Fall 2010 English 101 Prof. Claire Pamplin 1
BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
The City University of New York
Department of English
English 101 - English Composition I ONLINE
3 hours, 3 credits
Email
claire.pamplin@gmail.com
Work Phone 347-410-9575 -- BMCC office phone 212-220-8000 x7297 (use during face-toface office hours only)
Office Location N730
Office Hours Face-to-face, in N730, by appointment: Tuesdays, 12-1; Fridays, 2-3
Virtual office hours -- Thursdays, 11-12 (Please notify me ahead of time if possible if you plan
to Skype, call, email, chat, etc. Please start a gmail account for this course and use gmail chat
if possible.)
Skype ID: vincentmillay
Prerequisites
Score of 7 or higher on CUNY/ACT.
Course Description
English 101—English Composition—is required of all BMCC students, no matter what their curriculum.
The course introduces students to academic writing; by its conclusion, students will be ready for English
201 and for the writing they will be asked to do in advanced courses across the curriculum.
Students completing English 101 will have mastered the fundamentals of college-level reading and writing,
including developing a thesis-driven response to the writing of others and following the basic conventions of
citation and documentation. They will have practiced what Mike Rose calls the “habits of mind” necessary
for success in college and in the larger world: summarizing, classifying, comparing, and analyzing.
Student Learning Outcomes. By the
end of the course, students will be
able to
Measurements (means of assessment for
student learning outcomes.)
Organize, develop, and revise at least four thesisdriven essays that include substantial support and use a
variety of rhetorical strategies.
Essays in response to assignments. Essays will be graded
according to standard department essay rubric.
Summarize, paraphrase, and quote from
readings
Essays and short assignments. Instructor critique, peer
critique and self-critique using a separate rubric.
Critically analyze numerous readings.
Essays in response to assignments. Essays will be graded
Fall 2010 English 101 Prof. Claire Pamplin according to standard department essay rubric. Final exam.
Demonstrate a command of edited American English,
using vocabulary and syntax appropriate to collegelevel work.
Essays and short assignments. Standard department essay
rubric. Final exam.
Demonstrate a command of the MLA conventions of
citation and documentation.
Essays and short assignments. Standard department essay
rubric.
2
Below are the college’s general education learning outcomes, the outcomes that are marked
in the left-hand column indicate goals that will be covered and assessed in this course.
General Education Learning Outcomes
X
Communication Skills- Students will be able to write, read,
listen and speak critically and effectively.
Measurements (means of assessment for general
education goals listed in first column)
Graded essays
Quantitative Reasoning- Students will be able to use
quantitative skills and the concepts and methods of
mathematics to solve problems.
Scientific Reasoning- Students will be able to apply the
concepts and methods of the natural sciences.
Social and Behavioral Sciences- Students will be able to
apply the concepts and methods of the social sciences.
X
X
Arts & Humanities- Students will be able to develop
knowledge and understanding of the arts and literature
through critiques of works of art, music, theatre or literature.
Information & Technology Literacy- Students will be able
to collect, evaluate and interpret information and effectively
use information technologies.
Score sheet for participation in online activities.
Graded essay requiring online research.
Values- Students will be able to make informed choices
based on an understanding of personal values, human
diversity, multicultural awareness and social responsibility.
Graded essays on course themes of the
individual’s role in society, self-reliance,
responsibility to groups, etc.
Required Texts
Subject and Strategy: A Writer’s Reader, Eleventh Edition. By Paul Eschholz and Alfred Rosa. ISBN-10: 0-31246290-5 or ISBN-13: 978-0-312-46290-1
Access to The New York Times online: www.nytimes.com
Recommended/optional:
They Say/I Say, by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Publisher: W.W. Norton & Co.
Use of Technology
Students must have reliable daily high-speed access to the Internet in order to use
Blackboard, and a valid email account that they check daily.
Fall 2010 English 101 Prof. Claire Pamplin 3
Evaluation and Requirements of Students
Class work = 70 percent of final course grade
Final exam= 30 percent of final course grade
Three formal, thesis-driven essays, 700-1000 words each, using informal citation. One essay using Modern Language
Association citation, 700-1000 words. 50 percent of class work grade.
Practice exam(s). 500 words. 10 percent of class work grade.
Several weekly Discussion Board assignments. 30 percent of class work grade.
Quizzes, other assignments such as journal entries. 10 percent of class work grade.
Final exam:
• departmental final, graded by the instructor and an additional reader who is another current 101
instructor. 30 percent of final grade.
• STUDENTS MUST COME TO CAMPUS FOR THE FINAL EXAM. THE EXAM WILL BE
ADMINISTERED DURING THE LAST WEEK OF CLASS – DEC. 7, 2010.
• The exam is 90 minutes, administered during the last week of class. It asks students to write a fully
developed essay (of approximately 500 words) in response to a question based on two interrelated
readings.
Attendance: Attendance in an online class is based on participation. If you miss more than two weeks’ of work such as
tests and Discussion Board assignments, you may receive a failing grade.
Academic Adjustments for Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations or academic adjustments for this course must contact the
Office of Services for Students with Disabilities. BMCC is committed to providing equal access to all programs and curricula to
all students.
BMCC Policy on Plagiarism and Academic Integrity Statement
Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else’s ideas, words or artistic, scientific, or technical work as one’s own creation. Using
the idea or work of another is permissible only when the original author is identified. Paraphrasing and summarizing, as well as
direct quotations, require citations to the original source. Plagiarism may be intentional or unintentional. Lack of dishonest intent
does not necessarily absolve a student of responsibility for plagiarism.
Students who are unsure how and when to provide documentation are advised to consult with their instructors. The library has
guides designed to help students to appropriately identify a cited work. The full policy can be found on BMCC’s website,
www.bmcc.cuny.edu. For further information on integrity and behavior, please consult the college bulletin (also available
online).