Mary Stevenson

EGL 100

Fall 2003

 

Information for EGL 100

 

Purpose of the class

 

EGL 100, Introduction to Composition, is designed as a "bridge" course to help students build on basic skills and make a successful transition to EGL 101, Composition I, freshman composition. The catalog calls EGL 100 a "preparation" for EGL 101.  According to college policy, the class will focus on "grammar and punctuation, sentence construction, paragraph development, and short essay writing." During the semester we may meet in the computer lab as well as the in the classroom.

 

Textbooks and supplies: Books may be purchased on-line, www.pgccbookstore.com

 

1.         Bob Brannan A Writer’s Workshop: Crafting Paragraphs, Building Essays $50 new, $38 used

 

2.         Diana Hacker Rules for Writers fifth ed. $26.75 new

 

3.         Esmeralda Santiago When I Was Puerto Rican This is the Book Bridge selection which we will be using for essay #4, the last essay.  $10.00 new

 

4.         Dictionary, thesaurus, stapler, loose leaf folder or three ring binder to hold work and handouts (Please arrange returned papers by chronological order.)

 

To contact me

 

At the PGCC Largo campus             

My office: Marlboro-3063; please no material under the door.

Phone: 301-322-0573

E-mail MStevenson@pgcc.edu

English Department fax: 301-322-0549 (emergency only)

Mailbox in English office Marlboro-3072 (always open business hours–until 5:00)

Office hours: TR 9:00 – 9:30 AM, 10:45 – 11:15 AM

 

At the Metro campus

Mailbox–ask secretary at the front desk

Office hours: MW 8:30 – 9 AM; 12:50 - 1:20 PM

 

Grade–(See point sheet for details:)

2 Paragraphs.   10%     Quizzes/homework        5%      Notetaking       5%

4 Essays           60%     Grammar Tests 20%


 

Policies

 

While not every circumstance is covered in the following comments, but they do cover most the rules: Please honor the college policy: no food or drink in classrooms.

 

1.         My Expectations: Students are in class on time, stay the complete period, are prepared, participate, turn in work when due. Please schedule medical appointments outside of class times. Remember to turn off beepers and arrange for childcare outside of class.

 

2.         Attendance: Very important: Keep me informed by telephone or e-mail about emergencies or illnesses than impact on your attendance, especially vital on days papers are due. Much of the class involves group work and in-class writing, so your performance in class will be adversely affected if you do not attend regularly and participate in the assignment activities. Note: A student who is late, leaves early, and/or misses more than seven classes will loose 50 points (5% of the final grade).

 

3.         Home work/Class work: No make up for missing tests, home work, and class work; home work is due in class at the beginning of class. Some specific home work is given points: plans, drafts, revisions for paragraphs and essays. I’ll spot check other homework assignments at unannounced times for points as well.

 

4.         Major assignments: No late paragraphs or essays.  You must turn in a paper on the day it is due. If the essay or paragraph is to be written in class, you can't substitute work written outside of class.  Note: you can make up one missing paragraph or essay by writing that assignment in class on the day of the final. If you turn in all the major writing assignments but miss a grammar test, you may make up one test on the day of the final.

 

5.         Turning in major assignments: Paragraphs or essays written outside of class are to be turned in at the beginning of class. Also due will be all the writing done to produce the final draft.

 

Special Circumstances: Talk to me outside class if you have special circumstances which will affect your attendance and/or work in the class.  This includes disabilities as well as health problems.

 

Resources

 

1.                  Your instructor

2.         Your support system--family, friends, classmates

3.   Technical Learning Lab, open lab--third floor Accokeek (library), Largo--and Open lab, Metro Center: word processors; software, lab assistants

4.         Vocational Support Services-- Marlboro 2087  (study skills counseling, workshops)

5.         Writing Center--third floor Accokeek, Metro Center: writing and grammar tutors


Mary Stevenson

EGL 100

 

 

 

Format/Presentation of Papers

 

 

1.         Double space.

 

2.         Use a computer for all final drafts written outside of class. Use ink and double space for final drafts of work written in class.

 

3.         Use standard size paper, margins, one side only.

 

4.         No title pages. Put you name, class, and date in the upper right corner of the first page, final draft.  In the left corner identify the assignment.  Place a title in the center, at the top of page one. Remember to indent 5 spaces for each paragraph.  Number the pages.

 

5.         Attach all drafts, notes, planning sheets, outlines, jottings to the final draft.  If you use a computer to compose, run of drafts as you revise and turn those in with the final draft. Staple the final draft to the top of all preliminary work. To be complete, every paragraph and essay must have these supporting documents.

 

6.         Be able to highlight or underline the topic sentence and major supports in paragraph assignments and to highlight or underline the thesis and topic sentences in essays. At the end of the final drafts of paragraph, put the number of sentences. At the end of essays, put the number of words.