Course Syllabus


Print Syllabus
Course ID: ENG091
Title: Fundamentals of Writing
Modality: Internet
Credit Hours: 3.00

Course Section Information

Institution: Rio Salado College

Section: 44522

Term: Fall 2014

Start Date: 11/3/2014

Weeks: 14

Last date to withdraw: None

Instructor: Monica Swaner

Course Materials

There is no textbook for this course.

This course will use Pearson’s MyFoundationsLab adaptive learning program. All required materials and information for this course are given in your RioLearn course and your personal Maricopa email account.

NOTE: Use your Maricopa email address when registering for MyFoundationsLab.

Course Description and Competencies

Official Course Description
Emphasis on preparation for college-level composition with a focus on organizational skills. Developing effective writing strategies through five or more writing projects comprising at least 2000 words in total.
Official Course Prerequisites
Appropriate writing placement test score, or a grade of C or better in ENG081 or ESL087, or permission of Department or Division.
Course Note
Through five or more writing projects comprising at least 2000 words (final drafts), the student will demonstrate an understanding of writing as a process through the ability to complete the ENG091 competencies.
Official Course Competencies
  1. Recognize how rhetorical contexts (including circumstance, purpose, topic, audience and writer) affect writing.
  2. Organize writing to support a central idea through unity, coherence, and logical development.
  3. Use conventions in writing complete sentences, using appropriate grammar, and using mechanics.
  4. Use conventions in writing, including consistent voice, tone, and diction.
  5. Generate and support effective and appropriate ideas.
  6. Integrate a variety of sentence types.
  7. Recognize and implement steps in the writing process for paragraphs and multi-paragraph projects, including prewriting, drafting, and editing for unity and coherence.
  8. Use feedback obtained from peer review, instructor comments and/or other resources to revise writing.
  9. Assess one's own writing strengths and identify strategies for improvement through instructor conference, portfolio review, written evaluation, and/or other methods.
  10. Generate, format, edit, and deliver writing using appropriate technology.

Course Requirements

  1. You must complete all assignments in the course to be eligible to get a passing grade.
  2. This course uses an adaptive learning program. You must complete all the modules or demonstrate mastery during Path Builder or Skills Checks.
  3. Note: You must earn a minimum of 60% on the exams in order to pass the course.

Requirements Checklist

By accepting this course, you are making a commitment to the students. The department policies have been aligned to help us meet our commitments. While it is generally recommended to check in with the course at least every other day, just to watch for messages, due date requests, or other urgent matters, please note that…

  • Emails/Messages should be returned within 24-48 hours of receipt.
  • Short assignments (not essays or projects) should be returned within 3 days or less
  • Essays/projects should be returned within 7 days or less.
  • Roster Management should occur weekly.
  • For classes with discussions, instructor presence in the forums is required.
  • The "Meet Your Instructor" area of the course should be filled out and an instructor photograph (either a head-shot or a general image personal to the instructor) should be present.
  • "From Your Instructor" notes should be present for each lesson.

General Expectations

Clear, consistent communication is expected of all faculty, regardless of course modality!

For online courses, all class communication should take place using the Message Center tool. It will be important to check your district Gmail account frequently as this will be how Rio Salado contacts you regarding announcements, staffing, news, and other important communications. Former students will also find you using your district Gmail account.

All student communication should be answered within 24-48 hours. The gold standard for responses is 24 hours from the receipt of the email or message. It is recommended that you check email and messages daily when possible.

If you will not be checking email /messages as frequently on the weekends, be sure to make that expectation clear in your welcome letter. If you know you will have to deviate from your normal response rates, also make that clear to your class.

Note: Emergences can arise. If you will be offline for an extended period of time, please contact the department.

Remember that it is department policy that we save all email messages both sent to or received by the student for TWO YEARS.

Time Requirements

Remember that this is a three credit-hour class. As such, you will need to dedicate significant time to this course. Plan to spend at least three hours on course content and at least six hours on homework for a total of at least nine hours each week. Be prepared to double your weekly class and study time if you choose an accelerated calendar.

Grading Procedure and Scale

Grading Procedure
There are 392 possible points for this course
Post-tests = 210 Points
Essays = 100 Points
Path Builder = 10 Points
Skills Checks = 40 Points
Final Essay = 32 Points
Total = 392

Grading Scale

Letter grades for assignments, examinations, and the course will be determined by the following scale:

353 - 392 points = A (90% - 100%)
314 - 352 points = B (80% - 89%)
274 - 313 points = C (70% - 79%)
236 - 273 points = D (60% - 69%)
0 - 235 points = F (0% - 59%)

Please Note: The grading procedure for this course is based on the total number of points possible.

The grading scale is administered equally to all students in the course. Do not expect to receive a grade higher than that earned by your total points. There will be no "point adjustments" made for such things as "class participation" or other subjective factors.

Please note: Extra credit is not available for this course.

Syllabus Acknowledgement Receipt

This syllabus constitutes a binding contract between you, Rio Salado College, and college employees. Once you have read it, you will be required to submit a statement that you have read and understood it, before you are allowed further access to the course. If you have any questions about the overall requirements of the course, be sure to email the instructor assigned to your section. Turning in the receipt marks the beginning of your participation in the class. This syllabus acknowledgement form is located in the Introduction: Connecting Your Learning section of Lesson 1.

Final Grade Options

  • Letter grade (A, B, C, D, F)-awarded if the student completes all work, including the final exams.
  • Extension (in lieu of Incomplete grade) - Students may request an extension because of illness or other extenuating circumstances, if they have been doing acceptable work. The instructor will define the requirements and timelines to complete the course. Please Note: Instructors are not obligated to give extensions.
  • Withdrawal-Students may submit a withdrawal request on or prior to the “Last Date to Withdraw” indicated in their RioLearn Gradebook.  

    Students should not contact their instructor to request a withdrawal. A student wishing to withdraw from a class within the stated timeline must do so by visiting maricopa.edu/students. In extreme circumstances, students do have the option of requesting a complete withdrawal from the college by providing Student Enrollment Services with appropriate documentation.

Submitting Assignments

Most of your assignments for this course will be completed in Pearson’s MyFoundationsLab. Access your RioLearn course and your Maricopa email account for directions on setting up your account.

Assignments that will be completed in RioLearn are: Writing Assignments, Course Survey, Final Exam/Essay. These assignments are located in the Course Overview page of the course.

Note to students: Keep a copy of everything you submit.

Copyright Acknowledgements

Some images used in courses are licensed as follows: Accunet/AP Multimedia Archive, http://www.clipart.com, http://www.jupiterimages.com, EBSCO Image Collection.

Late or Missing Assignments

The dates on which assignments are due are clearly posted on the course calendar, which is set to relative start dates. Work submitted one to four days late may receive a lowered grade; after five days, at your instructor's discretion, it might not be accepted at all. If you are unable, for any reason at all, to complete your work according to schedule, it is your responsibility to contact your instructor immediately and request a due date change.

Please note: No missing assignments are allowed. In other words, you are required to turn in all assignments for the class. Failure to do so may result in a failing grade.

Plagiarism Search Engine

Self-to-Self Plagiarism

While we expect you to re-work your previous submissions for the course you are taking, keep in mind that our self-to-self plagiarism detection tool will alert us of any work you have previously submitted. Therefore, we request that you re-work your original assignment, enhance it, and improve upon it. Failure to do so will result in a plagiarism report and will significantly slow your progress and our ability to effectively assess your work in a timely manner.

Course Completion Policy

A student who registers for a Distance Learning course is assigned a "start date" and an "end date." It is the student's responsibility to note due dates for assignments and to keep up with the course work.

If a student falls behind, she/he must contact the instructor and request an extension of her/his end date in order to complete the course.

It is the prerogative of the instructor to decide whether or not to grant the request.

Submitting Assignments

Online Submission Platform

The assignment due dates in this course are structured to complete all the lessons over the span of the course. Regular and consistent progress is expected in the course through the submission of assignments. The submission of an assignment can be no earlier than 7 days prior to the due date. Consult your course gradebook for specific due dates. Assignments/acknowledgments must be submitted through the online submission platform unless otherwise directed.

Final Grade Options

  • Letter grade (A, B, C, D, F)

  • Extension (in lieu of an incomplete grade): Students may request an assessment extension because of illness or other extenuating circumstances, if they have been doing acceptable work. Assessment extensions may extend up to two weeks beyond the established course end as indicated in the gradebook. Please Note: Assessment extensions are given at the instructor’s discretion. Instructors are not obligated to give extensions.

  • Withdrawn Failing (Y) – Students may be removed from their classes with a Withdrawn Failing (Y) grade for non-participation, which counts like an F in GPA calculation.

  • Withdrawal (W) - Students may submit a withdrawal request on or prior to the "Last Date to Withdraw" indicated in their RioLearn Gradebook.

  • Instructors are unable to submit a withdrawal (W) on behalf of a student. A student wishing to withdraw from a class within the stated timeline must do so by visiting View My Classes/Schedule in the Student Center, and selecting Drop Classes. In extreme circumstances, students do have the option of requesting a complete withdrawal from the college by submitting a "Request for Complete Withdrawal From All Courses" available under the Records heading on Rio’s Important Forms page.

    Before withdrawing, students should consider contacting their instructor and/or Rio's Counseling Services to see what options are available to help them stay in class.

    STUDENTS – STOP Before You Drop! A withdrawal request is irrevocable, and may affect future Financial Aid, Visa status, Veteran benefit eligibility, scholarship eligibility and may delay graduation. Please be sure that it is the right option for you before submission.

    STOP BEFORE YOU DROP

  • Credit/No Credit Option (P/Z) - Some courses may be offered with a credit/no credit option which, if offered, would be identified in the Grading Procedure and Scale section of this syllabus. See detailed information about the (P/Z) option here.

  • Note: Choosing the P/Z option is a permanent change to the gradebook. A P/Z grade will not be changed to a letter grade after the course end date.

Regular and Substantive Faculty-Student Interaction

The Rio Salado College faculty provide learners with frequent opportunities for regular and substantive interaction, which are critical components of a quality online program. At a minimum, faculty teaching online courses for credit monitor weekly due dates and initiate contact with students, post course announcements and/or "From Your Instructor" (FYI) notes that are academic and relevant, respond to academic inquiries within 72 hours, and provide detailed, personalized, and timely feedback. In addition, faculty regularly engage in synchronous and/or asynchronous interaction with students via tools such as discussion boards, rubrics, voice threads, video conferences, audio recordings, phone calls, email and/or text messages, social media, and online collaboration software. Though faculty members are responsible for initiating interaction, providing academic information, and facilitating learning, Rio students are responsible for remaining in regular contact with their instructors and engaging with the course content as active participants in the educational experience.

Requirement for Active Class Participation

Withdrawal for Non-Participation (Y) – Students need to communicate regularly with their instructor and engage in academic activities as determined by the instructor and department. Students may be removed from their classes after 14 days of non-participation with a Withdrawn Failing (Y) grade, which counts like an F in GPA calculation.

If you receive financial aid of any kind, it is your responsibility to protect your eligibility to receive financial aid by meeting the active participation requirements of this class.

Pregnant and Parenting Students

Students will not be discriminated against on the basis of a disclosed pregnancy. This includes discrimination against a student based on pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery from any of these conditions. As a result, a pregnant or parenting student (a student during a defined postpartum period lasting up to 8 weeks after delivery), may be provided adjustments so they are able to access and participate in their educational program or activity.

Please visit the Working with Pregnant and Parenting webpage to learn more about this policy, reasonable adjustments and complete the Pregnancy Adjustment Form. If you have questions about the policy, please contact Rio Salado College’s Title IX/504 Coordinator Tafari Osayande at o.tafari.osayande@riosalado.edu or (480) 517-8196.

In the event of certain pregnancy-related medical complications, contact Disability.Services@riosalado.edu or call (480) 517-8562 for assistance in providing accommodations/academic adjustments.

Basic Needs

If a lack of basic needs such as food, transportation, school supplies, etc. is affecting your participation and/or performance in this course, please contact the Rio Salado Counseling Department at 480-517-8785 or via email at counseling.receptionist@riosalado.edu.

For additional services and resources:

Rio Salado College Counseling and Career Services
Maricopa Basic Needs and Community Resources

Library Services

The Rio Salado Library is committed to student success and provides a variety of materials and services to enhance student learning. Utilizing Rio’s online library for your research is the best way to ensure that your sources are validated, authoritative, and appropriate for college-level coursework. The library's Video Tutorials page provides instruction on how to use the online library to find books, articles, ebooks, and more. Librarians are available to help you at all times via our Ask a Librarian live chat service.

Please note that when library materials (e.g., articles, ebooks, and streaming media) are integrated into your lesson content, you will see the notation “…provided to you through the Rio Salado Library.

Academic Misconduct

Academic Misconduct includes cheating, conspiring to cheat, soliciting to cheat, attempting to cheat, plagiarism, fabrication on an assignment, or other forms of dishonest presentation.

Posting assessments on an unauthorized web site, soliciting assessment answers and the unauthorized acquisition of assessments, assessment answers, or other academic material is cheating. Turning in content created by essay generators or other types of artificial intelligence platforms is also academic misconduct.

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the use of paraphrase or direct quotation of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling or sharing of term papers or other academic materials. Information gathered from the Internet and not properly identified is also considered plagiarism.

We expect every student to produce his/her original, independent work. Any student whose work indicates a violation of the MCCCD Academic Misconduct Policy (including cheating and plagiarism) can expect sanctions as specified in the college catalog.

Rio Salado College uses software that uncovers plagiarism from student to student and other data sources on the Internet. If a student is found to have plagiarized content, grade consequences will be applied in accordance with departmental policies.

Civility Policy

The faculty of Rio Salado place a high value on the importance of general ethical standards of academic behavior and expect that communication between students and instructors or among students shall maintain the level of formality and mutual respect appropriate to any college teaching/learning situation.

Language or behavior that is rude, abusive, profane, disruptive, or threatening will not be tolerated. Activity of this type is Academic Misconduct as defined in MCCCD Policy AR 2.3.11. Students engaging in such behavior will be removed from the course with a failing grade. Additional sanctions may be applied pursuant to AR 2.3.11.

Honors Program

If you are taking this course for Honors credit, you must complete all assessments, including the Honors Project(s). The Honors Project(s) are listed in one or more lessons of the course and are designated for "Honors Students." Failure to complete the Honors Project(s) will result in a failing grade in the course and a loss of Honors credit.

Honors students are also enrolled in a non-credit Honors Achievement Award (HAA) or Presidential Honors Scholarship (PHS) section within RioLearn to submit co-curricular activity submissions. Co-curriculars must be completed in order to receive funding.

The Honors Department is here to support you! Connect with the college and other Honors students in our INSCRIBE community.

The Honors Department is available to provide additional resources and support to support your journey. Please contact the Honors department at RioSalado.Honors@riosalado.edu.

Classroom Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) and its associated colleges are committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities to students with documented disabilities (e.g. mental health, attentional, learning, chronic health, sensory, or physical). Visit district.maricopa.edu/mandatory-drs-title-ix-syllabus-statements for more information.

Religious Accommodations

Rio Salado College will reasonably accommodate the religious needs, observances, and practices of their students, when requested and the requests are made in accordance with the procedures set forth in ND-4. Any student may request a religious accommodation by making a written request for an accommodation to the appropriate faculty member using the Religious Accommodation Request form. To the extent possible, requests must be made at least two (2) weeks before the requested absence from class due to religious holiday or day of observance.

Addressing Incidents of Sexual Harassment/Assault, Dating/Domestic Violence, and Stalking

In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, MCCCD prohibits unlawful sex discrimination against any participant in its education programs or activities. The District also prohibits sexual harassment—including sexual violence—committed by or against students, District employees, and visitors to campus. As outlined in District policy, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking are considered forms of "Sexual Misconduct" prohibited by District policy. Visit district.maricopa.edu/mandatory-drs-title-ix-syllabus-statements for more information.

Student Solution Center

Rio Salado College is dedicated to a quality learning experience and has provided the Student Solution Center webpage as a resource for students to raise issues to our attention. We look forward to the opportunity to provide an equitable solution for all involved parties. For grading or instructional issues, students should first contact their faculty member(s) in accordance with the Instructional Grievance Process. For non-instructional complaints, students may contact Institutional Integrity and Compliance by submitting the non-instructional complaint form, emailing studentcomplaints@riosalado.edu, or calling 480-517-8505. Students may also contact their state regulatory agency; the Arizona SARA Council; and/or the Higher Learning Commission to escalate their concerns.

Change of Address

Please notify Course Support at (480) 517-8243 or 1-800-729-1197 or by email at course.support@riosalado.edu. Please include your name, student number, phone number, and new address including city, state, and zip code.

Contact Us

Please see the following page for contact information.

Disclaimer

Course content may vary from this outline to meet the needs of this particular group.

Rio Salado College Copyright

Course Content © Copyright 2021 Rio Salado College. All Rights Reserved.