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Composition II
English 102 Sections E01, E04, E07
Great Basin College
Spring Semester 2010
Instructor: Professor Susanne Bentley
Office: MCML 121 Hours:
M/W 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. and by appointment.
Online office hours: T/TH: 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
and by appointment.
Phone: 775-753-2358
FAX: 775- 753-2131
E-mail: Use Web Campus e-mail for all correspondence
If you are unable to contact me through Web Campus, you may use my office e-mail at:
susanneb@gwmail.gbcnv.edu
Course Description:
Composition II is a three-credit course that continues the reading and writing done in
English 101. The course emphasizes writing from sources, argument, the investigative
paper, and research techniques. Prerequisite: Successful completion of ENG 100 or ENG
101.
The purpose of this course is to help you become better writers and more critical readers
and thinkers, as well as to help you develop a sense of your own voice and place in a
community of writers. This course will help you discover your purpose for specific types of
writing and develop authority in communicating your ideas and experiences to your
intended audience. We will also focus on conducting research, both in the library and on
the Internet, and discover ways to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize sources. We will use
many forms of research including field, library, and Internet research, while exploring a
variety of topics.
Credits: 3
Course Objectives:
This course addresses the major goals of research-based writing:
 to enjoy the academic project of research for its own sake
 to read with critical facility, especially for future academic work. English 102
concentrates on learning to read closely and reflectively, and on integrating the
material that you’ve read into an intelligent, accessible written version for another
audience.
 to produce clear, concise, interesting prose. English 102 recognizes that we can all
write, but that all of us can always get better at it. It is both a skill and an art that
requires the regular practice that perhaps only a writing course provides.
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to understand and practice the key academic research skill: synthesis. Synthesis is
that technique which combines the material discovered during research into a new,
coherent piece of writing, that pays particular attention to voice. (Voice is you, the
writer, behind the words; voice allows the audience to hear the author of the
document.
to understand the use and misuse of statistics. English 102 offers the perspective
that, although research involves statistical data, not all of that is reported in good
faith or with clear motive. Researchers must be able to evaluate the use of statistics
and to recognize the inflated, sensational, or oversimplified use of them. The text
How to Lie with Statistics has been chosen to further our understanding of mass
data.
to learn to use documentation formats, esp. MLA & APA guidelines. Writers are
expected to follow standardized reference formats, but English 102 reviews each of
these two widely used, academic, professional set of conventions.
Required Texts and course materials that must be obtained by the end of the
first week of class:
1. Web Campus login
2. Huff, Darrell. How to Lie With Statistics
3. Lester, James D. Writing Research Papers 13th ed.
4. A subscription to Comp Class (see information at the end of the syllabus)
5. Great Basin College Library card by the second week of class
6. A college dictionary (or use the one on CompClass)
7. A storage device for storing your work
Methods of Instruction: This class will take place in a variety of ways including lecture,
class discussions, cooperative group activities, student-led discussions and presentations,
tutor feedback, instructor feedback, and student question/answer. Assignments are
submitted via WebCampus and through the companion Website to our text called
CompClass.
Class Activities: Much of English 102 revolves around student-centered interaction that
takes place in the classroom. Therefore, it is essential that you are prepared to exchange
ideas and opinions about the assigned readings on the dates that class discussions are
due.
As a student in this class, you should be prepared to spend six hours a week reading,
preparing assignments and participating in class activities in addition to the 2 1/2 hours of
classroom instruction. It is essential that you commit yourself to this degree of
involvement to be successful in this course. The class transfers to major universities, such
as the University of Nevada and the University of California, so you should be prepared for
a workload and a level of intellectual engagement comparable to these systems. The
specific assignments and requirements for the class are explained in detail in the
“Assignments” section of WebCampus.
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Web Campus : This is a web-enhanced course. We will meet in class regularly, but your
assignments will be due through the WebCampus platform. You received a Web Campus
username and password in the mail before class started; this will give you access to the
course.
Learning Modules: Your assignments are outlined in detail on Web Campus. Go to the
homepage and click on the appropriate learning module for each week’s assignments.
Calendar: Also refer to the “Calendar” tool in Web Campus to keep track of assignments
each week.
To Check Your Grades: Go to “Assignments” and click on “Graded.” You will see your
grade for each assignment that has been graded. On some assignments, I will give you
feedback directly on your paper. To see my comments, click on the attachment entitled
“your name graded.doc.” Essays and major assignments also have a grading form, which
you will be able to access through the graded assignments tab.
Course Policies and Expectations
Assignment due dates:
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The GBC English Department enforces a “no late papers” policy.
Each assignment has a due date. If you experience an emergency and miss the
due date, you may submit your assignment within 24 hours of the due date for a
twenty percent reduction in credit. The assignment will be marked as “late.”
No more than two late assignments will be accepted during the semester.
After the 24 hour period, you cannot submit your assignment.
Only assignments submitted through the correct assignment drop box will be
accepted.
No assignments will be accepted through e-mail.
Missed peer reviews cannot be made up.
Assignment Submission Guidelines: All work must be typed and be formatted
according to MLA guidelines. Your work must be saved as a Microsoft Word document.
This means the file extension will say either “.doc” or .docx.” If you do not have Microsoft
Word, you need to save your document as a Rich Text Format document (rtf) in order for
me to read it. It is your responsibility understand this process. Microsoft Works is not
the same as Microsoft Word. If I can’t open your document, you will not
receive a grade for the assignment. Ask the Help Desk for assistance if you do
not understand how to save your work in the correct format.
Computer Problems: Computers crash, flash drives get lost, students go out of town
and do not have Internet access, dogs eat memory sticks, and your Internet service
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provider may not work. It is your responsibility as a college student to plan ahead to
avoid these problems. Save your work to avoid losing it. Computer or Internet problems
are not valid excuses for not submitting your assignments.
Format for Papers: All essays must be submitted in proper 2009 MLA format. Read the
chapters in your text on MLA Documentation carefully to see how to do this. On the course
homepage, there is a folder named “Writing Websites” that contains links to Websites that
show correct MLA formatting in depth. In the “Lecture Notes” file on the homepage, you
will find lectures on 2009 MLA formatting and capitalization and punctuation of titles.
Please read these for more information.
Please present work that is neat, carefully proofread, and attractively presented. Practice
proper paragraph structure - indention, a topic sentence that presents the paragraph’s
main idea, sentences in the paragraph body that develop the topic sentence with concrete
details, data, facts, and examples, and a concluding sentence.
NOTE: Failure to follow these format guidelines may result
in your paper being returned without an evaluation.
Your assignments are outlined in detail on Web Campus. Go to the homepage and click on the
appropriate learning module for assignments.
Professionalism in Writing: This course is a professional setting, and every message you send
in such a setting needs to be clear, concise, and checked for spelling and grammar. Do not assume
that because email and discussion postings can be written quickly that they can be sloppy. An
infrequent mistake is understandable, but if your email messages and postings are continually
difficult to read, this will affect your final grade. Use correct grammar, capitalization, and
punctuation for all of your e-mail correspondence and discussion postings. Use the HTML editor on
all of your email messages and check them for spelling using the “ABC” icon before you send your
message. In this class, as in any professional setting, your writing reflects who you are and how
you think. Every message you send has the potential to elicit a reaction from your reader. How do
you want to be perceived?
Point of View: In academic writing, use the third-person point of view (he, she, it, or they). If
you are writing about a personal experience, it is permissible to use first-person point of view (I),
but use this sparingly and only when it adds to your paper. Do not use second-person point of
view (you) in academic writing. Also, avoid using contractions in academic papers.
Peer Review: Peer review, or peer evaluation, is an important part of your growth as a writer.
You will exchange papers with peer reviewers in order to get constructive feedback on your work.
On peer review days, you must have a completed draft ready to exchange. You will only receive
credit for peer review assignments if you have a complete draft for exchange and you review at
least two students’ papers.
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Comp Class:
 Conducting research and communicating your results are major components of this class.
The Comp Class website provides exercises to help you with various stages of the research
process, as well as exercises to help you improve your particular writing challenges, and
assignments will be due each week from the website. You will complete the assignment
and send it through the Comp Class website. Due dates for exercises will be posted on the
Comp Class Website.
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For a link to the Comp Class login page, click here and scroll down until you find The
Everyday Writer, 4th edition, by Andrea Lunsford.
http://courses.bfwpub.com/yourcompclass/get-started.php.
Attendance:
Regular attendance is expected. Having more than three absences is grounds for being dropped
from the class.
You must complete every essay assignment and required tutor review in order to pass
this course.
There is a due date for each assignment. You must submit assignments through the appropriate
assignment drop box by the due date.
Tutors
The GBC Elko campus has an Academic Success Center with skilled writing tutors who have
experience with our English 102 assignments. I highly recommend that you work with them on
your papers. You can make an appointment with the GBC tutors in the Academic Success Center
by calling 753-2149. You may also send your work to an online tutor. Instructions are on your
WebCampus login page. Plan well in advance, as the turn-around time can be as much as ten
days.
Student Responsibility for dropping courses: If you are missing assignments, it is
your responsibility to drop the course at the Admissions and Records Office by the 12th
week of class. Students who have incomplete or late assignments who do not drop the
course will receive a failing grade.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY
Academic dishonesty is defined as an act of deception in which a student claims credit for the work
or effort of another person or uses unauthorized materials or fabricated information in any
academic work. Academic dishonesty is a violation of the GBC Student Code of Conduct and will
not be tolerated in this class. Any evidence of academic dishonesty/plagiarism in this course will
result in a failing grade on the assignment and/or a failing grade for the course. You should be
aware that at other schools you will risk failing courses and potential suspension/expulsion for
academic dishonesty, which is considered a very serious offense. If you are ever uncertain about
your use of another person's work (ideas, language, data, etc.), you must come to see me about
it.
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Acts of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, the following:
CHEATING--unauthorized copying or collaborating on a test or assignment, or the use or
attempted use of unauthorized materials;
TAMPERING--altering or interfering with evaluation instruments and documents;
FABRICATION--falsifying experimental data or results, inventing research or laboratory data or
results for work not done, or falsely claiming sources not used;
PLAGIARISM--representing someone else's words, ideas, artistry, or data as one's own, including
copying another person's work (including published and unpublished material, and material from
the Internet) without appropriate referencing, presenting someone else's opinions and theories as
one's own, or working jointly on a project, then submitting it as one's own;
ASSISTING--assisting another student in an act of academic dishonesty, such as taking a test or
doing an assignment for someone else, changing someone's grades or academic records, or
inappropriately distributing exams to other students.
In this era of the Internet, it is always tempting to use others' ideas and words from the vast
resources on the available on-line. Do not give in to this temptation unless you are willing to cite
your sources completely. Remember, if you found something on the Internet, chances are I can
find it too.
Safe Assign: Your major assignments automatically are filtered through a plagiarism prevention
Website called Safe Assign. If any portion of a paper or assignment is found to be
plagiarized, it will result in failure of the course.
Student Conduct Policy
Students are expected to follow the Student Conduct Policy for students in the Nevada System of
Higher Education (NSHE) outlined in the Great Basin College Catalog. Students will specifically be
held accountable for behaving in a civil and respectful manner toward other students and the
professor in their classroom and online communications such as e-mail messages, discussion
postings, and written assignments.
The college catalog states, “Messages, attitudes, or any other form of communication deemed to
be outside the bounds of common decency/civility as judged by common standards of classroom
behavior (determined, as they would be in a regular classroom, by the instructor) will not be
tolerated” (29).
Pay particular attention to those last four words. Any student who behaves rudely to
another student or to me will be dropped immediately. During the first week of class, students will
be required to sign an acknowledgement that they have read the Academic Integrity Policy and
Student Conduct Policy and understand that they will be dropped from the class for violating it.
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Confidentiality: The English Department respects the policy that your grades are your and your
instructor’s business only. However, during the semester, student writing will be shared with
peers and/or Writing Center tutors for revision purposes and may be publicly
displayed. This is an integral part of the college writing program. If you have comments
concerning this policy, please make them known to me during the first week of the course.
Grading Policy
The final grade for the course is based on completion of all assignments. If you do not
complete all writing requirements, you will not pass the class! No exceptions!
Assignments that are turned in past the due date will not be accepted, and you will
receive a grade of “0” for that assignment.
Your final grade is based on the following assignments:
Assignnment
Points
Syllabus Quiz
Register with Comp Class
25
15 (if applicable)
Brainstorming for a Research Topic and Preliminary Research
Question
Research Proposal
Library visit or interview
Journal article responses
Quizzes
15
Clarification Project
Summary of Field Research Interview
Informative Project
Formal Sentence Outline
Annotated Bibliography
Final Research Project
100
25
150
50
50
250
Statistics Book Assignments
Comp Class Website assignments
15 points each
10 percent of the total
grade
25
25
40 points each
15 points each
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Pluses and minuses may be figured into the final grade.
In
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5)
order to receive full credit, an assignment must:
be turned in on time and follow proper format
be complete and well thought out
reflect academic, college-level work/writing
incorporate critical thinking
be typed, double-spaced, with standard 12-point font (Palatino or Times Roman) and
1-in margins
6) adhere to MLA standards for formatting and documentation
Assignments (see Assignment Dropbox and Calendar for due
dates):
1. Formal written essays:
Each essay must meet the minimum page length on the assignment sheet. Essays
format will follow MLA guidelines. We will also be sharing parts of these papers with
our peers for critique and assistance.
2. Prewriting, proofreading, and critiquing exercises:
For each of the essays, you will be asked to perform two or three prewriting and postwriting exercises, such as the development of thesis statements, introductory
paragraphs, body paragraphs, and first drafts as well as proofreading and critiquing
exercises.
How to Succeed in this Class:
 Purchase and read the required texts
 Complete all assigned writing and reading on time
 Stay current with all reading assignments
 Participate in and complete all in-class work, including group activities and quizzes
 Participate in peer critique assignments conscientiously
 Turn off all electronic devices during class
 Use the computers only for course assignments
Accommodations: GBC supports providing equal access for students with disabilities. An
advisor is available to discuss appropriate accommodations with students. Please contact the
Student Services Office in Elko at 753-2271 at your earliest convenience to request timely and
appropriate accommodations.
This is your class. If you have any concerns, academic problems, or need special assistance,
please discuss all matters with me as soon as you can. If you have further concerns, see the
current GBC Catalog.
Learner Outcomes (SEE DETAILS
Measurement
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BELOW)
Communication Skills
Analyze statistical content of article
Collect and evaluate information from
Internet sources
Develop hypothesis, gather data, draw
conclusions, present conclusions in
written format
Analyze, differentiate roles of
individuals in society; describe
divergent attitudes, values and beliefs;
synthesize ideas from reading and
thinking to create new text
Communicates and expresses thoughts
fluently and expressively
Completed Research Paper; evaluated
according to attached rubric
Written statistical analysis; evaluated
with attached rubric, esp. #4, 8, 9
Written report and ranking of websites;
rubric for website evaluation
Written essay evaluated with attached
rubric, esp. # 4, 8, 9
Written essay evaluated with attached
rubric, esp. # 4, 8, 9
Written essay evaluated with attached
rubric, esp. # 8, 10, 11
Learner Outcomes: General Education and English 102
1. Communication Skills
Written Communication
Students who complete general education courses will demonstrate the ability to use written communication skills in the following ways.
Choose essay/paper format appropriate to audience and purpose.
Choose diction and style appropriate to audience and purpose.
Integrate evidence, examples, and details to support the central idea or thesis of the text.
Develop coherent and effective paragraphs.
Use standard edited English and the documentation style appropriate to the discipline.
Accessing Information
Students who complete General Education courses will demonstrate the ability to access information.
Collect information from electronic, print and live sources
Evaluate the validity of the information
Organize information into usable format
Document sources of information
Reading Skills
Students who complete General Education courses will
Adjust reading speed according to genre, difficulty of text, and reading purpose.
Recognize functions of various selections of text, i.e. offering evidence to support a point
Identify the purpose of the author as presented in a text
Summarize and /or paraphrase main points
Define vocabulary
Identify and explain cultural codes in texts
Create new text which integrates and synthesizes pre-existing knowledge and knowledge gained from reading in the writing of new
texts (papers, essays, and the like)
Measurement of learner outcomes
All English 102 students produce a research paper which fulfills the above standards. Research papers are assessed using a standard
rubric developed by the English department; the rubric is attached to the syllabus (rubric numbers 1 – 11).
2. Critical Thinking
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Quantitative Ability
Identify problems that require mathematical solutions
Apply appropriate mathematical operations to problems and achieve correct solutions
Measurement of learner outcomes
Read How to Lie With Statistics and analyze the statistical content of an article chosen from a current publication, applying such
concepts as the base for calculating percentages, calculation of mean, median and mode averages, and size of sample.
Reasoning and Independent Thought
Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of multiple sources in synthesis exercises and to identify connections between the theses they are
developing and those of their sources.
Measurement of learner outcomes
In synthesis assignments, students must create clear theses and utilize opposing arguments to strengthen their own positions. The
writing rubric is used to assess these assignments.
Scientific Understanding
Apply the scientific method to problem solving and understanding, and to utilize the results to make predictions and analyze the
implications and consequences.
Measurement of learner outcomes
Students apply the scientific method by developing a hypothesis, gathering supporting data, drawing conclusions, and presenting those
conclusions in a research format. A writing rubric is used to assess the resulting paper (4, 8, 9).
3. Personal and Cultural Awareness
Analyze and differentiate the roles of individuals in society, and describe divergent attitudes, values and beliefs in society.
Measurement of learner outcomes
Students choose topics in which they have an interest and explore multiple perspectives from sources on that topic. Students’ writing
responds to what others think and believe; this writing must demonstrate an understanding of the perspectives of others. Students
must also synthesize ideas from their reading and thinking to create a new text which displays their own ideas. A writing rubric is used
to assess the resulting paper (4, 8, 9).
4. Personal Wellness
Explain the knowledge, skills, and behaviors which promote personal well-being.
Measurement of learner outcomes
Self-expression is one of the most important aspects of personal wellness. It empowers students to succeed in academic endeavors as
well as in the workplace and social settings. Accurate and fluent self-expression is evaluated through a writing rubric attached to each
student paper (8, 10, 11).
5. Technological Understanding
Use basic computer technology competently in current applications.
Measurement of learner outcomes
Students demonstrate the ability to use word processing programs to produce accurately formatted papers. Students access and
evaluate sources for research papers through library databases and the Worldwide Web. Proficiency is evaluated through an appropriate
writing rubric (2, 3, 4).
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RESEARCH WRITING EVALUATION FORM
(Sample)
Writer:
Assignment: Working Document
Minimum Standard Requirements
An essay receiving an evaluation of “unacceptable” in
any of these first four areas is considered unfinished and
receives no grade.
(1) The essay uses the conventions of standard edited
English (spelling, punctuation, grammar, paragraphing,
etc.).
(2) The essay’s format and presentation follow the
specifications of MLA format (typed with standard
margins, fonts, correct parenthetical references, Works
Cited page, etc).
(3) The essay’s sources (whether primary or secondary
sources) and the use of those sources are appropriate for
college writing.
(4) The essay completes the assignment specified by the
instructor, and the writer uses the required number of
scholarly sources.
Additional Requirements
(5) The essay explores a complicated idea regarding the
topic and clearly shows what insight the writer gained
from his or her research.
(6) The essay presents a sound argument. There are no
errors in logic or reasoning.
(7) The essay is well-organized, focused, and unified
with well-developed paragraphs. The author makes
specific connections between the supporting arguments
and the thesis. All points clearly support the thesis.
(8) The writer takes a scholarly approach to the topic.
Voice and tone are appropriate for academic writing.
(9) The essay critiques the use of statistics relating to
the topic.
(10 The essay shows originality and creativity in realizing
#5-9.
Overall Evaluation
Excellent
25
points
Good
20
points
Adequate
15 points
Weak
10
points
Unacceptable
0 points
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Accessing Your CompClass Course for Andrea Lunsford’s The Everyday Writer, Fourth Edition:
If you used CompClass in English 101, click on “Need to Change Courses” on the
Comp Class login page.
Please follow the instructions below:
If you have any trouble during the registration process, please call 1-800-936-6899 or email us at
techsupport@bfwpub.com.
To access CompClass for this course, you need an access code. You will
either register or purchase a code by going to the following URL: www.yourcompclass.com. From
here, scroll over “find your class” at the top, and select Everyday Writer. This will take you to the
Everyday Writer registration page.
OPTION 1. Purchase access for CompClass from the GBC bookstore.
Make sure to save and keep the card. If it's part of a package, don't throw it out by mistake. The card gives
directions you need to register the code contained it. When you go to the URL above, choose "Register an
Activation Code" and follow the simple directions in your card and/or on screen.
OPTION 2: Purchase your access directly from Bedford/St. Martin's.
1. Click on “PURCHASE access to CompClass”
Select the state or province where your institution is located from the drop-down menu. Then, select your
institution and then your course (from the drop down menus)**. There are several courses and sections
under Professor Bentley’s name. Be sure to find the right course and section.
2. Click
3. Complete the registration form, including your first and last name, and email address. Create a
username and password for yourself that you easily remember for use throughout the term. Click
4. Enter your payment information including name as it appears on the credit card, card number,
expiration date, and billing address. Click
and confirm all account information. Click
5. Once you have confirmed payment and placed your order, you will see a screen that says “Thank
You,” and confirms your name, email address, username, and password. You will also receive an
email confirming your account.
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If you need help, contact the publisher’s technical support at 1-800-936-6899 or email:
techsupport@bfwpub.com.
There is a link to the login for CompClass on our course homepage. You may also copy this link onto your
desktop:
http://courses.bfwpub.com/everydaywriter4e.php
If you are still not sure how to access CompClass, follow this link to a
video about registration:
http://courses.bfwpub.com/yourcompclass/resources/CompClass_Students_Getting%20Acces
s%20to%20CompClass_final.htm.
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