Fall 2025
Composition I
ENG 1301: COMPOSITION 1 INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION Instructor: Kelly Kanetkar Email: kkanetk@bmtisd.com Office Location: 811 (King Collegiate Academy) Tutorials: Tuesdays and Wednesdays 3 - 4 PM CREDIT 3 Semester Credit Hours MODE OF INSTRUCTION Face-to-face PREREQUISITE/CO-REQUISITE: Must have passed the TSIA2 test for English reading and writing or the Developmental English class. 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. COURSE OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to 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. CORE OBJECTIVES 1. Critical Thinking Skills: To include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information. 2. Communication Skills: To include effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral and visual communication. 3. Personal Responsibility: To include the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making. REQUIRED TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS Materials will be provided by the teacher. ATTENDANCE POLICY For BISD Attendance guidance, please visit our campus website at echs.bmtisd.com --> Academics for details. DROP POLICY If you wish to drop a course, you are responsible for initiating and completing the drop process by the specified drop date as listed on the Academic Calendar. If you stop coming to class and fail to drop the course, you will earn an “F” in the course. STUDENT EXPECTED TIME REQUIREMENT For every hour in class (or unit of credit), students should expect to spend at least one hour per week studying and completing assignments. For a 3-credit-hour class, students should prepare to allocate approximately three hours per week outside of class in a 16- week session OR approximately twelve to eighteen hours in an 8-week session. Online/Hybrid students should expect to spend at least as much time in this course as in the traditional, face-to-face class. COURSE EVALUATION Final grades will be calculated according to the following criteria: Essay #1 (Personal Narrative) 10% Essay #2 (Rhetorical Analysis) 15% Essay #3 (Persuasive Research Essay)--Common Assignment 20% Essay #4 (Argument Essay/Project: Final Exam) 15% Short Writing Assignments (Reader’s Response and Peer Collaboration) 15% Daily Grades (Homework) 15% Participation/Attendance 10% Total 100% GRADING SCALE 90-100 A 80-89 B 70-79 C 60-69 D 0-59 F LIT does not use +/- grading scales ACADEMIC DISHONESTY Students found to be committing academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, or collusion) may receive disciplinary action. Students need to familiarize themselves with the institution’s Academic Dishonesty Policy available in the Student Catalog & Handbook at http://catalog.lit.edu/content.php?catoid=3&navoid=80#academic-dishonesty. STATEMENT ON THE USE OF AI: In this class, your job is to grow into a better reader and writer. In order to do your job, you must read and write a lot. My job is to provide feedback and to help you grow in your abilities. In order to do my job, I need to read YOUR writing; I need to know YOUR voice. With this established, AI generated or enhanced writing (including “Grammarly”) is not permitted. The first time I detect AI usage, you will have to redo the assignment for 50% of the grade. Any other usage of AI will result in a score of 0% on the assignment. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS The latest technical requirements, including hardware, compatible browsers, operating systems, etc. can be online at https://lit.edu/online-learning/online-learning-minimum-computer-requirements. A functional broadband internet connection, such as DSL, cable, or WiFi is necessary to maximize the use of online technology and resources. ELECTRONIC DEVICES Students may not use electronic devices, including cell phones and smart watches, during the school day. All electronic devices must remain turned off and placed in the student’s backpack. With permission from the teacher, students may use wired headphones that plug into their chromebooks. DISABILITIES STATEMENT The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are federal anti-discrimination statutes that provide comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. LIT provides reasonable accommodations as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, to students with a diagnosed disability. The Special Populations Office is located in the Eagles’ Nest Room 129 and helps foster a supportive and inclusive educational environment by maintaining partnerships with faculty and staff, as well as promoting awareness among all members of the Lamar Institute of Technology community. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Special Populations Coordinator at (409)-951-5708 or email specialpopulations@lit.edu. You may also visit the online resource at Special Populations - Lamar Institute of Technology (lit.edu). STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT STATEMENT It is the responsibility of all registered Lamar Institute of Technology students to access, read, understand and abide by all published policies, regulations, and procedures listed in the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook. The LIT Catalog and Student Handbook may be accessed at www.lit.edu. Please note that the online version of the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook supersedes all other versions of the same document. STARFISH LIT utilizes an early alert system called Starfish. Throughout the semester, you may receive emails from Starfish regarding your course grades, attendance, or academic performance. Faculty members record student attendance, raise flags and kudos to express concern or give praise, and you can make an appointment with faculty and staff all through the Starfish home page. You can also login to Blackboard or MyLIT and click on the Starfish link to view academic alerts and detailed information. It is the responsibility of the student to pay attention to these emails and information in Starfish and consider taking the recommended actions. Starfish is used to help you be a successful student at LIT. Course Calendar: The course calendar is subject to change. Week Topics and Readings Homework Week 1: Narrative Writing “Writing a Narrative” (Handout) “Superman and Me” (Handout) “Literacy Behind Bars” (Handout) “The Sanctuary of School” (Handout) Readings Reader’s Response 1 (“Literacy Behind Bars”) Week 2: Narrative Brainstorming Activities Short Writings Week 3: Additional Narrative Exemplar Readings “Names Nombres” (Handout) Student Exemplars (Handout) Group Discussion Post Week 4: Essay (Personal Narrative) Conferences/Peer Editing/Workshops Essay 1 (Personal Narrative) Due Week 5: Rhetorical Analysis Rhetorical Devices Activity Rhetorical Devices in Advertising Rhetorical Devices Presentation Reader’s Response 2 Week 6: Small group rhetorical analysis exploration: President George W. Bush speech after 9/11 Attacks (Handout) Group Presentation on Rhetorical Analysis Short Writing: Reflection on Group Project Week 7: Reading and annotations: Speeches from AP Language (handouts) ● Florence Kelley ● Madeline Albright ● Margaret Thatcher ● Rita Dove ● Michelle Obama Reader’s Response 3 Week 8: Essay 2: Rhetorical Analysis In-Class Writing Conferences/Workshops Essay 2 (Rhetorical Analysis) Due Week 9: Research & Argument “Arguing a Position” “The Centrality of Argument” “Analyzing and Constructing Arguments” “Strategies for Supporting an Argument” Readings Reader’s Response 4 Week 10: “Delete Your Social Media Accounts Right Now” “On Buying Local” “How Junk Food Can End Obesity” Readings Reader’s Response 5 Week 11: “Meeting the Expectations of Academic Writing” Research: “Starting Your Research” & “Finding Sources” “Keeping Track & Evaluating Sources” Research Paper Topic Proposal Due Week 12: Continue research Annotated Bibliography Research Annotations Annotated Bibliography Due Week 13: Research Outline ·Outline Due Week 14: Research Paper Work Week Peer Review Research Paper Due Week 15: Argument and Satire: Personal and Social Issues “What’s Your Pronoun?” “The Talk: After Ferguson…” “A Modest Proposal” Introduce Group Satire Project Reader’s Response 6 Group Satire Project Proposal Week 16: “The Logic of Stupid Poor People” “My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant” Readings Group Satire Project/Final Exam Due I have read and understand the requirements and expectations for this course: Student Name: ______________________________________________________________ Student email: _______________________________________________________________ Student Signature: ___________________________________________________________ Parent Name: ________________________________________________________________ Parent email: ________________________________________________________________ Parent Phone Number: ________________________________________________________ Parent Signature: ______________________________________________________________