RGTE 0199: Regents’ Writing Skills

SYLLABUS — SUMMER 2008


Instructor: Sara Selby E-mail: sselby@waycross.edu Office: 152A
Telephone: 449-7576


NO TEXTBOOK IS REQUIRED FOR THIS COURSE; however, the following are recommended
    Elifson & Gordon:  STRATEGIES FOR PASSING THE GEORGIA REGENTS’ EXAM, 4th ed.
    AMERICAN HERITAGE, NEW WORLD, RANDOM HOUSE, or any standard desk dictionary

SCOPE OF THE COURSE:  Using a variety of rhetorical modes, students will learn to write grammatically correct essays with an introductory paragraph containing a thesis, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

OVERALL OBJECTIVE:  To prepare students to take and pass the essay portion of the Georgia Regents’ Test.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:    
    To aid the student in improving writing skills by:
        (a) Evaluating his/her own writing strengths and weaknesses.
        (b) Recognizing the characteristics of a good essay.
        (c) Recognizing and using appropriate vocabulary.
        (d) Improving sentence structure.
        (e) Providing adequate development.
        (f) Selecting the most effective organization.

ATTENDANCE:  THIS CLASS DOES NOT PHYSICALLY MEET! ALL WORK IS SUBMITTED VIA E-MAIL OR DROP-OFF AT THE INSTRUCTOR'S OFFICE. Regular monitoring of the course website and communication with the instructor are most important and are the student’s responsibilities.  Before a student enrolled in this course may take the Regents’ Essay Test, he/she must have the instructor’s approval. If the student has failed to complete 20% or more of regularly scheduled class assignments by the time the Test is administered, approval will not be given.

ASSIGNMENTS:  Assignments will be posted on Tuesdays and Thursdays with due dates specified. It is the student’s responsibility to check the assignment page of the website regularly (at least every two or three days) and to complete work assigned absolutely no later than five (5) days after assignments have been posted.  Any work turned in later than 5 days after the posting date will not be accepted.

GRADING:  It is the instructor’s responsibility to evaluate and return work in a timely manner. Essays are graded using the Regents’ Test Evaluators’ scale of 1-2-3, with 1 indicating failure, 2 indicating minimally passing, and 3 indicating passing. The final grade for the course is determined by the student’s performance on the Regents’ Essay Test. If the student passes the Test, he/she receives a grade of S for the course; if the student does not pass the Test, he/she receives a grade of U and must repeat the course and the Test in the following semester of enrollment.

REGISTERING FOR THE REGENTS’ TEST: It is the student’s responsibility to register and take the Regents’ Test. Students attending classes on the Waycross campus may register to take the Test via the Waycross College website (http://www.waycross.edu/stlife/forms/test-registration.htm). Registration must be completed by the deadline; please be aware that registration deadlines are set well in advance of the testing date. Failure to take the Test will result in a grade of U for the course and the student must repeat the course in the following semester of enrollment.

ADA STATEMENT:  “The College is committed to providing accessibility to all students in accordance to ADA/504 guidelines.  Students should contact the Director of Student Life regarding accessibility.”

ACADEMIC SUPPORT CENTER:  The Academic Support (ASC) was created to offer supplemental assistance to students enrolled in all courses at the College.  The ASC offers a variety of services at all levels, ranging from personal tutoring in math, reading, and composition skills to providing handouts and supplementary materials on writing research papers and critiques, taking essay and objective tests, and developing effective study techniques.  Through audio-visual, computerized, self-paced, and one-to-one tutorial work, the ASC assists students in developing strengths and eliminating deficiencies.  Students may be referred by instructors or may independently seek additional help.