Course Syllabus

Fall 2025 | ENG-1061-VU05 - English Composition

In Person Class

Standard courses meet in person at CCV centers, typically once each week for the duration of the semester.

Faculty

Erik Kaarla
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Ashraf Alamatouri

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.

Fall 2025 textbook details will be available on 2025-05-19. 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.

ENG-1061-VU05 Link to Textbooks for this course in eCampus.

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.

Learning to cite AI clearly is essential in this course.

Methods

• I teach writing from the standpoint of it being a process that CAN be negotiated successfully if you can put together a few simple techniques.
• Generally, I advocate learning in small groups in the classroom -- this can be helpful for figuring out techniques and tips! Ultimately writing can be quite a solitary process in which you discover more and more about yourself even as you are negotiating the generating of content on academic subjects.

• Please attempt to find definitive examples of essays and nonfiction works that move you and try to figure out why they do. Much time in the course is spent on identifying the qualities of good writing.

• If you have difficulties with particular grammar issues, please work to fill the gaps in your knowledge through consulting books or credible campus writing tutors. Our Composition 1 course offers great connected resources with tutor.com being a good example as a resource that will help move your writing and editing into a positive direction.

• Please come to class prepared to examine writing and to make a contribution. Class participation is vital in order for our weekly meetings to produce positive results in your writing process. In my classes I promote ENGAGEMENT and not just the sound of my own voice.

• Please have your assignments ready on the date that they are due. I cannot evaluate your essay fairly if it is handed in a week late – nor can your peers. We peer review all of your writing as we move through the semester and you will always receive ample feedback.

• Your written assignments should be computer generated and double-spaced. We all strive to make our writing look as professional as possible!

Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation Methods

CONTENTMy assumption is that the quality of your written work indicates: a) the amount of time, effort and thought you have put into the assignment and b) the grade you hope to receive. I read and listen to determine whether your written work:

• Answers the questions, or carries out the tasks, given in the assignment.

• Shows clear evidence that required informational sources have been carefully read and understood.

• Adds depth and breadth to the assigned core by drawing on additional, related library or electronically-accessible resources, interviews, or description of relevant personal experience.

• Relies on current research withproper notation of sources.

• Possesses a professional appearance.

• Employs proper English (i.e., is not written in broad generalities, slang or street language).

• Contains original ideas that go beyond the questions asked or the tasks assigned (i.e., is imaginative and creative;takes the assignment and runs with it).

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

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

Please come to class ready to interact with the instructor and with other students.You will have a much more effective learning experience if you are active and interactional within your own learning process. We all have low energy days as humans, but please make this the exception rather than the rule. Please also bring in writing topics that you want to discuss and explore -- don't select "secret content" that you don't want to share in class.

Missing & Late Work Policy

Preparation & Participation are evaluated as Good Faith

Effort/ Not Good Faith Effort.

Solid class attendance is required

with two absences allowed. Beyond two absences you will begin losing

points for participation, which may eventually culminate in your being

dropped from the course.

Policy on late work: Assignments may be turned in up to 24 hours late only if absence from class is unavoidable and (except in an emergency) prior arrangements are made.

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.