POLICIES

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course is a chronological survey of American literature from the Colonial Period to the Civil War. Significant works of American writers are studied for their literary value and in their historical and philosophical contexts. This course is worth three credit hours.

PREREQUISITE: 

ENG 101 English Composition I with a minimum grade of “C.”

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

COURSE CONTENT:

My courses are designed to deal with adult issues often centering on controversial cultural and historical conflicts. At times, the class readings, lectures, and discussions may question ideas or beliefs that individual students hold dear. In addition, the language used in the course may range from highly technical jargon to the vernacular, including profanity. Students who wish to avoid such a classroom environment should seek another section of the course.

TEXTBOOK AND REQUIRED MATERIALS:

• The Broadview Anthology of American Literature (Concise Edition, Vol. 1): ISBN: 978-1-55481-619-4.
• Downloaded Course Readings (provided by instructor via Canvas)
• Book-Tab Post-Its
• Pen and paper for each class

Note: because this course requires reading checks that depend on students either marking the text or taking notes on the readings each time a reading is due, purchasing rather than renting is strongly suggested.

GRADING:

English 102 will be one of the most challenging courses of your academic career because it moves quickly, requires a wide range of academic skills, and demands more time than the average course. We will complete four major essay cycles consisting of content readings, skills readings, prewriting, drafting, peer revisions, and final drafts. A breakdown of the assignments and relative point values is as follows:

Your grade is calculated by adding the total points earned and then dividing them by the total points possible. That average will then be plugged into the college’s grading scale.

Be advised that you must complete all major papers and in-class essays in order to pass the course. Even if your paper is too late to be accepted under the late work policies, it must be completed by the end of the semester. If it is not, then you will automatically fail for the course, regardless of what your point total is.

MAJOR PAPER REWRITE OPTION:

In order to allow students to benefit from the three-step writing process and to turn in the best possible work for evaluation, students will be permitted to revise the first graded major paper in the course for an entirely new grade provided the assignment/essay was handed in on time and without plagiarism. Late or plagiarized papers are ineligible for revision.
Note: Just turning in a revision does not guarantee you will receive a higher grade. In the event that the revised draft grade is actually lower than the original assignment, you will receive the higher of the two grades; however, a higher revision grade always replaces the original grade, so if you are prepared to work hard, your grade will most likely benefit. See the class web page for more information on the major paper rewrite. Please see the class graded task descriptions section for more explicit details.

TURNING IN ROUGH DRAFTS:

For each major paper, we will write a complete rough draft and then a final draft.  Each draft needs to be uploaded to the Discussion Board in Canvas with the paper both copied and pasted AND attached as a file.  One purpose of this upload is to create a backup file of your paper should your computer/storage device crash.  The other is so that you can read the works of others to see other approaches to the same writing task you are facing. In-person classes also require a printed copy for others to read. While stealing the words or ideas of others in the class will result in a plagiarism charge, stealing someone’s style or rhetorical moves isn’t: most strong writers at some point have looked at the works of others as guides on how to write.

TURNING IN MAJOR PAPERS:

When the final draft of a major paper is due, you will need to submit it to two locations:

• Submit the paper to the appropriate Assignment on Canvas as an MS Word file.  When required, a works cited page should be included in the same file.  This file is what actually will be graded, so make sure it matches the same final version that you submitted in hardcopy.  You must submit the paper to Turnitin.com as well: papers not submitted to Turnitin.com will be given a zero.
• Post a copy to the discussion board in the "Final Draft" topic for that paper.
• You will not need to provide a printed/paper copy of the final draft because it will be graded using the markup features of MS Word.

I will mark the first draft extensively for two reasons: to give you clear guidance should you choose to submit the optional major paper rewrite and for you to use as a guide on what to improve in subsequent drafts. The final paper will not receive any written comments unless you explicitly request it since they will be submitted at the end of the semester.

READING CHECKS:

Each time a reading or film is assigned, you will need to show that you read it by presenting your annotations to the text. You can do this using any combination of the following techniques, either on hard copy or a digital copy:

• Marking the actual text (underlining, highlighting, marginal notes, etc.)
• Taking notes on Post-its and placing them on the actual page of the text. Digital notes in the text are also a good approach.
• Taking notes separately on paper or in a text file that include page number references to the text if the text has page numbers. Please note: AI generated notes or summaries are not acceptable.
• Notes about films will need to be done by hand. Generally two to four pages of notes are expected for a film. You may wish to include timestamps for key scenes.

These annotations serve three purposes:

• They prove you actually read the text, which is a necessity in an English course.
• They will help you to identify and retain key ideas and details from the text for class discussion.
• They will allow you to find key passages should you choose to write one of your papers about the text.

EMAIL and COMMUNICATION WITH DR. HALBERT

While I have an office phone, the best way to communicate with me is via email.  I am generally quick to respond, but please be advised that I may take up to 48-hours to respond during the semester (and longer during breaks).  I generally do not answer emails after 5PM because of family obligations, so 1 AM messages the night before a paper is due will normally not get a response before class.  My expectation is that you will check your email each day, particularly between the final class meeting and the posting of grades.  I will not spam the class with non-class related materials, so if you get a message from me, please consider it important and respond if needed.

Each student is responsible for checking his or her email accounts at least every other day during the semester.  During the last week of class, reading day, and the entire final exam period (until Dr. Halbert announces that final grades have been posted), students should check their email every day in order to make sure there are no issues or concerns about your grade that need to addressed. Failure to check your email may negatively affect your grade because messages about the class generally are generally important information about assignments.

COLLEGE POLICIES:

All College Policies must be followed and are a binding part of this syllabus. Of particular note are the Student Code of Conduct (which deals largely with behavior) and the Student Academic Code of Ethics (which deals academic honesty issues). You are also responsible for the Acceptable Use of Technology policy.

PLAGIARISM AND ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:

Plagiarism constitutes a serious breach of academic honesty and will not be tolerated. Unless I deem an act of plagiarism or cheating an honest mistake, I routinely assign students an "F" in the course for any act of academic dishonesty without the option of withdrawing from the course. Especially egregious acts will receive an "FX" with an additional notation of academic misconduct on the student's transcript. Please note that submitting work from another class as original work for this course constitutes academic dishonesty. For a full discussion of the Academic Honesty policies, please the Student Academic Code of Ethics policy.

For this class, plagiarism or cheating includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Using any material generated by an artificial intelligence (A.I.) service in your assignments.
• Copying and/or pasting materials from another source word-for-word without quotation marks and a citation, no matter how small the amount of text.
• Using someone’s ideas, data, or facts without attributing the source.
• Buying a paper, whole or in part, from an individual, organization, or web site and presenting it as your own work.
• Receiving a free paper whole or in part, from an individual, organization, or web site and presenting it as your own work.
• Getting a friend, stranger, family member, lover, enemy, or any other person to rewrite sections of your paper.
• Submitting a paper written for another course, even if you wrote it.
• Lying to your professor.
• Writing or rewriting papers for your classmates outside of the context of a peer review.

GRADE APPEAL:

In the interest of due process, the College provides an appeal process for a student who believes that a recorded final grade does not accurately reflect his/her academic performance in a course due to issuance of an arbitrary grade, inconsistent grading practice, or mechanical error. The policy and procedure are found at https://www.mc3.edu/about-mccc/policies-and-procedures/grade-appeal.

STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT:

The purpose of the Student Code of Conduct is to guide students to understand their responsibilities in regard to appropriate behavior and respect for others in the college community. The policy addresses classroom disruptions and removal from the classroom for behavioral issues.  It also provides the standards for ensuring the College provides due process to students through the judicial process. Please see the Student Code of Conduct policies and procedures for more information.

SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:

Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) welcomes qualified students with disabilities and endorses the principles of nondiscrimination and reasonable accommodation as described in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). To see if you are eligible for services and reasonable accommodations in this course please review the policy on the Disabilities web site at https://www.mc3.edu/about-mccc/policies-and-procedures/students-with-disabilities.

ATTENDANCE POLICY:

Regular attendance and punctuality are expected. At the start of the semester, each student will receive 12 points of extra credit for attendance.  Points lost for tardiness or absences will initially be taken from this pool of points, giving students the flexibility to miss two classes without injury to their grades.  Each absence will subtract five points from a student's total points scored for the semester. Each late arrival will subtract two points from the total points scored. A point will be awarded for each class attended. If a student knows he or she will miss a class, that student should alert Dr. Halbert beforehand. Attendance will be taken by sign-in sheet at the start of class: students arriving after the sign-in sheet will be marked tardy. If you arrive late, please wait until the end of class to sign the sheet. Failure to sign the sheet at all constitutes an absence. Students who leave class early must ask for permission prior to the start of class; if you leave without permission before I dismiss the class, you will be marked absent for the whole period. Good manners suggest that if you know you will miss a class meeting, you will contact me and let me know.

Please know that in the past, students who missed five or more courses automatically failed, but that practice has been discontinued because the vast majority of students who missed more than five courses failed anyway due to missed assignments or not understanding the material because they were not present in class for key lectures or activities designed to elevate both students’ skills and final drafts.

CLASS CANCELLATION:

In the event of inclement weather or other emergency, the College will post closures on the school’s web portal and send text messages to anyone who has signed up for them.  In the event that I have to cancel a class, I will email the class and post a message on Canvas (assuming I have power at home to access the Internet). I strongly urge each of you to set up Montco’s text messaging alert on your mobile phones as well: the College will send an alert of campus-wide closings.

WITHDRAWAL POLICY, INCOMPLETES, AND AUDITS:

Students are encouraged to consult with their instructor and/or an academic advisor when initiating a Course Withdrawal. The instructor’s permission must be requested and received if requesting a withdrawal after 60% and before 75% of the course is completed. After 75% of the course is completed, students may apply for an Excused Withdrawal due to medical, catastrophic, or other circumstances beyond the student’s control. Specific dates of deadlines for this semester can be found on the Registration Calendar.

Should you wish to withdraw from the course, the deadline to withdraw without my signature is Wednesday, March 26, 2025. After Wednesday, March 26, 2025, I will not sign any withdrawal requests unless you have a documented emergency. If I have not returned the first paper by this date, I will extend the deadline until one week after that paper is returned.

The absolute last day to get my signature is Thursday, April 10, 2025. Bear in mind that sending such a request after 4PM may mean that I don’t see it until after the deadline, and I will not be able to sign your withdrawal. After the deadline, all requests to withdrawal must be made directly to the Dean of Arts and Humanities.

Applications for an "Incomplete" will only be entertained in cases of documented medical emergencies, incarceration, or military call-ups. Audits will not be permitted unless you start the course as an audit student and can convince me that you are willing to do all that work for no grade.

LATE WORK

All work is due at the beginning of class on the day listed for the syllabus unless otherwise noted. I hate late work from students: it complicates my ability to grade or simply keep track of your work. More importantly, it devalues the efforts of your classmates who work very hard to meet their deadlines. To discourage late work, I have the following policy:

• Final drafts of papers lose 25 points (out of the possible 200 points) for each 24-hour period they are late. This penalty includes Saturdays and Sundays.
• Other late assignments have a 24-hour period to be submitted. They will be graded, and that grade will be divided by 2 and entered into the grade spreadsheet.
• Missed in-class rough drafts (other than the final draft) can only be made up through a tutoring session, but you need to email me to ask permission.

Late work will kill your grade, so don't do it. If you know ahead of time that you will not be able to complete a task, contact me for an extension. I reserve the right to make an exception to the late policy in the case of an extreme (and documentable) emergency, but that almost never happens.

TUTORIAL SERVICES:

Tutorial Services: Free subject-area tutoring, academic workshops, and study skills specialists are available in the libraries at each campus. Tutorial Services helps students develop learning strategies based on their unique learning styles with the goal of creating successful students and independent learners.  Contact them at 215-641-6452 or log into the portal and find us online: Tutorial Services hours and services. Please note that Tutorial Services houses the Writing Center where faculty-tutors are more than happy to assist with revising papers.   

UPDATES TO SYLLABUS:

As the semester unfolds, Dr. Halbert may have to adjust the syllabus due to unforeseen circumstances. Such changes will be announced in class and via Canvas: once they are announced on Canvas, students must update their personal copies of the syllabus/daily assignments and are to be held to the new syllabus due dates. Dr. Halbert will make every effort to not change major assignments (papers, tests, in-class essays, etc.) even when changes are needed out of respect for those folks who plan ahead, but he reserves the right to do so if no other options are available.

BASIC NEEDS SUPPORT:

Any student who has difficulty accessing resources to meet their basic needs i.e. safety, food and/or stable housing and believes this may affect their performance in the course, is urged to contact Wellness@mc3.edu
KEY ONLINE RESOURCES AT THE COLLEGE

You may find the following resources helpful here at Montgomery County Community College:

• MCCC’s Library Resources
• Registration Calendar
• Academic Calendar
• Spring 2023 Final Exam Schedule
• Acceptable Use of Technology policy
• Student Success Resources
• Wellness Resources (physical and mental health resources)

CLASSROOM POLICIES:

As adults, students and the instructor should know to do the following in class:

• Be prepared for class with work completed and required materials available.
• Refrain from non-class related conversations once class has started.
• Keep cell phones and pagers in "silent" mode and refrain from answering them or using them to send text messages. Should a student expect an important call (because of family emergencies or issues of similar magnitude), please make the instructor aware of that possibility before class.
• Inform the professor if you will be recording the class. Both Dr. Halbert and your classmates deserve to know that they are being recorded.
• Treat each other with mutual respect: while we can challenge each other's ideas in class, personalized attacks or use of inappropriate language directed at another member of the class community is unacceptable.
• Ask for help if you need it.
• Make the most of this course. It will help in the future.

FINAL WORD:

Understanding the cultural origins of the United States is an important facet of living in America, and one of the best ways to do that is by reading for yourself the words of those who helped found this country. In terms of your experience in this course, please know that I took this job to help people discover their potential: as long as you are willing to do the work, I will do everything in my power to help you not only pass the course, but to be the best writer you can be.