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UoPeople Online Syllabus Repository (OSR)

General Studies

ENGL 0101 English Composition 1

ENGL 0101: English Composition 1

Syllabus

Prerequisites: None.

Course Description: The purpose of this course is to further develop students’ English language, reading, and writing skills as a foundation for their academic studies at UoPeople. The units focus on a range of texts and genres designed to improve students’ knowledge and understanding of academic discourse. Each unit also focuses on the progressive development of reading, grammar, writing and test-taking skills.  This course is required for all students that have not demonstrated English proficiency and have been considered for provisional admission as a non-degree student.  Students must earn a 73% or higher in the course to meet the English language proficiency requirement at UoPeople.
 

*An important note on the importance of this course and the final exam: Because English language proficiency is such an essential skill for succeeding at University of the People, students must earn a score of at least 50 on the final examination.  A normalized score of less than 50 on the final examination will be an automatic failure for the course. Therefore, if you achieve a normalized score less than a 50 on your final exam, your final grade reverts to a 0.  Students who fail the exam and thus the course are also entitled to take the course a second time.

Students who earn a normalized score of 50 or higher on the final examination will have that score added to the rest of the grades they have earned in the course, and a final grade for the course will be computed. If your final grade for the course is less than a 73, your application to be a degree-seeking student cannot be reactivated because you are not yet able to demonstrate English language proficiency.

In addition to the above, please note the Final Exam will be a general English exam and not necessarily the items covered in class.

Required Textbook and Materials: UoPeople courses use open educational resources (OER) and other materials specifically donated to the University with free permissions for educational use. Therefore, students are not required to purchase any textbooks or sign up for any websites that have a cost associated with them. The main required textbooks for this course are listed below and can be readily accessed using the provided links. There may be additional required/recommended readings, supplemental materials, or other resources and websites necessary for lessons; these will be provided for you in the course's General Information and Forums area, and throughout the term via the weekly course Unit areas and the Learning Guides.

Software Requirements/Installation:

The final exam in this course is via the placement test portal. You can access the placement test portal from the final exam area in Moodle. You will be required to log in to your Moodle account to access the final exam.  

For a technical test, please visit this link well before the exam period: https://www.oxfordenglishtesting.com/showContent.aspx?id=120 This page has an automatic system check.

Path Learning Guide Unit 9: Exam Technical Requirements & Support (uopeople.edu)

You must be able to play audio for the listening part of the final exam and headphones will not be allowed, only speakers. One of the following internet browsers must be used for the course and final exam:

 

Supported browsers

Running on

Internet Explorer 9,10 and 11

(Later versions and Microsoft Edge were not tested)

Windows

Firefox

Windows

Chrome

Windows

Safari 7,8,9 (Later versions were not tested)

Mac OS

Please consult the Student Handbook regarding University of the People for additional standards of computing and networking resources.

In addition to the above, you will need a pdf viewer; however, there are bonus materials that utilize PowerPoint and YouTube-style video.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes:

By the end of this course students will be able to:

  1. Compose a 5 paragraph essay and analyze its structural components.
  2. Assess source material and identify the key concepts with their given strengths.
  3. Discuss given readings and procedures while applying techniques learned for synthesis.
  4. Strengthen critical reading skills through the building and practice of assessment strategies.
  5. Apply class techniques for improvement in their overall academic and life enhancement.

Course Schedule and Topics: This course will cover the following topics in eight learning sessions, with one Unit per week. The Final Exam will take place during Week/Unit 9 (UoPeople time).

Week 1: Unit 1 - Notes and Sentences

Week 2: Unit 2 - Pre-Writing and Paragraphs

Week 3: Unit 3 - The Thesis and APA Citations

Week 4: Unit 4 - The 5 Paragraph Essay and the Library

Week 5: Unit 5 - Reading Critically

Week 6: Unit 6 -Researching and the Sprinkles

Week 7: Unit 7 -Putting it All Together

Week 8: Unit 8 -Dubliners and Finishing Strong

Week 9: Unit 9 -Course Review and Final Exam

Learning Guide: The following is an outline of how this course will be conducted, with suggested best practices for students.

Unit 1: Notes and Sentences

  • Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
  • Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
  • Complete and submit the Written Assignment
  • Make entries to the Learning Journal
  • Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 2: Pre-Writing and Paragraphs

  • Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
  • Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
  • Complete and submit the Written Assignment
  • Make entries to the Learning Journal
  • Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 3: The Thesis and APA Citations

  • Peer assess Unit 2 Written Assignment
  • Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
  • Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
  • Make entries to the Learning Journal
  • Take the Self-Quiz
  • Take the Graded Quiz

Unit 4: The 5 Paragraph Essay and the Library

  • Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
  • Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
  • Complete and submit the Written Assignment
  • Make entries to the Learning Journal
  • Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 5: Reading Critically

  • Peer assess Unit 4 Written Assignment
  • Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
  • Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
  • Complete and submit the Written Assignment
  • Make entries to the Learning Journal
  • Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 6: Researching and the Sprinkles

  • Peer assess Unit 5 Written Assignment
  • Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
  • Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
  • Make entries to the Learning Journal
  • Take the Self-Quiz
  • Take the Graded Quiz

 Unit 7: Putting it All Together

  • Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
  • Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
  • Complete and submit the Written Assignment
  • Make entries to the Learning Journal
  • Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 8: Dubliners and Finishing Strong

  • Peer assess Unit 7 Written Assignment
  • Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
  • Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
  • Make entries to the Learning Journal
  • Read the Unit 9 Learning Guide carefully for instructions on the Final Exam
  • Complete and submit the anonymous Course Evaluation

Unit 9: Course Review and Final Exam

  • Read the Learning Guide 
  • Prepare for, take, and submit the Final Exam
  • The Final Exam will take place during the Thursday and Sunday of Week/Unit 9 (UoPeople time); exact dates, times, and other details will be provided accordingly by your instructor

Course Requirements:

Written Assignments & Assessment Forms
Some units in this course require that you complete a Written Assignment. You are required to submit your assignments by the indicated deadlines and, in addition, to give meaningful peer assessments of three (3) of your classmates’ assignments according to the instructions found in the Assessment Form, which is provided to you during the following week. During this peer assessment period, you are expected to provide details in the feedback section of the Assessment Form, indicating why you awarded the grade that you did to your peer. Please note that each assignment grade is comprised of a combination of your submission (90%) and your peer assessments (10%). Failure to submit Written Assignments and/or Assessment Forms may result in failure of the course.

Discussion Assignments & Response Posts/Ratings
Some units in this course require that you complete a Discussion Assignment. You are required to develop and post a substantive response to the Discussion Assignment in the Discussion Forum. A substantive response is one that fully answers the question that has been posed by the instructor. In addition, you must extend the discussion by giving meaningful responses to at least three (3) of your peers’ postings in the Discussion Forum and by rating their posts. Instructions for proper posting and rating are provided inside the Discussion Forum for each week. Discussion Forums are only active for each current and relevant learning week, so it is not possible to contribute to the forum once the learning week has come to an end. Failure to participate in the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum and responding to peers as required may result in failure of the course.

Learning Journals
Your instructor may choose to assign specific topics and/or relevant questions as a weekly Learning Journal entry for you to complete, but you are still encouraged to also use it to document your activities, record questions/problems you may have encountered, reflect on the learning process, and draft answers for other course assignments. The Learning Journal must be updated on a weekly basis because its entries will be assessed by your instructor directly as a part of your final grade. The Learning Journal will only be seen by your instructor.

Quizzes
This course will contain three types of quizzes – the Self-Quiz, the Graded Quiz, and the Review Quiz. These quizzes may contain multiple-choice, true/false, or short answer questions. The results of the Self-Quiz will not count towards your final grade. However, it is highly recommended that you complete the Self-Quiz to ensure that you have adequately understood the course materials. Along with the Reading Assignments, the results of the Self-Quiz should be used as part of an iterative learning process, to thoroughly cover and test your understanding of course material. You should use the results of your Self-Quiz as a guide to go back and review relevant sections of the Reading Assignments. Likewise, the Review Quiz will not count towards your final grade, but should also be used to assist you in a comprehensive review and full understanding of all course material, in preparation for your Final Exam. Lastly, the results of the Graded Quiz will count towards your final grade. 

All Self-Quizzes in this course will remain open until the end of the term and allow unlimited attempts.

Final Exam
The Final Exam will take place during the Thursday and Sunday of Week/Unit 9, following the completion of eight units of work. The format of the Final Exam is similar to that of the quizzes and may contain a combination of different question types. You will have one attempt to take the exam, and it will be graded electronically. Specific instructions on how to prepare for and take the Final Exam will be provided during Week 8 (located inside the Unit 9 Learning Guide). Final Exams must be taken without the use of course learning materials (both those inside and outside the course). If particular materials are allowed for use during the exam, these will be noted in the exam’s instructions.

The Final Exam for this course must be done under the supervision of a proctor. Since you already secured your proctor before registering for this course, this is a reminder that you should coordinate with him/her before you take the exam. As a reminder, students are required to successfully complete proctored exams spaced throughout their program of study at UoPeople, in order to verify the student’s identity in confirming a degree and diploma upon graduation.

Course Forum
The Course Forum is the place to raise issues and questions relating to the course. It is regularly monitored by the instructors and is a good place to meet fellow students taking the same course. While it is not required to participate in the Course Forum, it is highly recommended.

Course Policies:

Grading Components and Weights
Each graded component of the course will contribute some percentage to the final grading scale, as indicated here:

Discussion Assignments 10%
Written Assignments 15%
Learning Journals 20%
Two Graded Quizzes 30%
Final Exam 25%
TOTAL 100%

*Please note: Students are required to obtain an overall grade of at least 73% (C) or higher to pass this course.

Grading Scale
This course will follow the standard 100-point grading scale defined by the University of the People, as indicated here:

Letter Grade
 Grade Scale Grade Points
A+ 98-100 4.00
A 93-97 4.00
A- 90-92 3.67
B+ 88-89 3.33
B 83-87 3.00
B- 80-82 2.67
C+ 78-79 2.33
C 73-77 2.00
C- 70-72 1.67
D+ 68-69 1.33
D 63-67 1.00
D- 60-62 0.67
F Under 60 0.00

Grade Appeal
If you believe that the final grade you received for a course is erroneous, unjust, or unfair, please contact your course instructor. This must be done within seven days of the posted final grade. For more information on this topic, please review the Grade Appeal Procedure in the University Catalog.

Participation
Non-participation is characterized by lack of any assignment submissions, inadequate contributions to the Discussion Forums, and/or lack of peer feedback to Discussion/Written Assignments. Also, please note the following important points about course participation:

  • Assignments must be submitted on or before the specified deadline. A course timeline is provided in the course schedule, and the instructor will specify deadlines for each assignment.
  • Any student showing non-participation for two weeks (consecutive or non-consecutive) is likely to automatically fail the course.
  • Occasionally there may be a legitimate reason for submitting an assignment late. Most of the time, late assignments will not be accepted and there will be no make-up assignments.
  • All students are obligated to inform their instructor in advance of any known absences which may result in their non-participation.

Academic Honesty and Integrity
When you submit any work that requires research and writing, it is essential to cite and reference all source material. Failure to properly acknowledge your sources is known as “plagiarism” – which is effectively passing off an individual’s words or ideas as your own. University of the People adheres to a strict policy of academic honesty and integrity. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in sanctions by the University, including dismissal from the University or course failure. For more information on this topic, please review the Academic Integrity Policy in the University Catalog.

Unless otherwise stated, any materials cited in this course should be referenced using the style guidelines established by the American Psychological Association (APA). The APA format is widely used in colleges and universities across the world and is one of several style and citation formats required for publication in professional and academic journals. Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) is a free website that provides excellent information and resources for understanding and using the APA format and style. The OWL website can be accessed here: Purdue Online Writing Lab. (n.d.). APA style introduction. Purdue University.  https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html

Code of Conduct
University of the People expects that students conduct themselves in a respectful, collaborative, and honest manner at all times. Harassment, threatening behavior, or deliberate embarrassment of others will not be permitted. Any conduct that interferes with the quality of the educational experience is not allowed and may result in disciplinary action, such as course failure, probation, suspension, or dismissal. For more information on this topic, please review the Code of Conduct Policy in the University Catalog.