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ENC 1101 – Fall 2012
Composition I
Hillsborough Community College, Ybor Campus
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Instructor: Danielle Farrar
Email: dfarrar2@hawkmail.hccfl.edu
Course Time: MW 11:00AM-12:15PM
Office Hours: by appointment
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Course Description:
ENC 1101 introduces and offers:
 Instruction in the expository skills of English composition
 Focus on prewriting, organization, and style
 Review of grammar
 Please note that college-level reading and writing skills are required
Course Objectives:
A. The student shall demonstrate competency of the following writing skills as required by the Florida
Department of Education:
1. Critical Thinking
a. Analyzing expository texts to discern meaning and understand/critique arguments
b. Approaching diverse social, legal, and political problems from a variety of perspectives
c. Recognizing fundamental concepts in logical reasoning
2. Organization
a. Selecting a topic that lends itself to expository writing
b. Determining the purpose of writing
c. Limiting the subject to a topic that can be developed adequately within the requirements of time,
purpose, and audience
d. Formulating a thesis statement that reflects the purpose
e. Developing the thesis statement in the following ways:
i. Providing adequate support that reflects the ability to distinguish between generalized
and concrete evidence
ii. Arranging the main ideas and supporting details in an organizational pattern appropriate
to the expository purpose
iii. Writing unified prose in which all supporting material is relevant to the thesis statement
iv. Writing coherent prose, providing effective transitional devices that clearly reflect
organizational pattern and the relationships of the parts
3. Effective Word Choice
a. Using words which convey the denotative (specific) and connotative (associational) meanings
required by context
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b. Avoiding slang, jargon, clichés, and pretentious expressions
c. Avoiding wordiness (editing for concision)
4. Conventional Sentence Structure
a. Placing modifiers correctly
b. Coordinating and subordinating sentence elements according to their relative importance
c. Using parallel expressions for parallel ideas
5. Effective Sentence Structure
a. Using a variety of sentence structures
b. Avoiding unnecessary use of passive construction
c. Avoiding awkward constructions (oftentimes an overuse of prepositions)
d. Avoiding fragments, comma splices, and fused sentences
6. Consistent Point of View
7. Proofreading and Revision
B. You will write several, well-organized compositions that demonstrate knowledge of the techniques
necessary for writing an expository paper.
C. The student will demonstrate the ability to do the following:
a. Formulate a thesis statement
b. Develop an outline
c. Write a 4-6 paragraph theme with an adequate introductory paragraph format, sufficiently
supported and developed body paragraphs, and an effective concluding paragraph
d. Use appropriate transitional devices
e. Use standard English (American) grammar
D. The student will meet the Gordon Rule requirement of writing 6,000 words or more.
Goals:
Students will be able to construct an essay utilizing the five-paragraph format (as a starting point). Students
will use advanced writing techniques to establish unity and coherence, to create parallel structures, and to apply
advanced mechanics.
Required Texts:
 The Short Prose Reader Package (McGraw Hill; available in the Ybor campus bookstore)
Recommended Materials:
 A stapler
 Access to a reputable printer
 A folder/notebook/writing utensils/highlighters/day planner and any other organizational accouterments
 I highly recommend you purchase Microsoft Word if you do not own it (you receive a student discount
for this software). You may visit http://hccfl.onthehub.com to purchase it with a credit card.
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Grading Policy:
Late (major) assignments will be deducted 10% each day from the earned grade and will only be accepted
up to three days late. Minor assignments will only be accepted on the due date (with the exception of
excused absences). Cheating and suspected cheating will result in an “F” on the assignment in question.
Plagiarism will result in a zero on the assignment, referral to the Dean of Student Services, and an “F” for
the course.
Assignment Submission Guidelines:
 All assignments must be typed in Word format using 12-point, Times New Roman font, doublespaced, and in MLA format.
 Assignments may not be revised for a higher grade.
 All essays will be submitted to TurnItIn or SafeAssign. Evidence of plagiarism will result in an “F”
on the assignment, referral to the Dean of Student Services, and an “F” for the course. NO
EXCEPTIONS.
 Assignments are due in-class on their specified due date (no exceptions without hard
documentation). If it is not turned in to me when I ask for it, it is late.
 I will ONLY accept hard copies of work (i.e., I will not accept work via email) unless the
assignment requires such.
 I will not accept work that is not stapled.
 If you fail to attend class on the day a major assignment is due or do not submit a project on the due
date, a full letter grade (10%) will be subtracted from the project’s final grade per day (note this is
not per class day) the project is late (not turning a project in on its proper due date [i.e. during the
class period when I ask you to pass it to the front] is considered a day late), for up to three days. If
you fail to attend class on the day a minor assignment is due or do not turn it in on the due date, you
will receive a zero for the assignment – I do not accept late work without hard documentation.
 Technology problems are not an acceptable excuse for late assignments. It is your duty to allow
yourself enough time to print assignments and adequate time to view items distributed to the class
virtually.
Assessments:
Writing assignments are graded according to department and CLAST standards: 100-90=A; 89-80=B; 79-70=C;
69-60=D; 59-0=F
A number of assignments will deal with class participation (i.e. peer reviews, discussions, attendance,
etc.). You are expected to participate and have necessary assignments done so that others may review
your work.
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Project or Assignment
Percentage
Diagnostic Essay: Topic chosen by Instructor (This must be written in class and turned
in the first day.)
N/A
Homework and Classwork/Participation
20 %
Essays
80%
**IMPORTANT DATES**
 Last day to withdraw and receive a refund: 8/24
 Last day to withdraw and receive a “W” grade: 10/26
 Holidays this term:
o Labor Day: Monday, 9/3
o Veteran’s Day: Monday, 11/12
**EMAIL GUIDELINES**
When you email me, you must format it in a professional manner, including:
 An appropriate introduction (e.g. Dear Ms. Farrar, Good Morning Ms. Farrar, etc.). Hi, Hey, Hello or
nothing at all are not appropriate introductions in an email to your professor
 Please write in complete, grammatically correct sentences. Your writing is a reflection of yourself. You
want to appear intelligent and professional. If you do not, you may wish to reconsider your motives for
being at university.
 Check your spelling. Never, ever, ever, ever, ever rely on a spellchecker.
 End your email by signing your name (e.g. Sincerely, Mark; Best Regards, Mark, etc.).
 Do not put text language abbreviations (e.g. lol, sol, j/k) or smiley faces in emails.
 Include an appropriate/relevant/detailed subject heading (I receive a lot of emails).
 Please think carefully about the reason for your email. If it is a question that can be answered by another
student, doing some individual research, reading an announcement/email from me, or looking through
the syllabus do not email me. If I receive an email that can be answered in one of these ways, I will tell
you so.
 If your email is not formatted to meet the above criteria, I will reply by asking you to “try again.”
 Please allow 48 hours for me to respond (typically I am under 24 hours).
**STUDENT CONDUCT**
Classroom etiquette is expected at all times:
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Cell phones will not be tolerated. Turn off your cell phone before class begins. (i.e. silence it) and do
not bring it out at any point during class. I will ask you to leave the class if I find you being disruptive
in this manner, which will subsequently count as an absence.
Cell phones are not a watch. If you want to know the time, buy a watch.
Keeping your cell phone in your pocket/purse is fine. Repeatedly looking at your cell phone via the
convenience of it being in your pocket/purse is not fine. Do not do this. It is rude.
Texting in class is rude. Do not do it, or I will ask you to leave.
In-class use of laptops is not permitted. You may have a laptop on your person, but it should not be
taken out during class. I will alert you ahead of time if we will be using laptops in-class (which we never
will).
Please remove all headphones during class.
Conduct yourself in professional manner. Be aware that you are not the only one taking the class, and
you are part of a larger learning community.
Inflammatory and vulgar language will not be tolerated in the classroom.
You are expected to follow the Student Code of Conduct and the guidelines set forth in the College’s
Acceptable Use Policy.
Intellectual Absences
As you are now part of an academic community, you are expected to engage and participate in meaningful ways
to this community. This includes, but is not limited to:
 Participating in class (answering questions, adding to discussions, etc.)
 Asking questions if you are uncertain or confused about something
 Staying awake and listening to what your instructor and/or peers are discussing
Technology Requirement
From Web-based assignments and material to e-mail and Blackboard, ENC 1101 requires consistent access
(i.e., at least once a day, if not every hour) to the Internet, word processing, and a printer. Not having access to a
computer will be not be an acceptable excuse for not having checked the syllabus for homework or not having
checked your email for class announcements/emails.
Attendance
Attendance is mandatory. This is not a lecture class. Class meetings will be spent engaged in activities that will
directly and immediately address your needs as a writer. As a writer, it is your responsibility to contact the
instructor regarding information about any missed work. If you must miss two or more consecutive classes,
communication with your instructor is vital. Missed days cannot be completely made up because of the nature
of in-class work, but your instructor will assign an alternative assignment(s) to compensate for what is missed
during a documented, excusable absence. Please note that alternative assignments decided by your instructor
only apply to documented, excusable absences.
Excusable absences may include the following:
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Jury Duty: If a student serves as a juror, class absences will be considered excused only when the
student provides advance notice to the instructor, when the instructor acknowledges the request, and
when the student provides written verification of jury selection and proof of service.
Military Duty: If a student serves in the military, class absences will be considered excused when the
student provides advance notice of such military duty to the instructor, and when the instructor
acknowledges the request and the student provides written verification of proof of service.
Religious Days: Should a student be absent because of a religious holiday, the student is expected to
notify his or her instructor by the third week of the semester, if she or he intends to be absent for a class
or an announced examination.
Medical Conditions: Any student who is absent because of illness is expected to provide written
documentation of his or her illness.
Paper Archival Policies:
You should keep all of your drafts, including any teacher commentary of your work, until you have received
your final grade for the course. If you have questions regarding the grade for an English Composition class, you
will be asked to produce all the written work completed during the semester.
Request for Accommodations:
Any student whose disability falls with the American Disabilities Act (ADA) and requires accommodation
should contact the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities. Requests for accommodations must be
submitted to the instructor within the first two weeks of the beginning of the course. For more information, see
the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities website at http://hccfl.edu/ssem/student-services/disabilityservices-aspx
Tentative Schedule of Major Due Dates:
8/20
8/22
8/27
8/29
9/3
9/5
9/10
9/12
9/17
9/19
9/24
9/26
10/1
10/3
10/8
10/10
10/15
10/17
Introduction to class; diagnostic essay
Read 1st two chapters of main text (quiz)
NO CLASS: Labor Day
Peer review; essay I, draft due
essay I, final draft due
Peer review; essay II, draft due
10/22
10/24
10/29
10/31
11/5
11/7
11/12
11/14
11/19
11/21
11/26
11/28
12/3
12/5
12/10
essay II final draft due
Peer review; essay III, draft due
NO CLASS: Veteran’s Day
essay III, final draft due
Peer review; essay IV, draft due
essay IV, final draft due