English 101: Composition I / Spring 2012

Instructor: Dean Blumberg, Associate Professor
Office: 700 Building, Rm. 703 (Conway campus)
Phone: 843-349-5335
Email: dean [dot] blumberg [at] hgtc [dot] edu
Office Hours: M: 2-3; MW: 930-1130; F 9-12

Prerequisite: English Department policy requires that students taking English 101 be placed in accordance with scores on the COMPASS test, the ACT, or the SAT. A grade of “C” or better in English 101 is necessary to proceed to English 102. A diagnostic essay will be written on day one in all English 101 classes and in all English 100 classes. The purpose of the diagnostic is twofold: it reaffirms placement of each student, and it provides the instructor with immediate feedback regarding the individual writer’s strengths and weaknesses from the beginning.

From the HGTC Instructional Package:

PURPOSE: To provide the student with an intensive, process-oriented writing course which will promote the effective, well organized, and well-developed logical communication skills demanded in college work and in professional careers

RATIONALE: English 101 is a college transfer course, a component of the four-year baccalaureate degree.  Every student completing this course with a minimum grade of “C” will demonstrate competent, college-level writing skills.  The development of these skills will be achieved by intensive writing.

Students learn to write by writing.  Whatever level their personal best is, they will discover it only through the process of writing.  Therefore, they will write as much and as often as possible in this course.  In addition to graded assignments, students will have opportunities to practice non-graded writing through in-class exercises in planning, drafting and revising.

*In general, “organized” refers to an essay’s structure and form; “developed” refers to an essay’s content.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: A college/university parallel transfer course in composition which concentrates on frequent in-class essay writing in conjunction with a study of professional essays as models. The course includes a review of standard usage and introduces the documentation of sources.

Read the full Instructional Package.

Course Objectives:

• Critical thinking is a key component to successful college writing.  Therefore, one of the goals of this class is to enhance critical thinking skills and become comfortable sharing ideas and insights in a college setting.
• To become familiar with the process model of writing and learn to adapt practices to individual writing challenges.
• To learn the basics of college-level research including electronic and bound resources.
• To gain experience giving and receiving constructive feedback on writing to/from one’s peers, self, and instructor.

Classes will consist of reading, discussion, writing, and in-class workshops. Each member of the class will compose at least four original essays with multiple drafts throughout the semester.

Instructional Methods: Reading assignments from our textbook and some outside readings will form the basis for small-group and whole-class discussions.  The readings, discussions, and both informal and formal writing assignments are intended to help you to think and write critically about the culture(s) in which we live.  Writing assignments, peer revising and editing workshops, and student-teacher conferences will help you develop your writing process.

Course Website: This course is largely paperless. Therefore, please bookmark www.deanblumberg.com. I will use this website to post the syllabus and schedule, assignments and paper prompts, resources and links, and other helpful materials. The website hosts separate pages for each section.

Writing Assignments:

• Literacy Narrative Essay (multiple drafts)
• Short Writings: Journal/Short Responses/Reflections (written throughout the semester in class and at home; usually between 1-3 typed, double-spaced pages)*
• Position Paper (multiple drafts)
• Proposal Paper and Annotations (multiple drafts)
• Researched Analysis/Argumentative Essay (multiple components and drafts)
• Reflective Portfolio Letter

*Note on writings: All formal assignments (excluding freewrites and notes) should be typed double-space with 1’’ margins in 12 point, Times New Roman font.

*Short writings will be collected in batches periodically throughout the semester. Please save all writings digitally and in hard copy for your own benefit.

Portfolio: The final portfolio is not optional.  This is the final product of all of the process work you will do throughout the semester—do not throw away anything that you write for this class.

Late Policy: All work is due by class time on the date indicated. Late assignments will be worth half credit and must be turned in within 48 hours of the original due date.

Two exceptions: I will not accept any late research papers or final portfolios. If you will be absent, please find a way to get me your work ahead of time. Reading quizzes cannot be made up; however, I will allow you one alternate assignment to replace a quiz.

Required Texts:

Please bring your textbooks to every class period.

Bullock, Richard H, Maureen Daly Goggin and Francine Weinberg. The Norton Field Guide to Writing: With Handbook. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Co, 2009. Print.

Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing.  2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Co, 2010. Print.

Additional Readings: If I assign you readings to access electronically (as .pdf files on the course website, for example), I expect you to print those readings and bring them with you to class.

Printing: You may be doing a fair amount of printing for this class (if we are not in a computer classroom) as we will have in-class peer review sessions.  Make sure you have access to a reliable computer and printer. Personal printer failure is not an acceptable excuse for not having drafts.  I highly advise you to print documents well in advance of our class time.

Standard Grammar: English 101 is a University-transfer course. Significant problems with grammar and standard usage should not occur at this level. Extensive tutoring to rectify grammatical weaknesses will be needed if substantial errors are present. Work in the Writing Center will be recommended. Resources I find particularly useful are also located on the course website. The Norton Field Guide also covers grammar and mechanical issues that we may not review as a class whole. Significant errors in sentence structure, punctuation, or standard grammar will prohibit any writing from receiving a passing grade.

Attendance Policy: Attendance and participation is extremely important. Excessive absence will result in immediate withdrawal from this and other classes at HGTC. This is College and State Technical College Board policy, not individual instructor policy. The maximum number of absences a student may accumulate without being withdrawn from this class is five, dating from the first class period. Please understand that there is no distinction made between an excused and an unexcused absence; anyone exceeding five days is withdrawn (receiving a grade of W or WF) in accordance with College policy.

If a class session is missed, you are responsible for determining what needs to be made up. It would be a good idea, for this reason, to get the phone number or e-mail address of at least one classmate in order to have a contact should an unavoidable absence occur. Class participation in a composition class often, however, cannot be duplicated if a class is missed—e.g. peer feedback sessions, group discussions, etc. Attendance will be taken daily. You are responsible for being on-time and present, both mentally and physically, in order to be counted present.

Noisemakers: Cell phones should be set to vibrate or turned off during class time.  Likewise, texting in class is inappropriate and rude and may be grounds for being marked “absent.”  Inappropriate use of other devices in class follows a similar policy.

Additional Requirements, Policies, and Evaluation Criteria:

• All drafts of each paper must be completed on time in order to receive full credit.
• Completion of the portfolio and final research paper are required to pass this class.
• You must participate fully in peer workshop sessions in order to receive full process credit.
• In this classroom, you may hear, see, or read some thought-provoking ideas.  Please give them your utmost courtesy and consideration.
• Completing and reflecting upon the reading assignments are crucial to your success.
• Quizzes will be used to determine how well the class is doing with the reading. Quizzes they will be reflected in the “Short Writings” portion of your grade.
• Excessive tardiness may result in being marked as absent; be on time.
• Please do not bring children to class. If you have a family emergency, please contact me and I will work with you to make up missed work.

Academic Integrity: Plagiarism is as serious an offense as exists within an academic environment. Plagiarism, cheating, collusion, falsification of information, or any other form of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will result in discipline including, at the very least, a zero on the assignment in question, and more likely failure in the entire course. Anyone guilty of plagiarism, cheating, collusion, or falsification of information will be reported to the Vice President of Student Affairs, Greg Thompson, for possible further penalties beyond that which is levied within this class.

Submission of an essay which has been proven to be directly copied from the internet or otherwise will result in implementation of the disciplinary process which is detailed in the current HGTC Catalog and Student Handbook under “Student Code”: IV. B. Academic Misconduct (51-52).

Special Accommodations: Horry-Georgetown Technical College believes all qualified students should have the opportunity to access and succeed in higher education. To that end, the College partners with students to provide reasonable accommodations and academic adjustments for students with documented disabilities who self-identify as having a need for such services. For more information contact Laura Milling for more information at laura.milling@hgtc.edu.

The Writing Center: No, there’s no extra credit for going, but I’d wager your grade would benefit from a visit. There is a center on each HGTC campus. The Conway center is 1100C Room 230 and the phone is (843) 349-7872. The Grand Strand center is located in 200GS Room 230 and their phone is 843-477-2113.

Requirements and Criteria for Evaluation:

Draft and Workshop Credit: 10%

Literacy Narrative Final: 10%

Position Paper Final: 20%

Proposal and Bibliography Final:10%

Research Paper Final: 20%

Short Writings: 20%

Portfolio and Reflective Letter: 10%