1. Course Number: ENL050
Course Title: Foundations in Writing
2. Description: ENL050 is a one-semester course in which students develop and demonstrate knowledge of fundamental composing processes by composing paragraphs and essays, mastering basic sentence types and construction, and using standard American English grammar, usage and mechanics.
Non-native English speakers with limited fluency in reading and writing should enroll in the appropriate level of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages).
3. Purpose and Aims (instructional objectives; intellectual skills):
Through the preparation of paragraphs and essays, students will gain competence
in written expression, including planning, unity, development, organization
of ideas, and sentence skills.
In addition students will prewrite, draft, revise, edit, and proofread. Students
will develop an understanding of the essay form’s purposes, structure,
and patterns of exposition. Students will be introduced to library use. Students
will use word processing to prepare their work. Some sections include instruction
in a networked computer classroom.
Students will develop the following intellectual skills: write standard English
sentences; engage effectively in the exchange of ideas; recognize different
purposes and methods of writing; identify a writer's point of view and tone;
identify and attempt to solve problems; comprehend, develop and use concepts;
distinguish between fact and opinion and make informed decisions
4. Credit (s): Three (qualifies for institutional credit for financial aid and course load, but not applicable to graduation.)
5. Required or Elective: Prerequisite for ENL101 as determined by CPT.
6. Satisfies General Education Core or Distribution Requirement: No.
7. Prerequisite (s): Appropriate score on the sentence skills CPT and a writing sample. ENL010 or appropriate score in the reading skills CPT.
8. Level of Course: Developmental.
9. General Statement of Evaluation: Students will demonstrate competence
in planning, unity,
development, organization and sentence skills. Students will be evaluated on
class participation, a library orientation assignment, writing assignments,
and a departmental final examination.
10. Content Outline of Course (Sufficiently detailed for the reader to ascertain
the contents and topics for the course):
1. Orientation and Writing Sample
2. The Writing Process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading
3. Elements of written expression: planning, unity, development, organization
4. Sentence structure and mechanics
5. Paragraph structure: topic sentence, controlling idea, support, conclusion
6. Introduction to essay form: purposes, structure, patterns of exposition
7. Critical thinking skills: awareness of point of view and tone, recognition
of fact and opinion, problem-solving, decision-making
Cape Cod Community College
Course Syllabus
1. Course Number: ENL 101
Course Title: English Composition 1
2. Description: ENL101 is an introductory college composition course required
of all students and prerequisite to all other college-level English courses.
It is designed to help students develop and express ideas clearly and effectively
using Standard American English through frequent writing and the study
of rhetorical patterns of development.
3. Purposes and Aims (instructional objectives: intellectual skills): As
a result of this course, students will understand the importance of effective
writing in life and work; improve skills by writing paragraphs and short
essays; understand the process of writing, including revision; demonstrate
the construction of the academic essay; identify and evaluate print and
electronic sources; recognize and avoid plagiarism; write a research paper
with MLA manuscript form and documentation; and demonstrate knowledge of
grammatical concepts.
4. Credits(s): Three
5. Required or elective: Required
6. Satisfies General Education, Core or Distribution Requirement: Yes,
satisfied three core credits
7. Prerequisite(s): Appropriate score on Computerized Placement Test or
grade of C or better in ENL050 (Foundations in Writing) or ESL201 (English
as a Second Language III)
8. Level of Course: Introductory
9. General Statement of Evaluation: The primary components determining
the final grade are a two-hour expository essay final exam worth 20%; a
library research paper worth 20%; additional writing assignments (such
as quizzes, journals, revisions and the like) of varying lengths which
total 4000-5000 words worth 60%. Attendance and class participation may
also be components.
10. Content Outline of Course (Sufficiently detailed for the reader to
ascertain the contents and topics for the course):
1. Orientation and writing sample
2. Audience, voice, purpose
3. The Writing Process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading
4. Essay structure: introduction, thesis, body paragraphs, conclusion
5. Rhetorical patterns of development
6. Critical thinking and logic
7. Developing and documenting a researched essay
8. Usage and sentence structure
Foundations in Writing/ English Composition I
Paired Course Syllabus
ENL 050 Section 01 – ENL 101 Section 01
Contact information
Instructor: Ms. Patricia Allen
Phone: (508) 362-2131, ext. 4681
Email: pallen@capecod.edu
Office: North 233
Office Hours:
Monday, 8 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Tuesday 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Wednesday 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Thursday 12 – 1p.m.
I am also available to meet at other times by appointment. Please feel free to stop by at any time in addition to the hours listed above. If I am in my office and available, I will be glad to meet with you. I also respond promptly to email.
Paired course policies
This “paired” course is actually a combination of two three-credit
courses, Foundations in Writing and English Composition I. We will cover the
material for Foundations in Writing for the first half of the semester and
proceed on to English Composition for the remainder of the semester.
The following policies apply to this paired course:
? You will receive a separate grade for each of the two courses.
? You must earn a grade of C or better to continue on into English Comp.
I.
? If you earn a grade of C- or lower in Foundations in Writing, you will
receive an “R” grade (repeat) and be required to drop English
Comp. I.
? You may opt not to continue on to English Comp. after you complete Foundations
in Writing.
Instructional methods
During the semester, you will write independently and collaboratively.
We will use the tools of the networked computer classroom--computers with
internet access that are also linked to one another-- to write, research,
and develop skills. Some information will be presented through lecture,
but you will have ample opportunity to participate in class discussions
and group activities.
Foundations in writing grading policy
Homework/assignments
Weekly online discussion entry: 10%
Formal writing assignments
Paragraph 1 10%
Paragraph 2 10%
Paragraph 3 10%
Essay 1 10%
Quizzes and exams
Weekly Quizzes 10%
Grammar exam 20%
Final exam 20%
Please note that I will drop your lowest quiz score before averaging your
grade, but quizzes cannot be made up.
English Composition 1 grading policy
Homework/assignments
Weekly online discussion entry: 10%
Group assignments: 10%
Formal writing assignments
Essay 2 10%
Essay 3 10%
Cover letter/ resume 10%
Research paper 20%
Quizzes and exams
Weekly Quizzes 10%
Final exam 20%
Please note that I will drop your lowest quiz score before averaging your grade, but quizzes cannot be made up.
Revision policy
You will have the opportunity to revise paragraphs 1, 2, & 3 and Essays
1 & 2, as long as they are submitted on time. Note that revisions will
receive the full revised grade. For example, if your original paper is a 74
and you revise it to an 84, 84 will be calculated in your final grade.
Attendance policy
Foundations in Writing
You may miss 3 class sessions without penalty
? Three or more missed class sessions results in a deduction of five points
from your final grade.
? Five or more missed sessions my result in your being dropped from the
course.
English Comp. I
You may miss 3 class sessions without penalty
? Three or more missed class sessions results in a deduction of five points
from your final grade.
? Five or more missed sessions my result in your being dropped from the
course.
Just a note of clarification regarding absences-
Unlike high school, where classes often meet for 5 - 7 hours per week, college classes meet for only a few hours each week, so our time together is limited and extremely valuable. You will find that your attendance in all of your college classes has a direct connection to your success in the course, so getting to class should be a top priority that will have a real pay off.
That said, I do understand that, invariably, emergencies will arise that will require you to be away from class. In our class, there is no distinction between “excused” and “unexcused” absences. You can feel comfortable missing two class sessions –for whatever reason-- without penalty. My advice is that you resist the temptation to skip class in bad weather or sunshine so that you will have these absences available to you for a true emergency-- sickness, a funeral, transportation problem, etc. If you have an emergency that will keep you out of school for more than a week, please contact me immediately.
Because we meet for two-hour blocks, each hour will be considered a class session. In other words, each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday class equals two class sessions.
Texts
Checkpoints by Jack Page and Leslie Taggart; A Writer’s Resource by
Elaine Maimon and Janice Peritz: The Allyn & Bacon Editing Exercises by
Anna Ingalls and Dan Moody.
The Academic Writer’s Handbook by Leonard J. Rosen, published by Pearson Longman, 2006.
From time to time, I will distribute handouts for you to read or assign you to visit specific websites.
Due dates/ late work policy
All papers and assignments are due by 11:00 p.m. on the date noted in your
syllabus. You may email papers to me or put them under the door of my office
(the building is open until 9:30 p.m.) if you do not have them for me during
class. Do not miss class on paper due dates.
Blackboard comments are due each Friday at 11 p.m.
All late work for will be graded down a full letter grade and may not
be revised. Late work for Foundations in Writing is due by Friday, Oct.
21. Late essays and other assigned work for English Comp. I must be submitted
by Monday, Dec. 5.
Grade criteria
Your papers in this course will be graded on the following criteria:
? Development of ideas and use of supporting evidence
A solid academic essay starts off with a specific thesis and offers examples
and explanations that support the main idea of the paper. You should strive
to explain your thoughts clearly—don’t make assumptions about
your reader’s knowledge of your topic. You should use as much vivid
detail as possible, but eliminate any unnecessary or distracting information.
? Organization and logic of sentences, paragraphs, and the paper as a whole
Your essay should follow the academic essay structure, with an introduction,
a body, and a conclusion. Your thesis statement should appear at the end
of your introduction. Your body paragraphs should start with topic sentences
that introduce the main idea of the paragraph. Your paragraphs should contain
only one main idea, and that idea should directly support or explain your
thesis.
? Correct use of academic tone
Your paper should be written using appropriate diction and word choice.
You should not use slang or curse words. You should use non-judgmental language
and back up your claims with facts instead of opinions, generalizations,
or stereotypes.
? Correctness of grammar and mechanics
Your paper should use all the conventions of Standard English, including
complete and correctly-constructed sentences, correct punctuation and capitalization,
and accurate spelling.
? Appropriate formatting
Your paper should be submitted in the format described in this syllabus.
In addition to these criteria, your paper must be of adequate length, address
the assigned topic, and meet the assigned requirements of number and quality
of research sources.
Explanation of grades
90- 100 is reserved for papers that are excellent in development, structure, and style. These papers develop a thought-provoking thesis with a thorough examination of ideas and insightful observations and citations from the text. In addition, they are nearly perfect technically (grammar and mechanics).
An 80-89 paper is above average. It is well organized, supported by specific evidence, and provides solid observations and supporting text references. These papers are usually technically near perfect, but lack the style and sophistication of an A paper.
A 70 -79 paper is a paper of average proficiency. It complies minimally to assignment requirements, but may not be thoroughly developed and may include significant errors in grammar.
A 60- 69 paper is a paper that is below average. These papers typically are not well-developed and have major problems with grammar, clarity and or logic.
A paper with a grade of 59 or below paper is a paper that does not meet minimum standards for the assignment, including length, topic, and research source requirements. Plagiarized work will receive an 0.
Plagiarism policy
Plagiarism--work that is intentionally or unintentionally stolen from another--is
unacceptable in this course. I have two rules regarding plagiarism: work that
is improperly documented but not intentionally plagiarized will earn a failing
grade. Work that has been stolen, borrowed, or purchased from another source
will result in an F for the course and referral to the college disciplinary
committee. Plagiarism is grounds for expulsion from Cape Cod Community College.
Course learning outcomes
Our primary goal for this course is to learn to write academic essays for
college.
1. Use the five-step writing process to create essays.
? Brainstorm ideas before writing.
? Consider the needs of your audience and your purpose for writing.
? Create a draft that focuses on conveying your ideas.
? Revise your paper to ensure that your ideas are expressed clearly and
convincingly.
? Edit your paper to improve its style, flow, and grammar.
? Publish your paper by submitting it for assessment.
2. Find credible information to support your argument.
? Determine the reliability of print and internet sources.
? Assess the quality of information, logical appeals, language, and tone
of sources.
? Assess the credibility and expertise of an author.
? Locate publication information of print and Internet sources.
3. Use specific examples to support your argument.
? Use precise language.
? Explain your ideas thoroughly.
? Include enough supporting details to provide context for your reader.
? Summarize, paraphrase, and directly quote source material.
? Give attribution for borrowed ideas, as well as “word-for-word” quotations.
4. Make a convincing argument using the rules of logic and interpreting data
ethically and accurately.
? Describe the difference between appeals to emotion and appeals to logic.
? Paraphrase and summarize data.
? Express numerical data accurately.
? Quote and paraphrase authors and statistics in context.
5. Choose appropriate language and use the conventions of academic writing.
? Write in the third person point of view.
? Use neutral, unbiased language.
? Choose appropriate level of diction for academic writing assignments.
6. Link coherent paragraphs using appropriate patterns of development.
? Create a thesis that expresses the central argument of your paper.
? Write paragraphs that contain a single main topic.
? Use transitions within and between paragraphs.
? Explain the purposes of the introduction, body, and conclusion of the
essay.
? Describe and use example, comparison/contrast, and persuasive patterns
of paragraph and essay development.
? Choose the pattern of development that best fits the purpose of your
paper.
7. Use correct grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.
? Write complete, logical sentences.
? Use parallelism appropriately.
? Recognize and repair agreement errors.
? Use Standard American English punctuation, mechanics and usage.
8. Use correct document format and MLA documentation style.
? Format all formal papers using MLA document guidelines.
? Accurately document research sources on a works cited page.
? Create correct in-text parenthetical citations.
Readings, tests, and assignments
Note that this schedule may be adjusted to meet the needs of an individual
class.
Week
Readings Assignments/ Assessments
Week 1
September 6 - 9
Classes begin Tuesday, September 6.
Checkpoints:
The Writing Process
Pgs. 1- 8
Academic Writer’s Handbook:
What is Academic Writing
Pgs. 1 – 3
Preview texts to become familiar with chapter organization.
100 word comment on week 1 class discussion board due Friday, Sept. 9.
Week 2
September 12 - 16
Monday, September 12, is the last day to add a course and the last day to drop a course with no academic record.
Friday, September 16, is the last day to drop with a 100% refund.
Checkpoints:
Paragraphs With Topic Sentences
Pgs. 15-25
Identifying Subjects and Verbs
Pgs. 26-31
Academic Writer’s Handbook:
The Writing Process
Pgs. 4 - 14
Focusing on Paragraphs
Pgs. 48 – 60
Paragraph 1
due Friday, Sept. 16.
Weekly quiz 1 Friday, Sept. 16:
Subjects and verbs
100 word comment on week 2 class discussion board due Friday, Sept. 16.
Week 3
September 19 - 23
Friday, September 23, is the last day to drop a course with a 50% refund.
Checkpoints:
Paragraphs With Specific Details
Pgs. 35 - 43
The Example Paragraph
Pgs. 115-119
Avoiding Fragments
Pgs. 43-48
Academic Writer’s Handbook:
Correcting Sentence Fragments
Pgs. 368 – 371
Paragraph 2
due Friday, Sept. 23.
Weekly quiz 2 Friday, Sept. 23: Fragments
100 word comment on week 3 class discussion board due Friday, Sept. 23.
Week 4
September 26 – 30.
Checkpoints:
Writing the Essay
Pgs. 182-188
An Essay Using Mixed Modes
Pgs. 227-231
Avoiding Clause Fragments
Pgs. 55-63
Academic Writer’s Handbook:
Writing a Working Thesis and a
First Draft Pgs. 15 - 27 Paragraph 3
due Friday, Sept. 30.
Weekly quiz 3 Friday, Sept. 30: Clause fragments
100 word comment on week 4 class discussion board due Friday, Sept. 30.
Week 5
October 3 - 7
Checkpoints:
Avoiding Run-Together Sentences
Pgs. 69-79
Academic Writer’s Handbook::
Correcting Comma Splices and Fused Sentences
Pgs. 372 – 375
Essay 1 due Friday, Oct. 7.
Weekly quiz 4 Friday, Oct. 7: Run-on sentences
100 word comment on week 5 class discussion board due Friday, Friday, Oct.
7.
Week 6
October 11 - 14
No classes Monday, Oct. 10 (Columbus Day observance)
Checkpoints:
Subject-Verb Agreement
Pgs. 105-112
Faulty Logic
Pgs. 237-239
Academic Writer