NorthWest Arkansas Community College, Fall 2018
ECE Composition I Division Contacts
Jim Laughton, Coordinator of English ECE, BH 1011, 619-4287, jlaughto@nwacc.edu
Kimberly Crank, Coordinator of Composition I, BH 1005, 986-6954, kcrank@nwacc.edu
Dr. Johnna Burns, Chair of English and Academic Literacy, BH 1122, 619-3130, jburns3@nwacc.edu
Dr. Megan Bolinder, Dean, BH 1124, 619-2289, mbolinder@nwacc.edu
Sue Maib, Administrative Assistant, BH 1117, 619-4156, smaib@nwacc.edu
James Kelly Davis - jdavis48@nwacc.edu
Guiding the student through the process of writing with regular practice and analysis of effective writing, this first course of the composition sequence emphasizes the writing of clear, concise, developed academic prose. Generally students are expected to follow the rules of Standard Edited English, to understand paragraph development, and to write a research assignment involving the integration of sources.
Minimum placement score (19 ACT, or its placement test score equivalent), or successful completion of an approved ENGA or ENGC course, or co-enrollment in an approved ENGA course. ACTS Index: ENGL 1013, Composition I.
• Students compose focused, coherent, and developed writing in multiple genres.
• Students use writing strategies to invent, draft, revise, and edit major writing projects.
• Students adopt voice, style, and tone appropriate to the rhetorical situation.
• Students control surface features such as syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
• Students read, analyze, and interpret print and non-print texts.
• Students locate, evaluate, use, and credit reliable resources.
• Students collaborate with peers to plan, develop, and revise projects.
• Students demonstrate cultural awareness through knowledge of diverse ideas, values, and perspectives.
• Students develop higher order thinking skills.
• Students gain greater awareness of cultural perspectives.
• Students can write clear, coherent, well-organized, substantially error-free documents
• Students develop effective oral communication skills.
• Students can achieve mathematical literacy.
• Students can use computers proficiently.
• Students can employ a variety of sources to locate, evaluate, and use information.
There is no required textbook for this class. Instead, I have provided you with reading material in this website.
According to the Northwest Arkansas Community College Catalog, “registered students are expected to attend all classes.” Attendance for this course is required because if you attend class regularly, you will both learn more and be better prepared to submit assignments. Each student is expected to fully participate in each class session. Participation includes coming to class prepared for each session—all readings and assignments completed, and by participating in class discussions, activities, and group work. In order to maintain College compliance with federal and state regulations and to report correct data to the state, instructors will complete an electronic form to initiate an administrative drop from a course if a student has not participated in at least one session of a class by the census reporting date, e.g. the end of the eleventh day of classes in a regular term and the end of the fifth day during each summer term. Instructors teaching online courses will complete the same electronic form to initiate an administrative drop if the student has not fulfilled the initial participation requirements established in the course syllabus. There will be no reinstatement of students dropped for non-attendance.
Disability Resource Center, Class Continuation Plan, Official Attendance & Administrative Drop Policy, Grade of FP (Failure to Participate), Blackboard information, and Link to NWACC Student Handbook and the Course Catalog
http://content.nwacc.edu/tlc/syllabus/policies.php
When you contact me through email, please use standard written English, not informal "text speak." I will ask you to revise your writing if you use informal language.
I only recommend my very best students. If you would like me to provide a recommendation, please ask me in person and provide the following at least two weeks before the recommendation deadline:
I will not respond to last-minute requests.
If you need to use your device (cell phone, ipad, laptop, etc.) for any reason other than class work, please exit the classroom first. If I ask you to leave to have screen time, it's not personal. I'm defending my students' rights to distraction-free education.
We will hold class unless College officials announce that the College is closed. You can check local television stations or AM 790 for weather reports; call the student information number, 619-4376; or visit the college’s website, www.nwacc.edu. If the school closes due to an emergency or inclement weather, the course assignments will still be completed online. Basically, keep doing the work you need to do, even if we don't meet face to face. I will be available for questions via email jdavis48@nwacc.edu. I will notify students of any changes by NWACC email.
During this semester, we will most likely be exploring sensitive topics and examining ideas from diverse perspectives in our readings and in our writings. One of the goals of a college is to challenge us all to think again about all that we know (and all that we don’t know). This demands that we share responsibility for creating and maintaining a civil environment in our online classroom and in the larger college community. One way we do so is by respecting one another, in all that we do, say, and think. In addition, the NorthWest Arkansas Community College Student Handbook states that students are expected to:
• attend class,
• be prepared and organized,
• keep appointments and use scheduled availability hours to discuss concerns about the class,
• turn in assignments and papers on time,
• keep an open mind so that they may learn the value of higher education.
If you have questions about this statement, please speak with me. For more information, review the “Student Conduct Policies and Procedure” section in the NorthWest Arkansas Community College Student Handbook: NWACC Student Handbook.
I am perfectly willing to make accommodations for disabilities that have been documented by the Office of Disabilities.
If you are a student with a disability who will be requesting accommodations, it is your responsibility to contact Disability Resource Center (479) 986-4076. The director of Disability Services will meet with you and recommend appropriate accommodations and services once you have submitted the required documentation. After you have received that registration card, it is your responsibility to discuss appropriate accommodations with me in a timely fashion. You must give us at least a week’s notice for exam accommodations.
General: Each student is expected to do his/her own work. I am always happy to help if you are having difficulty with an assignment. Do not resort to finding a short cut to doing the work. Academic Dishonesty will not be tolerated. Please check the NWACC Student Handbook and Daily Planner for the college policy on academic dishonesty.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism results when a student presents the words or ideas of someone else as if they were his/her own. If the words of someone other than the writer are reproduced without acknowledgment of the source or if someone else's ideas are paraphrased in such a way that leads the reader to believe they originated with the writer, then plagiarism has occurred. Plagiarism can be either intentional or unintentional. Intentional plagiarism is the knowing, deliberate copying or downloading or buying of information with the intent of passing it off as original with the writer. Intentional plagiarism is a very serious form of academic dishonesty that can lead to suspension from school. Unintentional plagiarism is the misrepresentation of information through ignorance or carelessness. It is the responsibility of all NWACC students to understand what plagiarism is and to learn the proper methods of documentation so as to avoid this form of academic dishonesty.
NWACC is committed to your right to privacy as outlined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. This means that I can only communicate grades with you in person or on My NWACC Connection (http://my.nwacc.edu).
Go to My NWACC Connection(http://my.nwacc.edu) on the NWACC website . Login with your NWACC ID, go to Canvas, and check out this class. All assignments and drafts will be turned in through the Course Canvas Page. You can also see your updated grade at any time there.
To be successful, students must participate in their learning. Students are expected not only to attend class, but to participate in the learning activities from the commencement of the semester. To establish their initial intent to be engaged in their learning, students must demonstrate participation in class activities from the beginning of class to the census date. Students who do not meet those requirements by the census date will be administratively dropped from the class with an 80% refund. There will be no reinstatement of administratively dropped students. Students removed from the class roster may not receive their financial aid for the semester. IF YOU FAIL TO SUBMIT AN ASSIGNMENT THIS SEMESTER OR ARE ABSENT MORE THAN THREE TIMES BY MIDTERM, I WILL DROP YOU FOR NONPARTICIPATION.. Students who have an illness or other circumstance that interferes with their initial participation may request consideration from their faculty on a case-by-case basis. It is crucial that students contact their instructors regarding their circumstances as soon as possible.
November 2, 2018 - Last Day to Withdraw with "W" on Transcript. Consulting with an academic advisor, your instructor, or Financial Aid can better inform your decision. Students must drop on the Web or at Student Records by the last day to withdraw to receive the grade of W.
The Writing Center in Burns Hall 1003 is open on Monday - Thursday 8:00-6:00 and Friday 8:00 – 12:30. You can meet with an actual English teacher for free help with your paper. The Center has an online site with many helpful resources. You can even submit a document for review by email. On the form, identify specific concerns for the consultant to address, and include a copy of the assignment. The document should be sent as an attachment in .rtf or.doc or .docx format. Please allow two business days for a response. The Writing Center also has a new Live Consultation service. Students can make an appointment to share a paper with an NWACC English professor for a 15-minute online exchange about ways to improve the paper.
10 journal entries, 5 points each: 50 points
Assignment 1: Descriptive Memoir: 100 points
Assignment 2: Report: 100 points
Assignment 3: Argument: 200 points
Assignment 4: Final Self-Evaluation: 50 points
Course Grade Point Total 500 points: possible
A 450-500 points
B 400-449 points
C 350-399 points
D 300-349 points
F 0-299 points
FP completed less than 50% of coursework
If a student fails to submit a paper by 11:59 PM on the assigned due date, the paper will earn only ½ credit. Extensions will only be approved in extreme extenuating circumstances as determined by the instructor. Example: If the late paper would have earned 80/100, the final score would be recorded as 40/100.
An incomplete grade will be permitted only in very unusual cases that make it impossible for you to complete course requirements on time. In the event that an “Incomplete” should be necessary, your request must be submitted in writing at least one week prior to the end of the term. In addition to a statement indicating why you need the deferment, please list the requirements you did complete, the requirements that have not been met, and a timetable for submitting the remaining work. For more information, see the NorthWest Arkansas Community College Student Handbook: NWACC Student Handbook.
FP (Failure to Participate) will be issued to those students failing to participate in class activities and failing to officially withdraw from their course(s). Students will be assigned a grade of “FP” if they do not complete at least 50% of the assigned coursework. Students must demonstrate participation by submitting assignments, completing quizzes and assessments, and accessing course functions. Failure to participate in all courses attempted by a student is considered an unofficial withdrawal and the student may be required to repay all or a portion of the financial aid received for the semester. Federal regulations mandate that the Financial Aid Office determine the percentage of the semester the student completed. This calculation will establish the amount of financial aid funds that must be returned to the Department of Education.
Grades on major writing assignments will be evaluated using the following general scale:
Exceptional
A
90-100 points
Proficient
B
80-89 points
Competent
C
70-79 points
Inadequate
D
60-69 points
Unacceptable
F
50 points or below
The student’s writing
No submission or late submission
0 points or ½ credit
The student’s writing was not submitted. Plagiarized papers will also earn a zero. THIS INCLUDES PAPERS THAT DO NOT CITE SOURCES FOR ANY REASON -- INTENTIONAL OR UNINTENTIONAL.
For Canvas questions or technical support, contact Distance Learning at dl@nwacc.edu. If you need assistance with your NWACC password or email, contact IT tech support at studenthelpdesk@nwacc.edu or 479-619-4376 during weekday business hours. Canvas courses are designed to be accessed using a traditional desktop/laptop computer. Alternate direct access to Canvas can be found at: https://nwacc.instructure.com.
http://content.nwacc.edu/LSS_Forms/conduct/Student%20Handbook.pdf
Policy Statement: No person at NorthWest Arkansas Community College will, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied benefit of, or be subjected to sex discrimination, sexual harassment or sexual misconduct under any education program or activity. More information on these policies appear in the student handbook beginning on page 42.
Please contact me first with any questions or concerns with the class. If you have concerns about the class that you do not wish to discuss further with me, please contact my supervisor:
Kimberly Crank, Coordinator of Composition I, BH 1005, 986-6954, kcrank@nwacc.edu
If you are a BHS student, contact the school principal and/or my NWACC ECE supervisor:
Jim Laughton, Coordinator of English ECE, BH 1011, 619-4287, jlaughto@nwacc.edu