Dr. Mark Jordan ~ ENGL 1301: Composition & Rhetoric

Course Syllabus

General Course Description

In the Odessa College Catalog of Courses, ENGL 1301 is described as follows:

"Consists of essentials of correctness and effectiveness in writing skills.  Emphasizes reading and writing expository prose.  Requires expository essays and collateral readings.  Prerequisite:  ENGL 0370 passed with a 'C' or better or a satisfactory placement score."

The fundamental purpose of this course will not change at all because of the Web-based delivery method. As with my traditional sections of 1301, the specific goal of this course is to teach effective writing skills, but on a broader level, its goal is to teach critical thinking, a crucial key to problem-solving in every field. Both skills are increasingly important in today's rapidly changing world. You will also get valuable experience in networked computer discourse and other skills essential to use of the World Wide Web and the Internet. The major part of your grade, however, will be taken from formal pieces of writing. You will do from four to six of these, most of which will follow the traditional essay format, while some may not. They will all teach elements of classical rhetoric.

SPECIAL NEEDS:  Odessa College complies with Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.  If you have any special needs or issues pertaining to your access to and participation in this or any other class at Odessa College, please feel free to contact me to discuss your concerns.  You may also call the Office of Disability Services at 335-6861 to request assistance and accommodations.

On the Assignments page you will find a table of specific assignments, such as essay topics, and their due dates.

Required Textbook, Equipment, and Supplies

• Textbook:  No textbook is required for this course.  My website is the textbook.  However, those who are weak in regards to sentence-level grammar may wish to purchase a grammar handbook.  The standard handbook offered by the OC bookstore, or its equivalent, is satisfactory.  There are also various online grammatical aids which the student may consider.
• Equipment:  Every student must have the minimum equipment needed for this course, and must be familiar with that equipment:  Daily extended access to a computer with Internet connection, web browser, email capability, file attaching capability, and word processing capability.
• Supplies:  Few supplies are needed; the most important is a USB drive or some alternative means of backing up important files such as essays, etc.

Learning Outcomes

• Learn to write thesis driven essays, with clear internal organization governed by a series of controlled paragraph topic sentences;
• Learn to move logically in a body paragraph from the generalization of the topic sentence to more specific clarifications;
• Learn to understand and appropriately apply modes of expression in written communication;
• Learn to maintain a logical movement through an essay with control of transitions, clarifications, and reasonable conclusions to ideas;
• Learn to analyze an audience to determine the best strategies for effectively communicating with that audience;
•  Demonstrate an understanding of some basic research techniques and how to use library resources; 
• Demonstrate a knowledge of research documentation including quotation integration, proper citation, and some knowledge of bibliographic form;
• Demonstrate competence in using conventional English; and 
• Articulate ideas in well-organized, lucid prose that exhibits the application of the aforementioned skills.

Method of Evaluation

The grade levels I use apply in slightly different ways to both individual assignments and course grades. In the Odessa College grading system pertaining to overall course grades for this and most courses, the standard range is A ~ B ~ C ~ D ~ F, as shown below. See the Student Handbook for information on such unusual grades as "Incomplete" and others. In computing GPAs, Odessa College uses a four-point system as also shown below:

90-100 = A = 4.0 gradepoints

80- 89 = B = 3.0 gradepoints

70- 79 = C = 2.0 gradepoints (the lowest transferable course grade)

60- 69 = D = 1.0 gradepoints (a passing course grade, but usually not accepted by most colleges and universities to which you might wish to transfer)

Below 60 = F = zero gradepoints

In my evaluation of individual assignments, I use a similar range as shown above from "A" to "F," where "A" = 95, "F" = 55, and so forth. Additionally, a grade of A, B, C, or D may be shown with a minus (-) or a plus(+) with the minus equaling a "2" and the plus an "8". For example, a "B+" on an assignment equals 88 points; a "B" equals 85 points; a "B-" equals 82 points. The A, C, and D ranges work the same way. I also on some occasions may give the following grades:

Below 55 = F- (may be given when an assignment is turned in but in such a condition that even the most generous evaluation cannot justify giving even 50 out of 100 possible points; used rarely. The actual point value may range anywhere from 10 to 50 points, at my discretion.)

Zero = No points (when an assignment is not turned in at all).

Course Requirements

• Several major, multi-paragraph pieces of writing (60% of course grade; exact percentages depend on number of essays written).  Students will usually write five major essays prior to the final exam, which is an in-class essay.  All are to be written using the Three-Part Writing Format as taught in class.  Essays run in length from a minimum of 1000 words (about three pages, double-spaced) to a minimum of 1250 words, with greater development (detailed examples, etc.) resulting in higher grades, all else being equal.  Essays also focus on various different writing modes and/or writing purposes; additionally, at least one essay asks the student to learn and demonstrate basic research and documentation techniques.  Instructions for each essay are given in writing.
• Error logs consist of sentence-by-sentence correction of grammatical errors I mark in your formal essays. I prefer to focus on grammar in this way, rather than using tests or exercises. Specific instructions on how to do these error logs can be found in the Errorlogs web link. These error logs, when combined with other minor assignments (e.g., peer critiques, partial drafts, etc.), will count 10% of your course grade.  Note:  During short terms, if Discussion Boards are not used, this element counts 20% of the course grade.
• Various minor reading and/or writing assignments (10% of the course grade when combined with Error Logs).  Typical such assignments are quizzes, partial essay drafts, peer critiques, etc.
• Class participation will count 10% of your course grade. This will be judged on several factors chosen to reflect not only quantity of participation but quality as well. Criteria may include such factors as number of days participating, number of messages sent, amount of pertinent questions asked, amount of topics or persuasive points introduced in discussion, and general imaginativeness and focus demonstrated.  Note:  this element  may not apply during summer term classes.
• The final exam will also be an essay similar to the previous ones, and counting 20% of your course grade. At my discretion, I may choose to permit students to do final exam essays at home, like the other essays, or on the other hand students may be required to take an on-campus, timed final just as my traditional 1301 students do. For students living at a distance, this requirement, if necessary, can be handled by arrangement with the student's own college testing center or other similar secure testing environment.

Course Policies

1. This course is not self-paced.  Although as with any web course, students have the freedom to work the course when their own schedule best allows, the boundaries to this freedom are the due dates for various minor assignments, tests, and essays.
2. Work submitted late for any reason may be penalized five points per weekday (or in shorter terms, ten points per weekday).  Any exceptions are entirely at my discretion.  Normally, no extension will be granted if the request is made after the assignment deadline has already passed, but must be requested no later than the day the assignment is due. 
3. Major work (excluding the final exam) submitted over one week past the due date will normally receive no higher than an F (or lower, if incomplete).  Daily work normally earns a zero after one week past the due date.  No work is taken after semester's end.  Any exceptions in any case are at my sole discretion.
4. All assignments must be submitted in the required file format (normally Rich Text) via Blackboard. 
5. Any student missing the final exam normally receives a zero for the final exam grade.  Depending on the student's grade average, this will often result in failure of the entire course.
6. Plagiarism in any form is not allowed.  For a discussion of various forms of plagiarism, intentional and unintentional, please see the Plagiarism link, which is from my 1302 website but the information of which applies equally well to this course.  The penalty for  flagrant, intentional plagiarism is an F for the course.  If I suspect a student of plagiarizing, if necessary I will insist that the student meet with me personally and defend his or her claim of authorship of the paper in question.  In the case of a student taking the course at a significant distance from Odessa College, I will require that student to arrange a telephone meeting, proctored by some authority who can ensure the student is actually the individual enrolled in the course.