A North Harris Montgomery Community College
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A continuation of Engl 1301, with an emphasis on critical papers, culminating in a term paper or papers.
* This section will use biblical literature and relevant critical material as the focus of reading, discussion, and writing.
3 hours
Engl 1301
If you require reasonable accommodations because of a physical, mental, or learning disability, please notify the instructor of this course as soon as possible and preferably before the end of the first two weeks of class.
In
completing this course, students will be able to do these things:
* Focus a topic and formulate a critical/analytical thesis appropriate for an academic audience.
* Use appropriate print and online resources to find reference materials specific to particular disciplines. and appropriate to the topic
* Use a variety of organizational strategies within a single paper to support an appropriate thesis and in support of the topic of a paper.appriate and in supof the topic of a paper
* Analyze a text or argument according to purpose, audience, theme, and technique.
* Analyze texts logically in the context of writers' diverse backgrounds and values.
* Recognize the elements of appropriate literary genres.
*Synthesize and evaluate various interpretations of texts to complete an extended research project.
* Incorporate quotations and paraphrases in papers while avoiding plagiarism.
*Write clear, correct, and appropriate sentences avoiding major grammar and wording problems that confuse readers.
* Follow MLA guidelines in documenting sources.
Purpose
The purpose of this course is to help students to become better writers and to become more confident in their writing abilities through the use of reading, writing, and analyzing literature [in this case, the Bible].
Instructor
Mrs. Debbie Cox, B.A., M.A. M.L.I.S.
Professor and Reference Librarian
Voice mail (936) 273-7490 (as above) Voice mail is always a good choice to reach me.
Home: (281) 298-6427 Please call before 8:30 pm, except in emergencies.
Building F (Downstairs in the Library): Room F-163
Office Hours: In my office in the library immediately before class and any time by mutual agreement. I am also usually available in the library every week day (Monday-Friday) with few exceptions. Call me if you have trouble seeing me at a time convenient for you. We can arrange a time. You may also call me at home.
Spring 2004
Room _________________
Thursday nights, 5:30-8:10 p.m., including a short break
Required Textbooks:
All textbooks listed below will be available in the college bookstore if not out-of-stock.
Holy Bible. You may choose your own Bible. The NIV Textbook edition of the Bible is in the bookstore.
Ryken, Leland, et. al, eds. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery Downer's Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press,1998. (Absolutely required!)
Addional Recommended Audio-Books:
Psalms and Proverbs. [On Cassette or on CD]. New Living Translation. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1996.
From the bookstore or available from online bookstores.
Optional Textbooks:
Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 6th New York: MLA, 2003.
Holy Bible. New International Edition (NIV). Textbook Editon. Grand Rapics, MI: Zondervan, 1984.
In completing this section, you will learn the following things:
*Learn to focus a topic in a critical/analytical thesis appropriate for an academic audience, emphasizing the Western literary heritage given to us by the Bible.
* Use appropriate print and online material to find sources appropriate to a college-level, literary study of the Bible.
*Learn methods for analyzing your own writing for major grammar and wording problems; that is, learn to recognize and correct many of your own individual grammar and sentence structure weaknesses.
*Learn to analyze biblical texts according to such elements as historical context, purpose, audience, theme, plot, archetypes, and other symbolism.
*Synthesize and evaluate various interpretations of selected literary Biblical texts to complete a research paper or papers.
*Incorporate quotations and paraphrases into papers, avoiding plagiarism, and giving full, correctly-cited credit to all sources.
* Follow MLA guidelines in documenting all sources.
College policy is that the instructor has the option to drop a student from any class after he/she has been absent for time equivalent to two weeks of class. In a class that meets only one night a week this is the equivalent of 2 class periods. Since this class meets only once per week, your attendance is essential and required. I have dropped students for non-attendance before, and I will do so again when I deem it necessary. Unexplained or unexcused absences will have an impact on your final grade. I discourage missing more than 1 class during the semester. However, if you are in an accident or sick and probably contagious, please let me know -- it is not necessary to come to class when you are dreadfully ill !
When you miss a class for any reason, you must contact me for makeup work that will be about 3 hours worth of work (by my approximation) and will be in addition to the regular assignments.
Remember: It is always better to come late than to be absent! However, tardiness can be very disruptive. If you are late, this professor prefers that you enter the classroom quietly and find a seat making as little noise or disruption as possible. Don't make comments to the professor or to other students. Don't apologize out loud.
If an emergency occurs and you miss class, please let me know what happened so you will not accrue an unexplained absence. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed by calling or emailing me within 3 days before or after class. Do not expect me to explain what you missed at the beginning of the next class! (This is not polite to other students or to me.) You may contact me outside of class time to find out what you missed and what your make-up work will be. I will remind you of this issue if you forget and ask me what you missed at the beginning of the next class.
All papers on the Bible (except the
research paper), participation in discussion groups,
quizzes, video reviews and completion of all discussion
questions. This grade is affected negatively by too many
absences. .....30% Final Grade on 1 major out-of-class
research paper .....20% Steps to the Research Paper and the Rough
Draft of the Research Paper (as explained in
class) .....30% Writing portfolios: Includes notes, all
written papers, and/or poetry analyses, plus any individual
or group assignments. All papers that have been completed
should be included in the portfolio when it is handed in.
The portfolio should also include Steps to the Research
Paper. Organization counts! Portfolio is due at least once
during the semester. .....10% Positive attitude and
mature behavior (You start with a perfect 5%
here). .......5% One final take-home exam and one writing
activity to be written during final exam period .......5% Total: ...100%
All assignments must be completed in order to earn credit for the course.You may not elect to omit certain assignments and expect to pass.
Class Policies
Papers must be in a typed format! All out-of-class papers must come to me in the form of a typed paper. Use a 12 point font size and leave a one inch margin on both sides of the paper. If you do not know how to type, I strongly urge you to learn as everyone needs this skill. Computers with word processing programs are available in the ELC. Discussion questions can -- and should -- be handwritten. Leave 1 inch margins on handwritten in-class assignments as well.
Always
bring your Bible, and notebook to class In class, there will be
extensive discussion, group work, and/or writing assignments about
the readings. It is therefore very helpful if you do the reading
assignments in advance. Papers are to be handed in at the beginning
of each class period, not at the end, unless so designated by the
teacher during the class.
Extra-credit work and make-up work will be assigned at the teacher's discretion. This will be discussed further in class.
A Late Paper or Quiz
Late papers, including any quiz or any Step to the Research Paper, will be accepted only at the discretion of the instructor and will receive a lowered grade. You will lose 3 points on the paper for every class week that the paper is late. Thus, a paper that would have made an 73 will make a 67 if it is two weeks late. It pays to be on time.
GRADE
SCALE
In my classes, to be as accurate as possible, I have created the following equivalency scale:
A++ 100 A+ 98 A 95 A- 93 A-- 90 B+ 88 B 85 B- 83 B-- 80 C+ 78 C 75 C- 73 C-- 70 D+ 68 D 65 D- 63 D-- 60 F 59 F - 50 O 0
Unless a different numerical grade occurs on your paper, this scale is in effect. Consult this scale if you are unsure about your grade on a paper. You will be graded on each paper as a whole including content, grammar, spelling and punctuation. Most of the time, papers will show only the letter grade (A+, A-, B, etc.), not a numberical grade. The scale given above is for your convenience. It is the numerical equivalent I will use when I am computing grades on all papers turned in early or on time. If you need to ask numerous questions about any particular paper or about your grades, make an appointment to talk with me outside of class, or by phone--not after class if at all possible. I am available in the library almost every week day and can be available at other times by appointment.
Sometimes assignments may receive the following codes as grades:
Check mark minus = 75 ( C )
Check mark = 85 ( B )
Check mark plus = 95 ( A )
Check mark plus, plus = 98 ( A+)
These codes are to be understood as grades.
All work you do in this class needs to be your own, although you are encouraged to share ideas with your fellow classmates. Save all your drafts to show your writing progress, put all drafts into your class portfolio to avoid worries about plagiarism. If you are concerned about what constitutes plagiarism, please consult me. Plagiarism is the unauthorized use of someone else’s materials (a book, an article, an essay, your classmate’s paper, a paper written for you by a good friend, material from the Internet), whether in quotation, paraphrase, or summary form; plagiarism is avoided by careful documentation of borrowed information, ideas, or words. Plagiarism also includes the use of work you have already written for another class without citing the source or the use of that work.
Plagiarism is very serious and is grounds for failure in this class.
In addition to what is said above, here is a technical working guideline for defining plagiarism in this class: In most cases, if you use three or more words in row from a source, you should put those words in quotation marks and give credit to the source. When in doubt, cite the source. MLA citation format will be taught in this class. You will be expected to use it.
Writing Tutors Are Available! The staff in the ELC is prepared and anxious to assist you with any and all assignments in our course. I strongly encourage you to use the expertise of the ELC writing tutors regularly. You can call and make an appointment to work with a writing tutor, or you can just drop by the ELC and hope that one is available. Making an appointment will help you to avoid frustration or long waits for a tutor.
If you miss an in-class writing assignment, you will be required to make it up in the Testing Center. There is no make-up for quizzes. If you miss the final exam, you must make it up almost immediately (within a day or two) depending on when the semester officially ends. I strongly discourage missing any of these.
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ELC and Library Hours: |
*Testing Center Hours:(*no test given within one hour of closing) |
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7:30am - 9:30pm M-Th |
*8am - 8:00 pm M-Th |
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7:30am - 8pm Friday |
*8am - 8:00pm Friday |
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9 am - 4pm Saturday |
*10am - 2pm Saturday |
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1pm - 6pm Sunday |
*1 pm -5 pm Sunday |
From the District Policy Manual: The District is committed to the constitutional principle of the separation of church and state. The District will neither advance nor inhibit religion.
Instructor’s Statement: This is a literature and writing course in which we will discuss religious subjects only as they directly relate to the literature under discussion. The instructor, while strongly maintaining full rights to academic freedom, will assert a position of neutrality in accordance with District Policy: You will be graded as this syllabus outlines above on how well you write, on your attendance, on how well you hand-in your assignments, etc, according to this syllabus. You will not be graded on what you do or do not believe.
A
Final Word on Your Success
My
goal as your instructor is to do all I can to insure your success in
this course and in your education here at Montgomery College. Please
let me know the moment you have a problem with an assignment, with
attendance, or the moment anything is unclear, or you have trouble
with the class. We will work together to solve any problems that
arise.
Always
keep in touch with me if you miss a class or classes. Also, let me
know if you are considering dropping the course before you do it!
There are ways to handle most problems even the ones that may seem
impossible to you.
Your instructor ,
Mrs.
Deborah (Debbie ) Cox
Voice mail (936) 273-7490 (as above)
Home: (281) 298-6427 Please call before 8:30 pm, except in emergencies.