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Syllabus Allen Community College

ALLEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

FALL, 2020

 

COL101: English Composition I

Instructor:  Virginia Crane

Room 203, Iola High School

Phone: 620-365-4715

E-mail:  virginia.crane@usd257.org

 

Course Description: Composition I is designed to prepare students for the tasks facing them as college writers.  The course provides study and practice in the essentials of the writing process, emphasizing the prewriting, planning, drafting, and revision techniques that are vital elements in the process approach.  Writing issues covered in Composition I include organization, clarity, and, as needed, grammatical usage.

Course Prerequisites: All students enrolled in Composition I must meet at least one of the following prerequisites:

  • A grade of "C" or above in COL 011, Pre-Composition
  • ACT English score of 16 or above and ACT reading score of 16 or above
  • ASSET writing score of 41 or above and ASSET reading score of 39 or above or a COMPASS writing score of 55 or above and a COMPASS reading score of 73 or above

Disability Statement 

     Allen Community College is committed to assisting individuals with disabilities in achieving their educational goals with appropriate accommodations and services based on individual, documented need.  Students with one or more disabilities (including learning disabilities) who need accommodations should inform the Director of Outreach Student Services and each instructor of the student’s classes.  The Director of Outreach Student Services coordinates all accommodations for students with disability.    

Student Email

Allen Community College provides all enrolled students with an institutional email account.  Many instructors utilize this account to communicate with students.  Institution or campus-wide announcements are also posted here.  Students are expected to check their Allen email on a regular basis.  Access to email accounts is made through myAllen at http://my.allencc.edu/ics  Your user name is your student ID number.  Your password is the first four letters of your last name and the last four numbers of your Social Security number.  Your email address is your ID number@allencc.net.  Detailed information regarding email access is available on the Allen website www.allencc.edu under “How do I.”

Course Outcomes and Competencies

Outcome 1: The student shall be able to plan a written assignment. 

          Competencies:

        1.     Demonstrate use of informal pre-writing techniques.

        2.     Use pre-writing techniques appropriate to individual          assignments. 

Outcome 2: The students will produce drafts in response to writing assignments. 

          Competencies

       1.     Utilize a central focus.

  1.    Use evidence relevant to the central focus.
  2.    Demonstrate organization of information. 

Outcome 3: The student will revise drafts to produce academic essays. 

          Competencies: 

  1. Utilize a specific central focus appropriate to the assignment. 
  2. 2.  Use ample specific evidence in support of the central focus. 
  3.  Demonstrate logical organization of information. 
  4.  Use logical transitions. .
  5.   Utilize an introduction and conclusion pertinent to development.
  6. Conform to Standard Edited English including spelling, punctuation, and grammatical usage. 

Outcome 4: Participate constructively as a member of the writing community. 

Competencies:   

       1.    Demonstrate the ability to read, evaluate, and critique others’ writing in class discussions and written evaluations. 

  1. Contribute constructively to class discussion concerning reading assignments, writing assignments, and other course material. 
  2. Adhere to course policies regarding regular attendance, behavior, tardiness, and class decorum. 

Texts and Supplies: Please have texts and all course supplies with you for each class meeting.

Hairston, Maxine, John Ruszkiewicz, and Christy Friend.  The Scott Foresman Handbook for Writers.

      7th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2004. 

Kirszner, Laurie G. and Stephen R. Mandell, eds.  Patterns for College Writing: A Rhetorical Reader and

     Guide. 10th edition.  Boston: Bedford/St. Martin, 2007.

Please bring lined notebook paper, handouts distributed by the instructor, writing utensils, and a folder for writing assignments.

Instruction Methods: Methods of instruction will include group discussions of readings and composition principles introduced in the text and in class, in-class critiques of sample writings, and peer writing workshops.  Class attendance and participation are all very important parts of success in this class.

Evaluation: Points will be assigned to course work as follows:

Essay 1:                           100 points                        

Essay 2:                           100 points                               

Essay 3:                           100 points

Essay 4:                           100 points                               

Essay 5                            100 points

Final Essay                       100 points                               

TOTAL:                               600 points                            

                                                                               

NOTE: Additional assignments of lesser point value may be assigned throughout the semester. 

 Instructor Expectations: It is the expectation of the instructo that students will attend class regularly, turn assignments in on time, and come otherwise prepared to class meetings.  Students will be expected to focus on the particular topic under examination for the duration of each class period and to involve themselves constructively in class discussions and activities.

Classroom Decorum: Any sort of discourteous behavior, toward the instructor or other students, is inappropriate and will not be tolerated.  Examples of such behavior include but are not limited to: sleeping in class; talking persistently about matters unrelated to the class; interrupting or attempting to dominate class discussion with loud or otherwise inappropriate remarks; and behaving in an insulting fashion toward the instructor or other students.  Also discourteous is the wearing of headphones in class and the use of lasers, cell phones, handheld video games, or similar gadgets.  Students who behave discourteously may be asked to leave the classroom, or, if the behavior is extreme or frequent, dropped from the class without further notice.  Determining what constitutes discourteous behavior is at the sole discretion of the instructor.

Attendance, Drop, and Late Work Policies:

  1. Attendance will be monitored  Students involved in school-related activities that cause absence from class must notify the instructor prior to the absence each time an absence will occur; otherwise the absence is unexcused.
  2. In order to pass the class, FULL length final drafts of all essays must be turned in.  Please refer to COMPOSITION GUIDELINES for specifics regarding writing assignments.

Plagiarism and Cheating: Any student who: uses another's work as his or her own, allows another student to use his or her work deceptively, submits work that is not his or her own, dishonestly uses or supplies aid during exams, or engages in behavior that violates the standards of academic integrity will forfeit the grade for the assignment and face expulsion from the class.  If, at any time during the semester, a student is unsure of what constitutes plagiarism, those concerns should be discussed with the instructor.  Ignorance is not an adequate defense for academic dishonesty.

Writing Center The Allen Community College Writing Center exists to serve all students with any assignment that involves writing.  It is located in the southeast corner of the Student Success Center on the Iola campus, and weekly visits are made to the Burlingame campus to help students there.  The Allen Writing Center’s Online Writing Lab is also available for online and outreach students who are unable to visit the Iola or Burlingame campuses, and for anyone preferring to obtain assistance with their writing via the Internet.  To get office hours or make an appointment, call the Writing Center director, Bruce Symes, at 620-365-5116, ext. 303, or e-mail him at symes@allencc.edu