English Composition 1
Course Outline and Policies
Please read this page carefully.
Instructor
Randy Rambo
Office: A-313
Phone: (815) 224-0338
E-mail: Randy_Rambo@ivcc.edu
Instructor's Home Page: http://www.ivcc.edu/rambo
Office Hours
Monday and Wednesday: 9:00-10:45 a.m., 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Thursday: 6:00-6:30 p.m. (at Princeton High School)
Friday: 9:00-10:45 a.m.
(and by appointment)
Textbook
There is no textbook for the course. All reading assignments are available online.
Course Description
English Composition 1 allows the student to study and apply rhetorical principles of writing in developing effective sentences, paragraphs, and essays, with particular emphasis on writing expository prose about short fiction and non-fiction prose. Students' essays will be based upon their readings of a variety of texts on various topics. Students must successfully complete IVCC's writing placement exam or ENG 0900 to enroll in English Composition 1. (Students taking this course from a college other than IVCC must meet the minimum requirements of their college for enrollment in the course.)
Course Content
The course content of English Composition 1 Online includes the following:
- Analysis and response to a variety of texts
- Peer response to student essays
- Self-assessment
- Study of the Essay form (audience and purpose, thesis statement and topic sentences, rhetorical strategies and methods of development, transitions and logical progression of ideas, style and voice, etc.)
- Review of grammar, punctuation, syntax, and mechanics
- Revision and editing strategies
- Introduction to the concept of research
Expected Student Outcomes
Upon successful completion of English Composition 1 Online, students will be able to
- Read a variety of texts with understanding and appreciation;
- Understand invention as a part of the writing process;
- Organize and develop ideas effectively and logically in essays;
- Develop effective, logical, and well-supported arguments;
- Understand and use a variety of rhetorical methods for developing ideas;
- Maintain a consistent and appropriate viewpoint, tone, and voice;
- Strengthen essays through the revision process;
- Write essays free from common stylistic weaknesses;
- Write essays free from excessive errors;
- Use word-processing software as a writing tool; and
- Understand documentation and plagiarism.
Assignments
Course work for students in English Composition 1 Online includes
- Reading assignments: selected web pages and student essays;
- Essay assignments: a total of seven essay assignments (at least 800 words each), including an ungraded diagnostic essay written near the beginning of the course and two final revisions re-submitted near the end of the semester. The essays written for the course will be analytical, interpretive, and persuasive, with various texts as the subjects, including a painting or photograph and a short story. The course does not include creative writing (the writing of poems and short stories, for instance) and does not include the writing of personal narratives;
- Peer evaluations of student essays;
- Interactive writing assignments (discussions in our discussion forum);
- Exercises over grammar and punctuation, style, and other aspects of writing; and
- A final exam comprised primarily of the same type of material covered by the exercises, including grammar and punctuation, style, and other aspects of writing.
The essay assignments are the major assignments for the course and make up 70% of the final course grade:
- One diagnostic essay of at least 600 words submitted near the beginning of the course (this essay is required and will be evaluated, with feedback to help you with your other essays, but the essay does not receive a grade)
- Four essays of at least 800 words each
- Two revisions from the four essays above, submitted as the final project for the course (these are revised versions of two essays that have been previously evaluated and graded)
Evaluation
Writing assignments will be evaluated and graded according to the grading standards in IVCC's Style Book. Additional assessment criteria will be given for specific assignments. For example, students are expected to follow the conventions of MLA citation and documentation for papers requiring documentation. Any additional assessment criteria for assignments will be clarified when assignments are given. For revised papers, consideration will be given to the extent and quality of revision (possible reorganization, further development and support of ideas, the elimination of errors, etc.).
Final course grades will be determined as follows:
10% = Essay 1
10% = Essay 2
15% = Essay 3
15% = Essay 4
10% = Revision 1
10% = Revision 2
20% = Miscellaneous assignments (exercises, discussion assignments, peer critiques)
10% = Final Exam
Course work that is not submitted or that is significantly below the minimum requirement for the assignment will receive a "0," not an "F."
At the end of the semester, final course grades will be calculated using the following scale: 90-100% = A, 80-89% = B, 70-79% = C, 60-69% = D, 0-50% = F.
General Policies
Students in English Composition 1 Online are expected to
- Complete all reading and writing assignments. Failure to complete reading and writing assignments may result in a substantial reduction in the final course grade. The following policy applies to all essays: A draft of at least 600 words will be due at the time of peer critiques. If a student does not have a draft of the required length posted by the due date, one letter grade may be deducted from the revised draft of the paper. Revised drafts must be submitted on the due date; late papers will not be accepted.
- Be active participants in the class. Active and meaningful student participation is expected, so ask questions, offer comments and suggestions, share your thoughts, make a meaningful contribution to the exchange of ideas.
- Demonstrate a genuine desire to learn and to succeed in the course. A positive attitude can take you far, so be willing to work: read and reread the texts carefully, take pride in your class work, and please see me if you need additional help. You probably need this course for the credit, but try to work hard both to gain the credit and to gain knowledge and better writing skills. Also, be aware that free tutoring is available to help you succeed in the course.
- Maintain a positive cyber-environment for the class. Students are expected to help maintain a constructive and positive learning environment for the class, which includes following all Netiquette guidelines. Any student who communicates with other students or the instructor in a harassing, threatening, or offensive way may be withdrawn from the course.
Note that all assignments are due on the due dates and times given for them. Late assignments are not accepted and may receive the grade of "0." However, the instructor can approve a late submission of an essay if an emergency or some other legitimate situation arises that prevents a student from turning in an essay when it is due. Make sure to talk to the instructor as soon as possible if this situation comes up.
Attendance Policy
While there is no conventional attendance policy for this course, completion of assignments and the level of interaction that students demonstrate will be the primary measures of student involvement in the course. If illness, an emergency, or some other situation prevents you from completing assignments, please contact me as soon as possible.
Important! A student who does not log in to the class discussion forum or does not complete assignments for more than a 14-day period may be withdrawn from the course without warning.
Please note that withdrawal from a course can affect financial aid. Students who receive financial aid should see an advisor in the Financial Aid Office before withdrawing from the course or before a lack of involvement in the course leads to being withdrawn by the instructor.
Academic Accommodations
If you need support or assistance because of a disability, you may be eligible for academic accommodations through IVCC's Special Populations Office. Visit office B-204 or call (815) 224-0284 for more information.
Technology, Possible Problems, and Poor Excuses
This course relies heavily on technology, and we may run into some problems with the technology during the semester. I understand and will make accommodations if you, or we, have computer problems, but I also know that some students may take advantage of real or imagined computer problems as excuses for not completing assignments.
If you have computer problems that prevent you from submitting assignments on time, please contact me as soon as possible about the situation. If you cannot contact me via e-mail, you should give me a telephone call at (815) 224-0338 to explain the situation. Just leave a message if I am not available to take your call.
Keep in mind that you have access to college computers and can use them to complete assignments for the course. If you are taking this course from a distance, you should be able to use computers at your local college to work on assignments. You should also be able to use the computers at your local public library.
Contact me promptly about computer problems that prevent you from completing assignments on time.
Plagiarism and Cheating
Plagiarism is the use of another person’s ideas, information, or exact words in your own writing without properly acknowledging your source in accordance with a standard system of documentation. In writing classes, plagiarism most often occurs when students use someone's else work and submit it as their own.
Make sure that all of the work you contribute to the class is your own. A student discovered submitting work that is not his or her own may receive a failing grade in the course, and the student's name and a description of the incident will be reported to IVCC's Office of Academic Affairs. The Office of Academic Affairs will keep a file of these submissions. According to IVCC's "Student Code of Conduct," "when a student has been identified as committing an act of academic dishonesty twice [in any courses], the [Vice President of Academic Affairs] and [Vice President of Student Services] will conduct an investigation, which may include a formal hearing, and will recommend or impose appropriate discipline."
You can probably find free essays on the Internet that would satisfy the requirements for each of the essay assignments in this course. I can find them as well. Do not copy an essay from the Internet, or from anywhere else, and submit it as your own: the result will be a failing grade in the course and a report of academic dishonesty to the college's Office of Academic Affairs.
Help from the Instructor
It's my job to help you succeed in the course, so please don't hesitate to contact me if you would like additional assistance. I can be contacted by telephone at (815) 224-0338 and by e-mail at Randy_Rambo@ivcc.edu.