Norris Language Department

SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY COLLEGE

ACADEMIC EDUCATION DIVISION

ENGLISH

I.          CATALOG DESCRIPTION

            Course Number:                      ENGL1000     

            Course Title                             Written Communications

            Prerequisite(s):                         Assessment testing (minimum score on placement exam) or                                                               completion of a developmental course.

                                                Catalog Description:  Study and practice of college composition with special emphasis on the professional world as a source of shared experience, of topics, and of models for expository writing.

            Credit Hours:                           4.5 quarter hours

            Last Revision:                          4/2007

            Contact Hours:                         45

II.        COURSE OBJECTIVES AND COMPETENCIES

A.                 Objectives

1.                  To provide sufficient practice in clear, coherent writing, according to commonly accepted standards of usage and mechanics

2.                  To develop new ideas and more extensive vocabulary through reading so that writing and sentence structure will improve

3.                  To gain basic research-related skills.

4.                  To meet one of the college-wide objectives of General Education: the development of the ability to use written English with clarity and precision

B.                 Competencies

1.                  Analyze an audience

2.                  Identify the purpose

3.                  Select appropriate subjects

4.                  Collect information/ideas

5.                  Conduct research

6.                  Order information

7.                  Formulate purpose/organizational statements

8.                  Write

9.                  Document sources

10.              Revise

11.              Edit

III.       INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

A.                  To be determined by campus/instructor

B.         Supplemental handouts, slides, videos, etc.-supplied by instructor

C.         Outside reading/research required and determined by instructor

IV.       COURSE CONTENT/UNITS OF INSTRUCTION

A.                 Analyze an audience.

1.            Recognize the importance of an audience to the writer.

2.            Identify reader needs.

B.                 Identify the purpose of writing.

1.                  Distinguish among various purposes of writing.

2.                  Select appropriate purpose for a piece of writing.

C.                 Select an appropriate subject.

1.                  Discuss writing models.

2.                  Identify subjects that are related to students’ vocational interests.

3.                  Determine how to narrow/limit subjects.

D.                 Collect information/ideas.

1.                  Demonstrate skills in collecting information/ideas, including research.

2.                  Employ prewriting strategies.

3.                  Evaluate adequacy of information/ideas.

E.                  Order information.

1.                  Demonstrate skills in organizing information.

2.                  Recognize organizational patterns.

3.                  Select appropriate organizational patterns.

F.                  Formulate purpose/organizational statements.

1.                  Identify desired focus.

2.                  Indicate direction of assignment through purpose/organizational statements.

G.                 Write.

1.                  Create appropriate introductions.

2.                  Select details to clearly and logically support purpose/organizational statements.

3.                  Prepare appropriate conclusions.

4.                  Document sources.

H.                 Revise.

1.                  Revise as needed to accomplish purpose.

2.                  Revise as needed to meet audience needs.

3.                  Revise as needed to most effectively organize information.

4.                  Evaluate transitional devices.

5.                  Revise as needed to eliminate unnecessary information/ideals and/or to add needed information or ideas.

I.                    Edit.

1.                  Evaluate according to commonly accepted standards of usage and mechanics.

2.                  Rewrite as needed.

           .

V.        COURSE REQUIREMENTS

A.                    In order to receive a passing grade, students must complete sufficient work assigned by        their instructors in order to earn a final grade of 70% or higher.

B.         Instructors will distribute and discuss their specific course policies and requirements with their students at the beginning and during the term.

VI.       METHODS OF PRESENTATION/INSTRUCTION

            Instructors should make use of varied pedagogical techniques, including several of the

            following:

            A.         Lecturing

            B.         Small and large group discussion

            C.         Collaborative projects

            D.        Peer response groups

            E.         Journaling

            F.         Conferencing

            G.        Computer-aided instruction

            H.        Interactive elements/methods

VII.     SPECIFIC COURSE REQUIREMENTS & METHODS OF EVALUATION             

            A.        Weekly informal writing—homework and/or in-class—to total 30-40 pages.             

                        (could include writer’s notebooks, observation/report logs, responses to

                        prompts, pre-reading, responses to readings, letters to classmates or the instructor,

                         open-entry journal writing (though clear distinctions need to be made between a

                         personal diary and a journal entry.  Students should know that they may be asked to

                         share their entries with other students and to keep that in mind when deciding what

                         to write about).  5-20%

            B.         Three-five formal, polished essays (totaling 20-25 pages)

                        (may include in-class writings) that expose students to a variety of rhetorical        

                        purposes

                        such as:

            --narration/description/observation/reporting

            --summary

-- methods of analysis (causal, process, definition, informing, comparison/contrast, classification, problem solving, arguing/persuasion).  At least one paper must incorporate research. A collaborative paper or project is encouraged. 50-70%

C.         Revision work: Either credit this under the writing projects or in the Miscellaneous category.

            D.        Miscellaneous in-class/homework assignments/quizzes and Class Participation:

(these could focus on concise sentences, usage, grammar, mechanics, proofreading, editing, vocabulary, responses to readings, topic generating, audience targeting, purpose focusing, thesis/main idea sentences, organizing ideas, introducing and concluding, titles, transitions, revision, workshops, document design/visually effective documents practice, etc. Take home test(s) or Final Exam could also fit here) 10-40% 

            (The percentages in this category can be subdivided at the instructor’s discretion.)

VIII.            GRADING SCALE

            A+        95-100             C+       75-79               U         59 or less

            A          90-94               C         70-74

            B+        85-89               D+       65-69

            B          80-84               D         60-64