Newton Polytechnic

Syllabus

Academic Standards Commission

Instructor Information

Name

Tim Bascom

E-mail address

tpbascom@dmacc.edu

Phone number

641-791-1746

Fax number

Office location

Room 134

Office hours

M & Th (3:30-4:30)

T & Th (9:00-9:30)

W (11-12:00 & 1-2:00)

Course Information

Course title

Composition I—Fall, 2006

Course number

105

Credits

3.0

Section number

CRN number

10056

Days & Time

T and Th 1:15-2:40

Location

Rooms 135 & 142

Course Goals

Purpose Statement

Thinking is vital to living, and writing sharpens thought. Thus writing is inherently worthwhile.

More "purpose" for those still not convinced

Every day of your life, except perhaps for those spent in solitary confinement, you will be required to communicate with other people: not only teachers, but fellow workers, employers, neighbors, friends, family. You will communicate more effectively and more enjoyably if you are a practiced writer. That is because writing helps you to place your ideas outside of yourself, where you can see them clearly and improve upon them.

On a very basic level, we all want to be understood, and we all want to be interesting. In this particular writing course, we will practice several forms of writing that can help us achieve these primary goals: the autobiographical essay, the observational profile, the reflective essay, and the informative report. We will write about personal experience, then move toward a more formal approach that involves research, analysis and a supported thesis. Learning to write both ways (in a personal, expressive fashion and in a formal, informative fashion) can help us to communicate more effectively, not only in college but in the work-world and day-to-day life.

Course description

http://www.dmacc.edu/courses/crsrod.asp

Course Goals

http://www.dmacc.edu/competencies/

See attached sheet for a list of official course goals.

Important Dates

Midterm

http://www.dmacc.edu/academiccal.asp

Final

http://www.dmacc.edu/academiccal.asp

Textbooks & Materials

Required textbooks

Reading Critically: Writing Well. Seventh Edition. Rise B. Axelrod, Charles Cooper, and Alison M. Warriner.

Rules for Writers. Fifth Edition. Diana Hacker.

Required materials

Four pocket folders for handing in major assignments.

Course Schedule


Week or Date	Assignment	Due Date
August 29-31	Introductions and In-class Diagnostic Writing (Literacy Autobiography).
Sept. 5-19:	Autobiography (Ch. 2, Axelrod), Paragraphing (4a-e, Hacker), Sentence Types (64a-b, Hacker), Fragments (19a-d, Hacker), and Runons (20a-d, Hacker).	Personal Experience Story: Sept. 19.
Sept. 19-Oct. 10:	Observation (Ch. 3, Axelrod), The Comma (32a-j, Hacker), Shifts in Person or Tense (13a-b, Hacker), Quotation Marks (37a-f, Hacker).	Profile: Oct. 10.
Oct. 10-17:	Individual conferences.	Grammar Test: Oct. 17. Revision of Profile: Oct. 19.
Oct. 17-Nov. 9:	Explaining Concepts (Ch. 5, Axelrod), Integrating Sources (53a-c), Avoiding Plagiarism (52 a-c), Documenting Sources (54a-b, Hacker).	Research Treasure Hunt: Oct. 24. Informative Report: Nov. 9.
Nov. 9-Dec. 7:	Reflection (Ch. 4, Axelrod).	Reflective Essay: Dec. 5. Portfolio: Dec. 7.

Course Policies

Attendance

University policy requires that students attend scheduled classes. I understand that, from time to time, circumstances make it impossible for a student to attend. If you have to be absent for good reason, see me ahead of time or as soon as possible after the absence. Try to bring a written excuse. Generally, I find that "A" and "B" students are absent no more than three times in a semester. Any student who is absent from more than six class periods will be advised to drop the course, since this generally indicates a lack of motivation and since it puts the student in a position of not being able to finish the required assignments. If you are absent without a proper excuse, I will expect you to ask another student about missed work. I do not want to repeatedly go over missed work and assignments with students who have not given me a proper excuse for their absence.

Grading criteria

Grades are earned, not "given." Try to approach each assignment with the goal of doing your best. That is the real goal in learning. With that in mind, here are the main grading components for this course:

1) Homework (30% of final grade). Reading is one dimension of your homework. You will be required to turn in reading responses this semester. These responses are no longer than a page, typed, double-spaced. They are due at the beginning of class, and they cannot be made up later. (More instruction later.) We may also have several grammar quizzes, and we will take a short test that involves editing sentences or paragraphs with grammar errors. You will get homework credit for a research activity in the final month of class. Finally, you will be expected to handwrite editorial changes in response to my grading comments on the first essay, turning in these handwritten changes for further credit. Added together, homework will account for 30% of your final grade.

2) Five essays (12% each). You will write four major essays. You will also revise the second essay (the profile essay) for a second, separate grade (worth 12% as well).

3) Classroom participation (10% of final grade). I expect you to be in class regularly and to participate willingly. Each day that you attend and show a normal level of interest, you will receive a participation point. If you are noticeably involved, you will receive an extra point. However, any student who is difficult or disruptive (see classroom behavior) will lose his or her participation point for that day. Coming to class late twice will cause you to lose a point as well.

I will hold a mid-term conference with you, regarding your progress. If you are at risk of a D or F, I will tell you. The individual conference is a time when you can ask any questions you have about particular assignments or the course as a whole.

Classroom conduct

This is a college course. As a result, you are expected to act like adult learners. Certain behavior is inappropriate: whispering, signaling to classmates, ridiculing anyone in the room, acting sullen, interrupting, arguing, trying to sidetrack conversation, and so on. Please show your maturity by being a positive presence in the classroom. To study any subject is a privilege. Many adults have no opportunity, after entering the workforce, to step away from their day-to-day demands and to study a subject in depth. Let’s enjoy our time together as a learning community. Since composition is a course that allows students to openly share about their own experience and ideas, it can actually be the starting place for worthwhile, lasting relationships.

Late assignments

Papers are due at the beginning of class on the due date. Late papers will lose one letter grade for every class period that they are late. If they are not received within three class periods, they will receive no grade at all. Late homework cannot be made up unless there has been a previous arrangement or a proper excuse for the missed work. I will, however, allow one extra credit homework assignment at the end of the semester.

Weather policy

During adverse weather, the DMACC faculty is considerate of students who are unable to attend classes due to unique extenuating circumstances. It is the responsibility of each faculty member to notify their students (in addition to their dean or provost) thru some predetermined means if they must postpone or cancel a specific class due to weather or illness.

If class is cancelled, I will alert the front desk, so that they can call students.

Academic dishonesty

See DMACC Educational Services Procedures ES 262 VII. A and B for information on plagiarism, cheating, and appeals procedures.

I have no tolerance for work borrowed or stolen from others and will report any student whom I discover plagiarizing or cheating. The consequences for academic dishonesty are high and can even result in suspension or expulsion.

DMACC Information Web Sites

DMACC home page

http://www.dmacc.edu/

Instructor home pages

http://www.dmacc.edu/instructors/welcome.asp

Cellular phone use statement

http://www.dmacc.edu/student_services/cellphone.asp

Student handbook

http://www.dmacc.edu/handbook/welcome.asp

Add/drop dates

http://www.dmacc.edu/registration/add_drop.asp

Refund policy

http://www.dmacc.edu/refund.asp

Support Services

Accommodations

Services for students with disabilities

http://www.dmacc.edu/student_services/disabilities.asp

It is the policy of DMACC to accommodate students with disabilities. Any student with a documented disability who requires reasonable accommodation should contact the special needs coordinator at 515-964-6850 voice or 515-964-6810 TTY. It is best to also contact the Academic Achievement Center on the Newton campus at 641-791-1730, where you can get an Application for Accommodation. Be sure to inform me of any special needs at the beginning of the semester.

Academic & educational advising

http://www.dmacc.edu/newton/newtonadvisors.htm

Career counseling

http://www.dmacc.edu/newton/newtonadvisors.htm

Interactive Learning Center

http://www.library.dmacc.edu/

Room 120

· Monday – Thursday 9:00 am to 9:00 pm

· Friday – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Academic Achievement Center

http://www.dmacc.edu/student_services/academic_achievement_center.asp

Services include academic help, tutoring, testing (Compass), pre-admission and high school diploma courses, GED, and credit classes

641-791-3622 or 1-800-362-2127

Room 107

Monday – Thursday 9:00 am to 6:00 pm

Computer labs

http://www.dmacc.edu/helpdesk/pc_labs.htm

Room 110 A

· Monday – Thursday 8:00 am to 9:00 pm

· Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

Writing Center

Email: tpbascom@dmacc.edu

Room 134

For assistance on any writing project or speech, come to The Writing Center during posted hours: Monday and Wednesday (9-10) or Monday through Thursday (11:15-12:15). Try, if possible, to sign up in advance, using the signup sheet next to the door of Room 134.

Disclaimer

This syllabus is representative of materials that will be covered in this class; it is not a contract between the student and the institution. It is subject to change without notice. Any potential exceptions to stated policies and requirements will be addressed on an individual basis, and only for reasons that meet specific requirements. If you have any problems related to this class, please feel free to discuss them with me.