Preparing for College English 2
Instructor: Megan Von Bergen
Contact: [email protected]. x1303
Class Days: MWF
Class Time: 12.40 PM
Location: Classroom M
I. EBC Mission Statement
Our mission as a biblical higher education community is to
glorify God by educating and equipping learners to impact the world
for Christ through faithful and effective service in their
ministries, professions, and communities
II. Course Description
Students enrolled in this course will practice college-level
critical reading and thinking skills, adopt strong writing habits,
and develop a professional, elegant style and tone. As readers,
students will practice thoughtfully discussing what they read,
making personal connections to it, and drawing conclusions based on
the details included in the readings. As writers, they will learn
to focus on a single point, to support it with details, and to
structure their writing using paragraphs and transitions; they will
also learn good habits for starting, saving, editing, and
submitting their writing. Finally, students will learn to avoid
common language errors and maintain clarity through strong verbs
and concise word choice. Major assignments in this course include a
personal narrative and an ad analysis, though students will have
some minor assignments due as part of their work on the larger
projects. This course includes regular textbook readings, weekly
quizzes, a midterm, and a final exam. Students must receive a C- in
the course to advance to English Composition. May be used to meet
an elective requirement for the Certificate in Biblical Studies
only. Meets the English requirement for the Certificate in Biblical
Studies only.
III. Course Outcomes
Students will be able to
Read and discuss an essay thoughtfully. Explain its important
ideas.
Convey an important point through a detailed personal
narrative
Analyze an advertisement, identify its worldview & contrast
its worldview with Scripture
Add details to support your points and make your writing more
vivid
Structure your work using strong paragraphs and transition
words
Write clearly and concisely, using a variety of sentence
structures
IV. Course Textbooks/Bibliography
Students will need regular access to a computer or mobile
device. Nearly all readings are available for free to the public
and are posted as an online coursepack on the class website,
emmausenglish.wordpress.com. Students can find the readings by
navigating to the website, mousing over the tab labeled Preparing
for College English 2, and then clicking on Readings.
Students should also purchase a copy of Grammar to Go, 4th
Edition. The book may be purchased from Mr. John Rush in the
library or from Amazon. The book must not be missing pages or
include previous notes which give away the answers to grammar
problems.
Students must write their reading responses in a blue book, or a
similar cheap exam book. Students use of a blue exam book will help
me keep track of students reading responses and grade your work
accurately.
Students may submit their homework not in a blue book one time;
after that, I will not accept homework that is not submitted in a
blue book. Homework may not be submitted in a spiral notebook, on
loose-leaf paper, or by email, unless otherwise specified.
V. Course Requirements
Students will write three main papers: 1) the Personal
Narrative, 2) the Ad Analysis, and 3) the Revised Ad Analysis &
Evaluation. As they prepare for these papers, they will write a
number of smaller papers and complete a variety of homework
assignments. To improve their grammar and language usage, they will
read the Grammar to Go textbook and listen to the Grammar Girl
podcast, complete regular grammar activities, take weekly quizzes,
and take a midterm and a final exam.
Late Policy: I do not accept late homework, period. Students who
forget work in their room or who do not complete the assignment may
not turn it in later for credit. Since these assignments are meant
to help students prepare for class and make timely progress on the
papers, turning them in late defeats the purpose.
I will accept mini-writing assignments up to 24 hours late. A
mini-writing assignment that is submitted late will receive
half-credit; students may not submit it for credit more than 24
hours after the original deadline.
The three major papers will lose points depending on how late
they are submitted. A paper which is submitted after class begins
but before class time the next day will lose five points. A paper
which is submitted after class time the next day loses 10 points
for each 24 hour period that it is late. A paper which is submitted
more than seven days late will receive a zero.
Students who know in advance that theyre going to be gone should
make arrangements with me before they leave, either to turn their
work in before they leave or immediately upon their return.
Students who are gone unexpectedly should talk to me when they get
back to class about how they can make up missed work for credit; I
will give extensions for serious family or health emergenies, but
not for mild colds and the like.
Students are 100% responsible for anything handouts, lecture
notes, assignments that they miss while they are gone. I do not
provide these automatically to students who miss class.
VI. Grading Scale
Preparing for College English 2 is graded on a total-points
system, meaning that students earn points based on their
performance on each assignment; at the end of the course, the total
number of points earned is divided by the number of points
available in order to determine the grade.
The number of points available are as follows, broken down by
category major papers, exams, and quizzes & homework:
Major Papers*325 points total
Paper #1 (Personal Narrative)100 points
Paper #2 (Ad Analysis)100 points
Paper #3 (Revised Ad Analysis & Ad Evaluation)125 points
Exams100 points total
Midterm exam50 points
Final exam50 points
Quizzes & Homework75 points total
Grammar quizzes (7 total)21 points total
Grammar readings (7 total)14 points total
Mini-writing assignments and other homework40 points total
Students will bring a rough draft of each papers to class
immediately before the due date, in order to prepare it for
submission. If students do not bring a rough draft, or if the rough
draft is obviously not their best work, the final paper grade will
be reduced by 10 points, equivalent to one letter grade.
Students grades will then be determined using the following
scale:
Grade
Grade Points
Percentages
A+
4.3
99-100%
A
4.0
93-98%
A-
3.7
90-92%
B+
3.3
87-89%
B
3.0
83-86%
B-
2.7
80-82%
C+
2.3
77-79%
C
2.0
73-76%
C-
1.7
70-72%
D+
1.3
67-69%
D
1.0
65-66%
F
0
0-64%
For instance, a student who receives 400 points out of 500 has
received 80%, or a B-.
VII. Course Schedule
January 13 Policy review.
16 MLKJ Day
18 Descriptive writing.
20 Descriptive writing, cont.
23 Revise descriptive paragraphs. Grammar Reading 1.
25 Mini-Paper #1: Descriptive Paragraphs. Read & discuss
Personal Narrative #1.
27 Winterfest. No class.
30 Read & discuss Personal Narrative #2.
February 1 Mini-Paper #2: Reading response. Topics (Day 1).
3 Topics (Day 2). Grammar Reading 2.
6 CMS. NO CLASS.
8 Select the beginning/middle/end of your story. Start
outline.
10 Add descriptive details to each part of your story. Add
dialogue. Flesh out outline.
13 Writing day. Grammar Reading 3.
15 Add paragraph breaks & transition words. Read Words that
Show a Time Relationship, Gallaudet.
17 Select & analyze key details. Write a message
statement.
20 Write/plan analysis paragraph.
22 Draft of Paper #1 due. Peer review in class.
24 . Paper #1 due. Review for midterm
27 TBD
March 1 Midterm exam.
3 Spring Break begins.
13 Describing advertisements. Mini-Paper #3: Reading Report (Ad
Analysis Paper) due.
15 Describing ads, cont.
17 Write & revise ad description. Grammar Reading 4.
20 Identifying the audience. Mini-Paper #4: Ad Description.
22 Read Advertisings Fifteen Basic Appeals, Jib Fowles. Describe
appeals.
24 Describe & identify appeals in advertising
27 Describe & identify appeals in advertising. Grammar
Reading 5.
29 Mini-Paper #5: My Ads Appeals. Adding evidence to your
paper.
31 Adding evidence to your paper.
April 3 View Paragraph Structure, SmrtEnglish. Create a writing
plan in class.
5 In-Class Writing Day. Grammar Reading 6.
7 Draft of Paper #2 Ad Analysis due. Peer review.
10 Paper #2 Ad Analysis due.
12 Grammar Reading 7.
14 Easter break.
17 Easter Break.
19 Mini-Paper #6: Wordviews in advertising homework due. Discuss
worldviews in ads.
21 Worldviews in ads versus Scripture.
24 Evaluating your ad by Scripture. Adding supporting
detail.
26 Adding supporting detail, cont.
28 In-class writing day.
May 1 Peer review. Draft of Paper #3.
3 Paper #3: Revised Ad Analysis & Worldview Evaluation due.
Review for final exam.
5
Final exam as scheduled.
VIII. Attendance
Attendance is required in all classes. Students unable to attend
for any reason are expected to communicate with instructors in
person, by email or by phone message prior to the absence. Students
are responsible for keeping record of all absences.
The college recognizes two types of absence personal and
administrative. Personal absences are intended for personal issues
such as illness, family events or challenges, emergencies, etc.
Administrative absences are approved, college-initiated absences
such as sporting events, field trips, recruitment trips, etc. The
number of personal and/or administrative absences allowed without
penalty is noted in the chart below.
Classes
Personal
Absences
Administrative Absences
Total
Absences
Mon./Wed./Fri.
3
6
12
Tues./Thurs.
2
4
8
Once a Week
1
2
4
Personal absences that exceed the number noted above may result
in reductions of a final course grade by 10 points per class period
missed. A student who misses class four times, for example, for
non-academic reasons over the course of the semester will have her
final grade reduced by 20 points.
Since class time will engage students in learning activities,
students who miss class are missing a chance to learn which cannot
be adequately made up through simply reading someone elses lecture
notes. Thus, students who miss more than 25 minutes of the class
for any reason will be counted absent. Please make every effort to
be in class whenever it meets!
Administrative absences that exceed the number noted above will
be counted as personal absences. Athletes, especially those playing
more than one sport, are encouraged to save personal absences to be
used in addition to administrative absences for away games.
Students whose absences exceed the total absences noted above
will fail the course.
Students are accountable for all missed work due to absence. If
absence occurs on days when exams are given or other assignments
are due, work may be made up in the case of administrative absences
or at the discretion of the instructor.
IX. Federal Credit Hour Guidelines
The U.S. federal government provides specific guidelines for the
awarding of college credit. The federal definition of a credit hour
is as follows:
(1) One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a
minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for
approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or the equivalent
amount of work over a different amount of time; or
(2) At least an equivalent amount of work as established by the
institution, including laboratory work, internships, practica,
studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit
hours.
X. Academic Integrity
Emmaus Bible College expects students to complete all academic
work with integrity. Students are responsible to complete all of
their own work. Dishonesty in the completion of assignments,
papers, presentations, examinations or any other academic work is
contrary to Biblical principles of Christian living and is
unacceptable at Emmaus.
Plagiarism is the deliberate presentation of another persons
ideas or words as your own, or the failure (intentional or
unintentional) to cite the source of your ideas. Below are some
examples of plagiarism:
1. The words, sentences, ideas, conclusions, examples, and/or
organization of an assignment are borrowed from a source (a book,
an article, another students paper, tapes, etc.) without
acknowledging the source.
2. A student submits work done by another studentin part or
wholein place of his or her own work.
3. A student submits assignments received from commercial firms
or any other person or group.
4. A student knowingly aids another student in plagiarizing an
assignment as defined above.
Other violations of academic integrity include unauthorized
collaboration, violation of the conditions under which the work is
to be done, fabrication of data, and excessive revision by someone
other than the student.
Cheating, plagiarism, or other violations of academic integrity
will result in academic penalty, which may include failure of the
assignment, exam, or paper, failure of the course, and further
disciplinary action brought by the Student Development Committee.
The Vice Presidents/Deans for Academic Affairs and Student
Development will be notified.
Students in English Composition are often inexperienced in using
sources, so I treat it as a learning opportunity. However, because
I also expect students to take it seriously and not repeat
mistakes, I penalize plagiarism on a two-strikes-and-youre-out
policy. A student who plagiarizes once will be asked to correct the
plagiarism, and her grade on the corrected paper may be reduced up
to twenty-five points, depending on how severe the plagiarism was.
A student who plagiarizes a second time will be asked to correct
the plagiarism again, and her grade on the corrected paper will be
reduced up to fifty points. A student who plagiarizes a third time
will automatically fail the course, regardless of whether the
plagiarism was intentional or accidental.
The one exception to my two-strikes-and-youre-out rule is
widespread academic dishonesty, by which I mean a student trying to
pass off a paper which is obviously and primarily not his own work.
Examples include a paper purchased online, a paper which is mostly
stuff copied and pasted from the Internet, or a paper written by
another student in the course. A student who turns this kind of
paper in may fail the paper and/or the course without a second
chance.
XI. Classroom Culture/Technology Usage
Because hearing each voice is important, please be a respectful
and active participant in class. No class member should dominate
the discussion or remain completely disengaged. Refrain from
carrying on private conversations during class.
Use of laptops, tablets and other electronic devices brought to
class should be limited to note taking and work relevant to current
class activities and discussions.
In addition to being a distraction, text messaging, checking
voice mail and vibrating phones, communicates that your attention
and focus is elsewhere. So that you and others can be fully engaged
in class activities, please turn cell phones completely off while
in class.
Professors reserve the right to prohibit use of technology in
classes as they deem appropriate.
XII. Disability Services
Emmaus Bible College seeks to ensure that qualified individuals
with disabilities receive equal access to all college services,
activities, facilities, and privileges. Disabilities may include
specific learning disabilities, attention deficit/hyperactivity
disorder, visual impairments, deaf and hard of hearing, acquired
brain injury, physical and functional disabilities, psychiatric
disabilities, and other disabilities specifically diagnosed by
licensed professionals.
Reasonable academic accommodations will be made on an individual
basis by application (available on the Emmaus website).
Accommodations may include services such as extended time for
testing, reader for exams, semi-private room for exams,
larger-sized course materials, permission to record lectures, audio
books, tutors, and other appropriate strategies.
Students who have documented disabilities that might affect
their academic performance at Emmaus and require accommodations or
other services should contact the Vice President for Academic
Affairs at [email protected] to discuss possible
accommodations.
All documentation of disabilities is considered personal health
information, and thus, falls under the privacy protection of HIPPA.
Disabilities are not considered during the admission process at
Emmaus, and no disability information will appear on transcripts or
other documents (other than health records).
XIII. Emmaus Library Resources
You can access the EBC library catalog and journal articles on
the library pages through the Emmaus Navigator. Our library can
provide you with virtually anything you need for research,
including books and articles not available on site. Our helpful
librarians, John Rush and Beth Arjona, are glad to assist you
throughout the research process and are available to answer your
questions about the library and its resources.
