Anne Arundel Community College
English 111 - 500
Composition and Introduction to Literature 1
Fall 2005
Instructor: Mrs. Rose Schmitt, M.Ed
Phone: (321) 693-7741 (Emergency use only)
Mailbox: AMIL or HUM 102
E-Mail: rfschmitt@aacc.edu and/or rose@roseschmitt.com
Required Texts:
The Bedford Introduction to Literature 7th Edition by Michael Meyer
Rules for Writers 5th edition by Diana Hacker
Required Supplies: Notebook, Computer Disks (2), Journal, black or blue pens
Learning Objectives: After successfully completing this course, students will be able to
1. Write clearly organized, effective essays;
2. Use prewriting, outlining, and revising for these essays;
3. Recognize and use standard English;
4. Follow rules of grammar and punctuation;
5. Critically analyze poetry, short stories, and essays;
6. Complete a research project, finding and documenting source material using the MLA
format.
Note: By taking this course in the computer-assisted format, you also satisfy the college’s
computer competency requirement.
Students with documented disabilities are eligible for course modifications. See Disabled
Student Services in Academic Advising to request these accommodations. Any other student
who suspects he/she may have a problem that hinders learning is also advised to confer with DSS
immediately.
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Course Requirements:
For this course, you will write four 750 - 1000 word essays. You will also have a basic research
project, a Writer’s Journal, quizzes and homework as assigned, and final exam. Your grade for
the course will be calculated at follows:
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Essay #1
Analyzing Poetry
Essay #2
Analyzing Short Fiction
Essay #3
Analyzing Non-Fiction
Essay #4
Analyzing a Theme
Research Project
Biographical/Critical Reviews
Writer’s Journal
(Collected periodically, at random)
Peer Responses
Four In-Class Peer Reviews
Final Exam
Essay
Attendance, homework, quizzes, class participation
Course Grade
(Total points divided by 10: 100 – 90 = A; 89 – 80 = B; 79 – 70 = C; 69 – 60 = D)
100 pts
100 pts
100 pts
100 pts
100 pts
200 pts
100 pts
100 pts
100 pts
200 pts
For the purposes of this course, all readings will concentrate on four major themes: conformity
and rebellion, culture and identity, love and hate, and death.
Course Policies:
1. Attendance and Courtesy: Regular attendance is crucial to classroom learning. You are
expected to attend all classes. If you miss more than one (1) day of class or three (3) hours
of instruction, you must provide a documented excuse or risk failing this course. Students
who experience significant and unavoidable problems, such as extended illness, family
emergencies, etc. must contact the instructor as soon as possible to discuss possible
extensions on the formal written work. Students who disrupt class to an unreasonable degree
with late arrivals, leaving and returning to the classroom, leaving early, or other nonproductive activities like sleeping or socializing, even after discussions with or reminders
from the instructor, will be considered to be “absent” for a session. Also, please be sure to
turn off all beepers and cell phones when in class, or, in emergencies, to set alerts to “silent”
or “vibrate” mode. Note: Regardless of your reason for missing a class, you are responsible
for arranging to get class notes and make up all permissible missed work. However, quizzes,
homework assignments, and other in-class work cannot be made up.
2. Participation: You are expected to be prepared for class and to participate in class
discussions and other activities. Such participation will be difficult unless you have read the
assigned material and have the text with you. The quality of work, both written and verbal,
and the degree of preparation you bring to each class session, such as reading responses,
comments, and workshop drafts, affects the quality of the classroom experience for all of its
members. Because the work you produce is designed to enhance collaborative learning in the
classroom, these written materials cannot be "made up" or turned in outside of class: you
must be present, on time, and prepared in order to receive credit for your contributions.
Additionally, quizzes will be given at the beginning of class and cannot be made up. You
earn contribution credit every time you come to class promptly and contribute positively.
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You lose it for absence, lateness, and negative or disruptive behavior such as chatting with
classmates on unrelated topics, sleeping, etc. Contribution credits are earned by bringing
required materials such as drafts, assignments, and journal entries, and by participating
significantly in discussions, group work, and workshops.
3. Assignment Deadlines and Extensions: Essays are due in class on the assigned dates (see
the Syllabus). In-class contribution activities, including essay drafts, are due in class on the
dates indicated. Late work will NOT be accepted. Note: You must complete all of the
essays, including the Final Exam Essay, in order to pass the course.
4. Academic Honesty and Plagiarism: In order to assist students in developing intellectual
honesty and in acquiring effective methods of obtaining knowledge, Anne Arundel
Community College expects academic honesty from its students. See Separate Handout.
5. Essays: Students will submit their typed essay drafts at the beginning of class on the due
dates indicated on the syllabus. Detailed assignment sheets will be distributed and discussed
extensively in class, and draft workshops held to help students through the writing process.
Each formal essay will receive comments from peers and from the instructor. To assist you in
your prewriting and rough draft activities, you will be required to keep a journal. (See
separate handout.) Once a grade has been given to a paper, it may NOT be rewritten for
a higher grade.
6. Extra Help: If you feel you need help with your work, speak with me before or after class,
make an appointment to see me, the Tutoring Lab in the Library, or go to the Writing Center
in Humanities 208. One-on-one tutoring from faculty is available 50 – 60 hours each week.
You will be able to get help on such matters as organization, grammar, punctuation, and
research documentation, but tutors will not proofread or approve your papers for you.
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English 111 and 112: Standards for a “C” paper
These standards were developed by Maryland’s Statewide English Composition Committee to
ensure ”rigor at the college-level for all general education courses.”
Content
“The ‘C’ paper fulfills the assignment, meeting all specified requirements, such as
subject, organization, and length, and reflects the author’s awareness of audience and
purpose. The paper presents a central idea supported by relevant material (facts, figures,
examples, quotations, or other details). The reasoning is sound; arguments are supported
with adequate evidence. Other points of view are acknowledged and responded to as
appropriate. Sources of information are accurately presented and fully attributed.”
Organization
“The ‘C’ paper has a discernible and logical plan. It has a focus, and the writer maintains
the focus throughout the essay. The writer has unified the entire essay in support of the
central idea, or thesis, and individual paragraphs in support of subordinate points. Some
individual paragraphs, however, may be weak. The writer promotes coherence through
the logical order of paragraphs and the use of some or all of the following devices: thesis
statement, topic sentences, opening and closing paragraphs, and transitions. The use of
these devices may lack smoothness, but the writer has achieved an acceptable level of
organization.”
Style/Expression
“The ‘C’ paper uses reasonable stylistic options (tone, word choice, sentence patterns) for
its audience and purpose. As a rule, the paper has smooth transitions between
paragraphs, although some transitions may be missing or ineffective. The meaning of the
sentences is clear, although some sentences may be awkward or there may be a lack of
variety in sentence patterns. Nonetheless, sentence structure is generally correct,
although it may show limited mastery of such elements as subordination, emphasis,
sentence variety and length, and modifiers. The paper reflects current academic practices
of language use established by professional associations such as the Modern Language
Association and the American Psychological Association.”
Grammar/Mechanics
“The ‘C’ paper follows the conventions of standard written U.S. English; thus, it is
substantially free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and mechanics. What
errors are present must not impede meaning nor overly distract the reader. The paper
reflects current citation and documentation of sources as specified in relevant
guidebooks.”
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English 111 – Syllabus
Date
Week 1
Sept 1
Week 2
Sept 8
Week 3
Sept 15
Week 4
Sept 22
Week 5
Sept 29
Assignments
To Be Completed Before Class
Class Topics
Introduction to Course Requirements &
NOTE: The syllabus &/or
calendar are subject to change at Syllabus Review; Getting Acquainted;
Keeping a Writer’s Journal; Introduction
the instructor’s discretion.
Read RFW Ch. 1, pp. 2 – 18; Read
Bedford “Introduction,” pp. 1 – 7;
“Reading Poetry,” pp. 701 – 708; “A
Study of Reading Habits,” pp. 714 –
716; “Suggestions for Approaching
Poetry,” pp. 720 – 722
Journal: See separate handout
to the Writing Process; Introduction to
Poetry
Analyzing Poetry
Quiz #1; Introduction to Poetry
continued; Examination of Poetry Styles
and Terminology; Group Analysis of a
Poem
Read Bedford “Writing About Poetry,”
pp. 748 – 750; “The World is Too Much
With Us,” p. 917; “Much Madness is
Divinest Sense,” p. 993; “I Dwell in
Possibility,” p. 994; “We Real Cool,” p.
782; “What It’s Like to be a Black Girl,”
p. 804; “The Passionate Shepherd to his
Love,” p. 1135; “The Nymph’s Reply to
the Shepherd,” p. 1221, “Sonnet 29,” p.
1097; Hamlet’s Soliloquy, p. 1503;
“Death Be Not Proud,” p. 963; “Do Not
Go Gentle Into That Good Night,” p.
922. Journal: See separate handout
Quiz #2; Discuss Poetry;
Read RFW Ch. 2, 3, & 4, pp. 19 – 50 and
Ch. 19, pp 156 - 164; Complete “On the
Web” Electronic Grammar Exercises 19
– 1 through 19 – 3; Write Paper #1
Rough Draft
Quiz #3; Homework Due; Discuss
common grammatical problems;
Writer’s Workshop: Editing &
Proofreading and the Peer Review;
Introduction to Short Fiction and
Terminology
Analyzing Short Fiction
Paper #1 Analyzing Poetry DUE;
Quiz #4; Discussion of Short Fiction;
Complete Paper #1: Analyzing Poetry;
Read Bedford, “Reading Fiction,” pp. 13
– 29, “Writing About Fiction,” pp. 46 –
49; “Those Who Walk Away from
Omelas,” (HO); “A Rose for Emily,” p.
90; “The Horse Dealer’s Daughter,” p.
643; and “A Good Man is Hard to Find,”
p. 430; Journal: See separate handout
AACC English 111
Paper #1 Assigned: Analyzing Poetry
Writer’s Workshop: Getting Started –
Sketching a Tentative Plan
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Date
Week 6
Oct 6
Assignments
To Be Completed Before Class
Read Bedford “Barn Burning,” p. 479
and “The Rockinghorse Winner,” (HO)
Journal: See separate handout
Class Topics
Quiz #5; Short Fiction Discussion
continued;
Paper #2 Assigned: Analyzing Short
Fiction
Writer’s Workshop: Writing the Rough
Draft
Week 7
Oct 13
Week 8
Oct 20
Week 9
Oct 27
Write Paper #2 Rough Draft; Read
RFW Ch. 8, pp. 84 – 88; Complete “On
the Web” Electronic Grammar Exercises
8 – 1 through 8 – 3; Ch. 20, pp. 164 –
172; Complete “On the Web” Electronic
Clarity Exercises 20 – 1 through 20 – 3;
and Ch. 32, pp. 266 – 287; Complete
“On the Web” Electronic Punctuation
Exercise 32 – 1 through 32 - 3.
Complete Paper #2: Analyzing Short
Fiction; Read “Reading and Analyzing
Essays,” (HO); Read RFW Ch. 46, pp.
344 – 357. Read the “On the Web” MLA
Model Paper: Sanghvi. Journal: In
what ways do the two essays construct
reasonable arguments? Be specific.
Read “A Modest Proposal,” “A Battle of
Cultures,” “Is Love an Art,” and “The
American Way of Death” (Handouts);
Journal: See separate handout.
Week 10
Nov 3
Quiz #6; Homework Due;
Writer’s Workshop: Thesis Statements,
the Introduction, and the Peer Review
Analyzing the Essay
Paper #2: Analyzing Short Fiction
DUE; Quiz #7
Introduction to the Essay and
Terminology; Discuss Model essays
Quiz #8; Discuss essays.
Paper #3 Assigned: Analyzing Essays
Write Paper #3 Rough Draft; Read “Why Quiz #9; Discuss Essays
We Can’t Wait,” “Identity in the Age of
the Internet,” “An Argument Against
Writer’s Workshop: Types of Essays,
Hating Our Enemies,” and “A Hanging,” and the Peer Review
(Handouts);
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Date
Week 11
Nov 10
Week 12
Nov 17
Assignments
To Be Completed Before Class
Complete Paper #3: Analyzing Essays;
Read RFW Ch. 48, pp. 370 – 386;
Complete “On the Web” Electronic
Research Exercise 48 – 1; Ch. 49, pp.
387 – 394; Ch. 50, pp. 395 – 400; Read
“On Morality,” (HO); “Good Country
People,” p. 441; “Some People Keep the
Sabbath Going to Church,” p. 988; &
the poems on “Faith,” pp. 1016 – 1017.
Journal: See separate handout.
Class Topics
Understanding Research and MLA
Paper #3: Analyzing Essays DUE
Write Paper #4 Rough Draft; Read
Quiz #10; Homework Due; Writer’s
Workshop: MLA Documentation and
Peer Review
RFW Ch. 54, pp. 413 – 444;
Complete “On the Web” Electronic
Research Exercises 54 – 1 through
Homework Due; Discuss Research,
Putting It All Together: Theme – Ethics,
Morality, & Faith;
Paper #4 Assigned: Putting It All
Together
Research Project Assigned
54 – 3;
Nov 24 – No School - Thanksgiving
Week 13
Dec 1
Complete Paper #4; Continue working
on Research Project
Paper #4: Putting It All Together DUE
Discuss Research problems; Preparations
for Final Exam and Journal Evaluation
Week 14
Dec 8
Week 15
Dec 15
Complete Research Project; Begin
preparation for Final Exam; Complete
Journal
Research Project DUE
Preparation for Semester Exam
Semester Exam
AACC English 111
Journal Evaluation
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