Course Syllabus

English 102: The Research Paper
Fall 2019

Professor: Ryan Bing
Office Hours: TWR 4-6pm
Office:  Mint 3-13
E-mail: rbing@ccp.edu (The best way to reach me)
Phone: 267-299-5802 (Please note email is a much better way to reach me)

Welcome
Welcome to our course! I am glad you are here, and I am excited for us to work together. I realize your enrollment in this class represents a significant commitment of your time, energy, and money; and I applaud you for making this commitment to your education.

This course will be a challenge, and I commend you for taking it on. Please know from the beginning that I am rooting for you to do well, and I want you to succeed!

Course Description for English 102
English 102 is the second half of the two-course sequence in English composition.  Students continue to improve their academic reading and writing skills and critically examine issues raised by course texts.  Course materials and the topics of study may vary in subject matter from one instructor to another.  Course activities facilitate independent library and Web-based research. Students’ work culminates in a final research paper.

Student Learning Objectives for 102
Upon completion of this course students will be able to:

-Identify an information need and formulate a research question or thesis statement.

-Demonstrate basic knowledge of how information is organized in order to locate, select, and access resources, using search tools such as databases, search engines, inter-library loan, etc.

-Evaluate resources based on the purpose of the information and its accuracy, credibility, authority, objectivity, and timeliness/currency.

-Demonstrate effective use of information and accomplishment of specific objectives as assigned (i.e. research project, assignment, etc.).

-Use resources ethically and demonstrate understanding of the legal and policy issues associated with the use of information.

-Initiate, develop and support a longer research paper or a series of shorter papers of increasing complexity on a significant topic that contains a coherent argument in support of a thesis statement.

-Demonstrate academic reading and writing skills through completion of research paper assignments and analyses of written texts.

Required Resources
-Reliable access to a working computer with a word processor and an Internet connection

-They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing 3^rd edition by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein Tough (Available via the College bookstore and many booksellers)

-A free Grammarly.com account (Get the browser add-on and the word processor plug-in)

Grades
Grades in this course will be determined using a 1,000 point system.

Topic Proposal:100 points
Sample Annotated Bibliography Entry:50 points
Factual Background Section (initial submission): 100 points
Expert Opinions Section (initial submission): 100 points
Response To Experts Section (initial submission): 100 points
Argument Section (initial submission): 100 points
Final Draft: 200 points
Annotated Bibliography: 100 points
Revision Reflection: 50 points
Participation: 100 points

Points will determine letter grades like this:

900-1000 points: A
800-899 points: B
700-799 points: C
600-699 points: D
Less than 600 points: F

Submitting Your Work
It is very important that you turn all of your work in on time and in the format requested for that specific assignment. For the purposes of due dates in this course the academic week will be considered to end at midnight on Sunday and begin on Monday morning. So, an assignment due at the end of Week 1 will be due by midnight on the Sunday at the end of the first week of class.

Formatting
All formal written work must be neatly typed or word processed in the appropriate format. Margins and fonts should be reasonable (1” sides, 1.25” top and bottom; 12 point type).

Formal written English grammar and mechanics are expected. If you are not already familiar with APA and/or MLA guidelines, please familiarize yourself with them as soon as possible. There are a number of free online resources for this, and I am happy to help.

The Learning Lab
If you are able to come to campus, I encourage you to make use of the Learning Lab (B1-28). The editors there will be able to give you expert advice and help you with your assignments. You may, of course, contact me with any questions you may have as well.

Revision
Revision is a very important part of writing and of this class. You will get the most from your revisions by doing them gradually over multiple sessions spread out in time. It is important to note that revision means making substantial changes to your work and is more than just proofreading.

Plagiarism
My expectation is that every student will demonstrate a high level of academic integrity and will avoid plagiarism.

Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s words or ideas as your own and without giving credit to the original author. Any time you refer to, quote, or paraphrase someone else’s words or ideas in your written work you must cite the original source of the words or ideas.

Plagiarism on any assignment will result in a failing grade for that assignment. More than one instance of plagiarism during the semester will result in a failing grade for the course and a report being filed with the Dean of Students.

We will discuss how to avoid plagiarism, and there are many online resources on this topic. If you have any questions about this, it is very important that you ask me before turning in any assignment you may have a question about.

Withdrawing from the Course
Of course, I hope none of you withdraw from the course, and I ask you to please contact me if you are thinking about it. If there is anything I can do to help, I will. However, I also understand that sometimes life happens and students must prioritize other things.

The last date to withdraw from courses is listed on the CCP Academic Calendar. Though you won’t earn an F if you withdraw, before you decide to withdraw from this course or any other course, think about the following information:

1. The W (for Withdrawal) will be reflected on your transcript permanently.
   2. Ws on transcripts may have a negative impact on acceptance into select programs.
   3. Transfer institutions may view Ws negatively, and it may go against your application.
   4. Your financial aid may be impacted.

Please discuss your options with your instructor or an advisor/counselor before you decide to withdraw from a course.

Class Policies
My expectation is that our course environment will be one of mutual respect and open-minded inquiry. I ask for your help in keeping it that way.

Participation and Attendance
Regular participation is essential.

Participation means things like: Engaging in discussions; asking questions; giving feedback to your peers and to me; and reading the assigned texts. High participation will raise your grade.

On the other side of the coin, low participation will bring down your participation grade, but, more importantly, cause you to miss out on important information and skills.

Preferred Names and Gender Pronouns
This course affirms people of all gender expressions and gender identities. If you prefer to be called a different name than what is on the class roster, please let me know. Also, please feel free to inform me of your preferred gender pronoun(s). If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Students With Disabilities
I am committed to helping students with disabilities in whatever way I can. Please don’t hesitate to ask. Here is more information from the College’s official policy:

“Students who believe they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss their accommodation form and specific needs as soon as possible, but preferably within the first week of class. If you need to request reasonable accommodations, but do not have an accommodation form, please contact the Center on Disability, room BG-39, phone number 215-751-8050”

Canvas Support
Students can get help with Canvas by calling the IT department's Help Desk at 215-496-6000. Students can also request assistance by using the "Help" link in Canvas. The "Help" link is at the bottom left corner of the Canvas Screen.

General Questions
If you have any questions about assignments, readings, or anything else related to the class, I am here to help. Having said that, an important part of a college education is getting in the habit of finding information independently. I encourage all my students to practice that skill by making good use of this syllabus and the other resources I have provided to answer their own questions when possible. If, after consulting the available resources, you still have questions, please ask :).

Turn-Around Times
My goal is to grade all assignments within a week of their due date. I try to respond to all emails within one business day. Please note these are guidelines, and turn-around times may occasionally be longer. Assignments turned in late will likely have longer turn-around times.

Conclusion
Above all, I want you to feel good about this class and do your best. I look forward to working together. Good luck, best wishes, and let’s get started!

N.B. This syllabus is subject to change at any time at my discretion based upon the needs of the class. However, this almost never happens and reasonable notice will be provided in the event of any changes.