ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT

Date
Course Title
Pre-requisite (s)
Hours

28/06/2016
English Composition I
None
45

Credits
Course Number
Co-requisite (s)

3
ENC 1101
None

Place and Time of Class Meeting

San Ignacio College

10395 NW 41st Street, Suite 125, Room #
Miami, FL 33178
Name and Contact Information of Instructor

Norma Alburquerque
Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola
Av. La Fontana 750 La Molina Lima Peru
Book required
(San Ignacio College recognizes the use of the textbook in the classroom as part of the educational
methodology and strategy applied in diverse materials. The textbook is part of the curriculum and is used
to reach the student in an effective manner in the classroom. Every student is expected to acquire and use
the textbook.)

Islam, C & Zemach D. (2011) Macmillan Writing Series Writing paragraphs. (4th edition)
USA. Macmillan.
Classroom expectations for students
Attendance Policy

Students are expected to attend all scheduled College classes for the courses that they are
registered for and to achieve the goals set forth by each class instructor. Attendance is taken
daily. Enrolled students are permitted no more than 2 free absences in one semester. Students
missing 3-5 classes over the course of the semester will receive a one-letter grade deduction from
their final course grade; missing more than 6 classes will result in failure of the course regardless
of grade average. It is the student's responsibility to arrange to make up work missed because of
an absence.
Student Tardiness Policy

A student is considered tardy/late if he/she comes to class 15 minutes late. With three tardies the
student accumulates one full absence. If the student misses half of the class period, it is a full
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ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT
absence. When a student has more than 6 tardies, the instructor will contact the San Ignacio
College Coordinator of Student Affairs and Academic Department and request an intervention
session with the student. The goal of the intervention session is to develop and implement an
intervention program to help students learn new ways to save and manage time.
NOTE: Plagiarism is defined as the use, without proper acknowledgment, of the ideas, phrases,
sentences, or larger units of discourse from another writer or speaker. Plagiarism includes the
unauthorized copying of software and the violation of copyright laws. Students who commit
plagiarism will obtain a grade of Failure on their exam or assignment.
Course Description (must correspond exactly to Catalog description)

In this course students will learn how to write clear, correct and effective paragraphs. The
purpose of this course is to teach students the organization of different types of paragraphs as
well as reinforce the practice of complex sentences commonly used in academic writing.
Learning Objectives

At the end of this course the student will be able to:

Define what academic writing is.

Understand the structure of a paragraph.
Understand and use process writing.
Recognize the different organization steps for writing a variety of paragraphs.
Practice and further practice simple and complex sentences used in academic writing.
Revise punctuation and capitalization rules.

Topical Outline and Schedule

DATE
SPECIFIC
OBJECTIVES
TOPIC (S)

LEARNING
ACTIVITIES

WEEK 1

Describe the course.

Identify the steps of the writing process.
Syllabus
Discuss Online Library use.
Introduction: The Writing Process.
The Stages of writing.
Discussion of Syllabus
Fill in a survey in order to reflect on students own
experiences and attitudes towards writing.
Pair work activities.
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ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT

HOMEWORK &
ASSIGNED
READINGS

DATE
SPECIFIC
OBJECTIVES

TOPIC (S)

LEARNING
ACTIVITIES
HOMEWORK &
ASSIGNED
READINGS
DATE
SPECIFIC
OBJECTIVES

TOPIC (S)

LEARNING
ACTIVITIES

Identify the six steps of the writing process (choose a topic,

gather ideas, narrowing ideas, draft, reviewing& revising,
rewriting.)
Review the Syllabus
Complete the Library Orientation Course. Instructor to verify
completion. Students become familiar with online library.
Homework: Prepare a graphic organizer of the contents of the
session.

WEEK 2
Define what academic writing is
Identify and use rules for capitalization.
Identify the rules of the comma
Identify and write topic sentences.
Academic Writing.
Capitalization rules
The use of the comma
Organization of a paragraph
Methods of Organization of ideas: Time order, Emphatic
order, Space order.
Practice in identifying the topic of a paragraph and the main
idea by looking at several topic sentences.
Students write topic sentences of their own.
Homework: Further practice on writing topic sentences for a variety
of topics given by students.

WEEK 3
Identify simple and compound sentences.
Write simple and compound sentences bearing in mind
subject-verb agreement.
Identify the three parts of a paragraph.
Write a narrative paragraph.
Subject verb agreement
Parts of a paragraph (Topic Sentence, supporting sentences,
the concluding sentence)
Narrative paragraph plan
Simple and Compound sentences
Read a short text and identify simple and compound
sentences.
Identify the parts of a Topic Sentence.
Develop a narrative paragraph.
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ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT

HOMEWORK &
ASSIGNED
READINGS
DATE
SPECIFIC
OBJECTIVES

TOPIC (S)

LEARNING
ACTIVITIES

HOMEWORK &
ASSIGNED
READINGS
DATE
SPECIFIC
OBJECTIVES

TOPIC (S)

LEARNING

Students express their ideas using simple and compound

sentences.
Homework: Edit a paragraph that contains subject verb agreement
issues.
Write topic sentences for given topics.
WEEK 4
Identify complex sentences.
Practice writing supporting sentences for Topic Sentences.
Use signal phrases to provide examples.
Practice writing concluding sentences.
Use conclusion signals appropriately.
Complex sentences
Supporting sentences
Signal phrases for examples.
Concluding sentences
Conclusion signals
Brainstorm further information about a topic.
Write supporting sentences for given topic sentences.
Write down examples that could be used to support topic
sentences.
Use signal phrases for examples in context.
Understand three tips for good concluding sentences (signal
phrase, restate the main idea in topic sentence and summarize
main points).
QUIZ 1
Homework: Practice freewriting to get ideas for supporting sentences
and use them to write down a full well-organized paragraph on one of
the given topics.
WEEK 5
Define what a descriptive paragraph is.
Identify and use time order signal in writing.
Use coordinating conjunction in compound sentences (and,
but, so and or).
Use apostrophes correctly.
Identify fragments and run-ons.
Parallelism
Description
Time order signals
Punctuation (apostrophes)
Identify parallelism and apply it to paragraph writing
Fragments, run-ons.
Work in pairs to define what a descriptive paragraph is.
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ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT
ACTIVITIES

HOMEWORK &
ASSIGNED
READINGS

DATE
SPECIFIC
OBJECTIVES
TOPIC (S)
LEARNING
ACTIVITIES

HOMEWORK &
ASSIGNED
READINGS
DATE
SPECIFIC
OBJECTIVES

TOPIC (S)

LEARNING
ACTIVITIES

Use methods of organization of ideas in descriptive

paragraphs.
Identify and use coordinating conjunctions in sentences.
Join simple sentences using coordinating conjunctions.
Write a paragraph to describe something.
Apply parallelism in writing a paragraph
Identify and correct fragments and run-ons in paragraph
writing.
Due: Project Topic
Due: Tentative Bibliography
Homework: Write a business profile about a transnational company
e.g. Apple.
WEEK 6
Learn and apply critical reading strategies
Summarize information.
Apply three simple steps to summarize a text.
Critical reading.
Summaries.
Discussion about what a summary is and the importance of
producing a good summary for college students.
Read a model paragraph and summary. Students compare
both pieces.
Identify three keys to writing summaries (include main points,
use own words, do not any further ideas.)
Group activity: Students reread any short texts they have
already used in class. Then, they work on their summaries.
Continue research and work on final project
Homework: Students find a short article on a topic related to their
major. Students write down the summary.
WEEK 7
Understand the organization of a definition paragraph.
Practice topic sentences for definition paragraphs.
Develop supporting sentences for definition paragraphs.
Write definition paragraphs.
Analyze UNITY in a paragraph.
Identify and use coordinating conjunctions (yet, for, nor)
Definition paragraphs
Coordinating conjunctions
Unity in writing
In pairs, students discuss what makes a good definition
paragraph.
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ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT

HOMEWORK &
ASSIGNED
READINGS
DATE
SPECIFIC
OBJECTIVES

TOPIC (S)
LEARNING
ACTIVITIES

HOMEWORK &
ASSIGNED
READINGS
DATE
SPECIFIC
OBJECTIVES

TOPIC (S)

LEARNING
ACTIVITIES

Develop the components of a definition paragraph as a whole

class
Identify coordinating conjunction in a text.
Join a number of sentences using coordinating conjunctions.
Discuss unity in a paragraph.
Students write a definition paragraph.
Continue research and work on final project
Homework: Students write a descriptive/cause and effect paragraph
about a highly competitive company.
WEEK 8
Understand the logical division of ideas in a paragraph.
Identify the three main ways to make your paragraph coherent
(use nouns and pronouns, transitions, use logical order, avoid
run-ons)
Paragraphs on a variety of topics.
Transitions
Read a model paragraph and identify items that make this
paragraph coherent.
Identify the logical division of ideas in a paragraph and the
language items that help writers to keep coherence.
Students recognize logical division in a number of paragraphs.
Students notice how the use of nouns and pronouns make a
text consistent.
Rewrite sentences as they identify errors in sentences and use
runs-on or splice.
Fill in short paragraphs with appropriate transitions.
Homework:
Students schedule a project.

WEEK 9
Identify the nature of a process paragraph
Develop a process paragraph plan.
Identify and use time order signals.
Identify comma splices.
How to do sample paragraphs.
Time order signals.
Comma splices.
Read a model paragraph and identify items that make this
paragraph a process one, such as the description of steps to do
something.
Write topic sentences for process paragraphs.
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ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT

HOMEWORK &
ASSIGNED
READINGS

DATE
SPECIFIC
OBJECTIVES

TOPIC (S)

LEARNING
ACTIVITIES

HOMEWORK &
ASSIGNED
READINGS
DATE
SPECIFIC
OBJECTIVES

TOPIC (S)
LEARNING
ACTIVITIES

Fill in paragraphs with time order signals.

Reorder sentences to make up a paragraph.
Identify and correct comma splices in paragraph writing.
Continue research and work on final project (schedule a project)
Homework: Write a creative problem-solving process (how a
company found a creative solution for a given problem, and follow
the process paragraph structure).
WEEK 10
Understand the formation of adjective clauses.
Understand and use adjective clauses in a context.
Writing a business email.
Review important skills learned in previous weeks (use of
commas and unity)
Adjective clauses.
Business email.
Subordinators of time and place.
In groups, discuss and identify parts of sentences using some
samples.
Analyze and use adjective clauses.
Revise list of subordinators.
Identify errors of structure and unity in a paragraph.
Write a business email in reference to a particular situation.
QUIZ 2
Continue research and work on final project
Homework: Write a business email about a specific situation.

WEEK 11
Identify the nature of a comparison / contrast paragraph.
Identify and use block organization.
Identify similarities and differences.
Understand and use contrast signals.
Comparison
Organization of ideas for a paragraph.
Read a sample comparison / contrast paragraph and prepare a
Venn diagram to identify similarities and differences.
Use two job applications and identify the similarities and
differences between the two candidates.
Join sentences using contrast signals.
Discuss and analyze block organization (all similarities or all
differences)
Write a comparison paragraph using block organization.
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ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT
HOMEWORK &
ASSIGNED
READINGS
DATE
SPECIFIC
OBJECTIVES

TOPIC (S)

LEARNING
ACTIVITIES

HOMEWORK &
ASSIGNED
READINGS
DATE
SPECIFIC
OBJECTIVES
TOPIC (S)

LEARNING
ACTIVITIES

HOMEWORK &
ASSIGNED
READINGS

Continue research and work on final project

Homework: Write a comparison / contrast paragraph on a given
topic.
WEEK 12
Further practice comparison / contrast paragraphs.
Identify and use point-by-point organization.
Identify similarities and differences.
Further practice contrast signals in context.
Identify appositives.
Comparison
Organization of ideas for a comparison and contrast
paragraph.
Appositives
Discuss and analyze a paragraph that uses this type of
organization.
Identify how similarities and differences are organized by
subtopics.
Write a topic sentence and concluding sentence for this kind
of paragraph.
Brainstorm ideas that can be used to write down a comparison
/ contrast paragraph.
Write a point by point comparison and contrast paragraph.
Identify the use of appositives.
Continue research and work on final project
Homework: Write a comparison / contrast paragraph on a given
topic. Present rough draft and final version of paragraph.
WEEK 13
Understand the formation of argumentative paragraphs.
Identify and use the argument paragraph plan.
Write effective supportive sentences.
Argumentative paragraphs.
Develop supporting ideas for an argumentative paragraph:
anecdotes, facts, answers to the opposition.
Identify and discuss circular reasoning
Brainstorm and discuss argumentative topics.
Identify key arguments.
Write topic sentences for argumentative paragraphs.
QUIZ 3
Homework: Write a rough draft of an argumentative paragraph on a
topic of choice.

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ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT
DATE
SPECIFIC
OBJECTIVES
TOPIC (S)
LEARNING
ACTIVITIES
HOMEWORK &
ASSIGNED
READINGS
DATE
SPECIFIC
OBJECTIVES

WEEK 14

Oral Presentations.

Research topics
Use visual PPT slides) appropriately.
Approach and audience confidently.
Homework: Students hand in portfolio.

WEEK 15
Recall important steps in academic writing.
List steps to write a paragraph.
List parts of a paragraph.
List and differentiate types of paragraphs.

TOPIC (S)

Academic writing
Paragraph writing
Types of paragraphs.

LEARNING
ACTIVITIES

In groups, students prepare a mind map of main concepts seen

during the course on academic writing, paragraph
organization and different types of paragraphs.
Present ideas to whole class.

HOMEWORK &
ASSIGNED
READINGS

Homework: revise key ideas for Final Exam.

Instructional Methods

In developing methodological strategies, it is best to discuss them between teachers and students
in an environment of freedom and mutual agreement in order to ensure that the students make
them their own and take responsibility for their execution and for attaining the goals of this
course.
The following strategies may be used in this class:
1. Generate interest.
2. Generate ideas.
3. Provide a model.
4. Provide the language and sub-skills input.
5. Provide a reason and an audience for writing.
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ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT
6.
7.
8.
9.

Organize and order ideas.

Draft
Edit
Write a final version.

Instructional Materials and References

Islam, C & Zemach D. (2011) Macmillan Writing Series Writing paragraphs. (4th edition)
USA. Macmillan.
Assessment Criteria and Methods of Evaluating Students

CONVERSION TABLE
Vigesimal Grade Letter Grade Percentage Grade
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7 or less

A+
A+
A+
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF

100%
96-99%
90-95%
87-89%
83-86%
80-82%
77-79%
74-76%
72-73%
70-71%
67-69%
63-66%
60-62%
Below 59%

Do not count on a curve!

Generally, the grades A through C- are considered passing grades. Grades "W" and "I" indicate that
no grades were earned for the course. A "W" grade indicates that the student withdrew from the course. An
"I" grade indicates that the student was passing the course, but failed to complete all the required course
work. The instructor, in his/her discretion may grant an "I" grade instead of an "F", pending completion of
the course work by the student within a specified time arranged by the instructor and told to the student. It
is the student's responsibility to follow-up with the instructor to complete the course work. If the course
work is not completed by the arranged time, the I grade becomes an F".

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ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT
Distribution of Grade Elements
Evaluation Scheme
Grades for each type of evaluation and the final grade for the course are rounded to whole numbers. The final grade is the weighted
average of the continuous assessment, mid-term exam and final exam grades.

Weight

Type of evaluation

Continuous Assessment

60%

Mid-term exam

20%

Final exam

20%

Continuous Assessment (*)

Type of Evaluation

Quizzes

Weight in
Percentages
of Continuous
Assessment Nro
Grade

30%

Weight description (per type of evaluation)

Week

Description

Quiz 1

33.33%

Quiz 2

33.33%

10

Quiz 3

33.33%

13

Make-up
evaluations

NO

There are 3 quizzes. The one with the lowest grade is eliminated. the average of the quizzes is
rounded to two decimals.

Project

30%
Portfolio

Freewriting (a company)

20%

NO

Schedule a project in a well- known company

20%

NO

Compare this company with another in the field.

20%

12

NO

Portfolio (collection of all edited writing samples)

30%

14

NO

Oral presentation

10%

14

NO

None of these grades can be eliminated. The average of these grades is rounded off.
Classwork /
Independent
learning

40%

Classwork & Independent Learning 1

50%

NO

Classwork & Independent Learning 2

50%

15

NO

None of these grades can be eliminated. The average of these grades is rounded off.

(*) Dates for each evaluation are available on INFOSIL, menu Informacin Acadmica, option Evaluaciones.

Date Syllabus Was Last Reviewed: Date 7-07-16

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