COLLIN COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

COURSE SYLLABUS




DR. ELLEN CARDONA

PHONE: 972-881-5759 (Associate Faculty Office, K237)

EMAIL: ecardona@ccccd.edu

WEB SITE: http//: iws.ccccd.edu/ecardona

OFFICE HOURS: Appointment Only

Course Number: ENGL 1302.S04

Course Title: Composition/Rhetoric II

Days/Hours/Room: WMF, 9:00-9:50/G 219

Credit Hours: 3 (Lab Required)

Prerequisite: ENGL 1301


Course Description: The continued development of writing skills acquired in English 1301 and development of critical thinking skills in argumentation, analysis, and interpretation of various types of literature. The course includes extensive reading and writing, MLA documentation, study of research methods and materials, and preparation of the documented research paper.


College Repeat Policy: A student may repeat this course only once after receiving a grade, including W. [Note to student: If you drop the course before the census date, September 8, 2009, you will not be penalized in regard to the repeat policy. If you withdraw from the course after the census date, a grade of W will be posted to your transcript and count as one attempt toward the repeat policy.]


Textbooks and Materials:

John Schilb and John Clifford, Making Literature Matter, 4th edition.

Matthew Pearl, The Poe Shadow


Course Delivery Method:

Lectures, class discussion, small group discussions, computer- assisted instruction, library orientation, audio/visual materials, oral presentations, and personal conferences.


Course Content:

  1. • Overview of course

  2. • Research orientation

  3. • Tour of LRC

  4. • Study of argumentation and analysis

  5. • Research process

  6. • MLA style of documentation

  7. • Critical reading, writing, and thinking

  8. • Close reading of literary texts

  9. • Studying various issues

  10. • Summarizing and critiquing literature



Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to do the following:


A. Defend an informed position or argument within the context of a specific discipline with explanations and answers to relevant counterarguments.

B. Comprehend writing as a series of additional research tasks that include finding, evaluating, analyzing, and synthesizing appropriate primary and secondary sources.

C. Practice appropriate conventions of documenting their work with the MLA format.


D. Continue to build upon the Student Learning Outcomes for English 1301 –


  1. Students should be able to demonstrate rhetorical knowledge in the following ways:


    1. Read and interpret a prompt for a writing assignment.

    2. Write essays that take a position and successfully argue or defend that position.

    3. Write essays with appropriate evidence, discussion, and organization for a specific audience.

    4. Write essays with strong introductions and conclusions that represent sophisticated thought and writing.

    5. Write essays that use format, structure, tone, diction, and syntax appropriate to the rhetorical situation.


  1. Students should be able to demonstrate critical thinking, reading, and writing in the following ways:


    1. Use reading and writing for inquiry, learning, thinking, and communicating.

    2. Integrate their own ideas with those of others with clear distinction between the two.


  1. Students should be able to demonstrate knowledge of the writing process in the following ways:


    1. Be aware that it usually takes multiple drafts to create and complete a successful text.

    2. Develop and demonstrate flexible strategies for generating ideas, revising, editing, and proofreading.

    3. Understand and utilize the collaborative and social aspects of writing processes by learning to critique their own and others’ work.


  1. Students should be able to demonstrate knowledge of conventions in the following ways:


    1. Apply knowledge of genre conventions ranging from structure and paragraphing to tone and mechanics.

    2. Control such surface features as grammar, punctuation, and spelling.



Course Requirements:


1. Students must write a minimum of four essays. Two of these must be research-based papers of at least five typed pages each, which include five to eight sources in each paper.


2. Even though this course focuses on argumentation and research, the student will study various types of literature and/or current issues and write response papers and/or analyses.


3. Research is mandatory. No student should be able to pass the course without

completing research-based papers written in the latest MLA style of documentation. To give the student continuity in documentation, the instructor must adhere to the MLA handbook and avoid using his/her own personal abbreviated forms or out-of-date forms of documentation. English 1302 should prepare students for sophomore courses where students are expected to know the current MLA style of documentation.


4. A final exam must be given at the scheduled time during the week of finals. Part of the final exam should be devoted to testing the students on current MLA style of documentation. The final exam should count a significant portion of the course grade.


5. The lab component, designed to support writing as a process and writing improvement, is an integral part of the course. The lab component develops and reinforces reading, writing, and thinking skills related to the issues and literary selections in the textbook. To earn a passing grade, a student must complete the assigned lab component. Lab journals are due 11/23.



Method Of Evaluation:

Attendance and Participation 100

Journal (also counts as Labs) 100

Essay #1 200

Essay #2 200

Essay #3 200

Final Exam (20% of grade) 200

Total possible 1,000 points/10=Grade


Divided by 10, the total points of 1,000 translate to a “100,” 900 points to “90,” 800 points to “80” and so on. The grading scale is as follows:

A=90-100

B= 80-89

C=70-79

D=60-69

F=59 and below


A “D” is not transferable to another school.

Essays: Essays will be typed, double-spaced, MLA style with a Works Cited, if needed. Professor will not accept essays via email. Essays are due at the beginning of class, i.e. the first five minutes of class. Any essays turned in after this time will be considered late.


Late Essays: Late essays will be accepted the next class period after the initial due date; however, five points will be deducted from the final essay grade. For example, if essay is due on Monday and a student turns in portfolio on Wednesday, then five points will be deducted from the final grade. Professor will not accept essays more than one class period late. Absences are not excused. Professor will not accept late essays via email.


Late Rough Drafts: If students are absent when rough drafts are due, then five points will automatically be deducted from final essay grade. Absences are not excused.

Students should have the appropriate copies (3) of rough drafts for class. If students do not bring the appropriate number, then five points will be deducted from final essay grade. Professor will not accept late rough drafts via email. Rough drafts will be considered late after the first five minutes of class. Rough drafts will be typed, double-spaced, and MLA style.


Departmental Final: The final exam will consist of an in-class essay and will count 20% of the final grade. Students must take the final exam on the date noted in the class schedule. This exam cannot be made up. If students miss the final exam at the appointed time, then students will forfeit 20% of their final grade.


Attendance Policy: Although your attendance comprises only 10% of your grade, excessive absences may result in failing the class. Please do not be tardy; excessive tardiness (5-10 minutes) may result in being marked as absent.


MWF classes: 0-3 absences=100 pts. After 3, your absences are more weighted: 4 missed classes=75, 5 missed classes=65, and 6 missed classes=55, and 7 or more-subject to fail the entire course and a “0” for attendance.


Always check the Course Outline since you are responsible for any missed work. If you miss more than one class in a row, I will assume you are dropping the course unless you contact me.


My Polices: Cell phones and beepers must be turned off during class. Cell phones should be put away. No text messaging. Laptops and Ipods should also be put away during class. Students should show respect to the professor and to the other students. Be on time to class.


Religious Holy Days: Refer students to Section 2 Policies and Procedures, Sub-section 2.23 Religious Holidays in the current CCCCD Student Handbook.


Americans With Disabilities Act Compliance:

It is the policy of Collin County Community College to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals who are students with disabilities. This College will adhere to all applicable Federal, State and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodation as required to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to contact the ACCESS office, SCC-G200 or 972. 881.5898 (V/TTD: 972.881.5950) in a timely manner to arrange for appropriate accommodations.


Academic Ethics:

The College District may initiate disciplinary proceedings against a student accused of scholastic dishonesty. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts, or omissions related to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own work material that is not one’s own. Scholastic dishonesty may involve, but is not limited to, one or more of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion, use of annotated texts or teacher’s editions, and/or falsifying academic records.


Plagiarism is the use of an author’s words or ideas as if they were one’s own without giving credit to the source, including, but not limited to, failure to acknowledge a direct quotation.

Cheating is the willful giving or receiving of information in an unauthorized manner during an examination, illicitly obtaining examination questions in advance, copying computer or Internet files, using someone else’s work for assignments as if it were one’s own, or any other dishonest means of attempting to fulfill the requirements of a course.

Collusion is intentionally aiding or attempting to aid another in an act of scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to, providing a paper or project to another student; providing an inappropriate level of assistance; communicating answers to a classmate during an examination; removing tests or answer sheets from a test site, and allowing a classmate to copy answers.

Professor will report cases of academic dishonesty, collusion, and/or plagiarism to the Dean of Students.


Scholastic Dishonesty and Plagiarism:

Scholastic dishonesty and plagiarism are briefly defined in the "Student Code of Conduct" in the CCCCD Student Handbook. Below is a Statement of College policy related to Scholastic Dishonesty based on revisions to the Student Handbook approved by CCCCD's Board of Trustees, November 2004:



The College may initiate disciplinary proceedings against a student accused of scholastic

dishonesty.


Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts, or omissions related to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree and/or the submission as one's own work material that is not one's own. Scholastic dishonesty may involve, but is not limited to, one or more of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion, use of annotated texts or teacher’s editions, and/or falsifying academic records.

Plagiarism is the use of an author's words or ideas as if they were one's own without giving credit to the source, including, but not limited to, failure to acknowledge a direct quotation.

Cheating is the willful giving or receiving of information in an unauthorized manner during an examination, illicitly obtaining examination questions in advance, copying computer or Internet files, using someone else's work for assignments as if it were one's own, or any other dishonest means of attempting to fulfill the requirements of a course.

Collusion is intentionally aiding or attempting to aid another in an act of scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to providing a paper or project to another student, providing an inappropriate level of assistance; communicating answers to a classmate during an examination; removing tests or answer sheets from a test site, and allowing a classmate to copy answers. ("Student Code of Conduct" in the CCCCD Student Handbook.)

My Policy for Plagiarism: Suspicious papers are tested for plagiarism at Turnitin.com. If a paper is plagiarized, then student receives an automatic “0” for the plagiarized paper, and the Dean of Students is notified. The Dean of Students will decide on the matter and issue the appropriate consequences as stated in the Student Handbook. The Dean of Students’ office will contact the student, and any defenses or explanations can be proposed in front of the Dean of Students.


Writing Workshops: Several Writing Workshops will be held each semester to address specific areas of the writing and research process. These workshops address topics such as sentence structure, MLA documentation, writing a literary analysis, essay organization, ESL issues, how to spot and correct common writing errors, etc.









Essay Grading Criteria:


English 1301 & 1302 Essay Grading Criteria

Excellent (A)

Good (B)

Adequate (C)

Poor (D)

Failing (F)

  • Controlling idea/thesis is significant, important, logical, and solidly supported.

  • Evidence is relevant, concrete, clear, and substantial.

  • Paper shows originality and creativity.

  • Controlling idea/thesis is logical and important.

  • Evidence is relevant, concrete, and substantial.

  • The ideas expressed and/or the evidence provided is not as significant or as original as the “A” paper.

  • Controlling idea/thesis is, for the most part, logical.

  • Evidence does not clearly define or advance the thesis. Evidence may be irrelevant, too general, or repetitious.

  • The ideas expressed are unoriginal, obvious or general.

  • Controlling idea/thesis is largely illogical, fallacious and/or superficial.

  • Evidence is insufficient, obvious, contradictory, or aimless.

  • The ideas expressed are unoriginal, obvious or general.

  • Lack of controlling idea/ thesis.

  • Evidence and discussion provided may be random and/or without explanation.

  • Relatively few complete ideas expressed in the paper.

  • Essay establishes a logical order and emphasis, creating a sense of “flow.”

  • Paragraphs are focused, idea-centered, and transition smoothly.

  • Introduction pulls the reader in, and the essay continues to be engaging, and the conclusion supports and completes the essay without repeating.

  • Essay establishes a logical order, indicating emphasis.

  • Paragraphs are focused, idea-centered, and include transitions to indicate changes in direction.

  • Introduction engages the reader, and the conclusion supports without mere repetition of ideas.

  • Essay does not follow a consistent, logical order, though some order may be apparent through the discussion.

  • Paragraphs are generally focused and idea-centered. Transitions between paragraphs and ideas are obvious and/or dull.

  • Introduction and conclusion are formulaic and uninteresting, offering little insight.

  • Essay is inappropriately ordered or random, failing to emphasize and advance any central idea.

  • Paragraphs may be chaotic, may lack development, discussion, and shape; transitions are inappropriate, misleading, or missing.

  • Introduction merely states what will follow; conclusion repeats what has already been stated.

  • Essay seems to lack order and/or emphasis.

  • Paragraphs follow a sort of rule-bound structure (i.e., three to five sentences each) rather than thoroughly developing a single idea. Transitions are inappropriate, misleading, or missing.

  • Neither the introduction nor the conclusion satisfies any clear rhetorical purpose, or may be missing all together.

  • Sentences are unified, coherent, varied, and emphatic.

  • Word choice is fresh, precise, economical, and distinctive.

  • Tone enhances the subject, conveys the writer’s persona, and suits the audience.

  • Sentences are purposeful, varied, and emphatic.

  • Word choice is precise and distinctive.

  • Tone fits the subject, persona, and audience.

  • Sentences are competent but lacking emphasis and variety.

  • Word choice is generally correct and distinctive.

  • Tone is acceptable for the subject.

  • Sentences lack necessary emphasis, variety, and purpose.

  • Word choice is vague or inappropriate.

  • Tone is inconsistent with the subject.

  • Sentences are incoherent, incomplete, fused, monotonous, elementary, or repetitious, thus obscuring meaning.

  • Tone is unclear or inappropriate to the subject.

  • Student has clearly met and followed requirements and criteria of the writing prompt.

  • Obvious use of preliminary explorative writing/planning, rough drafts, and revisions.

  • Student has met and followed the requirements of the writing prompt.

  • Apparent use of preliminary writing/planning, rough drafts, and revision.

  • Student has met and followed the basic requirements of the assignment.

  • Paper contains evidence of at least some preliminary writing/planning.

  • Little to no evidence of preliminary writing/planning presents itself.

  • Student has not fully met or followed the basic requirements of the assignment.

  • No evidence of preliminary writing/planning.

  • Student has not met or followed the basic requirements of the assignment.

  • Proper format is clearly illustrated.

  • Paper is largely formatted correctly, though the text may contain a few minor formatting issues.

  • Text may contain minor formatting errors.

  • Formatting is problematic.

  • Formatting does not follow course requirements.

  • Grammar, syntax, sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling adhere to the conventions of Standard American English, thereby contributing to the essay’s overall clarity and effectiveness.


  • Paper has been carefully edited.

  • Grammar, syntax, sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling deviate from Standard American English only slightly, and insufficiently enough to distract from the essay’s overall clarity and effectiveness.

  • Paper has been edited.

  • Grammar, syntax, sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling deviate from Standard American English sufficiently enough to distract from the essay’s overall clarity and effectiveness.


  • Careless proofreading is evident.

  • Grammar, syntax, sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling deviate frequently from Standard American English so as to damage the content sufficiently enough to interfere with the essay’s overall clarity and effectiveness.

  • Little evidence of proofreading.

  • Grammar, syntax, sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling deviate frequently and seriously from Standard American English so as to damage the content sufficiently enough to damage the essay significantly overall.

  • No evidence of proofreading.

Tentative Course Outline for English 1302.S04


Week One

08/24 Introduction and Writing Sample

08/26 Chapter 3: How to Make Arguments about Literature (33) and Chapter 5: How to Write about Stories (91); read literature and “Summing Up”

Note: Readings are from Making Literature Matter unless otherwise noted.

08/28 Chapter 6: How to Write about Poems (125); read literature and “Summing Up;” read Poe’s “The Raven” (handout)


Week Two

08/31 Families: Exorcising the Dead: read Plath’s “Daddy” (262)

09/02 Families: Parental Crisis: read Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” (523) and Boyle’s “The Love of My Life” (528)

09/04 Love: To Love or Nor Love: read Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” (631)


Week Three

09/07 Labor Day

09/08 Fall Census Day

09/09 Love: Is This Love? read Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” (667)

09/11 Freedom and Confinement: Can Tradition be a Trap? read Jackson’s “The Lottery” (837)

A Dream of Freedom: read Hughes’ “Theme for English B” (1069)


Week Four

09/14 Doing Justice: Misfit Justice: read O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find” (1249)

09/16 Pre-writing and Essay Discussion

09/18 Library—lecture on sources and research time (Do not miss)


Week Five

09/21 Rough Draft Due; Bring Three Copies

09/23 Editing (optional)

09/25 Final Essay Due


Week Six

09/28 Doing Justice: Issues of Guilt: read Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” (1199) and Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” (1205)

09/30 Issues of Guilt: Poe’s “Hop-Frog” (1210)

10/02 Pearl’s The Poe Shadow, Book One



Week Seven

10/05 The Poe Shadow—Book Two

10/07 The Poe Shadow—Book Three

10/09 The Poe Shadow—Book Four


Week Eight

10/12 The Poe Shadow—Book Five

10/14 Discussion of The Poe Shadow

10/16 Discussion of The Poe Shadow

Last day to Withdraw


Week Nine

10/19 Pre-writing and Essay Discussion

10/21 Library—research

10/23 Essay Discussion


Week Ten

10/26 Rough Draft Due; Bring Three Copies

10/28 Editing (optional)

10/30 Final Essay Due


Week Eleven

11/02 Journeys: A Journey to Experience: Re-Visions of a Story: read “Little Red Riding Hood” (1573) and “Little Red Cap” (1576)

11/04 A Journey to Experience: Re-Visions of a Story: read “The Company of Wolves” (1580)

11/06 Pre-writing and Essay Discussion


Week Twelve

11/09 Rough Draft Due; Bring Three Copies

11/11 Editing (optional)

11/13 Final Essay Due


Week Thirteen

11/16 Othello, Journal Writing

11/18 Othello, Journal Writing

11/20 Othello, Journal Writing


Week Fourteen

11/23 Journals Due

11/25 Holiday

11/27 Holiday





Week Fifteen

11/30 Review for Final Exam

12/02 Review

12/04 Review


Final Exam: 12/11, 9-11. Bring Blue Book and Making Literature Matter


Revised 11/3/2009 20:12:07 a11/p11 KRL