EN Com II -- Sec. 02
Mid-South Community College
EN 1123: 02 Composition II
Syllabus: Fall/2004
Class day/meeting time: 11:15AM 12:10PM MWF
Instructor: Tom Graves Office Location: SG 117
Office Hours: 12:30 – 5:30 (M), 12:30-2:00 (W)
Phone: 870-733-6831 E-Mail: tgraves@midsouthcc.edu
Course Description: English Comp II continues to develop the student’s writing skills through practice in different kinds of rhetorical development while emphasizing quality and forms of writing. Students learn to research, document, and format papers using MLA documentation. This course utilizes computers and requires keyboarding skills of 20 wpm or better.
Like English 1113, English 1123 is designed to develop critical thinking, reading, and writing skills which are crucial to students’ success in other college courses and in their post-academic careers. The course is based on the assumption that good writing is a process requiring the application of rhetorical principles, not something that automatically happens as the result of inspiration or luck. This process approach encourages students to explore ideas; to shape and order ideas in written form; to revise and refine writing into a finished product -- reflecting freshman level proficiency in language and critical thinking and reading skills. In addition to these requirements, the successful (English Composition II) student should demonstrate analytical and critical thinking skills by doing college-level research and by synthesizing research sources in clear, concise writing that follows in a logical manner a clearly stated thesis.
Course Credit: 3 semester credit hours with a grade of C or higher
Course Prerequisites: A grade of C or higher in EN 1113
Required Texts and Materials:
Reading and Writing in the Academic Community, 2nd edition, by Mary Lynch Kennedy and Hadley M. Smith, Prentice Hall, Keys for Writers: A Brief Handbook (4th edition) By Ann Raimes, Houghton Mifflin Company
3.5" IBM Formatted Diskette
Student Learning Goals for General Education: This course supports the following General Education Outcomes:
1. Communicate effectively in standard, edited American English. (GEO 1)
2. Develop habits, ethics, and interpersonal skills to work effectively and fairly with individuals and teams of people with personal and cultural differences. (GEO 4)
3. Behave professionally by setting goals and priorities, upholding responsibilities, and making reasoned decisions. (GEO 5)
4. Effectively use library and electronic resources to identify, locate, and access information. (GEO 6)
5. Apply critical thinking skills to solve problems, make informed decisions, and interpret events. (GEO 7)
6. Use common computer applications to communicate, process, and store information. (GEO 8)
Workplace Skills: This course supports the following workplace success skills:
1. Thinks creatively, makes decisions, solves problems, visualizes, knows how to learn and reason.
2. Displays responsibility, self-esteem, sociability, self-management, integrity, and honesty.
3. Works effectively with others (participates as a team member, teaches others, serves clients/customers, exercises leadership, negotiates, works with diversity).
4. Acquires and uses information (i.e. acquires and evaluates, organizes and maintains, interprets and communicates, and uses computers).
Course Objectives: The course supports the following English department objectives:
The primary goal for this course is to provide students with analytical, communication, and computer skills necessary for conducting college research, skills which are needed in further college study and in expanding one’s knowledge of other areas in general: commerce, industry, culture, etc.
In addition to further developing writing skills acquired in EN 1113 (thesis supported organization, usage, diction, style, voice, etc.), the EN 1123 student is expected to do the following:
1. Demonstrate critical discernment in both reading comprehension and writing.
1.1 Students will critically read and discuss challenging source materials that will prepare them for the variety of source materials they will be researching. Students will be asked to seek information on a variety of topics and sub-topics to prepare them for the cross-referencing necessary for a research paper. Short exercises and quiz materials will be used to evaluate students in these areas. (GEO 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
2. Summarize, paraphrase, and quote
2.1 Students will develop, organize, and write three separate short papers each of which addresses one of the above functions. (GEO 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
3. Locate, use, document, and cite sources properly
3.1 Students will develop library and resourcing skills in a variety of ways through a series of class projects and exercises and will develop their ideas into a single source essay, a two-source essay, and a multi-source research paper. (GEO 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
4. Synthesize ideas (from self and sources) into fully developed, unified, coherent essays
4.1 Students will learn techniques of blending (synthesizing) source materials in their single source, two-source, and multi-source research papers. (GEO 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
Good writing is a result of conscious application of rhetorical principles to achieve a communicative purpose. Thus, at a minimum, good writers plan (at least roughly), then evaluate, then proofread and polish. These goals may be accomplished by breaking down the writing process for each assignment in the following ways:
1. Pre-writing: brainstorming, clustering, free writing, mapping, using pre-writing handouts;
2. Locating and annotating sources;
3. Shaping: focused free writing, outlining, incorporating sources, writing drafts; revising: using peer evaluation forms to provide the student with additional suggestions; and
4. Refining: polishing and proofreading.
Method of Evaluation and Grading: The course is designed to cover four units requiring critical and analytical thinking skills as well as good reading comprehension and notation skills. The first assignment is a brief exercise demonstrating ability to summarize, paraphrase, and quote. The second assignment is a single source essay assignment where students demonstrate knowledge of summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting the source in their own essay. The rest of the assignments involve using multiple sources. Students are required to do an oral presentation based on research. The instructor will provide additional guidelines for oral presentation assignment. The other 10% of the students’ grade may be based on participation, additional assignments, etc. and will be designated by the instructor. The course culminates with a final exam which demonstrates the student’s ability to quote, paraphrase, properly document sources, and write a developed, coherent, and unified essay in standard American English. In addition, grammatical skills will be covered by an online software program called Blue Pencil. Use of this software is required for success in English Composition courses.
The following assignments are considered the minimum required writing assignments for EN 1123:
1. Summary, paraphrase, and quote
2. Single source essay
3. Multi-source essays (2)
4. Research essay
5. Oral presentation as a component of one of the written assignments
6. Final (both written essay and course content exam)
The following list indicates the required weighting of scores for course assignments:
Summarize, paraphrase, and quote 10%
Single Source Essay 10%
Multi-Source Essays (2) 15% (each)
Research Essay 25%
Participation 10%
Final Exam 15%
Grading Scale: 90-100 A
80-89 B
70-79 C
60-69 D
59-below F
A mandatory peer review is required for each paper to target proofreading and editing skills. The following exercises may be utilized to insure proper proofreading/editing:
1. Group peer reviews
2. Read aloud techniques
3. Sentence level exercises
Attendance: Mid-South Community College students are expected to attend class regularly, to arrive on time, and to remain through the scheduled class time. Students who must miss class for unavoidable reasons must contact the instructor in advance or within 24 hours of the missed class or lose the opportunity to make up missed work. I am not obliged to accept late assignments or reschedule missed exams, so excessive absences and missed assignments may adversely affect students' grades. Please note that there is no make-up for the final exam. Any change or deviation from this policy is at the sole discretion of the instructor.
Special Note: Congress recently amended provisions governing what happens to your federal financial assistance if you withdraw from all of your classes or if you stop attending all of your classes and drop out of school. In essence, if you withdraw or drop out BEFORE 60% OF THE SEMESTER HAS PASSED, YOU WILL PROBABLY OWE A PORTION OF THE GRANT BACK TO THE GRANT PROGRAM! You must repay or make repayment arrangements within 45 days of the date you are informed or sent notice or you will lose further eligibility for attendance using federal financial assistance at ANY college until the debt is paid in full.
Academic Honesty: Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited. Plagiarism can be defined as unintentionally or deliberately using another person’s writing or ideas as though they are one’s own. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, copying another individual’s work and taking credit for it, paraphrasing information from a source without proper documentation, mixing one’s own words with those of another author without attribution, and buying or downloading a paper from the Internet.
The penalty for academic dishonesty in this course is a "0" for the assignment with notification of the infraction to the Dean of Instruction. A second instance of academic dishonesty will result in a failing grade for the course and may also result in disciplinary sanctions including probation or suspension from the college. Please be advised that a software program calledTurnitin.com has been adopted in the English courses to detect plagiarism.
To Avoid Plagiarism, Do Not Make the Following Errors:
Copying text verbatim (“word for word”)
Stealing or buying a paper from another student or from the Internet.
Claiming the words of another as your own by mixing the author’s words with your own.
Cutting and pasting words, phrases, or whole passages from the Internet into your document.
Directly quoting the words of another without proper attribution
Proper attribution: According to John Doe, a New York medical examiner, “DNA analysis has led to a turn-over of guilty verdicts in the criminal justice system” (42).
Not providing an in-text citation for paraphrased/quoted material.
Proper citation: Investigations involving DNA analysis have resulted in the release of innocent prisoners (Doe 42).
Neglecting to turn in a works cited page or turning a works cited page with fake or incorrect sources.
Problems with Unintentional Plagiarism
While intentional plagiarism involves turning in a paper that is not your own work, copying verbatim from a text, or mixing your words with the author’s words, unintentional plagiarism can result from a lack of understanding of how to work with outside sources and may require more independent study and exercises in paraphrasing, quoting, and using MLA format.
Classroom Behavior: Electronic devices, such as cell phones and pagers, are not permitted and must be turned off during class. Violation of these policies may result in disciplinary action. Additionally, students are not permitted to bring food or drink into classrooms or to bring children to class.
ADA Statement: MSCC is committed to providing equal educational opportunities for all students. Students with disabilities who require special accommodations should discuss their needs with Dr. Nancy Vandett, the Vice President of Learning Support, who serves as the Coordinator for Student Disability Services. Her office is in the Library Media Center, located in the Reynolds Building.
Other Resources Available: If you are experiencing academic difficulties, feeling uncomfortable in class for any reason, or facing other problems in class or on campus, we want to help. Check the following sections in your MSCC Catalog for guidance: Computer Usage, Safety Regulations and Awareness, Sexual Assault Reporting Procedures, Sexual Harassment, Student Conduct, Student Non-Academic Grievance Procedure, Student Right to Know, and Academic Appeals. We also urge you to talk with your instructor, your advisor, a staff member, or a counselor in the Learning Success Center. In addition to the resources available to students, MSCC has an on-campus Writing Center located in the Learning Success Center. Please see the Learning Success Center staff for The Writing Center hours.
Inclement Weather Policy: If severe weather forces cancellation of classes at the beginning of the day, an announcement will be made on Channel 5 (WMC-TV) and FM 100 (radio station) between 6:00-7:00 AM. Should bad weather occur during the day forcing the cancellation of evening classes, an announcement will be made between 3:00-5:00 PM.
Assessment: The Faculty at Mid-South Community College are committed to creating a positive learning environment for our students and to providing activities and situations that promote learning for all learners, regardless of age, learning style, and prior knowledge and skills. Because of this commitment, you may take part in various activities this semester that assess the progress you are making in your learning and how your learning matches course expectations. These assessment activities will provide information on how we can modify what we are doing to help you learn.
Tentative Schedule of Units:
Unit I: Introduction to research writing, annotation, summary, paraphrase, quoting, and library resources (3-4 weeks).
Course introduction and first day matters
Diagnostic essay
Writing as a process
Active reading and annotating sources
Readings: Keys for Writers, Part I & II
Writing Assignments: Exercises and journal assignments to be assigned at the discretion of the instructor.
Plagiarism in detail--how to avoid inadvertent plagiarism through properly quoting and paraphrasing
Library Orientation
Students summarize, paraphrase, and quote
Readings: Keys for Writers, Chapter 3
Writing Assignments: 2 summaries (100 words or less), 2 paraphrases (100 words or less), 3 quotations (1-2 sentences; one should be an extended quote)
Unit II: Single Source Essay (2 Weeks)
Topic for single source essay
Suitable source from the library
Works cited page
Draft which includes quotes and paraphrases
Students peer edit, polish, and proofread
Writing Assignments: Single Source Essay (2-3 typed pages)
Unit III: Multi-Source Essay (2 weeks)
Topic for multi-source essay
Suitable sources (3-5) from the library (The instructor should encourage students to use
variety of sources, i.e., books, articles, essays in a collection, etc.)
Draft which includes quotes and paraphrases
Peer editing, polishing, and proofreading
Writing Assignments: Multi-Source Essay (3-4 typed pages)
Unit IV: Research Essay (4 weeks)
Topic for research essay
Suitable sources (10-12) from the library (The instructor should encourage students to use a variety of sources, i.e., books, articles, essays in a collection, etc.)
Topic proposal form
Tentative outline and thesis statement; do note cards and a working bibliography
Draft which includes quotes and paraphrases from a minimum of 8 sources
Students peer edit, polish, and proofread and turn these various assignments in according to times set on separate schedule
Writing Assignments: Research Essay (5-7 typed pages)
Unit V: Second Multi-Source Essay (2 weeks)
Topic for multi-source essay
Suitable sources (3-5) from the library (the instructor should encourage students to use a variety of sources, i.e., books, articles, essays in a collection, etc).
Draft which includes quotes and paraphrases
Peer editing, polishing, and proofreading
Writing Assignment: Multi-Source Essay (3-4 typed pages)
Final Exam
Additional Policies
Quizzes and class work cannot be made up. If you miss a quiz or a classroom assignment, you will receive a zero. Other arrangements will be made solely at the instructor’s discretion. If you are tardy and miss a quiz, you will receive a zero. Information missed due to absence or tardiness should be discussed with the instructor either before or after class or during a scheduled conference.
Students are given one opportunity for a free late paper during the course of the semester. That paper is due at the beginning of the next class.
All late papers (unless it is your free late paper) will be penalized one letter grade for each day that it is late. Exceptions are made in emergency situations ONLY! These exceptions are made solely at the instructor’s discretion.
Peer review is mandatory for each graded paper. Papers turned in without all their components (rough draft, peer review, revised draft) will be considered late until all components are turned in and the late paper policy applies. If you are absent on the day of peer review, you are still required to have a peer review done by a member of our class or a tutor at the Learning Center. NOTE: Failure to participate in peer review during class time will result in a deduction of class participation points (unless approval has been granted by instructor).
Three tardies (over 10 minutes late without prior approval from the instructor or sufficient explanation after class) equal one absence.
Cell phones are STRICTLY PROHIBITED according to the college’s policy and Mr. Graves’s policy. If a violation of this rule occurs, a conference with the instructor is mandatory before the student is allowed back into class.
Students are required to work on papers during their class time. The instructor must see the student working on their papers during their class time or papers will not be accepted.
Computer games, emailing , web surfing, instant messaging, and anything else that may distract students from classwork will not be tolerated. Blue Pencil is always available (and highly recommended) if students complete assignments early. After one warning, 5 class participation points will be deducted for each additional occurrence.
Hearing is difficult to impossible if more than one person is talking during instruction time. Courtesy in this regard is expected of each student. Failure to adhere to policy may result in a warning and/or subtraction of participation scores.
You will be expected to take extra time away from class to research and explore research paper topics in libraries. Because book sources will be a required part of your research it is strongly recommended that you plan time to visit not only the library at MSCC but at one of the larger libraries in our region as well.
Except in rare instances at the instructor’s discretion most dot.com sources will not be allowed as periodical sources. In essence what this means is that a Time or Newsweek article that is available on library shelves yet can also be found on Internet reference sites is entirely permissible. However, BillyBobsHistoree.com web site that is obviously the work of a nonscholar lay person cannot be used as an accurate, dependable source for serious student research.
Any issues or special circumstances need to be reported to the instructor as soon as possible if they will affect you and this class.
Each student is required to have at least 2 conferences per semester with the instructor. One conference will be scheduled around mid-semester and the other may be scheduled in the Learning Center with a tutor or with the instructor.
If you do not understand any of these policies, please speak with the instructor for clarification.
Please sign_________________________________Date_______________
EN 1123: 02 Composition II
Syllabus: Fall/2004
Class day/meeting time: 11:15AM 12:10PM MWF
Instructor: Tom Graves Office Location: SG 117
Office Hours: 12:30 – 5:30 (M), 12:30-2:00 (W)
Phone: 870-733-6831 E-Mail: tgraves@midsouthcc.edu
Course Description: English Comp II continues to develop the student’s writing skills through practice in different kinds of rhetorical development while emphasizing quality and forms of writing. Students learn to research, document, and format papers using MLA documentation. This course utilizes computers and requires keyboarding skills of 20 wpm or better.
Like English 1113, English 1123 is designed to develop critical thinking, reading, and writing skills which are crucial to students’ success in other college courses and in their post-academic careers. The course is based on the assumption that good writing is a process requiring the application of rhetorical principles, not something that automatically happens as the result of inspiration or luck. This process approach encourages students to explore ideas; to shape and order ideas in written form; to revise and refine writing into a finished product -- reflecting freshman level proficiency in language and critical thinking and reading skills. In addition to these requirements, the successful (English Composition II) student should demonstrate analytical and critical thinking skills by doing college-level research and by synthesizing research sources in clear, concise writing that follows in a logical manner a clearly stated thesis.
Course Credit: 3 semester credit hours with a grade of C or higher
Course Prerequisites: A grade of C or higher in EN 1113
Required Texts and Materials:
Reading and Writing in the Academic Community, 2nd edition, by Mary Lynch Kennedy and Hadley M. Smith, Prentice Hall, Keys for Writers: A Brief Handbook (4th edition) By Ann Raimes, Houghton Mifflin Company
3.5" IBM Formatted Diskette
Student Learning Goals for General Education: This course supports the following General Education Outcomes:
1. Communicate effectively in standard, edited American English. (GEO 1)
2. Develop habits, ethics, and interpersonal skills to work effectively and fairly with individuals and teams of people with personal and cultural differences. (GEO 4)
3. Behave professionally by setting goals and priorities, upholding responsibilities, and making reasoned decisions. (GEO 5)
4. Effectively use library and electronic resources to identify, locate, and access information. (GEO 6)
5. Apply critical thinking skills to solve problems, make informed decisions, and interpret events. (GEO 7)
6. Use common computer applications to communicate, process, and store information. (GEO 8)
Workplace Skills: This course supports the following workplace success skills:
1. Thinks creatively, makes decisions, solves problems, visualizes, knows how to learn and reason.
2. Displays responsibility, self-esteem, sociability, self-management, integrity, and honesty.
3. Works effectively with others (participates as a team member, teaches others, serves clients/customers, exercises leadership, negotiates, works with diversity).
4. Acquires and uses information (i.e. acquires and evaluates, organizes and maintains, interprets and communicates, and uses computers).
Course Objectives: The course supports the following English department objectives:
The primary goal for this course is to provide students with analytical, communication, and computer skills necessary for conducting college research, skills which are needed in further college study and in expanding one’s knowledge of other areas in general: commerce, industry, culture, etc.
In addition to further developing writing skills acquired in EN 1113 (thesis supported organization, usage, diction, style, voice, etc.), the EN 1123 student is expected to do the following:
1. Demonstrate critical discernment in both reading comprehension and writing.
1.1 Students will critically read and discuss challenging source materials that will prepare them for the variety of source materials they will be researching. Students will be asked to seek information on a variety of topics and sub-topics to prepare them for the cross-referencing necessary for a research paper. Short exercises and quiz materials will be used to evaluate students in these areas. (GEO 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
2. Summarize, paraphrase, and quote
2.1 Students will develop, organize, and write three separate short papers each of which addresses one of the above functions. (GEO 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
3. Locate, use, document, and cite sources properly
3.1 Students will develop library and resourcing skills in a variety of ways through a series of class projects and exercises and will develop their ideas into a single source essay, a two-source essay, and a multi-source research paper. (GEO 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
4. Synthesize ideas (from self and sources) into fully developed, unified, coherent essays
4.1 Students will learn techniques of blending (synthesizing) source materials in their single source, two-source, and multi-source research papers. (GEO 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
Good writing is a result of conscious application of rhetorical principles to achieve a communicative purpose. Thus, at a minimum, good writers plan (at least roughly), then evaluate, then proofread and polish. These goals may be accomplished by breaking down the writing process for each assignment in the following ways:
1. Pre-writing: brainstorming, clustering, free writing, mapping, using pre-writing handouts;
2. Locating and annotating sources;
3. Shaping: focused free writing, outlining, incorporating sources, writing drafts; revising: using peer evaluation forms to provide the student with additional suggestions; and
4. Refining: polishing and proofreading.
Method of Evaluation and Grading: The course is designed to cover four units requiring critical and analytical thinking skills as well as good reading comprehension and notation skills. The first assignment is a brief exercise demonstrating ability to summarize, paraphrase, and quote. The second assignment is a single source essay assignment where students demonstrate knowledge of summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting the source in their own essay. The rest of the assignments involve using multiple sources. Students are required to do an oral presentation based on research. The instructor will provide additional guidelines for oral presentation assignment. The other 10% of the students’ grade may be based on participation, additional assignments, etc. and will be designated by the instructor. The course culminates with a final exam which demonstrates the student’s ability to quote, paraphrase, properly document sources, and write a developed, coherent, and unified essay in standard American English. In addition, grammatical skills will be covered by an online software program called Blue Pencil. Use of this software is required for success in English Composition courses.
The following assignments are considered the minimum required writing assignments for EN 1123:
1. Summary, paraphrase, and quote
2. Single source essay
3. Multi-source essays (2)
4. Research essay
5. Oral presentation as a component of one of the written assignments
6. Final (both written essay and course content exam)
The following list indicates the required weighting of scores for course assignments:
Summarize, paraphrase, and quote 10%
Single Source Essay 10%
Multi-Source Essays (2) 15% (each)
Research Essay 25%
Participation 10%
Final Exam 15%
Grading Scale: 90-100 A
80-89 B
70-79 C
60-69 D
59-below F
A mandatory peer review is required for each paper to target proofreading and editing skills. The following exercises may be utilized to insure proper proofreading/editing:
1. Group peer reviews
2. Read aloud techniques
3. Sentence level exercises
Attendance: Mid-South Community College students are expected to attend class regularly, to arrive on time, and to remain through the scheduled class time. Students who must miss class for unavoidable reasons must contact the instructor in advance or within 24 hours of the missed class or lose the opportunity to make up missed work. I am not obliged to accept late assignments or reschedule missed exams, so excessive absences and missed assignments may adversely affect students' grades. Please note that there is no make-up for the final exam. Any change or deviation from this policy is at the sole discretion of the instructor.
Special Note: Congress recently amended provisions governing what happens to your federal financial assistance if you withdraw from all of your classes or if you stop attending all of your classes and drop out of school. In essence, if you withdraw or drop out BEFORE 60% OF THE SEMESTER HAS PASSED, YOU WILL PROBABLY OWE A PORTION OF THE GRANT BACK TO THE GRANT PROGRAM! You must repay or make repayment arrangements within 45 days of the date you are informed or sent notice or you will lose further eligibility for attendance using federal financial assistance at ANY college until the debt is paid in full.
Academic Honesty: Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited. Plagiarism can be defined as unintentionally or deliberately using another person’s writing or ideas as though they are one’s own. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, copying another individual’s work and taking credit for it, paraphrasing information from a source without proper documentation, mixing one’s own words with those of another author without attribution, and buying or downloading a paper from the Internet.
The penalty for academic dishonesty in this course is a "0" for the assignment with notification of the infraction to the Dean of Instruction. A second instance of academic dishonesty will result in a failing grade for the course and may also result in disciplinary sanctions including probation or suspension from the college. Please be advised that a software program calledTurnitin.com has been adopted in the English courses to detect plagiarism.
To Avoid Plagiarism, Do Not Make the Following Errors:
Copying text verbatim (“word for word”)
Stealing or buying a paper from another student or from the Internet.
Claiming the words of another as your own by mixing the author’s words with your own.
Cutting and pasting words, phrases, or whole passages from the Internet into your document.
Directly quoting the words of another without proper attribution
Proper attribution: According to John Doe, a New York medical examiner, “DNA analysis has led to a turn-over of guilty verdicts in the criminal justice system” (42).
Not providing an in-text citation for paraphrased/quoted material.
Proper citation: Investigations involving DNA analysis have resulted in the release of innocent prisoners (Doe 42).
Neglecting to turn in a works cited page or turning a works cited page with fake or incorrect sources.
Problems with Unintentional Plagiarism
While intentional plagiarism involves turning in a paper that is not your own work, copying verbatim from a text, or mixing your words with the author’s words, unintentional plagiarism can result from a lack of understanding of how to work with outside sources and may require more independent study and exercises in paraphrasing, quoting, and using MLA format.
Classroom Behavior: Electronic devices, such as cell phones and pagers, are not permitted and must be turned off during class. Violation of these policies may result in disciplinary action. Additionally, students are not permitted to bring food or drink into classrooms or to bring children to class.
ADA Statement: MSCC is committed to providing equal educational opportunities for all students. Students with disabilities who require special accommodations should discuss their needs with Dr. Nancy Vandett, the Vice President of Learning Support, who serves as the Coordinator for Student Disability Services. Her office is in the Library Media Center, located in the Reynolds Building.
Other Resources Available: If you are experiencing academic difficulties, feeling uncomfortable in class for any reason, or facing other problems in class or on campus, we want to help. Check the following sections in your MSCC Catalog for guidance: Computer Usage, Safety Regulations and Awareness, Sexual Assault Reporting Procedures, Sexual Harassment, Student Conduct, Student Non-Academic Grievance Procedure, Student Right to Know, and Academic Appeals. We also urge you to talk with your instructor, your advisor, a staff member, or a counselor in the Learning Success Center. In addition to the resources available to students, MSCC has an on-campus Writing Center located in the Learning Success Center. Please see the Learning Success Center staff for The Writing Center hours.
Inclement Weather Policy: If severe weather forces cancellation of classes at the beginning of the day, an announcement will be made on Channel 5 (WMC-TV) and FM 100 (radio station) between 6:00-7:00 AM. Should bad weather occur during the day forcing the cancellation of evening classes, an announcement will be made between 3:00-5:00 PM.
Assessment: The Faculty at Mid-South Community College are committed to creating a positive learning environment for our students and to providing activities and situations that promote learning for all learners, regardless of age, learning style, and prior knowledge and skills. Because of this commitment, you may take part in various activities this semester that assess the progress you are making in your learning and how your learning matches course expectations. These assessment activities will provide information on how we can modify what we are doing to help you learn.
Tentative Schedule of Units:
Unit I: Introduction to research writing, annotation, summary, paraphrase, quoting, and library resources (3-4 weeks).
Course introduction and first day matters
Diagnostic essay
Writing as a process
Active reading and annotating sources
Readings: Keys for Writers, Part I & II
Writing Assignments: Exercises and journal assignments to be assigned at the discretion of the instructor.
Plagiarism in detail--how to avoid inadvertent plagiarism through properly quoting and paraphrasing
Library Orientation
Students summarize, paraphrase, and quote
Readings: Keys for Writers, Chapter 3
Writing Assignments: 2 summaries (100 words or less), 2 paraphrases (100 words or less), 3 quotations (1-2 sentences; one should be an extended quote)
Unit II: Single Source Essay (2 Weeks)
Topic for single source essay
Suitable source from the library
Works cited page
Draft which includes quotes and paraphrases
Students peer edit, polish, and proofread
Writing Assignments: Single Source Essay (2-3 typed pages)
Unit III: Multi-Source Essay (2 weeks)
Topic for multi-source essay
Suitable sources (3-5) from the library (The instructor should encourage students to use
variety of sources, i.e., books, articles, essays in a collection, etc.)
Draft which includes quotes and paraphrases
Peer editing, polishing, and proofreading
Writing Assignments: Multi-Source Essay (3-4 typed pages)
Unit IV: Research Essay (4 weeks)
Topic for research essay
Suitable sources (10-12) from the library (The instructor should encourage students to use a variety of sources, i.e., books, articles, essays in a collection, etc.)
Topic proposal form
Tentative outline and thesis statement; do note cards and a working bibliography
Draft which includes quotes and paraphrases from a minimum of 8 sources
Students peer edit, polish, and proofread and turn these various assignments in according to times set on separate schedule
Writing Assignments: Research Essay (5-7 typed pages)
Unit V: Second Multi-Source Essay (2 weeks)
Topic for multi-source essay
Suitable sources (3-5) from the library (the instructor should encourage students to use a variety of sources, i.e., books, articles, essays in a collection, etc).
Draft which includes quotes and paraphrases
Peer editing, polishing, and proofreading
Writing Assignment: Multi-Source Essay (3-4 typed pages)
Final Exam
Additional Policies
Quizzes and class work cannot be made up. If you miss a quiz or a classroom assignment, you will receive a zero. Other arrangements will be made solely at the instructor’s discretion. If you are tardy and miss a quiz, you will receive a zero. Information missed due to absence or tardiness should be discussed with the instructor either before or after class or during a scheduled conference.
Students are given one opportunity for a free late paper during the course of the semester. That paper is due at the beginning of the next class.
All late papers (unless it is your free late paper) will be penalized one letter grade for each day that it is late. Exceptions are made in emergency situations ONLY! These exceptions are made solely at the instructor’s discretion.
Peer review is mandatory for each graded paper. Papers turned in without all their components (rough draft, peer review, revised draft) will be considered late until all components are turned in and the late paper policy applies. If you are absent on the day of peer review, you are still required to have a peer review done by a member of our class or a tutor at the Learning Center. NOTE: Failure to participate in peer review during class time will result in a deduction of class participation points (unless approval has been granted by instructor).
Three tardies (over 10 minutes late without prior approval from the instructor or sufficient explanation after class) equal one absence.
Cell phones are STRICTLY PROHIBITED according to the college’s policy and Mr. Graves’s policy. If a violation of this rule occurs, a conference with the instructor is mandatory before the student is allowed back into class.
Students are required to work on papers during their class time. The instructor must see the student working on their papers during their class time or papers will not be accepted.
Computer games, emailing , web surfing, instant messaging, and anything else that may distract students from classwork will not be tolerated. Blue Pencil is always available (and highly recommended) if students complete assignments early. After one warning, 5 class participation points will be deducted for each additional occurrence.
Hearing is difficult to impossible if more than one person is talking during instruction time. Courtesy in this regard is expected of each student. Failure to adhere to policy may result in a warning and/or subtraction of participation scores.
You will be expected to take extra time away from class to research and explore research paper topics in libraries. Because book sources will be a required part of your research it is strongly recommended that you plan time to visit not only the library at MSCC but at one of the larger libraries in our region as well.
Except in rare instances at the instructor’s discretion most dot.com sources will not be allowed as periodical sources. In essence what this means is that a Time or Newsweek article that is available on library shelves yet can also be found on Internet reference sites is entirely permissible. However, BillyBobsHistoree.com web site that is obviously the work of a nonscholar lay person cannot be used as an accurate, dependable source for serious student research.
Any issues or special circumstances need to be reported to the instructor as soon as possible if they will affect you and this class.
Each student is required to have at least 2 conferences per semester with the instructor. One conference will be scheduled around mid-semester and the other may be scheduled in the Learning Center with a tutor or with the instructor.
If you do not understand any of these policies, please speak with the instructor for clarification.
Please sign_________________________________Date_______________
posted by Tom Graves at 9:12 AM
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