English 1510 – Composition I

Section H1513-WH25

Mondays  12:00-2:55pm

Winter 2005

Instructor: Lisa Byrne

Office Hours: Monday 8:00-8:30am, 1:00-3:00pm, Tuesday 8:00-9:00am, 12:30-1:00pm, Wednesday 8:00-8:30am, Thursday 8:00-9:00am, Friday 8:00-9:30am and by appointment. 

Office: G209

E-mail: LMBYRNE@oaklandcc.edu

Office phone:

Catalog Course Description:

Focusing on the multi-stage writing process, students will read, analyze and write expository essays.

Textbooks: 

Raimes, Ann.  Pocket Keys for Writers. 2^nd. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2006.

Fitzgerald, F. Scott.  The Great Gatsby.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995.

Supplies:

*Two double sided, high density floppies or a flash drive

*Highlighting pens in pink, yellow, and blue

*A pen and pencil

*Loose leaf paper

Please note: Instructor will not provide supplies.  Please come prepared!

Course Objectives:

This course helps students develop the following writing skills:

*Students will develop pre-writing, writing, and revision skills

*Students will respond to literature through a journal

*Students will learn methods for generating ideas

*Students will understand how to analyze an audience and will write for different audiences

*Students will understand purposes for writing and will write for several different purposes

*Students will learn how to organize and develop ideas throughout an essay

*Students will develop their revising and editing skills

General Education Attributes:

General Education is the foundation of every student’s program, regardless of area of emphasis, and is intended to impart common knowledge, intellectual concepts and attributes.  Attributes specifically identified for this course encourage you:

1)      To communicate effectively

2)   Think critically and creatively

6)      To learn independently and collaboratively

Workshopping:

This course is designed as a workshop to help you improve your reading and writing skills.  Reading, writing, revising, and editing will all be done in class, so be prepared to work.  “My disk doesn’t work here,” is no excuse.  If you choose to work on computers outside the classroom, it is up to you to ensure compatibility.  If you fail to use lab time to work on class projects, you will receive a “0” for that day’s lab.

Attendance:

Since this class is conducted as a workshop it is crucial that you attend. Students who, for one reason or another, miss a class session are responsible for all assignments given during their absence.  Ignorance of an assignment is no excuse, as it is the student’s responsibility to find out what he/she missed. No make-ups on in-class work!

Drop Policy:

In the unlikely event that you are unable to complete this course it is your responsibility to withdraw from the course in a timely fashion.  The course schedule lists the last date students can withdraw from the course.  Students who stop attending without withdrawing will receive an “F” for the final grade.

Late Papers:

Late papers will be marked down by 10 points for each business day they are late. I have a mailbox in the English Department office on the first floor of G where you can turn in a late paper, or a paper early if you know you will be missing class on the due date.  No papers will be accepted more than one week late.  No make-ups on in-class work!

Plagiarism:

Passing off the writing of another person is stealing and will not be tolerated! The first instance of plagiarism will result in a zero for that assignment.  A second instance will result in failure of the course.

Cheating  (Student Handbook page 4)

No student shall engage in behavior which, in the judgment of the instructor of the class, may be construed as cheating.  This may include, but is not limited to, plagiarism or other forms of academic dishonesty, such as the acquisition (without permission) of tests or other academic materials and/or distribution of the same.  This includes students who aid and abet, as well as those who attempt such behavior. 

Pervious Attempts:  Students who have taken this class during a prior semester may not submit work completed during a pervious term.  Anyone caught engaging in this form of cheating will fail the course.

In-class Impromptus:  In-class impromptus, including (but not limited to) the midterm, final and practice impromptus will all be written during class time.  Students may not submit previously written work as an impromptu.  Any student caught engaging in such behavior will fail the course. 

Cell Phones and Pagers:  Absolutely no cell phones or pages in the classroom!  They are disruptive to the learning atmosphere and repeat offenders will lose in-class participation points.

Internet Policy:  You are working in a classroom full of computers that have full access to the web; however, you are not to use class time for e-mail, web browsing, etc.  The only justifiable use of the web browser is to explore one of the pre-approved web sites that apply to our studies this semester.  Using the Internet for any other purpose will result in a “0” for that day’s lab points. Should you choose to explore offensive websites (such as pornographic sites), you will be dropped from class and your final grade will be F.

STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT

1. Be on time

2.  Remain in class until dismissed

3.  Keep classroom corridors quiet

4.  Maintain civility in the classroom and while on College property by…

   1. Respecting one another

   2. Refraining from vulgarities

   3. Using class time to learn, not to sleep

   4. Listening politely; no interruptions

   5. Praising in public; criticizing in private

   6. Not harassing others

   7. Refraining from cheating or plagiarism

   8. Refraining from using cell phones, headphones and pagers

   9. Maintaining an atmosphere of mutual respect throughout the campus

Disruptive Behavior(Student Handbook page 5)

No student shall behave in a manner which is unacceptable in a learning environment or which endangers the rights and/or safety of him/herself or other students or staff.

FERPA: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of a student’s educational information and governs disclosure of student information to third parties. No information that is specific to the student will be released by telephone or e-mail (i.e. grades, attendance, missed assignments) nor to third parties.

Grading Policy:

Papers will be evaluated on the basis of clarity, focus, organization, coherence, audience awareness, style, and the use of standard language conventions.  There will be four major papers with required revisions, and, in addition, there will also be several in-class writing assignments, homework, lab and participation points. At the conclusion of the class I will divide your total points into the possible points for a final percent.  

Grading Scale:

A            94% - 100%

A-           90% - 93.9%

B+          86% - 89.9%

B             83% - 85.9%

B-           80% - 82.9%

C+          76% - 79.9%

C            73% - 75.9%

C-           70% - 72.9%

D+          66% - 69.9%

D            63% - 65.9%

F             Below 63%

ADA Notification:  Students requiring special assistance (including those affected by the Americans with Disabilities Act) should contact the PASS office, 248-552-3480, which will inform the instructor of any special conditions pertaining to their learning.

Academic Support Center: Offers free tutoring services to students.  The ASC is located in K100; tutoring schedules are available at the main desk or by calling 248-522-3435.

Here’s a general course schedule. I reserve the right to change this schedule at any time for any reason.  If it should become necessary for me to do so I will hand out an updated schedule.  Please note, this schedule only covers major assignments; there will be many small assignments/discussions/groups /readings from the Keys for Writers /and lectures during regular class time, as well as, additional assigned homework.

Week I – Jan 9                        Syllabus/lecture     

Week II – Jan 16                   Assign Paper #1

         Library research groups for Gatsby

Week III – Jan 23                  Writing groups Paper #1

         Continue research & prepare for presentations           

Week IV – Jan 30                  Paper #1 Due

                                             Gatsby Presentations

Week V – Feb 6                   Gatsby quiz & discussion of chapters 1-3 pages 5-64

                                            Paper #1 returned for revision

                                            Paper #2 Assigned

Week VI – Feb 13               Gatsby Quiz & discussion of chapters 4-6 pages 65-118/

                                           Paper #1 Revisions due     

                                           Writing groups for Paper #2

Week VII – Feb 20              Gatsby Quiz & discussion of chapters 7-9 pages 119-189

                                           Paper #2 due

Week VIII – Feb 27              No Class!  Spring break

Week IX – March 6             Film- A&E version of Gatsby

                                           Paper #3 Assigned

                                           Paper #2 returned for revision        

Week X – March 13            Writing groups for Paper #3

                                          Revisions of paper #2 due   

Week XI – March 20         Paper #3 due

                                         Paper #4 assigned

Week XII – March 27        Writing groups for paper #4

                                          Paper #3 returned for revision

Week XIII – April 3           Paper #4 due

                                         Revisions of paper #3 due

Week XIV – April 10         Paper #4 returned for revision          

Week XV – April 17          No Class!  Portfolio review for ENG 1060.

Week XVI – April 24        Revisions of paper #4 due