North Seattle Community College
ENGL& 102: Composition Syllabus (Theme: “Science and Society”)
Winter Quarter 2010

Quick Links: Required Books, Participation, Late Paper Policy and Turning in Assignments, Grades and Grading

Instructor Information

Name:

J.C. Clapp

Email:

jclapp@sccd.ctc.edu

Office location:

2313A of the Instruction Building, NSCC campus

Phone:

206-528-4531

Instructor’s Website:

http://facweb.northseattle.edu/jclapp/ -- all of our course files are accessible via my faculty webpage (in addition to everything being on our online classroom), so if our class website is ever down and you need to access a file, check here!

ANGEL online courseware

We will be using ANGEL as our online courseware.  To access our online course, go to:  http://northseattle.angellearning.com/  Your username and your password are the same: they are both your complete 9-digit NSCC student ID number.  For example, if your student ID number is 955-55-4411, then both your username and your password would be 955554411.  If you have troubles logging on, please check the Distance Learning office's troubleshooting information. If you can't solve the problem that way, contact the Distance Learning office help desk: (206)527-3738 or email them at distance@sccd.ctc.edu  You should have access to the online class about 2-3 days before the quarter starts.

Course number:

ENGL& 102: Composition (Theme: Science and Society)

Course description:

English 102 is a continuing composition class that takes what a student has learned in English 101 to the next level. We work within a specific theme and do a variety of types of analytical writing.

Location:

Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.

Meeting day(s):

No on-campus meeting days

Meeting time(s):

Online communication only.

Prerequisite(s): 

You need to have passed English 101 with a grade of 2.0 or better. Keyboarding/typing skills and regular access to the Internet are required. For information regarding the college’s student computer labs: http://www.northseattle.edu/services/complab.htm

New to Online Classes?

If you have never taken an online course before, please read the information for “Potential” and “Registered” online students at: http://www.virtualcollege.org/resource/orient.htm (scroll down to the yellow and blue shaded boxes near the bottom of the page).  These brief orientations will help you to understand what’s expected from you in an online class, so please take a few minutes to read this over.

Technical Problems and Requirements:

If you every experience technical difficulties with the class website, including problems with your username/password, please contact the Distance Learning Office: http://www.virtualcollege.org Also, please be aware that a minimum requirement of this course is reliable and consistent internet access. If you don’t have reliable and regular internet access (at least four days per week), then this isn’t the class for you! “I didn’t have internet access” is not an excuse for late work.

Course Goals

Course goals (or, what you're supposed to learn by the end of this course):

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Read critically in order to analyze, discuss, evaluate, and respond to texts.

2. Write in order to discover the meanings in the texts of others.

3. Write in order to discover their own ideas in relation to the texts of others.

4. Develop the skills of writing to communicate ideas to a particular audience.

5. Paraphrase, quote, and cite sources according to conventional MLA form, and to integrate source materials smoothly into their own words in order to add support and emphasis to their own writing.

6. Produce writing that has been revised, edited, and proofread and to submit the work on time.

7. Continue develop their voice as a writer.

8. Conduct limited, focused research and evaluate sources and information

Required Books

A Sequence for Academic Writing, 4th edition, by Behrens and Rosen, Longman Press,
ISBN: 0-205-67437-2

Science and Society, edited by Richard W. Grinnell, Pearson Longman Press,
ISBN: 0-321-31811-0 

Lies, Damned Lies, and Science: How to Sort through the Noise around Global Warming, the Latest Health Claims, and Other Scientific Controversies, by Sherry Seethaler, Pearson Education, Inc. (FT PRess),  ISBN: 0-13-715522-0

To find your textbooks at reduced rates, you may consider an online vendor, such as:  http://www.bestbookbuys.com  It's imperative that you have your books the first day of class if at all possible, since we jump right in.

Taking an Online Course

Time Needed for This Class:

Please realize that you'll reading, writing, and researching on your own rather than sitting in a classroom 5 hours a week as you would with an "ordinary" class.  Be prepared to spend at least 4 hours per week discussing online, at least 3+ hours per week reading, and 4+ hours writing. That totals about 12 or more hours per week.  Of course, some weeks will require more time, and others less.

How We'll Communicate:

Class will be conducted entirely online. There is no specific time of day when you need to be online; however, you will need to check the class page regularly to stay on top of things.  I will check my ANGEL email at least once per weekday, and you need to, too. I rarely check my email on the weekends, so if you email me on Friday afternoon you may not hear back from me until Monday morning.  I'm not ignoring you, I'm simply trying to have a balance between my work life and my personal life. And, please write any emails to me (and posts in your group) in standard edited English – not in texting shorthand or the like.

Play Nice!

Just a reminder that in an online discussion and via email you need to be careful about your tone.  Sometimes a joking or sarcastic tone can come off as hostile or as a personal attack.  So, just be mindful to use your Netiquette and treat others with respect.  If you need a refresher on good netiquette, review here: http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html

Participation (Posting) Policy

Introduction:

In order to receive the full attendance/participation points you must participate in the weekly class discussion at least 4 different days per week. I count a "week" from Sunday evening at midnight Pacific Standard Time (PST) to the following Sunday at midnight PST. Yes, weekend days count. You need to post on 4 different days of the week, not just post 4 times on one day. It's up to my discretion, but a post has to be substantial, meaningful, contain thought, and add something to the discussion in order to "count." As a very basic guideline, remember that your posting is in lieu of attending class, and class time fills 4+ hours per week, so your posts should take approximately that amount of time per week for you to write. Don't feel limited to writing only one post per day! Remember to discuss with your peers -- not just post in a vacuum. Interacting with your group members is the equivalent of "going to class" -- and it is not optional.  There will be prompts provided to guide your discussions. If you post 4 days per week, then by the end of the term you’ll need a total of 44 posts to earn full participation points (there are typically 11 weeks during the quarter). See the "Get Assignments" area of our online classroom for details on what you should be posting each week. Notice that the discussion groups will automatically disappear at midnight on Sundays and the next week’s groups will automatically appear at that same time.

Late Paper Policy and Turning in Homework

Introduction:

I do not accept late assignments. For each assignment you need to turn in there is a specific due date/time.  Everything is always due at 9:00 a.m. PST.  To turn in an assignment, go to the “Get Assignments” area of our class website and locate the appropriate dropbox under the appropriate week. (Notice you have to “upload” your file first, and then “submit” it – a two step process.) If you do not turn your assignment in on time, you will receive 0 points on that assignment. If the NSCC Angel server is ever down, the techie people contact me. If this happens, I will be understanding; however, other than a NSCC server crash, no other excuses will be accepted.  This includes excuses such as your internet connection going down, not having a reliable internet connection, your computer crashing, being stuck in traffic, not having the books in time to get the assignment done, having to work late, forgetting a due date, the clock on Angel not being synced up with your watch, feeling yucky that day, or being abducted by aliens. The drop-box will disappear from your view automatically at 9:00 a.m. PST on the due date, so please make sure you allow yourself plenty of time.

If you do miss a deadline, please don’t try and coerce me into taking your paper late. I realize that in exceptional circumstances due dates are missed (as in you are in the hospital, deathly ill, and can prove it), but those are very rare, and I’ve heard every excuse you can think of, so please don’t waste either of our time by begging me to take a late paper for one of the reasons I’ve already said I won’t take a paper for (see above). I get tired of explaining how I attempt to treat all of my students equally and fairly and if I take a late paper from you, then I feel it would only be fair to take late papers from everyone, and I’m not willing to do that, since it doesn’t honor the responsibility of those that turned it in on time.

How to format your files

All assignments must be turned in via the class website in the “Get Assignments” area using the appropriate dropbox -- you may not e-mail your assignments to me. I expect everything you turn in to be thoroughly proofread and edited (in standard academic English).  In order to be sure I can open the file you send me, please save all of your files as rich text (.rtf) files or Word (.doc or .docx) files.

Assignment Descriptions

The assignment sheet for how to write your assignments are in the “Get Assignments” area of our class webpage.  The course is broken down by week, with all of the necessary information found under each week’s assignment.  Don’t rely on the “Calendar of Due Dates” to give you all the information you need.  It only has the due dates and an overview of the course!  The weekly details are under “Get Assignments.”

Grades and Grading

Grades:

I will write comments in response to your assignments.  You will be able to see my comments if you go back to the dropbox or if you click on the “GRADES” link on the class homepage (I also usually send a copy of the comments to your ANGEL email box).  I try to write enough comments so that you understand your grade and so that you know the types of issues you need to work on for the next assignment. If you ever have a question about your grade or a comment I made, please let me know. I want you to understand where your grades come from! Also, please get familiar with the "Reports" tab where your grades will be regularly updated. If you have a grade complaint, however, please follow the guidelines at the bottom of the syllabus.

Point Breakdown:

Weekly Discussion Posts (20 points per week for 11 weeks): 220 points (22% of course grade)

Summary & Critique Assignment: 100 points (10% of course grade)

Analysis Assignment: 200 points (20% of course grade)
Follow-the-Source (Explanatory Synthesis) Assignment: 240 points (24% of course grade)

Argument Synthesis Assignment: 240 points (24% of course grade)

What Grades Mean:

I assume that since you have passed English 101, then you have college-level reading and writing skills (and you are prepared to write reasonably coherent sentences, paragraphs, and essays). Of course, we’re here to improve reading and writing skills, and I certainly don’t expect perfection, but I do expect you to be at the college level.

Grades in this class are not given based on effort.  While it’s true that lots of effort usually results in higher quality work, there is no way for me to accurately and fairly assess how much effort a particular student exerts.  So, papers are graded solely based on what’s on the page – not how much the student tried.  For each paper there are grading criteria on the assignment sheet.  I will use those grading criteria to assess each student’s paper.  I employ the same grading standards regardless of whether or not English is your first language, whether or not you tried hard, whether or not you’ve improved since your rough draft was written, or whether or not you are already a strong writer. (In other words, I try to grade each student fairly and equally based on a predetermined set of criteria.) Please note what the grades on your papers indicate (according to the Seattle Community College’s grading standards):

Percentage	Letter Grade	Decimal Grade	Indication of Performance
96% or more	A	4.0	Excellent/Exceptional
94%-95%	A	3.9
93%	A-	3.8
92%	A-	3.7
91%	A-	3.6
90%	A-	3.5
89%	B+	3.4	High/Above Average
88%	B+	3.3
87%	B+	3.2
86%	B	3.1
85%	B	3.0
84%	B	2.9
83%	B-	2.8
82%	B-	2.7
81%	B-	2.6
80%	B-	2.5
79%	C+	2.4	Average/Meets Expectations (About 50% of the class will be in this range)
78%	C+	2.3
77%	C+	2.2
76%	C	2.1
75%	C	2.0
74%	C	1.9
73%	C-	1.8
72%	C-	1.7
71%	C-	1.6
70%	C-	1.5
69%	D+	1.4	Minimum
68%	D+	1.3
67%	D+	1.2
66%	D	1.1
65%	D	1.0
64%	D	0.9
63%	D-	0.8
62%	D-	0.7
61% and below	F	0.0	Unsatisfactory/Below Minimum Requirements

Withdrawing

from the

Course:

The grade given at the end of the quarter will be based on a 4.0 scale.  No grades of I (“incomplete”) or NC (“no credit”) will be granted except in the most extreme circumstances. If you do not feel you will be able to complete the course to your satisfaction, it is your responsibility to drop/withdraw from the course. For more information regarding withdrawing and other registration related questions: http://www.northseattle.edu/enroll/admit/policy/chsched.htm

Extra Credit:

No extra credit will be offered. However, if you’re not doing as well in the course as you’d hoped, please contact me and we might be able to come up with a plan for you to improve.

Grade

Complaints

If you ever want more comments on your paper, so that you understand where your grade came from, please don’t hesitate to ask.  I don’t consider asking for feedback to be a grade complaint.  However, if you are unhappy with your grade (either on an assignment or in the class) and you want me to change it, I have a process for handling grade complaints.  Any assignment grade complaints must be filed within one week of when I return your paper to you (you can’t wait until weeks or months later and then complain!).  Here's what to do:

1. Go to and thoroughly read the information at: http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Professor-to-Change-Your-Grade
2. If you decide you want to try and convince me to change your grade after reading the above article, then email me and request that we sit down together and discuss your grade.  In your email you need to attach the paper whose grade is in question.  Also, you need to thoroughly explain to me why you think a grade change is warranted.  Your explanation needs to be clear, concise, and have evidence to back it up.  There are some reasons for a grade change that won't work with me, so don't use them. They are:
   --Because you tried really hard on the assignment
   --Because the Loft tutors helped you with the assignment and they told you it was good
   --Because English isn't your first language and you feel I should use different standards to assess your work than I do for native speakers of English
   --Because you need a certain grade in order to pass the class
   --Because you won't graduate if you don't pass the class
   --Because you need a certain grade to get into a particular program or college
   --Because you'll lose your student visa, your financial aid, or your parent's financial support if you don't pass the class
   --Because you're an A student and you've never earned less on an A on anything
   --Because you think the assignment was too difficult and my standards are unreasonable
3. We’ll meet in person, if possible, and we’ll both come prepared to talk about your paper and your grade.  If we aren’t able to meet in person (this is an online class, after all, and you might live far away!), then we’ll continue to communicate via email and phone.  However we meet, we’ll discuss your paper and your grade.  If I feel a grade change is appropriate, I’ll change it at this point.  I do not change grades without meeting to discuss the situation.
4. If I don’t agree with you and change your grade, you have two choices.  You can either just write it off and move on, or you can take your case up the chain of command.  To do that, you would go and meet with the Dean of the Humanities Division.  If the Dean is unable to resolve your complaint, she will advise you as to how to file a formal complaint with the college.

Online Writing Center

Help with Writing your Papers:

The Loft is the campus language lab/writing center, located on the top floor of the library. One of the primary attributes of The Loft is the free tutoring! The tutoring sessions last 30 minutes, are held on a first-come first served basis, and can help you with reading, writing, grammar, listening and speaking. They also do ONLINE TUTORING. For more information: http://www.northseattle.edu/services/loft/

I strongly suggest you use the Loft to help you polish your writing.  I’m happy to work with you on your journal entries if you're struggling or just want some guidance.  Just ask!

Academic Honesty (Plagiarism Policy)

Don't Plagiarize!

Using ideas/words from sources other than your own mind without citing where you acquired the idea is plagiarism.  If you choose to plagiarize, you will receive 0 points on that assignment and a formal report will be filed with the college requesting disciplinary action. You will not be given a warning. This policy aligns with the policies found in the NSCC Student Handbook: http://www.northseattle.edu/info/pub/handbook.htm

Plagiarism

Resources:

If you’re unsure about what constitutes plagiarism, or how to avoid it, check out these resources:

Piedmont Community College: http://www1.cpcc.edu/library/research-tools/DrCiteRight

Rutgers (on YouTube): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P05vgxDoPU&feature=related

Acadia University (Canada): http://library.acadiau.ca/tutorials/plagiarism/