ENGL 1101: Composition I
Summer 2025
Dr. Jason M. Dew Email: [email protected]
Georgia State University Phone: 770-274-5489
Office: NE2316 Office Hours: N/A
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General Course Information:
Course Abbreviation ENGL 1101
Credit Hours 3 hours
Course Title English Composition I
There is no textbook. All content will be available online.
Teaching Philosophy:
Writing is a craft, which means that it is something that must be worked on. There is no formula, in the
scientific sense, for good writing; therefore, students should not expect that I will give them one. As I see
it, my job is to supply students with knowledge of the components of good writing and provide an
atmosphere in class that is conducive to perfecting this craft. Writing improves through practice. We will
be doing a lot of writing during this semester.
General Guidelines:
1. Use Modern Language Association (MLA) guidelines for all paper formatting and source
documentation. The MLA Handbook citing these guidelines should be available at the reference desk in
the library.
2. Assignments are due on scheduled dates.
3. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Don’t cheat. This includes the use of AI or ChatGPT
to produce work. Plagiarism and the use of work from another class will result in a failing grade for the
class. For clarification, refer to Georgia State University’s most recent policy on plagiarism.
4. To be successful in this class, all of the course assignments must be completed. Failure to meet
all course requirements will result in a grade of F.
5. This syllabus is a contract. The rules on the syllabus apply to YOU. You get one syllabus.
Study it. Know it. The rules contained on this syllabus are not open for debate.
Disclaimer:
A few of the works that we will be studying in this course may contain language and/or connotations that
may be offensive to some people. Please understand that these works do not necessarily reflect the views
of the professor or the institution. I will be happy to discuss any problem(s) you might have with a work
during my office hours or by appointment.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Language Models in Assignments:
In this course, students are expected to develop and demonstrate their own critical thinking,
analytical skills, and knowledge acquisition through personal effort and engagement with the
course material. As such, the use of AI-based tools, including ChatGPT or any other language
models, is strictly prohibited for completing assignments, projects, or any form of academic
work. The objective of this policy is to encourage independent thinking, creativity, and the
development of problem-solving abilities. It is essential for students to engage with the course
content, interact with peers, and seek guidance from the instructor to foster a meaningful learning
experience. Any assignment or work found to have been completed using AI-based tools will be
considered a violation of this course policy and may be subject to academic penalties for the
work submitted. The instructor reserves the right to request some or all assignments be
completed with pen and paper only or through live proctoring, either on campus or online, if AI
use or reliance is suspected. Students are encouraged to seek assistance from the instructor or
utilize other appropriate resources, such as academic databases, textbooks, or the Learning and
Teaching Center, to enhance their understanding of the subject matter and support their own
learning. It is the responsibility of each student to adhere to this policy. By enrolling in this
course, students implicitly agree to these guidelines and acknowledge that any violation of this
policy may result in grade penalties and/or other disciplinary action. If you have any questions or
concerns regarding this policy, please consult with the instructor at the earliest opportunity.
ENGL 1101 ENGLISH COMPOSITION I
This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Communicating in Writing area.
Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge
in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support
students’ broad academic and career goals.
This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question:
• How do I write effectively in different contexts?
Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcomes:
• Students will communicate effectively in writing, demonstrating clear organization and
structure, using appropriate grammar and writing conventions.
• Students will appropriately acknowledge the use of materials from original sources.
• Students will adapt their written communications to purpose and audience.
• Students will analyze and draw informed inferences from written texts.
Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following
Career-Ready Competencies:
• Critical Thinking
• Information Literacy
• Persuasion
Projects:
Reaction paper #1: 10%
Reaction paper #2: 10%
Quizzes: 15%
Resume: 5%
Discussions: 30%
Term Paper: 30%
A…………90-100%
B…………80-89%
C…………70-79%
D……………60-69%
F…………….50-59%
COURSE SCHEDULE
Module 1 June 9 - 15 Discussion on music
Module 2 June 16 - 22 Discussion on humor
Quiz #1
Module 3 June 23 – 29 Discussion on image
Quiz #2
Reaction Paper #1
Module 4 June 30 – July 6 Discussion on resume
Quiz #3
Resume due
Module 5 July 7 - 13 Discussion on Lore episode
Reaction Paper #2
Module 6 July 14 - 20 Discussion on personal obstacle
Discussion on choice of person
Module 7 July 21 – 27 Discussion on paper drafts
Drafts must be posted by July 24
Term paper due July 27
