SYLLABUS -- English 102

Course Requirements & Policies

Instructor: Karen Walker   kwalker2@comcast.net

Note:  There is no required on-campus orientation session for this course. For technical help with Angel or accessing course files on the Web, contact the support people in the Virtual & Distance Learning Department at Parkland.

TEXTBOOK:  Required textbook is The Little Brown Handbook (10th  ed.). If you have an older edition of this textbook, you may be able to  use it, but be aware that the chapter titles and topics won't match those on the Assignments & Calendar page. You should also own and use a good college dictionary. Recommended are American Heritage, Random House or Webster (or an online dictionary).

COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS:  You need an Internet connection through an online service (or access to Parkland's networked computer labs) to view the files on the course web site and to participate in class activities through the Angel conferencing system. See the Computer Use file for  instructions.

If you have any problems with logging in or using Angel, call Brett Coup at Parkland immediately. It's critical that you work out any access problems during the first week of the semester. If you have not logged in and posted a message in Angel by the end of the second week (or, for summer session, the end of the first week), you will be dropped from the course.

READING ASSIGNMENTS:  The textbook readings are critical to your success in this course. You will not be able to successfully complete the papers unless you read -- and understand -- the principles, instructions and format guidelines explained in the assigned chapters. You are expected to keep up on your own and to ask questions about any material you don't understand. See the Assignments page for a calendar of all the reading assignments for the semester.

PAPER ASSIGNMENTS:  The major papers (and their percentage weight in your final grade) will include:

Paper #1 -- Introductory essay (1-2 pp.) and overall class participation -- 10% 
Paper #2 -- Web-site recommendation memo  (2-3 pp.) -- 10%
Paper #3 -- Synthesis Essay  (3-4 pp.) -- 15%
Paper #4 -- Background Research Report & Proposal Memo (4+ pp.) -- 25%
Paper #5 -- Final Research Report (7-10 pp.) -- 40%

The grade for class participation will be based on your completion of Paper #1 and your involvement in all other "non-graded" elements of this course, which include:
      Regular log-ins to Angel
      Compliance with deadlines
      Interaction with other students
      The timeliness and quality of your responses when reviewing classmates' papers

Paper #1 will not be formally graded. For each of the other papers, you'll receive a note from me in your Angel mailbox with a grade and comments. 

WRITTEN-IN-STONE CLASS POLICIES:  Please read these carefully. 

• Yes, you need the textbook. Don't try taking this course without it. 

• All assignments must be turned in for you to pass the course. You cannot "skip" a paper or proposal and take an F. 

• I do not accept assigned papers by email. To earn credit for completing a paper, you must post it in the assignment folder in Angel.

• Unless you've made advance arrangements with me, no paper will be accepted more than seven days after the deadline. If you fail to turn in an assigned paper, any subsequent papers you submit will not be graded.

• Technical problems and/or lack of Internet access are not acceptable excuses for long delays in posting papers, reading messages or participating in peer-review exercises. If you have any problems accessing course materials, it's important that you seek immediate help from Parkland's Distance Learning Department.

• To earn a passing grade on the final paper, your work must demonstrate that you understand and can properly use the MLA documentation formats explained in the textbook. Even if you have all A's on the preliminary papers, an F on the final paper will result in a failing grade for the semester.

• Plagiarism -- even the "unintentional" variety -- will result in course failure and/or disciplinary action. If I question the originality of any part of your paper, it will be your responsibility to prove you are doing your own work, so be sure to save all your notes, drafts and research materials. See below for a more detailed explanation.

PROCEDURES:  The writing projects in this course involve reading the textbook, the support materials posted on the course website and the additional tips and requirements that I post in messages in Angel. Completing the papers will require collecting and organizing evidence (usually from Internet sources), writing a report and submitting it to me through the Angel conferencing system. For most projects, you'll also be sharing your writing with other students and evaluating their papers. Details are in the Computer Use file.

Details on each assignment will be available from the Assignments page a few days before the previous paper is due. Each assignment will include textbook readings, and I'll provide other "how-to" materials in messages posted in Angel. To take full advantage of the instructional resources and meet all the deadlines, you should plan to log into Angel at least once or twice a week. Make a schedule for yourself now.

Details on Paper #1 (Introductory Essay) are available now. Now is also the time to familiarize yourself with the Angel functions, read the assigned sections of the textbook and begin working on this essay.

GRADES:  Grades on individual assignments will be based on a combination of:

1 - Your success in following directions -- meeting ALL the requirements specified in each assignment and submitting it by the due date. This includes the requirement for responding to other students' papers. 

2 - Content -- clear focus on one unified thesis; effective use of evidence to support your points; quality and timeliness of your sources.

3 - Presentation -- logical organization of ideas; clear, concise writing style and word selection; effective topic sentences and transitions.

4 - Documentation -- correct use and format of MLA notes, in-text source citations, quotes and Works Cited entries.

5 - Grammar and mechanics -- grammatical sentences; proper punctuation, capitalization, etc.; perfect spelling.

When grading your papers, I will not correct every error. In most cases, I'll point out the type of error (comma usage, sentence fragment, capitalization, etc.). You are then expected to do individual work to correct the problem. Consult the textbook and the links on the "Writing Tools" menu to review the rules, then practice with the textbook exercises if necessary. Feel free to email me if you have any questions about how to improve your writing.

DUE DATES:  This course requires interaction among the students, so it's important that you turn in all written work on time and participate in the review of other students' papers. Any paper submitted after midnight of the due date will lose 2/3 of a grade. If you fail to post required responses, your paper will lose another 2/3 of a grade. The Angel conferencing system automatically includes the posting date and time for all messages.

It is your responsibility to keep track of and comply with the deadlines noted on the Assignments page. You'll have access to all the requirements for a paper at least 2-3 weeks before it's due, so start immediately and plan to turn it in early. If Parkland's Angel server is down on the date a paper is due, the due date will be extended one day.

Please don't ask for an extension unless you have a legitimate emergency or other unavoidable problem. In that case, email me in advance and we'll work something out. You won't get much sympathy if you contact me the day a paper is due to tell me your Internet connection isn't working or the dog ate your diskette. You should keep backup copies of your files and budget your time so you can handle technical problems and other routine delays.

Incomplete grades will be negotiated only if you have a documented emergency and have completed at least 80 percent of the coursework. An Incomplete grade will not be considered unless you have been actively participating in the course throughout the semester. 

PLAGIARISM:  Plagiarism is the act of copying someone else's written work and passing it off as your own. The most obvious form is submitting a paper written by someone else. It's also a serious error to "innocently" extract sentences and phrases (and sometimes individual words) from a source and include them in your own paragraph without rewording or quoting. A "cut-and-paste" paper is plagiarism, even if you document the source of the copied text. 

This is a special problem when working with online sources, which can be found and copied even more easily than usual. Keep in mind that I'll also find it easier to locate the web sites you've plagiarized, and that as an experienced reader, I'll be able to recognize prose that is not written in your personal style.

If I find in your work what I regard as unintentional plagiarism -- usually short quotes without proper citations -- I'll work with you to correct your error. If I find what can only be intentional plagiarism, you'll fail the course and I'll inform the administration of your attempt to cheat.

COURSE WITHDRAWAL:  If you have not posted a message in Angel by the end of the second week, you'll be dropped from the course. If you stop participating during the first half of the semester, you'll be dropped at midterm. If you disappear at any time after midterm, you'll receive a failing grade unless you initiate a withdrawal by contacting Parkland's Admission and Records Office.

EXTRA HELP:

• The Parkland Writing Lab offers personalized assistance with writing problems and research techniques. Many resources are available on the Writing Lab web page, or you can get in-person help at the on-campus Writing Lab in the Center for Academic Success (room D120). It's open daily (daytime and early evening hours) and no appointment is necessary. To make best use of your time there, bring in a copy of your assignment and at least a partial draft. Please don't ask the Writing Lab instructors to do general proofreading for you.

• The Parkland Online Writing Lab (link is at the bottom right) offers the same services through your Internet connection. You can go online to speak to a faculty tutor about your work and get verbal and written feedback. You can hear and even see the tutor if you have a webcam. You'll need a DSL or broadband connection to use the online service.

• The Center for Academic Success (room D120) provides a wide range of academic support services, including tutoring in math and other subjects, help with study skills and advice on planning your course schedules. For more information, call Anita Taylor (353-2005) or Sue Schreiber (351-2441). Email:  CenterForAcademicSuccess@parkland.edu

• The Writing Tools page offers links to help files and outside sites that will help you improve your writing and communication skills.

FINALLY . . .  If you have any questions, email me for help or clarification. I'll post detailed instructions for each assignment on the web site, sometimes in more than one location, so please read all the linked files first.

If you're still in doubt about what's expected, keep in mind that you should treat this class as if it were your job. That means your paycheck (grade) depends on keeping up with the readings, completing projects by the  deadlines, complying with all requirements and interacting with me and other students. The content, timeliness and appearance of the written work you turn in here should be of the same quality you would submit to an employer.

If you believe you have a disability for which you may need an academic accommodation (including special testing, auxiliary aids, non-traditional instructional formats), please inform the instructor as soon as possible and/or contact Becky Osborne (phone 353-2082; Parkland room X148).