SYLLABUS, Spring 2008
ENG
101 DL1: ENGLISH COMPOSITION
Instructor: Elizabeth Donley Email: edonley@clark.edu (see note below)
Office
Hours: Thursday 10-12 and virtually by appt. Office
Phone: 992-2616
Office
Location: Foster 101
NOTE: THE BEST WAY
REQUIRED MATERIALS
- Kennedy,
Mary Lynch.
- Aaron,
Jane E. The Little, Brown Compact Handbook. Custom edition.
- A reliable
personal computer at home with high-speed Internet access
COURSE
DESCRIPTION
As
described on the
This is a demanding
course that will require hard work, dedication, and self-direction. Like any
distance learning course, you need to take control of the learning experience and
expect to do a great deal of independent work. You must take responsibility for
pacing yourself and keeping up with assignments. Of course, I am here to help
you, to make sure you understand the material, and to teach you the material as
thoroughly as possible. However, this cannot happen without your active
participation in the learning experience. Become an active learner in all
aspects of this class. Log onto the Blackboard site regularly and talk with me
if you are confused or having difficulties with any aspect of the class or the
technology. Know, also, that you can
always make an appointment to meet with me on campus to discuss your progress.
I am also available to answer questions by email, by messages in Blackboard, or
virtually through Virtual Office. My goal is to make sure you learn, but I
cannot achieve this goal unless you are an equal partner in this experience.
To make this class more
coherent and interesting, I have organized the essay assignments around a
common theme: Issues in America Today, and specifically those that have come
out in our very heated presidential election process. Be prepared to read about
current events affecting
WHAT TO
EXPECT FROM ME
In an online course, it
is essential you understand what to expect from me so you understand that even
though I may not be online at the same time you are, I am still aware of your
course participation. So, keep in mind that I will not reply
to every one of your discussion board posts because I am trying to encourage
your interaction with each other. As already stated, you need to become an
active learner in this environment and posting on the discussion board and
responding to each other is essential to this. I will, however, always
participate in each discussion board assignment in some way, and will always
post a final thread that will sum up the key points from any given discussion
board assignment. I will also respond to every Message sent to me and always
within 24 hours (and usually much sooner) Monday through Friday. On the
weekends, my response time will be slower, and if for some reason I am not
available to respond over the weekend, I will let you know. Also, keep in mind that
major assignments will be graded within one week of the day they were turned in
and feedback and grades will be available for you then. I will always provide
detailed feedback on a grade! Weekly discussion board grades will be available
2-4 days after the final discussion board post for the week. All of your grades will be available through the
“Your Grades” button on the navigation bar in Blackboard.
Please also realize that
I am available for extra help via virtual office hours (which is essentially a
chat room). To access virtual office hours, click on the Virtual Office button
in Bb (you may have to download a Java plug-in for this to work as indicated). This
will bring you to a live chat room and. I will try my best to accommodate your
schedule, which means I am available for conferences in the evenings!!!
STUDENT LEARNING
OBJECTIVES
The
objectives of this course are guided by
To
help clarify what you are expected to learn, the English Department has
developed a very specific set of expectations as listed below. The chart that
follows lists these Student Learning Outcomes and links these outcomes to the
Clark College Abilities and GE requirements that are relevant to this class.
Students
who successfully complete English 101 will be able to do the following:
|
|
Course Student Learning Objectives |
|
GE Communication Requirements |
|
1 |
Locate research
materials appropriate to purpose, context, and audience for which they are
writing. ·
Use on-line databases like ProQuest to find sources
relevant to a particular topic. ·
Use and locate library books relevant to a particular
topic. ·
Evaluate the reliability and usefulness of web materials
as well as journals, books, and other sources. |
Communication |
Locate appropriate,
relevant, and comprehensive information |
|
2 |
Summarize, paraphrase,
and cite the main points from a professional or academic essay. ·
Annotate a complex text. ·
Critically read a complex text. ·
Pose questions and develop critical responses to academic
and professional essays. |
Communication Critical Thinking |
Describe, analyze,
paraphrase, and synthesize information |
|
3 |
Develop meaningful,
worthwhile thesis statements for 1000-1500 word essays. ·
Use your own questions and responses to develop a thesis
for an essay using 3 or more sources. ·
Support ideas with sufficient detail and evidence. ·
Make the purpose, main idea, and direction of thought
clear to a reader. ·
Show increased ability to edit and proofread—there should
be NO multiple or chronic errors in syntax, grammar, or punctuation. |
Communication Critical Thinking |
Identify, develop,
present, support, and organize ideas in standard edited English in written
and oral communication |
|
4 |
Adapt diction, voice,
tone, and evidence to various audiences. |
Communication Critical Thinking |
Adapt communication to
a variety of purposes and audiences |
|
5 |
Cite sources
accurately following MLA documentation style. ·
Using proper MLA citations, identify all sources you use. ·
Incorporate sources into the structure of sentences
through the use of signal phrases. ·
Provide an accurate Works Cited page for all papers that
draw from sources. |
Communication |
Demonstrate and apply
principles of ethical communication in the presentation of ideas |
|
6 |
Work collaboratively
by expressing opinions with tact, listening to others, and shouldering an
appropriate share of the workload. ·
Peer edit effectively. ·
In small group work, stay on-task and focused. |
Communication |
Adapt communication to
a variety of purposes and audiences. |
|
7 |
Improve communication
by practicing self-assessment goals, seek and use feedback, revise and edit
for excellence, practice self-discipline and persistence, and apply skills in
new contexts ·
Meet all deadlines. ·
Use instructor and peer feedback to improve writing. ·
Seek out instructor feedback and/or advice at the ·
Use revision to strengthen all elements of writing. ·
Assess own papers for revision and editing. ·
Apply learned skills to each new assignment. |
Communication |
Adapt communication to
a variety of purposes and audiences. |
GRADING
In order to move onto
English 102, you must receive a grade of “C” (not a “C-”) or better in this
course. Grades will be determined based
on the following:
Two essays: (15%, 20%) 35%
Final essay: 25%
Quizzes: 15% Discussion
Board Posts: 20%
Grammar Presentation and Exam: : 5%
Each assignment (excluding Discussion Board posts—see the rubric at the
end of this syllabus) will be graded on a scale of 0-100, corresponding to the
following grade scale:
|
95-100 A |
80-84 B- |
68-69 D+ |
|
90-94 A- |
78-79 C+ |
65-67 D |
|
88-89 B+ |
75-77 C |
60-64 D- |
|
85-87 B |
70-74 C- |
<60
F |
For essays 1 and 2, I may also give the
grade RW. This stands for “Rewrite” and will require you to
rewrite your paper and resubmit it within the allotted time (5 days). If you do
not rewrite the paper as explained the grade will be an F. If you do rewrite
the paper and improve it based on my comments, the new grade will stand. The
reason I use this grade in English 101 is because I want to ensure that each
student improves his or her writing skills, so if you turn in a paper that does
not demonstrate adequate skills, I want you to rewrite it so you can improve
and can gain the skills to pass the class and be successful in English
102. Please keep in mind that an RW
grade will not be given to a paper that is incomplete and shows a lack of
effort. This sort of paper will simply receive an F.
ASSIGNMENTS
To access the following
assignments in Blackboard, click on the Assignments button on the toolbar. I’ve
organized the courses into units and each unit’s work will be organized under
the Assignments button to keep you better organized. Each unit’s reading
assignments can also be found through this Assignments button.
Two Essays (35%)
You will write two essays in this class
and work through the writing process on each essay in order to produce your
best work. You will have the option to rewrite one of these essays for a better
grade. Each of these essays is required and failure to turn in any one essay
will result in failure of the course. A
detailed grading rubric will be provided with each essay.
Final Essay (25%)
You
will write a 5-6 page research essay as your final essay assignment. This paper
should use 3-4 authoritative sources and clearly argue a point on a specific,
arguable topic. This assignment will
prepare you for the longer (10-12 page) research paper you will be required to
write in English 102.
Quizzes (15%)
Regular quizzes will be assigned that
will cover reading and lecture material. These quizzes can be a combination of
multiple choice and short answer questions. Each quiz needs to be completed by
11:59 PM on the day it is due. You can use lecture material, notes, and/or your
book. Generally, those who do the readings and are involved in the discussion board
assignments do well on these quizzes. The quizzes cannot be made-up or retaken.
Discussion Board Posts (20%)
As
indicated on the assignment schedule, discussion board posts (DB) are a regular
part of the course and must be completed by 11:59 PM on the date they are
due. Generally, there are 2 discussion
board posts due a week and multiple responses to other students’ posts.
Discussion Board is an important part of this class, as it functions as the
part of the “class time” component. Here, you will communicate with fellow
students and work together on assignments that will help you as you research
and write your research paper. I cannot emphasize enough how important this
component is to your success in the course. This is where you really engage in
the course and become more than just a silent observer. This is essential for
your success.
See the end of this syllabus for detailed
grading criteria for DB posts.
Grammar Presentation
and Exam (5%)
Each of you will pick one grammar topic to research
and present to the class via the discussion board. The schedule of topics is available
on the discussion board under the forum titled “Grammar Presentations.” Pick a topic for your presentation from the
list on the discussion board and a date on which you will present your topic. You
will be working with another classmate on this project, so 2 or 3 people will
sign up for any one topic and date, and it makes sense to sign up with someone
who is also in your group (see “Groups” below), but this is not required. You need to sign up within the first week of
class. Finally, at the end of the quarter, there will be a grammar exam
covering each topic presented during the quarter.
Groups
As part of a discussion board assignment, you may be
placed in groups to work together before you post to the main discussion board.
I will create these groups at the beginning of the quarter and expect that you
will use groups outside of structured activities as a support network. It is
especially important to connect with fellow students online as the environment
can feel isolating. Please use your groups to connect. Help each other out by
chatting in the “chat room,” sending each other email or messages, and working
together in structured group activities. Believe me, this is one of the best
ways to really become involved in an online class.
COURSE POLICIES
Attendance
Although
there is no in-class component to this course, there is still “class time.”
Class time is considered the time you spend on the discussion board
assignments. This is where you really engage in the course and for this reason,
these posts are required. If you fail to complete 3 discussion board posts in a
row, I will ask you to drop the class.
Late Work
All students can turn in
any one of the first 2 essays (not the final essay) up to two days late
without incurring a grade penalty. But this does not include the rough drafts
of the essays. Discussion Board posts cannot be turned in late. Once you
have used up your late pass on one major assignment, though, any late
assignment will be lowered by a full letter grade for every calendar day that
it is late, and keep in mind that I cannot accept an assignment that is turned
in more than a week late. Submit assignments to the appropriate Assignments
module.
Please understand also
that I will always grade assignments which have been turned in on time before I
will grade a late assignment; therefore, if you turn in an assignment late, it
will not be graded as promptly. Finally, keep in mind that no assignment may be
turned in for any reason after the last regular class day of the quarter. My
late policy is an important policy to understand and follow. As already
mentioned, this class moves very quickly, and when students turn in papers
late, they tend to fall behind and lose focus. Many of these students end up
dropping the course or failing. Please try to turn all work in on time!
Announcements
I post regular announcements on Blackboard to help
keep you on track with the work and to clarify concepts. Please get into the
habit of logging into Blackboard regularly to read these announcements. In
general, I post announcements Monday, Wed, and Fridays, and on other days if
necessary. I also will email important announcements to each student, so make
sure you have inputted your correct email address in Blackboard so you can
receive these email announcements. Instructions on how to add your email
address to Blackboard can be found in the first announcement, so check it out!
Online Etiquette
In my two years of teaching online, I’ve only
experienced one incident of a student being overtly offensive and rude to
another student on the discussion board, and I hope never to have to see this
again. So I’m asking you to please observe some online etiquette that should
also apply to emails or messages you send me (which can come off as rude when
one is in a hurry or frustrated). Electronic communication can be difficult and
easily misinterpreted. Why? Well, we can’t see each other and read facial expressions
or mannerisms. So, to ensure that you are not misinterpreted online with your
comments, please do the following:
1.
Always address your
post to someone! So, “Hi Elizabeth” or “Hi All” are two options.
2.
Always sign your post
with at least your first name.
3.
Don’t be afraid to use
a emoticon, such as a smiley face : ) to lighten the mood a bit, especially
when you are posting when you are in a bad mood!! : )
4.
Please avoid ALL CAPS
whenever you can, as they tend to come off as RUDE.
5.
Please avoid harsh or
offensive language of any kind.
6.
Please keep in mind
that when you email or message me that you should give me the same respect
electronically that you would give an instructor if speaking to her
face-to-face.
Technical Problems
A technical problem with your own software,
hardware, or Internet connection is not a genuine emergency or excuse. For this
reason, I suggest you ALWAYS back-up your work in another location other than
your home computer and, at the same time, know what other computer you can use
in case that your system is down. For example, you can always use the computer
labs at
If you need technical help with Blackboard problems,
please click on this link for access to some resources and information: http://www.clark.edu/academics/eLearning/Bb_support.php
Technical
Requirements
Here
are the minimum technical requirements to take an online course:
|
PC |
Macintosh |
|
An
Internet Service Provider** |
An
Internet Service Provider** |
|
High-speed Internet connection strongly recommended (not
required) |
High-speed Internet connection strongly recommended (not
required) |
|
Pentium
II 266 MHz or Celeron 300MHz computer (or higher)* |
G4
or G5 1.2 GHz computer (or higher) Lesser models may work also |
|
56kkps
V.90 modem |
56kkps
V.90 modem |
|
100MB
free space on the hard drive |
100MB
free space on the hard drive |
|
128
MB of RAM (or higher) |
128
MB of RAM (or higher) |
|
Windows
98,2000,2003, or XP |
Macintosh
OS 10 (or higher) |
|
CD-ROM
with sound and speakers |
CD-ROM
with sound and speakers |
|
Word
processing software that can be saved as a Word document. If you are using
Word 2007, you must convert your file to Word 2003. |
Word
processing software that can be saved as a Word document. If you are using Word
2007, you must convert your file to Word 2003. |
|
Internet
Explorer 7 OR Firefox 2 OR Netscape
8
|
Firefox
2 OR Netscape 8*** |
** Blackboard does not support AOL (America Online's) web-browser. If you use AOL as your ISP, you will need to download either Firefox or Netscape. After you have installed either Firefox or Netscape, you will need to minimize AOL's browser, and then open either Firefox or Netscape. Use one of these two browsers to access Blackboard (http://clark.blackboard.com).
*** Mac users should avoid any version of the Safari and Internet Explorer browsers. There are incompatibilities that will prevent some functionality required for complete access to Blackboard.
**** The NetZero browser is not supported by Blackboard.
Firefox Browser | Internet Explorer 7
Course
Downloads
If you don’t have PowerPoint, please download
a free PowerPoint viewer at http://www.microsoft.com/. Just type in “PowerPoint viewer” in the
search box and click the link to download the viewer.
Guidelines for
Papers
Format your paper
following MLA guidelines as explained in your handbook. The general guidelines
are as follows:
- Essays must be typed and double spaced.
- You must use standard 12-point font
(Times New Roman) and 1 inch margins on all sides of the page.
- The left margin must be justified and the
right unjustified.
- You do not need a title page. Type your
name, my name, the class, and the date in the upper left corner of the
first page of the essay.
- Do not add extra line spaces between
paragraphs.
- Number each page and include your last
name before the page number.
- All essays should have a correctly
written works cited page. All
entries must conform to MLA format.
Additionally,
ALL assignments must be formatted as Microsoft Word files. WordPerfect and
WordPad will not interface properly with Word and using these programs will
mean that I will not be able to open your assignments and/or you may not be
able to read my comments. If you need help with your computer program, visit a
computer lab in the Cannell Library or Scarpelli Hall or go to the
Time
This is a 5-credit course that, although
on-line, still requires 5 hours of “class time” a week. What this means is that
you should expect to be on-line at the Blackboard site at least 5 hours a week
and, additionally, you should expect to devote several additional hours (2-3
hours for each hour “in class”) outside of class time doing independent
reading, researching, and writing. This may seem like a lot of time, but you
need to keep in mind that this is a college-level writing course that will help
you gain the important writing skills needed to be successful in college and in
the workplace.
Please also realize that you can’t
disappear for two weeks and expect to jump right back into the class. Failure
to log into Blackboard for more than a week will put you far behind and to a
point where it will be hard to get back on track. Make it a habit to log onto Blackboard
regularly. Don’t wait until the last minute to do your work; stay on top of you
assignments; contact me if you are having problems.
Remember, Blackboard can be accessed
anywhere. You don’t have to be at your home computer.
Dropping the Course
If you decide to drop the course, make
sure to file an official withdrawal from the course with the Registrar’s
Office. Without an official withdrawal
(a “W”) in the course, I will have no choice but to assign you a failing grade
(an “F”) for the course. You can drop the course through week 7.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the theft of another's words or
ideas. It results from dishonesty,
carelessness or a combination of both.
Be honest and careful. Document
your sources; attribute ideas to their owners. DO NOT purchase or download a
paper from the Internet. It is VERY easy for an instructor to identify and
track plagiarized works! If you are having problems with an assignment, talk
with me rather than resort to a tactic that could jeopardize your academic and
professional future. Plagiarism will result in failure of the course, and I
will forward your name to the Dean of Students who may elect to eject you from
the college or place you on probation.
SUPPORT
SERVICES
Library
The
library website will allow you to access online databases that you will be
using to find information for your final essay. The library website also offers
some links to other helpful resources. Here is a link to the library website: http://www.clark.edu/Library/
You
can also access library resources by clicking on the Library tab at the top of
the screen in Blackboard. Notice that you can message reference librarian and
chat with them live.
Tutoring
services are FREE OF CHARGE to all registered
Tutoring
is also now available online through
Computer Labs
All
enrolled
http://www.clark.edu/student_services/computing_resources/hours.php
Disability Support Services
Please
let me know if there are any special accommodations you will need because of a
disability. The office of Disability Support Services can be reached at
360-992-2314. Here is the link to the Disability Support Services web site: http://www.clark.edu/student_services/disability_support.php
In Case of Emergencies
In
emergencies, students should do the following:
- Inclement weather or emergency information
Go to www.clark.edu
or call 360-992-2000 as your first means of getting information. The College does send notices to radio and
television stations, but the College’s web site and switchboard are the
official platforms for the most accurate information.
- Immediate emergency communication alert
To receive immediate notice on
emergencies, you can register your cell phone number to receive text pages and
your email address to receive email messages.
To do this, go to www.flashalert.net
. Select “Subscribe” on the left, and
follow the instructions. Mass communication will also be sent to all college
employee phones and computers.
- Fire Alarm
Evacuate the building through closest
exit; evacuation maps are located in the hallways. Take personal belongings
only if it is safe to do so. Remain at
least 50 feet from the building. Notify
others of evacuation. Do not re-enter
building until instructed to do so.
- Parking Lot Identifiers
New parking lot identifiers using colors
and numbers have been assigned to all
- Security Escort
Security Officers are available for
escorts please call 360-992-2133.
Discussion
Board Posts
Grading
Rubric
You
will receive one 0-10 point grade for all posts made during any given week.
Your grade will be based on your posts in response to specific DB assignments
but also your responses to other classmates’ posts. Participating 2 times
during the week is measured by posting on 2 different days (when there are 2
posts per week) to each of the main DB assignments. In total, however, to
receive full credit for your week’s DB posts, you should actually create a
thread 2 times and reply to at least 6 or more classmates’ posts each week.
Below is a detailed rubric that explains the grading criteria. Essentially, think
of it this way: create 2 threads a week and 6 replies a week for a total of at
least 8 posts to the DB each week.
“A”
Discussion Board (9-10 points) – participated in 2 DB assignments and responded
to at least 6 other posts
- Posts are
made in a timely fashion, giving others an opportunity to respond
- Posts are
thoughtful and analyze the content of questions asked
- Posts make
connections to other content and real-life situations
- Posts
extend discussions already taking place, or pose new possibilities or
opinions not previously voiced
- Posts are
detailed and use specific, concrete language.
- Grammar
and spelling errors are minimal—none that interfere with the meaning the
writer wants to convey
“B” Discussion Board (8-8.9 points) – participated in 2 DB assignments and
responded to at least 4 other posts
- Posts are
made in a timely fashion, giving others an opportunity to respond
- Posts are
thoughtful and analyze the content of questions asked
- Posts make
connections to other content and real-life situations, but the connections
are unclear, not firmly established or are not obvious
- Posts are
pretty well detailed, although there may be a few areas that need further
development
- A few
grammar or spelling errors, but none that interfere with the meaning the
writer wants to convey
“C”
Discussion Board (7-7.9 points), -- participated
in 2 DB assignments and responded to at least 2 other post
- Posts are
usually, but not always, made in a timely fashion
- Posts are
generally accurate, but the actual information they deliver seems thin and
commonplace
- Posts make
limited, vague connections between class readings and postings by other
students
- Posts
contain few novel ideas, reflecting what other students have already
posted, and what the class clearly articulate
- Posts are
relatively vague and need more development
- Grammar
and spelling errors are abundant, and often interfere with the meaning the
writer wants to convey
“D”-“F”
Discussion Board (0-6.9 points) – participated in 1 DB assignment and responded
to at least 1 other post
- Posts are
not made in a timely fashion, if at all, keeping other students from
reading and responding
- Posts are
rudimentary and superficial, lacking any degree of analysis or critique
- Posts
contribute no novel ideas, connections, or real-world applications
- Posts may
be completely off topic
- Posts lack
any sufficient detail and appear to have been written hurriedly with
little concern to development of ideas
- Grammar
and spelling errors severely interfere with the meaning the writer wants
to convey
Please
note, that to receive an “A” grade for DB posts, it is very important that you
don’t simply mimic what has already been posted. Try to contribute something
new, and this is often easier if you are one of the first students to post. So,
in other words, don’t wait until the last minute to post! By waiting until the
last minute, you will be making the assignment much much harder for yourself!