Syllabus ENG 1101 1
Syllabus for ENG 1101 Fall 2015 Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
English 1101
Section
Composition
3 credit hours
Semester
Meeting Times:
Classroom Location:
Mark Richardson, PhD (Asst. Prof.)
Office Hrs: MWF 9-10 and 2-3
TR 9-11 and 3:15-4
Office: Conger 312
Email: mrichardson@abac.edu
Cell: 912-660-0271
Office: 391-4960
Introduction
Most students expect their required college English class to be a continuation of the English
classes they have taken in high school, which usually means reading and writing about
literature (Shakespeare, Alice Walker, C.S. Lewis, Harper Lee—etc.). Some students love to
do this kind of writing, but for many others, writing about literature means writing about
something that is hard to understand, or boring, or both.
Another major expectation is that students will write their papers shortly before the
deadline, turn them in, say a prayer, and get a grade.
This class is different. You will not write about literature unless you want to. If you think
about it, there are so many other kinds of writing you could do—and you may have to do—
in college and in the workplace: movie, video game, restaurant, and product reviews; sports
analyses; political and social reporting, analysis, and commentary; grant proposals;
educational pamphlets; business letters and emails; formal and informal reports; poetry
and song lyrics; academic and scholarly papers; instructional manuals—the list is almost
endless. Why write about literature unless you want to be an English major (or unless you
love writing about literature)?
So what you write about may well be different in this class.
Another difference is that we will spend sixteen weeks—the entire semester—before we
finish even one paper. In this way, you will have worked on any paper you submit for a
grade for at least five weeks—and you won't submit a paper for a grade until the end of the
term.
These differences are designed to make it possible for you to write effective, interesting
papers and to get a good grade—as long as you do all the work.
The Basic Way This Course Is Going to Work
During the first 14 weeks of the semester, we will work on three papers, writing two drafts
of each one. These six drafts will receive points, as will accompanying activities like peer
reviews and exercises. You will get all the points for each draft if you follow directions, do as
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much work as is required, and bring the paper to class on time. In other words, you won’t
lose points if you make mistakes in grammar, or fail to understand something, or don’t have
the best possible ideas, or still need to develop a paragraph, or need to do more research,
or need to revise organization, or any of those kinds of issues. If you make a good faith
effort, you will get all the points available for each of these six drafts. I call these “ungraded
points” because the quality of your work is not evaluated for your to receive the points.
While you are writing the first two projects (that is, the first four drafts), you will also be
writing research assignments (very short papers) about what you are researching for your
third project. These are also worth points, and when they are done, can be combined to
make our fourth project, an annotated bibliography.
In the last two weeks of the semester, you will finish project three and choose at least one
more project on which you will make some final revisions, and you will submit these two
final papers (or more), along with an introductory reflective essay that serves as the final
exam, for the major grade in the class. This grade will be based on three main areas of
assessment: 1) the quality of the two (or more) main papers, 2) your understanding of the
main ideas of the class as reflected in your final exam (the introductory essay), and 3) your
effort at drafting and revising all semester long.
In addition, the papers you submit, along with your final exam, will have to equal at least
2000 words of writing (6-7 pages) and will have to use at least six credible written sources
ethically and correctly. These numbers are minimums needed to pass the class—most of
you will write more than six pages and use more than six sources (and will earn more than
a passing grade).
This approach is called portfolio assessment. The basic idea is that all writers, like all
artists and composers, always have a portfolio (a number) of pieces they have started. This
class will ask you to start a number of pieces. You will then be asked to choose at least two
of these pieces to bring to a high degree of completion, demonstrating at least competency
in all the key aspects of writing skills assessment in order to pass.
Things You'll Need For This Class
All you need for this class is regular access to a computer. All assignments, readings, and
resources will be online. The class will be in a computer classroom, where you will have
access every class day. If you prefer to bring your own laptop or tablet and keyboard, you
may.
Grading and Specific Requirements for This Class
Minimum Requirements for Passing the Class
This class is designed to help you get the best grade you possibly can, but you have to do
the work and you have to understand the requirements. Every semester, more students
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fail this class than get Cs because they have not met one or more of these minimum
requirements:

You must earn 700 out of 1000 points. (ENG 1101 requires a C to pass). If, at the end
of the term, you don’t have 700 points, there is no way to earn extra points to pass
the class. (You can earn bonus points all semester, but none are available at the end
of the term.) The most important lesson of the class is that writing effectively
requires that you develop expertise over time. You can’t do so in a week or two at
the end of the term. You must work steadily all along the way.

You must submit a portfolio of papers to be graded at the end of the term. The
portfolio includes final drafts of at least two of the four main papers of the semester
(one of which must be paper #3) along with a Reflective Introduction which serves
as the final exam for the class.

Your portfolio submission must total at least 2000 words of text (6-7 pages),
counting the final exam (but not counting bibliography pages).

Your portfolio must include project #3. This paper must correctly use at least six
written sources, without plagiarism, documenting the sources in the paper itself
and on a bibliographic page. Any kind of plagiarism in the portfolio papers (an
umbrella term referring to many kinds of improper use of sources), will fail the
portfolio and therefore will cause you to fail the class. (In class, we will define
plagiarism and learn how to avoid it in your writing.) The absence of documentation
either in the paper or on a bibliographic page will fail the paper, the portfolio, and
the class.

Project #3 must be supported by at least three research assignments—
assignments done over at least a four-week period that involve reading and
writing about at least six sources. If the preliminary reading and writing has not
been done, project three will automatically fail, as will the portfolio, which will cause
you to fail the class. You must follow the research process.

I must have seen at least one draft of any paper submitted in the portfolio. This
means that papers used from previous or other classes, which are fully acceptable to
use in this class, must be submitted and revised to be eligible for inclusion in the
portfolio. It also means that any paper which appears for the first time in the
portfolio will get an F.

Your portfolio writing must be at least competent in all the main areas of
assessment, including mechanics; organization; development; use of sources;
handling of specialized parts of papers; and the rhetorical criteria of purpose,
audience, tone, style, genre, and ethos. Writing is like a chain, which is no stronger
than its weakest link. Your writing in the portfolio must forge at least an adequately
strong chain.
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These are the minimum requirements: if you meet them, you will pass the class. But bear in
mind that if you do meet them, you are much more likely to get a B or an A in the class than
a C. In portfolio assessment, most of the grades are either As and Bs or Fs, and there are
usually more As and Bs than Fs.
Attendance: In this class, students function as a community of writers, discussing each
other’s work and contributing to an ongoing conversation about writing. It’s not a class
where you sit back, take notes, and take a test—often you will be asked to form small
groups, discuss papers or issues, and then report back to the class, so attendance is
important to the success of the class as a whole as well as to your own personal success.
In addition to these academic reasons for good attendance, there is a more pragmatic issue:
should anything go wrong this semester—should you become ill, for example, and be
unable to complete the course—or should any scholarship issues or change-of-grade issues
arise, my record of your attendance in the class will need to be submitted. If your
attendance record is good, any decision that must be made will be more likley to be in your
favor.
For both of these reasons, then, there is an attendance policy in the class: you may miss
class without an acceptable excuse up to three times without penalty. After three
unexcused absences, each unexcused absence will lower your final grade by 10 points on
the 1000-point scale (which is the same as 1 point on a scale of 100).
You will not be penalized for excused absences. Excused absences include your required
attendance at athletic, musical or other performances, illness, family emergencies or special
events, religious observation, and legal obligations (like court appearances). I do NOT
expect you to miss class to see the dentist or doctor unless it’s an emergency, nor do I
excuse absences to take makeup tests for other classes, to see your advisor, or to do
anything that should be done outside of our class time.
An excused absence should be supported by a written explanation—at the very least, an
email from you. Whenever possible, get your parent, your coach or director, or someone
else who can confirm your reason for absence to email me as well.
Lateness: I take the roll about five minutes into the class period. If you miss the roll call,
you are late. You may be late three times without a lateness penalty. After the third
instance, further lateness will lower your final grade by 5 points (out of 1000).
Class Participation: I expect students to act as mature adults in the class. I don’t mind if
you check your email or send out a quick note. But if I see you playing video games,
spending long stretches of time on Facebook, texting, holding private conversations during
class, sleeping in class or leaving early—in short, doing anything that disrupts your
learning or the learning of those around you—I will deduct 10 points from your grade for
each instance (out of 1000).
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In addition, I expect you to be civil in class. You may ask questions, disagree, argue, etc. as
long as you do so with some respect for the teacher and the other students. Problems with
uncivil behavior will result in -10 points (out of 1000) for each instance.
Assignments: All assignments are due by a date and time specified in D2L (all assignments
will be submitted electronically) or at the start of the class for which they are assigned. If
an assignment is late, even by just a few minutes, it will lose credit. Assignments are
acceptable for reduced credit up to one week after they were due (the later they are, the
more points they will lose), after which they are no longer acceptable. However, with a
written explanation of a good reason for lateness (like being sick) and back-up
documentation (doctor’s note, court record, note from parents, etc.), an assignment will
remain acceptable for full credit for up to two weeks. (I must be able to keep the
documentation along with the written explanation.) No assignment, however, will be
accepted later than two weeks after it was due for any reason.
Portfolio: At the end of the semester, you will be required to submit final drafts of at least
two of the four main projects we will have worked on for a major grade, one of which must
be project three. The final drafts that you submit for a grade, along with the final exam, must
total at least six pages of writing and must use and correctly document at least six written
sources in one of the two main projects for you to pass the course. (Note that you may
submit three or even all four projects if more writing is needed to meet the total writing
requirement and/or to demonstrate your ability to write in various genres.)
Breakdown of Points for All Course Activities
Quizzes
Quiz 1 on Syllabus and Intro to Class
Quiz 2, for Project 1
Quiz 3, for Project 2
Quiz 4, for Project 3
Quizzes
Project 1
Project 1, Draft 1 (P1D1)
Peer Review of P1D1
Project 1, Draft 2 (P1D2)
Peer Review of P1D2
Reflection 1
Project 1
Project 2
Project 2, Draft 1 (P2D1)
Peer Review of P2D1
Project 2, Draft 2
Peer Review of P2D2 (P2D2)
Reflection 2
Project 2
10
10
10
10
40
40
10
40
10
5
105
40
10
40
10
5
105
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Project 3
Project 3, Draft 1 (P3D1)
Peer Review of P3D1
Project 3, Draft 2 (P3D2)
Peer Review of P3D2
Project 3
Research Assignments
Research Assignment 1 (RA1)
Research Assignment 2 (RA2)
Research Assignment 3 (RA3)
Research Assignment 4 (RA4)
Research Assignment 5 (RA5)
Research Assignments
Exercises
Editing Exercises (combined)
Paraphrase & Summary Exercise
Synthesis Exercise
Quotation Exercise
Documentation Exercise 1: Hacker Fister
Documentation Exercise 2: 3 sources
Exercises
Total Ungraded Points
Final Exam
Portfolio
40
10
40
10
100
10
20
20
20
10
80
10
10
10
10
10
20
70
500
100
400
Total Graded Points
500
Total Course Points
1000
How the Point System Works: The point system in this class is based on the idea that half
of the points in the course (500) are what I call “ungraded points”; ungraded because, for
example, when you write a first or second draft of a paper, you will get all the points if you
follow the assignment directions and turn the paper in on time. You will not lose points for
errors in mechanics, for weak ideas, for problems in organization, for weak development,
etc. The reason for this policy is to create an atmosphere in which students can work on
their writing in the early stages of any project without the fear that they will get slapped on
the wrist for making a mistake. This approach frees you to learn and grow and develop, to
try new things and take risks in your writing, without penalty as long as you put forth the
required effort.
The other 500 points go to the final exam and the portfolio. These points are graded—that
is, the quality of the work is assessed.
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Usually, if you do all of the work—if you get all of the ungraded points—then you will do
well on the graded points also.
Letter Grade-Point Grade Equivalencies
When I grade your portfolio at the end of the semester, I give it a letter grade first. Then, I
have to convert the letter grade to a number grade to add it to your other points. This chart
shows how the numbers equate to letter grades. Notice that the portfolio grade is not based
on the standard percentages (i.e., 60% of the total equals a D, etc.). The reason for this is
that the ungraded points involve minimal evaluation of the quality and quantity of your
work; as a result, the portfolio grading has to be less generous or the grading system would
be too easy. (As it is, normally, many students end up with a B or an A, so the system
inherently favors good grades, mostly because doing multiple drafts usually results in
effective writing.)
As
320-400
Bs
220-319
Cs
120-219
Ds
20-119
Fs
0-19
Note on the Student Achievement Center: The tutoring center is the most valuable
resource on campus for assisting students with writing papers in any class. Note, though,
that you have to learn how to use this resource properly. The Center is NOT a proofreading
or writing service and cannot help you very much an hour (or less) before a paper is due.
Instead, the staff are trained to help you think about assignments, gather information,
evolve a thesis, organize and develop a paper for readers, and edit mechanics and
formatting to arrive at the best paper you can write. Go to the center early and often for
each writing assignment, and you will be amazed at the results. (Note: you may be assigned
to visit the center to get full points on a given draft. I will explain more about this in class.)
Schedule of Topics and Assignments
The schedule is posted in a separate document in D2L.
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University System-Wide Standardized Course Syllabus
Course Name:
COMPOSITION I
Course Number:
ENGL 1101
Course Description:
A composition course focusing on skills required for effective writing in a variety of
contexts, with emphasis on exposition and argumentation, and also including introductory
use of a variety of research skills. Fall, Spring, Summer.
Pre-requisites/Co-requisites:
Prerequisite: Exemption from or successful completion of READ 0099 and ENGL 0099.
USG General Education Outcomes Pertinent to this Course:
Communications: Oral and written communication will be characterized by clarity,
critical analysis, logic, coherence, persuasion, precision, and rhetorical awareness.
Competence within the context of collegiate general education is defined by the following
outcomes:











Ability to assimilate, analyze, and present in oral and written forms, a body of
information;
Ability to analyze arguments;
Ability to adapt communication to circumstances and audience;
Ability to consider and accommodate opposing points of view;
Ability to interpret content of written materials on related topics from various
disciplines;
Ability to communicate in various modes and media, including the proper use of
appropriate technology;
Ability to produce communication that is stylistically appropriate and mature;
Ability to communicate in standard English for academic and professional contexts;
Ability to interpret inferences and develop subtleties of symbolic and indirect
discourse;
Ability to sustain a consistent purpose and point of view;
Ability to compose effective written materials for various academic and professional
contexts.
ABAC Composition I Course Outcomes/Objectives: Students who successfully complete
the course will be able to
1. use a recursive process for writing involving planning, drafting, and revising;
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2. produce – with a sense of appropriate audience, purpose, style, and voice – writing
that is cogent, articulate, and organized;
3. produce writing with an effective command of Standard English grammar and
mechanics by producing writing with minimal errors;
4. use feedback from the instructor, collaboration from peers, and/or self-assessment
in revision;
5. provide peers with analysis and feedback for revision and editing;
6. select and use appropriate combinations of rhetorical strategies (i.e., explanation,
evaluation, analysis, interpretation, persuasion, etc.) to achieve the writer’s
purpose;
7. adjust their writing processes to a variety of writing situations, including timed
situations;
8. demonstrate in at least one paper integration and proper MLA documentation of
sources;
9. use computers and other appropriate technology for research, writing, and effective
communication of ideas.
INSTITUTIONAL ABSENCE
A student who serves as an official representative of the college is defined as one who:
1. is authorized to use the college name in public relationships outside the institution;
2. regularly interacts with non-college individuals and groups over an extended period
of time (at least one semester);
3. represents the college as a part of a group and not as an individual;
4. represents the college under the direct supervision of a college faculty or staff
member; and
5. is authorized in writing, in advance, by the President of the college.
Such a student is in no way released from the obligations and responsibilities of all
students, but will not be penalized with unexcused absences when absences result from
regularly scheduled activities in which he/she represents the college.
Further, it is the responsibility of each student to contact instructors prior to the absence
and to make arrangements to make up any work that will be missed, in a manner
acceptable to the instructor. Advisors of activities will schedule off-campus activities in a
manner that does not unduly disrupt the learning process for a student.
College Policy on Academic Dishonesty:
A. Academic Dishonesty
Academic irregularities include, but are not limited to, giving or receiving of unauthorized
assistance in the preparation of any academic assignment; taking or attempting to take,
stealing, or otherwise obtaining in an unauthorized manner any material pertaining to the
education process; selling, giving, lending, or otherwise furnishing to any person any
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question and/or answers to any examination known to be scheduled at any subsequent
date; fabricating, forging, or falsifying lab or clinical results; plagiarism in any form related
to themes, essays, term papers, tests, and other assignments; breaching any confidentiality
regarding patient information.
B. Disciplinary Procedures
1. When a faculty member suspects that a student has engaged in academic dishonesty,
the faculty member will contact the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
The Vice President for Academic Affairs will notify the student in writing of the
report and will appoint a neutral person from among the faculty or staff to meet
with the faculty member who reported the matter and the student(s) believed to
have engaged in academic dishonesty. The purpose of the meeting, to be scheduled
by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, will be to provide a
facilitated discussion about what may have occurred. The faculty member who
reported the matter, the student(s) believed to have engaged in academic
dishonesty, and the facilitator are the only participants in the meeting. Audio nor
video recordings of these proceedings will be permitted. Following the discussion,
the facilitator will submit a form summarizing results of the proceedings to the
Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
2. The faculty member and student(s) may reach an agreement about the matter and,
if dishonesty is involved, may determine the appropriate consequences. If no
resolution is agreed upon, the matter will be forwarded to the Dean of Student Life
and Housing, who will convene the Student Judiciary Committee to determine the
outcome of the allegation.
3. Guidelines for disciplinary procedures as outlined in Section V of the Student Code
of Conduct will be applicable in cases involving alleged academic dishonesty. A
written copy of the recommendations by the Student Judiciary Committee shall be
sent not only to the student but also to the faculty member who made the
allegations of academic dishonesty against the student, to the Vice President for
Academic Affairs, and to the President.
4. Prior to any finding of responsibility on the part of the student, the faculty member
shall permit the student to complete all required academic work and shall evaluate
and grade all work except the assignment(s) involved in the accusation of
dishonesty. The faculty member may, however, take any action reasonably
necessary to collect and preserve evidence of the alleged violation and to maintain
or restore the integrity of exam or laboratory conditions.
5. A student may not withdraw from a course to avoid penalty of plagiarism or other
forms of academic dishonesty.
C. Appeals Process
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Students have the right to appeal a Student Judiciary Committee hearing recommendation
in accordance with the following procedures:
1. Requests for appeals must be submitted in writing to the Office of the Vice President
for Student Affairs within five business days of the date of the letter notifying the
student of the original decision. Failure to appeal within the allotted time will
render the original decision final and conclusive.
2. Written requests for appeals must be specific and detailed as to the nature and
substance of the student’s complaint and must clearly indicate what action is
requested. The written request should specify the grounds for appeal. Judicial
recommendations may be appealed on the following grounds:



A violation of due process
Prejudicial treatment by the original hearing body
New evidence has become available which was not available at the time
of the hearing.
3. Appeals shall be decided upon the record of the original proceedings, the written
appeal submitted by the defendant, and any written briefs submitted by other
participants. Cases will not be reheard on appeal.
4. If the student is dissatisfied with the decision of the Vice President for Student
Affairs, the student may request in writing that the President consider the appeal,
but such request must be made within five business days of the Vice President’s
decision or the Vice President’s decision will be considered final and conclusive.
5. Within five business days of receiving the appeal, the President will either rule on
the appeal or refer the appeal to a special Presidential Panel. The Presidential Panel
will review all facts and circumstances connected with the case and within five
business days make a report of its findings to the President. After consideration of
the Panel’s report, the President will within five business days make a decision
which shall be final so far as the College is concerned.
6. Should the student be dissatisfied with the President’s decision, written application
may be made to the Board of Regents for a review of the decision. This application
must be submitted within twenty days following the decision of the President.
Additional information regarding procedures for appealing to the Board is available
in the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. The decision of the Board shall
be final and binding for all purposes.
Midterm Advisory Grades
Midterm Advisory Grades will be reported on Banner Web to any student who has a “C,” “D,”
or “F” in any class. The number of class absences will be posted for all students. Advisory
grades are not entered on the student’s permanent record. Students should note that these
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grades are advisory and will not necessarily reflect the final grade earned in a
course. These grades are intended to provide students with information in order to
improve their performance in the second half of the semester. Students are responsible for
checking Banner Web when grades and absences have been reported. Students who
receive grades should meet with their instructors to develop plans for success in the
second half of the semester. Students should also take advantage of study groups and plan
for ongoing conferences with instructors in order to monitor their progress. ABAC
provides free tutorial assistance for most courses through the Academic Assistance Center
(AAC); in addition to other academic support activities, students should work with their
instructors to establish tutoring in the AAC.
If there is a student in this class who has specific needs because of learning disabilities or
any other disability, please feel free to contact the instructor.