Fall 2025
Composition I
Approved: RJM/JAN 2025 ENGL 1301.9W1 CREDIT 3 Semester Credit Hours (3 hours lecture, 0 hours lab) MODE OF INSTRUCTION Online PREREQUISITE/CO-REQUISITE: TSI Complete in Reading and Writing 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 academic essays as a vehicle for learning, communicating, and critical analysis. This class is completely online. 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 INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION Instructor: Dr. Rita McClelland Email: rjmcclelland@lit.edu Office Phone: 409-247-5063 Office Location: Technology Center 238 Office Hours: Available in Starfish • Schedule an appointment with me in Starfish to make sure I will be in my office during my office hours because I may have committee and department meetings during my office hours. • I am also available for online appointments through Collaborate outside of these office hours. • We can meet face to face, on the phone, or on a video call. REQUIRED TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS All required readings and materials are available for free in this class’s Blackboard class. LIT ATTENDANCE POLICY Attendance in this class is based on your physical participation, your digital participation, and your mental participation in class, including interacting with me in email, and in assignments. 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. Approved: RJM/JAN 2025 COURSE CALENDAR DATE TOPIC READINGS (Due on this Date) ASSIGNMENTS (Due on this Date) Week 1 Aug 25-31 Module 1 Introduction to class • Dr. McClelland • Your classmates • Blackboard • Syllabus See Module 1 for specific assignment due dates in Blackboard Module 1 assignments Week 2 Sept 1-7 Module 1 Introduction to writing process • Reading assignments and quizzes for topic introduction • Thesis statement proposal • Reporters’ questions assignment • Outline assignment • Research and MLA assignment • Proofreading assignment • Final draft assignment See Module 1 for specific assignment due dates in Blackboard Module 1 assignments Week 3 Sept 8-14 Module 2 Expository Essay Writing • Reading assignments and quizzes for topic introduction • Thesis statement proposal See Module 2 for specific assignment due dates in Blackboard Module 2 assignments Week 4 Sept 15-21 Module 2 Expository Essay Writing • Reporters’ questions assignment • Outline assignment See Module 2 for specific assignment due dates in Blackboard Module 2 assignments Week 5 Sept 22-28 Module 2 Expository Essay Writing • Research and MLA assignment See Module 2 for specific assignment due dates in Blackboard Module 2 assignments Week 6 Sept 28-Oct 5 Module 2 Expository Essay Writing • Proofreading assignment • Final draft assignment See Module 2 for specific assignment due dates in Blackboard Module 2 assignments Week 7 Oct 6-12 Module 3 Analysis Essay Writing • Reading assignments and quizzes for topic introduction • Thesis statement proposal See Module 3 for specific assignment due dates in Blackboard Module 3 assignments Approved: RJM/JAN 2025 Week 8 Oct 13-19 Module 3 Analysis Essay Writing • Reporters’ questions assignment • Outline assignment See Module 3 for specific assignment due dates in Blackboard Module 3 assignments Week 9 Oct 20-26 Module 3 Analysis Essay Writing • Research and MLA assignment See Module 3 for specific assignment due dates in Blackboard Module 3 assignments Week 10 Oct 27-Nov 2 Module 3 Analysis Essay Writing • Proofreading assignment • Final draft assignment See Module 3 for specific assignment due dates in Blackboard Module 3 assignments Week 11 Nov 3-9 Module 4 Persuasive Essay Writing • Reading assignments and quizzes for topic introduction • Thesis statement proposal See Module 4 for specific assignment due dates in Blackboard Module 4 assignments Week 12 Nov 10-16 Module 4 Persuasive Essay Writing • Reporters’ questions assignment • Outline assignment See Module 4 for specific assignment due dates in Blackboard Module 4 assignments Week 13 Nov 17-23 Module 4 Persuasive Essay Writing • Research and MLA assignment See Module 4 for specific assignment due dates in Blackboard Module 4 assignments Week 14 Nov 24-30 Module 4 Persuasive Essay Writing • Proofreading assignment • Final draft assignment See Module 4 for specific assignment due dates in Blackboard Module 4 assignments Week 15 Dec 8-11 Module 5 Final Exams • Essay Final Exam See Module 5 for specific assignment due dates in Blackboard Module 5 assignments COURSE EVALUATION Final grades will be calculated according to the following criteria: • Essay #1 10% • Essay #2 15% • Persuasive Research Essay 20% • Short Writing Assignments 15% • Daily Grades 15% • Participation/Attendance 10% • Final Examination Essay 15% Total 100% Approved: RJM/JAN 2025 GRADE SCALE • 90-100 A • 80-89 B • 70-79 C • 60-69 D • 0-59 F LIT does not use +/- grading scales LIT 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. LIT 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-computerrequirements. A functional broadband internet connection, such as DSL, cable, or WiFi is necessary to maximize the use of online technology and resources. LIT 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). LIT 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. LIT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE STATEMENT Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) recognizes the recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, have changed the landscape of many career disciplines and will impact many students in and out of the classroom. To prepare students for their selected careers, LIT desires to guide students in the ethical use of these technologies and incorporate AI into classroom instruction and assignments appropriately. Appropriate use of these technologies is at the discretion of the instructor. Students are reminded that all submitted work must be their own original work unless otherwise specified. Students should contact their instructor with any questions as to the acceptable use of AI/ChatGPT in their courses LIT 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 Approved: RJM/JAN 2025 information in Starfish and consider taking the recommended actions. Starfish is used to help you be a successful student at LIT. LIT STUDENT EXPECTED TIME REQUIREMENT For every hour in class (or unit of credit), students should expect to spend at least two to three hours per week studying and completing assignments. For a 3-credit-hour class, students should prepare to allocate approximately six to nine 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. Remember that these are estimates and you may spend either more or less time on your class at any point in the semester. INSTRUCTOR’S ADDITIONAL COURSE POLICIES DR. MCCLELLAND’S TEACHING PHILOSPHY College level writing is much closer to workplace writing than it is to high school writing, in content, in tone, and in purpose. My purpose is to work with all students learning an efficient writing process they can use whether they go on with their education, or go on with their chosen careers, after LIT. The writing process I use also helps students improve their critical thinking skills by giving them plenty of opportunities to think critically about their own, and others, writing. I also believe that good editing is more important than good writing. I want to work with students as they work through editing and resubmitting step of their writing process. Making mistakes in our writing and correcting them is how we sharpen our critical thinking skills and what makes our writing good writing. DR. MCCLELLAND’S RESPONSE TIME POLICIES 1. I only answer my phone when I am in my office. 2. I only return calls that leave a voicemail because my number gets a ton of spam calls. 3. The best way to reach me is through my LIT email, rjmcclelland@lit.edu. 4. I usually respond to phone calls, LIT emails, Blackboard Messages well within the required 48-hour window Monday through Friday, and within 72 hours Friday through Monday. 5. I answer LIT emails: a. Monday through Thursday from 800 am to 100 pm, and from 600 pm to 630 pm b. Fridays from 800 am to noon. c. I do not answer my phone, LIT email, or Blackboard Messages on Saturdays and Sundays, or campus holidays. d. If I miss your email during my listed times, I will answer your email the next work morning. e. If you email me on a weekend, I will answer your email on the next work morning. 6. If you try to contact me on the day that an assignment is due, wait until I respond to you before you submit your assignment. You will not be penalized for late work. 7. If I do not respond within 48 hours Monday through Friday, email or message me again. Approved: RJM/JAN 2025 DR. MCCLELLAND’S LIT EMAIL AND BLACKBOARD MESSAGES POLICY 1. Not communicating with me because your LIT email is not working is not a valid reason for not responding to my emails, or for not emailing me. 2. If you are emailing for help on an assignment, include screenshots of the assignment you submitted to Blackboard, the assignment’s instructions, and any comments I left in the text box on the left side of the assignment screen. 3. I will email an announcement to your LIT email on the first day of class. Respond to it by the due date so we will both know your LIT email is working. 4. Check the Send to Email box above Blackboard Messages textbox if you want a faster response. DR. MCCLELLAND’S BLACKBOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS 1. Read them they are important. 2. Announcements in Blackboard are posted to the Announcements webpage that you see when you log into class and to your LIT email. 3. Announcements are important because they contain changing, up to date information you may need, and messages you may need to respond to by a due date. DR. MCCLELLAND’S TECHNOLOGY WARNINGS 1. Chrome or Firefox are the most compatible browsers with Blackboard. 2. Some computers may not open some of the links in my class. Let me know ASAP if this happens to you. 3. If you use Edge or Safari with Blackboard, schedule extra time in case they don’t work. 4. Cell phones, tablets, and some laptops do not work well with Blackboard, and the Blackboard app may not show you the complete course. 5. If you do assignments in this class on a cell phone, a tablet, or a netbook, make sure you see all assignments as they are presented on a desktop computer. 6. Not having the correct technology or internet is not a valid excuse for not doing assignments or tests. DR. MCCLELLAND’S STUDENT BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS 1. This is a reading, writing, and thinking class. 2. As a result, students may disagree on various topics during class discussions. 3. Disagreements lead to critical thinking, scholarly debates, and learning only when each member of the class respects the different opinions of others. 4. We can disagree with each other respectfully. 5. Disrespect of any kind for others will not be tolerated. Approved: RJM/JAN 2025 DR. MCCLELLAND’S ASSIGNMENT DUE DATES AND GRADING SCHEDULE 1. All assignments have due dates. 2. I do accept assignments late. However, students must email me with assignment’s title, the student’s plan for submitting late assignments, and the date the student is going to submit the late assignments. I will not grade late assignments until students have emailed me this information. 3. I leave questions or comments on all assignments. Be sure to respond to all my questions. 4. I do not comment on late assignments. I only mark the grading rubric. You will need to talk to me one-on-one if you want my comments. 5. Late assignments may not be graded until the last two weeks of the semester. 6. I grade Monday through Thursday from 800-100, and Fridays from 800-noon. 7. I will also grade on weekends if I need to keep up with my grading. 8. I use a grading schedule to make sure students know the latest weekday they can expect their assignments to be graded. 9. Engl 1301.9W1’s assignments are due on Tuesdays and are graded on Wednesdays and Fridays. DR. MCCLELLAND’S GRADING POLICIES 1. I grade assignments Monday through Friday during my office hours. 2. If you submit your assignments early enough before the due date, I will grade them and return them to you for editing. You may resubmit them for a higher grade. 3. All grades are recorded in Gradebook on Blackboard, and the highest grade for multiple attempts is the grade that will be recorded. 4. Students are responsible for making sure their grades on their assignments match their grades in Blackboard Gradebook. 5. If there is a discrepancy, email me the assignment title so I can correct it. 6. All assignments, except the pre-essay test and the final exam have unlimited attempts. 7. Missing assignments will be given a 0 in Blackboard Gradebook until the assignments are submitted and graded. 8. I do not mark specific grammar, punctuation, spelling, usage, and style errors on writing assignments. 9. Instead, I provide a list of writing errors at the end of this syllabus that will lower students’ writing assignments’ grades. 10. Together we discuss what you think are your grammar, punctuation, spelling, usage, and academic style errors. 11. This is a student-led discussion of their own writing, not a list of things you need to edit from me. 12. Students are welcome to use editing software on their writing assignments. There are many good tools available free online; however, they don’t recognize all the errors on my list of errors, especially academic style errors. Approved: RJM/JAN 2025 13. All writing assignments must use correct academic style, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and usage, and MLA formatting. It is the student’s responsibility to know, or find out, what these requirements are. 14. All writing assignments’ topics must be approved by me before you start your writing assignments. 15. I do not accept any assignments if I have not approved of the topic. LIT COURSE EVALUATION CATEGORIES & MY ASSIGNMENTS Final grades will be calculated according to the following criteria: Grade Category & % of Overall Grade Blackboard Assignment Type Essay #1--10% Average of Module’s 2’s Essay Writing Assignments 1. Reporters’ questions assignment 2. Outline assignment 3. Research and MLA assignment 4. Proofreading assignment 5. Final draft assignment Essay #2--15% Average of Module 3’s Essay Writing Assignments 1. Reporters’ questions assignment 2. Outline assignment 3. Research and MLA assignment 4. Proofreading assignment 5. Final draft assignment Persuasive Research Essay--20% Average of Module 4’s Essay Writing Assignments 1. Reporters’ questions assignment 2. Outline assignment 3. Research and MLA assignment 4. Proofreading assignment 5. Final draft assignment Short Writing Assignments-15% Average of Modules 2, 3, & 4’s Thesis statement proposal assignments Daily Grades--15% Average of Modules 1, 2, 3, & 4’s Journal Assignments Participation--10% Average of Modules 1, 2, 3, & 4’s Discussion Board Assignments, and Student’s Level of Communication with Professor During the Semester Final Examination Essay--15% Module 5’s Essay Final Exam Approved: RJM/JAN 2025 DR. MCCLELLAND’S PARTICIPATION POLICIES 1. As a college student, thoughtful and active participation is a critical element for success in any type of college class, including face-to-face, hybrid, and online classes. 2. My policy is designed to emphasize the importance of participating over simply attending class with a physical or digital presence. 3. I expect active participation and engagement from all of my students in all forms of learning, online and face-to- face. 4. Even face-to-face classes include online interactions because all assignments are submitted to Blackboard. 5. I also want to foster an environment of responsibility where students hold themselves accountable for their academic engagement, regardless of course format. 6. I prefer to base attendance on students’ participation rather than just their physical and digital presence in my classes. 7. Attendance in this class is based on your physical participation, your digital participation, and your mental participation in class, including interacting with me in email, in assignments, and in synchronous meetings. 8. Students need to reply to my LIT and Starfish emails, and Blackboard Messages sent to the entire class and to emails and messages I send only to them within three days of my sending them. 9. Students need to reply within a timely manner to questions I leave on their assignments. 10. You will receive a Starfish email from me weekly if you do not have a physical, digital, and mental presence in my class. 11. Starfish emails go to students, to students’ advisors, to students’ program directors, and to Student Services. People in these areas will also contact students to offer help to students to help them succeed at LIT. Take advantage of LIT’s programs. Your success is our top priority. DR. MCCLELLAND’S ONLINE CLASS PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS 1. Students must log into the course platform and interact with the materials and resources regularly. 2. This includes watching lecture videos, completing reading assignments, submitting coursework, and engaging in online discussions. 3. Interaction with classmates, including participation in forums, peer feedback, and group projects, is considered part of active participation. 4. An absence will be recorded if the student fails to engage with the online course content every three days. 5. Starfish or Blackboard will notify you if you have not logged in every three days. 6. If students know in advance that they will miss online participation due to extenuating circumstances, they are encouraged to inform the instructor and make alternative arrangements to stay caught up. DR. MCCLELLAND’S ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: PLAGIARISM AND AI POLICIES Academic honesty is expected on all assignments. See LIT student handbook for more information about academic honesty and the penalty for breaking academic honesty. Approved: RJM/JAN 2025 DR. MCCLELLAND’S PLAGIARISM POLICIES 1. I do not tolerate plagiarism of any sort. 2. There are different types of plagiarism, and all are serious violations of academic honesty. 3. I check all writing assignments for direct plagiarism, the word-for-word copying of someone else’s work, without citation; self-plagiarism, student submits his or her own previous work, or mixes parts of previous work, even works from a previous class at LIT, even if it is my class; mosaic plagiarism, using words or phrases from a source without using citation; and replacing an author’s words with synonyms while keeping to the same general structure and meaning of the original. These are not the only types of plagiarism that I check. 4. All writing assignments are submitted to plagiarism checkers in Blackboard to be reviewed for plagiarism. 5. I also detect plagiarism using the skills I have learned in my 30 plus years of teaching college-level English classes. 6. Students suspected assignment will be flagged with a 0, and I will email students for a meeting to talk about the flagged assignments. 7. We will decide in our meeting whether the student is going to start the assignment or assignments from the beginning, or whether they will be heavily edited to remove plagiarism issues. 8. Students’ other assignments will not be graded until students’ plagiarism issues have been addressed to my satisfaction. DR. MCCLELLAND’S ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE, AI, USE POLICIES 1. Students are not allowed to use AI to write their content. 2. All content must come from students’ brains. 3. Students may use AI to correct grammar, punctuation, spelling, usage errors, academic style, and MLA errors in their writing. 4. WARNING: Heavy use of AI to correct grammar, punctuation, spelling, usage errors, academic style, and MLA errors may be detected as AI by the AI checkers I use. 5. I use three different AI checkers to scan for AI use, Scribbr.com, Quillbot.com, and GPTZero.me. 6. I know that AI checkers are not reliable. Sometimes they mark AI when there isn’t any, and sometimes they don’t mark AI when an entire assignment is AI. 7. I also detect AI using the skills I have learned in my 30 plus years of teaching college level English classes. 8. Students’ assignments will be flagged with 0, and I will email students for a meeting to talk about the flagged assignments. 9. We will decide in our meeting whether the student is going to start the assignment or assignments from the beginning, or whether they will be heavily edited to remove AI issues. Approved: RJM/JAN 2025 10. Students’ other assignments will not be graded until students’ AI issues have been addressed to my satisfaction. WARNING: AI is not as smart as we think it is. AI has unique traits that show that it has not been written by a human being. AI writes assignments that are vague, repetitive, word salad that do not follow my assignment instructions, and, sometimes, makes up its own research. It is much easier to do the assignment yourself than it is to try to game the system. Look at the images below. They were made by AI. How many errors do you see? Don’t let it do the same to your writing.