TULSA COMMUNITY COLLEGE SOUTHEAST CAMPUS
ENGLISH 1113
Composition I
Section #306, CRN 30514, T/TH 1:00pm-3:50pm, Room SE1210
Diane L. Polcha, Associate Professor English/Developmental Studies
2015
TO CONTACT YOUR INSTRUCTOR:
Mailbox: Communications Division, SE #1202 / Office: SE #1103
Phone: (918) 595-7646 / E-mail: diane.polcha@tulsacc.edu or through MyTCC / Blackboard
Instructor’s Office Hours:
Tuesday/Thursday: 12:30-1:00pm & 3:50-5:00pm
Or by Appointment
TO CONTACT THE DIVISION OFFICE:
Communications Division, Room SE1202, (918 595-7694)
Acting Associate Dean: Professor Mary Cantrell
TO GET HELP WITH TECHNOLOGY ISSUES:(Blackboard, email, TED-:Call 918.595.2000.
COURSE PREREQUISITES: ENGL 0933 with a grade of C or better, appropriate placement
score, or concurrent enrollment in ALP Writing II course. See pages xii-xiv in Little, Brown for a
detailed list of prerequisites.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: The first in a sequence of two courses, Composition I introduces
students to academic writing [with a focus on academic argument], basic research, and
documentation. More detailed course objectives are listed below. Note that you will need to
access the Internet, Blackboard, and the LRC’s online databases to complete the requirements of
this class.
Course work will include frequent summary/response assignments, articles and text reading
assignments, writing exercises and/or quizzes, two essays written outside of class, a final essay
revision, and two exams (midterm and final) & one essay (#3) written in class.
NEXT COURSE IN SEQUENCE: English 1213, Composition II.
TEXTS:
1. The Little, Brown Handbook, 2nd custom ed. for TCC, Fowler & Aaron
2. They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing, 2nd ed., Graff &Birkenstein
3. Selected readings available online through TCC’s LRC databases. (You will need to print out a
copy of each reading and bring it with you to class).
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Required Supplies:
Our college classrooms do not have supplies.
 Portable stapler – I will not accept unstapled 2+ page assignments
 2 green examination books for in-class writing and the final written exam (available in
the TCC bookstore)
 Highlighters – for highlighting readings and use during peer reviews
 Pens, pencils, paper for note taking – you are expected to come prepared to take notes
You should have access to the following:
 Microsoft Word 97 or later—Microsoft Works and Word Perfect are unacceptable; if
you do not have Office, you can download it from Blackboard for free: go to the
“Organization” tab; search for “software”; enroll in the “Organization” and follow the onscreen instructions
 A TCC email address (go to http://www.tulsacc.edu/about-tcc/information-technologyservices/office-365-e-mail-students for information) All communications to you about
TCC and course assignments will be sent to your TCC Outlook account. You must use
this account to send and receive email any official College correspondence.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: The primary objective in this class is to teach you to write various
kinds of academic arguments. In addition, you are expected to learn to
 Analyze academic writing situations to determine purpose, audience, and focus
for a written composition
 Choose the best possible words to communicate clearly and effectively
 Construct sentences that emphasize your meaning and make your writing
interesting
 Think critically to develop and support thesis statements about different subjects
 Create a coherent, unified essay with an orderly progression of ideas
 Write focused, detailed, coherent paragraphs that develop your ideas and support
your arguments with evidence appropriate to the academic situation
 Incorporate other sources into your writing by quoting, paraphrasing and
summarizing, and documenting correctly, according to MLA format
 Use the TCC Learning Resource Center (also known as the library) for collegelevel research
 Read, comprehend and respond to college-level texts
TEACHING METHODS: Each class period may involve a variety of activities, including, but
not necessarily limited to, lecture, discussion, group work, and writing. For more information, see
pages xxiii-xxv in Little, Brown.
EVALUATION:
Grades will be determined according to the following scale:
Essay 1
100 points
Essay 2
100 points
Essay 3
100 points
Essay Revision:
100 points (submitted in Portfolio)
4 Writing Exercises:
100 points (25 points each)
4 Summary/response: 100 points
Midterm exam
100 points
Portfolio
200 points
Final Exam Essay,
100
Total points possible: 1,000
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GRADING SCALE:
90-100%= A
80- 89%= B
70- 79%= C
60- 69%= D
0- 59%= F
900-1,000pts
800-899 pts
700-799 pts
600-699 pts
Below 600 pts
(excellent; full mastery of assignment)
(good; strong fulfillment of assignment)
(average; satisfactory fulfillment of assignment)
(poor; less than satisfactory or incomplete)
(failing; missing, late, incorrect, or plagiarized)
Assignments will be graded using the criteria described on pages xix-xxii in Little, Brown.
Written work will be graded using the criteria described in your Little, Brown, p. xxvi-xxii.
Additional, more specific grading criteria for all assignments are on the assignment sheets.
PORTFOLIO GRADING:
An Academic Portfolio of student’s coursework worth 20% of the grade will be submitted late in
the semester. Portfolio assessment enables students to document mastery of the objectives
of the course, completion of course outcomes, and the development of writing skills by
collecting and revising their best writing of the semester. Students must submit a
Portfolio to pass the course.
Students will participate in many writing exercises—individual and group, graded and
ungraded. Students are advised to keep all written exercises, revisions, self-evaluations,
and peer reviews, graded assignments, and to save written assignments to computer or
flash drive. Since the loss or damage of these materials could jeopardize the Portfolio
grade, course materials should be maintained with care. The structure of the Portfolio will
be explained in detail during the week of Portfolio Workshop.
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Students are expected to attend class regularly and to be on time. More than three class
hours of absence will be considered excessive. Excessive absence makes successful
completion of the class difficult or impossible. After each absence, the student is
responsible for obtaining the assignments and completing any work missed. Most inclass assignments cannot be made up; Participation and class activity points cannot be
made-up. Weekly assignments will not be accepted after the due date. No major
assignments (mid-term exam, portfolio) will be accepted after the due date without
instructor approval on or before the due date. Approved make-up work must be
submitted in a timely manner—By the next class meeting.
Students who miss more than nine hours of class (more than six class meetings in a two-daya-week class) and/or who fail to turn in a significant number of assignments may be
dropped from the class, which will result in an “AW” on the transcript.
Do NOT email assignments to your instructor. Work must be submitted during
class, through Blackboard, or to instructor’s mailbox in Communications Division
Office (SE 1202) as assigned.
There are no “excused” or “unexcused” absences; either you are in class or you are not. Please
also note the following withdrawal policy.
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COURSE WITHDRAWAL:
The deadline to withdraw from a course shall not exceed 3/4 the duration of any class.
Contact the Advisement Office at any TCC campus to initiate withdrawal from a course
('W' grade) or to change from Credit to Audit. Check the TCC Academic Calendar for
deadlines. Students should consult instructor before withdrawing from a course.
You cannot withdraw using MyTCC; instead you must go to the Advisement office
as directed in above paragraph. (Last day to withdraw for this course: July 9th )
You can only add or drop using MyTCC. Drop deadline is June 7th . If you do not
attend class or make contact with the instructor prior to June 5th , you will receive a
“WN” for the course and you are financially responsible (see Registration for policy).
Non-attendance does not constitute an official withdrawal. Do not simply stop attending any
class. Students who stop participating in the course and fail to withdraw will receive a course
grade of “F,” which may have financial aid consequences for the student. Withdrawal and/or
change to an Audit from a course after the drop/add period may alter the financial aid award for
the current semester and future semesters. Students may receive an outstanding bill from TCC if
the recalculation leaves a balance due to TCC.
English Professors may assign "AW" or "I" grades only when genuine emergencies prevent a
student from completing the class and/or from withdrawing before the deadline and only when
the student is earning a satisfactory ("C" or better) grade.
EMAIL:
Students should communicate with instructor in person during class or office hours, by phone,
through Outlook email, and through Blackboard email portal. Personal email addresses should
not be used for communicating about the course. All TCC students receive a designated Outlook
email address (ex: jane.doe@tulsacc.edu ). Students are expected to check their Outlook email
regularly and to check announcements, grade status, and assignments on Blackboard. Students
will be held responsible for assignment and schedule information provided on Blackboard which
can be checked from home or on campus. Students must use Blackboard or Outlook to send and
receive email from their instructor and from other students regarding this course. Outlook &
Blackboard can be accessed through the TCC web site (www.tulsacc.edu ) by using student id#
and password in MyTCC.
INCLEMENT WEATHER:
TCC rarely closes. If extreme weather conditions or emergency situations arise, TCC always
gives cancellation notices to radio and television stations. This information is also posted on the
TCC website (www.tulsacc.edu) and can be accessed through the switchboard message at the
TCC phone number (918 595-7000). Consult Blackboard course site or Outlook email for
specific course directions for this course in extreme conditions.
GENERAL EDUCATION GOALS:
The General Education Goals are designed to ensure that graduates of Tulsa Community College
have the skills, knowledge, and attitudes to carry them successfully through their work and
personal lives. General Education Goals relevant to this course include critical thinking and
effective communication, engaged learning, and technological proficiency.
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ENGLISH DISCIPLINE GOALS: All English courses are designed to help students meet the
English discipline goals, which are effective writing, critical reading, informed discussion, and
scholarly research.
STANDARDS OF CONDUCT & CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE:
Open and mutually respectful communication of varied opinions, beliefs, and perspectives during
classroom or online discussion encourages the free exchange of ideas that is essential to higher
learning and to the ability to learn from each other. A student who exhibits behavior in the
classroom which interferes with the learning environment or conduct which is disrespectful to the
instructor or other students will be asked to leave the classroom and may be referred to the Dean
of Students. For more information on required class etiquette see Little, Brown, page xxvii.
All communication in this class, including individual emails to me, telephone conversations,
and/or face-to-face dialogue should be professional in content and format. In terms of
assignments, sloppiness in spelling, grammar, capitalization, punctuation, etc. may result in a
failing grade, as may lack of professionalism in terms of tone, attitude, and language.
Students are expected to be in class on time and to remain until the class is dismissed. A student
who is late for class or has missed a class should not interrupt the class to determine what he/she
has missed; if a student must leave the classroom before the end of class, he or she should not
interrupt the class to get assignments yet to be completed or assigned. It is the student’s
responsibility to obtain this information outside of class time. Students should schedule travel and
medical or other appointments at times other than class time. Cell phones should be set so no
disruption of class will occur. Students are responsible to clean up after themselves in the
classroom. Participation in class activities is an important part of the learning process, and an
atmosphere conducive to gleaning the most from the session should be a priority for the each
class member.
FORMAT:
Writing assignments should follow MLA formatting and documentation as described in
Little, Brown. All papers for this class MUST be saved as a Word document and submitted in
class or submitted in the appropriate Blackboard location if assigned. Do not email assignments
unless required by assignment or asked by instructor. Formatting specifications include:
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MLA mini-heading [last name page #] on each page (upper right header area—not in the
body of the essay)
standard 1" margins
double-spacing (do not double space by pressing the enter key)
size 12 font, Times New Roman, black text
a title on the first page of the assignment (centered above first line)
a standard heading on the first page of the assignment (upper left margin):
Student’s name,
English 1113, Section #306
D. Polcha (instructor)
Assignment title (such as Essay #1)
Date Submitted (2 June 2015)
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PLAGIARISM POLICY: Please see “Plagiarism” on pages xxvi in Little, Brown, as well as
Chap. 44: “Avoiding Plagiarism and Documenting Sources.”
Plagiarism refers to a specific form of academic dishonesty involving the use of any texts,
documents, online materials, words, ideas, sentence structures, pieces of information, statistics,
figures, illustrations, creative works, ways of thinking, etc., that are not your own without giving
credit to the author. TCC’s Academic Code of Integrity, available in the Student Policies and
Resources Handbook at http://www.tulsacc.edu/sites/default/files/Student_Code_of_Conduct.pdf,
further defines plagiarism, lists its common forms, and explains how to avoid it.
A student who is determined to have plagiarized will receive an "F" on the assignment, may
fail the course, and be reported to the Dean of Students and Associate Dean of
Communications.
Guests: Any person not officially enrolled in class will not be admitted without instructor’s prior
approval. Children will not be permitted in class.
ADA Policy: It is the policy and practice of Tulsa Community College to create inclusive
learning environments. Accommodations for qualifying students in compliance with the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act are
available. To request accommodations, contact the Education Access Center (EAC)
at eac@tulsacc.edu or call (918) 595-7115 (Voice). Deaf and hard of hearing students may
text (918) 809-1864.
FERPA: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a Federal law designated to
protect the privacy of a student’s education records and academic work. The law applies to all
schools, colleges, and universities that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S.
Department of Education. This law is applicable to students at TCC. All files, records, and
academic work completed within this course are considered educational records and are protected
under FERPA. It is your right as a student in this course to expect that any materials you submit
in this course, as well as your name and other identifying information, will not be viewable by
guests or other individuals permitted access to the course.
A student may sign a waiver of his or her FERPA rights through the Admissions/Enrollment
Services or the Dean of Student Services offices. This waiver authorizes the release of academic
records to the individuals identified by the student. While a FERPA waiver permits the release
of information to parents, it does not compel the release of information. Faculty and
advisors may use their discretion as to when the release of information would not be
warranted.
Institutional Statement: Each student is responsible for being aware of the information
contained in the TCC Catalog, TCC Student Handbook, TCC Student Code of Conduct Policy
Handbook, and semester information listed in the Class Schedule.
Syllabus & Policy Adjustments: Occasionally, changes to the syllabus may be necessary;
students will be notified in writing of any changes to the syllabus.
When genuine emergencies or problem situations occur, the course policies outlined here may be
modified to help a student complete the course if the student has been attending regularly, has
completed most assigned work, and is earning at least a "C." It is always in a student’s best
interest, therefore, to contact instructor immediately if a crisis situation prevents him or her from
attending class or completing assignments.
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Tobacco Free College: Tulsa Community College is a Tobacco Free college in accordance with
the Governor’s Executive Order 2012-01 and Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes, Section 1-1523.
Syllabus Notes:
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