Course Syllabus

Fall 2015
Professor: Dr. Philip R. Jones
Office Room Number: MLK 149
Office Phone: 713-313-6793
Office Hours: MW 6:30-7:45am
10:00-10:45am
TTH - 9:30AM 11:30AM
F 6:30 7:45AM, 10:00 10:45AM, & 12noon 1:00PM
Email: jonespr@tsu.edu

Texas Southern University

College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences, Department of English

ENG 501- Online

Graduate Professional
Writing
Mission of the University: Texas Southern University is a comprehensive metropolitan
university. Building on its legacy as a historically black institution, the university provides
academic and research programs that address critical urban issues and prepare an ethnically diverse
student population to become a force for positive change in a global society. In order to achieve
this mission, Texas Southern University provides: 1) quality instruction in a culture of innovative
teaching and learning, 2) basic and applied research and scholarship that is responsive to
community issues, and 3) opportunities for public service that benefit the community and the
world.
Course Description: Prerequisite: Graduate Standing
English 501 is a course for students who have not achieved writing proficiencies appropriate for
graduate work including the masters thesis and doctoral dissertation. (Three hours of lecture per
week)
Extended Course Description: This course offers students opportunities to obtain writing
proficiencies and engage in a comprehensive review/study/application of the conventions of Edited
American English grammar, mechanics, and usage-- namely, parts of speech; types of phrases,
clauses, and sentences; sentence errors; punctuation; mechanics; and diction, style and
vocabulary-- as well as opportunities to apply the conventions when composing and when revising
various writing assignments. The course will cover the formulation, organization, and development
of a thesis-controlled essay using MLA and APA documentation.

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Course Syllabus

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will achieve the following outcomes:
1. To enhance their fluency and lucidity in oral and written expression by mastering an
intensive, focused, systematic study/review of the conventions of Edited American English
grammar, mechanics, and usage;
2.

To acquire the fundamental intellectual demands of graduate work in various areas of

study and maintain consistent use of integrative, critical thinking techniques in performing
specific oral and written assignments;

3. To develop and demonstrate their mastery of the conventions of Edited American English
grammar, usage, and mechanics in a variety of test-taking and interdisciplinary writing
situations;
4. To implement rhetorical approaches as well as to master test-taking techniques which can
enhance their performances on standardized and on subject-specific examinations; and
5. To gain enhanced research skills of documentation in MLA and APA format as well as
focus on analytical and organizational skills.
Required Texts
Swales, John M., and Christine B. Feak. Academic Writing for Graduate Students: Essential Tasks
and Skills. 3rd Edition. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press, 2012. ISBN 13: 978-0472-03475-8
Recommended Texts
Glenn, Cheryl and Loretta Gray. The Hodges Harbrace Handbook. 17th Edition. Boston:
Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2010. ISBN 13: 978-0-495-79756-2
Word Smart.* New York: Random House, Inc. ISBN: 10:0-375-76575-1
Recommended Materials: USB Flash Drive and college-level dictionary and thesaurus
All supplementary readings for the course will be posted under course content
Regulations Specific to the Online Classroom:
All students must remain actively engaged in this online class for the duration of the semester and
is responsible for submitting assignments to the drop box by the noted due date.
Communication:

At some point in the semester, you will find yourself in need of assistance, whether you just
have a quick question about an assignment or a more serious issue to discuss with me that
might affect your attendance or performance. Here are some tips:

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Course Syllabus

Communicate early and often. Allowing me to assist you with questions as they arise will
prevent you from harboring confusions or concerns that could impact your course grade.

Communicate at a distance via e-mail. My e-mail contact information is at the top of the
syllabus.

Respond to my communication. If I am concerned about your performance in my class, I

will initially send you an e-mail message or include comments with your grades via LSCOnline. Consider this an invitation to engage in a conversation about your potential success
in the class.

Be honest with yourself and your instructor. You will be able to plan and improve your
work more effectively if you examine your abilities and obstacles early on and manage
your time accordingly. On a related note, I can help you more efficiently if I have accurate
information about your progress and any challenges you might be facing while completing
assignments. Communicate with your peers.
Take advantage of opportunities to interact with your classmates throughout the semester.

Etiquette in the Online Classroom: No form of disrespectful commentary will be tolerated at any

time under any circumstances during this online course. Any student who makes a disrespectful
comment to me on submitted assignments or another student during any discussion forum sessions,
writing prompt responses, or any other posted assignment or activity will receive a zero for the
days activity. Any student displaying consistent disrespect to me or another student, or any form
of offensive rhetoric including, but not limited to profanity, racial discriminatory comments,
discrimination against orientation etc. will not be tolerated and referred to a conference with the
appropriate department chair or dean of his or her respected department, or possibly dropped from
this course altogether. At this level, we are all adults, therefore, we must act like it at all times.
Juvenile high school behavior will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
Assignments: All essay assignment must illustrate the 5-paragraph essay structure including
introduction and thesis statement, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Major essays required
for this course will include the following: A Diagnostic Essay (used for me as the professor to
assess writing ability and skill). Essays requiring a research component (3-4 scholarly secondary
sources minimum) throughout the course will include a Persuasive Essay, Cause and Effect Essay,
Compare and Contrast Essay and a Research Essay over an open topic relevant to your particular
field of study. There will also be a Personal Memoire Essay required which is an essay over a
personal significant topic or aspect of your life. All essays must be typed, double-spaced, and
display standard 12-size font to receive full credit.
All essays should show organization and clarity in their support and delivery of thematic ideas. All
major essays should illustrate proper MLA or APA format including proper in-text
documentation and a works cited page at the end of the paper. Daily grades will be determined
by several submitted writing and reading responses. There will also be a midterm exam given at
the mid-point of the semester, as well as a final exam essay given at the conclusion of the semester.
The course syllabus, all major essay assignment prompts including the midterm and final exam, as
well as other instructional materials are posted within the Content tab in blackboard and
available for viewing and downloading.
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Course Syllabus

Instructional Materials: All instructional aids such as PowerPoint Presentations and other
instructional notes related to various assignments will be posted under the course content table
for viewing and downloading.
University Attendance Policy: University policy states that class attendance is mandatory for all
students. Within the first 20 days of a class, a student may be dropped from the course after
accumulating absences in excess of 10 percent of the total hours of instruction (lecture and/or lab).
In other words, a three credit-hour class meeting three hours per week results in 48 total hours of
classroom instruction; consequently, a student can be dropped after six hours of absence. Failure to
withdraw officially may result in a grade of F in the course. Students who wish to drop a course or
withdraw from the university are responsible for initiating this action. Students may be dropped
from courses in which they have accrued excessive absences. Class absences will be recorded and
counted only from the actual day of enrollment for the individual student in this specific class.
Make-up Policy and Acceptance of Late Assignments: Students who miss class or work due to
an absence bear the responsibility of informing the instructor of university-excused absences
within one week following the period of the excused absence and of making up the missed work.
The instructor shall give the student an opportunity to make up the work and/or the exams missed
due to an excused absence within the semester. The method of making up this work shall be
determined by the faculty member. If a student has an excused absence on a day when a quiz is
given, the instructor may deny permission for a makeup exam and simply calculate the students
grade on the basis of the remaining requirements. The faculty member should discuss the decision
with the student.
Excused Absences fall into two categories: mandatory and discretionary. Mandatory excused
absences must be granted students whenever they are representing the University in an official
capacity and have been granted permission by the Office of the Universitys top Academic Office
(Provost). Students are responsible for all work missed while representing the University and are
responsible for requesting makeup work when they return. Discretionary excused absences are at
the discretion of the instructor and may be granted for verified illness, death in a students
immediate family, obligation of a student at legal proceedings in fulfilling his or her responsibility
as a citizen, major religious holidays, and others determined by individual faculty to be excusable.
Scholastic Honesty: Students are held accountable for doing their own work and for learning to
research and to document material ethically. Students should avoid all forms of academic
dishonesty, including plagiarism (appropriating another persons words or ideas as ones own),
collusion (working with another person in the preparation of written work for credit unless that
collaboration is specifically approved in advance by the instructor), cheating (offering, soliciting,
or using prepared material during a test), and impersonation (allowing another person to attend
class, take examinations, or complete graded work on behalf of an enrolled student).
Disability Services: Through the Office of Disability Services, Texas Southern University
provides individualized reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities as defined by the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of
2008, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. These federal acts mandate equal
opportunities for qualified persons with disabilities in all public facilities, programs, activities,
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Course Syllabus

services, and benefits derived from them. In order to receive accommodations a student must have
documented mental or physical disability that substantially limits a major life activity. Some
examples of major life activities that would impact learning are: seeing, hearing, concentrating,
communicating, reading, and writing. Reasonable accommodations are recommended based on the
application review process and supporting documentation; however, approved accommodations
shall not modify course objectives.
Additional information: Professor Classroom Rules
1. Each student is responsible for fulfilling all reading assignments, for doing any library or
research assignments, and for participating in subsequent in-class discussions on the
assignments
2. Cheating or collusion on any tests, written assignments, or formal examinations will not be
tolerated. Such improprieties as the aforementioned are tantamount to failing the course
and to being recommended for expulsion from the University.
3. Each student is responsible for keeping a journal for this course; the journal is comprised of
well-written paragraphs (approximately one page) and developed according to five of the
following modes of exposition which will be covered in class (narration, description,
exemplification, cause/effect, classification, process/method analysis, argumentation, and
comparison/contrast). Journal entries must be typed, and hard copies (five entries per
week) are due on Mondays of each week of class.
4. All material borrowed from secondary sources must be documented according to MLA or
APA standards.
5. Submit out- of- class assignments to appropriate Blackboard Safe Assignment sites for
this class.

Cell phones or headphones may not be used in the classroom or be audible or visible.

Laptops may be used in the classroom only with permission from the instructor.

Students entering the class after roll call will be marked absent.

Submission Format/Revision Policy: (see above grading opportunities) All papers must be typed (Times
New Roman 12-point type) and double-spaced. The Modern Language Manuscript (MLA) or APA Format
must be used for all submissions, electronic and paper. Handwritten presentations for out-of-class
assignments will not be accepted.

Units of Study*(Weekly)
Week 1 (8/24-28)

Introduction to Course Texts and Course Requirements

Unit One: An Approach to Academic Writing.

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Course Syllabus

Diagnostic Essay Due (Friday 8-28 by 10:00PM): See assignment

prompt posted under course content. Submit to drop box.

Verbs:

Complete Task One and Two (Pgs. 2 and 3)

Complete Task Four (Pg. 6)
Read pages 8-9 (properly organizing a text) Complete Task Six (Pg. 10)

Read Language Focus: The Vocabulary Shift Verbs (Pg. 17)

Complete Task Eleven (Pgs. 18-19)
Complete Task Twelve (Pg. 19)

Read key points regarding sentence connectors: semicolons, colons, dashes

and commas (Pg. 38). Review Figure 3. Punctuation (Pg. 39)

Complete Task Eighteen (Pg. 41)

Review of Word Choice: Complete Task Twenty-One and Twenty-Two

(Pgs. 45-46).

Review rules regarding comma splices, fused sentences, fragments

(see handout posted under content).

All assignments instructing you to complete, please submit them

to the course drop box by Sunday 8-30-2015 by 10:00pm. A total
of 7 assignments should be submitted this week clearly indicating
the particular task.

Week 2 (8/31-9/4) Unit Two: General-Specific and Specific-General Texts

Week 3 (9/7-9/11)
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Read unit introduction (Pg. 55)

Complete Task Two (Pg. 60)
Read Opening with Definitions and Writing a Definition (Pgs.
65- 66).
Complete Tasks Five and Six (Pgs. 67 and 70)
Read Variations in Definitions (Pgs. 85-86)
Complete Task Sixteen (Pgs. 86-87)
All assignments instructing you to complete, please submit
them to the course drop box by Sunday 9-6-2015 by 10:00pm.
A total of 3 assignments should be submitted this week clearly
indicating the particular task.

Unit Three: Problem, Process, and Solution

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Course Syllabus

Persuasive Essay Due (Friday 9-11 by 10:00PM). See

assignment prompt under course content. Submit to drop
box.

Week 4 (9/14-9/18)

Read unit introduction (Pg. 100)

Complete Task One (Pgs. 101-104)
Complete Task Three (Pgs. 107-108)
Complete Task Four (Pgs. 109-111)
Complete Task Five (Pg. 112-113)
All assignments instructing you to complete, please submit
them to the course drop box by Sunday 9-13-2015 by
10:00pm. A total of 4 assignments should be submitted this
week clearly indicating the particular task.

Unit Three: Problem, Process, and Solution (Continued)

A look at Cause and Effect Relationships

Week 5 (9/21-9/25)

Complete Task Six (Pg. 114)

Read Language Focus: - ing Clauses to Indicate Cause and
Effect (Pgs. 115-116)
Complete Tasks Seven and Eight (Pgs. 116-117)
For the remainder of this week, work on major
All assignments instructing you to complete, please
submit them to the course drop box by Sunday 9-20-2015
by 10:00pm. A total of 4 assignments should be
submitted this week clearly indicating the particular task.

Unit Four: Data Commentary

Cause and Effect Essay due (Friday 9-25 by 10:00PM). See
assignment prompt under course content. Submit to drop box

Week 6 (9/28-10/2)
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Read unit introduction (Pg. 139)

Complete Task Two (Pgs. 141-144)
Read: Language Focus: Specific ways of Moderating
or Qualifying a Claim (Pgs. 159-163)
Complete Tasks Ten and Eleven (Pgs. 163-154)
Read: Language Focus: Dealing with Unexpected
Outcomes or Problems (Pg. 174)
All assignments instructing you to complete, please
submit them to the course drop box by Sunday 927-2015 by 10:00pm. A total of 3 assignments should
be submitted this week clearly indicating the
particular task.

Unit Six: Writing Critiques

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Week 7 (10/5-10/9

Course Syllabus

Read unit introduction (Pgs. 228-229

Complete Task One (Pg. 229)
Read Book Reviews (Pg. 230).
Complete Task Two (Pgs. 230-231)
Complete Task Four (Pg. 233-236). Analyzing a
book review.
Complete Task Five (Pgs. 237-239)
All assignments instructing you to complete,
please submit them to the course drop box by
Sunday 10-4-2015 by 10:00pm. A total of 4
assignments should be submitted this week clearly
indicating the particular task.

Unit Six: Writing Critiques (Continued)

Compare and Contrast Essay due (Friday 10-9 by 10:00PM).
See assignment prompt under course content. Submit to drop
box.

Week 8 (10/12-10/16)

Read: Language Focus: Evaluative Language (Pg.

242)
Complete Task Seven (Pg. 243)
Complete Task Nine (Pgs. 245-248)
Read Evaluating a Published Article (Pg. 248-250)
Complete Task Ten (Pgs. 250-257).
Complete Task Twelve (Pg. 259)
Read Reaction Papers (Pg. 270)
Complete Task Nineteen (Pg. 271-273)
All assignments instructing you to complete,
please submit them to the course drop box by
Sunday 10-11-2015 by 10:00pm. A total of 5
assignments should be submitted this week clearly
indicating the particular task.

Unit Seven: Constructing a Research Paper I

Midterm Exam Essay (Due Friday 10-16 by 10:00PM). See
Midterm Exam Essay prompt under course content.
Submit to drop box.

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Read unit introduction (Pg. 277)

Read Types of Journal Publication (Pg. 278279)
Complete Task Two (Pg. 279)
Complete Task Three (Pg. 281-283)
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Week 9 (10/19-10/23)

Course Syllabus

Read Longer Research Papers (Pgs. 284-286)

Complete Task Four (Pgs. 286-287)
Complete Task Five (Pg. 288).
All assignments instructing you to complete,
please submit them to the course drop box by
Sunday 10-18-2015 by 10:00pm. A total of 4
assignments should be submitted this week
clearly indicating the particular task.

Unit Seven: Constructing a Research Paper I (Continued)

Personal Memoir Essay (Due Friday 10-23 by 10:00PM). See
assignment prompt under course content. Submit to drop
box.

Week 10 (10/26-10/30)

Read Methods Sections (Pg. 289)

Complete Task Six (Pgs. 290-291)
Complete Task Eight (Pgs. 293-295)
Read Results Sections (Pg. 305-306)
Complete Task Eleven (Pgs. 307-309)
Complete Task Thirteen (Pgs. 312-313)
All assignments instructing you to complete,
please submit them to the course drop box by
Sunday 10-25-2015 by 10:00pm. A total of 4
assignments should be submitted this week
clearly indicating the particular task.

Unit Eight: Constructing a Research Paper II

Week 11 (11/2-11/6)
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Read unit introduction (Pg. 237-328)

Complete Task One (Pg. 329-330)
Read Creating a Research Space (Pg. 331)
Complete Task Two (Pgs. 332-333)
Complete Task Nine (Pgs. 341-343)
Complete Task Eleven (Pg. 347)
All assignments instructing you to
complete, please submit them to the
course drop box by Sunday 11-1-2015 by
10:00pm. A total of 4 assignments should
be submitted this week clearly indicating
the particular task.

Unit Eight: Constructing a Research Paper II (Continued)

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Week 12

(11/9-11/13)

Course Syllabus

Read: Purpose Statements and Tense (Pg. 356)

Read Completing an Introduction (Pg. 357)
Read Outlining the Structure of the Text (Pg.
360)
Complete Task Eighteen (Pg. 361)
Complete Task Nineteen (Pg. 362-363)
Complete Task Twenty (Pg. 363)
Read: Discussion Sections (Pg. 363)
Complete Task Twenty-One (Pg. 364-365)
All assignments instructing you to complete,
please submit them to the course drop box by
Sunday 11-8-2015 by 10:00pm. A total of 4
assignments should be submitted this week
clearly indicating the particular task.

Unit Eight: Constructing a Research Paper II (Continued)

Complete Task Twenty-Two (Pg. 367)

Read: The Structure of Discussion Sections
(Pgs. 368-369)
Complete Task Twenty-Four (Pg. 370)
Read: Language Focus: Levels of
Generalization (Pg. 371)
Read: Limitations in Discussions Sections (Pg.
372-373)
All assignments instructing you to complete,
please submit them to the course drop box by
Sunday 11-15-2015 by 10:00pm. A total of 2
assignments should be submitted this week
clearly indicating the particular task.

Week 13 (11/16-11/20)

Unit Eight: Constructing a Research Paper II (Continued)

Research Paper over a topic related to your particular field of
study (Due Friday 11-20 by 10:00PM). See assignment prompt
under course content. Submit to drop box.

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Complete Task Twenty-Five (Pg. 373)

Complete Task Twenty-Six (Pg. 373-377)
Read: Titles (Pg. 378-381)
Complete Task Twenty-Eight (Pg. 381)
Complete Task Thirty (Pg. 383)
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Course Syllabus

All assignments instructing you to complete,

please submit them to the course drop box by
Sunday 11-22-2015 by 10:00pm. A total of 4
assignments should be submitted this week
clearly indicating the particular task.

Week 14 (11/23-11/24)

Unit Eight: Constructing a Research Paper II (Continued)

(Thanksgiving Week)

Read Abstracts (Pg. 384)

Complete Task Thirty-One (Pg. 385-386)

Week 15 (11/30-12/4)

Conference week for questions and class-related inquiries.

Prepare for final exam.

Week 16 (12/7-12-11)

Final Exam Week

Final Exam Essay due over a selected open topic (Due
Monday 12-7 by 10:00PM). See Final Exam Essay prompt
under course content. Submit to drop box.

Grading Opportunities: (Although English 501 is a pass/fail course, assignments will be

assigned numerical and letter grades. You are expected to achieve a grade of 85% to pass
this course.)
Your papers are graded on content, grammar, mechanics, and punctuation.
Your overall course grade will be computed according to the following breakdown:
Assignment
Major Daily Assignments / Participation
Midterm Examination
Major Essays and Final Research Paper
Final Examination
TOTAL
Grading Standards
Letter grade: A+
Letter grade: A
Letter grade: ALetter grade: B+
Letter grade: B
Letter grade: BLetter grade: C+
Letter grade: C
Letter grade: CLetter grade: D+
Letter grade: D
Letter grade: DRevised October 2013

Weight
25%
25%
25%
25%
100%
Range
96 100
95-93
92-90
89-86
85-83
82-80
79-76
75-73
72-70
69-66
65-63
62-60
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Course Syllabus

Letter grade: F
59-0
*Refer to the student handbooks and departmental standards for minimal acceptance for passing
grade.
Conference (s): Each student enrolled in the course will have a midterm conference with the
professor scheduled outside of class time. Students are expected to keep this appointment.

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