ENGL& 101-ECF1 (34846) – English Composition I
Winter 2026
Class Meetings:
Tuesday 12:15 – 1:20 PM in Building 10, Room 207
Thursday 12:15 – 1:20 PM in Building 30, Room 202
Weekly Deadlines:
Wednesday & Sunday, 11:59 PM
Instructor:
Greg November
Office hours: Tuesdays 11:00 AM -12:00 PM in Building 10, Room 207*
REQUIRED TEXTS
50 Essays, 7th ed., Samuel Cohen, ed.
ISBN: 987-1-319-33165-9
This is the edition available from the HC Bookstore.
You can also use any older edition of the book (4th – 6th editions). Sometimes these are available from online booksellers for less money.
Writing with Style, 2nd or 3rd ed., John R. Trimble, ed.
ISBN: 987-0-205-02882-5 (3rd edition)
This is the edition available from the HC Bookstore.
You can also use the older 2nd edition, which is sometimes available from online booksellers for less money. All that’s different are the page numbers!
COURSE DESCRIPTION
English 101 is a college-level writing course that emphasizes academic writing and major strategies of reading and writing analytically. Writing assignments focus on engaging with and responding to a variety of texts. Instruction encourages students to develop, through revision and reflection, as readers, writers, and critical thinkers. PREREQ: Placement into ENGL& 101.
Okay…but effective writing is not easy! Writing is a process and what this course will do, more than anything else, is increase your awareness of this process. And because good writing is on purpose (that is, good writers are aware of what they are doing and why; they make decisions) this course will increase your awareness of your own writing. And increase your stamina. The greatest advantage a seasoned writer has over a beginner is simply a greater tolerance to sit in the chair and do the work.
That’s it!
You’re already smart enough, talented enough, etc. You are! What you may need is help getting in shape. And that’s where this course comes in.
Our theme this quarter is storytelling. This class is all about learning how to tell your story, as well as discovering why to tell your story. We will think analytically about our own lives and will respond to the texts that we read together with our own personal narrative material.
REGARDING THE HYBRID NATURE OF THIS COURSE
Because our class is a mix of in-person and online, you must have regular and reliable internet/computer access. You are expected to login to Canvas and check your email regularly, which will ensure you see all communication from me, including feedback on your work.
This course is conducted both in-person and Canvas. We will have two in-person meetings per week but all assignments will be submitted through Canvas. As well, our Canvas site will contain all the instructions and details for our readings and assignments.
We will type ALL assignments and communication. We will check email every day.
If you have never taken an online or hybrid course before, check out Highline’s Online Student Services page for helpful information. This page is also linked on our Canvas homepage. Please review these materials and make sure you understand what’s expected from you in an online class.
Technical recommendations for participating in online and hybrid classes at Highline
Access to the Internet, preferably via computer and broadband internet access (cable modem, DSL, or other high speed service);
An activated myHCC account;
A Highline Student Email account, checked regularly
A modern web browser: the most recent release (or two prior releases) of Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or Internet Explorer. Note that Canvas does not work well on Internet Explorer;
Up-to-date Flash and Java plug-ins;
Permissions/ability to install additional plug-ins or class software as needed; and
Have up-to-date anti-virus software installed and active.
Skills for Success
To succeed in an online or hybrid class, you should have the ability to:
Navigate the internet, including downloading and reading files from web sites;
Download and install software or plug-ins such as Adobe Reader or Flash;
Use email, including attaching and downloading documents/files from emails;
Save files in commonly used word processing formats (.doc, .docx, .rtf);
Copy and paste text and other items on a computer;
Save and retrieve documents and files on your computer; and
Locate information on the internet using search engines.
JOINING MY OFFICE HOURS VIA ZOOM
This quarter, my office hours are in-person, although you also have the option to connect with me remotely via Zoom during these times. If I am meeting with a student in-person, you may have to wait in the Zoom waiting room
Topic: Greg November's Personal Meeting Room
Join Zoom Meeting: https://highline.zoom.us/j/3346176122Links to an external site.
Meeting ID: 334 617 6122
Password: None
COURSE OVERVIEW & POLICIES
A Canvas Module for each week… Each week of the quarter has its own Canvas Module. All the readings, assignments, and content for that week will be included in the weekly Module. Each week will be broken into two in-person meetings and two Canvas deadlines:
First Class Meeting: Tuesday 12:15—1:20 PM in 10-207
First Canvas Deadline: Wednesday, 11:59 PM
Second Class Meeting (lab): Thursday 12:15—1:20 PM in 30-202
Second Canvas Deadline: Sunday, 11:59 PM
… But no late penalties! Although here are some important things to keep in mind:
There are still two deadlines per week, which provide the structure and sequence for our class. If you submit an assignment by the original deadline, I will grade it and provide feedback.
If you submit an assignment after the deadline, no matter how long after, I will grade it without penalty and you MAY receive feedback.
The class works best when you submit all assignments in order, although if it becomes necessary for you to play catch up, please check in with me so we can figure out the best strategy.
It is my goal for everyone to earn all or most of the points on “low-stakes” assignments, which include Writing Exercises, Reading Responses, and Discussions. If your submission falls below that mark, I will enter a partial score, provide feedback on what is required to earn the full points, and you will have an opportunity to resubmit. If you do not resubmit, the original score will stand.
Always make sure to communicate with me when you resubmit. This is a requirement for having your work re-scored!
There are, however, three rigid deadlines for the quarter:
Week 3 Discussion: Personal Narrative Peer Review, Sunday, Jan. 25. In order to take part in this assignment (and earn points for it) you must meet this deadline.
Week 7 Discussion: Summary & Response Peer Review, Sunday, Feb. 22. In order to take part in this assignment (and earn points for it) you must meet this deadline.
The final deadline, Friday, March 20 at 11:59 PM. After this deadline, you will not have any further opportunity to submit assignments for this class.
The Overview & Instructions Page: Each Module will begin with an Overview & Instructions Page that contains all the relevant information for that week. All documents and assignment details can be found there. Start each week by reviewing this page.
Feedback: As the instructor, I will assess all of your assignments and will provide feedback and commentary when necessary.
Generally, I will review Trimble Writing Exercises and Reading Responses within 24-48 hours of the time you submitted and will provide feedback via the Canvas annotations and Assignment Comments features.
However, for Discussions and Major Essays, I will wait until after the deadline passes to read and score your work. I will give priority to time-sensitive assignments or in such occasions where my feedback has direct impact on immediately upcoming assignments.
Assignments submitted after 5:00 PM on Friday and over the weekend will be reviewed during the first part of the following week (Monday-Tuesday, generally).
Weekly Instructor Communication: Each week I will send 1-2 emails to the whole class, typically on Mondays and Fridays. These emails will include notes, guidance, and context for the week. I will also address common questions, offer necessary updates, and so on. Look for these emails! They are intended to help you navigate this course successfully. Remember, we are a class community and I am here leading the way. You are not alone! This is not an independent study.
Participate: Contribute to the general good mood and pleasant community of our class. Review the netiquette policy posted in the Start Here! Module. A portion of your grade is based on class participation, which in this class means submitting assignments consistently and (ideally) on time, following all instructions, being respectful of your classmates, and providing timely and relevant feedback when required.
Email: All correspondence with your instructor needs to be in Proper Email Format and emails sent without a message will be deleted immediately. Use Canvas email to communicate with me in between class meetings.
My Email Response Times: You can email me at anytime and usually I will respond within a few hours. If you email me after standard working hours, you can expect a response the following day. If you email me after 5:00 PM on Friday and over the weekend, you can expect a response on Monday.
Save your work: Keep a copy of all assignments that you turn in through Canvas.
ChatGPT and other Artificial Intelligence tools: ChatGPT is an online program that uses artificial intelligence to write, edit, and respond to all kinds of questions. Like spellcheck, autocorrect, and grammar checkers, it can be a helpful tool for writing, if used appropriately. Currently, the service is free, although that may change. You can sign up here: https://chat.apps.openai.com/auth/loginLinks to an external site.
Ethical use of ChatGPT includes asking it for examples of genres or asking it to proofread and edit your work.
Be careful using ChatGPT. It changes wording as well as fixing mistakes. If you ask it to proofread for you, read over what it produces to make sure it makes sense and says what you want.
Some students are using ChatGPT unethically, as it can be used to write assignments. Note that it may be obvious to instructors that you have used ChatGPT because it can make factual mistakes, it’s known to invent citations, it sounds impersonal and vague, and it often doesn’t produce what the assignment is asking for. It has also said offensive, racist, and otherwise biased things.
Personally, I would not encourage you to use ChatGPT, as your own words, every time, are better...precisely because they are your own words. Even if ChatGPT produces writing that looks or sounds to you like it is better, it is not. If you do use ChatGPT to get ideas and to proofread, please be transparent about how you use it. At the bottom of your essays, write something like this: “I used ChatGPT to proofread this essay, but I wrote it myself.” OR “ChatGPT generated the outline for this essay, but I did the rest of the writing.”
Do not use ChatGPT to write assignments, in whole or in part. If it appears that ChatGPT wrote the assignment for you, I will mark it incomplete and you will have to revise. If I see a consistent pattern of this throughout the quarter, I will make a report to the Office of Student Conduct.
ASSIGNMENTS
Three Major Essays: Submitted twice: a rough draft and a final draft. Will involve peer review and revision. More details to follow. 100-200 points each.
Personal Narrative (3 pages, 100 points)
Rough Draft: Wednesday, January 21 via Week 3 Discussion (11:59 PM)
Final Draft: Wednesday, January 28 via Major Essay 1 drop box (11:59 PM)
Summary & Response (4-5 pages, 200 points)
Rough Draft: Wednesday, February 18 via Week 7 Discussion (11:59 PM）
Final Draft: Sunday, March 1 via Major Essay 2 drop box (11:59 PM)
Synthesis of Two Texts (4-5 pages, 100 points)
Final Draft: Friday, March 20 via Major Essay #3 drop box (11:59 PM)
Canvas Discussions: Most weeks there will be a discussion. These will involve responses to and reflections on course readings and practice with specific writing skills (25-30 points each).
Writing Exercises: Each week there will be a smaller writing assignment asking you to practice specific writing skills. Points vary (10-25).
Reading Responses: Many weeks there will be a smaller writing assignment asking you to reflect on certain course readings. Points vary (10-25).
Quizzes: There are only two of these for a total of 15 points.
Participation: These points, which will be entered at the end of the quarter, are earned by consistent and timely attendance, submitting assignments consistently, participating consistently, thoughtfully, and respectfully in Canvas discussions, replying to instructor comments when necessary, and following all assignment directions. 25 points.