1011 Page Street  Troy, NC 27371  Phone: 910-898-9600  Website: www.montgomery.

edu

Fall 2019 ENG 111

Writing & Inquiry Course Syllabus

COURSE INFORMATION

Class Hours: 3 Lab Hours: Work Exp./Clinical Hours: Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisite(s): DRE 098/099 or meet placement test score requirements Corequisite(s): none

This course is designed to develop the ability to produce clear writing in a variety of genres and formats
using a recursive process. Emphasis includes inquiry, analysis, effective use of rhetorical strategies, thesis
development, audience awareness, and revision. Upon completion, students should be able to produce
unified, coherent, well-developed essays using standard written English.
Competencies
Student Learning Outcomes
1. Demonstrate writing as a recursive process.
2. Demonstrate writing and inquiry in context using different rhetorical strategies to reflect, analyze,
explain, and persuade in a variety of genres and formats.
3. Students will reflect upon and explain their writing strategies.
4. Demonstrate the critical use and examination of printed, digital, and visual materials.
5. Locate, evaluate, and incorporate relevant sources with proper documentation.
6. Compose texts incorporating rhetorically effective and conventional use of language.
7. Collaborate actively in a writing community.

Section: 04
Mondays and Wednesday: 3:30-4:45 pm Room 267

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Instructor’s Name: Sam Britt

Phone Number: 910-898-9721 Email Address: britts4095@montgomery.edu
Office Location: 144K Office Hours: Tues & Thurs: 11:00 am-1:00 pm
and by appointment

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK(S) AND OTHER MATERIALS

Whorter, Kathleen T. Successful College Writing. 7th edition. ISBN# 978-131 905 8593

Textbooks are available in the virtual MCC Bookstore [Direct Link: montgomery.ecampus.com].
Microsoft Office 365 is available to all MCC students for free. It contains helpful applications for creating
reports and presentations. Use your MCC student email address [Direct Link: 3mit.com/mcc/get365.pdf] to
install it. You can install it on up to five devices.

ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT

If you have a special need that may affect your academic performance and are seeking accommodations, it
is your responsibility to inform Counseling Services of your request as soon as possible. Counseling Services
is located in Blair Hall (formerly Building 100), Room 144 or you may contact Counseling Services at 910-
898-9618. It is important to request accommodations in a timely manner (preferably at least one month
prior to registration) so that the request may be considered and approved by the Director of Counseling
Services.
COURSE COMPETENCIES

To pass the course, students must demonstrate the ability to produce unified, coherent, well-developed
essays using standard written English. In conjunction, students should have developed the following skills:

1. Make use of various writing techniques in selecting and refining engaging topics, formulating suitable
theses, and developing adequate supporting detail for essays;

2. Join in the dialogue of various disciplines by responding in writing to professional essays using
summaries, paraphrases, and quotations correctly;

3. Give, receive and use constructive criticism through multiple drafts;

4. Understand and demonstrate writing as both a process and a product through growth on multiple drafts;

5. Demonstrate knowledge of rhetorical purpose to communicate effectively to particular audiences and to

fulfill reader expectations appropriately by carrying a paper through necessary revisions and recognize when
the paper has fulfilled the promise of its thesis to readers;

6. Use various writer's reference tools (i.e., a handbook, a dictionary, a thesaurus, spellchecker / grammar
check, and writing centers) in the editing process;

7. Submit writings using a required format (MLA or APA) correctly;

8. Deliver papers as formal and informal presentations to colleagues;

9. Enlarge vocabulary, improve diction and expand resources through reading model selections

10. Communicate effectively as well as listen attentively to negotiate understandings in small groups of
fewer than 20 people in roundtable discussions and delivering papers.
COURSE OUTLINE OF TOPICS

I. Anatomies of Essays
A. Submission Formats
1. MLA (used primarily in Humanities & Fine Arts)
2. APA (used primarily in Social & Behavioral Sciences)

B. Academic Titles
C. Introductions
D. Thesis Statements
E. Body Paragraphs
F. Transitions
G. Use of Sources
1. Summaries
2. Paraphrases
3. Quotations
H. Conclusions
I. Attribution of Sources
2. Internal Citations
3. Lists of Sources

II. Writing Process Overview

A. Generating Topics, Ideas & Details

B. Drafting Strategies
C. Revising Strategies and Audience Analysis
1. Re-Envisioning Texts
2. Revising Writer-Based Prose to Reader-Based Prose
D. Self-Editing Strategies
1. Using Handbooks
2. Using Dictionaries & Thesauri
E. Doing Trial Runs
1. Peer Reviewing
2. Using Writing Center

III. Genres of Essays

A. Process
B. Narrative
C. Definition
D. Analysis
1. Classification and Division
2. Comparison and Contrast
E. Evaluative Response (Reaction)
F. Argument
G. Research
IV. Academic Reading Skills
A. Enlarge Academic Vocabulary
B. Broaden Reading Comprehension across Disciplines

V. Academic Communication Skills

A. Communicating in Roundtable Discussions
B. Delivering Academic Papers Orally
1. Preparing What to Say
2. Delivering the Paper

FINAL GRADE COMPUTATION

Narration Paper 15%

Process Analysis Paper 15%
Reaction Paper “Breaking the Silence” 15%
Argument Paper Proposal 10%
Argument Paper 15%
Class participation/assignments/ 20%
Discussion Board Posts
(Responses to discussion board entries,
assignments, textbook exercises/assignments)
Oral Presentation 10%

GRADING SCALE

Montgomery Community College uses a grade-point system to determine each student's academic
standing. This standing is determined by the Grade-Point Average (GPA). To determine the GPA, numerical
values called “grade points” or “quality points” are assigned to each grade. Grade points are assigned for
each letter. A letter grade is used to indicate the quality of a student's work in a course. The grading system
is listed below.
Grade Explanation Quality Points Per Credit Hour
A (90-100) Outstanding 4
B (80-89) Above Average 3
C (70-79) Average 2
D (60-69) Passing 1
F (Below 60) Failure 0
STUDENT ACCOUNTS

MCC students have access to several accounts as described below.

Self Service : Self Service is the student information database. All students are required to access SS to
keep track of courses completed, grades, GPA, financial aid, etc.

Student Email (Gmail): All students are required to check student email at least weekly. I highly
recommend to check it daily and have your mcc email accessible from your cell phone. Students in online
and hybrid courses are required to check it multiple times weekly, preferably daily. If desired, student email
can be forwarded to another email account that is checked more frequently. Please check with the CATS
Lab for forwarding instructions. MCC instructors will only use the MCC student email account when
communicating with students via email. They will not use students’ personal email address(es).

Blackboard: Blackboard is the course management system used at MCC. Online and hybrid students are
required to access Blackboard many times weekly. Some traditional students must also access Blackboard
for supplemental course information (e.g., viewing documents, submitting assignments).

Instructions for accessing all of these accounts can be found in the Distance Learning section of the MCC
Website [Direct Link: http://www.montgomery.edu/distance-learning]. Students should never give access to
any student account to another person. Sharing access with others is academically dishonest.

COURSE POLICIES

Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes for which they are registered.
Although special circumstances may cause a student to be absent, regular attendance is essential to satisfy
regular course objectives. Students who anticipate an absence should contact the instructor before the class
meets. Should prior notice to the instructor be impossible, the student should expect to explain the absence
upon return to class.

To receive credit for a course, a student must attend 80% of class and 80% of lab hours. When absences
total more than 20% of the total contact hours for the course, a student will be dropped from a class. If
extenuating circumstances exist, the student may submit an appeal and request readmission to the class.
The Vice President of Instruction will review the appeal and make the final determination concerning
readmission.

Tardy Policy: Three tardies will equal one absence

Late Work Policy: Any assignment not received by the due date in the will result in a zero grade. Late work
is only accepted at the discretion of the instructor (in cases of emergency) and must be approved prior to
the due date of the assignment.

Computer, tech and/or internet connection problems are no excuse for submitting assignments late. The
expectation when students enroll in an online class is that they will have reliable computer access for the
entire semester. If their computers break down or if they lose their Internet connection, students should go
to the library or CATS lab at the rear of the library to complete assignments by the due date.
Academic Dishonesty Policy: At MCC, it is our desire to maintain the highest degree of academic integrity.
To that end, academic dishonesty in any form including cheating and plagiarism will be considered as a
violation of the Student Code. Please reference the Student Handbook [Direct Link:
http://www.montgomery.edu/images/pdf/student_handbook.pdf] for further information.
Plagiarism is discussed in a Module in this course.

Liability Policy: MCC and their contractual externship facilities assume no liability financially or otherwise
for illnesses and/or injuries incurred by students while performing required learning-centered, clinical/co-op
externship activities.

Assignment Submissions Policy: All assignments must be submitted through blackboard. IMPORTANT:
All work must be created using MS Word and saved and uploaded as a Word doc and uploaded as an MS
Word doc through the “Assignments” link.

Please use Times New Roman, 12 pt font when creating assignments.

Citing Sources Policy: Citing Sources: College transfer students who plan to major in the fields of
Education, Psychology, Forestry, Gunsmithing, Criminal Justice, Human Services, Business and Medical
majors should use APA. Humanity majors will use MLA. Both APA and MLA citation guidelines will be
covered in this course.

Class Participation Policy:

Students are expected to participate in class discussions and activities throughout the semester. Students
will be graded on their active participation in classroom activities which includes, but is not limited to the
following: asking questions, paying attention, on task behavior, involvement in class discussions and group
activities. Class participation is important in order for students to maximize their synthesis of the material
presented in this class. While class participation is important, it is equally important for students to be
respectful of other students and not monopolize class time. Students should not feel as if they need to
answer every question and have a response to every student and instructor comment.

Students are expected to foster an environment of respect and maintain appropriate behavior expected in
an institution of higher education. Student disruptions will not be tolerated and will be handled in
accordance to class and MCC policy. Student disruptions include but are not limited to the following:

 inappropriate use of cell phone or other electronic device

 repeated entering and exiting the class
 talking
 coarse joking
 inappropriate use of expletives
 behaviors that cause a distraction to other students

Offenses will meet the following consequences:

 First Offense - Verbal warning (this may be immediately after the disruption, at the end of class, or
prior to the start of class).

Second Offense - Student will be asked to leave class for the remaining class period.

Third Offense - Will not be allowed to return to class for the remainder of the course and VP of
Instruction will be notified.

OTHER HELPFUL INFORMATION

Check assignments ahead of time: I would recommend that you always check the “Assignments” link one
week ahead of the class date in order to see what reading and assignments are coming up. Some
assignments take more time than others and the due date may slip up on you if you do not plan ahead. Log
into blackboard at least 3 times per week to check for updates and/or Announcements.

Extra Credit Policy- no extra credit is offered for this course

Email Etiquette:  Emails should include the heading and section of your class (ENG 111:01) in the subject
line.  Please remember to do this. Instructors may have multiple sections of the same class and this will
eliminate confusion.  Emails to the instructor should be written in complete sentences and not include
slang or texting abbreviations.

If you have a question regarding material in the course, please be as specific as possible and review the
syllabus and/or assignment instructions before sending the email.

Emails will receive a response within 24 hours during the weekdays.  Please be respectful and patient and
please don’t resend the same email multiple times.  

Extra Credit: No extra credit is offered for this course.

Last day to drop the course with a “W” – Nov 13

COURSE CALENDAR / TIMELINE OF PROJECTS / SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS

Found under the “Assignments” tab on blackboard

DISCLAIMER STATEMENT

Deviations from this syllabus are at the discretion of the instructor. Whenever possible, prior notice of any
deviations will be provided.

AFFIDAVIT

Completion of the Mandatory First Assignment in Blackboard indicates that you have read and understand
this syllabus and are bound by its contents.