No textbook is required in this course. All course documents are available online, and you are expected to read them.

Advisory Notes
Course Description
Campus Visits
Required Materials
Office Hours
How to Make a Grade
The Grading Process
Revisions
Submitting Work Late
Incompletes and Withdrawals
Messages and Email
How to Format an Essay
How to Save and Name a File
How to Send and Retrieve a File
Grammar
General Tips

       7:15 - 9:15 pm Thursday (August 28 - December 11)

Office Phone (during above hours): (512) 223-3248

Rio Grande Campus Mailbox: RGC 204
Intercampus Mail: Donald Skrabanek/RGC English
U.S. Mail (Be sure to put my name on the package.):
Donald Skrabanek
English/Rio Grande Campus
1212 Rio Grande
Austin TX 78701

Voice Mail: (512) 223-1790 ext 23376 #
(I tend to check Voice Mail infrequently; get a faster reply through Blackboard Messages or Email.)

My ACC Web site: http://www.austincc.edu/dws
(All course documents are posted on my ACC Web site.)

If you have a disability that may affect your performance in this class, please send me a message in Blackboard (use the Messages function under the Communication button) or see me privately at the beginning of the semester. If you will require special accomodations during C exam testing, please contact the Office for Students with Disabilities. You will need to complete an Application for Services early in the semester; you then need to forward a copy of this form to me so that I can provide your chosen OSD testing facility with test materials in a timely fashion.

To be eligible to take this course, you must have completed a placement essay test or other qualifying test. If I cannot verify your prerequisites using ACC records, you will be referred to an advisor to discuss your proper course placement. Check your Blackboard Messages (under the Communication button in the left sidebar) to see if you have received such a referral.

If you need to contact my supervisor for any reason, you may do so in the following ways.
Dr. Judy Sanders, RGC
Phone: (512) 223-3249
Email: jsanders@austincc.edu

Welcome to the start of a new semester and your English 1301 ONL course. English 1301 is a study of the principles of composition, with emphasis on language, the mechanics of writing, documentation and research, and the rhetorical purposes and patterns of writing. You will cover the same material that you would in a traditional classroom. This three-credit course is transferable and is a requirement for most majors. This online class is designed to add flexibility to your schedule. To pass this course, all students must satisfactorily complete 6 assignments, 3 quizzes, and a C exam. Additional exam essays are required for the grades of B and A.

As noted above, no textbook is required in this course.You will read all course documents and reading selections online. Remember that the online documents and reading selections replace classroom lectures. You are responsible for studying the recommended materials. Many of my online assignment notes and samples have specific information that allows you to complete particular assignments more easily. These materials should be studied carefully.

Assignments and quizzes have scheduled due dates. There are penalties for submitting assignments late. Read the Submitting Work Late section below.

Though this is primarily an online course, you will need to visit an ACC campus (or approved alternate facility) at least once.

• You must type or write the C exam in an ACC Testing Center or approved alternate facility.
  Click here for Testing Center locations and hours.
  Click here to learn about the Distance Testing Procedure.

• You may choose to visit me during my office hours in the Rio Grande Portable Building. Look under the Faculty Information button for my office hours this semester. You can also find Contact Information at this link or at the top of this document.
  

• Textbook: No textbook is required. All course documents are available online.

• Personal computer and modem
  
• Internet access
  
• Web browser (Blackboard supports Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari. It may support other browsers.)
  
• Word processing program that will produce double-spaced essays and save them in the Rich Text Format (rtf) or Microsoft Word (doc or docx) format.
  
• Standard college dictionary
  

Please see the top of this document or Faculty Information in Blackboard or this link for my office hours and location. Remember, you can always contact me through Messages in Blackboard or by Email, or you can leave questions for me or other students in the various Discussion Board forums. Please check Announcements in Blackboard on a regular basis for additional details or changes.

I was hired by Austin Community College to verify that you display certain skills and concepts in your coursework. If you don't display those skills, you will not pass the course. To do my job properly and fairly, I must be concerned with the content of the coursework submitted and not with the circumstances surrounding the submission.

Your final grade in this course is determined by your successful completion of specified assignments and quizzes and one or more exams at the end of the semester. The term completion means I have graded and accepted your work.

Each assignment focuses on a different skill. If you don't demonstrate your basic mastery of a skill on an assignment, you can't progress. If you work ahead without revising satisfactorily, if required, the chances you will repeat the same mistakes are high. You should complete an assignment and have it accepted before you submit the next assignment.

• To begin the exam process and gain credit for this course, you must satisfactorily complete Assignments 1-6 and three quizzes. When you have satisfactorily completed this coursework, I will issue you a C exam permit which you will use to enter an ACC Testing Center (or a pre-approved alternate facility) to write the C exam. This permit will be returned with your accepted Assignment 6.
  
  
• Assignments are due at the time and date stated in the Schedule. If you submit an assignment after the due date, the assignment is a late submission. If you have three or more late assignment submissions, you are not eligible to progress beyond the C level or to receive an Incomplete. See the section on Submitting Work Late below for more details on late penalties.

• Any assignment submission (except Assignment 4) that is more than 7 days late may not be graded. The end of that 7-day period is called a late submission deadline. If you miss one late submission deadline, you will be advised to withdraw from the course. If you miss two late submission deadlines, I will withdraw you from the course without notice. If the withdrawal date has already passed, then you will receive a failing grade in the course.

• Any required assignment revision should be submitted as soon as possible. A revision not submitted within 7 days of my return of the graded assignment will be considered as missing a late submission deadline. See details on late submission deadlines above. In addition, I will not grade following assignments until preceding assignments are accepted.

• ASSIGNMENT 4: Any student who does not submit a complete Assignment 4 within 7 days of its original due date will not be eligible for a final grade higher than C. Any student who does not submit Assignment 4 within 14 days of its due date will be dropped from the course. Any student who does not submit an acceptable revision of Assignment 4 (if required) within 21 days of the original Assignment 4 due date will be dropped from the course.

• VERY IMPORTANT: No new assignment submissions or revisions will be accepted or graded during the last four days of the course, December 10-13. Only exams will be graded during the last four days of the course. Also, during the last four days of the course, you may submit only one item, an exam. This policy overrides any other late submission guidelines.

• To begin writing the B exam, you must have satisfactorily completed Assignments 1-6, the three quizzes, and the C exam, and you must have met the late submissions requirements. You may not submit the B exam until you have submitted the C exam.

• To begin writing the A exam, you must have satisfactorily completed Assignments 1-6, the three quizzes, the C exam and B exam, and you must have met the late submissions requirements. You may not submit the A exam until your C exam has been accepted and you have submitted the B exam.

• Be aware that there are penalties for submitting work late. These penalties can prevent you from writing the B exam or A exam or from completing the course.

• Follow instructions;
  
• Demonstrate a solid grasp of writing concepts;
  
• Present your ideas effectively using standard English grammar;
  
• Show care in the preparation of your work, including any required revisions;
  
• Eliminate problems noted in your earlier work.

• Assignments: To qualify to take the C exam, you must complete Assignments 1-6 satisfactorily. Assignments are graded in sequential order, so they must be submitted in sequential order. Assignments are a required kind of work. You should first read the Assignment Lecture associated with the assignment you are completing; for example, read the Assignment 1 Lecture as preparation for completing Assignment 1. Requirements for each assignment are presented at the end of the corresponding assignment lecture.

• Quizzes: To qualify to write the C exam, you must also complete three quizzes satisfactorily. A satisfactory grade on a quiz is 70% or above. You must retake the quiz until you achieve a score of 70% or above. Quizzes are a required kind of work. Quizzes are located under the Schedule & Assignments button in Blackboard.
  

• Exams: To receive a passing grade in this course, you must complete the C exam satisfactorily. The C exam must be typed or handwritten in an ACC Testing Center, by special arrangement at an ACC Office for Students with Disabilities, or at an approved alternate facility. The C exam is a required kind of work. Any student who completes Assignments 1-6 and the three quizzes acceptably but does not complete an acceptable C exam will receive a final grade of D.

• To qualify to write the B and A exams, you must complete the C exam satisfactorily and meet the late submissions requirement. The B and A exams are "take-home" exams; they are not written in the Testing Center. All exams are written in sequence.
  

No letter or number grades are given for individual papers that you write in this course. Instead, I use one of three notations on a graded assignment:

• OK means the assignment has been accepted. You have completed the assignment satisfactorily. Begin the next assignment. In the Blackboard gradebook, an accepted submission is indicated with a grade of 1.

• Revise means certain criteria, mostly related to grammar or content, have not been met. Revise the work by correcting all noted problems, promptly return it to me, have it accepted, and then proceed to the next assignment. In the Blackboard gradebook, a submission needing revision is indicated with a grade of 0. An accepted revision gains a grade of 1 in the gradebook.

• Rewrite means the assignment is totally unacceptable, usually because it does not meet the requirements of the assignment. The paper must be completely rewritten and accepted before you proceed to the next assignment. In the Blackboard gradebook, a submission needing rewriting is indicated with a grade of 0.

IMPORTANT: If a blue clock disc shows in the Blackboard grade list, you have not properly submitted the assignment file. You need to return to Blackboard Submissions and submit the file properly.

• All work is due on the dates specified in the Schedule and Assignments document. The time the work is submitted in Blackboard will serve as the time of submission.

• If you send a file attachment saved in a format other than rtf, doc, or docx, I will return it ungraded for correction. If you send a file attachment that is improperly named, I will return it ungraded for correction. If you send an attachment that I cannot open or read, I will return the submission and notify you of the problem.

• All correctly submitted assignments should be returned to you with a grade in 3-5 days (weekends and holidays not included). Leave a Message in Blackboard or Email me if you have not received your graded paper after 3-5 days. (If you have not completed a preceding assignment, a following assignment will not be graded until that preceding assignment is accepted.)

• If the assignment is marked REVISE or REWRITE, it has not been accepted. You must correct the problems and resubmit it as soon as possible. A poorly-done revision will not be accepted and must be done again. See details above about submitting revisions promptly.

• I will not grade the next assignment until the previous one has been accepted. For example, if Assignment 5 is not accepted, I will not grade Assignment 6 until Assignment 5 is accepted.

• Take the time to proofread carefully. Remember, I am not an editor for you. If I notice excessive errors or that you have failed to follow directions in the first two paragraphs, I will return your submission to you ungraded and tell you to correct the errors or follow the directions.

• If you fall behind in your class work, do not expect me to grade numerous assignments at one time. Be aware that you may not submit a new assignment file during the last week of the course. Only exams and revisions will be graded during the last week of the course. Also, during the last two days of the semester, I will grade only one item total (revision or exam) per student.

• The assignments you write are to be original (except Assignment 4, which will use borrowed information). If you use borrowed information, cite it properly according to MLA guidelines. If you are caught plagiarizing, and such plagiarism is deemed intentional, you may receive a grade of F in this course.

• Students are allowed academic freedom in this course, but they are also expected to follow directions in completing their assignments.

You may be required to revise an assignment if certain content or grammatical standards are not met. The revision must be completed promptly, because I will not grade the next assignment until a preceding revision is accepted.

• Assignments 1-6 may be revised to make them acceptable.

• A revision is not a supplement, addendum, or afterthought to the original assignment. A successful revision is a complete reworking that eliminates all noted problems, both in grammar and content, in the original. Shoddy or careless revisions will not be accepted. If you do not correct the problems that I have noted, you will find yourself revising the same assignment again.

• All requirements for the original assignment apply to the revision.

• You do not need to highlight any corrections that you have made. DO remove any grading marks or comments I might have made on the original. Resubmit the revised draft as though it were the original draft, but do rename your file according to the naming policies for revisions noted in the "How to Save and Name a File" below.

• When resubmitting essays, use the revision link for that assignment in Blackboard Submissions. Type your last name, the assignment number, and the word "revised" in the Comment box for your submission. For example, if you have just revised Assignment 6, type "Assignment 6 revised" in the Comment box.

• Any required assignment revision should be submitted as soon as possible. A revision not submitted within 7 days of my return of the graded assignment will be considered as missing a late submission deadline. See details on late submission deadlines in the Submitting Work Late section below. In addition, I will not grade following assignments until preceding assignments are accepted.

• Exams may not be revised to make them acceptable. They will only be accepted or not accepted. If an exam is not accepted, it must be rewritten using a different reading selection.

If you discontinue turning in coursework, please withdraw yourself from the course or request that I withdraw you. Otherwise, keep pace with the coursework.

To succeed in a short-semester course, students must start the coursework when the semester begins and continue working at a steady pace. To keep you motivated, these late penalties will apply to all assignment submissions.

• Each assignment has a specific due date and time. If you submit an assignment after the stated due date and time, that submission is considered a late assignment submission. Any student who has three or more late assignment submissions will not be eligible for a grade higher than C or an Incomplete.

• Any assignment submission (except Assignment 4) that is more than 7 days late may not be graded. The end of that 7-day period is called a late submission deadline. If you miss one late submission deadline, you will be advised to withdraw from the course. If you miss two late submission deadlines, I will withdraw you from the course without notice. If the withdrawal date has already passed, then you will receive a failing grade in the course.

• Any required assignment revision should be submitted as soon as possible. A revision not submitted within 7 days of my return of the graded assignment will be considered as missing a late submission deadline. See details on late submission deadlines above. In addition, I will not grade following assignments until preceding assignments are accepted.

• ASSIGNMENT 4: As noted above, any student who does not submit a complete Assignment 4 within 7 days of its original due date will not be eligible for a final grade higher than C. Any student who does not submit Assignment 4 within 14 days of its due date will be dropped from the course. Any student who does not submit an acceptable revision of Assignment 4 (if required) within 21 days of the original Assignment 4 due date will be dropped from the course.

You should not consider Incompletes as a viable option in this course. Most students don't finish them, anyway. If this restriction will pose a problem with your plans for success in this course, I highly recommend you sign up for this course with another instructor.

• Any student who wishes to qualify for an Incomplete must have Assignments 1-5 accepted before the end of the semester.

• Any student who has three or more late assignment submissions will not be eligible for an Incomplete.

I typically do not withdraw students from the course roll unless specifically requested to do so. Any such request must be made by Blackboard message no later than 5 pm three days before the withdrawal deadline.

HOWEVER, I will withdraw without notice any student who fails to meet two late submission deadlines. A late submission deadline occurs 7 days after the original due date of an assignment (except Assignment 4). I will also withdraw without notice any student who does not submit an acceptable revision of Assignment 4 (if required) within 21 days of the original due date of Assignment 4 (if the withdrawal date has not already passed).

Other than these stated conditions, you are responsible for withdrawing yourself from the course roll. In any case, students are responsible for being aware of their status in this course.

You can contact me using the Messages function under the Communication button in Blackboard or by Email. My ACC Email address is dws@austincc.edu

When sending any kind of Email:

• Always include your name and section-synonym number (5 digits long) in the Email message box.
• Include the purpose of your Email in the Subject line. Your subject headings need to be clear so that I will respond more quickly. If I cannot determine the sender and purpose of your Email, I may inadvertently delete it.
• If you do not use your real name in the From line of your Email message, also include your name and section-synonym number in the Subject line of your Email message.

Please follow these paper format guidelines. Your doing so will simplify my work in dealing with your submissions and will also improve your chances of moving through the semester more efficiently.

• Double space all submissions. Only Assignment 2 and the C exam do not need to be double-spaced.
  
• On each submission, in the upper left corner of the document (not as a header), include these four items. (NOTE: This part of your submission does not need to be double-spaced.)
  • your name
  • section-synonym number (5 digits long)
  • assignment or exam number
  • date submitted
    
  
  For example:
  Bob Jones
  16443
  Assignment 1
  9-1-14
  
  
• Typed word-processor files are preferred. When you type assignments for Blackboard submission, your document should use Times Roman or Arial or Courier New font, and it should be 12 point type. DO NOT use Calibri and Cambria fonts. These two fonts are somewhat difficult (and tiresome) to read onscreen.

• Double space all submissions. (Unless otherwise instructed, all typed submissions of college writing should be double-spaced.) Maintain 1" margins on all sides. Avoid using the Enter or Return key to create double spacing.

• Indent the first line of all paragraphs five spaces. Meet stated word length requirements. Use left justification. Do not use right justification. (Justification aligns the first and last letters of a line with the margin.)

• Legible handwritten papers are acceptable. Use blue or black ink, white or yellow paper. You do not need to double space handwritten work. Leave 1" margin on right side. Write on one side only. Be neat. Be aware that submitting handwritten assignments will increase grading time significantly.

You will be submitting all of your assignments using the Submissions button in Blackboard. There are many word-processing programs on the market, and many save files in their native format, meaning there are many different file formats that students may use to save their files. Unfortunately, I cannot open or read many of those file formats, such as .wps or .odt files.

Therefore, I require that you save and send all files to me in the Rich Text Format (rtf) or Microsoft Word (doc or docx) format. If you do not use rtf or doc or docx format, I may not be able to read your files, and it will be your responsibility to provide them in a format I can read. So, please use Rich Text Format (rtf) or Microsoft Word (doc or docx) format. I prefer doc over docx. I have noticed transfer problems with docx files. Sometimes underlining or formatting does not transfer well in docx files.

To save in docx in Word, just use Save. To save in doc or rtf format in Word, do not use Save. Instead, in the File menu in the upper left corner of Word, click on Save As. A window will open. Near the bottom of this window will be a place to name your file. Under that area will be a slot called Save as type. Click on the down arrow to open the Save as type menu. Choose Word document (*.doc) or Rich Text Format (*.rtf). For Assignment 1, you should end up with a file named yourlastname.rtf or yourlastname1.doc or yourlastname1.docx. Obviously, you should replace yourlastname with your real last name--no first names, no initials. Check your file name when you attach the file in Blackboard Submissions. If the extension (last part) of the file name is not rtf or doc or docx, I will return the file for correction.

Important Note: If you are using Open Office, be aware that this word processor does not deal with rtf format very well. Use doc or docx format instead. If you follow this process in Open Office, I should be able to read your file. If not, I will let you know.

Another Important Note: DO NOT send your assignments in the body of Email or Blackboard messages. Submit your assignments as files using Blackboard Submissions.