Paisey_ENC 1101_MDC West 1. Miami Dade College. Course Catalog Description

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1 Paisey_ENC 1101_MDC West 1 Miami Dade College ENC 1101, English Composition 1 Department of Arts and Letters Credits: 3-MWF: 2:00-2:50 p.m. Reference Number: , Rm.: 1250 Professor Florence M. Paisey Contact: fpaisey@mdc.edu Office: Academic office or the library Office Hours: MW: 3:00-5:00 p.m. Course Catalog Description First required core course in college-level writing. Focuses on composing essays using various methods of development. Fulfills 8,000 words of the Gordon Rule requirement. Note: Must be completed with a grade of C or better. Prerequisites: Prerequisites are: Placement by SAT verbal subtest score, ACT English subtest score, CPT English subtest score or ENC 0021 with a grade of S. Required Textbooks: Nadell & Langan. The Longman Reader. 11 th ed. Boston: Pearson, Print. Hacker, Diana and Nancy Sommers. The Bedford Handbook. 9 th ed. Boston: Bedford St. Martins, Print. Students: Welcome to ENC 1101! I am delighted you are in my composition class. This class requires you to develop your written English language skills, including grammar, sentence structures, vocabulary, paragraph development, and proficiency with numerous essay genres. You may view this class as a required stepping stone that will further your education. However, be aware that writing ranks as one of the most important skills to succeed in life (Goo pewresearch.org). During this class you will learn to write various sorts of essays. You will also learn to write for various situations (formal or informal) and audiences or readers. If you apply yourself and participate, you will see improvement in your writing and your clarity of thinking. You will also discover diverse perspectives on subjects we cover in our readings and responses. Purpose: My goal involves strengthening your writing skills and extending those skills as you find your voice and style. You will study various types of essays and identify writing techniques that will explicate your perspectives or theses. In addition, you will learn to format your papers according to academic standards and cite your sources formally. This course is not rigidly structured. We have specific goals, topics, resources, and activities to cover. However, through classroom attention and participation (asking questions, stimulating

2 Paisey_ENC 1101_MDC West 2 conversation, peer review, comments on readings) classroom activities will expose you to varied views aimed to broaden your thinking as well as enlarge your skill bank in writing. The specific outcomes and competencies that Miami Dade College requires for this course are listed below and toward the end of this syllabus. Sources Consulted: Goo, Sara Kehaulan. The Skills Americans Say Kids Need to Succeed in Life. Pew Research Center. pewresearch.org, Web. Grunert O Brien, Judith, Barbara J. Mills, and Margaret W. Cohen. The Course Syllabus: A Learning Centered Approach. 2nd ed. NY: Jossey-Bass, Print. Core Competencies: This course is designed to meet the five course competencies stated for ENC These competences emphasize the development of writing and grammatical skills observed in standard American English. Students acquire a basic ability to produce well-organized and focused composition using various techniques of elaboration. Teaching Approach My teaching recognizes the potential, multiple learning styles, and academic needs that each student brings to the classroom. This approach is humanistic in nature and process oriented, emphasizing the instructor s role as a facilitator in a supportive environment. Teaching techniques will engage students with multiple instructional strategies including lectures, discussion, demonstration, class activities, exercises, and case studies. Successful students will take responsibility for their learning and goal-directed behavior. Such student responsibilities involve punctuality, steady attendance, class participation, timely completion of reading and writing assignments as well as sustained effort. Learning Outcomes Construct well-formatted essays and research papers applying MLA guidelines. Use grammatically accurate and well-constructed sentences with strong, diverse vocabulary. Apply pre-writing strategies such as brainstorming, clustering, listing, free writing, questioning, cubing, outlining, and journaling. Develop a focused research question. Establish a thesis sentence that allows for specificity, breadth, and depth. Understand the distinction and relationship of thesis sentences and topic sentences. Organize an essay. Distinguish and demonstrate various techniques of developing ideas (narrative, illustration, definition, comparison and contrast, etc.). Define how a research paper differs from other papers or compositions. Analyze an essay and research paper identify thesis sentences, topic sentences, transition devices, and techniques of development. Critical reading.

3 Paisey_ENC 1101_MDC West 3 Develop skill in citing and contextualizing quotations that support one s claims. Comprehend plagiarism and surrounding ethical issues. Monitor one s writing skills become self-aware learners and writers. Course Requirements 1. Attendance. All students are responsible for attending each class. Each class will present essential concepts and their discussion along with practical activities. Missing classes prevents progress in the course. I reserve the right to treat repeated lateness as an absence. We can probably accommodate conflicts with class time personal issues, work, etc. but, please talk with me in advance and please come to class. In accordance with MDC-West s policy, after three consecutive absences, a student will be withdrawn from the class. After conferring with the professor, the professor s permission and administrative approval, the student may be re-admitted to the class. 2. Participation (20%). Please record lecture notes in print or electronically. Laptops may be used in class. All other electronic devices, including cell phones, must be turned off and put away during class time. Participation is based on your preparedness, attendance, your contribution to discussions, asking questions, completion of class exercises, among other performances. 3. Writing Assignments (40%). Each student is responsible for completing, at least, ten essays (4-5 paragraphs each). Each assignment should include a thesis statement, relative topic sentences, and either one or multiple explication techniques, such as narration, definition, illustration, comparison and contrast, argument, and so forth. 4. Research Paper (20%). Each student is responsible for one documented research paper, completed according to MLA (or APA) styling format. We will discuss appropriate topics mid-term. You will need to submit a short (one paragraph) research proposal in preparation for writing your research paper. 5. Frequent Exercises. Many small exercises as well as reading and writing activities will be conducted in class and sometimes finished outside of class (homework). Such assignments might include a reading and demonstration of a writing technique in class such as development of a thesis sentence, illustrating a claim, providing supporting evidence or logical ideas -- argument. While the exercises will seem small, forgoing these exercises can have a significant effect on your grade. It is important to take part and complete these activities. 6. Missed and Late Assignments. Please complete your assignments on time. While I want to work with you and be flexible as urgencies come up, I expect you to respect my time as I respect yours. So, assignments should be submitted promptly. If you need to take care of personal or work-related business, please communicate with me. Your assignments are due within one week of being assigned. Please talk with me or write to me, if an emergency or illness arises and you require an extension. If you require an extension, it is YOUR responsibility to make arrangements with me.

4 Paisey_ENC 1101_MDC West 4 7. Submission of Assignments a. Submit all written work online through the Miami Dade College account. I will not accept work submitted through Gmail, Google Docs, Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL or any other proprietary account. b. Submit your work to: fpaisey@mdc.edu c. Always use MLA (or APA, with approval) format when submitting any assignment or exercise. d. Always complete your written work using a word processing program and attach the file to your . Do not submit any exercise or assignment in the body of an message. e. Submit ONLY one assignment or exercise per please do not attach multiple exercises or assignments. f. Identify the exercise or assignment in the SUBJECT line of the message. 8. Final Exam (10%). The final will cover core concepts and skills introduced in the course. 9. Quizzes (10%). There will be four quizzes. Three of these will be on principles of composition, organization of ideas, sentence forms, and vocabulary, and one will cover plagiarism and academic integrity, Plagiarism and Academic Honesty Academic honor and honesty are imperative. Miami Dade College maintains a firm policy toward plagiarism. You must complete your assignments on your own and follow policy regarding academic honor. We will thoroughly review what constitutes plagiarism and how to prevent any misunderstandings. Any plagiarized exercise or assignment will not be accepted. Any plagiarized document will involve the following consequences: First Time: No credit will be assigned. Second Time: No credit will be assigned and it will be reported to the administration. Third Time: No credit will be assigned and disciplinary action will follow. This will include the plagiarized assignment reported to the administration. Fourth Time: Administrators will decide the penalty. Plagiarism is unethical and dishonest behavior. It will be regarded very seriously with weighty consequences; this course carries ZERO TOLERANCE for plagiarism. We will complete a formal tutorial on what constitutes plagiarism along with a quiz. Throughout the term we will discuss plagiarism and practice deciding what to cite. Assignments In Translation Please remember that this is a course in English composition. As such, all assignments must be originally written in English. Any assignments completed in translation will not be accepted. Any assignment that you write, but another person translates constitutes dishonest behavior and will be treated as dishonesty.

5 Paisey_ENC 1101_MDC West 5 Back-Up Your Assignments It is possible that your computer with saved assignments can be damaged or lost during the term. It is your responsibility to back up your files, so that if your computer is lost or damaged, you can still access your files. One simple means of backing up files is to your assignments to yourself. You may also store them in the cloud or on a thumb drive. Any one or all of these methods will enable you to access your assignments from any computer or electronic device via your MDC account. Please retain all assignments sent to me in your sent folder. This will verify the date on which you sent your assignment. Classroom Etiquette Please respect your fellow classmates and the learning environment. If you need to leave the classroom unexpectedly, simply leave quietly and without disruption. If you know you will need to leave class early, I expect you to let me know at the start of class. I will take attendance at the beginning of class. If you are late, you will need to sign in. What is plagiarism? Resources: Cornell University s Tutorial: University of Texas at Austen: IRIS Plagiarism Tutorial: Yale College Writing Center: Digital Etiquette Please shut down your cellphone and other devices before you enter the classroom. If your phone rings once, we will all have a laugh, but if your phone rings again during the term we will need to have a chat. You may use a laptop or other electronic devices for taking notes. During class do not visit engage with social media or online activities. Grading 20% Participation 40% Writing Assignments 20% Documented Research Paper (required to pass the course) 10% Quizzes 10% Final Exam Online Writing Resources Purdue Online Writing Lab: Hunter College MLA Tutorial (with exercises):

6 Paisey_ENC 1101_MDC West 6 The Harvard Writing Center: The Yale Writing Center: Course Competencies Competency 1: The student will produce writing by a. choosing and limiting a subject that can be sufficiently developed within a given time, for a specific purpose and audience. b. developing and refining pre-writing and planning skills. c. formulating the main point to reflect the subject and purpose of the writing. d. supporting the main point with specific details and arranging them logically. e. using appropriate transitional devices. f. writing an effective conclusion. Competency 2: The student will write well-developed essays by a. writing an introductory paragraph. b. constructing a thesis statement. c. developing the thesis by: providing adequate support that reflects the ability to distinguish between generalized and concrete evidence. arranging the ideas and supporting details in a logical pattern appropriate to the purpose and focus. Patterns may include descriptive, narrative, and evaluative writing, process analysis, comparison and contrast, cause and effect, exemplification, and others. writing unified prose in which all supporting material is relevant to the thesis. writing coherent prose and providing effective transitional devices. writing an effective conclusion. Competency 3: The student will proofread, edit, and revise by a. recognizing and correcting errors in clarity. b. recognizing and correcting errors in unity and coherence. c. using conventional sentence structure and correcting sentence errors such as fragments, run-ons, comma splices, misplaced modifiers, and faulty parallelism. d. recognizing and correcting errors in utilizing the conventions of Standard American English including: using standard verb forms and consistent tense. maintaining agreement between subject and verb, and between pronoun and antecedent. using correct subjective, objective, and possessive case pronouns. maintaining consistency in point of view. using standard spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.

7 Paisey_ENC 1101_MDC West 7 selecting vocabulary appropriate to audience, purpose, and occasion. Competency 4: The student will read and respond to selections by a. identifying main ideas, purpose, overall organizational patterns, supporting details, and elements of coherence in assigned readings. b. distinguishing fact from opinion. c. summarizing and/or paraphrasing passages. Competency 5: The student will conduct research by a. assembling sources on a designated subject. b. taking effective notes from sources. c. recognizing when and how to document sources. Grade A B C D F Basic Essay Grading Rubric Your assignment conforms to MLA formatting guidelines (see me if you need to use APA). Essays include a strong thesis sentence and three related topics. Sentence forms and vocabulary are correct with demonstrated variation in forms. When we begin developing skills in essay genres, essays should reflect formal characteristics of specific genres. Paragraph topics should relate to your thesis directly and they should focus on one topic with ideas well organized and stated clearly. Paragraphs should be about five to six sentences. Your assignment conforms to MLA formatting guidelines (see me if you need to use APA). Essays include a strong thesis sentence and three related topics. Sentence forms and vocabulary are correct with demonstrated variation in forms. If the essay focuses only on the essay subject, but it does not reflect formal characteristics of the essay genre assigned a letter grade is generally deducted. Papers worthy of a B demonstrate strong sentence forms and vocabulary, MLA styling, thesis sentences based on readings, and related topics with well formed paragraphs. Your assignment conforms to MLA formatting guidelines (see me if you need to use APA). The thesis sentence and related topics are weak or vague. Sentence forms and vocabulary need attention. Essay needs to demonstrate further understanding of essay composition, vocabulary, grammar, and/or literary concepts introduced. You have submitted the assignment and have demonstrated minimal understanding or comprehension of the essay genre. Non-submission of the assignment, dishonesty, or plagiarism. Class Schedule: This is a tentative schedule. The schedule for essay genres may change when appropriate for class progress and as student needs determine. Always consult the class blog for assignments, exercises, supplementary materials, and possible schedule changes. Class 1 Introductions, Textbooks, Review and discuss the course syllabus. What should I expect to learn? MDC resources software, ebooks, library.

8 Paisey_ENC 1101_MDC West 8 Class 2 Pre-test What is plagiarism? Complete the IRIS module What is writing? Overview of essay genres. Class 3 MLA format Sentences: foundation of writing. Review sentence structures, grammar, vocabulary, and qualities of good writing. Writing: What are pre-writing strategies? Annotating and its purpose. Quiz 1: On plagiarism and MLA format. August 26: Last Day to withdraw with a refund Sept: Goals MLA format Sentence Structures and Vocabulary: Reading and writing Thesis sentences: What is a Thesis; why it is important Thesis sentences: Identifying the thesis in various readings Writing: Essay genres: Narrative, Descriptive, Illustration See textbook or class blog for model essays. Quiz 2: MLA, Sentence structure, and essay basics. September 3: Labor Day Holiday Oct: Goals Nov: Goals MLA format Sentence Structures and Vocabulary: Four types of sentences Active versus passive voice Essay genres: Comparison and Contrast, Definition, Classification. Citation format and styling. Quiz 3: Sentence Structures, Vocabulary, Redundancy, Essay Concepts MLA Persuasive essay Research paper. In-depth approach to research and documentation. Includes library visit/s and resources: databases, ebooks, print materials, and digital media. Quiz 4: Sentence Structures, Vocabulary, Essay Concepts, Citation formats November 1: Last Day to Withdraw with a refund November 11: Veterans Day Holiday November 24-27: Thanksgiving Holiday Research paper due: November 30

9 Paisey_ENC 1101_MDC West 9 Dec: Goals MLA Sentence Structures and Vocabulary Review of the course. December 9: Last Day of Classes December 10-16: Exam Week Final Exam Week: The specific date for the exam will be announced December 20: Grades Available