ENGL 1301, all sections
ENGLISH 1301
Houston Community College
Spring 2021
Dr. Brandon Hernsberger
MW 1:00-2:20; 3:30-4:50; 6:00-7:20
TTH 1:00-2:20; 3:30-4:50
Email: [email protected]
Please feel free to contact me concerning any problems that you are experiencing in this course. Your performance in this class is very, very important to me. I am available via email or phone (713-718-7165) anytime. I am very, very excited about this course, and I hope you will be too!
What’s Exciting about this class:
The Department of English helps students find and develop their authentic voices, establish
political power, and create social capital. We teach critical thinking, close reading, and
analysis. We coach students on the rhetoric of messaging with consideration of purpose and
audience. We support them as they craft their own narratives. We turn thoughts into words,
ideas into interpretations, ambiguity into translation, and silence into voice
Personal Welcome
Welcome! I can’t wait to get started with you all and to get reading and writing and presenting and playing language games with you all as we read the books (listed below). You as students will be required to read chapters from the following books:
Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs (by Chuck Klosterman)
Eating the Dinosaur (by Chuck Klosterman)
X (by Chuck Klosterman)
These books can be found via Amazon, CheapBooks, Barnes and Noble, Half-Price Books, etc. Anywhere you can find a book, you can find these books. Please rent or buy the three books we will be reading this semester right away. The books can also be ebooks, however you’d like to read them.
Prerequisites and/ or Corequisites:
A satisfactory assessment score, completion of INRW 0420 (or for non-native speakers ESOL
0360.) Please carefully read and consider the repeater policy in the HCCS Student Handbook.
Learning Management System
These sections of 1301 will we be using Cisco WebEx. You will be turning in your assignments via email and/or via WebEx. I will be recording our virtual meetings so that you can access the archive to hear and watch each day’s class session. It will be your responsibility to keep up with the readings and writings. I will assign a range of paper assignments. Some will be short papers (2-3 pages), and some will be long papers (5-6 pages). All papers will use MLA format, which is: Times new Roman, 12 pt. font, double-placed. Please consult the MLA handbook for the proper way to title and space your papers.
HCC Online Information and Policies
Other Instructional Resources:
Tutoring:
HCC provides free, confidential, and convenient academic support, including writing
critiques, to HCC students in an online environment. Tutoring is provided by HCC personnel in order to ensure that it is contextual and appropriate. Visit the HCC Tutoring Services website for
services provided.
Libraries
The HCC Library System consists of 9 libraries and 6 Electronic Resource Centers (ERCs) that
are inviting places to study and collaborate on projects. Librarians are available both at the
libraries and online to show you how to locate and use the resources you need. The libraries
maintain a large selection of electronic resources as well as collections of books, magazines,
newspapers, and audiovisual materials. The portal to all libraries’ resources and services is
the HCCS library web page at http://library.hccs.edu.
Supplemental Instruction
Supplemental Instruction is an academic enrichment and support program that uses peer assisted study sessions to improve student retention and success in historically difficult
courses. Peer Support is provided by students who have already succeeded in completion of
the specified course, and who earned a grade of A or B.
Find details at:
Instructions for Students and Professor:
All students will be required to turn papers in on time and via the instructions above. Please contact me if you are going to miss an assignment or a class period at least a day before the class meets via WebEx. If there is anything at all that you need please contact me. I am here to help and will do so whenever and however you need it.
Assignments:
As stated above, you will have a variety of different assignments. Again, please come to class daily and keep up with the readings and writings so that we will all be on the same page. Assignments will be due weekly, so please read the assigned chapters and come to class each time we meet. I will be counting attendance daily so don’t forget!
Grading Formula:
Short assignments (3): 2-3 pages, Times New Roman Font; double-spaced. (25% each)
Long Assignments (2): 4-6 pages, Times New Roman Font; double-spaced. (25% each)
Course Calendar:
Week One:
Readings from Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs (Chapters 1-3)
Week Two:
Readings from Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs (Chapters 4-7)
Week Three:
Readings from Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs (Chapters 5-9)
Short writing assignment.
Week Four:
Readings from Eating the Dinosaur
Week Five:
Readings from Eating the Dinosaur
Long writing assignment due.
Week Six:
Readings from Eating the Dinosaur
Short writing assignment due.
Week Seven:
Readings from Eating the Dinosaur
Week Eight:
Readings from Killing Yourself to Live
Short Assignment due.
Week Nine:
Readings from Killing Yourself to Live
Week Ten:
Readings from X
Week Eleven:
Readings from X
Long Writing Assignment due
Week Twelve:
Readings from X
Week Thirteen
Readings from X
Weeks Thirteen-Fifteen:
Finish X
Final Paper Due