Amarillo College - Online Syllabus Manager (2025)

Instructor Information

Course Information

COVID-19 Protocols

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Enrollment Center, Suite 700. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.

Amarillo College Web Accessibility Policy Statement

Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.

If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Tutoring for Success applies to any student whose overall performance in the course falls below 75%. The instructor will create the task in the Student Engagement Portal (Watermark) to direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty- or SI-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. The tutoring service assigned, the due date for when the tutoring must be completed, and the amount of tutoring required are at the discretion of the instructor. Additionally, the task will alert the student’s success team. Students who do not fulfill the assigned tutoring task may be subject to program- and course-specific penalties that could result in a grade reduction and/or in not being allowed to progress in the course until the tutoring requirement has been satisfied.

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students. If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email tohumanresources@actx.edu .

Course

ENGL-1301-029 Composition I

Prerequisites

Corequisite: INRW 0303 Prerequisite: Scores on a state-approved test indicating college-level reading and writing skills

Course Description

Intensive study of and practice in writing processes, from invention and researching to drafting, revising and editing, both individually and collaboratively. Emphasis on effective rhetorical choices, including audience, purpose, arrangement and style. Focus on writing the academic essay as a vehicle for learning, communicating and critical analysis.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec, 1 lab)

Class Type

Hybrid

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

A Rhetoric Handbook. 5th. .2023. from.McMillian Learning. ( A custom publication for AC)

No other book is required.

Supplies

Students canbring their computers or tablets to class if they have one.

Students need a USB/Flash/Jump drive to save work done in class on a college computer. Students must have access to a computer and the internet. Some class assignments will be competed outside of class time. If you don't have a computer, then you have access to a computer in the AC library or AC computer labs, or you can contactthe book store to askabout renting a computer.

This course requires students to use a word processing program and Blackboard for course content and for submitting work, and Blackboardemail for communication purposes. Students must submit work and communicate through these programs in order to pass this course. Work must be saved and submitted to Blackboard as Microsoft Word or PDF documents.

Late work is not accepted for this course. To pass, all major assignmentsfor this class must be turned in.

Student Performance

All students registered for this class will meet in Ordway202on Tuesday and Thursdayfrom 9-10:15a.m. This is an on-campus, hybrid class. Attendance is mandatory.

Students can bring a computer or tablet to class if your have one.

ENGL 1301:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of individual and collaborative writing processes.

2. Develop ideas with appropriate support and attribution.

3. Write in a style appropriate to audience and purpose.

4. Read, reflect, and respond critically to a variety of texts.

5. Use Edited American English in academic essays.

Departmental expectations and requirements:

6. Write a third person, argumentative research paper following the MLA format for citing sources.

7. Use the library's online databases and other computer resources for research and word processing.

Students are expected to complete all work in order to pass the class.

Student Withdrawal Procedures:

Students who wish to withdraw from a class must:

• consult with their instructor to obtain a signed academic withdrawal request form to submit to the AskAC department for processing
• consult with the financial aid office if receiving financial aid
• consult with the Veterans Benefit Coordinator if receiving veteran benefits
• consult with their academic advisor to determine how withdrawing may affect their enrollment in future semesters
  • NOTE: The Texas Education Code stipulates that students attending Texas institutions of higher education for the first time fall 2007 and later may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career, including courses from which transfer students have withdrawn at other Texas institutions of higher education. (Senate Bill 1231) Rule 4.10.

Administrative Drop Policy: Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Amarillo College English and Cultural Studies Department

Plagiarism, Collusion, and Cheating Policy, Revised Spring 2024

The English and Cultural Studies Department takes academic integrity seriously. Scholastic dishonesty, punishable as prescribed by Board policies, shall include, but not be limited to plagiarism, collusion, and cheating on a test or written assignment.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined as “using exact words from any outside source without using quotation marks or properly citing them; paraphrasing words from any outside source without citing them; or using research from any outside source without citing it.”

Self-Plagiarism

Self-plagiarism is defined as turning in your own previous work to meet a current assignment. This policy will be amended at the discretion of each individual instructor.

Collusion

Collusion is defined as “the unauthorized collaboration with another person or by any other means, including artificial intelligence (AI) and computer translators, in preparing work for fulfillment of course requirements.” Using AI like (ChatGPT or Google Bard) to create a document is considered colluding. The use of Artificial Intelligence on specific assignments is at the discretion of the instructor.

Cheating

“Cheating on a test” shall include:

1. Copying from another student’s test paper.
2. Using test materials not authorized by the person administering the test.
3. Collaborating with or seeking aid from another student during a test without permission from the test administrator.
4. Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, or soliciting, in whole or in part, the contents of a pending test.
5. The unauthorized transporting or removal, in whole or in part, of the contents of the pending test.
6. Substituting for another student, or permitting another student to substitute for one’s self, to take a test.
7. Bribing another person to obtain a pending test or information about a pending test.

Statement of Consequences

If you plagiarize, cheat, or collude, you will face consequences. Ignorance of the policy is not an excuse. Any work produced in part or in whole through plagiarism, collusion, or cheating may receive a penalty up to and including a zero for the assignment. After assigning a zero, a subsequent infraction will result in a meeting the head of the Department and possible expulsion from the class. Another incident will result in a referral to the Vice President of Enrollment Management.

Class Policy:

Any writing created wholly by artificial intelligence, not cited,and turned in as an assignment is considered cheating.

You may use AI programs e.g. ChatGPT to help generate ideas and brainstorm. However, you should know that the material generated by these programs may be inaccurate, incomplete, or otherwise problematic. You may not submit any work generated by an AI program as your own. If you include material generated by an AI program, it must be cited like any other reference material (with due consideration for the quality of the reference, which may be poor). Any plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, or other form of cheating will be dealt with severely under relevant Amarillo College policies. Note that, for any reason, including doubts about whether the paper was written with external help, any student can be required to come in for an oral examination on his/her paper. In such a case, a grade for the oral examination will replace that for the paper.

English Department Tutoring Policy

If a student scores below 75% on an exam or writing assignment or his or her course average is below 75, he or she will be required to attend mandatory tutoring per the instructor’s directions.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

All rules and regulations set forth in the "Student Code of Conduct" section in the current edition of the Student's Rights and Responsibilities publication will be followed in this course. It is the student's responsibility to obtain a copy of the handbook from the Dean of Student Services Office.

The classroom and online environment is based upon a simple principle: the instructor commits to treat you with respect, and you commit to treat each other and the instructor with respect. Everyone is equally responsible for maintaining a respectful dialogue, attitude, and classroom. Disrespectful behavior towards the instructor or another student will not be tolerated. Disruptive behavior can range from major to minor infractions.

Grading Criteria

Grade Breakdown

In-class Daily Assignments 16%

Peer Edit Copy & Peer Edit Another’s Comparison Paper 8%

Comparison-Contrast Essay 14%

Common Assessment Assignment 8%

Midterm Reflection Assignment 10%

Peer Edit Copy & Peer Edit Another’s Research Paper 8%

Argument Research Paper 16%

Final Reflective Essay Exam 14%

Grammar Final Exam 6%

Grades will be based on the following system:
A90-100= high achievement
B80-89= above average achievement
C70-79= satisfactory achievement
D60-69= unsatisfactory achievement
F0-59= unacceptable

Late work is generally not accepted for this course. If you have a problem in turning in work on time, contact the instructor as soon as possible to discuss why an assignment was not turned in or why it might not be turned in on time. Accepting late assignments is up to the discretion of the instructor on a case-by-case basis.

To pass, all major work for this class must be turned in.

Attendance

ENGL 1301is an 8-week on-campus , hybrid course.

Students are expected attend class the first day classes open. Students need to complete the class work on time and, during the semester, pay special attention to all due dates that are listed in the Blackboard course calendar.

This is a fast-paced course, and students should be aware that each week’swork load may be approximately twice that of a regular 16 week course. The 16-week course has been compressed into an 8-week time frame. The course is designed to meet state, college, and department student outcomes and objectives. This course will use MLA, Modern Language Association, documentation format.

Students are expected tosign into Blackboard, to come to class, and to do the work assigned according to the calendar due dates published in Blackboard/AC Online. In addition to attendingclass, students still need to check their email and the course in Blackboard several times a week to make sure they keep up with announcements and any possible changes for the semester.

If during the semester you consider dropping, please check with me first for an alternate plan that protects your investment in this course and gives you an opportunity to complete it. Remember that the deadline for drops for this course this semester is 12/4/24.

Withdrawing early from a class could affect scholarship or financial aid monies. Check with a counselor or advisor before you withdraw from any class.

Calendar

Additional Information

This is an on-campus, hybrid class. Attendance is mandatory. 16%of the total class grade comes from in-class and daily assignments.

An in-class only assignment will be assigned and completed each required class day. Two of these daily grades will be dropped at the end of the semester. Two of these daily grades can be made up the last week of class.

Course Content and Work

This course requires students to use a word processing program (such as Microsoft Word of Google Docs) and Blackboard for course content and for submitting work, and Blackboardemail for communication purposes. Students must submit work and communicate through these programs in order to pass this course. Work must be saved and submitted to Blackboard as Microsoft Word or PDF documents.

Students will also be required to use the AC Library Subscription databases for assignments in this class.

Major writing assignments must be in MLA format. This is described in the assignment instructions; therefore, MLA format is a part of the grade for such assignments. This is also a departmental requirement.

Late work is not accepted for this course. To pass, all major work for this class must be turned in.

Most minor work is graded and returned in 3-7 days. Major work, such as essays, can take up to 7-14days to be graded and returned.

In the college experience, students will encounter diverse views and new subject matter, which expand their knowledge and perspective. In this college English class, we might read and discuss some literary works with subject matter that could include (but not be limited to) death, violence, sexuality, potentially offensive language, and political or religious viewpoints different from your own. If this is a concern for you, please meet with me.

Assignment Submission:

• Please submit each assignment in its designated place in Blackboard.

• Assignments submitted through email will not be accept unless you have specifically been told to email an assignment by the instructor.

• Assignments must be submitted in MS Word (.doc, .docx,) or PDF (.pdf) format. Work submitted in a format other than .doc, .docx, or .pdf will not be accepted.

• Save your work carefully and diligently. If you do not have a thumb drive, you may want to create your documents in Google Docs so you don’t have to worry about saving. If you work in Google Docs, save your work in .pdf or .doc, .docx, before you submit it in Blackboard.

• If all assignments are not turned in, you are in jeopardy of failing this class.