ENGLISH
101 - ENGLISH COMPOSITION I
Spring 2013 SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR: PATRICIA
MESCH
e-mail:
pat.mesch@bellevuecollege.edu
phone: 425/462-6780
TEXT
BOOKS:
40 ESSAYS A Portable Anthology, Second Edition Ed. Aaron and Repetto
A POCKET SYLE MANUAL, Hacker,
Fifth Edition OR
A WRITER'S REFERENCE, Hacker, ANY
Edition
COURSE
DESCRIPTION:
This course will guide you through the writing process and will focus on
written expression emphasizing critical reading, writing, and thinking. This is an intensive course dealing with the
organization and development of ideas in coherent, interesting, effective
essays. We will examine a variety of
essays by analyzing the writing methods of the authors. We will focus on writing as a process
(invention, composition, revision) and address the larger elements of writing
(structuring essays and paragraphs and using sources) as well as the smaller
elements of writing (spelling, grammar, syntax). English 101 is a course designed to help you
begin to develop and practice analytical, critical and reflective habits that will
assist you with your work in college and the world. My objective is to help you identify ideas in
written texts and develop your own responses that are appropriate to context,
audience and purpose. At the end of this
quarter you will have the ability to meet the English 101 outcomes as required
by BC.
COURSE
OBJECTIVES:
To understand that writing is a process and to identify the stages in the
process.
To use the writing process in writing all papers.
To understand different types of writing assignments and to focus the
writing for varying assignments.
To strengthen reading, thinking and writing skills and apply to one’s own
style.
To effectively and correctly use mechanics, grammar, punctuation according
to the standard of English for the purpose of writing and editing one’s own
paper as well as others.
ATTENDANCE:
We will be meeting in class for one-third of the class time and two thirds
online. I Attendance is mandatory in
this class and only emergencies and or illness will be excused.
GRADING:
Essays = 70% of grade (essays
1,2,3 = 15% each; essay 4 = 25% of grade)
Discussions = 15% of grade
HW, in-class assignments = 10% of grade
Self-Evaluation = 5% of grade
A 94-100 A-
90-93
B+ 87-90 B 84-86
B- 80-83
C+ 77-79 C 74-76
C- 70-73
D+ 67-69 D 60-67
F 59 and below
Each essay will have a rubric by which students will be graded. Each essay can be revised for an averaged
grade. The original graded essay as well
as the revised must be handed in when turning in a revision.
READINGS: It is expected that you will come to class
having completed the reading assignment for that day. Note-taking in the text (underlining,
circling, annotating) is encouraged as it makes you read more carefully and
remember more accurately.
CONFERENCES: You may request a time to meet with me
before or after class as needed. You are
required to visit the Writing Center/Lab at least one time during the quarter. Specific
information will be given in class for this visit.
ACADEMIC
HONESTY: This is probably the most important aspect of the course. Honesty and integrity are essential in any
learning environment and it is especially so in writing. Using another person’s ideas, words or works
without giving credit to that person is unforgiveable and has a name:
Plagiarism. This not only involves using
another person’s ideas or paper but also involves failure to cite quotations,
paraphrases, or ideas from another source without citing in the paper. A good rule to follow: if you are not sure,
cite it.
SPECIAL
NEEDS: Students with disabilities who
have accommodation needs are required to meet with the Disability Resource
Center (DRC) room B132 (telephone: 425/564-2498 or: http://bellevuecollege.edu/drc/contact.html)
Students with disabilities who have accommodation needs are required to
meet to establish their eligibility for
accommodation. The DRC office will
provide each eligible student with an accommodation letter. Students who require accommodation in class
must review the DRS accommodation letter with each instructor during the first
week of the quarter. Students with
mobility challenges who may need assistance in case of an emergency situation
or evacuation should register with Disability Support Services, and review
those needs with the instructor as well.
PROCEDURES
FOR PAPERS:
The key to good writing is revision.
In a collaborative group setting you and your peers will have the
opportunity to see how others write and learn; how each person has his/her own
process. On feedback day you will bring
one copy of your essay for my files and one for each of the members of your
writing group. This class is
MANDATORY. You are expected to help
other students improve their writing as well as improve your own. This is the purpose of feedback.
AFTER
FEEDBACK you will write a revision/final copy of your paper for me to grade. With the final copy you will be expected to
type a one to two page MEMO to me, critically evaluating your writing. You will discuss your writing process and
what worked well and what was problematic.
You will discuss your feedback group and the effectiveness of the
experience. You will be expected to
refer to your paper regarding writing issues such as your thesis, conclusion,
audience, and any other concerns regarding your writing. This is a place to understand your own
writing and to ask questions so I can address your concerns in my comments. YOU WILL TURN IN FINAL PAPERS WITH YOUR MEMO ON TOP (YOU WILL
NOT WRITE A MEMO FOR ESSAY #4). DO NOT
STAPLE. NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED. PAPERS ARE DUE ON THE DATE POSTED. You will have the option to revise your paper
one more time AFTER I grade it IF you had a copy at FB. The new grade will be averaged with the old
for the final grade for the paper.
If you do not understand any part of the assignment, it is your
responsibility to ask me for clarification BEFORE the assignment is due. If you are absent from class it is your responsibility
to check online re: what occurred in class.
You will type your papers according to the MLA manuscript format .
Specific readings and paper assignments will be posted for each
essay.
You will receive class assignment sheets indicating due dates regarding
the readings and homework. This will be
updated throughout the course. BC
English 101 Course Outcomes will be posted online in the section Getting
Started.