8
January 2013, for posting to angryverbs.blogspot.com (BlackBoard is not
available until 14 January).
M.
Hall
Provisional
syllabus for English 1301; any changes between now and the first class will be
slight. If there is no subsequent version, this one is it.
Angelina’s
attendance policies are very clear; read them carefully. If external situations suggest to you that
you might not be able make class as required, you might want to consider a
distance or computer course. Do not put
yourself in a bind.
I
do not accept late papers. Ever.
Your
text is The Bedford Handbook, 8th edition.
A used copy and an older edition are fine. Don’t worry about bringing a copy to the
first class, but you’ll need one the second week. You are welcome to share a copy with a study
buddy. Do not buy any ancillary material
such as CDs or online access codes; you need only your book, paper, and black
or blue pens (No pencils. Ever.).
Read
this syllabus carefully; by enrolling in class you agree to follow it.
Date revised: 8 January 2013
Angelina College
English 1301 - Composition
BASIC
COURSE INFORMATION
A.
Course Description (as stated in the bulletin, including necessary
pre-requisite courses, credit hours) Three hours credit. A review of the
fundamentals of composition: grammar, punctuation, diction, and sentence
structure; development of paragraphs and the essay; extensive theme writing in
exposition and argument, including a unit on logic.
B.
Intended Audience: Students who have satisfied
TSI writing requirements.
C. Instructor Name: Mack Hall. Office Location:
Classroom. Office Hours: Before and after class. Phone: No. Really. Don't
telephone. Use the email: mhall46184@aol.com. Please be advised that I do not log into my
official Angelina email every day; mhall46184@aol.com
is the better choice. I always reply to
email; if you send a message and do not hear from me in a day or so, your
message did not get through. When writing, follow the block form
business letter format – this is a writing class, after all, so let the
professionalism begin now. If you send a
poorly-formatted letter I will return it to you for a re-write.
D. ‘Net contacts: Blackboard and angryverbs.blogspot.com. Blackboard is new to me, so I’ll also post
notes to angryverbs.blogspot.com.
Angryverbs.blogspot.com contains most of last term’s lessons, notes, and
guides, and will prove very useful to you.
These sources do not replace classroom contact, lessons, and documents;
this is not a distance-learning class.
II.
INTENDED STUDENT OUTCOMES:
A.
Core Competencies (Basic Intellectual Competencies)
1.
Reading: Reading at the college level means the ability to analyze and interpret
a variety of printed materials _ books, articles, and documents. A core
curriculum should offer students the opportunity to master both general methods
of analyzing printed materials and specific methods for analyzing the subject
matter of individual disciplines. 2. Writing: Competency in writing is the
ability to produce clear, correct, and coherent prose adapted to purpose,
occasion, and audience. Although correct
grammar, spelling, and punctuation are each a sine qua non in any composition,
they do not automatically ensure that the composition itself makes sense or
that the writer has much of anything to say. Students need to be familiar
with the writing process including how to discover a topic and how to develop
and organize it, how to phrase it effectively for their audience. These
abilities can be acquired only through practice and reflees. 3. To understand
and appropriately apply modes of expression i.e., descriptive, expositive,
narrative, scientific and self-expressive, in written, visual, and oral
communication. 4. To participate effectively in groups with emphasis on
listening, critical and reflective thinking, and responding. 5. To understand
and apply basic principles of critical thinking, problem solving, and technical
proficiency in the development of exposition and argument. 6. To develop the
ability to research and write a documented paper and/or to give an oral
presentation. C. Course Objectives for all sections _ 1. To help the student to
understand his or her creative processes for greater expressiveness and apply
modes of expression in writing assignments. 2. To write concrete, creative
essays that thoroughly develop a central idea in an organized manner. 3. To
understand the importance of specifying audience and purpose. 4. To apply the
principles of writing as process: writing conceived as a connected and
interactive process that includes pre-writing and invention, writing, revision,
editing, and proofreading. 5. To master mechanics and grammar concepts
necessary for clear expression. 6. To learn the principles of critical reading
and to apply those principles to his or her own and to others’ writing. 7. To
be able to make logical choices and to apply such logic to writing. 8. To
understand and apply basic principles of critical thinking in the development
of exposition and argument. 9. To understand computers and their application to
our daily lives. 10. To develop the ability to research and write a documented
paper. 11. To practice oral communication skills. D. Course Objectives as determined
by the instructor. III. ASSESSMENT
MEASURES OF STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES: A. Assessments for the Core Intellectual
Competencies _ 1. Reading _ Competency in reading is assessed as students
respond to classmates_ writing and discussion forum postings, as well as
through exams covering the textbook material and discussion of and responses to
material presented in the textbook and on handouts provided by the instructor.
2. Writing - Competency in writing is assessed through the development of
writing projects which meet the evaluation criteria and which are mechanically
correct. Also students_ writing assignments that fulfill the evaluation
criteria will demonstrate proficiency in reading, writing, critical thinking,
and computer literacy. 3. Speaking - Competency in speaking is assessed based
on students_ demonstrated ability to respond appropriately to different
communicative situations as well as to a variety of addressed purposes and
audiences. Students will interact with teacher and with classmates via email
and discussion board. 4. Listening _ Competency in listening is assessed based
on students_ demonstrated ability to respond appropriately to different
communicative situations as well as to a variety of addressed purposes and
audiences. Students will interact with teacher and with classmates via email
and discussion board. 5. Critical Thinking _ Competency in critical thinking is
made as students respond appropriately to assignments, to instructions, and in
interactions with instructor and classmates 6. Computer Literacy _ Competency
in computer literacy will be made based on students_ ability to submit properly
prepared, researched documents and on students_ ability to access online
writing and grammar resources. Assessments for the Exemplary Objectives_ 1. The
ability to understand and demonstrate writing and speaking processes through
invention, organization, drafting, revision, editing, and presentation is
assessed through preparation and presentation of writing projects throughout
the semester. 2. The ability to understand the importance of specifying
audience and purpose and the ability to select appropriate communication
choices is assessed through students_ attention to the rhetorical situation of
each portion of each writing assignment. 3. The ability to understand and
appropriately apply modes of expression is assessed through activities on
correct usage of language and rhetorical devices and in the submission of
appropriate writing projects throughout the semester. 4. The ability to participate
effectively in groups is assessed by student writing of introduction letters,
emails, discussion responses to writing in process that meet specified
criteria. 5. The ability to understand and apply basic principles of critical
thinking, problem solving, and technical proficiency is assessed through
student writing projects designed to move readers to action, student letters to
instructor in which students discuss their meeting of course objectives, and
students_ ability to send and attach files to emails in WebCT. 6. The ability
to research and write a documented paper is assessed by the requirement of five
writing projects per semester C. Assessments for Course Objectives for all
sections _ 1. Student understanding of creative processes for greater expressiveness
and application of modes of expression in writing assignments will be assessed
by effective use approach to a variety of writing assignment topics. 2. Student
ability to write concrete, creative essays that thoroughly develop a central
idea in an organized manner will be assessed by applying a standard grading
criteria. 3. Student ability to understand the importance of specifying
audience and purpose is assessed by presentation of effective writing projects
which clearly address the chosen audience for the writer_ s chosen purpose. 4.
Student ability to apply the principles of writing as process: writing
conceived as a connected and interactive process that includes pre-writing and
invention, writing, revision, editing, and proofreading is assessed through
students_ discussion board postings which follow the writing projects_
guidelines. 5. Student ability to master mechanics and grammar concepts
necessary for clear expression is assessed through grammar diagnostic, grammar
midterm, and grammar final exams, as well as through the appropriate use of
grammar and mechanics in the multiple writing assignments and contexts. 6.
Student ability to learn the principles of critical reading and to apply those
principles to his or her own and to others_ writing is assessed through peer
response discussion board posting, as well as through successful completion of
writing assignments. 7. Student ability to make logical choices and to apply
such logic to writing is assessed through writing that appeals to the chosen
audience in the desired or designated manner. 8. Student ability o understand
and apply basic principles of critical thinking in the development of
exposition and argument is assessed through the writing assignments. 9. Student
ability to understand computers and their application to our daily lives is
assessed as students complete the course online. 10. Student ability to develop
the ability to research and write a documented paper is assessed through
successful inclusion of resources into three of the five writing assignments.
11. Student ability to practice oral communication skills is assessed through
optional orientation sessions, in-person or telephone conferences with
instructor, and through question and answer sessions at test administrations.
D. Assessments for the Course Objectives as determined by the instructor _
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES: A. Methodologies common to all sections Methodologies
that may be utilized in presenting course content include online lecture notes,
paper and pencil or online grammar exercises which give immediate feedback, in
person or email workshops for student writings in progress, audio-visual
presentations for view outside of class, online discussions (synchronous or
asynchronous), student presentations to groups or to instructor only, and guest
participants. B. Methodologies determined by the instructor V. COURSE
REQUIREMENTS AND POLICIES: A. Required Textbooks, Materials, and Equipment _
Hacker, Diana. The Bedford Handbook.
7th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006. The Writer's Workbench computer
program. B. Assignments _ (See below) C. Course Policies _ (This course
conforms to the policies of Angelina College as stated in the Angelina College
Handbook.) Academic Assistance _ If you have a disability (as cited in Section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or Title II of the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990) that may affect your participation in this class, you
should see Karen Bowser, Room 208 of the Student Center. At a post-secondary
institution, you must self-identify as a person with a disability; Ms. Bowser
will assist you with the necessary information to do so. Attendance: From the
Angelina College Policy Manual: A true evaluation of the teaching-learning
situation involves a correlation between attendance and progress. It is the
responsibility of the student to attend all classes and a record of attendance
will be kept for all classes by the instructor. It is the responsibility of the
student to withdraw officially in the College District admissions and
registrar_ s office from a class the student no longer desires to attend.
College District instructional standards allow the instructor to set the
educational objectives and requirements for each course. The student who does
not meet these requirements because of excessive absences may be dropped by the
instructor on a notice to the College District admissions office using either a
first or second drop slip. The position of the instructor on submitting a
non-attendance drop should be stated in the course syllabus. Excessive
absences are defined as three or more consecutive absences or four or more
cumulative absences from regularly scheduled class periods. The summer terms
call for two or more consecutive, or three or more cumulative absences. A three-hour
night class counts as two class periods. Students will not be dropped and
will be allowed to make up work for absences because of (1) College District
authorized and sponsored activities, and (2) religious holy days.
It
is the student’s responsibility to arrange for make-up work with the instructor
and to complete it within a reasonable time. In accordance with the Texas
Education Code, each student is allowed to be absent from a class for the
observance of a religious holy day. A _ religious holy day_ means a holy day
observed by a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property
taxation under Section 11.20, Tax Code. The student must notify the instructor
of each class of the anticipated absence not late than the 15th calendar day
after the first day of the semester. A student who is excused under this
section must complete all assignments or missed examinations at the direction
of the instructor. The form for notification of absences is in the office of
admissions and will include the following: 1. Student name and identification
number; 2. Name of religious institution and tax code number; 3. Name and date
of holy day(s); 4. Classes to be missed; 5. Schedule for delivery of form by
student to instructor(s); 6. Conditions and deadlines for completing missed
assignments; 7. Instructor_ s signature and date; and 8. Student_ s signature and date. A student dropped because of
excessive absences will be notified by mail by the College District admissions
office and will be directed to obtain a readmit form and seek the approval of
the instructor for admission. All students in developmental education must
obtain approval of the instructor and the vice president and the dean of
instruction. A student who fails to contact the College District admissions
office within one week of the date the notice was mailed will be dropped
permanently from class. All make-up work is at the discretion of the
instructor. Attendance in developmental courses is guided by the Texas Success
Initiative rules and regulations and additional steps are required. Additional
Policies Established by the Individual Instructor - VI. COURSE CONTENT: A.
Required Content/ Topics _ (common to all sections) Mechanics Emphasis:
Mechanics and grammar study is an ongoing one that is an integral part of the
writing process. Each student will be given a major test at the end of the
semester to determine the student's mastery of mechanics and grammar. Further,
all essays will be evaluated closely for correct usage, spelling and correct
use of sentence parts. Approximately 20-25% of all class time will be given to
drills on concepts. The Bedford Handbook
with corresponding Internet resources will be the primary source for this
continuing study. There will be no separate unit for the study of mechanics and
grammar, but it will be a part of the writing unit. Essay Writing: College
level essay writing is chiefly expository writing wih some occasional creative
writings, if desired. The process approach to teaching writing will be used to
promote unified writing and thinking processes. The teacher will initiate
brainstorming or other heuristics to encourage free and fluent expression--then
introduce different rhetorical modes for developing and organizing paragraphs
and full essays. Each class time or homework assignment should require some
writing. The instructor need not "grade" or even see every
composition, but there must be some immediate feedback for every writing that
the student does. This feedback might be in the form of peer evaluation or
response, a letter written to a pen pal in another class whereby there will be
a written response from the receiving student, or perhaps a class response to a
writing read aloud in class. Argumentation: Argumentation includes but is not
limited to induction and deduction, logical thinking, fallacies in argument,
emotional appeals. Argumentative writing may be taught throughout the semester
or in a two to three week unit. At least one grade should be from an
argumentative essay (20-25%). B. Additional Content (as required by the
individual Instructor) VII. EVALUATION AND GRADING: A. Grading Criteria
(percents, extra credit, etc.) Evaluation: 4 or 5 major grades 75 to 80% At
least 75% of the course grade must come from writing: A. At least 60% of this
writing grade must be from essay writing: example/illustration,
comparison/contrast, definition, classification/division, process,
cause-effect, argumentation B. The other 15 to 20% writing grade might come
from journal writing, essay tests, correspondence (letters, editorials),
creative writings, critiques 20 to 25% A separate grade for mechanics and
grammar should be given to emphasize the importance of the mastery of
acceptable usage and to prepare students for future proficiency tests. This
grade should be derived from daily exercises, quizzes on spelling, diction,
punctuation and other mechanics and from at least one major objective test. B.
Determination of Grade (assignment of letter grades) A (90-100) Excellent B
(80-89) Good C (70-79) Average D (60-69) Minimum passing F (50 or below)
Failure Standard Grading Policy for the English Department for all Essays
Assigned A_ above average. Good organization, exceptional content, No more than
one major error. A+ = 98, A = 95, A- = 92, A- - = 90 B_ above average. Good organization,
exceptional content, and only one or two major errors. B+ = 88, B = 85, B - =
82, B - - = 80 C_ average. Organization, clear content, no more than 3 major
errors. C+ = 78, C = 75, C - = 72, C - - = 70 D_ below average. Either lacks
content and/or organization or has many major errors. More than 5 major errors
drops the grade to an F. D+ = 68, D = 65, D - = 62, D - - = 60 F_ failing.
Shows little or no effort. Contains 6 OR MORE major errors. F = 50. 0_ no
grade. Did not turn in work, plagiarized an essay, or did not write on the
assigned topic. Please Note: In the case
of a plagiarized essay or research paper, a student will be dismissed from this
course with an F. VIII. SYLLABUS MODIFICATION: The instructor may modify
the provisions of the syllabus to meet individual class needs by informing the
class in advance as to the changes being made.
Highly Flexible,
Provisional, Experimental, and Tentative
Syllabus
Modifications
"I
call therefore a complete and generous education that which fits a man to
perform justly, skilfully, and magnanimously all the offices, both private and
public, of peace and war.”
-- John Milton
We
(actually, you -- I accomplished all this in my youth) will read and write
essays in these four traditional rhetorical modes: Expository essays using:
example, process analysis, division / classification comparison / contrast,
definition,and cause-and-effect; persuasive essays using: appeals to logic,
appeals to emotion (propaganda); narrative essays using: Linear recall,
chronological order, and stream-of-consciousness; and descriptive essays using:
sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, emotions
Essays
are rather fun, but you will also write a research paper employing the MLA
format. You will hate writing it; I will hate reading it. However, this is a
necessary preparation for professional writing both in university and in your
career.
1.
Text: Bedford Handbook, 8th
edition. A used copy and an older
edition are fine. Don’t worry about
bringing a copy to the first class. You
are welcome to share a copy with a study buddy.
You will also need a composition book of the cheapest sort for journal
writing at the beginning of each class.
Stapling several sheets of paper together should be cheap enough.
2.
Grades: A. Quizzes & Essays - 25% B. Research Paper - 25% C. Mid-term exam
- 25% D. Final Exam - 25%. Quizzes may
appear at any time -- be prepared for each class. All work has a one-week expiration date, but
this is only if you are absent. A due-date is not a suggestion;
out-of-class assignments are due at the beginning of the class. Please do
not ask to leave class on a due-date to print out your paper; I will often
grant you computer lab time as part of class. No, I don't want to hear about
your home printer or computer problems. Really. No. This isn't high school.
3.
Attendance: Per Angelina College
requirements, three consecutive absences or four cumulative absences from a day course or two absences from a night course require me to drop
you; I am not permitted flexility in this.
Disappearing during the break or during class counts as an absence.
Tardiness is an absence; your presence elsewhere in the building instead of in
class and on time is an absence. I
cannot / will not re-teach a class session; if you miss, you must ask a
classmate for notes. Form casual study / buddy groups and communicate with each
other. If I miss -- and I haven’t yet – I will try to post my absence on
Blackboard in advance. Individual emails or ‘phone calls are impossible.
4.
Out-of-class work must be produced on a word processor. I accept 12-point
Verdana (preferred), Geneva, Arial, or Times New Roman. Do not use exotic
typefaces, bold settings, or margins other than one inch all around. Papers
are due at the beginning of class; if you are in the library typing when class
begins you have both a zero test grade and an absence. Please do not bring me a memory device and
ask me to print out your paper -- that's a zero for the assignment. In-class work must be in black or blue ink. This is not high school.
5.
Office Hours: Before and after class. I
hope to be in the classroom approximately a half-hour before class and briefly
after class. Please feel free to email me at any time at my email address (mhall46184@aol.com is best) to ask me reasonable
questions or for reasonable advice. Do
NOT ask me what we did last week; access Blackboard, angryverbs.blogspot.com,
and ask a classmate. Really. This isn’t high school.
6.
Class participation: let's have lots of fun here, but remember that even the
most heated arguments should be in a spirit of good fellowship, with no ad hominem attacks. You are a scholar --
argue like one, with courtesy and generosity. You must talk! The outside
readings are not overwhelming, so take some notes and prepare to make a
significant contribution: one good, original thought -- YOUR THOUGHTS, not Mr.
Cliff's or Mr. Sparks' -- per poem / essay / narrative. No potty-mouth – and don’t piously cite the
First Amendment as a pretext for foul language; the FA is about the freedom to
petition your government and the freedom to assemble peaceably.
7.
Drinks and snacks -- You probably had a long and tiring day before you arrived
in class, so I do not mind a cup of coffee or a SMALL soda, but remember that
this is not McDonald's: no food, please. Please use a bit of paper towel so no
rings are left on the furniture, and at the end of class put all debris away in
the trash cans. Push the chairs back into position. The nice folks who clean up around here are
overworked and underpaid, and deserve everyone's respect for their
contributions to your success. By the way, you do speak to the cleaner-uppers
when you see them in the hallway, don't you?
8.
How much help? When writing papers you may solicit a great deal of assistance from
others with matters of form and proofreading; indeed, I encourage such
collaboration. The thesis and content, however, must be your work alone, and
all quotations and sources must be properly documented. I cannot emphasize too
much what a serious issue this is. An instructor need not resort to plagiarism
programs; a simple string search on any search engine will ferret out a
downloaded paper. Anyone who perpetrates such an offense will suddenly be free
to find his or her true self. Let me translate from Mackinese to plain English
-- if you cheat, I will drop you from the class with an F. I search out all
papers through plagiarism sites, which may result in a slower paper return. I
apologize for any delay that occurs.
New
for this term:
9.
Referring to this class as a basic to be gotten out of the way is impolitic.
Education is a joy in itself, a rare privilege enjoyed by very few people in
history, and even the most tiresome prerequisite is never a basic or something
to be gotten out of the way. You are now a college student, not a conscript
high school sophomore. Celebrate your intellect. Oh – and please don’t tell me
that you made straight As in high school.
10.
Cell 'phones, recorders, things that stick out of the ear, and other gadgets --
I don't mind if you keep your 'phone on buzz if you are concerned about a sick
child or a situation at least as important. Please take the call discreetly out
of the classroom. DO NOT TALK ON A
TELEPHONE, TEXT, TWEET, TWIT,TYPE, OR MANIPULATE ANY KIND OF CAMERA, RECORDER,
OR OTHER COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE IN THE CLASSROOM AT ANY TIME, not even before or
after class. Telephones may not be on your desk at any time, and all other
electronic gadgets are forbidden at all times. Disconnect from the mother ship
and interact with humans for the duration of the evening. Do not make any
visual or sound recordings at any time without the permission of the entire
class. For those with hearing
difficulties, you are welcome to record me FOR
YOUR OWN STUDY / REVIEW ONLY, WITHOUT EDITING AND WITHOUT PUBLICATION. But be sure you don’t record someone else
without that person’s permission.
11.
A rule I never thought I'd have to make -- no spit cups.
12.
If you flunked English 1301 at a four-year school and are here to make it up,
you are very welcome; however, if you are under the illusion that this is an
easy class requiring nothing more than a cell 'phone, a bottle of water, and
practice in anger management, go away.
13.
I will not respond to emails in which the writer is not identifiable, in which
the email address is childish, or in which the content is not formatted as a
business letter complete with heading, inside address, salutation, body,
complimentary close, and signature, all in block form.
14.
By law I may not talk with a third party – parents, friends, relatives,
others. Regardless of your age, this is
not high school, and if your parents wish to keep up-to-date with your
progress, you must take care of that.
And, really, even if it were not the law, why should it be any other
way? The one exception, per contract,
and state law, is that I will advise the high school counselor of dual-credit
students of any deficiencies. I will not
talk with you on the telephone or by email about some issues – after all, I
can’t possibly know if the person on the other end of the aether is you.
Class
Sequence -- VERY flexible. Indeed, this is so flexible it's a candidate for
Cirque d'Soleil! This is a pattern of a typical (and thus almost mythical)
semester. Use it as a maybe / sort of / this-could-happen
suggestion / guide, remembering always that preparations and instructions for
one class are given during the previous class, and your absence is no excuse:
Week
1: Discussion of expectations. Hand out and discuss syllabus. Hand out and discuss
"Rules for Essay Writing."
Hand out and discuss “Words that Don’t Matter.” Think about a topic for
your research paper. Hand out and discuss, oh, more stuff.
Week
2 (or so): 10 minutes' journal time.
Grammar review item. You will be given a descriptive essay for
study. Read in class in small groups or
solo. We will suffer – um, enjoy - a guided discussion re the essay or excerpts
and author's techniques. Connect to students' own experiences. Assign rough
draft of a narrative essay, with time in class to begin. Think some more about
your research paper.
Week
3 (or so): 10 minutes' journal time. Peer review: Circulate rough drafts of
narrative essay in small groups. You will be graded on your possession of a
substantial -- a few scrawls in your notebook won’t do -- rough draft, most of
it computer-generated. Begin writing your research paper.
Week
4 (or so): Narrative essays due at beginning of class. 10 minutes' journal
time. Grammar review item. Introduce and discuss persuasive essay, concepts and
techniques. Assign topics for persuasive essay. Feel guilty because you haven’t
begun your research paper.
Week
5 (or so): 10 minutes' journal time. Grammar review item. Circulate rough
drafts of persuasive essays in small groups for peer review. Panic about your
research paper.
Week
6 (or so): 10 minutes' journal time. Grammar review item. Plunge into
existential denial regarding that research paper.
Week
7 (or so): Persuasive essays due at beginning of class. 10 minutes' journal
time. Grammar review item. Review for mid-term exam. Despair that after tonight
you must now really, really, really begin to write the research paper you
haven’ t even researched.
Week
8 (or so): First Great Celebration of Learning: Mid-term Exam.
Week
9 (or so): 10 minutes' journal time. Grammar review item. Discuss research
papers in MLA format. Topics. Ad lib computer writing lab. Um…research paper?
Week
10 (or so): 10 minutes' journal time. Grammar review item. Ad lib writing
research paper writing with one-on-one instructor consultation. No, I will not
give you a topic for your research paper.
Week
11 (or so): Research papers due at beginning of class. 10 minutes' journal
time. Grammar review item. Introduce and discuss expository essays. Examples.
Computer lab time. Curiously enough, attendance at tonight’s class will be thin
-- must be that virus that’s going around.
Week
12 (or so): 10 minutes' journal time. Grammar review item. Ad lib writing of
expository essays with one-on-one instructor consultation.
Week
13 (or so): Expository essays due at beginning of class. 10 minutes' journal
time. Grammar review item.
Week
14 (or so): 10 minutes' journal time. Grammar review item. Review for final
exam.
Week
15 (or so): Last Great Celebration of Learning: Final Exam.
Standard Grading Policy for the English Department
for All Essays Assigned:
A =
above average. Good organization, exceptional content, no more than one major
error.
A+
= 98, A = 95, A- = 92, A- - = 90
B =
above average. Good organization,
exceptional content, and only one or two major errors.
B+
= 88, B = 85, B - = 82, B - - = 80
C = average. Organization, clear content, no more than 3
major errors.
C+ = 78, C = 75, C - = 72, C - - = 70
D = below average. Either lacks content and/or organization or
has many major errors. More than 5 major
errors drops the grade to an F.
D+ = 68, D = 65, D - = 62, D -
- = 60
F = failing. Shows little or no effort. Contains 6 or more
major errors.
F = 50 and below.
0 - No
Grade. The student did not turn in work,
plagiarized, did not meet a major requirement, or did not write on the assigned
topic.
Please Note: In the case of a
plagiarized essay or research paper, a student will be dismissed from this
course with an F.
Major errors
include the following:
Sentence Structure Errors:
fused, comma splice, fragment and agreement errors: verb agreement errors and
pronoun case agreement
Examples of major errors:
cs–comma splice The boy ran, he fell down.
fr–fragment Crying as he fell on the sidewalk.
frag. error
After he fell; his knee started bleeding.
ro–run on or fused He hurt his knee it
was bleeding.
s/v–subject/verb agreement Everyone laugh at him.
n/p–noun/pronoun agreement No one saw their teachers coming.
Him was laughing at hisself.
verb form Sue set on the chair watching the sun
set.
|
See the chart below for a description of an A, B, C, D,
and F paper.
|
A Paper B Paper
|
C Paper
|
D Paper
|
F Paper
|
|||||
|
Thesis and Development
|
Has a lucid, significant,
perceptive response to the topic, which is fully developed.
|
Has a lucid, significant,
response to the topic, which is fully developed.
|
Has a discernible, controlling
idea or thesis, which responds to the topic; generally developed.
|
Has a discernible, controlling
idea or thesis, which responds, but is underdeveloped or trite.
|
No responsive thesis, or
response is not developed at all.
|
||||
|
Support
|
Concrete, relevant details and
examples.
|
Concrete, relevant details and
examples.
|
Some superficial or trite
generalizations, or facts with little comment.
|
Underdeveloped and trite
generalizations; sketchy or irrelevant facts.
|
Little or no support for
generalizations or merely lists of examples.
|
||||
|
Audience Awareness
|
Structure, supports, and tone
demonstrate consideration of audience and purpose.
|
Awareness evidenced mainly in
either structure and supports or tone.
|
Awareness evidenced only
marginally in appropriate use of structure and support or tone.
|
Awareness slightly evident in
appropriate use of structure and support or tone.
|
Seems to exist for the writer
only.
|
||||
|
Paragraphing and Logical
Progression
|
Coherent paragraphs progress
through necessary, evident stages; includes transitions.
|
Generally coherent paragraphs
progress through necessary, evident stages; includes transitions.
|
Generally coherent paragraphs
that may be unwieldy or confusing; limited or predictable transitions.
|
Little or no attempt at
cohesion; progress is confused or haphazard; little or no use of transitions.
|
Little or no cohesion;
confused and haphazard progression; little or no use of transitions.
|
||||
|
Sentence Structures and Word
Choice
|
Varied sentence structure;
word choice is precise, fresh, and economical.
|
Clear sentences; some
stylistic variation; word choice is precise, if not economical or fresh.
|
Clear but sometimes loose or
basic sentences; word choice is occasionally imprecise and flawed.
|
Little attention to sentence
structure or revision; word choice is often flawed or inadequate.
|
Basic/choppy or
rambling/incoherent sentences; little or no evidence of revision; inadequate
word choice.
|
||||
|
Grammar Errors
|
Absent or so limited as not to
disrupt the essay’s readability in any way.
|
Minimal or so limited as not
to disrupt the essay’s readability in any major way.
|
Occasionally disrupt the
essay’s readability.
|
So pervasive as to disrupt
consistently the essay’s readability.
|
So pervasive as to disrupt
seriously and consistently the essay’s readability.
|
||||
Thanks to Mrs. Alanna Cornes and Mr. Mel Johnson, Angelina
College, for their kind assistance.
Your research paper, which is 25% of your complete grade, is
due:
15 April, NLT beginning of class, for ten bonus points.
22 April, NLT beginning of class.
29 April, NLT beginning of class, for a loss of ten points.
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