This syllabus is your guide to the course: read it, keep it, follow it, always bring it to class, and refer to it regularly.

Required texts, available in the campus bookstore:

College Writing Skills with Readings, 6th ed., by John Langan, McGraw-Hill.

Other required materials:

  2 folders for your class materials (one for the portfolio to be turned in at midterm and on the last day of class and one for your research work)

  a computer disk to save your work on

  4x6 index cards for notes (optional)

  writing paper (for drafting your papers, informal writing in and out of class, and other tasks)

  a good dictionary

You do not need to own a computer, because you may use campus computers, especially to produce the final versions of your papers (since they must be in typescript). Always keep a copy (electronic or otherwise) of any work you hand in.

Course description: A course designed to provide the technical tools, experiences, and confidence necessary for entry into ENG 101: Composition. Grammar, punctuation, mechanics, sentence structure, paragraph organization, and basic thematic organization will be reviewed. In addition to gaining technical knowledge about language, students in ENG 063 will be given the opportunity to use writing as exploration to discover what they want to say. The course offers help in the Learning Center to assist students in developing their writing skills, and students may be required to do work in the Learning Center. The course is required of students whose Basic Skills Assessment indicates that their chances for success in college would be enhanced by developing their writing skills. Credit for this course does not apply toward a degree or certificate.

Course objective: Upon successful completion of this course, you will have learned the basics of college composition and English grammar. You will learn how to write clear and effective paragraphs, essays, and summaries; organize paragraphs and essays around a main point; and edit and revise your own writing. Your progress will be primarily measured by your writing assignments. Also, you will learn to use the library for research.

Student responsibilities: You are responsible for reading the material for each class and for completing all formal and informal assignments on time (see the following section). Bring College Writing Skills to every class; bring Wait Till Next Year as indicated by the schedule below. At minimum, to pass the course you must submit a final version of the writing portfolio, perform library research out of class, attend regularly, and take the final exam. Also, you will be required to critique each other’s work during the semester and thus to bring copies of some papers to class.

Penalty for late assignments: An assignment measures skills as of its due date; a student who turns an assignment in late gains an unfair advantage in several respects. For each class period that an assignment is late, I will deduct one-half percentage point from your class participation grade (and thus from your overall grade for the course). Missed attendance will not be an excuse, even if you have a good reason for the absence. Just a few instances of lateness will move your grade down a plus or minus, and repeated lateness may put you in danger of falling below a C and having to re-take this course. Moreover, i will not accept any paper more than two weeks after its original due date (except in very special circumstances in which I am notified before the original due date).

Attendance at all class meetings is required. Absences will affect your grade through reduced participation; I keep track of participation on a daily basis. Remember to come prepared to each class: do the reading listed on the schedule and prepare your written work on time. You are responsible for keeping engaged in what happens in class during the period. Keep in mind that two absences equal a full week of class, so any more than two will begin to make a substantial reduction in your participation. This will be true even when you have a good reason for not being present: only in very rare cases will it be possible for you to make up any in-class work.

Grading: Keep in mind that students earn their grades through their work; it is a mistake to think that an instructor “gives” grades. An overall grade of C or better is required for moving on to English 101; however, students who earn only a C should not progress to 101, but instead should take English 093 next, and students finishing at the C+ level should carefully consider taking 093 next, also. Therefore, I strongly recommend that you do not sign up for your next English class without consulting me about your probable final grade in 063. I will determine the course grade according to the following percentages:

            Writing portfolio, mainly the assignments (but with some consideration of informal

               writings): about 70%

            Library and other research assignments: about 10%

            Reading notes and questions, in-class work and participation: about 15%

            Final exam: about 5%

We will discuss the writing portfolio evaluation system in detail during the early weeks of class. All submitted pieces in the portfolio must be typed double-spaced and stapled.

Remember that plagiarism is a serious offense, in which you cheat by presenting something you did not do while claiming it is your work. Plagiarism takes several forms: borrowing the words of others—even just a phrase—without identifying those words with quotation marks (usually, this means copying words from sources), using words or ideas from sources without clearly identifying the sources in your paper (even paraphrasing without citing a source is plagiarism, not just exact copying), or turning in an assignment that has been written by someone else (even a part of it). Getting advice from a tutor or another student is not plagiarism as long as you do not take more or less exact sentences or in some other way fail to write the assignment yourself. We will talk about this later, and we will get into detail about citing sources. But as a rule, ask me if you are ever uncertain about how to use borrowed material. If you plagiarize—and it is entirely up to me to judge whether you have—I have the option not only to fail the assignment but to fail you for the entire course, and for the most serious cases of plagiarism students can be expelled from college.

Learning Center: Early in the semester, you will be introduced to the Learning Center. All students have access to tutoring in the Learning Center for various subjects. You may apply for tutoring on your own, and I may require you to go.

If you are a student with a disability and you believe you will need accommodations for this class, it is your responsibility to contact either Jim Grimord, Director of Learning Services or Chris Scarborough, Learning Disabilities Specialist, and complete a self-disclosure form. To avoid any delay in the receipt of accommodations, you should contact either Mr. Grimord or Mr. Scarborough as soon as possible. Please note that I cannot provide accommodations based upon a disability until I have received an accommodations letter from either of these individuals.

Tentative course schedule: Assignments to be prepared outside class are in bold. The scheduled readings through mid-semester are in College Writing Skills. Any out-of-class exercises will be assigned ahead of time; you do not need to do any activities in the text that i do not specifically assign. I will discuss assignments regularly in class, and there may be additional assignments or other variations to the schedule. Thus, if you miss a class period, you should see me at the next class meeting, or e-mail me or contact one of your classmates.

Final exam: Tuesday, December 19, 12:30-2:25 in the regular room.

You may bring your notes and reading journals to the exam, but not your books.