ETROY
ENG 0096 XTIC
Fundamentals of Grammar and Sentence Writing
Term 1, 2015
August 10 – October 11, 2015
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:
Angela L. Green
Professor
1407 46thSt.,Phenix City, Al. 36867
(334)614- 2548
[email protected]
Students: Please put course and title in the subject line of any emails sent to the instructor.
INSTRUCTOR EDUCATION AND INTRODUCTION:
My name is Professor Angela Green. I LOVE teaching. I have taught at the junior high school
level and high school for thirty six years. In addition, I have been teaching at the university level
for twenty-four years. I have taught classes for Faulkner University in the Military Education
Program and for Troy University both in-class and online for the ETROY program and the
EARMYU program. I have a Masters degree from Auburn University. DO NOT wait until the
end of the term to let me know about a problem. It will be TOO LATE then. I am here to help if
you communicate openly and honestly with me as soon as a problem presents itself. Do not
procrastinate.
NOTE: For course syllabus posted prior to the beginning of the term, the instructor reserves the
right to make minor changes prior to or during the term. The instructor will notify students, via
e-mail or Blackboard announcement, when changes are made in the requirements and/or grading
of the course.
LATE REGISTRATION:
Students who register during the first week of the term, during late registration, will already be
one week behind. Students who fall into this category are expected to catch up with all of Week
#1 and Week #2's work by the end of Week #2. No exceptions, since two weeks constitutes a
significant percentage of the term's lessons. Students who do not feel they can meet this deadline
should not enroll in the class.
Also note that late registration may mean you do not receive your book in time to make up the
work you missed in Week #1. Not having your book on the first day of class is not an excuse for
late work after the deadlines in the Schedule.
ELECTRONIC OFFICE HOURS:
The quickest way to contact me is by e-mail at [email protected]. If you desire a telephone
conversation, e-mail me your telephone number, and I will call you between 5:00 and 10:00 in
the evening Eastern time. You may also telephone me between those hours at (334) 614-2548. If
you have a question that you think will benefit the entire class, you may post a question in the
Course Questions and Answers Section in the discussion forum on Blackboard. I check that
forum daily during the weekdays. Troy instructors are required to respond to student messages
within 24 to 48 hours. DO NOT wait until the end of the term to let me know about a problem. It will be
TOO LATE then.
PREREQUISITES: Placement Testing
ENTRANCE COMPETENCIES:
The student must possess the knowledge and skills of a high school graduate and the capability
to perform on a college level. Students should be able to read and comprehend college level
essays and be able to write a basic paragraph. Students who feel they do not possess the needed
grammar skills should use the External Links section of Blackboard and the handbook for
review.
STUDENT EXPECTATION STATEMENT:
The student is expected to participate in the course via email exchanges with the instructor and the
assigned editing buddy, by reading the assigned readings, submitting comments to the discussion
forums, and submitting assignments in a timely fashion. Students are expected to check their
emails daily and the announcements on Blackboard at least every 48 hours.
TEXTBOOK(S) AND/OR OTHER MATERIALS NEEDED:
The textbook provided for the eTROY of Troy University is available from
http://troy.bncollege.com.
Students should have their textbook from the first week of class. Not having your textbook will
not be an acceptable excuse for late work. Students who add this course late should refer to the
“Late Registration” section for further guidance.
ADDITIONAL READING:
Required: Websites (in Blackboard assignments)
Recommended: Links to resources listed in Blackboard
PREREQUISITES:
Students are placed in this course depending on placement exam score; see the local campus
testing center for specific cut- off scores. Students may also be required to attend weekly
sessions at a writing and/or computer center. Note: Under no circumstances may this course be
used to substitute for any general studies requirement; nor may it be used to meet minimum
degree requirements. Grade C or better and successful completion of exit exam required.
ENTRANCE COMPETENCIES:
The student must possess the knowledge and skills of a high school graduate and the capability
to perform on a college level. Knowledge of writing skills, such as grammar, punctuation,
mechanics, spelling, sentence and paragraph structure is expected. .Students should also have
strong reading skills. Students should have access to a computer and an understanding of the
workings of both the computer, required software, and the educational system (Blackboard)
through which the course is taught.
STUDENT EXPECTATION STATEMENT:
•
•
The student is expected to participate in the course via email exchanges (or other
communication) with the instructor, by reading the assigned readings, submitting
comments to the discussion forums, submitting assignments, and completing exams in a
timely fashion.
Students are expected to check their emails daily and the announcements at least every 48
hours.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Developmental instruction in the basic elements of standard American English grammar, with an
introduction to the essentials of effective written communication. This course involves application of
appropriate computer software.
PURPOSE (COURSE OBJECTIVES):
This course will:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
provide students with a better understanding of the writing process from the development of the
subject through final revisions;
create opportunities for students to develop and use structure in writing, incorporating logical and
coherent generalizations and details within each writing assignment;
demonstrate an understanding of basic reference and documentation skills and avoiding
plagiarism;
develop paragraphs;
provide students a chance to recognize and correct informal language in writing;
identify for students the four most common errors in writing and provide opportunities for
students to practice avoiding those errors,
employ grammar, mechanics, punctuation, and sentence and paragraph structure that are in
alignment with American English.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Student will complete assigned readings and complete practice sections as
assigned;
Student will participate in discussion forums and peer editing;
Student will complete and submit assigned exercises;
Students will write using the writing process and submit all required parts of the process;
Student will write paragraphs according to order or pattern assigned;
Student will write one five paragraph essay;
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon completion of all of the requirements in this course, each student should be able to:
1. Recognize and correct the four most common writing errors.
2. Recognize and use pre-writing and drafting strategies.
3. Produce paragraphs/ essays of different kinds with few grammatical errors.
Assignments will be posted on a weekly basis. Late papers will only be
accepted ONE WEEK after the assigned date. If your work is going to be
late, you must contact the instructor, or your work will be penalized a letter
grade-ten points.
4. Students must request incompletes from the instructor. The only way
that a student may receive an incomplete for the course is if he or she
has completed at least 50% of the work required. It is up to the
instructor’s discretion to determine if a student it eligible to for an
incomplete.
RESEARCH COMPONENT:
Students will used assigned web sites to enhance textbook materials especially in regards to
plagiarism.
THREE USEFUL WEBSITES FOR THIS COURSE:
See the External Links section in Blackboard.
DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES AT TROY UNIVERSITY:
All Distance Learning courses at Troy University utilize Blackboard Learning Management
System. In every Distance Learning course, students should read all information presented in the
Blackboard course site and should periodically check for updates at least every 48 hours.
SITE MAP FOR YOUR BLACKBOARD COURSE SITE:
To obtain a site map to enable the student to navigate through the Blackboard course site, please
go to the Blackboard course site and click on the Start Here button found on the left side of the
computer screen.
THREE USEFUL WEBSITES FOR THIS COURSE:
See the External Links section in Blackboard.
DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES AT TROY UNIVERSITY:
All Distance Learning courses at Troy University utilize Blackboard Learning Management
System. In every Distance Learning course, students should read all information presented in the
Blackboard course site and should periodically check for updates at least every 48 hours.
SITE MAP FOR YOUR BLACKBOARD COURSE SITE:
To obtain a site map to enable the student to navigate through the Blackboard course site, please
go to the Blackboard course site and click on the Start Here button found on the left side of the
computer screen.
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
In addition to interaction via Blackboard and email contact, students are required to contact the
instructor via email or telephone by the first day of the term for an initial briefing. Although
physical class meetings are not part of this course, participation in all interactive, learning
activities is required.
MAKE-UP WORK POLICY:
Missing any part of this schedule may prevent completion of the course. If you foresee difficulty
of any type (i.e., an illness, employment change, etc.) which may prevent completion of this
course, notify the instructor as soon as possible. Failure to do so will result in failure for an
assignment and/or failure of the course. See Attendance above.
If I have not heard from you by the deadline dates for assignments, exams, or forums, no makeup work will be allowed (unless extraordinary circumstances existed, such as hospitalization).
Requests for extensions must be made in advance and accompanied by appropriate written
documentation if the excuse is acceptable to the instructor. "Computer problems" are not an
acceptable excuse.
INCOMPLETE GRADE POLICY:
Missing any part of the Course Schedule may prevent completion of the course. If circumstances
will prevent the student from completing the course by the end of the term, the student should
complete a request for an incomplete grade.
Note: A grade of incomplete or INC is not automatically assigned to students, but rather must be
requested by the student by submitting a Petition for and Work to Remove an Incomplete Grade
Form. Requests for an incomplete grade must be made on or before the date of the final
assignment or test of the term. A grade of INC does not replace an F and will not be awarded for
excessive absences. An INC will only be awarded to student presenting a valid case for the
inability to complete coursework by the conclusion of the term. It is ultimately the instructor’s
decision to grant or deny a request for an incomplete grade, subject to the policy rules below.
Policy/Rules for granting an Incomplete (INC):
• An incomplete cannot be issued without a request from the student.
• To qualify for an incomplete, the student must:
a. have completed over 50% of the course material and have a documented reason for
requesting the incomplete. (50% means all assignments/exams up to and including the mid-term
point, test, and/or assignments.)
b. be passing the course at the time of their request.
If both of the above criteria are not met an incomplete cannot be granted.
• An INC is not a substitute for an F. If a student has earned an F by not submitting all the work
or by receiving an overall F average, then the F stands.
METHOD OF INSTRUCTION:
This is a distance learning class. It is not a correspondence course in which students may work at
his or her own pace. Each week there will be assignments, on-line discussions, and/or exams
with due dates. Refer to the schedule at the end of this syllabus for more information.
METHOD OF EVALUATION:
Essays will be graded and corrected according to the standards of formal English. Essays not
submitted on time or not following instructions will be penalized.
Assignment of Grades:
Your Assignments will be weighted based on the following:
Participation in Peer editing, discussions, and student teacher interaction
5%
Week One 10%
Week Two 10%
Week Three 10 %
Week Four 15%
Weeks Five and Six (Mid-term) 15%
Week Seven 15%
Weeks Eight and Nine (Final) 20%
Assignments that do not follow directions in assignments may be penalized ten points. All late
assignments will be penalized ten points. Assignments over two weeks late will not be accepted
unless in very unusual circumstances. I need to correct and make comments on your work so that
you will not make the same mistakes again. The final paper MUST be submitted on time.
ASSIGNMENT OF GRADES:
All grades will be posted in the student grade book in Blackboard and will be assigned according
to the following or similar scale:
A
90 100%
B
80 89%
C
70 79%
D
60 69%
Postings:
F 59% and below
I post grades in Blackboard, in the Gradebook.
FA:
FA indicates the student failed due to
attendance. This grade will be given to any
student who disappears from the course for
three or more weeks. See the Attendance
section of this syllabus for additional
information.
SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS:
Please note the due dates of assignments. Your responses must be typed,
using 12pt. font, double-spaced, in MS-Word format with the appropriate number of
words as noted in the assignments. Failure to comply will result in point deductions.
The assignments must be turned into the Assignments Section by mid-night of the due
date (note: Blackboard and I operate on central US time). Include your name on the
assignments and submit the assignment following the professor’s instructions. Points
will be deducted for failure to follow the format requirements. No e-mail attachments will
be accepted, due to the risk of viruses.
ADA Assurance Policy
It is the policy of Troy University to provide accessible programs, services, activities, reasonable
accommodations, and a harassment-free environment, for any student or employee with a
documented disability as defined by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended,
and by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
If you have a documented disability, please contact the instructor immediately at the beginning
of the term so accommodations may be made.
Dates
Week 1
August 10-
Assignments
Parts of a Paragraph
August 16
Formal English
Week 2
August 17-
Introductory Paragraph
Prewriting Techniques
Plagiarism
August 23
Avoiding Sentence Fragments
Week 3
August 24-
Planning a Paragraph
Avoiding Run on Sentences and Comma Splices
August 30
Week 4
August 31-
Avoiding Sentence/Verb Agreement
& Subject/Verb Tense Errors
September 6
Weeks 5-6
September 7September 20
Week 7
September 21September 27
Weeks 8-9
September 28 –
October 11
Mid-Term
Argumentative Paragraph
Final-Five Paragraph Essay with Sensory Details
Buddy participation e-mail