Arnold Wood

Office T-265

Office Phone 646-2341  

E Address     awood@fccj.edu

Office Hours Posted

Course Description

  "Prerequisite: ENC 0001 or satisfactory score on placement test. This course is an introductory course in composition designed to help students gain greater proficiency in basic writing skills. The course assesses the level at which students are writing to discover individual areas of deficiency in writing skills and provides the necessary instruction to help them overcome these deficiencies. As a result of carefully planned learning experiences, students should be able to write clear, adequately-developed, logically-organized, effective paragraphs which conform to the conventions of standard American English. Four contact hours."

Required Texts

Brandon, Lee & Brandon, Kelly. Sentences, Paragraphs & Beyone, 5th ed. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin. ISBN: 13 978 0 618 76783 0

Optional Materials

1     dictionary and/or misspeller's guide (could in electronic form)

Attendance Policy

Much of the instruction and application of 0021's course content occurs in the established class period. Accordingly, punctual and regular class attendance is absolutely necessary. Studies show a high correlation between class attendance and course success. You may not miss more than 9 contact hours (whether class or lab) or 15% of class; this is the official attendance policy that the state of Florida requires of college-prep students. You will receive an NF for the course if you exceed the permitted number of absences. You will find that you will enjoy class and increase your knowledge and skill in writing by attending class regularly and by participating.

 Completing (Exiting) ENC 0021

  You will receive a grade of NF if your writing skills have not improved sufficiently to satisfy the exit competencies (paragraph writing as well as grammar/mechanics) for this course. The competencies basically mean that you will be able to write an organized, well developed, coherent, unified, and logical paragraph that is grammatically and mechanically sound. You will take a state written exam (you will write a paragraph on one of two provided topics) at the end of this term to determine your level of mastery. You must pass this exam as well as complete all the required course work in a satisfactory manner. Additionally, you must pass the state-mandated writing test (basically a grammar test) in order to pass this course and register for ENC 1101. You get two chances to pass both exit tests. You must pass both tests to pass ENC 0021. If you do not pass one or both of the exit tests, you will receive an F for the course...this grade will change to a passing mark under one of two conditions: 1) you participate in the department's SOS program in the Writing Lab and, as a consequence, pass the exit test(s); or, 2) you enroll a second time in ENC 0021 and eventually pass the exit test(s) at the end of that course.

  You need to develop sound writing skills. These skills are important to college and career success, even personal success and satisfaction. Thus, you should be willing to repeat this course, if necessary, in order to master these language-use skills. Remember, you are after mastery.  

     You need to be aware, however, that SBR 6A-1-0.315 limits your enrollment in ENC 0021 to two (2) semester attempts. Unless you officially withdraw before the drop date (before the end of the first week of the term), should you need to do so, each time you register in 0021 counts as a semester of enrollment regardless of the grade you receive. So, pass this course this time out. If you must take this course a third time, you will have to pay out-of-state tuition rates to register for it.

Course Objectives

    Composition:                        Writing (to be improved/deepened using SkillsBank):

    Write paragraphs with            Subject-Verb agreement

    Topic Sentences                     Pronoun Agreements

    Unity                                      Adjective & Adverb Use

    Coherence                              Sentence Fragments

    Development                          Run-ons

    Consistent Point of View         Parallelism

    Consistent Verb Tense            Correct Modifier (Phrase) Placement

    Organization                            Punctuation

    Sentence Variety                     Capitalization

Grading Scale for Out-of-Class Assignments

90-100     A

80-89       B

70-79       C  

Grading Scale for In-Class Writing Assignments

6    Excellent

5    Very Good

4    Good    

3    Acceptable

2    Failing

1    Failing

            The above are the marks that will be assigned to the practice exit paragraphs that you write weekly (approximately) in class in preparation for the real exit paragraph near the term's end. The numbers are the same as those used in the real exit grading with this difference: two readers will read each paragraph creating a range of 2 (failing) to 12 (excellent passing).  You will write on topics that are very like the real exit topics in the 50 minute session used in the real exit writing situation.

Conference Method During Composition Process

When you are working on drafts of your written assignments, I will check your progress using an informal, in-class conference technique. However, you should also ask me any questions (of form, detail, and method rather than of grammar, spelling, etc.) as you work. Also, make sure you see me during my office hours.   

  Requirements for Out-of-Class Written Class Assignments

  1.   Use standard 8.5" x 11" white typing paper. Double space when word-processing. All final drafts of out-of class writing assignments must be word processed.

2.    Write on one side of the paper only.

3.   All words MUST be spelled correctly. If you are uncertain of   the     correct spelling of a word, look it up in the dictionary and/or use the spell-check function on the computer.

4.   All written assignments must be carefully proofread for sound grammar.

5.   All written assignments must bear a title.