Explore online education in Tennessee

ENGL 1020 Syllabus

Course Syllabus

ENGL 1020 - English Composition II

3 Credit Hours

Course Information

Course Description:

This is a composition course emphasizing documented critical writing based on an introduction to fiction, drama, and poetry.

Course Outcomes:

Students will be able to

  • Apply Composition I planning, organizing, drafting, revising and editing skills to the writing of literary argument papers in Composition II.

  • Read closely primary and secondary sources and understand them at interpretive and evaluative levels in preparation for writing about them

  • Distinguish among opinions, facts, inferences, and persuasive approaches in primary and secondary sources.

  • Formulate thesis sentences based on readings of primary and/or secondary sources, select material from them to support theses, and write papers with well-developed ideas supporting the thesis.

  • Use appropriate rhetorical patterns, such as comparison/contrast and argumentation, to demonstrate an understanding of the elements of fiction, poetry and drama in coherent essays which develop literary arguments from process to product.

  • Manage, coordinate, and document primary and secondary sources according to MLA style in solving problems and arriving at decisions in the writing process.

  • Compose papers using correct diction, syntax, usage, grammar, and mechanics. 

Prerequisites & Co-requisites:

ENGL 1010

Course Topics:

The required course topics are rhetoric, argument and persuasion, research, and literary analysis of poems, short stories, and plays. 

Specific Course Requirements:

Students should have basic Composition I knowledge of essay composition and development. Students should be able to read poems, short stories, and plays critically and interpretively. They should have college-level competency in grammar, punctuation, and mechanics. They must be familiar and comfortable with basic computer and Internet skills. They must be familiar with or willing to learn a variety of online tools. 

Textbooks, Supplementary Materials, Hardware and Software Requirements

Required Textbooks:

Please visit the Virtual Bookstore to obtain textbook information for this course. Move your cursor over the "Books" link in the navigation bar and select "Textbooks & Course Materials." Select your Program, Term, Department, and Course; then select "Submit."

Supplementary Materials:
Hardware and Software Requirements:

Minimum hardware requirements can be found here.

Minimum software requirements can be found here.

Common applications you might need:

Web Resources:

Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab (for APA, MLA, or Chicago style)

The Writing Center Online Writer's Handbook

Student Resources:
  • Technical support information can be found on the TN eCampus Help Desk page.
  • Smarthinking virtual tutoring is available FREE of charge. to access Smarthinking, visit the course homepage and select Smarthinking under Course Resources. You also view sample sessions to see what Smarthinking offers and how it works.
  • Information on other student issues or concerns can be located on the TN eCampus Student Resources page.

Instructor Information

Please see "Instructor Information" in the Getting Started Module for instructor contact information, virtual office hours, and other communication information. You can expect to receive a response from the instructor within 24-48 hours unless notified of extenuating circumstances.

Participation, Assessments, & Grading

Testing Procedures:

Students will read assignments in the textbook, post drafts, and submit developed, revised, and edited formal papers. Formal papers include one introductory paper, one timed writing, three other well developed and revised papers, and one timed paper submitted as a final exam.

  • Paper 1 (on a designated poem) = 50 points

  • Paper 2 (on a designated poem) = 100 points

  • Paper 3 (timed writing) = 50 points

  • Paper 4 (on a designated play plus a secondary source) = 200 points

  • Paper 5 (on a designated short story plus a secondary source) = 300 points

  • Paper 6 (timed writing) = 50 points

  • Drafts and Sources = 10 points each, for a total of 80 points

  • Paper Corrections (Paper 2, 3, 4, 5) = 25 points. each, for a total of 100 points

Objective Test, MSVE (over grammar, punctuation, documentation, and college writing issues taught in the class) = 5 points for pre-test and 50 points for post-test, for a total of 55 points.

Total Points Possible = 985

Optional Assignments: At the discretion of the professor, students may be asked to engage in peer editing and response, revision assignment, grammar quizzes, or reading quizzes. 

Grading Procedures:

Each essay (Papers 1 through 6) is evaluated on its own merits. There is no formula for judging an essay. When grading an essay, the professor will consider the quality of content and organization, thesis, specific detail to support and develop general statements, and the number and frequency of serious composition errors (e.g. fragments, comma splices, errors in agreement and tense, and misspellings) as well as the use of source material and how it is integrated into the student's paper. A paper may be relatively free from errors but lacking in insight, thought, or content; the instructor must give such a paper a low grade.

On the other hand, a paper with strong content and organization may receive a low grade because of serious errors in grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and spelling. Progress is a principal objective; therefore, repeated errors and deficiencies weigh more heavily in the grading as the semester goes on.

Drafts are graded based on a rubric provided for each individual draft.

Corrections are graded based on correctly applying rules from the Little-Brown Handbook to the rhetorical context of errors. 

Grading Scale:

Note: There are no plus or minus grades permitted for the final grades in RODP. 

90%-100%A886-985 points
80%-89%B788-885 points
70%-79%C689-787 points
60%-69%D591-688 points
59% or lessFBelow 591 points

Some TBR schools do not award the grade of 'D' in ENGL 1010 or 1020; therefore, a grade of 'D' may be converted to an 'F' or another substitute grade. Please check the grading policy at your home institution and your school of enrollment. 

Assignments and Projects:

Students will complete rough drafts and final versions of papers, post drafts, and make corrections to the papers.

Each essay will be evaluated, marked, and returned to the student. Once an essay has been submitted for a grade, students cannot revise it for a higher grade.

Students should keep copies of their papers and other work on their home computers. Students must resubmit any papers that are lost or misplaced inside the online class.

The instructor must have on file a copy of each graded essay before she/he can record the final grade for that essay.

The professor may refuse to accept essays that are not written according to stated requirements or those for which there is a question about authorship, plagiarism, or revision. 

Use of Student Writing:

From time to time, your professor may take student writing produced in this course as examples to explain Composition I and II ideas to other students. Doing so may better help explain to other students the concepts discussed in this course such as drafting, revising, proofreading, mechanics, and/or other principles of writing. In doing this, all student names and identifiers will be removed so that other students in the class cannot identify the student who produced the writing. If you do not want your writing used in this way, please give your professor an email message to that effect. 

Class Participation:

Students must participate in all interactive aspects of the course. For example, students must post drafts to the discussion board and submit papers to the assignment drop box for the course. Students are expected to communicate with the instructor on a regular basis and check the Events schedule, news, and email frequently for announcements or changes in the course. Students must actively participate in the class consistently and at a steady pace. 

Late Policy:

To receive full credit, all assignments, including papers and drafts, corrections, and the final exam essay, must be submitted on time. Ten percent (10%) of the score will be taken away for each 24-hour period a paper or other assignment is late. Once the deadline has passed, students may lose access to submitting the assignments. Students who are able to work on class assignments only in the evenings should make plans to complete assignments on the evening before the day of the deadline. 

Course Ground Rules

The following two statements (1., 2.) were derived from the TBR System-wide Student Rules document, released January 2012:

RULES OF THE TENNESSEE BOARD OF REGENTS STATE UNIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM OF TENNESSEE SYSTEMWIDE STUDENT RULES CHAPTER 0240-02-03 STUDENT CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINARY SANCTIONS

Read the document in its entirety here.

1. Standards of Conduct:

  • Students are required to adhere to the same professional, legal and ethical standards of conduct online as on campus. In addition, students should conform to generally accepted standards of "netiquette" while sending e-mail, posting comments to the discussion board, and while participating in other means of communicating online. Specifically, students should refrain from inappropriate and/or offensive language, comments and actions.

2. Review the TN eCampus Academic Integrity/Academic Honesty Policy:

  • In their academic activities, students are expected to maintain high standards of honesty and integrity. Academic dishonesty is prohibited.

Such conduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • an attempt by one or more students to use unauthorized information in the taking of an exam
  • to submit as one's own work, themes, reports, drawings, laboratory notes, computer programs, or other products prepared by another person,
  • or to knowingly assist another student in obtaining or using unauthorized materials.

Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited.

Students guilty of academic misconduct, either directly or indirectly through participation or assistance, are subject to disciplinary action through the regular procedures of the student’s home institution.  Refer to the student handbook provided by your home institution to review the student conduct policy.

In addition to other possible disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed, the instructor has the authority to assign an "F" or zero for an activity or to assign an "F" for the course.

Other Course Rules:

Students are expected to:

  • Participate in all aspects of the course
  • Communicate with other students
  • Learn how to navigate in Brightspace
  • Keep abreast of course announcements
  • Use the assigned course management (Brightspace) email address rather than a personal email address
  • Address technical problems immediately:
  • Observe course netiquette at all times.

Guidelines for Communications

Email:

  • Always include a subject line.
  • Remember without facial expressions some comments may be taken the wrong way. Be careful in wording your emails. Use of emoticons might be helpful in some cases.
  • Use standard fonts.
  • Do not send large attachments without permission.
  • Special formatting such as centering, audio messages, tables, html, etc. should be avoided unless necessary to complete an assignment or other communication.
  • Respect the privacy of other class members

Discussions:

  • Review the discussion threads thoroughly before entering the discussion. Be a lurker then a discussant.
  • Try to maintain threads by using the "Reply" button rather starting a new topic.
  • Do not make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the discussion group. Be respectful of other’s ideas.
  • Be patient and read the comments of other group members thoroughly before entering your remarks.
  • Be cooperative with group leaders in completing assigned tasks.
  • Be positive and constructive in group discussions.
  • Respond in a thoughtful and timely manner.

Library

The Tennessee Virtual Library is available to all students enrolled in TN eCampus programs and courses. Links to library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading will be included within the course modules. To access the Virtual Library, go to the course homepage and select the Virtual Library link under Course Resources.

Students with Disabilities

Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodations if determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their home institution. Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of a student's eligibility for specific accommodations from the disability services staff at the home institution. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with their home institution's disability services staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.

Syllabus Changes

The instructor reserves the right to make changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes are necessitated during the term of the course, the instructor will immediately notify students of such changes both by individual email communication and posting both notification and nature of change(s) on the course bulletin board.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this syllabus is for general information purposes only. While we endeavor to keep this information up-to-date and accurate, there may be some discrepancies between this syllabus and the one found in your online course. The syllabus of record is the one found in your online course. Please make sure you read the syllabus in your course at the beginning of the semester. Questions regarding course content should be directed to your instructor.


Last Revised on July 12, 2021