Ms. Floyd
Office: Hum&SS
159 (via
155)
Hours: MW 10:00-12:00
TR 9:00-11:00, 12:30-1:00
and by appointment
Telephone: (804)
862-6246
E-mail: efloyd@rbc.edu
In English 101, the student will be introduced to writing as a recursive process. He or she will develop and improve writing skills required for academic writing, concentrating on the thesis statement, the detailed outline, and the well-developed essay. The student will draft and revise three essays, a research paper, and a final essay examination. The student is expected to read critically, think logically, and write effectively, considering purpose and audience. While writing first drafts, the student should concentrate on getting ideas down on paper first and getting the meaning "right," not worrying about surface errors. Final drafts of writing submitted to the instructor should adhere to the conventions of Standard American English.
All work is expected to be the work of the student; however, he or she is encouraged to share ideas with and to seek feedback from others. During workshops, the student will share his or her writing with classmates. Readers will write their comments on the writer’s draft or on a separate sheet of paper. Written comments not only help the writer to remember suggestions for revision, but also establish authorship of the text.
Giving or receiving help on quizzes and examinations will result in referral to the College Honor Court. Plagiarism, passing off someone else’s words and ideas as one’s own, will result in failure of the course and referral to the Honor Court.
The textbooks for English 101 are Reinking and von der Osten, Strategies for Successful Writing: A Rhetoric, Research Guide, Reader, and Handbook, 7th ed., Pearson, 2005; and Fowler and Aaron, The Little, Brown Handbook, 10th ed., Longman, 2007. The student must also have access to a recent college-level dictionary.
The student is expected to be in class. Absence affects grades, both directly and indirectly. The student’s grade for the course may be lowered one letter grade for each absence after the second.
The student is expected to be on time. Late arrivers distract their instructor and their classmates. Students who are habitually late (more than twice) also jeopardize their final grade. The final grade for the course may be lowered one letter grade for habitual tardiness.
The student is expected to complete and to turn in all assignments when due. Late writing assignments will be accepted; however, the grade may be lowered one letter grade for each day that the assignment is late. In-class writing assignments may not be made up.
Although the student may use a pencil (number 2 only) on prewriting and rough drafts, all other writing submitted to an audience for feedback must be printed on a typewriter, word processor, or computer (Courier New, 12-point font). See The Little, Brown Handbook, pp. 687-688, for MLA document format. Please do not justify the right margin. With the exception of the research paper, a title page is not required.
The student will turn in all prewriting, rough drafts, and final drafts in a folder with a pocket. Both content and presentation are important.
Two grades are given on all essays. One grade is for organization and content; the other, for grammar, usage, punctuation, spelling, and so on. With this type of grading, the student can see the strengths and the weaknesses of the writing. In addition, in order to help the student determine the overall quality of the writing--and his or her grade for the course, an overall grade will be given to each essay.
Research affords the student the opportunity to explore extensively a topic of his or her choice. With the guidance of the instructor, the student selects a topic and works independently, synthesizing information from several sources. The student then discusses the topic in a parenthetically documented essay. In English 101, the research paper will include the formal sentence outline, the parenthetically documented essay, and the definitive works consulted. Neat, honest note cards and photocopies and/or computer printouts of sources cited will accompany this research paper.
Students are encouraged to make appointments for conferences to discuss the student’s overall work and specific writing problems. Two conferences are course requirements: the first to discuss the research topic; the second, note cards, sentence outline, at least four pages of parenthetically documented essay, and several sources cited in those pages.
While the instructor does all that she can to present the student with the information and feedback that he or she needs, the student is responsible for his or her success or failure in this course.
Grades for the course will be determined as follows:
A = 90 - 100
B = 80 - 89
C = 70 - 79
D = 60 - 69
F = 0 - 59
Essay 1 10%
Essay 2 15%
Essay 3 15%
Research paper 30%
Final examination 20%
Other 10% (preparation for
class,
workshops, and conferences and
so on)
The student will earn a passing grade when he or she has demonstrated writing skills necessary to meet the demands of English 102 writing assignments.
Important dates to remember:
Mar. 30
Last day to withdraw
without academic
penalty
Apr. 17
Research paper is due.
May 1
Revision of research paper
is due.
Final examination
English 101-11
Friday, May 11,
2007 9:00 a.m.
Mission of Richard Bland College: Richard Bland College of The College of William and Mary in Virginia was founded in 1960. It is the junior college of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The College offers a traditional curriculum in the liberal arts and sciences leading to the associate degree, and other programs appropriate to a junior college. The curriculum is intended to allow students to acquire junior status after transferring to a four-year college, or to pursue expanded career opportunities. The College also recognizes its responsibility to serve the public by providing educational and cultural opportunities for the community at large.
Copyright 1998 Esther Floyd