Composition I

Class

Course Description


Intensive study of and practice in writing processes, from invention and researching to drafting, revising, and editing, both individually and collaboratively. Emphasis on effective rhetorical choices, including audience, purpose, arrangement, and style. Focus on writing the academic essay as a vehicle for learning, communicating, and critical analysis. Consequently, the class may utilize discussions of complex content that may require you to engage with emotionally and intellectually challenging material while remaining objective and open to multiple viewpoints, even dissenting viewpoints.

Co-Requisites and Pre-Requisites:
Students must have met TSI requirements. 

Three hours lecture per week
 

TSI Requirements

Students must be TSI-exempt, have met TSI requirements, or passed ENGL 0302 at Weatherford College. Dual-credit students will meet both Weatherford College and TAKS requirements.

Course Learning Objectives

Learning Outcomes Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

 

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of individual and collaborative writing processes.
  2. Develop ideas with appropriate support and attribution.
  3. Write in a style appropriate to audience and purpose.
  4. Read, reflect, and respond critically to a variety of texts.
  5. Use Edited American English in academic essays

 

Required Textbooks

Ruszkiewicz, John J. and Jay T. Dolmage. How to Write Anything: A Guide and Reference with Readings. 4th ed., Bedford/St. Martin's, 2019. [ISBN for the required electronic version of the textbook is forthcoming. TBA soon.]

Evaluation Standards

 

  • At the beginning of the semester, instructors will provide each student with a course syllabus and an outline of the course which includes departmental requirements and the specific requirements of the individual instructor. The grade for the course is weighted as follows:

    A total of 3,500 words of graded writing, distributed among four required major essays. The papers should comprise no less than 80% of the course grade.

    • At least two of the essays must utilize sources and MLA documentation

    • One of the essays must be a formal academic essay (at least 1,000 words) that synthesizes
            multiple text-based sources with varied viewpoints

    • Students must write to a variety of audiences

    Additional assignments as determined by the instructor—journal, quizzes, class participation, completion, attendance, and so forth. This should comprise no more than 20% of course grade.

    All ENGL 1301 papers are scored holistically on the basis of awareness of the rhetorical situation, unity and focus, development, organization, sentence structure, and mechanical conventions. Documentation style according to MLA guidelines must be observed.
Required Institutional Core Learning Outcomes

Communication (COM), Critical Thinking (CT), Personal Responsibility (PR), Social Responsibility (SR), Teamwork (TW)

Disabilities

ADA Statement:

Any student with a documented disability (e.g. learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) may contact the Office on the Weatherford College Weatherford Campus to request reasonable accommodations. Phone: 817-598-6350 Office Location: Office Number 118 in the Student Services Building, upper floor. Physical Address: Weatherford College 225 College Park Drive Weatherford, TX.

Academic Integrity
Academic Integrity is fundamental to the educational mission of Weatherford College, and the College expects its students to maintain high standards of personal and scholarly conduct. Academic dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic work, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials including unauthorized use of Generative AI. Departments may adopt discipline specific guidelines on Generative AI usage approved by the instructional dean. Any student who is demonstrated to have engaged in any of these activities will be subject to immediate disciplinary action in accordance with institutional procedures.
Hope Statement
Any student who faces challenges securing basic resources such as food, clothing, or housing and believes this may affect their performance in their course of study is urged to contact the Director of Student Resources, Dr. Deborah Cregger, for support at (817) 598-6444. Her office is on the first floor of Student Services. If the student prefers, they may contact their instructor, who can reach out on their behalf. Weatherford College also provides the Coyote Pantry. The Pantry maintains boxed and canned foods for students in need. The location of the Coyote Pantry is two blocks west of the Weatherford campus at the Baptist Student Ministry (118 E. Park Ave., Weatherford). Pantry hours are Mon-Thurs. 8:30 am-4:30 pm and Fri. 8.30 am-12:00 pm (817-599-6586).
Student Intellectual Property Rights

A student shall retain all rights to work created as part of instruction or using College District technology resources.

Revised
Fall 2021
Last Modified
Wednesday, September 15, 2021, 10:58 AM