Course Syllabus
Welcome to ENGL001: English Composition I. General information about this course and its requirements can be found below.
Course Designers: Carolyn Tedholm and Carolyn Savoldy
Course Description: Introductory course on composition, developing the ability to write clear, grammatically-sound expository and persuasive prose.
Getting Started
After familiarizing yourself with the following course syllabus, enroll in this course using the "Enroll me in this course” button located on the left hand toolbar. Once enrolled, navigate to Unit 1 of the course to read the Unit Introduction and Unit 1 Learning Outcomes. Links and instructions for all unit specific course resources will follow the introductory materials.
Evaluation and Minimum Passing Scores
In order to pass this course, you will need to earn a 70% or higher on the final exam. Your score on the exam will be tabulated as soon as you complete it. If you do not pass the exam on your first attempt, you may take it again as many times as needed, following a 7-day waiting period between each attempt.
You will only receive an official grade on your final exam. However, in order to adequately prepare for this exam, we recommend that you work through the materials in each unit. Throughout the course you may find practice quizzes or other assignments that will help you master material and gauge your learning. Scores on these assignments are informational only and do not contribute to your overall course grade.
Technical Requirements
This course is delivered fully online. You will be required to have access to a computer or web-capable mobile device and have consistent access to the internet to either view or download the necessary course resources and to attempt any auto-graded course assessments and the final exam.
To access the full course including assessments and the final exam, you will need to be logged into your Saylor Academy account and enrolled in the course. If you do not already have an account, you may create one, free of charge, here. Although you can access some course resources without being logged into your account, it's advised that you login to maximize your course experience. For example, some of the accessibility and progress tracking features are only available when you are logged in.
For additional technical guidance check out Saylor's tech-FAQ and the Moodle LMS tutorial .
Fees
There is no cost to access and enroll in this course. All required course resources linked throughout the course, including textbooks, videos, webpages, activities, etc are accessible for no charge. This course also contains a free final exam and course completion certificate.
Time Commitment
While learning styles can vary considerably and any particular student will take more or less time to learn or read, we estimate that the "average" student will take 103 hours to complete this course. Each resource and activity within the course is similarly tagged with an estimated time advisory. We recommend that you work through the course at a pace that is comfortable for you and allows you to make regular (daily, or at least weekly) progress. It's a good idea to also schedule your study time in advance and try as best as you can to stick to that schedule.
It may be useful to take a look at these time advisories, to determine how much time you have over the next few weeks to complete each unit, and then to set goals for yourself. Perhaps you can sit down with your calendar and decide to complete Subunits 1.1 (a total of 2.5 hours) on Monday; Subunit 1.2 (a total of 4 hours) on Tuesday and Wednesday nights; the introduction and the Subunit 1.3.1 materials (a total of 3.5 hours) on Thursday; etc.
Tips/Suggestions
Learning new material can be challenging, so below we've compiled a few suggested study strategies to help you succeed.
Take notes on the various terms, practices, and theories as you read. This can help you differentiate and contextualize concepts and later provide you with a refresher as you study.
As you progress through the materials, take time to test yourself on what you have retained and how well you understand the concepts. The process of reflection is important for creating a memory of the materials you learn; it will increase the probability that you ultimately retain the information.
Although you may work through this course completely independently, you may find it helpful to connect with other Saylor students through the discussion forums. You may access the discussion forums at https://discourse.saylor.org
.
Pay special attention to Unit 1, as it will lay the groundwork for understanding the more advanced, explanatory material presented in the latter units.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- demonstrate mastery of the principles of grammar, usage, mechanics, and sentence structure;
- identify the thesis statement in an essay;
- develop a thesis statement, structure it in an introductory paragraph, and support it with the body of the essay;
- organize ideas logically within an essay and employ adequate transitional devices to ensure coherence, flow, and focus;
- differentiate between rhetorical strategies and write with an awareness of rhetorical technique and audience;
- differentiate between tones and write with an awareness of how tone affects the audience's experience;
- demonstrate critical and analytical thinking for reading and writing purposes;
- quote, paraphrase, and document the work of others; and
- write sentences that vary in length and structure.
Throughout this course, you'll also see related learning outcomes identified in each unit. You can use the learning outcomes to help organize your learning and gauge your progress.
Suggested Prerequisites
In order to take this course, you should:
- have read the Saylor Student Handbook
.