English 101: Freshman Composition

Course Information: Engl_101_Axtell_Summer18_Hybrid-1.pdf

*Every student must read the course syllabus*

Course Schedule: 101_SummerSched_2018.pdf

Meet Your Instructor: Professor Christina Axtell

Course Description: 

Welcome to English 101, a course designed to provide an introduction to the types of writing expected of students at the college level. In order to help you develop a technique for the kinds of writing you will be expected to produce throughout your college career, we will focus on the writing process throughout the course, from preliminary thoughts, to drafts, to final revisions. You will also be given a variety of writing opportunities: in class essays, out of class essays, and informal journal assignments. In addition, we will be reading and discussing the writings of both professionals and of your fellow students in order to improve your critical thinking skills.

Required Texts and Materials:

• Eschholz, Paul, Alfred Rosa, and Virginia Clark, editors. Language Awareness: Readings for College Writers. 12 ed. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2016.
• EasyWriter, with online access code, packaged with Language Awareness.
• Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis.
• Access to a reliable computer with internet access (Computer problems are not valid excuses for missing assignments.)
• Two large bluebooks (examination booklets available in the bookstore)

Assignments and Requirements:

Attendance Policy:

In accordance with the college drop policy, students who do not access the class web site or submit the “first assignments” by the due date may be dropped as a no show. Students who fail to turn in three consecutive weekly assignments and or participate in three consecutive discussion boards may be dropped from the class for “excessive absence.” However, it is ultimately students’ responsibility to drop the class officially and avoid a letter grade based on their performance.

No Show Drop:

In this course, you must complete the following activities by Sunday, 06/24 or you will be dropped as a “No Show”:

1. Attend the first class meeting on Wednesday, 06/20 at 4:30 p.m. in D-109.
2. Post a new thread by Friday, 06/23 on Discussion Board Week #1: Introductions, following directions described in the thread, and respond to at least two students.
3. Complete the Syllabus Quiz.

Excessive Absence Drop:

A student may be dropped from the course for any of the following attendance issues:

1. Three consecutive Discussion Board posts are not submitted. 
2. More than one mandatory class meeting is missed.

Absence Policy:

As a hybrid course, most of our class time will be spent online. However, you are required to attend four mandatory class meetings. Missing a class meeting will result in a 100-point deduction from the final course grade (one-letter drop). Arriving late (up to 20 minutes) will result in a 25-point deduction. Anything after 20 minutes will be considered a full absence.

• Reading Assignments: This course requires weekly reading assignments, most of which will be discussed in discussion board posts and reviewed on quizzes.
• Writing Assignments: You will write several formal writing assignments, including, three formal essays, a research project (Essay 4), and two in-class essay exams, this semester. I will provide clear instructions for each assignment. All formal writing assignments must be typed and written in MLA format: 1 inch margins, 12-point Times New Roman font, and double-spaced (see handout).
• Quizzes: Throughout the semester, you will take weekly quizzes based on the week’s activities and readings. Quizzes are mandatory assignments and cannot be made-up or submitted late.   
• Learning Center: You may visit the Learning Center for tutoring sessions with an instructor or to complete specific Directed Learning Activities (DLAs) for extra credit. You can find the Learning Center assignment sheet with course materials. The Learning Center (located on the third floor of the D building) is open Monday - Saturday.  
• Extra Credit: You can use up to 30 extra credit points to raise an already passing grade (>70%). Extra credit cannot be used to pass the class.

Communication:

The primary sources of communication in this course will be through the discussion board and by email. Please be sure to have a current working email address in your Canvas profile.

• Personal Issues:

For questions regarding personal issues, such as a grade on a specific assignment, please communicate with me via email. Emails must include our class and section number (English 101 50720), your name and the subject, in the subject line. I will respond to emails within 24 hours between Monday and Friday. Emails received after 4 p.m. on Friday will be answered on Monday.

•  Class Questions
  

For questions about specific assignments, the course, or Canvas, please refer to our “Frequently Asked Questions.” If an answer to your question cannot be found, please post a question on our discussion board. Students are encouraged to post answers to each other’s questions. I will check the board at least once each day (Monday-Thursday) to post answers during the school week.

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Students will be able to read critically for literal and implied meaning, identify main ideas, organizational strategies and authors’ writing strategies as well as summarize, paraphrase, and analyze written works.
• Students will use the writing process to write, in proper MLA format, academic essays, including a documented research paper, using appropriately chosen details, organizational strategies, more complex sentence variety, and sufficiently correct grammar, punctuation, effective word choice, and style.
• Students will evaluate and ethically use primary and secondary sources to avoid plagiarism and will use the library’s resources, including online databases, to locate appropriate academic source material.