Spring 2026
Composition I
Approved: Initials/date Composition I (ENGL_2B1) CREDIT: 3 Semester Credit Hours (3 lecture hours, 0 Lab hours) 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 the academic essa 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. INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION: Instructor: Rashondria Daniel Email: rdaniel@lit.edu Office Phone: N/A Office Location: N/A Office Hours: By appointment only 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: An electronic device with access to the Internet. Readings will be available on Blackboard through a free link ATTENDANCE POLICY: This is an online class. Your attendance will be monitored by completing your weekly assignments and reading all course announcements. It is important that you log on each day to stay aware of important information. 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 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. COURSE CALENDAR DATE TOPIC READINGS (Due on this Date) ASSIGNMENTS (Due on this Date) Week One Course Introduction Read: Syllabus & course information Read: Avoiding Plagiarism 1. Week One Discussion: “Introduction” 2. Syllabus Quiz 3. Plagiarism Quiz ALL Week One assignments are due 1/25 by 11:59 P.M Week Two Diagnostic Essay & MLA Formatting Read: MLA Citation Page Basic Format Read: Week Two Assignment Instructions Read: Introductions & Conclusions 1. Journal Entry: The Importance Reading & Writing 2. Diagnostic Essay ALL Week Two assignments are due 2/1 by 11:59 P.M. Week Three Short Essay: Who Am I? & Grammar Diagnostic Quiz Read: Ch. 2: Active Reading and Responding PPTX Read: Ch. 3: Thinking, Reading, & Writing Critically PPTX 1. Journal Entry: Summarize Ch.’s 2 &3 with important information & interesting facts 2. Grammar Diagnostic Quiz 3. Who Am I? (Submission) ALL Week Three assignments are due 2/8 by 11:59 P.M. Week Four Essay One: Personal Narrative Read: Ch. 4: Prewriting PPTX Read Ch. 5: Developing a Thesis PPTX Read Ch. 7 Drafting an Essay PPTX Read: Paper Instructions #1 1. Journal Entry: Summarize Ch.’s 4, 5, 7 with important information & interesting facts 2. Personal Narrative (Rough Draft) ALL Week Four assignments are due 2/15 by 11:59 P.M. Week Five Essay One: Writing Effective Paragraphs Revision Edits Read: Ch. 6: Writing Effective Paragraphs PPTTX Read: Simple, Compound, Complex, and Compound-Complex PPTX 1. Journal Entry: Summarize Ch. 6 with important information & facts 2. Simple & Compound Worksheet 3. Simple & Compound Quiz 4. Final Copy ALL Week Five assignments are due 2/22 by 11:59 P.M. Week Six Sentence Variation Review Readings from week five Read: Purdue Owl-Sentence Types 1. Journal Entry: Summarize the readings with important facts & information 2. Sentence Variety Worksheet #1 3. Sentence Variety #2 4. Simple & Compound Sentence Quiz 5. English Grammar Quiz ALL Week Six/Week Seven assignments are due 3/8 by 11:59 P.M. Week Seven Continue work from Week Six **This is a “catch-up” week. ** Readings from Week Six Refer to Week Six **You have two weeks to complete the assignments from Week 6. ** Week Eight Essay Two: Descriptive Essay I Tell, You Show Paper 2 Information English Grammar Read: Creating a Descriptive Outline Watch: Descriptive Essay on YouTube 1. Journal Entry: The Importance of Description 2. I Tell, You Show 3. English Grammar Quiz 4. Descriptive Rough Draft (Submission) ALL Week Eight assignments are due 3/15 by 11:59 P.M. Week Nine Essay Two: Descriptive Essay Grammar Practice Review Readings from Week Five Read: Parts of Speech 1. Journal Entry: Explain the importance of correct grammar 2. Final Copy (Submission) ALL Week Nine assignments are due 3/22 by 11:59 P.M. Week Ten Grammar & Mechanics Review Readings from ALL grammar lessons Read: What is an Adverb? 1. Comma Usage Quiz #1 2. Comma Usage Quiz #2 3. Adverb Quiz ALL Week Ten assignments are due 3/29 by 11:59 P.M. Week Eleven Grammar & Mechanics Read: What are Independent & Dependent Clauses Read: Combining Independent & Dependent Clauses 1. Journal Entry: Summarize this week’s readings with important facts and information 2. Independent & Dependent Clause Worksheet 3. Independent & Dependent Clause Quiz #1 4. Independent & Dependent Clause Quiz #2 ALL Week Eleven assignments are due 4/5 by 11:59 P.M. Week Twelve Essay Three: Process Analysis & Parallel Structure Read: How to Write a Process Analysis Read: Process Analysis Watch: How to Write a Process Analysis 1. Journal Entry: Summarize the readings with important facts and information 2. Parallel Structure Activity 3. Process Analysis (Rough Draft) ALL Week Twelve assignments are due 4/12 by 11:59 P.M. Week Thirteen Essay Three: Process Analysis & Parallel Structure Revision Edits Review readings from Week Twelve 1. Parallel Structure #2 2. Process Analysis (Final Copy) ALL Week Thirteen assignments are due 4/19 by 11:59 P.M. Weeks Fourteen/Fifteen Common Core Assignment Read: Common Core Instructions 1. Common Core Assignment The Common Core Assignment is due 4/6 by 11:59 P.M. Final Exam-TBA *Please be advised that the above-mentioned schedule can be changed at the discretion of the instructor. Please stay up to date on all course announcements. COURSE EVALUATION Final grades will be calculated according to the following criteria: ● Participation 10% ● Short Writing Assignments 15% ● Daily Assignments 15% ● Essay One 10% ● Essay Two 15% ● Common Core 20% ● Final Exam 15% ● Total 100% GRADE SCALE • 90-100 A • 80-89 B • 70-79 C • 60-69 D • 0-59 F 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. 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. 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 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. ADDITIONAL COURSE POLICIES/INFORMATION Please be advised that late work will NOT be accepted. If you have an extenuating circumstance, please contact me at my email address rdaniel@lit.edu for approval PRIOR to the due date. Here is an example of extenuating circumstances: ❖ Death ❖ Hospitalization ❖ Accident(s) Here are examples of non-extenuating circumstances: ❖ Vacation ❖ Technology issues ❖ Forgotten due dates