Course Syllabus

Spring 2026 | ENG-1061-VO03 - English Composition

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

Dana Lesperance
View Faculty Credentials

Hiring Coordinator for this course: Heath Fuller

General Education Requirements

English Composition

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

In this course, students develop effective composition skills and research techniques. Students learn strategies for organizing, evaluating, and revising their work through extensive reading of a variety of essay styles and literary texts; apply writing and research techniques to their papers; and demonstrate proficiency in first-year college-level writing and information literacy.

Essential Objectives

1. Consistently apply an appropriate writing process that includes planning, drafting, revising, and editing.
2. Demonstrate in written work an awareness of the relationship among writer, subject, audience, and purpose.
3. Demonstrate writing proficiency with a range of rhetorical approaches to include narration, exposition, argument, and critical analysis and recognize the stylistic and structural strategies in the writing of others.
4. Discuss writing by authors from diverse backgrounds to explore how perspectives and experiences may shape voice in composition.
5. Focus written work around an explicit central thesis, a position statement or proposition advanced by the writer that is arguable and supportable and develop the thesis systematically, using specific details and supporting evidence.
6. Compose written work that demonstrates effective use of sentence structure, paragraphing, grammar, syntax, punctuation, and spelling.
7. Discuss the use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the writing process, including appropriate use, prompting techniques, and proper attribution.
8. Demonstrate proficiency in research writing skills by completing one or more papers that:
a) Develop and support an arguable thesis;
b) Locate, evaluate, and incorporate appropriate scholarly and professional sources, including primary and secondary evidence as needed, to address an academic research question;
c) Appropriately acknowledge and document sources, using standard MLA or APA styles.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV computer recommendations Support page.

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

This course uses one or more textbooks/books/simulations.

Spring 2026 textbook details will be available on . On that date a link will be available below that will take you to eCampus, CCV's bookstore. The information provided there will be specific to this class. Please see this page for more information regarding the purchase of textbooks/books.

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Artificial Intelligence(AI) Policy Statement

CCV recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI tools are widely available and becoming embedded in many online writing and creative applications.

Integrated: This course's generative AI policy acknowledges the use of AI is an essential skill in today's world. By using genAI for specific purposes, students become equipped with relevant skills and tools necessary to thrive in a technology-driven society. Emphasizing the mastery of generative AI should empower you to harness its potential, enhancing your problem-solving abilities and preparing you for future challenges and opportunities. Be aware, however, that any time generative AI is used at any point in the assignment without attribution it may be considered a violation of CCV's Academic Integrity Policy.

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in academic work is permitted under specific conditions to support learning while upholding academic integrity. AI is a resource, not a replacement for your creativity and critical thinking. Use it responsibly to enhance your learning experience. Students must clearly indicate any use of AI tools in their work (see below as an example). Failure to disclose constitutes academic dishonesty. Misuse of AI tools will be treated as a violation of CCV's academic integrity policy and may result in penalties, including grade reduction or formal disciplinary action.

Acceptable Uses of AI Tools:

1. Generating ideas or brainstorming topics.
2. Outlining or organizing thoughts.
3. Grammar and proofreading assistance.
4. Locating sources or summarizing publicly available information, provided proper citation is given.

Unacceptable Uses of AI Tools:

1. Submitting AI-generated text as original work.
2. Using AI to write essays, analyses, or discussion posts in whole or in part.
3. Employing AI to circumvent critical thinking, interpretation, or original analysis.
4. Failing to disclose AI assistance when used.

Note: M365 Copilot was used to generate ideas when writing this policy

Methods

1. Explicit Instruction & Demonstration
2. Readings, Videos & Reflections
3. Discussions, Quizzes, and Activities
4. Writing Strategies & Shared Writing
5. Project-Based Learning

Evaluation Criteria

Participation: 20%

Weekly course participation is vital in any college course. I expect that all students will arrive ready to learn and participate in learning. We will use the 3C+Q Model as a guide for class participation. The 3Cs: Compliment the person on something specific you have read or observed, Comment on something relevant and meaningful about what the person wrote or shared and Connect with something the person wrote or said. Connect with details, giving a clear explanation of why you think it is important. The “Q” Question, ask a specific question. Questions allow us to think deeper about a topic. Think about topic from a different perspective and helps a conversation continue.

Weekly Assignments: 20%

Weekly assignments consist of quizzes, writing drafts, and activities. Here you will compose a thoughtful, Modern Language Association (MLA) formatted, and thorough response to the weekly assignment, complete quizzes, and activities. This is when I expect formal academic (MLA) writing with well-structured paragraphs and a variety of sentence types that demonstrates that you have done all the homework for the week and that you can demonstrate college level writing. We use MLA in this course because it is a humanities course.

Final Essays: 30%

In this course you will write narrative, example, and compare/contrast essays. Your final essay will be graded based on the requirements in the essay rubric. Final essays should represent your ability to synthesize the skills and strategies developed throughout the writing process. Final essays will be evaluated on several key criteria: the clarity and originality of your thesis, the depth and relevance of your analysis, and the effective integration of evidence to support your claims. Attention to style, tone, and sentence variety will demonstrate your ability to write for an academic audience, while proper grammar, punctuation, and adherence to MLA formatting guidelines will reflect your command of writing conventions.

Research Essay 30%

The research essay is a major component of this course and demonstrates your ability to engage in scholarly inquiry and present a well-supported argument. This assignment will be assessed on the clarity and originality of your research question or thesis, the depth and accuracy of your research, and the integration of credible sources to support your claims. Effective synthesis of ideas, proper citation practices, and adherence to MLA formatting are essential. Organization and coherence should guide readers smoothly through your argument, while style and tone should reflect an academic voice.

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

1. In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
2. Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
3. Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Missing & Late Work Policy

1. Late assignments can be submitted up to one week past the deadline. You will lose 10% each day an assignment is late. After a week, it will no longer be accepted for credit.
2. Participation in class discussions, activities, and discussion forums cannot be made up. Interacting with your classmates is an essential part of online discussions and cannot be made up after the due date because there will be no one there to respond to your posts.
3. Extensions will be granted only in extenuating circumstances. If a lengthy medical problem or other personal issue will result in missing weekly discussions and/or assignments, please contact me as soon as possible.
4. Students who know that they will not have access to this course at any time during the semester should make arrangements with me to complete assignments and participation requirements before the anticipated absence.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity

Apply Now for this semester.