Instructor Information for Syllabus for English Composition I
In order to insure consistent student outcomes in this course, instructors
teaching Composition I should use these guidelines when developing a syllabus
for their classes. You must include a
copy of the common syllabus for Composition I in your syllabus. Include in addition the information noted with an asterisk.
Course title
Course name
Course ID number, including section number
Class meeting times
Class location
Faculty name
Faculty email address
Faculty office location, office phone, office hours
Semester and year
Include a description of the course, including what perspectives you have on the subject matter and the course, etc.
Under
Textbooks and Resources
* Include any materials you require, any optional texts, etc.
* Include a short statement about the teaching methods you will use and describe the process you will use to evaluate performance (essays, etc.)
[Faculty
information] Minimum Class Requirements for Students in All Composition I
Classes
To receive credit for Composition I, the minimum requirement for each
student will be to
1.
take pre- and post-tests on
grammar, sentence structure, spelling, punctuation, essay and paragraph
structure, thesis statements, documentation, and rhetorical modes;
2.
write five graded essay equivalents1,
including not less than three expository graded essays,
each graded essay reflecting the writing process and containing a stated
thesis statement;
3. use selections from
each of the required textbooks;
2. summarize an article;
3. write well-developed paragraph answers to essay test questions in accordance with guidelines in the Guide to College Writing;
6. write one or more graded
short essays (SAT/ACT style) in class in 50 minutes.
1
Essay equivalents may
include a major revision project, a series of three or more paragraphs, a series
of five or more summaries, a research project. Individual
instructors may require more assignments, exercises, projects, essays, etc., but
may NOT require less.
*
Grade Composition
Grades will be based on the following:
[Faculty
Information]: Grading Sheet
A grading sheet, i.e., a composition rubric is printed in the Guide
to College Writing.
NOTES:
q
Documented papers
(papers assigned which should be documented) may lose additional points if
incorrectly documented. For example, a paper might lose 10-20 points if it lacks
correct Works Cited format and 10-20 points if it lacks internal, parenthetical
documentation, etc.
q
The academic rubric in the
Guide to College Writing is designed for basic grading. Certain sections
may receive more emphasis and therefore more points based on the information for
the assignment.
*
Attendance Policy
Instructors should develop an attendance policy that allows for
emergencies but that also expresses the importance of student presence.
Include a statement about late work and extra credit, if any.
Late Work
Instructors should develop a late-work policy that allows students to
submit late work and be assessed appropriate penalties.
For example, some instructors have a policy that says late work is
penalized 10% per day up to 30% and that no late work is accepted more than two
weeks after the initial submission date.
Returning Papers
Instructors should return papers in a timely manner.
For example, most papers should be returned within two weeks.
Instructors should not require students to submit subsequent papers until
previous papers have been returned.
Include a schedule with assignment deadlines, test dates (if applicable),
assigned readings, etc.
[Faculty
Information] Revision of Class Content and Assessment Procedures
Evaluation of the writing program will be conducted every year. Data
collected will be evaluated, and changes in the program will be considered and
implemented appropriately. Evaluation criteria will be determined during this
process. Examples of evaluation criteria that may be considered include
students’ scores in the context of GPA, gender, age, and perceived necessity
for remediation. Course syllabi may be reviewed if a weakness in the program is
determined by the evaluation process.