2009 ENGLISH PROGRAM GUIDE
JOHNSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter I: Program Overview
Chapter II: ENGL 102 – Writing Strategies
Chapter III: ENGL 106 – Introduction to Writing
Chapter IV: ENGL 121 – Composition I
Sample Syllabus Using the
Default Textbook
(Additional Sample Syllabus, see Appendix III)
Chapter V:
ENGL 122 –
Composition II
Sample Syllabus Using the Default Textbook
Sample Syllabus Using Writing from Readings & Ideas Across
Time
Chapter VI: A Nuts & Bolts Guide to Teaching at JCCC
Chapter VII: Technology at JCCC
Chapter VIII:
Program
Resources
Learning Strategies
Program (web link)
Writing Center (Information on)
Chapter IX: Support Services for Instructors.
Appendix I: Notes from the Faculty
Appendix II: Diagnostic, Permission-to-Use & other Department Information
Appendix III: Additional Composition I Sample Syllabuses
English Program Mission Statement
The mission of the English Program is to teach effective communication, with an emphasis on improved writing, reading, verbal, and interpretive skills; to encourage critical thinking and information seeking from both primary and secondary sources (including online); to promote a broadened world view through the study of literature; and to foster collaborative learning and the use of computers as resource. In fostering these skills and attitudes, the program fulfills the four aims of general education: development of a point of view, acquisition of essential knowledge, adherence to important principles, and development of skills or competencies.
Preface
Welcome to the Division of English & Journalism, which also includes the Global English Institute (formerly EAP) and Learning Strategies programs. It is helpful to remember that “English Department” or “English Program” are the short-hand terms used by those of us who teach writing and literature. “ENGL” is the abbreviation used in the Catalog of Courses and the Course Schedule to designate both writing and literature courses.
The English Program Guide is designed to familiarize you with the overall structure of the program as well as to help orient you to the department mission and its objectives. The English Program Guide focuses primarily on the department’s required writing courses, including full descriptions, objectives and requirements, and how each course fits into the overall writing sequence. Additionally, this Guide includes information on the Writing Center as well as links to Learning Strategies and EAP course information.
Finally, it is helpful to know that our program is administered by Dean Andy Anderson, who oversees our budgets and teaching schedules, and who manages personnel, hires adjunct faculty, and represents the department in college-wide administration concerns.
English Department Homepage
http://www.jccc.edu/home/depts.php/1104
Note: To provide the most up-to-date information, most of the index links on the left take you directly to the responsible source or department. Some of the links require an Acrobat Reader. Click here to download one, if necessary.
Chapter I
In this chapter . . .
Student Placement in Courses
Overview of Composition Sequence
State Guidelines and the Design of Composition Classes
JCCC’s English Program attempts to combine vision with pragmatism. We are committed to helping students gain critical reasoning skills and an appreciation not just for writing, but for knowledge itself. At the same time, we take seriously our mission of ensuring that students who take the required writing courses are fully prepared for the writing, research, and reading skills demanded in other college courses as well as in the workplace. Here is our current standard writing course sequence, descriptions of which will follow:
-
English 102: Writing Strategies
-
English 106: Introduction to Writing
-
English 121: Composition I
-
English 122: Composition II
-
English 123: Technical Writing
The program’s focus on writing as a process, its attempt to give students exposure to both narrative and expository writing, and its insistence that students learn to write error-free prose, points to its sense of purpose within the wider academic and professional communities that it serves.
To help the program fulfill its mission, our Writing Center serves a vital function. Recognized as one of the best in the nation, it supports all JCCC students, regardless of their courses or degree programs. Staffed with a full-time director as well as instructors and trained student tutors, the Writing Center offers students free, individualized instruction and assistance with any course which requires writing and reading. Students may use computerized software or they may choose to work one-on-one with a tutor. Writing instructors are strongly encouraged to arrange a Writing Center orientation for their students in the first weeks of the semester, and they are encouraged to keep their assignments on file with Writing Center staff so that the staff can better assist students needing help.
Student Placement in English Courses--Testing Center Services
Students applying at Johnson County Community College begin with assessment and counseling. Those planning to enroll must take the Compass Test (which serves as a placement tool for both English and math courses), or they must either submit current ACT or SAT scores or present transcripts for college-level English course work they have completed elsewhere. Based on one or more of these measures, students are placed in the appropriate level writing course, based on their degree or certificate plan.
All first-level English courses have the prerequisite of a test score. If students have taken a college-entrance test, either ACT or SAT, they may be placed in Composition I if they have at least a 19 on the English portion of the ACT or at least a 460 on the SAT verbal. Native speakers of English who do not have appropriate scores on the college entrance exams take the COMPASS English skills course and place in Composition I if they achieve a score of at least 75. Lower scores place them either in English 102 or English 106.
Non-native speakers of English take the COMPASS ESL test, which determines placement either in one of the four levels of English for Academic Purposes (EAP), or, for scores of 96 and above, in Composition I.
Student Placement--Writing Course Placement Procedures
Each year, the college’s institutional research unit validates the English placement standards; consequently, writing instructors should feel confident that their students can be successful in their courses. Nonetheless, English instructors should assess their students’ writing skills in the first week of class to ensure that they are indeed appropriately placed. A diagnostic essay or paragraph is the most popular approach that instructors use to assess students. If possible, assigning two diagnostics will give a more accurate assessment.
If the student’s diagnostic writings indicate that a higher level course is advisable, the instructor may want to ask colleagues in the department for a second opinion. At that point, if a higher level course seems appropriate, the instructor consults with the Assistant Dean before advising the student.
If the student’s diagnostic writing indicates that a lower level course is advisable, the instructor and Assistant Dean can only advise a reassignment. In legal terms, if a student’s entrance assessment score indicates placement in a specific course, then that student may take that course. Nonetheless, many students will want to succeed, and given appropriate counseling on how to withdraw and add a different course, they will most likely take the instructor’s advice seriously. The program office will facilitate the add/drop process for such a student.
Occasionally, non-native speakers are incorrectly directed to take the English skills test rather than the ESL test and as a result may be incorrectly placed in English 106 or English 121. That is one of the reasons for giving a diagnostic writing assignment at the very beginning of the semester. Students who demonstrate that they lack the language proficiency to succeed in the course in which they have been placed, should be so advised, and should be immediately directed to the assistant dean and the counselors to have the enrollment problem corrected
Overview of Writing Course Sequence
Many JCCC students begin with English 106, a three-credit-hour developmental writing course which does not count towards a college degree. As with the other developmental writing courses, English 106 familiarizes students with the formal vocabulary of academic language instruction, including grammatical terms and concepts such as “topic sentence”, “thesis”, and “independent clause.” The course includes an introduction to the basic structure of English grammar, intensive work with sentence building, writing paragraphs and short essays, and developing critical reading skills. As with all of the department’s writing courses, English 106 stresses both the connection between critical reading and writing, and writing as a process.
A smaller number of JCCC students begin the required writing sequence with either a course or courses from the EAP curriculum (see page 102) or—if they are a native speaker of English--with ENGL 102, Writing Strategies. ENGL 102 is designed to help students learn basic sentence patterns, grammar and paragraph development, the course primarily adopts a workshop format to meet a wide range of student needs.
Unlike English 102 or 106, English 121 counts towards degree fulfillment at JCCC. The course focuses on writing nonfiction prose, and students ideally become proficient in all phases of the writing process, from invention through proofreading. English 121 seeks to help students make sense of the knowledge they gain from their other courses and from their own experiences, via writing and reading. Equally important is helping students understand and apply the principles of the rhetorical triangle: audience, context and purpose.
After passing English 121, many degree-seeking students are required to take a second writing course: English 122 (Composition II), or English 123 (Technical Writing). English 122 is required for students seeking an Associate of Arts degree. Students pursuing an Associate of Science degree or an Associate of Applied Science degree have the option of taking either English 122 or English 123.
English 122 continues to help students hone their skills with critical reading, as well as with expository and narrative writing, but it focuses primarily on teaching students how to synthesize information from various sources and how to analyze and evaluate information. The course teaches students to become competent researchers, using print and electronic sources to write persuasive and argumentative prose.
English 123 also incorporates skills that students learn in English 122, but it focuses primarily on business, technical, and professional writing, including how to write memos, letters, emails, and reports, as well as how to produce instructional manuals, web pages, and computer-generated graphics.
State and College Guidelines and How They Apply in the Design of Each Writing Course
While instructors are encouraged to teach to their strengths and to tailor their curriculum to fit student needs from semester to semester, each course offered at JCCC also must conform to standards and objectives that have been approved by the JCCC Education Affairs Committee and by the Board of Regents. All syllabi must contain certain information, and the Course Objectives and Course Descriptions portions of the syllabus cannot be altered, as these components have been state approved. In each chapter of the Program Guide, instructors will find each course’s official Course Outline—the document that has been officially approved by the state and which guarantees that the course is transferable and accredited. Much of the material which appears on any given Course Outline must also be included on the instructor’s syllabus. For all instructors new to the program, we ask that they read carefully each Course Outline, and that they turn to the appendix of this English Program Guide to see additional syllabi templates for required writing courses. Instructions in each chapter explain further what an instructor may and may not alter on any given course syllabus.
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Chapter II
In this chapter . . .
Description of the Course within the Sequence
Educational Objectives
Course Outline
Typical Assignments
Instructional Preview
Sample Syllabus
Writing Strategies is a three-credit-hour developmental writing course. It is the first course in the sequence of JCCC’s developmental writing courses and does not count for degree requirements. Writing Strategies is designed for students who lack basic sentence writing skills. The course focuses on grammar, sentence patterns, sentence writing, and basic paragraph development. A required workbook provides students with practice and application of the grammatical terms and concepts taught in class. Second language students will, as a rule, not be in ENGL 102; non-native speakers are, instead, placed in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses that focus on language issues specific to second language speakers. Like ENGL 102, students completing the upper level EAP courses will move into ENGL 106 Introduction to Writing.
Educational Objectives
Students in Writing Strategies will learn sentence writing to help them communicate meaning and self expression through writing. They will become competent in the mechanics of writing and use of varied sentence patterns and apply these skills to write effective sentences. Students will gain extensive practice in writing sentences to help them begin to gain competence in communicating through writing. As they master sentence level writing, the students will progress into basic paragraph development.
Course Outline
JOHNSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Course Outline
Liberal Arts Division
English 102 Writing Strategies
DIVISION: Liberal Arts COURSE LAST REVISED: Fall 1999
COURSE TITLE:
Writing Strategies
COURSE NUMBER:
ENGL 102
CREDIT HOURS: 3
PREREQUISITES AND/OR COREQUISITES: None
REQUIRED
TEXTBOOK:
Brannan, Robert. A Writer's Workshop: Crafting Sentences, Building
Paragraphs. 1st ed. MCG.
SUPPLIES: (Varies by instructor)
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course assists the student in developing strategies for sentence writing. Furthermore, the course is designed to meet a variety of learning styles, levels, and needs. Students will develop strategies for self-monitoring errors in written products. Students are taught strategies for writing a variety of sentence formats. Students have extensive practice in writing sentences as a means of implementing new information. As each objective is mastered, students move to the next. The goal of Writing Strategies is to assure that students who successfully complete the course have learned all of the basic structures of the English sentence and have acquired the ability to apply those skills in writing.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
After successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:
1. Identify sentence types and their purposes
2. Identify sentence formats
3. Recognize and label the eight basic parts of speech
4. Identify subjects in a sentence
5. Identify verbs and verb phrases
6. Identify independent clauses
7. Identify dependent clauses
8. Identify and construct simple sentences with single and compound subjects as well as with single and compound verbs
9. Identify and construct compound sentences in which the clauses are separated with a comma and coordinating conjunction
10. Identify and construct compound sentences in which the clauses are separated with a semicolon
11. Identify and construct compound sentences in which the clauses are separated with conjunctive adverbs
12. Identify and construct complete sentences with the comma used after introductory adverb clauses
13. Identify and construct various patterns of compound-complex sentences
14. Identify and correct any error in written expression
15. Compose a variety of sentence structures
16. Apply editing and proofreading strategies to correct major sentence level errors
17. Write sentences which provide information, create an image, or clarify a problem
CONTENT OUTLINE AND COMPETENCIES:
Students completing this course will be able to:
I.
Identify the following five basic sentence formats and their significance
in sentence
writing
(Pre-sentence strategy):
A. Subject-verb
B. Subject-verb-direct object
C. Subject-verb-indirect object-direct object
D. Subject-verb-predicate nominative
E. Subject-verb-predicate adjective
II. Identify the following four sentence types:
A. Declarative
B. Imperative
C. Exclamatory
D. Interrogative
III. Identify the following eight basic parts of speech and recognize their functions and places in sentence formation:
A. Nouns
1. Common
2. Proper
3. Concrete
4. Abstract
B. Pronouns
1. Personal
a. Pronoun-antecedent agreement
b. Pronoun case: Nominative, objective, possessive
2. Reflexive
3. Intensive
4. Demonstrative
5. Relative
6. Indefinite
7. Reciprocal
8. Interrogative
C. Verbs
1. Action
2. Linking
3. Auxiliary
D. Adjectives
E. Adverbs
F. Conjunctions
1. Coordinating
2. Subordinating
3. Adverbial
G. Prepositions
H. Interjections
IV. Identify by labeling the following functions of nouns and noun substitutes in a variety of sentence formats:
A. Subjects
B. Direct objects
C. Indirect objects
D. Predicate nominatives
V. Identify by labeling the following various forms of verbs and verbals and their functions in a variety of sentence constructions:
A. Verbs
B. Verbals
1. Gerunds—function as nouns
2. Participles—function as adjectives
3. Infinitive phrases—function as nouns
VI.
Explain the functions of verbs and verb phrases in the following sentence
constructions:
A. Main
1. Action
2. Linking
B. Auxiliary—tense formation
1. Simple tenses—present, past, future
2. Progressive—present progressive, past progressive, future progressive
3. Perfect tenses—present perfect, past perfect, future perfect
4. Perfect progressive tenses—present perfect progressive, past perfect progressive, future perfect progressive
VII. Construct simple sentences following each of the following five formats (Sentence Strategy):
A. Single subject—single action verb
B. Compound subjects—single action verb
C. Compound subjects—compound action verb
D. Single and compound subjects—single and compound verbs—single and compound direct objects
E. Single and compound subjects—single and compound verbs—single and compound indirect objects—single and compound direct objects
F. Single and compound subjects—single and compound verbs—single and compound predicate nominatives
G. Single and compound subjects—single and compound verbs—single and compound predicate adjectives
VIII. Construct compound sentences using combinations of the following five sentence formats:
A. Identify and construct compound sentences in which the independent clauses are separated with a comma and coordinating conjunction
B. Identify and construct compound sentences in which the clauses are separated with a semicolon
C. Identify and construct compound sentences in which the clauses are separated with conjunctive adverbs
IX. Construct complex sentence using the following combinations of all five sentence formats:
A. Identify and construct complex sentences using a variety of subordinating conjunctions
B. Identify and construct complex sentences using noun clauses in various positions and punctuated correctly
C. Identify and construct complex sentences using introductory adverb clauses punctuated with the comma
D. Identify and construct complex sentences using adverb clauses in other positions within the main clause
E. Identify and construct various patterns of compound-complex sentences
F. Identify and correct any errors in written expression in printed or computerized activities
METHODS OF EVALUATION:
I. Activities
A. Objective tests will be administered routinely to assess the student’s mastery of the new skill or objective introduced in class. (30%)
B. Short quizzes will be administered as a means of assessing the comprehension of specific objectives in class. (30%)
C. Homework as a means of practicing the new skills learned in class is a required aspect of this class. (20%)
D. Class participation is essential. (20%)
II. Grading:
All work, including class participation, is graded on a point system and computed into percentages. The final grade is based in part on the percentage of total points earned at the semester’s end, as well as on the student’s demonstration of a steady increase in ability to write clear, concise, well-constructed sentences.
A A grade of “A” in this course indicates the student has mastered the tools of sentence construction, understands the rules of grammar and has demonstrated the ability to construct sound, grammatically correct sentences.
B A grade of “B” in this course indicates the student has gained a good functional knowledge of the tools of sentence construction, understands the rules of grammar and has demonstrated an ability to develop well constructed, grammatically correct sentences.
C A grade of “C” in this course indicates that the student has done a credible job of understanding the rules of grammar and has demonstrated an ability to write grammatically correct sentences.
D A grade of “D” in this course indicates that the student has not successfully grasped the concepts of English grammar and sentence construction, but has gained some knowledge of sentence writing.
F A grade of “F” in this course indicates that the student has not successfully understood the concepts of English grammar or of sentence construction.
|
A = 90 – 100% B = 80 – 89% C = 70 – 79% |
D = 60 – 69% F = 0 – 59% |
Typical Assignments
Instructors give a diagnostic activity the first day of class to determine what skills each student lacks in sentence writing. The Writing Center also offers a computerized assessment. It is recommended that Writing Strategies students take this assessment and provide the instructor with a copy of the results. Non-native students are unlikely to be enrolled in the Writing Strategies class. If instructors encounter second language students, they should contact the program administrator for help in finding out whether the student should be in the EAP counterpart to Writing Strategies. Teachers should emphasize that changing to an EAP class is not a demotion; it is a lateral move into a course designed to address non-native speaker/writer issues.
The Writing Strategies workbook provides practice and application of the concepts taught in class, but it will be necessary to provide students with class activities and homework assignments that give them more practice in sentence writing than what the workbook provides. Each class period and homework assignment should include practice in sentence writing that applies the grammar concepts taught in class.
A typical assignment may include the following:
Assignment: Subordinate clauses
Review the subordinate clause introductory activity done in class.
Read the section on subordinate clauses in your workbook.
Do the practices for that section.
Write 10 sentences of your own using subordinate clauses.
Edit your sentences.
Underline the subordinate clauses in your sentences.
Reminder: Use the Writing Center!
Requiring students to keep their sentence writing assignments and assessments in a folder for the duration of the course gives them an opportunity to see their writing progress. Having students revise and edit their sentence writing assignments introduces them to revision and editing which will be required in the next developmental course, Introduction to Writing.
Instructional Preview—What to Expect
A typical classroom may include returning adults, students with hearing impairments, students with disabilities, and traditional students. Since the introduction of the EAP program, the number of non-native speakers enrolling in 102 has dropped; however, a few may appear in the course from time to time. The students’ writing skills will vary, and the instructor will need to adapt the pedagogy to meet students’ need. In general, Writing Strategies students are eager to improve their writing skills, but some may exhibit behaviors typical of developmental students, such as absences, late work, and excuses. Setting clear course requirements and expectations at the beginning of the course will help foster student accountability and success. The students may have jobs and family obligations that take priority over their homework assignment. It will be important to be empathetic, but stay consistent with requirements and expectations. Emphasize that attendance and homework assignments are necessary to help them improve their writing and for successful completion of the course.
Instructors must be prepared to provide classroom instruction that explains, clarifies, and gives numerous examples of the grammatical terms and writing concepts listed in the course objectives. Because developmental students usually lack knowledge of learning strategies, requiring them to take notes on study cards or notebook paper will foster active involvement during the class period.
Using classroom assessment techniques will give developmental students immediate feedback on their understanding of the writing concepts explained in class. The Office of Staff and Organizational Development (GEB 240) has classroom assessment technique (CAT) resources in the form of handouts available to JCCC instructors.
Many developmental writing students also lack collaborative experience that will be needed for future writing courses. Including small group classroom activities that encourage collaboration in writing sentences and peer editing can help to provide these students with that experience, even though developmental writing students can be hesitant to participate in small groups and have others view their work. Encouragement by the instructor and making the activity non-threatening will be important.
To further assist Writing Strategies students, the Academic Achievement Center offers one-credit-hour courses in spelling and vocabulary improvement. The Writing Center offers one-credit-hour courses which can be taken in conjunction with Writing Strategies.
Sample Syllabus
What follows is a sample syllabus for English 102. It offers a common approach to the course, its curriculum and its content. Although much of what appears here is legislated by the state and policies set forward in the faculty handbook and on the Course Outline included in this chapter, the English 102 syllabus can support a broad range of pedagogical teaching philosophies when determining how students will meet course objectives as defined and approved by the state. This sample is intended to be a starting place; it is not meant to be absolutely prescriptive. For more examples, instructors are encouraged to consult their colleagues’ syllabi stored in the large black 3-ring notebooks in the Program Office.
Sample Syllabus
JOHNSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Course Syllabus
Writing Strategies
ENGL 102
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:
Name: Mailbox: CC 221, Box 80
Campus Telephone: Office:
E-mail: Office Hours:
COURSE INFORMATION:
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: None
Textbook: see bookstore.
Supplies: Students will need to purchase a three-ring notebook with dividers and a spiral notebook.
Caveats: None
Description:
Writing Strategies is a course designed to help students learn sentence boundaries and manipulate the basic phrase and clause units of a sentence in order to clearly express meaning. As students master sentence types and become competent in the mechanics of writing—grammar, punctuation and spelling—they will progress to paragraph writing. Writing Strategies prepares students for the next composition course in the English department’s curriculum sequence, Introduction to Writing.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
After successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:
1. Identify sentence types and their purposes.
2. Identify sentence formats.
3. Recognize and label the eight basic parts of speech.
4. Identify subjects in a sentence.
5. Identify verbs and verb phrases.
6. Identify independent clauses.
7. Identify dependent clauses.
8. Identify and construct simple sentences with single and compound subjects as well as with single and compound verbs.
9. Identify and construct compound sentences in which the clauses are separated with a comma and coordinating conjunction.
10. Identify and construct compound sentences in which the clauses are separated with a semicolon.
11. Identify and construct compound sentences in which the clauses are separated with conjunctive adverbs.
12. Identify and construct complete sentences with the comma used after introductory adverb clauses.
13. Identify and construct various patterns of compound-complex sentences.
14. Identify and correct any error in written expression.
15. Compose a variety of sentence structures.
16. Apply editing and proofreading strategies to correct major sentence level errors.
17. Write sentences which provide information, create an image or clarify a problem.
18. Construct unified and coherent paragraphs.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1. The Plan – The course consists of direct instruction and individualized practice.
2. Participation – Regular class attendance is expected and necessary for successful completion of the course. Any absence will cause you to fall far behind and seriously damage your grade.
3. Late Work – Although much of the class is self-paced, some paper deadlines will be imposed to make sure students maintain consistent progress. Failure to meet these deadlines will mean that no grade for the work can be given although the work must be checked prior to completion of the course. Excessive lateness may cause course failure.
4. Student Access – If you are a student with a disability, and if you will be requesting accommodations, it is your responsibility to contact Access Services. Access Services will recommend any appropriate accommodations to your professor and his/her director. The professor and director will identify for you which accommodations will be arranged.
JCCC provides a range of services to allow persons with disabilities to participate in educational programs and activities. If you desire services, contact Access Services, 202 Student Center, or by telephone at (913) 469-8500, ext. 3521, or (913) 469-3885 TDD.
EVALUATION:
You must have 90% mastery on each workbook exercise before moving to the following unit or activity. For paragraphs, you must have 60% mastery in order to move to the next writing assignment.
Grading:
Workbook 100 points 100-90% = A
Quizzes and Daily Work 100 points 89-80% = B
Journals 30 points 79-70% = C
Four Sentence Tests 120 points 69-60% = D
Final Exam 100 points Below 60% = F
TOTAL 450 points
TOPICAL OUTLINE:
I. Pre-Sentence Strategy
A. Identification of nouns used as subjects
B. Comprehension of verb functions
C. Differentiation of verbs and verbals
II. Sentence Strategy
A. Simple sentences
1. Identification of independent clauses as simple sentences
2. Conversion of fragments to simple sentences
3. Differentiation of sentence fragments and simple sentences
4. Generation of four types of simple sentences
a. Single subject and single verb
b. Compound subject and single verb
c. Single subject and compound verb
d. Compound subject and compound verb
B. Compound sentences
1. Identification of compound sentences
2. Differentiation of simple and compound sentences
3. Generation of compound sentences with appropriate punctuation
C. Complex sentences
1. Comprehension of concept of dependent clause
2. Comprehension of concept of complex sentence
3. Identification of complex sentences
4. Differentiation of simple, compound and complex sentences
5. Generation of two types of complex sentences with appropriate punctuation
D. Compound-complex sentences
1. Comprehension of concept of multiple independent clauses plus dependent clauses forming compound-complex sentences
2. Identification of compound-complex sentences
3. Differentiation of simple, compound, complex and compound-complex sentences
4. Generation of compound-complex sentences with appropriate punctuation
TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE:
Note: Assignments and due dates may vary from this schedule. Changes will be announced in advance of the due dates for assignments when possible. Chapter readings are to be completed prior to the class meeting on the day scheduled.
DATE SUBJECT
Week #1 Introduction to the course, the instructor and the class
Sentence pretest
What is language?
Week #2 Sentence types and purposes
Declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamatory
Parts of speech – overview
Nouns
Week #3 Pronouns
Adjectives and adverbs
Verbs
Week #4 Sentence formats
s/v
s/v/do
s/v/io/do
s/lv/pa
s/lv/pn
Week #5 The simple sentence
Simple subjects and verbs
Action verbs
Linking verbs
Helping verbs
Week #6 Compound subjects and compound verbs
Finding the real subject
Week #7 Avoiding sentence fragments
Sentence fragments
Lack of subject
Lack of verbs or incomplete verbs
Lack of subject and verbs
Week #8 The simple tenses
The perfect tenses
Progressive forms
Week #9 Verb tenses – incorrect tense shifts
Correct tense shifts for logical sequence
Week #10 Mood and fixed form helping verbs
Week #11 Verbals
Gerunds
Participles
Participial phrases
Infinitives
Infinitive phrases
Split infinitives
Week #12 Subject-verb agreement
Singular subject
Collective
Indefinite
Plural subject
Indefinite
Collective
Exceptions
Week #13 Four sentence patterns
Simple
Compound
Complex
Compound-complex
Coordination
Coordinating conjunctions
Conjunctive (adverbial) conjunctions
Semi-colons
Common conjunction/coordination errors
Run-on sentences
Comma splices
Week #14 Subordination
Subordinating conjunctions
Relative pronouns
Restrictive
Nonrestrictive
Modifiers
Misplaced modifier
Dangling modifier
Parallelism
Week #15-18 Putting it all together
Revising, editing and proofreading
Final class session: See the “Final Exam and/or Last Class Session” schedule.
(back to index)
Chapter III
ENGL 106 – INTRODUCTION TO WRITING
In this chapter . . .
Description of the Course within the Sequence
Educational Objectives
Course Outline
Instructional Preview
Sample Syllabus
Description of the Course within the Sequence
English 106 is a developmental writing course which does not fulfill degree requirements. Students test into English 106, and the course is partly designed to prepare them for English 121. Focusing on a review of basic grammar and punctuation, English 106 also introduces students to all stages of the writing process, with particular attention given to invention techniques and multiple-stage drafting. Students concentrate at first on shorter writing assignments, particularly on how to write paragraphs with clear topic sentences. They balance those writings with longer, multi-paragraph writing projects.
Educational Objectives
Along with preparing students to take English 121, English 106 attempts to foster students’ confidence in writing. A process-based approach is crucial to building that confidence, as it allows students ample opportunity to experiment with and practice various writing strategies to discover which work best for them. Students study professional and student authors’ essays and paragraphs to find ideas and models, and in working with their peers, they refine their reading, critiquing and revising skills. By semester’s end, English 106 students ideally have gained proficiency with writing, they have become familiar with the basic vocabulary of composition, and most importantly, they have discovered that writing is an essential communication tool and can be pleasurable.
Course Outline
Johnson County Community College
Course Outline
English & Journalism Division
ENGL 106 Introduction to Writing
DIVISION: English & Journalism Division COURSE LAST REVISED: Fall 2006
COURSE TITLE: Introduction to Writing
COURSE NUMBER: ENGL 106
CREDIT HOURS: 3
PREREQUISITES: English 102 or appropriate test scores
REQUIRED
TEXTBOOK:
Brannan,
Robert. A Writer's Workshop: Crafting Paragraphs, Building Essays.
3rd ed. New
York: MCG, 2010.
Handbook: Lunsford,
Andrea. EasyWriter: A Pocket Reference. 3rd ed.
Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006. (Optional for all
except instructors during their first three semesters.)
SUPPLIES: (Varies by instructor)
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Beginning with a review of basic sentence skills, this course focuses on paragraph development, including subject selection, topic sentences, methods of development, transitional devices, and effective introductions and conclusions. The last part of the course will focus on developing multi-paragraph essays.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of this course students should be able to:
1. Work effectively in groups to develop and refine their writing
2. Use all stages of the writing process to develop and refine their writing
3. Construct and manipulate effective sentences
4. Focus, organize, develop, and revise paragraphs
5. Focus, organize, develop, and revise short essays
6. Demonstrate proficiency with skills necessary to enter Composition I
CONTENT OUTLINE & COMPETENCIES:
I. Work effectively in groups to develop and refine their writing
A. Follow oral and written instructions
B. Participate in group discussions
C. Critique group members’ writing
D. Apply to their own writing critical feedback from group members
II. Use all stages of the writing process to develop and refine their writing.
A. Demonstrate skill with several prewriting methods
1. Create clusters
2. Freewrite
3. List
4. Answer journalist’s questions
B. Learn how to focus and organize effectively
1. Create topic sentences
2. Create thesis sentences
3. Devise forecasting statement
4. Apply transitions and other devices for linking sentences and paragraphs
5. Use global arrangement strategies: chronological, order of importance, spatial, classification, comparison/contrast
C. Develop paragraphs and essays with effective examples
1. Recognize the difference between general and specific examples and how to apply them appropriately
2. Recognize the difference between abstract and concrete examples and apply them appropriately
3. Develop some facility with patterns of development: description, narration, illustration, comparison/contrast, process analysis, definition, classification, cause/effect
D. Revise writing for content, organization, and expression
1. Recognize weaknesses in material and demonstrate ability to add, delete, or rearrange material as required to correct the weaknesses
2. Recognize and correct flaws in organization on the essay, paragraph, and sentence levels (ranging from an overall essay pattern such as comparison/contrast through cohesive devices such as thesis and topic sentences to sentence-level connectors such as transitional words and synonyms)
3. Recognize and correct flaws in expression on the word and sentence level (ranging from precise word choice to variety in sentence structure)
E. Revise writing for standard matters of mechanical correctness
1. Recognize and correct writing for errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation
2. Perform to the departmental standard as set forth in the English Program Guide on the majority of evaluated paragraph and essay assignments (no more than seven major errors per essay; no more than three major errors per paragraph)
III. Construct and manipulate effective sentences
A. Develop ability to recognize and construct the four grammatical sentence types
B. Identify and use the four functional sentence types
C. Recognize and manipulate the fundamental units of the sentence; phrase and clause
IV. Focus, organize, develop, and revise paragraphs
A. Determine purpose of paragraph and write for a specific audience
B. Construct effective topic sentences
C. Create unified and coherent paragraphs
D. Expand paragraphs using several of the patterns of development
E. Develop ability to recognize and achieve a degree of sentence variety
V. Focus, organize, develop, and revise short essays
A. Determine purpose of essay and write for a specific audience
B. Recognize and write effective introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs
C. Select and use an appropriate overall organizational pattern for the essay
D. Select and use effective organizational pattern for the paragraphs
E. Link paragraphs successfully
VI. Demonstrate proficiency with skills necessary to enter Composition I
A. Write at least one essay that achieves a grade of “C” or better
B. Demonstrate a good command of the mechanics of writing (adhering to the departmental standard established in the Major and Minor Errors Checklist)
METHODS OF EVALUATION OF COMPETENCIES:
2-4 essays 30%-40%
2-7 paragraphs 30%-40%
Prewriting, quizzes, homework, in-class group work 20%-40%
_____________
TOTAL 100%
FINAL GRADES
A 90%-100% D 60%-69.9%
B 80%-89.9% F under 60%
C 70%-79.9%
Instructional Preview—What to Expect
The English 106 class is composed of an extraordinarily diverse range of students: returning and traditional, motivated and not, some enthusiastic, some anxious, some with reliable transportation, others without it, some with computers at home, some without, native speakers, and English as a Second Language students. The one reliable assumption that English 106 instructors can make about their English 106 classes is that they will be diverse.
The chief reward in working with developmental writers is that instructors will see remarkable improvement in their students’ writing and their confidence levels over the semester. English 106 courses ideally offer students a space where they can work through ideas both in writing and orally, where they can “screw up” and not be unduly punished for their attempts, where they gain consistent and understandable instruction in grammar and mechanics—instruction that many of them have either never had previously, or which has never made sense to them. The more writing an instructor can integrate into each class period, the better the students tend to be. “Hands on” workshops and in-class writing varies the pace and keeps students motivated.
Also fundamental to achieving success in an English 106 classroom is helping students gain trust in their peers and in the instructor. Students learn to write best when they establish that trust and can rely on the instructor and fellow students to offer them substantive feedback and suggestions. Learning the students’ names as quickly as possible, writing personal responses when grading their paragraphs and essays, offering ample opportunity for group discussions on topics that interest and motivate them, as well as fostering a collaborative writing environment, will do much to help developmental writers gain writing fluency.
Up to 33% of new JCCC students will be enrolled in a pre-college writing course. Hence, the EAP curriculum, English 102 and English 106 are designed to help students who plan to attend college achieve the basic skills necessary for higher-level thinking, writing, and reading. Teaching English 106 with this objective in mind will help the students gain an understanding of the program’s expectations for college-level writers. Therefore, it is essential for instructors to remember that their standards and evaluation methods should focus on each student’s ultimate fitness to succeed at the C level or above in English 121. Passing English 106 students who will not be capable of passing English 121 does the student and the English 121 instructor alike a disservice.
To help English 106 students meet the goals and expectations outlined in the Course Outline, instructors are encouraged to draw on numerous college resources, including Writing Center tutors and self-paced one-credit-hour courses; the Academic Achievement Center, as well as EAP opportunities described at more length later in this Program Guide.
Sample Syllabus
What follows is a sample syllabus for English 106. It offers a common approach to the course, its curriculum and its content. Although much of what appears here is legislated by the state and policies set forward in the faculty handbook and on the Course Outline included in this chapter, the English 106 syllabus can support a broad range of pedagogical teaching philosophies when determining how students will meet course objectives as defined and approved by the state. This sample is intended to be a starting place; it is not meant to be absolutely prescriptive. For more examples, instructors are encouraged to consult their colleagues’ syllabi stored in the large black 3-ring notebooks in the Program Office.
Sample Syllabus
JOHNSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Course Syllabus
Introduction to Writing
ENGL 106
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:
Name: Mailbox: CC 221, Box 80
Campus Telephone: Office:
E-Mail: Office Hours:
COURSE INFORMATION:
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: ENGL 102 or an appropriate test score
Textbooks: Brannan, Bob. A Writer’s Workshop. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 2010.
Lunsford, Andrea A. Easy Writer: A Pocket Reference. 3rd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006.
Supplies: Standard writing supplies (pens/pencils and writing paper) and a three-ring notebook. A current dictionary and thesaurus would be helpful resources.
Caveats: When setting goals for this course, the successful student will attend class consistently, prepare assignments on time, and contribute to discussion and group work.
Description: Beginning with a review of basic sentence skills, this course focuses on paragraph
development, including subject selection, topic sentences, methods of development,
transitional devices, and effective introductions and conclusions.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of this course students should be able to:
1. Work effectively in groups to develop and refine their writing
2. Use all stages of the writing process to develop and refine their writing
3. Construct and manipulate effective sentences
4. Organize, develop, and revise paragraphs
5. Organize, develop, and revise short essays
6. Demonstrate proficiency with skills necessary to enter Composition I
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1. Papers - Write at least 7 major evaluated paragraph and essay assignments.
2. The writing process - Students will develop their papers by using prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing. Collaborative writing, peer critiquing workshops, and writing exercises will also be significant parts of the writing process.
3. Preparation of papers - Type or word process and double-space all final out-of-class drafts. Each paper will include a heading with the student’s name, instructor’s name, course, section number, and date. Also, indicate the type of assignment (i.e., Remembered Event, Process Analysis). Number your pages.
4. Late work - Present all work in class, in person, and on time, except in cases of emergency. If you anticipate a special problem getting an assignment in on time, speak to the instructor before the due date. Otherwise, 10% will be deducted for each class session the paper is late. A paper more than one week late will receive no more than 50% of the points possible.
5. Attendance - Discussion and group work cannot be made up. Students earn daily grades for class discussions, quizzes, and in-class writings. So, make your job as a student easier: come to class. Remember, more than 4 absences (unless for a medical emergency) may lower your grade for the course.
6. Plagiarism - Misrepresenting another's work as your own is a serious offense and will result in failure for an assignment or perhaps even the course (see Student Code of Conduct).
7. Mechanical revisions - After I return your major assignments, I will expect you to correct all mechanical errors (and make occasional sentence or paragraph revisions) within one week.
8. Student Access - If you are a student with a disability, and if you will be requesting accommodations, it is your responsibility to contact the Access Services (http://www.jccc.edu/home/depts.php/5111) on the third floor of the Student Center. They will recommend appropriate accommodations to me and my Director, and you will be notified when the accommodations are arranged.
EVALUATION:
Major Assignments:
3 Paragraphs (200 - 250 words) @ 75 points each = 225 points
4 Essays (500 - 600 words) @ 100 points each = 400 points
Subtotal = 625 points
Additional Work:
12 Drafts @ 5 points each = 60 points
25 (approx.) homework assignments @ 3 points each = 75 points
6 Journal grades @ 10 points each = 60 points
2 Quizzes @ 15 points each = 30 points
6 Modules @ 5 points each = 30 points
30 Class-participation grades @ 4 points each = 120 points
Subtotal = 375 points
Total Possible = 1,000 points
Grading Scale:
A = 1000 - 900 points C = 799 - 700 points F = 599 - 0 points
B = 899 - 800 points D = 699 - 600 points
Please note that a significant part of the grade in this course is based on work other than your major papers. To earn a superior grade, you should attend class conscientiously and complete all class work.
WRITING CENTER:
The Writing Center in LIB 308 offers free tutoring. The tutors will not proofread papers for grammar and spelling errors, but they will help you with a variety of issues such as audience awareness, organization, development of ideas, and creativity. If you have grammar and spelling questions, the tutors are happy to help in those areas as well. The Writing Center also offers computer software to help with grammar. You may bring in your work at any time during the writing process. No appointment is necessary. The Grammar Hotline phone number is 469-4413.
Note: The Writing Center offers several one-credit-hour courses that can be particularly helpful to non-native speakers and students having special difficulty with elements of composition, including mechanics (grammar, spelling, and punctuation). These courses can be taken concurrently with English 106. If you feel you would benefit from this additional instruction, ask your professor for further details.
CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR:
Our philosophy is mutual respect for each other and for the instruction presented in each class meeting. Please be considerate of your fellow students and your professor by avoiding social chatter and any other activity that might detract from the learning environment.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Note: Assignments and due dates may vary from this schedule, but I will announce changes in advance when possible.
Note: Page numbers refer to A Writer’s Workshop (AWW) unless designated EW (EasyWriter).
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Week 1 |
Chapter 1: Introduce the writing process. Work students through prewriting methods. Have students write a diagnostic paragraph. Evaluate diagnostic writing samples and adjust curriculum to the needs of the students. Chapter 2: (optional) Introduce the reading process.
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Week 2 |
Chapter 3: Introduce the paragraph. Assign selected portions of Chapter 3 to help students with paragraph structure and development. Chapter 5: Begin the first major assignment chapter—description (you can easily link student diagnostic writing from Chapter 1 to Chapter 5, and you might allow students who wrote a descriptive paragraph as a diagnostic paper to revise and build on it for their Chapter 5 assignment). Assign activities, journal entries, and student models as needed. Use the Annotated Student Model to illustrate revision efforts. Chapter 4: Revise the first draft of descriptive paragraphs, using the First-Stage Draft Questions for Descriptive Paragraphs. Chapter 20: Begin working with basic sentence grammar and punctuation.
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Week 3 |
Chapter 5: Use the Annotated Student Model to illustrate revision efforts. Chapter 4: Revise the second draft of the descriptive paragraph, using the Second-Stage Draft Questions for All Patterns of Development. Edit second drafts, using the Editing Review and Editing Problems for All Patterns of Development. Review Proofreading. Chapter 20: Continue working with sentence parts and punctuation. Chapter 22: Begin working with run-ons, comma splices, and fragments. Chapter 26: Begin working with comma errors (the Big Three). Paper #1: Description (paragraph) is due (eighth class session). Chapter 6: Begin second major assignment chapter—narration (as alternatives or additions to Chapter 6, you will find two full narrative assignment chapters included as Appendixes 3 and 4 of this instructor’s manual). Assign activities, journal entries, and student models as needed.
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Week 4 |
Chapter 6: Continue Chapter 6, assigning activities, journal entries, and student models as needed. Use the Annotated Student Model to illustrate revision efforts. Chapter 4: Revise the first draft of the narrative paragraph, using First-Stage Draft Questions for Narrative Paragraphs. Chapter 20: Continue working with basic sentence grammar and punctuation. Chapter 22: Finish working with run-ons, comma splices, and fragments. Chapter 26: Continue working with comma errors (the Big Three).
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Week 5
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Chapter 20: Finish sentence parts and punctuation (review periodically). Quiz students over A Writer’s Basic Sentence Grammar (optional). Chapter 21: Review coordination and subordination, introduced in Chapter 20. Chapter 26: Continue working with comma errors (the Big Three). Chapter 4: Revise the second draft of the narrative paragraph, using the Second-Stage Draft Questions for All Patterns of Development. Edit second drafts, using the Editing Review and Editing Problems for All Patterns of Development. Review Proofreading. Paper #2: Narration (paragraph) is due (fifteenth class session). Chapter 7: Begin third major assignment chapter—illustration. Assign activities, journal entries, and student models as needed.
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Week 6
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Chapter 26: Continue working with comma errors (secondary categories). Chapter 3: Review Developing Body Paragraphs and Creating Coherence. Chapter 7: Continue Chapter 7, assigning activities, journal entries, and student models as needed. Use the Annotated Student Model to illustrate revision efforts. Chapter 4: Revise the first draft of the illustration paragraph, using First-Stage Draft Questions for Expository Paragraphs. Chapter 23: Review verb form and agreement as needed (introduced in Chapter 20).
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Week 7
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Chapter 26: Work with other punctuation and mechanics. Chapter 4: Revise the second draft of the illustration paragraph, using the Second-Stage Draft Questions for All Patterns of Development. Edit second drafts, using the Editing Review and Editing Problems for All Patterns of Development. Review Proofreading. Chapter 24: Review pronoun reference, agreement, and form as needed (introduced in Chapter 20). Paper #3: Illustration (paragraph) is due (twenty-first class session). Chapter 9: Begin fourth major assignment chapter—cause and effect. Assign activities, journal entries, and student models as needed.
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Week 8
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Chapter 9: Continue Chapter 9, assigning activities, journal entries, and student models as needed. Use the Annotated Student Model to illustrate revision efforts. Chapter 4: Revise the first draft of the cause/effect paragraph, using First-Stage Draft Questions for Expository Paragraphs. Chapter 25: Review adjectives and adverbs (faulty modification) as needed (introduced in Chapter 20).
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Week 9
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Chapter 4: Revise the second draft of the cause/effect paragraph, using the Second-Stage Draft Questions for All Patterns of Development. Edit the second drafts, using the Editing Review and Editing Problems for All Patterns of Development. Review Proofreading. Chapter 18: Begin working with sentence variety (introduced in Chapter 20). Paper #4 Causes/Effects (paragraph) is due (twenty-seventh class session). Chapter 12: Begin essay unit. Compare paragraphs to essays, recognizing overall form and parts.
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Week 10 |
Chapter 12: Work with thesis sentences, introductions, and conclusions. Review coherence. Chapter 14: Begin fifth major assignment chapter—expanding paragraphs. Review Explaining the Writing Assignment, choose a paragraph to expand (suggested for this syllabus arrangement: either illustration or cause/effect), review expanded paragraph excerpt under Drafting, review key concepts in appropriate paragraph chapter from Unit II, assign student models and questions for essay analysis as needed. Chapter 18: Continue working with sentence variety. Chapter 13: Revise the first draft of the expanded paragraph, using First-Stage Draft Questions.
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Week 11 |
Chapter 13: Revise the second draft of the expanded paragraph, using the Second-Stage Draft Questions. Edit second drafts, using the Editing Review and Common Editing Problems. Review Proofreading. Chapter 18: Continue working with sentence variety. Paper #5: Expanding a Paragraph (essay) is due (thirty-third class session). Chapter 11: Begin sixth major assignment chapter—comparison and contrast. Assign activities, journal entries, and student models as needed. Reiterate that although Chapter 11 treats comparison and contrast as a paragraph assignment, students will be writing an essay and using the essay models in Chapter 14 (and/or Unit VI).
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Week 12 |
Chapter 18: Continue working with sentence variety. Chapter 19: Begin focusing more on effective word choice. Chapter 11: Continue Chapter 11, assigning activities, journal entries, and student models as needed. Use the Annotated Student Model to illustrate revision efforts. Chapter 13: Revise the first draft of the comparison/contrast essay, using First-Stage Draft Questions.
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Week 13 |
Chapter 19: Continue working with effective word choice. Chapter 13: Revise the second draft of the comparison/contrast essay, using the Second-Stage Draft Questions. Edit second drafts, using the Editing Review and Common Editing Problems. Review Proofreading. Paper #6: Comparison/Contrast (essay) is due (thirty-ninth class session). Chapter 15: Begin seventh major assignment chapter—defining ideas. Assign activities, journal entries, and student models as needed. (For additional help with the patterns of development, refer students back to Chapter 1, and you might have them skim the introductions of any pattern chapter from Unit II that you have not covered in class.)
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Week 14 |
Chapter 19: Continue working with effective word choice. Chapter 15: Continue Chapter 15, assigning activities, journal entries, and student models as needed. Use the Annotated Student Model to illustrate revision efforts. Chapter 13: Revise the first draft of the definition essay, using First-Stage Draft Questions. |
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Week 15 |
Chapter 19: Continue working with effective word choice. Chapter 13: Revise the second draft of the definition essay, using the Second-Stage Draft Questions. Edit second drafts, using the Editing Review and Common Editing Problems. Review Proofreading. Paper #7: Definition (essay) is due (forty-fifth class session).
Chapter 17: Begin eighth major assignment—taking essay exams.
Assign activities, journal entries, and student models as needed.
(If you have planned to work with this essay-exam chapter from
earlier in the semester, students may now have gathered one or more
essay questions from their other courses.) |
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Week 16 |
Chapter 17: Continue Chapter 17, assigning activities, journal entries, and student models as needed. Use the Annotated Student Model to illustrate revision efforts. Chapter 13: Revise the essay exam first draft, using First-Stage Draft Questions. (Although this assignment chapter asks students to write their essay-exam response in class, you might encourage students to bring a rough draft before the final exam time to help, especially, with organization and development.) Review important course concepts. |
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Week 17 |
Paper #8: Taking Essay Exams (essay) will be written in class during final. |
Chapter IV
In this chapter . . .
Description of the Course within the Sequence
Educational Objectives
Course Outline
Instructional Preview
Sample Syllabus
Description of the Course within the Sequence
Composition I constitutes the first half of the two-semester, college-transfer composition sequence at JCCC. The course is designed to give students continued practice in making meaning, through writing, for themselves and with their readers. Through varied and regular writing tasks, students increase their fluency and develop confidence in their writing ability as they consider audience, purpose, diction, style, voice, tone, organization, usage, and mechanics—among other things. In particular, students gain more experience in making meaning within the conventions of Standard Edited English, conventions which students are expected to acquire as they begin to write academic discourse. The range of Composition I writing tasks might include journaling, free writing, reflective pieces about the students’ own learning and writing, short papers assigned for various purposes, and several longer essays. Instructors often assign readings that model effective writing, and student texts also become models if students are invited to share their work with their peers in the class. One of the essays takes the form of a research paper, which challenges students to supplement their own knowledge with the knowledge of “experts.” However, most of our students stand on shaky ground in terms of finding and evaluating relevant sources, incorporating those sources into a paper, synthesizing the material in those sources, and citing and documenting the sources according to the dictates of the Modern Language Association. So, Composition I gives students a chance to learn and practice those skills in a supportive environment that allows them to revise and correct until they gain some measure of success.
Educational Objectives
As happens at many schools, the challenge of learning academic discourse has given Composition I its reputation as a course that students often just want to get out of the way. Even though most of our students are certainly literate and certainly skilled at communication in many forms, many of them have had limited exposure to the writing of the academy and may have little confidence in their ability to write for academic purposes, or for any purpose, for that matter.
Fortunately, Composition I gives students ample opportunity to become more confident writers, partly because much of what they write comes from what they know best—their own experiences. The field of composition has come to value more and more the knowledge our students bring with them, and Composition I affords them the opportunity to write about, and perhaps examine and reflect upon, that knowledge and then extend that knowledge with research. Also, largely because composition theory has shown that writing is a process—discursive, developmental, messy, human—grades are not necessarily a “one-shot” deal. Instructors often require, or at least invite, students to write two or more drafts of each paper so the papers can grow and develop as a result of helpful, constructive feedback from the writers’ peers and from the teacher. This combination of both high stake and low stake assignments, in conjunction with promoting writing as a process, helps increase the productivity and fluency of student writers. Composition I is not a gatekeeper; we want our students to succeed so that they can each develop their own theory of what makes writing work and then transfer that theory to other disciplines and situations as they continue to write in college, their chosen careers, and their personal lives.
Course Outline
JOHNSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Course Outline
Liberal Arts Division
ENGL 121 Composition I
DIVISION: English & Journalism Division COURSE LAST REVISED: Fall 2007
COURSE TITLE: Composition I
COURSE NUMBER: ENGL 121
CREDIT HOURS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Introduction to Writing or appropriate test
REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS: (see department for current adoptions)
SUPPLIES: (Varies by instructor)
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Composition I focuses on writing non-fiction prose suitable in its expression and content to both its occasion and its audience. Student will have an opportunity to improve in all phases of the writing process: discovering ideas, gathering information, planning and organizing, drafting, revising, and editing. Each essay written in the course should clearly communicate a central idea or thesis, contain sufficient detail to be lively and convincing, reflect the voice of the writer and use carefully edited standard written English.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
After completing Composition I, the student will be able to:
I Demonstrate mastery over the basic writing process:
A. Begin a writing task by using appropriate methods for discovering ideas and
gathering materials.
B. Decide on a suitable controlling idea and arrangement for the supporting ideas.
C. Write an essay that presents an idea and supports it with sufficient detail to be
convincing and interesting.
D. Make and assist others to make significant revisions in the organization, development of ideas, stylistics, and mechanics of essays using comments from the instructor and/or other students.
II. Read and think critically about texts:
A. Identify and profile an appropriate audience for texts.
B. Identify controlling ideas and organizational patterns in texts.
C. Evaluate the biases and reliability of sources.
CONTENT OUTLINE & COMPETENCIES:
I. The writing process:
A. Begin a writing task by using appropriate methods for discovering ideas and gathering materials:
1. demonstrate proficiency with brainstorming techniques.
2. locate supporting materials and evidence from personal experience as well as field/library research.
B. Decide on a suitable controlling idea and arrangement for the supporting ideas:
1. develop and express a controlling idea for papers of different lengths and rhetorical aims.
2. select a pattern of organization appropriate to the purpose of an essay.
3. demonstrate the ability to write with expressive, informative and persuasive purposes.
C. Write an essay that presents an idea and supports it with sufficient detail to be convincing and interesting:
1. clearly narrate events or state points of analysis that support the essay's main idea.
2. select and effectively integrate appropriate support into a text including quotations, examples, and statistics.
3. account for other viewpoints, including the opinions of people who hold different political, religious, or cultural views.
4. write introductions that effectively introduce the topic to the audience and conclusions that reinforce the writer's point and brings closure to the text.
5. paraphrase and summarize written sources effectively.
6. document outside sources with appropriate in-text and parenthetical citations.
D. Make and assist others to make significant revisions in the organization, development of ideas, stylistics, and mechanics of essays using comments from the instructor and/or other students:
1. demonstrate proficiency in effectively writing and manipulating clauses and phrases in accordance with the conventions of written English.
2. use figurative language and sentence variety to add interest and clarity.
3. develop a written voice with appropriate and varied vocabulary.
4. write paragraphs where ideas progress logically through coherent sentences.
5. write essays with transitions that connect paragraphs and major sections of the text logically.
6. critique the work of peers to assist them in improving the focus, organization, support, clarity, correctness and effectiveness of their essay.
II. Reading and thinking critically about texts.
A. Profile an appropriate audience for texts:
1. identify approximate demographics for an ideal audience.
2. determine if the vocabulary and supporting materials are sufficient and appropriate.
B. Identify controlling ideas and organizational patterns in texts:
1. summarize content effectively.
2. describe the author's intended effect on the reader through the text.
3. identify the organization pattern(s) used in the text to develop ideas.
C. Evaluate the biases and reliability of sources:
1. identify language that reveals a bias.
2. distinguish and identify arguments based in logos, pathos and ethos.
3. locate logical fallacies in texts and in popular culture with guidance.
4. recognize some personal and cultural biases that influence reading.
METHODS OF EVALUATION OF COMPETENCIES:
Evaluation of student mastery of course competencies will be accomplished using the
following methods:
5-7 essays 70-80%
Peer review 5-10%
Prewriting and in-class writing assignments 15-25%
TOTAL 100%
FINAL GRADES
A 90% - 100%
B 80% - 89.9%
C 70% - 79.9%
D 60% - 69.9%
F under 60%
(back to index)
Instructional Preview—What to
Expect
If you were to ask a group of first graders who among them are good writers, all the students would raise their hands. If you asked a group fifth graders, you might see half the students’ hands in the air. The higher the grade, the fewer the hands. If you ask your Composition I students who among them are good writers, you may get only a small number of hands. It’s possible no one will rais