Required Text: Steps in Composition (8th ed.), by Lynn Quitman
Troyka and Jerrold
Nudelman
Course Description: This is a college credit class that focuses on the basic skills necessary to read and write
effectively. With respect to this, we will be studying grammar, sentence and
paragraph construction, and the fundamentals of writing an essay. We will accomplish
this through a variety of methods, including but not limited to regular class discussions and exercises, readings, homework
assignments, and short essays. Success in this course will lay the groundwork
for future successes in ENG 098, 099, 101, and 102. By the time you have completed
it, you should be able to write short, focused essays with demonstrated skills in organization, voice, mechanics, content
analysis, and consideration of audience.
Clark
College has identified a number of goals known as “college-wide abilities”
which are meant to be met through the completion of your education here. Completion
of this course will enhance the college-wide abilities of communication and critical thinking.
Policies: Because much of the work of this course will be done in
class, your attendance is important,
and a lack of consistent attendance will reflect on your grade. You are allowed
2 absences without penalty; any absences after that will cause 5% to be deducted from your final grade. Of course, should any emergency arise, I will be happy to work with you.
However, it is your responsibility to be in touch with me about such emergencies—either in class if you know
something is coming up soon, or via email if it’s a sudden development. If
neither of these is possible, leave me a note in my departmental mailbox. Do not wait until the end of the term to take care
of such business.
On a similar note, it is important for everyone’s sanity that you get your assignments to me on time. Reading
and written assignments are due on the day noted in the syllabus, unless we discuss specific changes in class. Late assignments will lose one letter grade, or ten percent, for every class they are late. Again, I will work with you should an emergency arise. If
the situation warrants an extension, I will issue you a post-it or an email with an agreed-upon date for the assignment in
question. The post-it or email must be attached to the assignment when you turn
it in. Do not abuse this privilege; it is to be used sparingly and not habitually.
Please note that it is the policy of Clark
College not to allow its students to turn in work that is not their own. This is called plagiarism,
and involves the uncredited use of any work that is not your own or common knowledge.
Plagiarism is a serious offense and could result in a minimum penalty of failure of the course.
Assignments and Grading:
For every week in which there is an essay assigned
to read, on Tuesday a handwritten paragraph
will be due in response to one of the paragraph prompts at the end of the chapter. These
paragraphs will serve as models for you and the class during discussions of the readings and of writing skills.
Two 2-page essays will be assigned in the second half of the term. These will be typed and double-spaced formal essays on given topics or as developments of the weekly paragraph
assignment, and will demonstrate your understanding of the concepts we’ve discussed in class. You may revise your choice of these essays for your final paper.
I will assign regular homework, which will include but not be limited to worksheets and summaries.
There will be a number of in-class individual and group activities over the term, which will require you to be up to date on your readings
and assignments.
These assignments will
determine your final grade according to the following proportions:
Paragraphs—30%
Essays—30%
Homework—15%
In Class—15%
Participation—10%
Please note that
should you feel you need a greater amount of individual attention than I can give you in a classroom setting, there are services
available for you at the college tutoring center. Also, should you need reasonable
accommodation for a disability of any sort, please let me know as early as possible into the term.
