Course
Description
Focuses on the basic
errors of grammar, but includes composition of complete sentences,
paragraphs, and simple essays as well. Attention paid to correct
punctuation and spelling. Individualized and group instruction in
a classroom or workshop setting. Course Goals: To prepare
students to approach writing with confidence and to develop basic
proofreading skills. Prerequisites: Written
Essay 2 or 3 and one of the following Reading objective
scores: COMPASS Reading 31+; Accuplacer Reading 36+; and ASSET
Reading 29+.
Course Rationale
Students who have not
passed the writing portion of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI)
must enroll and participate in a developmental writing course
until they satisfy the TSI writing requirement. Students who do
not comply with the TSI developmental education requirements may
be withdrawn from all college-level courses with a grade of
"W."
Course Objectives
After completing this
course, the student should be able to:
take
a process approach to writing;
find
material for writing from within one’s personal and
educational experience;
write
an essay with a three-part structure
(introduction/body/conclusion) that makes a point;
support
general statements with specific details and
examples;
begin
to recognize the difference in writing for an audience and
writing for self;
use
a strong writer’s voice and begin to choose from among
English dialects and standard written English;
proofread
for errors in spelling, capitalization, incomplete sentences,
shifts in tense, commas, apostrophes, parallel structure,
manuscript form, etc;
begin
to identify the parts of speech.
Departmental Web
Page
Go to www.austincc.edu/writing for
additional information on the developmental writing program and
for online writing resources.
Attendance/Withdrawal
Policy
Students are permitted to miss 4.5 hours of class/lab time. Students who exceed this time limit will be withdrawn by the instructor, unless there are extenuating circumstances. If the time limit violation occurs after the withdrawal date, the student may not pass the course. This policy applies to all sessions. Students who are withdrawn for violating the attendance policy should visit with an ACC counselor or advisor to discuss their options.
Students who are TSI mandated are required by the state to participate in developmental education. However, students shall not be removed from college credit courses as long as they are still willing to participate in a developmental program at the level required by THECB regulations.
Minimum Essay
Requirements
Students must write at
least four academic essays that count for at least 50% of the course grade.
Exit Requirement
FOW students are required to pass a departmental Exit Essay. Students will be given two opportunities to write a multi-paragraph persuasive essay in a one, three-hour block of time: Midterm and Final Exit Essay. One of the two timed essays must earn 13 out of 25 points on the Pass/Fail Score Sheet, which instructors will give to students at the beginning of the semester. Students who are passing the course but do not pass the Exit Essay will receive an In-Progress (IP) grade. Students who receive an IP grade are required to enroll in FOW during their next enrolled semester unless they take and pass the writing portion of the TSI.
Instructors will provide students with a handout during the first week of class with the final Exit Essay testing date, time, and locations.
Lab Requirement
There is a mandatory lab requirement for this
course, which will count at least 10% of the course grade. Students are required to complete a weekly one hour lab assignment for fourteen of the sixteen weeks. The lab is currently scheduled in two ways. The lab either meets immediately before or after class OR the lab will be To Be Announced (TBA). A TBA lab will allow students to meet the lab requirement as they find time in their schedules. Each
instructor is responsible for providing students with a lab
handout that outlines activities on a weekly basis, provides a
rationale explaining the purpose of the activities, and explains
how the activities will be graded.
Grade of Incomplete
(I)
To qualify for an
incomplete, a student must have three-quarters of the course
completed and permission from the instructor. To receive an
incomplete, a student must make a written request to the
instructor and then fill out and sign the appropriate school
document by the deadline noted in the current course
schedule.
Scholastic Dishonesty
Policy
Acts prohibited by the College for which discipline may be
administered include scholastic dishonesty, including but not
limited to cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, and
unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing outside work.
Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their
thought, research, or self-expression. Academic work is defined
as, but not limited to, essays; tests and quizzes, whether taken
electronically or on paper; projects, either individual or group;
classroom presentations; and homework. See the section titled
"Student Rights and Responsibilities" in the current ACC
Student Handbook for additional information on academic
integrity.
All work submitted in this course
should be a student's own work. When a student borrows ideas,
wording, or organization from another source, that information
must be referenced using the methods prescribed by the instructor.
Plagiarism or collusion could cause a student to receive a failing
grade for the course or to be withdrawn from the course. Each
instructor will provide students with a penalty policy for
scholastic dishonesty.
Plagiarism is
appropriating, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any
means another's work and the unacknowledged submission or
incorporation of it in one's own work. Collusion is
unauthorized collaboration with another person or persons in
preparing written work for fulfillment of course work.
Services for Students
with Disabilities
Each ACC campus offers support services for students with
documented physical or psychological disabilities. Students with
disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the
Office for Students with Disabilities on the campus where they
expect to take the majority of their classes. Students are
encouraged to do this three weeks before the start of the
semester. See the section titled "Services for Students with
Disabilities" in the ACC Student Handbook for additional
information.
Student Freedom of
Expression
Each student is strongly encouraged to participate in class.
In any classroom situation that includes discussion and critical
thinking, there are bound to be many differing viewpoints. These
differences enhance the learning experience and create an
atmosphere where students and instructors alike will be encouraged
to think and learn. On sensitive and volatile topics, students may
sometimes disagree not only with each other but with the
instructor. It is expected that faculty and students will respect
all views expressed in classroom discussions.
Instructor
Syllabus
In addition to the
information in this Course Master Syllabus, each instructor will
provide students with written statements on the
following:
1. Instructor name, course name
and number, and section number and synonym.
2. Contact information: posted office hours, office location and
number, phone number and e-mail address, and a statement about
appointments being available upon request.
3. Required texts and materials.
4. Any additional course objectives.
5. Grading system.
6. Student discipline/scholastic dishonesty policy.
7. Class outline/calendar with test and due dates as well as other
class activities.
8. Lab handout that outlines activities on a weekly basis,
provides a rationale explaining the purpose of the activities, and
explains how the activities will be graded.
9. Testing center policy if the instructor requires students to
use the testing center.
