Course Syllabus INGL 3103 Intermediate English Composition I, Semester 1, 2014

University of Puerto Rico-Mayagez Campus

College of Arts and Sciences
Department of English
Instructor: Stephanie Hernandez
Office: CH009
Office Hours: L 3:30-4:30pm W 3:30-5:30pm

Mailbox: English Department

E-Mail: stephanie.hernandez2@upr.edu

This document may be amended over the course of the semester in order to meet course objectives and
correct unintended errors.
General Information:
Alpha-numeric codification: INGL 3103
Course Title: Intermediate English I
Course Schedule (LWV, 1:30-2:20, CH221)
Number of credits: 3
Contact Period: 3 hours per week
Non-Contact Period: 2 hours of outside assignments for each contact hour (6 hours in total)
Course Description
English: Analysis of selected readings, such as essays, fiction, poetry or drama, and practice in writing
compositions with attention given as needed to grammar and idiomatic expressions.
Pre/Co-requisites and other requirements:
Intermediate English I (INGL 3103) is the first course of a sequence designed for entering students at the
Mayagez Campus of the University of Puerto Rico who have scored 570 or above on the College Board
Entrance Examination, but who have not qualified for advanced placement in the Honors Program of the
English Department by obtaining a score of 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement Test. Those students who
receive 3 on this test are enrolled in English 3103. Students who successfully pass INGL 3103 must pass INGL
3104 and six additional credit hours in the English department courses to satisfy University requirements.
Students who were enrolled in Basic English (INGL 3101 or 3102) in previous semesters, CANNOT take this
course. Please see me if you have any doubts about your placement in this course.
Course Objectives:
After completing INGL 3103, students should be able to demonstrate the following skills and abilities in the
area of writing:
Recognize in the texts they read several of the traditional modes of essay development such as
narrative, argument, evaluation, causal analysis, and rhetorical analysis
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Course Syllabus INGL 3103 Intermediate English Composition I, Semester 1, 2014

Effectively develop and organize the content of their own essays based on one or more of these
modes
Apply the various stages of the writing process to his or her written work, including drafting, peer
editing, and publishing
Utilize one or more prewriting techniques
Narrow a topic
State an authors purpose and intended audience
Write an effective thesis statement and recognize such statements when they are present in the
texts they encounter
Provide relevant supporting details and evidence/justification for relevant statements in their
essays
Recognize the organizational structure of essays assigned for reading
Write successful introductory, transitional and concluding paragraphs for their own essays
Carry out an elementary online research project using the campus library and/or internet including
the proper use of outside sources and the basic forms of documentation
Demonstrate correct usage of MLA documentation with general formatting, in-text citations, and
the Works Cited page

Instructional Strategies:
The following instructional strategies will be incorporated in the class in order to assure proper grasping and
application of the rhetorical, linguistic, and content-based knowledge/strategies needed to interpret,
evaluate, analyze, and critique literary texts via writing:

Lectures and Conference

In-Class and Online Discussions
Reading and Writing Workshops
Independent and Guided Research
Presentations
Group Work and Analysis

Minimum or Required Resources Available:

The required text for the course, Internet Access off campus, access to online resources needed to fulfill the
course objectives.
Course Time Frame and Thematic Outline:
Outline
I. Introduction to the Course: Syllabus, Writing Process
II. Personal essays, narratives, writing about myself, journaling
III. Writing for others, becoming part of the conversation,
(They Say?I Say text) Accomplishing an academic writing style.
IV. Using appropriate documentation MLA style
V. Argumentative Essay
2

Contact Hours
3
6
9
3
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Course Syllabus INGL 3103 Intermediate English Composition I, Semester 1, 2014

VI. Rhetorical Analysis Essay
VII. Evaluation
Total hours:

9
6
45 contact hours
3 credits

Grading System:
Quantifiable (letters)
90-100 A
80-89 B
70-79 C
65-69 D
64
F
Evaluation Strategies : While a final, graded exam is compulsory for all students registered in INGL 3103, this
course is based primarily on writing essays, not on exams or quizzes. The below chart lists the distinct tasks
required by your instructor, the quantity of each, and the percent or number of points of the total grade these
represent.
Task or product
Narrative
Argumentative
Evaluation
Quizzes
Assignments (short writings and journal responses)
Reading, summarizing and Integrating sources
exercises
Class Participation
Final Exam
TOTAL:

Quantity

2
5-7
3

Percent
10
15
15
10
20
15
5
10
100%

Expectations: Students should have some awareness of the general principles of composition (such as stating
and developing a thesis, paragraph development, etc.). Students should be fully aware that they are
responsible for submitting assignments when they are due. Points will be deducted for late papers, and any
student who desires an extension for a valid reason should see me well before the paper is due.
Essays: In terms of late essays/papers, five (-5) points will be deducted for every day of lateness that passes,
including weekends. The instructor will only accept hard copies of essays and papers; essays or papers will
NOT be accepted if sent via email. You will write two formal essays for this class. You will receive a rubric in
advance of each of these essays that clarifies criteria for evaluation.

Course Syllabus INGL 3103 Intermediate English Composition I, Semester 1, 2014

Attendance: Attendance of the course is compulsory and will be verified at the beginning of each class.
Students are expected to come to class all the time and to always be on time. The student is responsible for
all material covered on the day s/he is absent. You must provide the appropriate documentation for an
absence to be considered excused and the professor will reserve the right to accept an excuse or not. Excused
absences and tardiness count as of an unexcused absence, so make a point of being in class and on-time.
You are allowed three unexcused absences without any repercussions whatsoever. After your third unexcused
absence (or tardiness equivalent to three unexcused absences), 10% per absence will be deducted from your
final grade.
Class Participation: Class discussion is an important part of this course. Therefore, students are expected to
participate in class and contribute to class discussions. Students are expected to read all assigned material
before the start of class and to be prepared to respond to questions presented by the professor and/or their
peers. Students are expected to communicate in English with the professor and classmates.
Email: You must include in the subject line of any email you send to me: course and section number and last
name. If these items are not in the subject line I cannot guarantee that I will read your email.
Disruptive Behavior: Disruptive behavior is any behavior that obstructs the progress of the lecture or the
learning of other students. If students are disruptive they will be warned verbally. If the disruptive behavior
continues, points will be deducted from the students final grade. Disruptive behavior includes but is not
limited to, answering or making phone calls, chatting with classmates unnecessarily, doing work for other
courses, abruptly leaving the classroom, or otherwise impeding the learning process of others.
Final Exam: Students will have two hours to develop a concise and precise discussion on a topic that will be
given on the day of the final exam. Attendance to the final exam is compulsory and there are no negotiations
that can be made to substitute or eliminate this exam.
Bibliography/Required Course Texts:
Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstien. They Say/ I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing
W.W. Norton 2014
Ruszciewicz, J. and Dolmage, J. (2012). How to Write Anything: A Guide and Reference with Readings.
There are also e-books for this text that can be purchased in the student bookstore which are exact copies of
the textbook with the same page numbers.
Additional Recommended Resources (These books may be accessed in The Writing Center or in the library)
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Course Syllabus INGL 3103 Intermediate English Composition I, Semester 1, 2014

Hacker, D. (2007). A Writers Reference with Extra Help for ESL Writers. 6th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martens.
Lunsford, A. (2009). The Everyday Writer. 4th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martens.
Raimes, Ann. Keys for Writers. 5th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2008.1
Online Resources:
Blog for They Say/ I Say www.theysayiblog.com
Companion Website for They Say/ I Say (To be announced)
http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/howtowrite1e
This website offers students a guide and reference for materials and topics addressed in the book. To use this
site you will need to register as a student. Registration is free and only takes a few moments.
How to Recognize Plagiarism Tutorial
http://www.indiana.edu/~istd/
This website provides a one to two hour tutorial created by the School of Education at the Indiana University
Bloomington to help you to understand and recognize plagiarism. It also allows you to print a certificate
upon passing a related test. Your professor may require you to turn in your signed certificate as evidence that
you have confirmed your understanding of plagiarism and how to recognize it.
The Internet Detective
http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/detective/
a free online tutorial that will help you develop Internet research skills for your university and college work.
The tutorial looks at the critical thinking required when using the Internet for research and offers practical
advice on evaluating the quality of web sites.
The Owl at Purdue
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/
The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue Universityhouses writing resources and instructional
materials.Students, members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist them
with many writing projects, during any stage of the writing process.
Thesaurus.com
http://thesaurus.reference.com/
Rogets New Millennium Thesaurus includes a brief definition, synonyms, and antonyms (where
appropriate) for each entry. Arranged in easy-to-use dictionary-style format, with more than 18,000
entries.

This text is available in the General Library rather than in The Writing Center.

Course Syllabus INGL 3103 Intermediate English Composition I, Semester 1, 2014

Tomsimo
http://www.tomisimo.org/dictionary/
TomsimoTM is an English-Spanish, Spanish-English Dictionary that makes finding words easy by automatically
searching in both languages. Tomsimo aims to provide an unabridged, bilingual dictionary for the English
and Spanish languages.
Purchasing and accessing required texts
All students should have a copy of the required text for the class by the second day of class. If you receive the
Pell Grant and it has not yet arrived, the book store offers a line of credit that allows you to purchase the book
until your grant funding arrives. To take advantage of this possibility, you must bring your ID and the bill for
your registration costs. When you receive the grant check, you will repay your debt to the bookstore.
If you do not receive the Pell Grant and cannot afford to purchase the text, you must make photocopies of all
required readings from the copies of the book available on the shelves and/or on reserve in the library. There
are five copies of the text on reserve (available for one hour in the library), one reference copy (available an
unlimited time in the library) and two circulation copies (available for a two week period outside of the
library).
Recommended Material
Students are recommended to purchase a good English/Spanish dictionary to use for any and all
writing assignments.

The student is expected to have easy access to a computer and printer since the course requires
Internet research, data analysis, written assignments using word processor (Microsoft Word), and
communication with your professor via e-mail. Keep in mind that some materials are only available via
Internet and must be printed out before coming to class.

For this class it is not required to buy a copy of an MLA manual but it is imperative that the student
reviews this free online source to learn how to cite properly: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/. The
material will be used for an MLA accuracy quiz. Therefore, students are expected to be familiar with
the format.

Additional Information:
Bylaw 06-33 (Institutional Policy on Partial Exams Offered Outside of Regular Class Hours):
According to article 6 of bylaw 06-33 (Institutional Policy on Partial Exams Offered Outside of Regular Class
Hours), Partial exams offered outside of the established course period should not conflict with other classes,
laboratories, or departmental exams in the program of studies of the students registered for a course. If it is
not possible to accommodate students at the same time, or if a valid excuse is submitted by one or several
students in a timely manner prior to the exam, the principle of equity demands that these students be tested
at another time, in conditions equivalent to those of other students in the section. Article 7 indicates that
scheduling conflicts that cannot be resolved between the student and the professor can be directed to the
attention of the director or the directors of the corresponding departments, programs, or offices. Contrary to
what some professors have indicated to students, there is no reason why they should miss classes when they
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Course Syllabus INGL 3103 Intermediate English Composition I, Semester 1, 2014

confront situations like this. As such, an absence from a class due to an exam in another course will not be
excused.
According to Law 51:
All reasonable accommodations according to the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) will be coordinated with
the Dean of Students (Prof. Teresita Cruz) and in accordance with the particular needs of the student. Any
student needing such accommodations should contact the Office of the Dean of Students in the Decanato de
Estudiantes building, Office DE-6 (in front of the Jos de Diego). For more information, please call (787) 2653862 or (787) 832-4040, exts. 3258 or 3274. You may also email tcruz@uprm.edu or m_rosado@uprm.edu.
Consult the Servicios a Estudiantes con Impedimentos website (http://www.uprm.edu/sei/index2.htm) for
more details.
NB: The Dean of Students notifies the professor of accommodations that must be made for a student via a
formal letter, however students disabilities are NOT disclosed to the professor.
Departamento de Orientacin:
On the first floor of the Decanato de Estudiantes (across from the Jos de Diego building), you can access
counselors who can advise you on managing your stress, your time, and the various pressures that you might
be confronted with in your first year (or future years) at the Colegio. Don't be timid about seeking help when
you need it. Recognizing your need for help and actively seeking resources to support you is a sign of maturity.
For further information, link to http://www.uprm.edu/orientacion/index.html or to schedule an appointment,
call (787) 832-4040, extensions 2040, 3372, or 3864. This department is open Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m.
The Writing Center:
Students should take responsibility for obtaining help as needed. In addition to the instructors office hours,
the Arts and Sciences Writing Center, located at 323 Celis. The Writing Center supports all reading and writing
needs including the reading of texts, vocabulary development, pre-writing, drafting, content development,
organization, and the preparation of final drafts.
Academic Honesty:
As per Cert. 45, 2005-06, it is the institutional policy of the Mayagez Campus to observe the highest
standards of intellectual and scientific integrity and to pursue the prosecution of all violations. Violations
include plagiarism (using the work, processes, ideas, and results of others without proper credit). Moreover,
Article 14(A)(2) of the UPR General Regulations for Students identifies cheating as a punishable conduct.
As such, a professor may present a formal complaint to the Campus Disciplinary Board if she or he believes a
student has committed plagiarism. If the professor pursues this line of action, Article 15 of the UPR General
Regulations for Students stipulates that the repercussions may be the following:
A written warning which will be included in the students official record
Probation for a determined period of time
Suspension for a determined period of time
Administrative permanent withdrawal from the UPR system
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Course Syllabus INGL 3103 Intermediate English Composition I, Semester 1, 2014

Other sanctions provided by special regulation

Intermediate English I Syllabi Contract

INGL 3103 071
By signing the following document, I affirm that I have thoroughly read the course syllabus designed by
Instructor Stephanie Hernandez for the Intermediate Writing I course offered during the fall semester of 2014.
In addition, I affirm that I fully understood the evaluation methods that will be implemented in this course, and
that I understand the penalties that will apply for absences, plagiarism, late work, disruptive behavior, among
others. Lastly, by signing this document, I am pledging to follow the guidelines, rules, and stipulations found
within this course syllabus.

Student name: ______________________________________

Signature: _________________________________________
Date: ______________________________________