Fully Online English 102--Fall Quarter 2016

Instructor: Jim Roth

Contact Information: PLEASE USE CANVAS EMAIL for all course communications.

School website: http://ol.scc.spokane.edu /jroth

NOTE: Please use CANVAS e-mail for all course communications.

REQUIRED TEXTS and RESOURCES:

1. No physical textbook is required: This quarter we’ll read, discuss, and respond to various articles, short stories, and poems that can be found online. In addition, the online world holds all of the resources you’ll need to create and complete a college-level research paper.

2. Occasional access to a scanner.

3. A very reliable Internet connection (smartphones and tablets are NOT recommended because their performance can become erratic in CANVAS).

MANDATORY PREREQUISITES

Please read the following list carefully. If your answer is “no” to any of these eight “musts,” please find an alternative course immediately.

To begin this course, students must have--

1. College-level reading and writing skills. Writing meets the minimum English 102 entry level. Please study the English 102 Entry Level Student Essay.

2. Completed English 101 or equivalent with a grade of 2.0 or better.

3. A willingness and ability devote an average of at least 12-15 hours per week to the course.

4. A willingness to interact with a variety of articles, short stories, and poems.

5. A willingness to share their writing with others and constructively critique others’ writing.

6. A willingness to participate actively in discussions and postings.

7. An interest in American Literature.

8. Completed a satisfactory diagnostic essay written within the first three days of the quarter, one that meets entry standards for Advanced English Composition 102, as determined by the instructor. Students who fail to meet this deadline, regardless of reason, will be dropped from the course to make room for students on the waiting list.

IMPORTANT: To be eligible to continue in the course, this timed diagnostic writing assignment must be completed satisfactorily by no later than midnight Wednesday, September 21, 2016. Students who fail to meet this deadline, regardless of reason, will be dropped from the course to make room for students on the waiting list.

Please note: A student whose beginning-of-the-quarter diagnostic essay does not meet the minimum entry requirements of the course, as determined by the instructor, will have to find an alternative writing course to upgrade writing skills.

ENGLISH 102 CATALOG DESCRIPTION

This course teaches students research skills by emphasizing the development of critical reading habits, investigative proficiency, and the writing of expository and persuasive prose including documented research essays. Students work to understand academic audiences, increase their clarity and objectivity, and adhere to standard formats. Prerequisite: English 101 with a 2.0 or better.

COURSE OUTCOMES and ACTIVITIES

· Respond thoughtfully and critically to a variety of articles, short stories, and poems.

· Use a writing process that involves strategies of prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading.

· Apply various rhetorical elements and strategies to particular reading and writing assignments.

· Complete a variety of web assignments, many with quizzes.

· Read and discuss others’ writing as well as learn to revise your own.

· Write well developed and clearly organized college-level essays using standard American English sentences.

· Use proper research methods to locate a variety of articles accessed through legitimate databases.

· Use correct methods of documentation as required by the Modern Language Association (MLA) and/or the American Psychological Association (APA).

· Interview and write about a very senior citizen.

· Create and write original college-level research papers that conform to either MLA or APA guidelines.

FIRST THREE DAYS ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENT

In order to be eligible to receive a course grade of .7 or higher, a student must have attended regularly the first three days of the quarter or have make arrangements with the instructor in advance. Students who do not meet the first-three-days attendance requirement will be withdrawn from the course.

IMPORTANT: To continue in the course, this timed diagnostic writing assignment must be completed satisfactorily by no later than midnight Wednesday, September 21, 2016. Studentswho fail to meet this deadline regardless of reason, will be dropped from the course to make room for students on the waiting list.

SCC ENGLISH DEPARTMENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Please read the SCC English Department Course Outcomes

THE WRITING YOU SUBMIT

All submitted writing becomes property of the course and may be used as an example in this and future courses. If your writing is used, it will remain strictly anonymous.

THE JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT

The Writing Journal is for informal course assignments and practice. Regarding the journal and other non-graded assignments, please remember that practicing on your own is the most important key to improving your writing. Please go to this link to read more about the Journal Assignment.

THE WRITING I READ

I will read only student writing that clearly demonstrates an honest attempt to apply the principles presented in the course (organization, thoughtfulness, mechanics, etc.). In addition, to be acceptable, writing must reflect careful revision and editing. Student writing that appears quickly assembled or lacks evidence of revision and editing will be returned with a grade of “zero" with no rewrite opportunity.

THE COURSE WEEK

Our course week runs from Tuesday morning through Monday at midnight.

MAKING UP LATE ASSIGNMENTS

There is NO MAKE-UP OPTION regardless of reason so please don’t ask. The good news is you will have plenty of lead time for each assignment.

[ Please note: Any assignment that has a time and date stamp later than the due date is a late assignment no matter what the reason and will receive no credit. This late assignment rule includes technical problems with the Internet and/or your computer. That’s why it’s a good idea to begin assignments early.

GETTING BACK TO YOU

I will do my best to respond within 24 hours to emails that I receive between 7:30 to 2:30 on school days. If you have a question over the weekends or holidays, please allow 48 hours. The best thing to do is preview the new CANVAS module early in the course week and ask questions as soon as possible.

PLAGIARISM AND CHEATING

Plagiarism and Cheating: Plagiarism is knowingly using someone else's words or ideas as your own. The temptation to plagiarize is great because writing is difficult. Remember that plagiarism is stealing and will NOT be tolerated. Cheating covers a variety of different methods, but generally turning in work that is not your own. Don't cheat; you are only hurting yourself. Please read the Arts and Sciences Dean’s Letter before continuing.

OTHERS

Registered sex offenders (RSO’s) may be enrolled in SCC classes. Persons interested in seeking the identity of these person(s) may obtain further information from the Campus Security Office.

At all times, whether on campus or taking online courses, be cautious of your personal safety and be very careful of any relationships or attachments you form with others you meet through college courses and activities. Students in online courses must be particularly careful since there is no opportunity to screen others in person.

Community Colleges of Spokane is committed to the safety and well-being of students, faculty, and staff. The entire community is responsible for maintaining a healthy and safe learning environment. Please report any suspicious activities to the Campus Security Office immediately.

Please read the Campus Safety Update.

PROPER ENGLISH AND COURTESY IN COURSE COMMUNICATIONS

Whether we like it or not, others judge us by how well we use the language. In addition, the use of Standard Written English demonstrates respect for ourselves, our language, our readers, and our message. Because of these facts, part of your grade this quarter will be determined by the quality of English you use in e-mails to me as well as in postings and Writing Group comments to your peers.

Please be aware that I will not respond to e-mails nor will I accept or grade any essays written in substandard English. In addition, I will not read nor will I respond to e-mails written in Textlish (“texting English”).

Finally, I will not read nor will I respond to communications that are impolite or discourteous.

PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is the intentional or unintentional representation of someone else’s words and ideas as your own. It is academic theft and will not be tolerated. Any act of plagiarism, intentional or not, will mean failure of the assignment. More than one instance of plagiarism will mean failure of the course. Please consult the SCC Student Handbook, the SCC Student Code of Conduct, and the Arts and Sciences Division policies for more information.

YOUR FINAL GRADE

You will likely find your present overall course grade (please see the grade book column under “Total”) artificially high right now. Here’s why: the Research Related Writing and Assignments, which will account for 40% of the final grade, have been “all the points or no points” up till now. If you've completed all of the assignments in this category to this point, you likely hold a temporary percentage of 100% in this category.

However, these “all the points or no points” assignments account for only 25 of the 325 points possible in this category; the research paper itself, which will not be “all the points or no points,” will account for the remaining 300.

This means that, at present, CANVAS is using the temporary 100% average in this category to calculate 40% of your total course grade, which gives these 25 “all the points or no points” far more weight than they’ll have once the research paper points are entered.

Unfortunately, CANVAS offers no other way than this to keep a running total of points in each category. I hope that makes some sense. Please let me know if you have questions.

All major assignments (those worth 50 or more points) must be submitted in order to qualify for a course grade of 2.0 or higher.

Several categories will determine your course grade, each category being worth a certain percent of your total grade.

Please remember that receiving a final course grade of 2.0 or higher also depends upon meeting or exceeding college transfer-level English 102 exit writing standards, regardless of your course average at the quarter’s end.

General Writing and Activities 30% of the grade
Research-related writing and activities 40% of the grade
Quizzes 20% of the grade
Postings 10% of the grade
The Journal Assignment PASS/FAIL

Transfer-level Course Grade Scale—J. Roth

% to Decimal	Letter	% to Decimal	Letter	% to Decimal	Letter	% to Decimal	Letter

100--4.0	A	89—3.4	B+	79—2.6	C+	69—1.7	D+
99—4.0	A	88—3.4	B+	78—2.5	C+	68—1.7	D+
98—4.0	A	87—3.3	B+	77—2.4	C+	67—1.6	D
97—4.0	A	86—3.3	B	76—2.3	C+	66—1.6	D
96—4.0	A	85—3.2	B	75—2.2	C	65—1.5	D
95—4.0	A	84—3.1	B	74—2.1	C	64—1.4	D
94—3.9	A	83—3.0	B	73—2.0	C	63—1.3	D
93—3.8	A-	82—2.9	B	72—1.9	C-	62—1.2	D
92—3.7	A-	81—2.8	B-	71—1.9	C-	61—1.1	D-
91—3.6	A-	80—2.7	B-	70—1.8	C-	60—1.0	D-
90—3.5	A-					0.7—less	F