Community College of Rhode Island
Spring 2015
ENGL1010-165, Composition I
Mondays, Wednesdays, and
Thursdays, 10-10:50 in Room 2567
Instructor: Beth O’Leary Anish
e-mail: boanish@ccri.edu
Office #1364, Flanagan Campus; Office phone number: (401) 333-7139
Office Hours: MWR 8-9 a.m. and noon-1 p.m.
Course Description:
The purpose of this course is to enable students to write fluent, accurate and effective essays, including research
and documentation assignments. (Prerequisite: English placement exam or at least a “C” in ENGL 1005.)
Methodology:
Students will work on strengthening their essay-writing skills. Two short take-home essays and a take-home midterm exam will require students to practice skills in narrative and descriptive writing, as well as comparison and
contrast. Students will be required to submit drafts of their first two take-home essays, which they will revise in
peer groups.
Students will learn how to conduct college-level research, and incorporate that research into a substantial paper
and short presentation. Students will learn how to document sources according to MLA Style. In the early stages
of this research paper, students will be asked to write a research proposal and a summary of an article or chapter.
Students will read essays for homework that promote thinking and discussion, and provide models of excellent
writing. These readings will form the basis for class discussion, and therefore must be completed before the class
for which they are listed on the syllabus. The readings will also provide interesting prompts for essay-writing,
including the midterm and final exams and the research paper. If it is clear from class discussions that students
are not doing readings, pop quizzes will be instituted as extra incentive.
At the end of the semester, one book-length reading will be required. This semester the book selection is
Solomon Northup’s, Twelve Years a Slave. Class discussions will center around this book for the last few weeks
of the course, and we will view the film based on the book (the film, winner of the Best Picture Academy Award
for 2014, contains considerable violence in its realistic depiction of slavery). The final exam for this course will
be an in-class essay written in response to this book.
Instructional Objectives:
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
- Write effective college-level essays, with clear thesis statements, detailed support organized in a logical
order and clear, error-free sentences.
- Read college-level texts closely and critically; discuss them orally and in writing.
- Analyze written arguments and construct logical arguments in writing.
- Conduct college-level research using library and other sources.
- Integrate information from academic sources into a research paper.
Required Texts:
Mercury Reader. ENGL1010 Composition I. Boston: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2014. ISBN#9781269242226
Northup, Solomon. Twelve Years a Slave. 1854. New York: Penguin, 2012. ISBN#9780143106708
Course Requirements (see the General Grading Rubric for Composition Papers below for information on how
essays will be graded; additionally, individual grading rubrics will be handed out as essays are assigned for more
specific criteria on each assignment):
1) Short Essays: Two take-home essays, 2 pages in length each, illustrating narrative and descriptive writing.
These essays will be judged based on how well they advance a clear central idea (thesis) and support that thesis
with plenty of interesting details arranged in a logical order and effective sentences. Due 2/9 and 2/23.
2) Mid-term exam: A take-home essay exam based on professional essays from our Mercury Reader text.
Students will be given a choice among topics to be answered in a comparison and contrast essay. Due 3/2.
3) Summary of Article or Book Chapter: After visiting the library to learn how to use the online catalog and
databases, students will be asked to choose one journal article, essay, or book chapter on his or her research topic
about which to write a one page summary. Due 3/30.
4) Research Paper: One 6-8-paged paper on a topic to be chosen in consultation with instructor. Students will be
expected to consult relevant library sources and document them properly, according to MLA guidelines. Students
will be allowed to choose their topics within the broad social issues of poverty, racism/discrimination, and
immigration. Due 4/13.
5) Research Presentation: Students will share results of their research with the class in a 5-7 minute presentation.
Presentation will be judged by how well students can articulate 1) what their central argument was, 2) what
evidence they found to support their argument, and 3) how they conducted their research/what they learned about
the research process. 4/13, 4/15 and 4/16.
6) Final Exam: In class essay exam based on our full-length book, Twelve Years a Slave. Date of exam TBA.
7) Class Participation: To earn class participation credit, students must show evidence that they have completed
readings prior to class by making positive contributions to class discussions, and by offering their peers feedback
in writing workshops. The instructor will grade class participation on a “check”, “check plus” and “check minus”
system. A student who makes positive contributions to writing workshops and full class discussions will receive
a “check plus” for that day of class. A student who shows up for class but does not get involved will receive a
“check” for attending. A student who misses ½ a class, due to tardiness or leaving early, or who comes to writing
workshop days without a draft prepared, will receive a “check minus” for the day. Sleeping in class will also
count as a “check minus.” Two “check minus” grades will count as an absence from the class. At the end of the
course, the instructor will tally up the “check plus” grades to determine the students’ class participation grades. If
necessary, reading quizzes will also be factored into the Class Participation grade (if students are showing signs of
having not completed the readings in class discussions).
Grading Criteria:
Two Short Essays: 15% each, for total of 30%
Mid-term Examination: 10%
Summary of Article/Book Chapter: 5%
Research Paper: 20%
Research Presentation: 5%
Final Exam: 15%
Class Participation: 15%
Late paper policy:
All written assignments should be handed in on the day they are due according to the syllabus. In the event that a
paper cannot be turned in on time because of an emergency or other problem, you must alert me in advance and e-
mail me the assignment as soon as possible. For each day a paper is late, ½ a letter grade will be taken off the
paper grade. This means a “B” paper turned in one day late will be a “B-”; the same paper turned in two days late
would be a “C+”, etc. After 10 days, even an “A” paper would be an “F,” so no papers will be accepted more
than 10 days late. There will be no extensions given for any reason for the FINAL EXAM.
Attendance policy:
Students should make every attempt to attend and participate in every class. In the case of a brief illness or other
unforeseen circumstances, however, the instructor understands if a student has to miss a class. Too many
absences will detract from the student’s ability to participate in class and should be avoided. Absences should be
used only for serious illnesses or other emergencies.
The first three absences will not affect the student’s grade. For the 4th, 5th and 6th absence, the student’s
final grade will be dropped ½ letter grade each. After six absences the student should officially withdraw
or a final grade of “F” will be given. Two late arrivals or early departures will be considered equivalent to
one absence. This policy is in accordance with the CCRI English Department’s attendance policy, and will
be strictly enforced.
You are expected to complete homework assignments even if you are absent; all reading assignments are listed
here on this syllabus, and writing assignments not obtained in class can be found on our course Blackboard site or
by e-mailing the instructor.
Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is passing someone else’s words and ideas off as one’s own. Whether that involves taking a whole
paper off the internet, borrowing from a source without acknowledging it, or having a friend or family member
give a little too much input into an assignment, plagiarism is not an accepted academic practice. Students only
learn if they do their own work. It is within the rights of the instructor to fail a student for an assignment or
the course, if he or she has been caught plagiarizing.
Clearly having someone else write a paper or borrowing a paper from the internet is wrong. More subtle cases of
plagiarism happen when students are not clear how to cite sources properly in a research paper. Know that any
time you borrow words or ideas from an outside source you must give credit to the author of that source. In this
class we will follow the guidelines of the MLA (Modern Language Association), when citing sources for the
research paper. You are not expected to know MLA citation style coming into this course; it will be part of the
material taught in the course. For more information on CCRI’s academic dishonesty policy, see the Student
Handbook: http://www.ccri.edu/Advising/Student_Services/handbook.shtml#POLICY_ON_ACADEMIC_DISHONESTY
Classroom Etiquette:
All students have a right to learn in this classroom without being distracted by their peers. Please be considerate
of both your instructor and fellow students to maintain a positive learning environment. To this end, students are
not permitted to engage in the following activities during class time:
- text messaging, answering phones or otherwise using phones for games, internet, etc.
- listening to head phones
- holding side conversations or chatting about non-course related topics
- using computer for any purpose other than note-taking or in-class writing assignments
- sleeping!
Students engaged in any of the above activities may be asked to leave the classroom.
Class discussions and peer review of essay drafts should be conducted with civility and respect for all voices and
opinions. It is by being open to diverse opinions that we best learn. In this classroom you are considered an adult.
If you need to excuse yourself to use the bathroom or take an urgent phone call you can do so without my
permission, and with as little disruption to the class as possible.
General Grading Rubric for Composition papers
Unity
Support
Coherence
Sentence Skills
A (Excellent)
Essay has clear
main point
(thesis), often
stated at end of
introduction.
Thesis points
paper in one
direction, and is
easily defensible
in a short essay
(not too broad or
too narrow). All
supporting details
in the essay fit
with thesis.
Essay includes
plenty of specific
details and
examples to back
up thesis
statement.
B (Good)
Essay has clear
main point (thesis)
in introduction,
though perhaps not
as interesting,
unique or insightful
as that of an “A”
paper. Supporting
details back up
thesis.
C (Fair)
Essay’s point
(thesis) may be
vague and
difficult to defend
in a short paper,
but writer does
attempt to have a
point or direction.
The paper may
wander off of this
point
occasionally.
D (Poor)
Essay is lacking a
clear direction or
point (thesis),
therefore
supporting details
are scattered to
support various
points.
F (Failing)
There is no point
to the essay.
Essay includes
some specific
details and
examples to
support thesis, but
perhaps not as
many as an “A”
paper.
There is not one
clear direction so
support is
increasingly
vague. Essay
may include more
clichés than
specific details.
Support is vague,
if there at all. No
specific details or
examples to
illustrate what
writer is trying to
say.
Essay flows
smoothly from
start to finish.
There are
transitions
between ideas and
paragraphs. Ideas
are arranged in
logical order, and
new paragraphs
started when topic
shifts. Essay
includes
introduction,
body paragraphs
and conclusion.
Essay includes
clear, error-free
sentences. Few,
if any, fragments,
run-ons, point of
view shifts, etc.
Essay is organized
well overall, but
may include some
places where a new
paragraph should
have been started
and wasn’t, or
where writer jumps
to next topic
without a
transition. Essay
has introduction,
body paragraphs
and conclusion.
Support for thesis
is vague, not
specific. Few
details and
examples are
given as evidence.
Writer may bring
up a point but not
support it.
Essay may jump
around, not flow
smoothly from
start to finish. It
may lack some
transitions.
Paragraphs could
perhaps be
ordered
differently. It
does attempt a
separate
introduction, body
paragraphs and
conclusion.
Essay tries to
cover too many
topics so it
cannot be neatly
organized. It
may lack a
conclusion and
not have enough
body paragraphs.
It may introduce
a point at the end
of the essay that
should have been
developed earlier
in the essay.
Essay has no plan
of organization, no
logical order.
At this level paper
grammatical
mistakes become
a problem; there
are more run-ons,
fragments, point
of view shifts and
misused words
than in “A” and
“B” papers.
Sentence-level
errors are found
throughout the
essay. It
becomes difficult
to understand
writer’s ideas
because they are
not expressed
clearly.
Sentence-level
errors throughout
essay. Writer has
not communicated
ideas clearly.
Essay may include
a few grammatical
errors, but not
enough to get in
the way of
communicating
writer’s ideas.
Source for the “Four Bases for Revising Essays”:
Langan, John. College Writing Skills with Readings, 8th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2011.
Course Topics/Assignment Schedule:
Week 1
1/21
1/22
Course introduction. Course policies PowerPoint. Write paragraph on one writing experience
you’ve had.
Read and discuss “Writing Drafts,” by Richard Marius in class (handout);
Week 2
Due:
1/26,28,29
Read in Mercury Reader, p. 1-19 and 72-75 (for 1/29).
Review basics of essay-writing and the writing process. Narrative essays. Assign essay #1.
Week 3
Due:
2/2,4
2/5
Draft of essay #1, Narration (bring 2 copies 2/5).
The Writing Process, continued: Revision
Peer review of Narrative drafts, in small groups.
Week 4
Due:
2/9,11,12
Revised essay #1, Narration (2/9); read in Mercury Reader, p. 20-43 for 2/9.
Descriptive Essays. Assign essay #2.
Week 5
Due:
2/16,18
2/19
Draft of essay #2, Description (2/19) (bring 2 copies).
Grammar review: fragments and run-ons.
Peer review of descriptive essay drafts, in small groups.
Week 6
Due:
Revised essay #2, Description (2/23); read in Mercury Reader, 44-71 for 2/23.
2/23,25, 26 Comparison & Contrast Essays. Assign take-home midterm exam.
Week 7
Due:
3/2
3/4, 5
Week 8
Due:
3/9,11,12
Mid-term exam essay (3/2).
Grammar review: homonyms and commonly confused words; pronoun use.
Introduction to research assignment. Writing the research paper.
One paragraph research proposal (3/12); Read in Mercury Reader, 76-104 for 3/9.
Argument and Writing the Research Paper. Library trip (3/12): intro to research databases; start
research for Argument-based Research Paper.
SPRING BREAK, 3/16-3/22
Week 9
Due:
3/23
Find one book and one journal article on your research paper topic; bring them to class on 3/23.
Reading and summarizing sources for your research.
**Professor Anish away at conference, 3/25-3/26—no class meetings on those days; Alternate
assignment: write a summary of a book chapter, essay or substantial article on your topic.
Week 10
Due:
Week 11
Due:
4/6,7,8
4/9
Research paper draft or outline; Read p. 1-46 of Twelve Years a Slave (4/9).
Feedback for research paper drafts/outlines (by appointment, in my office, #1364).
Introduce Twelve Years a Slave.
Week 12
Due:
4/13,15,16
Research Paper (4/13); Presentations;.Read p. 47-105 of Twelve Years a Slave for 4/16.
Presentations
Week 13
Due:
4/20,22,23
Read p. 106-165 of Twelve Years a Slave for 4/20.
Discuss Twelve Years a Slave.
Week 14
Due:
Read p. 166-217 of Twelve Years a Slave for 4/27.
4/27, 29, 30 Discuss book and view film of Twelve Years a Slave.
Week 15
Final Exam (date to be announced; no make ups/extensions for final exam will be allowed).
One-page summary of article or book chapter on your research topic (3/30); read Angela
Daly sample essay handout for 3/30.
3/30,4/1,4/2 Formatting the Research Paper and citing sources using MLA Style.