spaced with a title page. An essay package should
contain title page, final draft, rough draft, peer analysis, and anything else required by the
instructor for that specific essay (Source verifications (copies) required for
argumentative paper). Please staple or paperclip your work together. NO PLASTIC
SLIPCOVERS PLEASE.
READING RESPONSE LOG
During this semester, you will keep a log of directed responses to each assigned reading.
Bring a spiral notebook to the2nd class. You will be asked to respond to each of the
essays in until midterm which will make 20% of your course grade. Each entry should be
at least a hundred words long, but need not ever exceed 200. Revise these, add a title
and table of contents for Monday April 24 or Tuesday April 25 stapled together.
This assignment puts a premium on work habits and rewards completion. If you finish
and subject or work , and turn them in on time and in correct form, you will earn either
an A or a B on this 20% of your final course grade.
PORTFOLIO
50% of the student’s grade will be based on a revised Portfolio of work which must include a
revised Research Paper (essay #4), one expressive essay (essay #1), one analytic essay (essay
#2), and an original argument on your strengths and weaknesses of your writing and your
revisions. Turn in marked copies and all succeeding revisions. Once a marked paper is returned
to you, you may revise it, and I will read it again and comment as many times as you wish.
Grading Scale
Portfolio
Midterm and Final
Response Logs
PLP
50%
20%
20%
10%
Essays
Learning narrative (#1)
Analysis of an essay (five fundamentals -- #2)
Midterm (in class #3)
Research Paper (#4)
Portfolio Defense
1000+ word
1000+ words
750+ words
1500+ words
1000+ words
Research Areas
Student’s choice with instructor’s approval
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English 1301 – Composition 1 – Fall 2013 – Whitebird
Wk
Dates
1
2
3
Jan14,16
21,23
28,30
4
Feb 4, 6
5
11,13
6
18,20
7
25,27
8
March 4,6
9
18, 20
10
11
25, 27
April 1,3
12
8, 10
13
14
15, 17
22, 24
15
29, May 1
16
6, 8
Readings and Assignments
Monday or Tuesday
Intro
MLK DAY.
Gobodo-Madikezela 456
Douglass 346
Final Draft Narrative (#1)
Ephron 657,
Wednesday or Thursday
Hughes 1059, Hurston 12
Eighner 31
Rios 40, Cofer 116
Rough Draft #1.
Welty 350
Gladwell 248
Rough Draft Analysis (2)
Didion 1, Faulkner 871
PRESIDENT’S DAY.
Final Draft Analysis (#2)
Walker 69
Orwell 852
RESEARCH TOPIC due.
MIDTERM
MIDTERM
SPRING BREAK
Gates 323
Staples 314
RESEARCH: Thesis or
Working Bibliography
Research question.
Lee 3
Strebeigh 276
Dickerson 316
Williams 423
RESEARCH: Annotated bibliography due.
MLK 892
RESEARCH: Rough Draft due.
Lahiri 144
Morrison 135
Zen Parables 1127,
McCloud 1022
FINAL RESEARCH
RESPONSE LOGS DUE 24TH.
PAPER DUE APRIL 22.
FINAL
FINAL
PORTFOLIOS DUE.
5:30 Monday
7:00 Wednesday
Portfolio Conferences (REQUIRED)
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