Outcomes Resources

(An example of the"behavioral objectives" approach to outcomes, courtesy of Chet Pryor, cpryor@DGS.dgsys.com)

DIVISION OF HUMANITIES AND ARTS

I. Course Title: Composition and Literary Forms

II. Course Number: English 102

III. Semester Credit Hours: Three

IV. Prerequisites:

Successful completion of English 101. It is assumed that the incoming student can write a coherent, meaningful, orderly, and unified argumentative essay having a mechanical error rate (grammar, punctuation, and spelling) of less that 3 total errors per 500 words.

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VII. General Course Goals and Objectives:

A. Course Goals

By the end of the course you should:

1. be able to use effective organization principles for writing about works of literature.

2. be able to write about a piece of literature to a specific reader, using appropriate literary terms that your reader understands.

3. be able to write about objective and subjective responses to literature

4. be able to summarize a work of literature accurately.

5. be able to evaluate in writing and orally the interpretations of others.

6. understand and be able to use effective prewriting, proofreading, and revising techniques that work for you.

7. be able to edit your own writing for clarity, conciseness and unity.

8. be able to use effectively quotations and paraphrases from primary and/or secondary sources in your writing.

9. be able to recognize logical fallacies in your own writing and oral Participation.

10. continue to employ standard punctuation, grammar and usage.

11. continue to use words precisely and economically.

12. continue to evolve a personal writing style.

13. be able to write, in class, an essay on an assigned topic.

14. know the importance and qualities of effective listening and be able to listen to others effectively.

15. be able to participate effectively in group discussions about literature.

16. understand the basic approaches and methods used to analyze literature.

17. be able to argue the validity of your analysis of a piece of literature.

18. be able to read and enjoy poetry, fiction and drama as a vicarious experience.

19. feel analysis of literature enhances its aesthetic appreciation and is a rewarding emotional and intellectual experience.

20. be able to relate to your daily life the topics, themes, and conflicts that occur in literature.

21. be able to read and understand a piece of literature and desire to continue to read and analyze literature.

22. feel confident about your ability to analyze literature.

VIII. Specific Course Objectives

A. The focus of this section of English 102 will be the way in which literature enhances our understanding of ourselves and our world. For that reason the literature you'll be asked to read will emphasize life stages which are critical. The course will be divided into 5 major segments.

1. An introduction of literary forms. During the first two weeks of class you will be introduced to major literary qenres. You'll be asked to develop a vocabulary for talking about literature and to demonstrate your understanding of literary forms.

2. Adolescence to Adulthood: You'll be asked to read and discuss several stories, poems and plays that deal with this period in one's life.

3. Major Adult Concerns: Sexual roles and relationship, child- bearing and child-rearing, work. You'll be asked to read and discuss works of literature that emphasize these concerns.

4. Mid-life Crisis: Through a variety of literary works, you'll examine the special concerns of people in their middle years.

5. Old Age and Death: The literature you'll read and discuss in this section wil explore various ways of coping with aging and with death.

B. In addition to the reading and discussion, you'll be asked to write several papers. (Don't worry, each paper will be thoroughly introduced to you, so you'll know precisely what is expected.) Briefly the papers will involve:

1. an initiation story which recreates an important event from your adolescence.

2. an analytical essay defending your position on one of the following: sexual roles, child rearing, the role of work in one's life.

3. a character analysis of one of the protagonists in the mid-life crisis segment.

4. An essay describing specific ways in which the literature of the course has altered your perceptions of adult life.

5. A book review of a novel to be selected from a bibliography provided by the instructor. This review will be shared orally with the class.

6. In addition you must keep a journal of your experience of the course. Again I'll spend some time discussing the journal with you.

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X. Evaluation:

Please read page 31 in the Dundalk Community College Catalog for an explanation of the grading system used at the college.

. . .

The grade of "D" will be earned if all of the specific course objectives are completed at a marginal level.

The grade of "C" will be earned when you complete all of the specific course objectives at an acceptable level.

The grade of "B" will be earned when you complete the objectives at a superior level.

To receive an "A" each assignment must be completed at an excellent leve1.Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; name="chet_101.txt"

Content-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.94.970408012423.6601B@DGS> Content-Description:

FRESHMAN WRITING ENGLISH 101

DUNDALK COMMUNITY COLLEGE 7200 SOLLERS POINT ROAD DUNDALK, MARYLAND 21222

Division of Humanities and Arts

I. Course Title: Freshman Writing II. Course Number: English 101 III. Semester Credit Hours: Three

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VII. A. General Course Goals: (What is the destination of this trip?)

After completing the course, you should:

1. Understand what constitutes an effective communication.

2. Understand what factors block or diminish the effectiveness of a communication, particularly your own.

3. Understand what techniques and approaches you can use in communicating effectively, through speaking and writing.

4. Use the techniques and approaches for communicating to express your ideas and emotions honestly, clearly, coherently, and effectively.

5. Use a systematic pre-writing and revision sequence to formulate a communication.

6. Use effective personal proofreading techniques for eliminating errors.

7. Understand and appreciate intellectual freedom.

8. Evaluate what others are communicating, determine their degree of success, and, when appropriate, suggest ways of improving the com- munication.

9. Be confident in your ability to affect the knowledge and attitudes of others through your speaking and writing.

10. Recognize, respect, and appreciate good communication, both written and oral, whether composed by you personally or by others.

11. Have an enlarged vocabulary and develop strategies for continuing to enlarge it.

12. Use a dictionary and other learning resources with confidence and accuracy.

13. Define and recognize logical fallacies when they occur and avoid their unconscious use in his/her own communication.

14. Analyze contemporary problems and use the techniques and approaches for communicating suggested solutions to these problems.

15. Continue to strive to improve your ability to communicate.

16. Recognize the need for and techniques of effective communication as they function in the social, economic, and political processes of our society.

17. Employ standard punctuation, grammar, and usage.

18. Write for a specific audience, in a voice appropriate to that audience with a specific purpose in mind.

19. Be comfortable in using imagination when communicating.

20. Use words precisely and economically.

21. Continue to evolve a personal writing style.

22. Be able to write a compelling paper that convinces and pursuades its audience. The paper must be written in a voice and style appropriate to its specified audience and purpose.

B. Specific Course Objectives: (What am I expected to do?)

For the grade of "C"

1. Attend at least 80% of the classes. Come and participate!

2. Complete at least 80% of the unannounced quizzes over the assigned reading with an overall average of 80%. No make-up quizzes for those missed due to absence.

3. Complete on your initial attempt either the vocabulary pre-test or the vocabulary post-test with at least 80% accuracy. The test is a 30 minute, 50-75 item, in-class, multiple choice examination on material contained in Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12 of the text Programmed College Vocabulary 3600.

OR

Given 25 words from a list of 200 words selected by you to learn this semester, correctly define each word and accurately use it in a sentence. 80% accuracy is required.

4. Submit on schedule a composition acceptable to me that has been created outside of class from each of the following categories:

1. a transcribed dialogue 2. an exterior monologue 3. an interior monologue 4. a description 5. a narrative written from the third person point of view 6. a process analysis theme 7. a comparison/contrast theme 8. a definition theme 9. a cause/effect theme 10. an argumentative theme

an acceptable out-of-class composition

Prior to turning in a composition to the instructor, complete the appropriate evaluation guide, including the heading. Offer your composition to two other classmates for their evaluation and obtain from each of them a completed and signed evaluation guide. If necessary, revise the composition using as a basis the remarks and evaluation guide comments elicited from your peers. To be acceptable, the essay must be accompanied by three completed evaluation guides (your own and two others), contain not more than 2 errors per 500 words (grammar, mechanics, and usage), and after reading the composition, I must be able to answer "yes" to the required questions on the evaluation quide. An essay judged to be unacceptable must be revised until it is acceptable.

5. Create, in class, on the scheduled date, using only an outline, a dictionary, and a thesaurus, an acceptable composition from each of the following categories:

1. a narrative of personal experience. 2. a generalization or opinion essay.

an acceptable in-class composition

To be acceptable, the essay must be written in class, attempted at the time scheduled, completed in the time allotted, contain not more than 5 errors per 500 words (grammar, mechanics, and usage), and after reading the essay, the instructor must be able to answer "yes" to the required questions on the appropriate evaluation quide.

6. Volunteer or agree when requested to read a fellow student's essay and to fill out the appropriate evaluation guide. If you feel you must respond "no" to any question on the evaluation guide, explain your reason(s) in writinq or orally to the author of the essay and offer positive suggestions for revision. Complete the evaluation guide heading and write under each of the sections of the quide titled "Major Strenghts:" and "Major Weaknesses:" at least one comment that the author can understand and that is helpful.

7. After studying the logic packet "Errors in Reasoning," take a logic, in-class, post test. If your score is 20 or more correct out of 25 you will have completed the unit. Should you make more than five errors on the post test, review the packet on "Errors in Reasoning," then create or collect and label from newspapers, magazines, ads, T.V., conversations, etc., one example of each of the types of fallacies you missed on the test.

8. Complete on your initial attempt either the diagnostic or the mastery test on the areas of arammar. mechanics, and usaqe with 80øS accuracy.

9. Prepare a written contract acceptable to you and to me as your instructor that outlines your plan of study in the course. It formally commits you to work for a certain grade and commits me to help you achieve that grade. Review the specific course objectives and the evaluation section of the syllabus and fill out the contract form attached to the syllabus. Bring the rough draft of the contract with you to a conference with me. I may suggest revision or alternatives. After the conference, complete a finished copy of the contract, sign it, and give it to me.

For the grade of "B" or "A"

10. A. Complete on your initial attempt either the vocabulary pre-test or the vocabulary post test over chapters 11, 15, 16 17 and 18 of Programmed College Vocabulary with 80% accuracy. The tests are 30 minutes, 50 items, in-class, multiple-choice and true and false examinations.

OR

B. Given 25 words from a list of 150 words previously selected by you, correctly define each word and accurately use it in a sentence. 80% accuracy is required.

11. Create a "logically flawed" composition in which you use logical fallacies to prove a point. To be acceptable the composition must contain a properly footnoted example of each of the 15 types of logical fallacies defined in the packet: "Errors in Reasoning," and contain not more than 2 errors per 500 words (grammar, mechanics and usage).

12. Given a list of realistic, situational topics, select two from the list and create one original situation from your own experience. Submit the selections to your instructor. The instructor will discuss your choices with you and may suggest revisions. Once the selections have been approved by the instructor, he will set a date for responding to one of the three situations.

On the date specified, you will have two hours to respond in writing to the situation selected by the instructor using only a dictionary, a thesaurus, and brief notes.

To be acceptable, the composition must be written in class, attempted on the time scheduled, completed in the time allotted, and after reading the composition the instructor must be able to answer "yes" to specified questions on the appropriate evaluation guide.

13. In consultation with the instructor you will create a special communication project. You may choose to study a particular aspect of communication (communication problems unique to the sender, the receiver, or the message), a particular branch of communications (oral, written, non-verbal), a particular form of communication (radio, movies, T.V., newspapers, records, speeches, etc.), or a particular genre of literature, or a representative sample of an author's work; you may choose to write a research paper, produce an original piece of literature or art, make a speech, write letters, or engage in any worthwhile communication activity. The project may be done individually or in collaboration with others.

The emphasis here is not on quantity of out-put. Rather, the scale of success will be quality of the end product balanced against the weight of imagination and energy necessary to conceive and carry out the project to completion. Clearly, the project is bounded only by Your imagination, energy, and time.

A contract covering the conditions of the project must be submitted to me not later than____________________. The contract must be in essay form, and its purpose is to fully describe and explain to me the project you plan to undertake.

You must have the contract approved by me BEFORE you begin the project.

The essay contract should

a. explain the project in detail, to include your purpose in under- taking it and what you personally hope to gain from it.

b. describe what the final product of the project will look like.

c. identify the specific audience for the project.

d. specify the physical and emotional response you want from your specific audience.

e. outline a method for evaluating the success of the project. (How do you want the project evaluated? What criteria should be used?)

f. state a level of acceptability (what minimum level of success must you attain to be satisfied with the project?)

g. describe the length of time required for the project, to include a projected schedule of activities.

h. point out any assistance you'll require from the instructor or the college.

Feel free to consult me at any time during the writing of the contract. When you have it in finished form submit it to me. I'll review the contract and may suggest changes. The reviewed contract will then be returned to you.

A finalized contract must be submitted to me in two copies for my approval not later than________________. Do not begin the project until the contract has been approve.

The finished project must be turned in not later than______________.

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X. Evaluation: (How do I earn a grade in this course?)

Please read page 30 in the current Dundalk Community College Catalog for the explanation of the grading system used at the college. In line with that explanation, the following procedures will be used in evaluating your achievement in this course.

The grade of "D" will be earned when you demonstrate minimal achievement of the essential course objectives. Such passing minimal achievement will be demonstrated when I feel you have made a good faith but unsuccessful attempt to complete all of objectives 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. Please remember you can't enroll in English 102 unless you have earned at least a "C" grade in English 101.

The grade of "C" will be earned by you if you demonstrate mastery of the essential elements. Such satisfactory achievements will be demonstrated when you complete course objectives 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.

The grade of "B" will be earned by you if you demonstrate mastery of the essential elements and acceptable knowledge of related concepts of course content. Such good achievement will be demonstrated when you complete course objectives 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and any one of objectives 10, 11, 12, and 13.

The grade of "A" will be earned by you if you demonstrate mastery of essential course elements, acceptable knowledge of a sampling of related concepts, plus demonstrating excellence or originality. Such excellent achievement will be demonstrated when you complete course objectives 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and any two of objectives 10, 11, 12 or 13.

You will receive the grade of D, x1 or x2 if you have not completed the "C" level objectives. If you receive an X you may convert it to a "C" grade whenever you complete the "C" level objectives; however, the work must be completed by the end of the next semester. If you do not submit or attempt assignments or post tests on time, miss class frequently, make little progress during the course or perform at a level I judge to be unacceptable for a college freshman, you will receive an X grade.

The final course grade will be arrived at only after you have had the opportunity of a conference with me where you'll discuss what level of achievement you think you have attained. I reserve the right to recognize excellence and reward it by assigning a grade higher than that contracted by you; however, your grade will not be lowered if you complete the specified contracted objectives at the required performance level.

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