Course syllabus

ENGL 1010–ENGLISH COMPOSITION I
MOTLOW STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE – SPRING 2011
Instructor: Milton Stanley, M.F.A.W., M.Div.
Office hours: By appointment

Required Materials
Patterns for College Writing: A Rhetorical Reader and Guide, Eleventh Edition
The Little, Brown Handbook, Eleventh Edition
College dictionary

Course Description
English 1010 is an introduction to college writing. This course is intended to equip you not only in the forms of writing, but in critical reading and methods of organizing and presenting ideas. During the semester you will write six graded essays and will be quizzed over assigned readings. You will also write a number of in-class essays graded pass-fail. For a comprehensive list of course objectives, see the ENGL 1010 weblog.

Class Requirements
· Do all assigned readings in time for quizzes and class discussions.
· Always come to class ready to write.
· Participate in class discussions.
· Complete and turn in all writing assignments on time.
· Do all in-class assignments in dark ink on wide-ruled paper.
· Turn in both printed and electronic copies of out-of-class assignments (please talk to me if you do not have access to word processing and printing services).

Essays
To complete this course, you will write six graded papers:
Essay 1 Narration/description
Essay 2 Example
Essay 3 Process
Essay 4 Cause & effect
Essay 5 Comparison & contrast
Essay 6 Classification
You will also be writing many essays for a grade of pass or fail.

Grading
Grades in this course will be assigned according to the following scale:

• A = 90-100
• B = 80-89
• C = 70-79
• D = 60-69
• F = 0-59

Remember that according to academic convention a C is an average grade. The grade of B indicates above-average work, and an A is given only for outstanding performance. I want you to make the best grade you honestly can. I’m willing to work individually with you through the semester to help you improve your grade. I urge you also to take advantage of a wide range of services offered by Motlow State. Late-term begging, however, is a very bad idea.

Your final grade will be determined according to the following formula:

• Out-of-class essays, 60%
• Exams, 10%
• Quizzes, 15%
• In-class writing, 10%
• Class participation, 5%

In short, at least 40 percent of your final grade is determined by what you do in class. No matter what your other averages may be, however, you must have an average of D or better on your out-of-class essays to pass this course.

Essay Format
For all out-of-class papers, use a 12-point standard font (preferably Times New Roman). Double space your essays on plain white paper with one-inch margins. See The Little, Brown Handbook for manuscript guidelines. Please follow MLA format.

Major Error Policy
At the beginning of this course you will be reminded how to eliminate these major grammatical errors:

• Fused sentence (fs)
• Dangling or misplaced modifier (dm, mm)
• Comma splice (cs)
• Lack of subject-verb agreement (agr, sva)
• Sentence fragment (frag)

After each error has been covered in this course, each instance of one of the errors in an essay will result in a one-half letter grade penalty.

Attendance Policy
You are expected to attend classes regularly, and attendance is sometimes critical for mastering the skills developed in this class. Please remember that quizzes and in-class writing assignments will be given almost every day and cannot be made up.

Classroom Deportment
Please keep in mind we’re all adults here. Texting, talking on the telephone, or web browsing during class is simply rude and shows disrespect for your teacher, your fellow students, and yourself.

Plagiarism
Plagiarism is copying someone else's work without giving proper credit to the author. It's cheating and can cause you to fail the course if you're caught. Even inadvertent plagiarism, such as failing to cite a source, is a serious academic offense. Make sure you avoid plagiarism with everything you write. If you're not sure what plagiarism is or how to avoid it, review your Little, Brown Handbook. I am available to help you in person or by e-mail, provided you come to me before turning in your paper.

Weblog
Assignments, helpful information, and special notices will be posted each day on the course weblog: http://mscc-engl-1010.blogspot.com/. Be sure to check the site frequently for important information about the course. Please see me if regular Internet access is a problem for you.

SmarThinking
You also have the benefit of online tutorial help from the SmarThinking service at http://mscc.edu/smartthinking.html. Please take advantage of it.

Other Information
I accept late work only in unusual circumstances. In no circumstance will I give make-ups for daily quizzes or in-class writing assignments. Late work will be lowered at least one letter grade. I do not accept very late work (e.g., saving all your essays till the end of the semester).
In most cases, in-class essays will be graded pass/fail. For the in-class average, every passing essay will be averaged as a grade of 100 and every failing essay as a 50. A missed assignment is averaged as a 0. That said, the vicissitudes of life are sometimes outside our control, so I'll cut you a generous amount of slack. I will drop your three lowest quiz grades and your three lowest pass-fail essay grades. You will also be given the option of rewriting one graded paper. For rewrites, I will accept only papers that have already been graded and returned, and you must turn in your original, graded paper along with your new version.
Please see me if you need special accommodations in keeping with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Disclaimer
This syllabus hits only the high points and cannot include everything you need to know during the semester. Stay tuned for more.

A Final Note
Don't let all these dos and don'ts get you down. If you've made it this far, you probably have what it takes to make it through this course. I want you to do as well as you can, and I'll do my best to help you. But remember that you're the one in charge of your education, so take the initiative in doing the work, asking questions, and seeking help when you need it.