Syllabus for ENC-1102 FALL 2014
Professor Spottke
Our Class Meets T&R 10am to 1115am building 1-232
MY OFFICE: Valencia West, Building 1-Room 238A
My Office Phone: 407-582-1935
My Email: nspottke@valenciacollege.edu
Communications Department Located at West Campus 5-231;
Communications Department phone number: 407 582 1313
Communications Department fax number: 407 582 1676
Face-to-face Hours, this is the ONLY time you will catch me in my office.
Visit me on West Campus in building 1 room 238A No appointment necessary, just drop in:
TBA
Face-to-face Conferences outside of scheduled face-to-face hours can be requested by appointment
Online hours, nspottke@valenciacollege.edu
I respond to email messages during these hours ONLY:
Monday through Friday 8am to 9am
COURSE PREREQUISITES
ENC 1101 or ENC1101H with minimum grade of C.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Application of skills learned in ENC 1101. Emphasis is on style; use of library; reading and evaluating available sources; planning, writing, and documenting research paper using MLA style format.
GORDON RULE
Gordon rule class in which the student is required to demonstrate college-level writing skills through multiple assignments. Minimum grade of C required if ENC1102 is used to satisfy Gordon rule and general education requirements.
__ Failure to complete ALL assigned essays and the annotated bibliography by the four day late deadline will result in an F for the course.
__Individual essays UNDER the length requirement will not be accepted. Student has four days to turn in completed essay late to meet Gordon Rule Requirements or else will result in an F for not meeting Gordon
Rule. See assignment sheets for individual length requirements.
BOOKS and MATERIALS
The Little Seagull Handbook by Richard Bullock and Francine Weinberg. If you have the first edition, that is fine. If you do not have any handbook, the 2 nd edition is available in the West Campus Bookstore. ISBN 978-
0-393-93580-6
Kirszner, Laurie G., and Stephen R. Mandell. Portable Literature, most recent edition (last edition is fine, too)
ISBN10: 1-111-83904-2 or ISBN13: 978-1-111-83904-8 $91.35 new/$68.55 used
In this class, we are reading Toni Morrison's novel, The Bluest Eye. I have a pdf of this novel available.
However, if you wish to purchase a physical copy--used, new, any edition—or borrow a copy from a library, you may do so.
• HIGHLY Recommended: a USB drive and a library copy card
GRADES
You will earn points for each assignment you complete. You must earn 700 points to pass the course with a C.
800 earns you a B. 900 an A. A list of assignments, points, and due dates are posted on BLACKBOARD in the syllabus tab, in an announcement on the announcements page, and in the start here tab. An extra 25 points is built into this course, and I offer two opportunities for extra credit through an optional peer review session.
Because of these extra points, there will be no “bumping up” of grades due to being “so close.”
700 points is absolutely REQUIRED to pass this course and earn 3 credits.
There is no formal midterm or final exam for this class. Instead you will give a presentation on a role model.
Failure to Complete the three essays AND annotated bibliography will result in an F for not meeting Gordon
Rule Requirements.
CORE COMPETENCIES
The faculty of Valencia College has identified four core competencies that define the learning outcomes for a successful Valencia graduate. These competencies are at the heart of the Valencia experience and provide the context for learning and assessment at Valencia College. You will be given opportunities to develop and practice these competencies in this class. The four competencies are: 1. Think - think clearly, and creatively, analyze, synthesize, integrate and evaluate in the many domains of human inquiry; 2. Value - make reasoned judgments and responsible commitments; 3. Communicate - communicate with different audiences using varied means; 4. Act - act purposefully, effectively and responsibly.

Essay Assignments & Late Policy Regarding
…

Submission in .doc or .docx/Microsoft Word format
Your essays and the annotated bibliography must be submitted as an attachment in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx format) ONLY to
Blackboard. Failure to submit in .doc or .docx format will result in a loss of up to ten points—more for the documented essay, for proper formatting of MLA documentation will not be verifiable. All word processing programs have the capability to SAVE AS a word,
.doc, or .docx (new version of Word) file.

Failure to Complete any essay
You will complete one diagnostic essay, one essay on short stories, an annotated bibliography, and a full length research paper on a novel during the semester. If you fail to submit even one of these--you have up to
FOUR days past the deadline to submit--you will earn a zero for that missed assignment, and you will fail the course for not meeting Gordon Rule Requirements.

LATE assignments
There is NO SUCH THING as late work. Students must use a computer with reliable internet access. No excuses permitted due to computer error. The exception to this policy is late essays. Essays may be submitted up to four days late, one letter grade deducted from the essay grade for each day late. Late essays will be graded by the end of the semester without professor comments.
 length requirement
In the case of failing to meet the length requirement when submitting the final draft, the professor will return the essay ungraded. Student will be responsible for resubmitting essay for Gordon Rule Requirements no more than four days after the student has been informed of the short length. Failure to submit by this late deadline will earn you a zero for that missed assignment and you will fail the course for not meeting Gordon
Rule Requirements. (see GORDON RULE above); zero will remain.

OVER the length requirement
Furthermore, going OVER the length requirement will result in up to ten point deduction depending on how far over the length. Good writing must be condensed, succinct, and to the point.

Essay Formatting
Type Your Essays According to MLA Format. Failure to meet the required formatting will result in a loss of up to ten points for each requirement as follows:
Proper format
• Typed in black fonts:
• 12 sized fonts:
• TNR fonts only:
• Double-spaced with no extra space between paragraphs or around title:
• One inch margins on all four sides:
• Each new paragraph indented by 12 spaces or tab of 1/2 inch:
• Heading appears at top left corner of the first page
ONLY as follows:
Student’s Name
Deduction if not in proper format minus 3 pts minus 3 pts minus 3 pts minus 5 pts minus 2 pts minus one pt each minus 2 pts:
ENC-1102
Professor Spottke
Date paper is due
• Follow your heading with your creative title centered, typed with normal capitalization, no italics, quotation marks, bolding, underlining, or any other fancy font styling:
Grades are calculated according to the following criteria: minus 2 pts

F Focus. Thesis statement is important in literary writing as well as generic essays as you completed in 1101. Failure to have a strong argument by which to focus your paper, will result in a weak paper.
D Development. You argument will not be strong if you do not develop. Just as you did in 1101, you must fully reason (explanations) and offer specific detail (PROOF) to prove your point. The best way to do this with literature is to directly quote passages from the short story or novel.
O Organization. Organization is important for literary analysis on three levels: One, sentence to sentence organization of ideas; two, paragraph to paragraph arrangement of the points of your argument; and three, integration of quotes from the poetry, short stories, and novel on which you are writing.
S Style. Throughout the semester, I will introduce you to various stylistic devices, poetic schemes.
You will be responsible for creating your own versions of these devices and integrating them fluidly into your essays. Failure to include the required devices will result in a loss of points.
C Conventions. How is your grammar? Comma splices, run-on sentences, fragments, subject/verb agreement, subject/pronoun agreement and spelling are just some of the errors you should work on. Use your handbook as your guide to bettering your writing.
BLACKBOARD
Do NOT access Blackboard from ATLAS. Atlas often goes down while Blackboard remains accessible. Go to
Blackboard through this link: https://learn.valenciacollege.edu/
This the online class site.
You will utilize this site for viewing instructions and requirements; checking for important announcements; posting essays and assignments; reading through learning modules; keeping track of your class standing
(grades); and staying up-to-date on when work is due.
You are responsible for checking the announcements regularly— at least every four days.
GETTING STARTED WITH BLACKBOARD:
Access our class site via the following address: https://learn.valenciacollege.edu/
--Use the same USER ID and PASSWORD as you use to access your ATLAS account.
--remove popup blocker for this site prior to logging in for the first time. Errors with opening files are often due to this not being done.
Any troubles with Blackboard?
My recommendation: Download three browsers to your computer: Firefox, Explorer, and Chrome
If something doesn’t work on Blackboard, try another browser. If all three browsers show the same trouble, call the Online Courses Help Desk and make sure to ask for a confirmation code :
Blackboard Help Page or 407-582-5600.
Only after doing all of this should you contact the professor and alert her of the problem—be sure to give her the confirmation code and screen shots documenting the error as well.
CLASS ATTENDANCE
Attendance is required and necessary for your receiving information and earning points. Class meetings are worth anywhere from 10 to 25pts. Work due in class may not be turned in online, under my door, or late but must be turned in at the beginning of class on the due date. Points awarded during class may not be made up.
If you are absent, Do NOT contact me via email for homework or missed work, I will not respond; ask a classmate for his or her notes and check Blackboard--or drop by my office during office hours (see above).
Furthermore, in college, there is NO such thing as an excused absence .
You are allowed only three absences; upon the fourth, I will drop you from the course. Most legitimate reasons need no more than three absences, and even if you did need more, the fact is that there is work to be done and when you’re absent, you are NOT getting that work, not participating, not a part of this class.
Finally, if you leave class early, you will receive a zero for that day.
TARDY
Tardy students disrupt the learning process. I begin class approximately 5 minutes after the start time. If you are not in class when I finish taking role, you are absent. You may still join the class late, but your presence will not count. Homework will not be accepted. No excuses. If being on time for this class is a problem for you, you may wish to register for a different time slot, another instructor, or an online class. Tardiness is not acceptable behavior in the job market and best for you to prepare here where you won’t get fired.
WITHDRAWAL
See IMPORTANT DATES below for withdrawal deadlines (with refund or without academic penalty).
Students can withdraw themselves, receiving a grade of W in the course BEFORE the withdrawal deadline but can NOT withdraw themselves after the withdrawal deadline. It is your responsibility and your decision to withdraw from the course unless otherwise mandated by the instructor and/or the dean of the
Communications Department. (See CLASS ATTENDANCE policy above). Any student who withdraws from this class during a third or subsequent attempt in this course will be assigned a grade of “F.”

Students on financial aid should consult an advisor or counselor before withdrawing from a course; there may be financial implications. Counselors can help students make an informed decision before withdrawing from a course. Students with some scholarships who withdraw or are withdrawn from a class must pay the college for the cost of the class. Other scholarship sponsors may also require repayment. For a complete policy and procedure overview on Valencia Policy 4-07 please got to: http://valenciacollege.edu/generalcounsel/policy/default.cfm?policyID=75&volumeID_1=4&navst=0
WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS
On your Blackboard Course Tab Menu on the left, you will see a button/tab labeled "Weekly Work Due."
Click on this button and you will see a list of weekly assignments.
There is NO SUCH THING as late work with the exception of the two essays, annotated bibliography, and research paper (see Essay Assignments & Late Policy Regarding… above).
Late homework will not be accepted. Missed class work may not be made up. If you are absent, check with a classmate for missed work or see your professor during engagement hours. Do NOT contact me via email for homework or missed work, I will not respond.
ATLAS MAIL and Student Questions—ONLINE Hours
Send me questions via ATLAS mail. These questions will be responded to
Monday through Friday only (see hours listed above).
You MUST check your Atlas email account regularly— at least every four days—for class cancellation notices, important announcements, etc..
Contact me via telephone. However, these calls will be responded to ONLY during live engagement hours only (as listed above).
As for engagement hours, my doors are open to you according to the hours posted on my office door and at the top of the syllabus. Want to work on homework? Drop by. Want me to take a look at your essay? Drop by.
Appointments for other dates/times can be made when necessary, just ask.
ACADEMIC HONESTY & PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism is the use of someone else’s words, ideas, pictures, design, and/or intellectual property without the correct documentation and punctuation.
Your professor has a no tolerance approach to plagiarism.
Students’ essays will be submitted to a Blackboard program for verification of originality.
If you submit work that is wholly or partially plagiarized, you will be penalized for the offense, depending on the extent of the offense.
This includes reusing old work from a previous class without permission from your professor.
Basically, if you are cutting from somewhere and then pasting into your essay without
1. quotation marks, AND
2. citations, AND
3. a bibliographic entry on the works cited page, then you ARE plagiarizing.
Your first essay requires you to use the Oxford English Dictionary via Valencia’s database, no other research allowed. Your second essay requires you use one or more of the short stories, no other research allowed. Only your annotated bibliography and research paper will contain research materials, properly cited with a works cited list at the end of the research paper.
Do NOT open a web site and start reading and/or copying.
You will be taught MLA citation and formatting. If you take a passage from a source, a single sentence or more without appropriately citing that information, you will receive an F in the course.
Offering a sentence, sentences, a full paragraph(s) or even a full essay will result in an F in the course. In extreme circumstances, academic action will be taken against you.
Read the Academic Dishonesty policy found in Valencia’s online policy manual: http://valenciacollege.edu/generalcounsel/policy/default.cfm?policyID=193&volumeID_1=8&navst=0

CLASS BEHAVIOR
Students are expected to behave appropriately so as not to disrupt the academic process. A student who fails to act appropriately will be asked to leave class.
Continued disruptions will result in the student meeting outside of class to discuss behavior before being allowed to return to the class. These include, using cell phones during class, leaving class frequently to use the restroom, and chatting with a neighbor...
Respect is essential to a healthy learning environment. Remember that we are each from different backgrounds and environments, of different races and religions, etc. You don’t have to believe as others believe, but you must be respectful of these differences within the academic setting. See student code of conduct: http://valenciacollege.edu/generalcounsel/policy/default.cfm?policyID=180&volumeID_1=8&navst=0
In addition, ALL electronic devices must be turned off before class starts and removed from view. If you are seen interacting with your phone (texting, for instance or getting up and leaving the class to answer the phone), you will be told to leave and no credit will be given for that day’s work. Laptops are allowed.
HOWEVER, if I believe you are doing other than taking notes, I will revoke laptop privileges for all laptops.
If you are typing away and I am not saying anything work note taking, laptop privileges will be removed.
Furthermore, poking, engaging in side conversations, passing notes, or other non-college behaviors will not be tolerated. If you revert back to such behavior, you will be told to leave.
Finally, hold questions for when class starts. If you have other pressing matters needing to be addressed, address them with the professor during engagement hours—not before or after class.
IMPORTANT DATES
Monday Sept. 1. No classes, college wide. Labor Day.
Tuesday Sept. 2. Drop/Refund Deadline (11:59pm).
Thursday Oct. 9. No classes, college wide. College Night
Wednesday Nov. 26 through Nov. 30. No classes, college wide. Thanksgiving.
Nov. 7. Withdrawal deadline.
Final Exam. There is no traditional test/final examination for this class, rather a final speech on a role model.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Pooky’s Pantry
For students who are homeless and or hungry, non-perishable items are available in the Student Development office, building 3 room 147. If you need or would like to donate, the pantry is open Monday through
Thursday 8am to 7pm and Friday 9am to 5pm. A Valencia ID is needed and five items per day may be retrieved from the pantry.
Communications Center
Writing Professionals available to work with you on essays, research, and overall writing skills (1/2 hour appointments; 1 hour appointments available for research paper). West Campus Building 5, room 155; (407)
582-1812 http://valenciacollege.edu/west/lss/communications/
There are also writing centers at every campus, not just West. Check the campus website for whichever campus is closest to you.
SmarThinking Online Tutoring
There is an alternative to on-campus writing center visits. Log in to Atlas. On the right side of the page, you will see a link to Smart Thinking Smart Thinking Online Tutoring. If you send your work in to them in advance, they can give you a full review of your essay. There are also live online sessions available by appointment. These sessions fill up, so be sure to not wait until the last minute.
Computer Lab at the Library
Computers available for student use. Software support for all disciplines. Internet & word processing for research papers. Atlas & E-mail, Software catalog available in Lab. Photo ID required. http://www.valenciacc.edu/library/west/cal/
Valencia Library West Databases
Access through ATLAS. Click on "Search the Library." Click on "Databases A-Z." Scroll down through this list of various databases. Choose one, click on it, and begin searching that database.
Having trouble with Blackboard?
Do NOT contact your professor, contact the Online Courses Help Desk:
For most common problems: Blackboard Help Site
If the above link proves unhelpful, call: 407-582-5600
Offices for Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities who qualify for academic accommodations must provide a Notification to
Instructor (NTI) form from the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and discuss specific needs with the

professor, preferably during the first two weeks of class. The Office for Students with Disabilities determines accommodations based on appropriate documentation of disabilities.
East Campus
Bldg. 5, Rm. 216
West Campus
SSB, Rm. 102
Osceola Campus
Bldg. 1, Rm. 140A
Winter Park Campus
Bldg. 1, Rm. 212
Ph: 407-582-2229
Fax: 407-582-8908
TTY: 407-582-1222
Ph: 407-582-1523
Fax: 407-582-1326
TTY: 407-582-1222
Ph: 407-582-4167
Fax: 407-582-4804
TTY: 407-582-1222
Ph: 407-582-6887
Fax: 407-582-6841
TTY: 407-582-1222
Valencia College is interested in making sure all our students have a rewarding and successful college experience. To that purpose, Valencia students can get immediate help with issues dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, adjustment difficulties, substance abuse, time management as well as relationship problems dealing with school, home or work. BayCare Behavioral Health Student Assistance Program (SAP) services are free to all Valencia students and available 24 hours a day by calling (800) 878-5470. Free face-toface counseling is also available.
Security Statement from Valencia College’s chief of security:
We want to reassure you that our security officers are here around the clock to ensure the safety and security of the campus community. It’s important to remain alert and aware of your surroundings, especially during the early morning or evening hours. Remember that you can always call security for an escort if you feel uncomfortable walking alone on campus. White security phones can also be found in many of our buildings; simply pick up the phone and security will answer.
Finally, report any suspicious persons to West Campus Security at 407-582-1000, 407-582-1030 (after-hours number) or by using the yellow emergency call boxes located on light poles in the parking lots and along walkways.
FINAL NOTE:
Some students seek “extra credit.” The professor does not offer extra credit, for such translates to extra work for the professor. Instead, points can be offered at the end of the semester for visits made to either the professor’s office or the writing center to review any of the assigned essays. You will also notice that you are given 1025 points throughout the semester. Yet I grade your final average as if it were out of 1000. 700 points is a C, 800 a B, 900 an A.
THIS SYLLABUS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE