ENGL 1010: English Composition-Student Version (2018-19 Archive): Lloyd, Zachary

Required Texts:

1. Freshman Common Reading: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Americanah.
2. Online Readings (all readings are currently posted on this LibGuides page).
3. Grammar Resources; also found in LibGuides here.
4. A journal or notebook for in-class writing assignments.

A+  98-100%     A  93-97%  A-  90-92%  B+  88-89%  B  83-87%  B-  80-82%

C+  78-79%    C  73-77%  C-  70-72%  D+  68-69%  D  63-67% D-  60-62% F  <60

PLEASE NOTE: A C- is the lowest possible passing grade for the course. English Department policy dictates that a student with a final grade below a C- will receive an N/C (no credit). An F grade will be given in the case of too many absences or failure to complete assignments. Students receiving an F or an NC grade must retake English 1010; you are allowed to take English 1010 up to three times.

Attendance and Participation: Punctual, regular attendance is a requirement for this class. You are allowed three absences; each subsequent (unexcused) absence lowers your final grade by 1 step (A+ to A, A to A-, A- to B+, etc.). You must be prepared to discuss the reading assignment on the day it is due and to participate in a respectful and lively discussion. Be prepared to read assigned texts closely, share your ideas, and ask questions.

Academic Integrity/Plagiarism: A statement from the department: “The faculty and administration of Brooklyn College support an environment free from cheating and plagiarism. Each student is responsible for being aware of what constitutes cheating and plagiarism and for avoiding both. The complete text of the CUNY Academic Integrity Policy and the Brooklyn College procedure for policy implementation can be found at www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/bc/policies. If a faculty member suspects a violation of academic integrity and, upon investigation, confirms that violation, or if the student admits the violation, the faculty member must report the violation.”

Although you are allowed, even encouraged, to consult secondary sources to help you understand the assigned works and to generate ideas for papers, you must give credit to these sources and cite them correctly if you use anything from them in your papers or responses. We will devote class time to learning and understanding how to use sources in your writing, how to research and take notes effectively, how to use and cite electronic resources, and how to get help from various writing aids and resources.  The following descriptions are designed to help explain plagiarism and its consequences to help you avoid it in your writing for this course:

Insufficient Citation and Undocumented Paraphrasing: Students are expected to cite all written (print and electronic), oral, and visual sources consulted in writing papers. All borrowed ideas—both direct quotations and paraphrasing from another’s work—require accurate citation, and direct quotations require quotation marks. Paraphrase and summarize borrowed ideas to avoid stylistic plagiarism (using the same words and sentence structure as the source).

Patchwriting, or Cutting and Pasting: Cutting and pasting passages from your source into your own paper and turning in the paper as your own is plagiarism. Students are expected to accurately and amply paraphrase borrowed material using their own stylistic features rather than the source’s style and language and cite this material accurately. In addition, students are expected to develop their own framework for their papers rather than borrowing their source’s argument wholesale (even if acknowledged).

False Submissions, Ghostwriting, or Fraud: Students are expected to write their own original papers for each assignment, from development of ideas and research to revision. If students turn in final papers written by someone else (i.e. acquired or bought through the internet, an organization, friends, family members, another student, etc.), the paper will receive an F for the course and face disciplinary action.

If you have any doubt about whether or not you’re plagiarizing, talk with me!

Accessibility and Accommodations: In order to receive disability-related academic accommodations you must first register with the Center for Student Disability Services. Students who have a documented disability or suspect that they may have a disability are invited to set up an appointment with the Director of the Center for Student Disability Services, Ms. Valerie Stewart-Lovell at 718-951-5538. If you have already registered with the Center for Student Disability Services, please provide me with the course accommodation form and discuss your specific accommodation with me.

Non-attendance Because of Religious Beliefs: Brooklyn College’s statement on non-attendance because of religious belief is located on page 66 of the Brooklyn College Undergraduate Bulletin.

Student Bereavement Policy: Brooklyn College’s statement on non-attendance because of bereavement (the death of a loved one) is located here.

Assignments:

Reading Assignments: All readings should be completed by the beginning of the class time indicated. Please bring along a way to access the readings each day in class.

Essay Assignments: All written work will be graded for form (including grammar and spelling!) as well as for content. Students will write the following:  a personal narrative (750-1000 words), two summaries (250-500 words each), an argumentative essay (1000-1250 words), an in-class compare and contrast essay, and a take-home compare and contrast essay (1000-1250 words).  Students will revise each of these essays. These essays must be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point font, and formatted with one-inch margins.  More information on each essay will be given over the duration of the course. Please note: You are not expected to be an amazing writer right off the bat. You are, however, expected to demonstrate improvement in your writing as the class develops.  Numerous revision workshops are planned to help facilitate this improvement. 

We will have a smattering of other writing assignments, and perhaps an occasional grammar quiz.  More information on these will be given over the duration of the course.

Final Exam: All students must take a final exam that will count for 20% of your class grade. We will discuss the exam in more detail as the course progresses.  More information can be found online here.

Important Dates:

NOTE: English 1010 is an Academic Foundations course. Brooklyn College’s policy on withdrawing from English 1010 is as follows:

Students are not permitted at any time to delete, drop, or withdraw from an assigned Academic Foundations course without obtaining permission of the academic department involved and consulting the Center for Academic Advisement and Student Success.

The full academic calendar, including many other important dates and the undergraduate final exam “grid,” are available on the Office of the Registrar’s website.

ENGL 1010

Instructor:  Zachary Lloyd

English Dept.

Office: 2311 Boylan Hall

Fall 2018

Hours: 2:05-3:05, or by appointment

Time: MW 12:50 – 2:05pm 

Phone:  402-984-8185

Location: 3113 Boylan Hall    

E-mail: zlloyd@gradcenter.cuny.edu