.

COURSE NAME: Composition I

COURSE NUMBER: English 1301

HOURS : Lecture 3

SEMESTER CREDIT HOURS : 3

PREREQUISITES : THEA complete

COURSE DESCRIPTION : English 1301 is a course emphasizing the principles of effective writing. The course addresses both the structure and form of writing and involves reading as a basis for a series of essays that constitute the basis of the course. Writing is the focus of the course, so reading assignments, both professionally-written and student-written, are supplementary. Students will study writing as a process, and writing assignments will be completed using the four modes of discourse: narration, description, exposition, and argument. Technology will be used in the development and completion of satisfactory essays.

TEXTBOOK (S) :

Skwire, Sarah E. and David Skwire. Writing with a Thesis: A Rhetoric and Reader . 9th ed. Boston : Thomson Wadsworth , 2005.

Harris, Muriel. Prentice Hall Reference Guide to Grammar and Usage . 6 th ed. Upper Saddle River , New Jersey : Prentice Hall , 2003.

PURPOSE AND GOALS OF THE COURSE : The primary objective of English 1301 is to develop and improve writing skills. Towards this end, students will be instructed in the processes of writing and revising sentences, paragraphs, and essays that are unified and coherent. The essays include both exposition and argument.

COURSE GRADING : Students in English 1301 will write a minimum of 3,500 words of material to be graded by the instructor. This requirement includes 5-6 essays of 500-750 words representing the modes of narration, description, exposition, and argument. A few shorter paragraph-length assignments may also be included in the total. At least 70% of the course grade is based on essay grades and at least 20% is based on daily work, which may include short responses to readings, topics/outlines submitted for essays, revising rough drafts, correcting graded drafts, etc.

Grades will be assigned as follows:

A=90-100

B=80-89

C=70-79

D=60-69

F=0-59

The Panola College English Department adheres to Panola College 's recommended Minimum Grading Standards for English 1301.

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION : Lecture and discussion (for traditional classes), web-based instructional units and discussion through online discussion boards (for internet classes), writing workshops in computer labs (including multiple drafts of essays), peer evaluation, reading assignments.

PERFORMANCE/LEARNING OBJECTIVES :

1. Students will perform each stage of the process of writing: prewriting, writing, and revision.

2. Students will demonstrate the importance of each step by following these processes to produce unified, coherent essays.

3. In the prewriting stage of the process, students will generate a topic and organize their ideas around the topic.

4. Students will demonstrate the importance of addressing audience and purpose in each essay by identifying the potential audience for the essay.

5. Students will write a clear, concise thesis sentence for each essay and, where applicable, will write coherent topic sentences for the essay.

6. Students will produce a rough draft of an assigned length based on a topic approved by the instructor.

8. Students will identify needed revisions in organization and sentence mechanics in rough drafts.

9. Students will write 3,500 words of graded material in 5-6 essays of 500-750 words each and will achieve a grade of at least 70% or C on each essay. These essays will include the four modes of discourse: narration, description, exposition (comparison/contrast, process, definition, cause/effect, etc.), and argument.

10. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the importance of avoiding plagiarism.

11. Students will write at a competence level consistent with Panola College 's Minimum Grading Standards for English 1301 .

12. Students will use technological tools to complete assignments.

METHODS OF EVALUATION :

1. For each of the modes of discourse, students will submit a writing topic to be approved by the instructor, or choose a topic from a list offered by the instructor.
2. Students will submit a thesis sentence and topic sentences as required by the instructor for each essay to be approved by the instructor.
3. For assignments that require an outline, students will submit the appropriate outline for each essay.
4. Students will submit a rough draft of each essay to the instructor (written in or out of class according to the instructor's requirements on each particular assignment).
5. Students will participate in in-class peer evaluation and in conferences with the instructor in order to identify necessary revisions to rough drafts.
6. Students will submit a final draft of each essay, written and edited in Microsoft Word, to be graded by the instructor using the Minimum Grading Standards adopted by the English Department at Panola College .
7. Students will submit essays to the anti-plagiarism web service www.turnitin.com as required by the instructor.
8. Students will pass a test (or tests) with a score of at least 70% over selected topics related to grammar, punctuation, and sentence mechanics.

If any student in this class has special classroom or testing needs because of a physical, learning, or emotional condition, please contact ADA Counselor in the Administration Building , telephone 903-693-1123.

Withdrawing from a course is the student's responsibility. If you do not withdraw yourself, you will very likely receive an F if you do not attend class.

Revised:Fall 2006