Spring 2025 Course Syllabus
Course: DENG-0301 (Section: 01, CRN: 10137)
Foundations of Composition 		LSCPA Logo Image
Instructor Information
Instructor Chelsey Galloway
Email daigleca1@lamarpa.edu
Phone (409) 984-6321
Office Student Center - Room: 409
Office Hours M/W 8-11am, T/TR 1:30-2:30pm, F 12-2pm; or by appointment. 
Additional Contact Information Email is the BEST method to reach me, and I accept emails any time, nights and weekends included.
Course Information
Description Intensive study of and practice in writing processes, from invention and researching to drafting, revising, and editing, both individually and collaboratively. Emphasis on effective rhetorical choices, including audience, purpose, arrangement, and style. Focus on writing the academic essay as a vehicle for learning, communicating, and critical analysis.
Required Textbooks Textbook Purchasing Statement: A student attending Lamar State College Port Arthur is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from the college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer.

There is NO textbook for this course; all materials will be provided through Blackboard.
Additional Materials/Resources
  • Consistent access to a computer (not just a cellphone) with the internet.
  • Sufficient familiarity with Blackboard-- everything we do will be through this platform!
  • General understanding of Microsoft Office (through your MyLSCPA), especially Word and Outlook.
Corequisites/Prerequisites None
Learning Outcomes
  1. Locate explicit textual information, draw complex inferences, and describe, analyze, and evaluate the information within and across multiple texts of varying lengths.
  2. Comprehend and use vocabulary effectively in oral communication, reading, and writing.
  3. Identify and analyze the audience, purpose, and message across a variety of texts.
  4. Describe and apply insights gained from reading and writing a variety of texts. INRW 0373 Master Course Syllabus Approved May 2021
  5. Compose a variety of texts that demonstrate reading comprehension, clear focus, logical development of ideas, and use of appropriate language that advance the writer’s purpose.
  6. Determine and use effective approaches and rhetorical strategies for given reading and writing situations.
  7. Generate ideas and gather information relevant to the topic and purpose, incorporating the ideas and words of other writers in student writing using established strategies.
  8. Evaluate relevance and quality of ideas and information in recognizing, formulating, and developing a claim.
  9. Develop and use effective reading and revision strategies to strengthen the writer’s ability to compose college-level writing assignments.
  10. Recognize and apply the conventions of Standard English in reading and writing.
Core Objectives * Communication skills: Students will demonstrate effective written, oral and/or visual communication.
* Critical Thinking Skills: Students will engage in creative and/or innovative thinking, and/or inquiry, analysis, evaluation, synthesis of information, organizing concepts and constructing solutions.
* Personal Responsibility: Students will demonstrate the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making.
* Teamwork: Students will demonstrate the ability to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal and consider different points of view.
Lecture Topics Outline Unit 1- Grammar
Unit 2- The Writing Process
Unit 3- Research-Based Academic Essay
Major Assignments Schedule
  • Meet Your Professor
  • Introduction Discussion Board (assignment)
  • Email Etiquette (assignment)
  • Syllabus
  • Assignment Schedule
  • Plagiarism Contract (assignment)
  • Blackboard Orientation
  • Introduction to the Course (Unit Test)

Unit 1- Grammar

  • Grammar Diagnostic Pre-Test (assignment)
  • Objectives/Assignments (Short Exercises and Quizzes)
  • Parts of Speech- Subjects/Nouns/Pronouns- Verbs- Adjectives/Adverbs- Prepositions- Conjunctions- Quiz
  • Punctuation- Commas- End Punctuation- Apostrophes- Quotation Marks/Italics- Other Punctuation- Quiz
  • Common Errors- Fragment Sentences- Run-on (Fused) Sentences- Comma Splices- Quiz
  • Unit 1 Exam

Unit 2- The Writing Process

  • Writing Sentences
  • Writing Paragraphs
  • Elements of the Essay
  • The Writing Process
  • MLA Format/ 5- Paragraph Structure

Unit 4- Research-Based Academic Essay

  • Essay Topic (assignment)
  • Secondary Sources/Library Databases- Source Approval (assignment)
  • Thesis Workshop (assignment)
  • Outline (assignment)
  • Rough Draft (assignment)-Revising, Editing, Proofreading-Peer Review
  • Final Draft = Final Exam
Final Exam Date May 14, 2025 - 12:00 AM   Through  May 14, 2025 - 11:59 PM
Grading Scale  90 - 100=A 80 - 89=B  70 - 79=C   60 - 69=D  Below 59 = F
Determination of
Final Grade

Final grades will be calculated according to the following criteria:

+ Attendance/Participation--20%

+ Grammar Assignments--20%

+ Unit Tests--20%

+ Essay Writing Assignments--20%

+ Final Exam Essay--20%

= Final Grade-- 100%
Course Policies
Instructor Policies
  • All assignments for this class will be available through Blackboard, and all grades will be displayed in the Bb Gradebook. 
  • You must go through the course's Learning Modules/Units and Content Folders to access your assignments-- NOT through Gradebook or your Blackboard Activity pages.
  • Assignments will vary in form: reading exercises, writing exercises, quizzes, and academic essays.
  • You will be asked to demonstrate your reading and writing skills in various ways in this class, but I will do my best to provide specific instructions and examples for assignments, as needed. 
  • Revise/Resubmit policy: for most assignments, you will be allowed to Revise (aka edit/fix) the first attempt and Resubmit it as a second attempt in order to earn a higher grade, and some assignments will require that you Revise and Resubmit the assignment before you can move on to the next assignment. 
  • Grades for submitted assignments will be submitted in a timely manner; please understand that English is not a "simple" subject to grade, and it may take more time for grades to be returned to you due to the nature of our content. 
  • Due Dates will be set in Blackboard as needed on assignments, and an automatic 0 grade will be issued for any work that is submitted after the due date. 
  • Plagiarism can be defined as submitting another person’s or AI’s ideas, words, images, or data without giving that person credit or proper acknowledgment. Plagiarism, a form of academic dishonesty, is tantamount to stealing and will not be tolerated. Plagiarism is a serious issue, especially in the academic environment, and now that you are in college you are responsible for yourself and knowing what plagiarism is. Ignorance is NOT a defense. Instructors MUST be able to rely on the integrity of a student’s work in order to maintain a climate for successful learning. Plagiarism reflects character; therefore, you should diligently avoid inadvertent plagiarism. When you are unsure if acknowledgment is needed, ask the teacher. The penalties for blatant plagiarism include loss of credit for the assignment (it will be a 0, zero) and NO opportunity to rewrite it. This may significantly lower your final grade. Furthermore, plagiarism, a form of cheating, can result in serious repercussions at the college level.
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Attendance Policy Your attendance counts for 20% of your overall grade in this class, and it will be determined by your physical presence during class meetings times as well as through your active participation in class discussions. 
Additional Information So, how does this all work? Well, we will start with Grammar to ensure that everyone has a good grasp of the mechanics and conventions of writing. Then we will move on to The Writing Process, which will also help with your English 1301 class-- this is where we will spend most of our semester, but I will continue to work on your specific grammar needs throughout. I want you to think of me as your personal writing assistant-- I am here to help you become the kind of writer that will help you succeed in college and in your future career! 
Institutional Policies
MyLSCPA Be sure to check your campus email and Course Homepage using MyLSCPA campus web portal. You can also access your grades, transcripts, academic advisors, degree progress, and other services through MyLSCPA.
Academic Honesty Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSCPA policies (Academic Dishonesty section in the Student Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty.
ADA Considerations The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Disability Services Coordinator, Room 117, in the Student Sucess Center. The phone number is (409) 984-6241.
COVID 19 Information The Lamar State College Port Arthur (LSCPA) Student Code of Conduct COVID 19 Policy requires students who have been diagnosed with COVID 19 to report their condition directly to their local health department. Students should also contact their course faculty to report their quarantine status. In addition, this policy requires all students to wear face coverings when directly exposed to COVID 19 in compliance with the criteria included in the policy. For more information please refer to the COVID 19 link on the LSCPA website.
Facility Policies No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Use of electronic devices is prohibited.
HB 2504 This syllabus is part of LSCPA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.
Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect As per Texas law and LSCPA policy, all LSCPA employees, including faculty, are required to report allegations or disclosures of child abuse or neglect to the designated authorities, which may include a local or state law enforcement agency or the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. For more information about mandatory reporting requirements, see LSCPA's Policy and Procedure Manual.
Title IX and Sexual Misconduct LSCPA is committed to establishing and maintaining an environment that is free from all forms of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other forms of sexual misconduct. All LSCPA employees, including faculty, have the responsibility to report disclosures of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual assault (including rape and acquaintance rape), domestic violence, dating violence, relationship violence, or stalking, to LSCPA's Title IX Coordinator, whose role is to coordinate the college's response to sexual misconduct. For more information about Title IX protections, faculty reporting responsibilities, options for confidential reporting, and the resources available for support visit LSCPA's Title IX website.
Clery Act Crime Reporting For more information about the Clery Act and crime reporting, see the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report and the Campus Security website.
Grievance / Complaint / Concern If you have a grievance, complaint, or concern about this course that has not been resolved through discussion with the Instructor, please consult the Department Chair.
Department Information
General Education and Developmental Studies
Chair:Dr. Steven Zani
Email:zanisj@lamarpa.edu
Phone:(409) 984-6431