ENGL& 101 –
English Composition I
Winter 2013 Jeffery White
Room L210 Office:
R230Q Tel: 564-3084
10:30-11:20 jwhite@bellevuecollege.edu
Office
Hour: 8:30 - 9:20 M-F
(also
by appointment)
Required
Materials: Deep
Economy, Bill McKibben
The
Little, Brown Handbook, Eleventh Edition
Three-ring,
loose-leaf binder (1”-2”) (pre-owned binders available in my office)
COURSE
DESCRIPTION
In
English 101, we familiarize ourselves with and build upon basic methods for
composing original, interesting and intelligent responses to a particular
topic. In an informal workshop
atmosphere, we will review certain grammatical conventions while developing a
keener understanding of what constitutes an effective sentence, paragraph and essay. We will do this, both in small groups and as
a whole class, through various peer response strategies and by becoming
careful, critical readers. By quarter's end, you will have a more detailed
understanding of how to compose an articulate, intelligent, well-developed
discussion of a given topic. However,
your skill in executing such a discussion will depend upon the degree to
which you apply what you learn in the coming weeks.
As many of you pursue
an education to better prepare yourself for a successful professional life, it
may help you to think of this class as rehearsal for meeting professional
responsibilities. To continue the analogy, you might think of me as your
supervisor; I expect you to be engaged and committed to your work, courteous
and helpful to those you work with, and regular and prompt in your attendance.
Please understand that this is
not a "Warm Body" class -- one of those classes which you attend
half conscious, take the occasional note and leave after fifty minutes. As with most courses, we'll be trying to do
too much in too little time, so we'll need to divide the workload equally,
every student responsible for more than simply his or her own success or
failure. You will spend a majority of your class time doing
"hands-on" activities and group work, both seeking and giving
assistance. If you, for whatever reason, aren't prepared or able to be an
active, responsible member of this learning community, then another class may
more suit your needs. What follows are
our course policies.
As in the professional
world, you’ll need to work within deadlines. All assignments are due in class
on the specified date. Should you fail to submit a draft of an essay on its due
date and still desire my feedback on that draft, you must write and present me
with a one-page explanation of why you missed the deadline, outline strategies
for preventing it happening again and request an alternate date to submit the
work. I will review your request and determine whether to grant an alternate
due date or not.
On days when drafts are discussed,
either in groups or as a class, those without drafts will be dismissed to
complete their work and suffer an absence for that class meeting. On days when
papers are due to me, I expect them in class but will accept them in person or
in my mailbox until 12:30 PM on the day they are due. I'll accept nothing after that time unless
specific arrangements are made with me before the class in which
it is due. I'll permit such an arrangement only once.
You are responsible for having a hard
copy of your seminar paper in hand at the beginning of the
classes on the day it is due. I will not accept emailed seminar papers,
nor will I excuse you to go print a copy of a seminar paper due that day. Your
seminar paper is due in class and will only be accepted if you are in class to
present it.
One
indicator of your commitment to your work in this class is your ability to be
in class when it is scheduled to begin.
Because, quite often, the first five to ten minutes of class are crucial
to work that follows, and because groups need your prompt attendance to
function properly, let's begin class on time with all members present. You're late if you walk into class more than
5 minutes after its scheduled starting time. Walk into class late 10 times,
and you'll receive no credit for the course. I'm certain, however, that out of
consideration for your peers, you will do whatever possible to see that we make
the most out of our brief, daily meetings.
1. Miss the first week of
class: no credit for the course
2. Students
who miss fewer than 5 classes receive a bonus on their final participation
grade. TEN ABSENCES, NO CREDIT.
3. Those
who feel they have exceptional circumstances that prevent prompt, regular
attendance should speak to me in person BEFORE those
circumstances interfere with your work in this class.
Your final grade will
be based on two primary components:
1.
Preparedness and class participation:
Seminar
Papers: 20% of final grade
Preparedness
and Contributions: 10% of final
grade
Attendance:
10% of final grade
2.
Portfolio of five finished papers that includes all
primary and revised drafts of each paper.
Preparedness
and Class Participation: Beyond offering thoughtful and well
rendered seminar papers, to receive full credit for this component, you must
attend class regularly and on time, have with you at all times all writing for
this class and text books on days that you may need them, have all completed
drafts in hand for peer critique sessions, participate actively and
constructively in all peer critique and small group activities, participate
regularly in class discussions by offering insightful or thought provoking,
relevant comments that advance and develop the discussion (what matters here is
the caliber and quality of your comments, not the number of times that you
share your views).
Portfolio
(60% of final grade): In
brief, your portfolio grade is based upon the quality of the final drafts of
three self-selected papers (including evidence of the revision process and the
degree to which they have been revised), a self-evaluation, and an in-class
final essay. The overall appearance and presentation of the portfolio itself
also will be considered the assessment.
Details about portfolios and the criteria I will use to grade them are
in a separate handout.
Note: You should know that
the portfolio process allows you to revise your writing as often as you see fit
before that work receives a grade. You
will receive a mock grade for your third paper, which I will then review with
you during a conference designed to give you an idea of your class standing.
Circumstances permitting, I am available to review and comment on revised
drafts (three drafts per essay), but will not grade the work until it has been
included in the portfolio and that portfolio turned in for grading at the end
of the quarter. I will review and comment one revised draft at a time
from each student. The last day to submit a revision for my comments is .
Cell
phones will be turned off during this class. Any interruption due to these devices will
disrupt our work and foul the instructor's usually sunny mood. Those who feel
they have reason to be exempt from this policy should speak to me in person
outside of class.
Plagiarism
Should
you use another's words or ideas and represent them as your own, you are
plagiarizing. Should you get help with your writing to such a degree that it,
in any part, is no longer your own; then, too, are you plagiarizing. Plagiarism
is grounds for failing the course, and possibly for dismissal from school. Also
be advised that Bellevue Community College contracts with a plagiarism
detection software company. Should I receive any work that I suspect to be
plagiarized, I will submit it for to for investigation. For suggestions on how
to avoid these rather dire consequences, see The Little, Brown Handbook.
Disability Resource Center (DRC)
The Disability Resource Center serves students with a wide array
of learning challenges and disabilities. If you are a student who has a
disability or learning challenge for which you have documentation or have seen
someone for treatment and if you feel you may need accommodations in order to
be successful in college, please contact us as soon as possible. If you
are a student with a documented autism spectrum disorder, there is a program of
support available to you.
If you are a person who requires assistance in case of an
emergency situation, such as a fire, earthquake, etc, please meet with your
individual instructors to develop a safety plan within the first week of the
quarter.
The DRC office is located in B 132 or you can call our reception
desk at 425.564.2498. Deaf students can reach us by video phone at 425-440-2025
or by TTY at 425-564-4110. . Please visit our website for
application information into our program and other helpful links at www.bellevuecollege.edu/drc
A FINAL NOTE: I am here to serve as your guide and then
ultimately to evaluate your work. I am
interested in helping you do as well as you want in this class. My schedule permitting, I'll assist you in
any way I can. If you're having
difficulty, speak to me about it, and I'll see what I can do to help. If life
interferes in some substantial way with school, let me know. If you show me that you're concerned with
doing good work in this class, I'll do what I can to help you around the
obstacles. Communication is the key
here. Keep me informed of your
circumstances, and you should do fine. Talk
to me after things fall apart, and there will be little more that I can offer
than my sympathy. It will also benefit you the read the Arts and Humanities
“Student Procedures and Expectations” page located here: http://bellevuecollege.edu/artshum/policy.html