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Course Planning by Program

2024-25

Essential Objectives

Course Syllabus


Revision Date: 04-Aug-24
 

English Composition




Credits:
Semester Dates: Last day to drop without a grade: 09-16-2024 - Refund Policy
Last day to withdraw (W grade): 11-04-2024 - Refund Policy
This course has started, please contact the offering academic center about registration

Faculty

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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 (such as racial, ethnic, socioeconomic and gender) 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. 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 IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

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 only uses free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials. For details, see the Canvas Site for this class.


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.

Allowed: This course's generative AI policy acknowledges technology, including generative AI, plays a supportive role in learning and feedback. During our class, we may use AI writing tools such as ChatGPT in certain specific cases. You will be informed as to when, where, and how these tools are permitted to be used, along with guidance for attribution. Any use outside of these specific cases constitutes a violation of CCV's Academic Integrity Policy.


Methods

As the title of this course suggests, we will be writing, writing, and writing this semester. You will complete readings that will provide models for the kinds of writing you will be doing and will connect with classmates, through discussion posts, to get feedback and offer support as we work through the writing assignments for the semester. More specifically, you will:

  • engage in group discussions almost every week
  • engage in analysis of the outside reading to guide your own work
  • practice grammatical/mechanical skills through exercises that I will provide
  • write and revise 4 essays of varying lengths, incorporating feedback as you revise
  • complete a research paper in which you demonstrate your ability to develop a thesis statement and well organized development of the thesis, incorporate in text citation, and create an accurate works cited page

Evaluation Criteria

This course uses a total points system to calculate final grades. These assessments will include:

  • Active participation in weekly virtual class sesions and weekly discussion posts(5-15 points as specified each week)
  • Reading worksheets (10-20 points as specified on each worksheet)
  • Grammar/mechanical skills exercises (points specified on each assignment)
  • Narrative Essay (25 points)
  • Illustrative Essay (25 points)
  • Literary Analysis (25 points)
  • Annotated Bibliography (20 points)
  • Research Paper (50 points)

Grading Criteria

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

 HighLow
A+10098
A Less than 9893
A-Less than 9390
B+Less than 9088
B Less than 8883
B-Less than 8380
C+Less than 8078
C Less than 7873
C-Less than 7370
D+Less than 7068
D Less than 6863
D-Less than 6360
FLess than 60 
P10060
NPLess than 600


Weekly Schedule


Week/ModuleTopic  Readings  Assignments
 

1

Introduction to the Course and Introduction to Essay 1: Narrative Writing

  

Review syllabus and Canvas together

  

Class discussion including course expectations, self-introduction, engagement with classmates.

 

2

Continue Narrative Essay

  

"Arm Wrestling with My Father" Brad Manning

"Just Walk on By: A Black Man Ponders hisAbility to Alter Public Space" Brent Staples

"The Fourth of July" Audre Lorde

  

Have reading worksheet completed in order to join discussion of readings.

Participate in discussion posts.

Additional discussion on narrative writing and topics for Essay One.

 

3

Continue Narrative Essay work

  

Have draft of essay available to share during class. This must be saved as a word document (.doc or .docx) which we will display on Zoom.

  

Review of punctuation

Participate in discussion posts.

Discussion on progress and review of drafts

 

4

Complete Essay 1: Narrative Essay

  

Mechanics of punctuation and formatting

Share almost completed drafts

View and discuss a few sample ads which I will provide for Essay Two

  

Final draft of Essay 1: Narrative Essay due Friday

 

5

Essay Two: Critique of Advertisement

  

Read sample student essays which are posted in Canvas Module 2

Work on mechanical aspects of writing

  

Prior to class you will have chosen your ad and be prepared to share the ad and also the approach you will take to your analysis.

 

6

Drafting Critique of Advertisement

  

Draft of essay ready for peer review in class

  

Participate in discussion posts

Rough draft of essay

 

7

Final draft of Essay 2: Critique of Ad

  

"A White Man's Word" Debra Swallow

"Eleven" Sandra Cisneros

  

Discussion of Swallow and Cisneros stories during class and discussion of literary analysis

Participate in discussion posts

Complete final draft of Essay 2: Critique of Advertisement which is due on Friday

 

8

Essay Three: Literary Analysis

  

"Only Approved Indians Can Play -- Made in the U.S.A." Jack Forbes

"Soap and Water" Anzia Yezierska

"The Lesson" Toni Cade Bambara

  

Discussion of short stories

Participate in discussion posts

Work on mechanics of citation

 

9

Continue Literary Analysis

  

You will have thesis statements and opening paragraphs prepared to share in class. These must be saved as word documents (.doc or .docx) which we will display on Zoom.

  

Development of thesis and opening paragraph to be shared in class. Work on mechanics of citation and works cited page.

Participate in discussion posts

 

10

Final draft of Essay 3: Literary Analysis

  

Final reviews of drafts of Essay Three in class.

Discussion of research work and choosing a research topic.

Lesson in library research.

  

Final draft of Essay 3: Literary Analysis due Friday

 

11

Essay 4: Research Paper and Annotated Bibliography

Determining topic and thesis statement and beginning annotated bibliography

  

Share topics and thesis statements

Discussion of topics, explanation of annotated bibliography

  

You will begin your work on annotated bibliography during class.

Participate in discussion posts.

 

12

Movement from annotated bibliography into drafting research paper

  

Review your annotated bibliographies in class together. Be prepared to share your documents.

  

Annotated Bibliography including thesis statement and introductory paragraph due Tuesday.

Participate in discussion posts.

 

13

Work on rough draft of Essay 4: Research Paper

  

Peer reviews of drafts

Discussion of writing processes

Additional work on citation and works cited

  

Draft of Essay 4: Research Paper due Friday.

 

14

Complete Essay 4: Research Paper

  

Final review of drafts and peer work

  

Essay 4: Research Paper due Friday.

 

15

Final week of the semester -- revisions of final research paper

    

For any research paper that did not earn a passing grade, revisions due by Friday.

 

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

I expect students to engage with our course throughout each week. To that end, it will be important to:

  • Read/view/listen to all the assignment materials when they are assigned.
  • Take your discussion posts seriously thinking carefully through the prompts, responding in well developed paragraphs, and providing meaningful responses to your classmates. Posts should demonstrate college-level writing and thinking, and go beyond quick opinions.
  • Seek clarification for anything that is unclear to you so that you can engage with the discussion prompts with confidence.
  • Submit rough drafts of papers as specified in the course schedule and read carefully through the feedback that I will provide on those.


Missing & Late Work Policy

  • Assignments are due on the dates specified on the course syllabus. Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days following a due date with a reduction of 3 points per day late. If you are uncertain about an assignment, my expectations, or what resources to use, PLEASE contact me early so that we can talk through your questions. Uncertainty about an assignment is not an excuse for late work. You can call or text me anytime at 216-408-2716 o email me at kxd00151@ccv.vsc.edu.
  • In addition to emailing, texting, or calling me, Canvas is your greatest resource for this course. All due dates and expectations are provided in your Canvas shell.
  • If you know in advance that you will not be able to complete an assignment (health issues, military service, etc.) please contact me prior to the due date to discuss options for completing that work.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:


CCV strives to mitigate barriers to course access for students with documented disabilities. To request accommodations, please
  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


CCV has a commitment to honesty and excellence in academic work and expects the same from all students. Academic dishonesty, or cheating, can occur whenever you present -as your own work- something that you did not do. You can also be guilty of cheating if you help someone else cheat. Being unaware of what constitutes academic dishonesty (such as knowing what plagiarism is) does not absolve a student of the responsibility to be honest in his/her academic work. Academic dishonesty is taken very seriously and may lead to dismissal from the College.