Syllabus Checklist Snapshot
Composition II ENGL 1302 9M3 CREDIT 3 SCH Semester Credit Hours (3 Lec hours lecture, 0 Lab hours lab) MODE OF INSTRUCTION Online PREREQUISITE/CO-REQUISITE: ENGL 1301 with a D or higher COURSE DESCRIPTION Intensive study of and practice in the strategies and techniques for developing research-based expository and persuasive texts. Emphasis on effective and ethical rhetorical inquiry, including primary and secondary research methods; critical reading of verbal, visual, and multimedia texts; systematic evaluation, synthesis, and documentation of information sources; and critical thinking about evidence and conclusions. COURSE OBJECTIVES Upon successful completion of this course, students will: 1. Demonstrate knowledge of individual and collaborative research processes. 2. Develop ideas and synthesize primary and secondary sources within focused academic arguments, including one or more research-based essays. 3. Analyze, interpret, and evaluate a variety of texts for the ethical and logical uses of evidence. 4. Write in a style that clearly communicates meaning, builds credibility, and inspires belief or action. 5. Apply the conventions of style manuals for specific academic disciplines (e.g., APA, CMS, MLA, etc.) CORE OBJECTIVES 1. Critical Thinking: To include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry and analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information. Demonstrate knowledge of individual and collaborative research processes. 2. Communication: To include the effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written and visual communication. 3. Personal Responsibility: To include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making. 4. Empirical and Quantitative: To include the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions. INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION Instructor: Whitney Brandon
Email: wbrandon@lit.edu Office Phone: N/A Office Location: Online Office Hours: By Appointment REQUIRED TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS A reliable device with internet access is required. All required reading materials are provided by instructor in Blackboard. ATTENDANCE POLICY DROP POLICY If you wish to drop a course, you are responsible for initiating and completing the drop process by the specified date as listed in the College Calendar on the Student Success web page. If you stop coming to class and fail to drop the course, you will earn an “F” in the course. COURSE CALENDAR DATE TOPIC READINGS (Due on this Date) ASSIGNMENTS (Due on this Date) Week 1 1/20-1/26 Introduction to 1302 Syllabus Literary Timeline Please read the syllabus, the introductory power point, and the literary timeline. Literary Timeline Quiz Syllabus Quiz Syllabus and PowerPoint introduction Due 1/26/26 Week 2 1/27-2/2 MLA Format Romanticism Period Mastering MLA Academic Writing The Haunting Legacy of American Romanticism An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Reading Discussion MLA Practice Journal Paper 1 Journal Due 2/2/26 Week 3 2/3-2/9 Naturalism Plot, Genre, & Context in Literature To Build a Fire by Jack London Plot, Genre, Context PPT To Build a Fire Discussion
Thesis, Outlining for Fiction Analysis Thesis statement, Outline, and proposal Due 2/9/26 Week 4 2/10-2/16 Modernism Elements of Author’s Craft--Action, Language, POV, and Characterization in Fiction Hills Like White Elephants Modernism and Hemingway PPT POV, Action, Characters, and Language Notes Hemingway Discussion Detailed outline Due 2/16/26 Week 5 2/17-2/23 Postmodernism Elements of Author’s Craft—Theme, Setting, and Form Lost in the Funhouse Postmodernism and Lost in the Funhouse notes Theme, Setting, and Form in Fiction PPT Reading journal Rough Draft Quiz 1 Due 2/23/26 Week 6 2/24-3/2 Renaissance Poetry Easter Wings Sonnet 18 Death Be Not Proud Renaissance Poetry PPT Poetry Journal Final Draft of Midterm Due 3/2/26 Week 7 3/3-3/9 Enlightenment – Romanticism Poetry Poetry Craft & Enlightenment – Romanticism Notes The Human Seasons The Tyger A Description of the Morning Poetry Journal Paper 2 Journal + Paper 1 Reflection Due 3/9/26 Week 8 3/10-3/16 Spring Break Extra Credit Due 3/16/26 Week 9 3/17-3/23 Romantic period poetry Because I could not stop for death The Four Ages of Man A Dream Within a Dream Reading Journal Outline and thesis Quiz #2 Due 3/23/26
Unlocking Poetry: Context, Themes, Main Message, and Language Week 10 3/24-3/30 Poetry and Modernism In a station of the metro Stopping by woods on snowy evening Ode to a large tuna in the market Modernism and Poetry Notes Understanding Sources in Research Notes Rough Draft Reading journal – Modernism Due 3/30/26 Week 11 3/31-4/6 Postmodernism in Poetry Small Frogs Killed on the Highway The Hawk in the Rain The Lost Pilot Postmodernism in Poetry Notes Revising your Paper Notes Postmodernism journal Quiz 3 Final paper 2 Due 4/6/26 Week 12 4/7-4/14 Rhetorical Situation and Persuasive Non-Fiction Consider the Lobster Rhetorical Analysis Notes Literary Theories Notes ENGL 1302 Common Assignment Non-fiction journal response Proposal Due 4/13/26 Week 13 4/15-4/20 Scholarly Research & Annotated Bibliography How to do research PDF Annotated Bibliography PPT How to write an annotated Bibliography Annotated Bibliography rough draft Detailed outline Extra Credit
Due 4/20/26 Week 14 4/21-4/27 Analysis of Drama & Film The Count of Monte Cristo (2002 Film) Finalizing the draft & Annotated Bib PDF Film Discussion Final Annotated Bibliography Rough Draft Due 4/27/26 Week 15 4/28-5/4 Editing and Revising Research Paper HOCs and Revisions Notes Peer Review Due 5/1/26 Final Paper Class Evaluation Due 5/4/26 Week 16 5/5-5/8 Final Exam Final Exam Project Due 5/9/26 COURSE EVALUATION Final grades will be calculated according to the following criteria: • Participation 10% • Daily Work Assignments 40% • Mid-Term Exam 15% • Research Paper- Common Core Assignment 20% • Final Exam 155 • Total 100% GRADE SCALE • 90-100 A • 80-89 B • 70-79 C • 60-69 D • 0-59 F TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS For the latest technical requirements, including hardware, compatible browsers, operating systems, etc., review the Minimum Computer and Equipment Requirements on the LIT Online
Experience page. A functional broadband internet connection, such as DSL, cable, or Wi-Fi 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 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 • Personal Responsibility • It is MY responsibility to deliver the information to you concisely that aligns with our course objectives. It is YOUR responsibility to interact with all the material, ask questions as they arise, and turn in assignments in a timely manner. It is your responsibility to reach out via email or Blackboard message if you find that you are o Struggling with material o Having difficulty with accessing your assignments/Blackboard/etc. o Have questions, issues, etc. • Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism • Academic Dishonesty can be defined as “a student’s use of unauthorized assistance with the intent to deceive an instructor or other such person who may be assigned to evaluate the student’s work in meeting course and degree requirement” (University of Colorado Denver.) • Academic Dishonesty is a crime that LIT and I take seriously. Please see LIT’s student handbook for more information on academic honesty and the penalty for breaking academic honesty. • Plagiarism is included within academic dishonesty. In addition to disingenuously submitting work that did not come from your own brain, plagiarism includes (but is not limited to): o Using your own work from a previous class to submit as “new material” o Patchworking material together from the internet until it resembles a new piece o Submitting someone else’s work, either published, bought, or borrowed, as your own o Using AI (ChatGPT, any AI bot, or artificial learning tool that can mimic student-produced work) to write any part of the content of your essay o Paraphrasing a source without citing the original source o Directly copying a source into an essay without citing the original source o Making minor changes to an original source while still retaining up to 75% of the structure of the sentence o Taking a quiz or test with another student, giving the answers to a quiz or test to another student, Googling the answers to the quiz or test, etc. • Assignments that are pinged for plagiarism will be graded on the following scale: o 1 st offense- 0 on the assignment o 2 nd offense- 0 on the assignment + you will be unable to turn in additional assignments until you meet with me via office hours • Artificial Intelligence (AI) • It is MY responsibility to accurately grade your assignments in a way that reflects your writing process and your thought process. It is YOUR responsibility, if you are pinged for AI use, to prove otherwise. I highly suggest to: o turn on your Version History o save often o create a logical paper trail I do not suggest to
o Write in one document, copy-and-paste into a separate document, and submit the second document o Rely on online generators • I will be running all written assignments through several, online, AI generators, including ChatGPT Zero, Scribbr, and QuillBot. Assignments that receive a significant portion of their assignment pinged for AI will receive a 0 unless proven otherwise. Please see the Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism section to determine the effect of continued AI use on your grades • Attendance and Participation • This course requires three (3) hours of active learning per week to be successful • You should be actively engaging with the material, logging into Blackboard, participating in discussion boards/journals/ class discussions for 3 hours per week in addition to completing assignments. Your participation credit will depend on your course engagement, and I will be checking in regularly • Technology • It is YOUR responsibility to ensure that you have access to working technology o Please use Chrome or Firefox as your browser. Edge and Safari do not always work well with Blackboard and may cause some disruption to your work • If you are someone who only checks Blackboard on their phone, please check in on a desktop from time to time. Sometimes assignments/instructions/etc. are difficult to open/find/access/submit on cell phones • Not having the correct technology or internet is not a valid excuse for not doing assignments. Please let me know ASAP if you are someone who has difficulty obtaining these resources so we can figure out an alternative solution before assignments are due • Communication • The best way to reach me is by email (wbrandon@lit.edu) or by Messages on Blackboard; however, sometimes, Blackboard messages slip through the cracks, so please feel free to send me a follow up email if you don’t hear back by the next morning • I, typically, will respond to emails/messages during my office hours, only, and within 24 hours on a weekday or 48 hours on a weekend. o I do not respond to emails or messages when I am teaching or while I am in meetings. o I do not respond to emails or messages on Saturdays, Sundays, or campus holidays o Please see my office hours at the beginning of the syllabus to determine the best time to reach me • I send out Announcements frequently o sometimes they are just me checking in o sometimes they are about due dates, schedule changes, clarification on instruction, etc. o It is YOUR responsibility to stay current with these updates
• You are free, and encouraged, to reach out via email (or come by my office) if you need clarification on an assignment, want to workshop, etc. • Not communicating to me because your LIT email is not working, or you don’t have access to your LIT email or messages, is not a valid reason for not responding to my emails or not reaching out for help. • When you email me, please provide your full name, course number, section number, and a subject line. This will allow me to pinpoint your direct issue quicker and will provide necessary clarification. o Additionally, please remember proper netiquette when sending emails, messages, or responding to others online. All online communication should be respectful, concise, and clear. • Grading • All work will be returned within two (2) weeks of submission with commentary and feedback on your document o Late work will not have commentary • It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that their grades on their assignments match their grades in Blackboard. • If you have a question about your grade, your feedback, necessary revisions, ways to improve, etc., please send me an email so we can work that out in a workshop together. • Most assignments will receive commentary and/or feedback, but all assignments (beyond quizzes or tests) will be graded from a rubric. o I do not mark all errors, content or mechanical, on your document. Correcting one error might not comprehensively correct all your same-type errors. o All your assignments, unless noted otherwise, should be formatted in MLA including, but not limited to, heading, citations, work cited pages, and formatting. Additionally, all your assignments must include the correct academic style, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and usage. • I will provide the resources and documentation on how to properly adhere to these standards • Assignments that require a works cited page and in-text citations but does not feature either will receive a 0 • Online links in lieu of actual documents are not permitted unless noted otherwise. If I do not have full access to your document, I will consider it not turned in. If I don’t receive access within a week of the due date, then your assignment will receive a 0. Please do not submit PDF links for major assignments • Late Work • All our assignments have specific due dates o Unless noted otherwise, there is a one-week grace period to turn in an assignment after the due date (baring a verifiable, extenuating circumstance) • Assignments turned in before the one-week mark will be docked ten points; assignments turned in after the one-week mark will receive a 0 • Assignments involving other students (like a discussion board) cannot be made up for any reason
o Extenuating circumstances should be communicated prior to the original due date. Extensions will not be approved after the due date passes. • Extenuating circumstances do not include going out of town, internet/technological issues that can be quickly solved by IT, time management issues, etc. • Late work goes to the end of my grading stack, and, thus, might be graded later than my grading policy states • Late work will not include feedback • Assignments dependent on other students (like discussion boards or peer reviews) cannot be made up • The last day to turn in any late work will be the Friday before the final exam. • Student Behavior Expectations • Be mindful that each student that enters our classroom space may come from a different background from you and may bring a different set of beliefs, values, or ideas into our conversations. As a result, students may agree or disagree on different topics to varying degrees. Disagreements can lead to critical thinking, scholarly debate, and active learning when all participants are respectful and mindful of the different opinions of others. • Disrespect, a disruptive unwillingness to listen to others, and/or harmful, hateful rhetoric will not be tolerated for any reason • Other • I reserve the right to modify our syllabus at any point in the semester • Due dates for Dual Credit students will adhere to the LIT academic calendar, including dates for breaks, holidays, etc.