ENGLISH 75 Basic Writing Skills II (Updated 8/25/21)

FALL 2021
3 CREDITS = 3 LECTURE WR
ENG-075-06: Basic Writing Skills II

“Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers.” -Isaac Asimov

INSTRUCTOR: Jay McCulloch

CLASS HOURS: 5:00 p.m. - 7:50 p.m.
Wednesday Evenings, August 25 through December 15, 2021

LOCATION: Room 303; Main Building; Saint Clair County Community College
E-MAIL: jmcculloch@ecsd.us (Please note NOT the SC4 email.)
CLASS WEB PAGE: https://mccullochweb.weebly.com/eng-75.html (Just GOOGLE McCulloch Weebly)
CALL/TEXT: (810) 662-5357 (Cell Phone)

REMIND 101- For IMPORTANT announcements, I will be using REMIND 101. All students NEED to
sign up for this alert system. Please text @97bc4g to the number 81010

OFFICE HOURS: Wednesday Evenings, Room 301- 7:50-8:50 p.m or by appointment (Email or text me.)

Prerequisite: NONE

Catalog Description- This is a basic writing course that can either be a continuation of English 050 for
those students who are still not adequately prepared for the rigors of English 101, or a basic writing course
for those students whose writing skills are too advanced for English 050, yet not strong enough for
satisfactory completion of English 101. Emphasis will focus on the writing process used to produce 300-500
word paragraphs and 500-1,000 word essays, plus work with sentence combining to address grammatical
errors and to develop the stylistic maturity needed for the writing required in English 101.

COURSE RATIONALE:
To teach students to write effective, coherent, unified, organized, well-developed, and supported 250-500
word paragraphs (4 to 6) and 500-1000 word essays (5 to 7), working to address grammatical errors.

General Education Objectives

In compliance with the college’s general education competencies, this course includes learning
activities designed to build competency in the areas of quantitative reasoning, civic responsibility,
information literacy and communication.

COURSE OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES:
When students complete the course, they will be able to:

1. write effective, coherent, unified, organized, well-developed and supported 200-500 word paragraphs
and 500-1,000 word essays.
2. work with sentence combining to address grammatical errors
3. employ the stylistic maturity needed for the writing required in English 101

COURSE CONTENT:

1. Sentences- simple, compound, and complext, sentence-combining strategies

2. Simplistic grammatical errors

3. Elements of the single paragraph- topic sentence, support or body, concluding sentence: and the
essay

4. Simple and complex modes of writing-narration, exemplification, cause and effect, definition, etc.

5. Analyzing for focus, development and support, organization, and mechanics

6. Editing and revising, multiple-drafting approach to composition

REQUIRED TEXTS:
Real Writing with Readings, Anker/Moore. Bedford St. Martin’s. 8th ed.
ISBN: 978-1-319-05425-0

NEEDED MATERIALS:

● Laptop Computer/Desktop Computer with WI-FI (Bring Laptops to Class.)

● Folder with pockets to keep handouts (Tentative)
● Access to credible online dictionary
● Spiral or notebook with basic writing supplies (loose leaf paper, pens, stapler)
● A GOOGLE ACCOUNT w/ Gmail or Office 365 (SC4 provides students with access to this.)

ATTENDANCE: Because this class only meets once a week, the typical three class sessions of most English courses are
bundled into one morning. It is important to make every class for gaining the full benefit of the course.

Missing more than two (2) classes will result in your final EARNED grade being lowered by ONE
LETTER GRADE. For instance, if you miss three classes (excused or unexcused), if you earn a
B+, you NOW have a C+. Miss four classes? Your B+ now becomes a D+. At five missed classes,
you now have an “E”. I’m flexible but not gullible, so honesty are the way to go with me.Let
me know as early as possible.

Continually arriving late and/or leaving early can also result in an absence.

Sleeping in class will be considered an absence.

If you wish to drop this class, you must go to the registrar’s office or go online and drop it
before the date specified in the schedule. Failure to drop the class according to procedure will
result in a failing grade on your report card and transcript.

Please have cell phones TURNED OFF.

ALL Cell phone use (both texting and phone calls) MUST be limited to use during the breaks.
ALL assigned readings, journals, and writings MUST BE completed PRIOR TO CLASS. (This class will
spend time sharing and peer editing each other’s works, and there is nothing worse than staring at
a bunch of students that have NOT done the reading.)

HAVE ALL WORK TURNED IN ON TIME. Late work is deducted a full 20% off of the final, given
grade for EACH DAY, NOT CLASS PERIOD, it is late. (For instance, a paper that would have
received an 80% but is turned in late will receive a 60 %.

** ALL Papers will only be accepted two ways:

1) Preferred- Share to my Google Account- jmcculloch@ecsd.us.
2) Emailed, as an attachment (PDF, Word Document) to jmcculloch@ecsd.us
In-class essays and other handwritten assignments will be in either blue or black ink. Use of other
ink will result in a markdown.

This is a COLLEGE COURSE, intended for MATURE students. Assigned reading could have more
mature content within it, including graphic violence, profane language and other mature content.
(Typically this is NOT the case for me.)

ACADEMIC HONESTY
(FROM THE CURRENT SAINT CLAIR COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE CATALOG)

Student Code of Conduct: https://tinyurl.com/y2nhl2uq

The college considers academic honesty to be essential to all academic performance. Instances of
academic dishonesty will be treated as serious offenses of the Student Code of Conduct. Students
involved in activities such as cheating and/or plagiarism will be subject to disciplinary action up to and
including dismissal.

• Definition of plagiarism: Plagiarism is the appropriation of language, thoughts or ideas of another author
and claiming that as one’s own. Plagiarism is work not produced by the student, or work that does not credit
borrowings from the original source(s).

• Definition of cheating: Cheating can be, but is not limited to, a student using electronic technology, notes
or other written materials not permitted by the instructor; looking at other students’ papers without the
instructor’s permission; requesting answers from other students; or working with other students when
independent work is required. Situations where cheating may occur are during tests, exams, quizzes or other
similar methods of evaluation.

When the instructor has sufficient evidence of cheating or plagiarism, the instructor may impose
disciplinary actions such as assigning a failing grade to the student’s assignment, quiz, paper or test.

Due to the WIRELESS capability now available on campus, the following rules will be enforced:

● All electronic devices will be off and shut during quizzes, tests, in-class essays and grammar
exercises. Students will have both hands showing at all times during quizzes and tests.

● Only computers and tape recorders will be allowed for use during lecture for the express purpose of
 note taking and for creating outlines and rough drafts during the class provided permission from the
instructor has been given.
● Creating an outline or draft may be done on the computer, but must be turned in as a hard copy on
paper. (**Please note that other options for essay turn-in may be offered during this semester,
allowing for the possibility of electronic submission of ORIGINAL work).
● Recreational use of electronic devices during class time is prohibited. If a student is caught texting,
tweeting, gaming, surfing, or blogging, it will count as an absence as attendance refers to paying
attention to instruction given in class.

GRADE BREAKDOWN (BASED ON TENTATIVE ASSIGNMENTS)

FIRST FULL PAPER (Assigned Week 1) 50 points

COMPLETE PARAGRAPH ASSIGNMENTS 150 points
Weekly Participation in classroom discussions/peer editing 100 points
Multi-paragraph Essay #1 100 points
Multi-paragraph Essay #2 100 points
Grammar Assignments (As Needed) 100 points
Peer Editing/In-Class Activities (@ 30 points each) 150 points
Final Exam (T.B.D.) 50 points

TOTAL POINTS FOR THE SEMESTER 700-800 possible points

GRADING SCALE:

94-100% A
90-93% A-
87-89% B+
83-86% B
80-82% B-
77-79% C+
73-76% C
70-72% C-
67-69% D+
63-66% D
60-62% D-
BELOW 60%- E

NOTE: PLEASE KEEP ALL OF YOUR MATERIAL GENERATED IN THIS CLASS UNTIL
YOUR FINAL GRADE IS RECEIVED.
 CALENDAR FOR ENGLISH 75
McCulloch/FALL 2021
(UPDATED 8/25/21)
This is a TENTATIVE calendar, providing a structure of when due dates will most likely occur.
Updates and changes will be given in a timely manner.

DATE FOCUS OF THE CLASS SESSION PAPERS/PROJECTS DUE

8/25/21 WEEK #1-INTRODUCTIONS/ First Writing Paper- Five paragraph FIRST
The class and the syllabus paper. Three THINGS about YOU!! (Due
BUILDING CLASS COMMUNITY/VISION BEFORE class.)
FIRST Writing Sample
9/1/21 WEEK #2- Strategies of Pre-Writing
Sentences Part 1
9/8/21 WEEK #3-Sentences Continued
Clauses, Run-Ons, and Fragments
Basics of Paragraph (Topic Sentence)
Paragraph Structure, Support, and Detail
9/15/21 WEEK #4- Paragraph Structure Paragraph (from last week) bring to class.
Support and Detail
Writing #1- Narration Assign Narrative Paragraph(s)- Due 9/22

9/22/21 WEEK #5- Illustration and Description Narrative Paragraph Due

ParagraphSome More Notes on Drafting Assign Set of Paragraphs
Process, Definition,
9/29/21 WEEK #6- INDEPENDENT WORK NIGHT

10/6/21 WEEK #7- Comparison/Contrast

Cause and Effect and Argument

10/13/21 WEEK #8- INDEPENDENT WORK NIGHT

10/20/21 WEEK #9- Writing An Essay Part1
10/27/21 WEEK #10- Writing an Essay Part 2 Peer Edit Night
(TENTATIVE EARLY RELEASE.)
11/3/21 WEEK #11- Writing an Essay Part 3

11/10/21 Week #12 - Writing an Essay Part 4 Assign Essay #2

Essay #1 Due

11/17/21 WEEK #13- ESSAY WORKSHOP

11/24/21 NO CLASS- THANKSGIVING BREAK Peer Edit #2
12/1/21 Last day to drop 19/FALL classes with a
“W” grade (11/29/19)
12/8/21 WEEK #16- INDEPENDENT WORK NIGHT Essay #2 Due Emailed/ Dropped Off
All Semester Revisions Due.
12/15/21 WEEK # 19- ** FINAL EXAM FINAL EXAMS- In Class Writing
(Tentative)