Qualification Verification, see paragraph 28. Instructor’s Role and Expectations, General , see paragraphs 17–2
Initial Placement Level: ENGL 097, see paragraph 3 ; ENGL 098, see paragraph 4; ENGL 101, see paragraphs 4, 9; ENGL 111, see paragraph 28; ENGL 211, see paragraph 28.
Advancing to Another Level: 097 to 098, see paragraphs 3, 28; 098 to 099, see paragraphs 7, 28; 098 to 101, see paragraphs 6,28; 099 to 101, see paragraph 7; 101 to 102, see paragraph 28; 102 to 103, see paragraph 28.
Textbooks: 097–099, see paragraph 8; 101–211, see paragraph 14.
Amount of Writing Required: 097–099, see paragraph 8 ; 101–211, see paragraph 15.
Theme Format, Late Papers, Deadlines: All classes, see paragraphs 24–26.
Tardiness and Absences: All classes, see paragraph 27.
Plagiarism: see paragraph 23
Hawkins Award: see paragraph 29.
Subject: Policies and Practices in Clark College’s Composition Courses:
ENGL 097, 098, 099, 101, 102, 103, 111, and 211
To: Students Registered in These Courses
From: The English Department
The Clark College English Department’s goal for composition classes is to increase students’ reading, writing, and thinking skills in order to promote fluency and confidence in written communication. At each level of English composition the grade of C will signify students’ ability to:
· identify the audience · state a purpose
· organize and support · use language accurately
· write clear, grammatically and mechanically correct sentence
1. All of the above are courses in composition. They are not courses in literature, even though your instructor may require you to buy and read literary as well as non-literary works to support our master goal in this writing program: to teach you to write well about something important.
ENGL 097, 098, and 099
2. These courses are designed to prepare you for college-level proficiency in expository writing; at Clark they are crucial to the preparation of well over a thousand students each year. The ASSET test, which includes an assessment of English writing skills, is required prior to enrollment in ENGL 097, 098 or 101.
3. Students who score from 36 to 38 in writing skills in their ASSET tests must register in ENGL 097; they must register simultaneously in DVED 095, “Grammar Basics,” or in an alternative basic-English-skills course that the Developmental Education faculty may prescribe. They must achieve a C (2.0) at least in ENGL 097 to move to ENGL 098.
4. Those who score from 39 to 41 in writing skills are assigned to ENGL 098, which we intend to be their springboard into ENGL 101, the first college-level writing course. Those who score from 42 to 44 in this test are in “the decision zone.” Many of them decide to start their training in ENGL 098 anyway; others write prescribed-topic essays for the Head of the English Department, who assesses them and decides whether the writers should start in ENGL 098 or 101.
5. Students should also take any reading courses indicated by their test results. Both reading and writing scores or class grades are considered in determining eligibility for ENGL 101.
6. Students who achieve the grade of B (3.0 or above) in ENGL 098 will be qualified for 101.
7. The prerequisite for entry into ENGL 099 is to achieve a C (2.0) in 098. We do not generally recommend that candidates for the transfer degree, Associate in Arts, take that course: along with 097 and 098 it represents a communications-skills option for students working toward the non-transfer Associate in Applied Science degrees. Those achieving a C (2.0) in 098, however, may register in 099—or may elect to repeat 098—in order to qualify for 101 with the minimum grade of B (3.0), even though the original C (2.0) would remain on their transcripts. Students earning a C (2.0) or better in 099 may attempt 101.
8. Your instructor will prescribe the texts for ENGL 097, 098, and 099; and in helping you to prepare yourself for college-level writing, he or she will assign and assess as much written work as possible, between 2500 and 4000 words, in the forms of essays, journals, and other exercises and will assign at least one major in-class paper.
ENGL 101, 102, 103, 111, and 211
9. Those who score from 45 to 54 in writing skills on the ASSET test may register in ENGL 101 if their reading scores are also in the 101 range, from 42 to 53. Students whose reading scores are 39 to 41 must enroll in DVED 087 or 082 for a review of reading skills either before or while taking 101. When students’ reading scores fall into the 32-38 range, they must enroll in DVED 081 082 or 083. They must complete this class before being permitted to register in 101.
10. The purpose in common of ENGL 101, 102, 103, 111 and 211 is to help you to understand and practice the process of writing while developing your ability to write standard English effectively and to discuss your ideas and opinions in a precise, clear, direct, vigorous, and sustained manner.
11. The special goal of ENGL 102 is to instruct you in the principles and practices of performing research and presenting the results of that work in a major paper.
12. English 103 aims to build upon your achievements in 101 and 102: the course emphasizes the development and explanation of challenging ideas in longer essays on literature, economics, philosophy, and other fields. Like ENGL 102, it stresses the importance of sound research techniques to validate your point of view on an important subject.
13. English 111 and 211 are the lower- and upper-level courses in technical writing. They partially fulfill the graduation requirements for the A. A. degree in Scientific Technical Communication, a program of the English Department. But they also fill the work-world writing needs and curricular requirements of students across the college. In their special ways, these courses incorporate the same goals and rules that we have prescribed for ENGL 101, 102, and 103. Those goals and rules, as adapted by your technical writing instructor, will apply to those courses.
Texts for These Courses
14. In order to help you to strengthen and refine your writing, your instructor will require that you own Diana Hacker, The Bedford Handbook for Writers, Fifth Edition, 1998. At his or her option your instructor will usually prescribe other texts as well and will require you to own one of the standard dictionaries available in the college bookstore.
Scope and Methods of ENGL 101, 102, 103, 111, and 211
15. Above all, of course, your instructor will ask you to write. He or she will require you to produce between 4000 and 5000 words of finished compositions including at least one in-class theme. In ENGL 102, that total will include 2000 or more words in a library-research paper.
16. Your instructor may also require library-research writing of you in ENGL 101 and major work of the same kind in 103.
17. Each instructor will determine the number and kinds of writing assignments for each class. The instructor will also decide what special approaches or work may be appropriate to a particular section of ENGL 101, 102, 103, 111, or 211. He or she may require you to keep a journal, develop a vocabulary notebook, present an oral report, perform special assignments tailored to your particular needs, rewrite an essay, re-accomplish an assignment completely, explore the library, or confer with him or her personally about your work.
18. Your instructor will study and comment systematically on your essays. He or she will also generally return the essays to you for follow-through correction before your next assignment is due in order to encourage the continuity of your skill development from one assignment to another.
19. Your instructor will also explain to you in a written syllabus, within the first week, details of the course that will include the criteria by which he or she arrives at grades.
20. In general, however, you will be expected by the end of each course to be able to describe and use the stages of the writing process; understand and apply the concepts of audience and purpose in writing; write essays that each contain a clear and competent thesis statement; organize your essays logically; develop your paragraphs fully and effectively; and express your ideas accurately, concisely, and clearly with appropriate diction, grammar, syntax, punctuation, and mechanics.
21. Your instructor will comment on these matters paper by paper. You should understand, however, that, because he or she may give you corrective advice on only two or three of these issues at a time, you may not receive advice on all of them on each paper.
22. Each instructor will also explain the criteria by which papers, library-research assignments and the library-research paper will be evaluated.
The Potential Problem of Plagiarism in Any Course
23. Your instructor will explain that in any writing in which you use sources you must follow appropriate conventions for their citations in order to avoid plagiarism: the presentation as one’s own work, with intent to deceive, the words, phrases, ideas, findings, illustrations, etc., of another commentator or writer. Please study the Statement on Plagiarism.
Other Rules for All Writing Courses, Including ENGL 097, 098, and 099
24. 8Each at-home essay assignment must be legibly typed or word processed on standard 8½x11-inch white paper.
25. 8Your instructor may also require you to attach your working drafts (never on loose-leaf tear-out paper) to the final ones and will give you more detailed directions concerning special manuscript requirements.
26. 8Deadlines for assignments will be set by your instructor. All assignments for the quarter must be handed in or fulfilled by the times and under the conditions that your instructor prescribes. Failure to hand in or to fulfill even one assignment as your instructor directs may be considered failure to complete the work of the course and may result in failure of the course. (Only under special circumstances can the grade “I” be given.)
27. 8Punctual arrival for classes and very regular attendance will be expected of you throughout the quarter because writing courses need to be highly and carefully structured. Six 50-minute periods missed may result in failure of the course: The tardiness and attendance policies of your instructor will prevail, even if they allow fewer absences. Punctuality and attendance as well as your writing itself can determine your grade level. If you should miss a class, you have the responsibility of discovering the announcements and work you might have missed and the work you might have to make up or do.
Note on Prerequisites for Writing Courses
28. As we have already explained, the grade of C (2.0) will be required for passage from ENGL 097 to 098 and from 098 to 099. Please note in addition that you must earn at least a C (2.0) in ENGL 101 to qualify for 102 and a C (2.0) in 102 to qualify for 103. The grade of C (2.0) in ENGL 101/111 is also the prerequisite for entry into ENGL 211; the prerequisite for entry into ENGL 111 is eligibility for ENGL 101. Prerequisite checking is done by computer at the time of registration for all English composition classes. Registration will be blocked if the records indicate a prerequisite has not been met.
The Richard Hawkins Prize for Excellence in Expository Writing
29. Each year we review all the best papers from each course and select the best single composition in each of the following categories: Personal Essay, Library Research Paper, Critical Essay, and Technical Writing Report. Each of these Hawkins Prizes, given every May at the Student Awards Banquet, consists of a certificate of achievement, a letter of appreciation, and a check for $100 from us. Dr. Richard Hawkins, who died in 1988, was our beloved colleague in English for many years. We know that he would be very pleased to see you receive this award in his name.
30. If you have any questions or problems relating to any composition class, you may address them to Donald Erskine, Division chair for English, ENL, and Journalism, hawkins Hall, (360)-992-.