Syllabus

Hello writers!

Throughout this course, we’ll work toward becoming more purposeful and precise with our language. We’ll pursue this goal through a series of objective-driven papers, each focusing on a different type of writing. These objectives include the ability to narrate, describe, inform, and persuade—all skills that can well serve a writer in any line of work.

To facilitate the above design, completion of this courses includes the composition of four papers, each worth 10 points, and the completion of a final paper worth 20 points. Writers may find instructions for each of these papers along with other academic information and periodic announcements on the course website: thoughtsrevised.com. For example, writers may consider an itemized guide to the grading of these assignments by selecting the “Rubric” tab on the Composition 1 menu.

The composition of a rough draft precedes the due date for each of these 10-point papers. If writers have a rough draft, regardless of its developmental stage, on the designated workshop day, they will earn five points. No qualitative grading occurs. The writer must simply have a draft and participate in the revision activity to earn these points. Considering the nature and purpose of this assignment, late drafts earn no points.

To compliment the composition of drafts and papers, we’ll also engage daily journaling, a number of casual discussions, and in-class activities. Writers should record these journal entries and in-class activities in a lined notebook. At the end of the semester, a completed notebook will earn the writer 10 points.

Writers will also have the opportunity to maintain 10 participation points. Please note that everyone begins the semester with these 10 points—one tenth of the total grade. Writers need not earn these points; they need only preserve them. To insure this outcome, writers need only attend class, stay awake, and stay engaged. Staying engaged precludes any preoccupation with electronic devices.

This means that the breakdown of points looks like this:

  • 4 papers (x10) = 40 points
  • 4 rough drafts (x5) = 20 points
  • 1 final paper = 20 points
  • 1 notebook = 10 points
  • 1 participation score = 10 points

We will discuss due dates in class. I consider these dates subject to change based on the needs of the group. As a general point of reference, however, writers may consult the following list:

  • Narrative Paper – Thursday, February 6
  • Descriptive Paper – Thursday, February 27
  • Informative Paper – Thursday, March 26
  • Persuasive Paper – Thursday, April 16
  • Final Paper (expanded informative paper) – Thursday, April 30

Though I will grade and return papers throughout the semester, I will not record points for these papers until they are resubmitted with the writing journals on the final exam day. This means writers must resubmit papers in order to earn the points marked.

While I will not directly grade attendance, attendance will directly influence participation scores. Similarly, absences will prohibit the completion of certain notebook activities and the submission of rough drafts on designated workshop days. I will also withdraw any writer from the course who misses three consecutive weeks of a 16-week section, two consecutive weeks of a 12-week section, or two consecutive classes of a 6-week section—regardless of his or her grade’s ability to absorb the resulting loss of participation, notebook, and rough draft points.

 

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Additional College-wide Information

Religious Observations:

When the observance of a student’s religious holiday(s) interferes with attendance in class, class work assignments, examinations, or class activities, the student must notify the instructor in writing within the first week of class. Students are held responsible for material covered during their absence. The instructor should provide alternative arrangements for students to complete the work for the missed session. Students excused for religious observances will be expected to meet the class requirements for those days without undue delay. Students who believe they have been unreasonably denied educational benefits due to their religious beliefs or practices may seek redress through the student appeal procedure. [FS 1001.64, 1002.21, 1006.53] Nationally recognized religious holidays shall be acknowledged plus any significant day of religious observance as recognized by the highest governing body of that particular religious faith.  Students may be required to provide information or proof the religious holiday if such holiday is not generally known.

Academic Dishonesty:

EFSC Policy:  Any form of academic dishonesty is subject to the disciplinary actions set forth in the Student Code of Conduct. Cheating, plagiarism and any other misrepresentation of work are prohibited.  Students who are found to be in violation of this standard may receive severe sanctions, including a failing grade in their respective course and depending on the circumstances, possible expulsion from Eastern Florida State College.

In general terms, plagiarism is the adoption or incorporation of another’s ideas without proper attribution of the source. It is more simply defined as taking the writings of another person or people and representing them to be one’s own.  Please note that access to or obtaining information/copying assignments provided from sources like CHEGG, Course Hero, Accounting Tutor, or any other online applications that purport to offer the answers to exercises or instructor materials for courses, may be considered CHEATING, and any instances that can be substantiated will be treated as such.

To avoid plagiarism, you should always credit the sources used when writing as essay, research paper, or other assignment in accordance with the appropriate style manual or format required in your course.  Confirm with your instructor the appropriate format to use.

Types of actions defined as plagiarism include but may not be limited to:

  • Cutting and pasting to create a written document from a single or various sources.
  • Citing a source with false or inaccurate information. (Bibliographical or URL).
  • Quoting less than all the words copied or paraphrasing a source without proper citation or notation the document has been altered.
  • Submitting papers, assignments, exams, or forums that were completed by someone other than yourself.
  • Working in a group or otherwise colluding with other students to prepare and submit work without prior acknowledgment and approval from the instructor.
  • Receiving or giving outside help without prior written faculty consent, this includes assistance from tutors, websites, or other online resources.
  • Sharing assignments, exams, or discussions with other students.
  • Selling or purchasing (or copying) papers, assignments, or exams from any website that buys or sells them and submitting them as your work in whole or in part.
  • Using a quotation without proper quotation marks and citation.
  • Preparing a draft for final paper for another student.
  • Submitting a paper, assignment, quiz or exam that you submitted in a previous and/or concurrent class without requesting and receiving in writing prior permission from your instructor(s). This could also apply to “revising” papers, assignments, quizzes or exams that were previously submitted in any course.
  • Copying a non-text material such as: image, audio, video, spreadsheet, PowerPoint presentation, etc., without proper citation and reference.
  • Altering any information on forms, electronic attachments or emails after the original has been submitted.
  • Presenting statistics, facts, or ideas that are not your own, or is not common factual knowledge either by the general population, or commonly known within the particular discipline, without citation, even if you view them as common knowledge in your own educational background.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding plagiarism, ask your instructor or Associate Provost for assistance before a plagiarism problem arises. For more information about plagiarism and proper citations please visit the campus learning lab and/or writing center.

Sexual Misconduct:

Eastern Florida State College is committed to providing a safe and productive learning environment. Title IX and our school policy prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. Sexual Misconduct—in any form, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking—is prohibited at EFSC. Our school encourages anyone experiencing Sexual Misconduct to talk to someone about what happened, so they can get the support they need and our school can respond appropriately. For more information about your options, please visit easternflorida.edu/our-campuses/campus-security/titleix-sexual-misconduct. Our school is legally obligated to investigate reports of Sexual Misconduct, and therefore it cannot guarantee the confidentiality of a report, but it will consider a request for confidentiality and respect it to the extent possible. As an instructor, I am also required by our school to report incidents of Sexual Misconduct and thus cannot guarantee confidentiality. I must provide other EFSC officials with any relevant information reported to me.

Sail:

Faculty at EFSC are innovative and may utilize additional resources and technology (including recording devices) above and beyond the required course materials to enhance the instructional experience. EFSC strives to provide equitable access at the same academic and instructional level for all students and is committed to ensuring access for students with documented disabilities. A person with a disability may qualify for reasonable accommodations. SAIL (Student Access for Improved Learning) ensures that reasonable accommodations are provided for students with documented disabilities that significantly impact major life functions While personal services and personal aides cannot be provided, reasonable accommodations will be arranged to assist a student with a disability based on documentation provided by the student. For more information about accommodations and the resources available to students with disabilities, students are encouraged to go to the website or visit a SAIL office on any campus.