Contact Information:
Debra Jenemann
[email protected]
513-922-2300 EXT. 70521
Class Description: I see this course in highly practical terms. While your preparation in college-style writing is valuable and useful for many tasks, you may find that writing you’ve done for other classes may be different than writing you will be called upon to produce in this class. The reason is that this class hopes to prepare you for the types of writing that you will be called upon to produce daily in most of the professions you are likely to join. This course hopes to introduce you to a type of writing used in real-world scenarios. We are going to look at issues of readability and what that means in terms of audience and context for communicating in the office. This will include writing memorandums, reports, and informational and technical documents, and evaluating the usefulness of writing we find online. By the end of the semester you will have worked individually and in teams, producing such real world documents as email, numerous memos and letters, and a formal technical report. You will also give an in-class oral presentation using presentation software, such as PowerPoint or Adobe Captivate. The goal, therefore, in this class will be to help you:
This is a writing class and we will be doing lots of it, both in class and out. You are expected to show a high-level or professional proficiency in grammar and usage. While this course will cover some aspects of usage and style, it is not a remedial grammar course.
Grading Criteria: Like most students, you likely have two goals in taking this course: 1) to improve your writing and communication skills and 2) to get a high grade. To get a high grade, my best advice is “COME TO CLASS.” For you to improve your skills, you must write frequently and have your documents edited. My job as your mentor will be to offer you editorial commentary to help you improve your writing. I will not mark or comment on every problem in your writing because part of the learning process is for you to learn to identify and correct problems yourself. But I will comment in detail on portions of each assignment.
One other note: if you are concerned about the grade you received on an assignment, please go home, let it sit overnight, then study the relevant portions of the textbook/notes that discuss the issues I raise. If after studying the text/notes you do not understand my comment/the grade or you don't see how the comments apply to your document, talk with me, and I will try to help you understand my comments/the grade. Your grade is not a starting point for negotiations, and in all likelihood, I will not change it, but I will listen and try to understand your point of view.
The grade you get in this course is largely determined by two factors: your current skills in reading, critical thinking, and writing; and the effort you put into the course. I place a high value on the effort that a student puts forth and consider attendance and participation to be the two crucial factors for success in this class.
Grading: Grades are based on content, organization, expression, and mechanics.
A = 90–100%
B = 80–89%
C = 70–79%
D = 60–69%
F = 59% and below
No paper = 0
Reminder: To pass a semester course, a student must earn a 60% in the class.
Grades have the following weight:
1st/3rd Quarter 2nd/4th Quarter
Practice - 40 percent Practice - 15 percent
Assessment - 60 percent Assessment - 30 percent
Formal Report - 35 percent
FR Oral Presentation - 20 percent (if given)
This class is a public forum. Please consider every piece of writing you do for this class to be "public property." Part of becoming a good writer is learning to appreciate the ideas and criticisms of others, and in this course our purpose is to come together as a writing community. Remember that you will often be expected to share your writing with others, so avoid writing about things that you may not be prepared to subject to public scrutiny or things you feel so strongly about that you are unwilling to listen to perspectives other than your own. This does not mean that you are not entitled to an opinion but that you adopt positions responsibly, contemplating the possible effect on others.
Homework Policy: Your assignments demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively what you have learned. When it is assigned, it is required. You are encouraged to save printed and electronic copies of all of your assignments when possible.
Late assignments will be accepted during the unit of study for a maximum of 50%. If missing assignments is chronic, disciplinary action will result. Please consult the Student Handbook and Planner.
Test/Paper Policy: All students are expected to prepare adequately for all tests. If a student is absent on the day of a test, he or she is expected to take the test the day he or she returns to school. If a student is absent on the day a paper is due, he or she should send it via email or with another student (or share a Google Doc). Extenuating circumstances will be handled separately.
Academic Honesty: “Plagiarism is copying or paraphrasing material that is not your own work without giving proper documentation of the source. Plagiarism includes copying another student’s work, copying work from the Internet, books, or periodicals, and purchasing work. Plagiarism is the most serious form of academic dishonesty and is subject to disciplinary action as outlined in the Cincinnati State Student Code of Conduct, published in the College Catalog. The penalty for plagiarism is a grade of “F” for the term, and your instructor will pursue additional disciplinary action under the Student code of Conduct.” From the Cincinnati Technical College Eng 104 Syllabus (June 2012)
Quite simply, plagiarism is theft.
Cheating in any form will result in an “F” on that test, paper, or assignment. A student's second offense will result in an "F" for the quarter. A student's third offense will result in an "F" for the course.
Extra Help Policy: Students having problems of any kind are encouraged to schedule time for extra help either before or after school.
Make-up Work Policy: Students who are excused from school have the same number of days to make up the work that they missed. For example, if a student misses three days of school, he or she has three days of school of make up and turn in the missing work. Tests or quizzes must also be made up in this time frame. It is the student's responsibility to ask for any work missed during an absence. Students who are truant are unexcused and cannot make up work. Suspended students should check Oak Hills High School's policy on make-up work.
Classroom/Behavior Rules:
Students are responsible for adhering to all rules stated in the Student Handbook and Planner. In addition, the students need to be aware of the following rules:
1. Attend class regularly. Missing more than 20% of the classes will result in failure of the course.
2. Read assigned materials prior to class discussions.
3. Complete all homework, tests, and assignments.
4. Participate in class discussion.
5. Be on time (students who are tardy need a pass). **Students who are tardy will stay after school the amount of class time
they miss. Three tardies denote chronic tardiness and the offending students will be referred to their principal.
6. Bring all necessary materials to class (students will not be able to go back to lockers after the bell has rung).
7. Be courteous and respectful.
8. Follow the guidelines in the Student Handbook and Planner.
9. NO GUM! NO FOOD! NO DRINKS! NO CELL PHONES! Water only.
10. Follow the OHLSD Safety Protocols at all times.
Cell phones are to remain on SILENT (not vibrate) in your purse or book bag. If an activity allows you to use your phone, I will give
you explicit permission. Never assume that it is acceptable to have your phone out. Please note: You get one warning about your cell phone (all semester). After this warning, a phone call will be made home, and your cell phone will be collected at the start of class each day for the rest of the semester.
Students who ignore these rules will face disciplinary action, which will vary depending upon the severity of the misconduct.
Needed Materials: You will need the following for this class . . .
**Per state regulations, teachers cannot supply shared materials this year, which means students should provide their own supplies. We cannot allow students to use our staplers, hole punch, sharpeners, scissors, markers, etc.
**Given the climate, expect most assignments and handouts to be digital or uploaded to Google Classroom.
Please have the following supplies with you daily:
One spiral notebook
One folder
Highlighters
Package(s) of Post-It Notes (various colors)
Paper, pens (some colored), and pencils (as needed)
Expo Markers
Earbuds or Headphones
Chromebook and charger (no daily loaners)
Face mask(s)
Much Needed and Greatly Appreciated (but not required):
1. Tissues
2. Paper Towels
3. Clorox Wipes
Debra Jenemann
[email protected]
513-922-2300 EXT. 70521
Class Description: I see this course in highly practical terms. While your preparation in college-style writing is valuable and useful for many tasks, you may find that writing you’ve done for other classes may be different than writing you will be called upon to produce in this class. The reason is that this class hopes to prepare you for the types of writing that you will be called upon to produce daily in most of the professions you are likely to join. This course hopes to introduce you to a type of writing used in real-world scenarios. We are going to look at issues of readability and what that means in terms of audience and context for communicating in the office. This will include writing memorandums, reports, and informational and technical documents, and evaluating the usefulness of writing we find online. By the end of the semester you will have worked individually and in teams, producing such real world documents as email, numerous memos and letters, and a formal technical report. You will also give an in-class oral presentation using presentation software, such as PowerPoint or Adobe Captivate. The goal, therefore, in this class will be to help you:
- Improve your professional writing and to understand the context of your writing;
- Understand how professional writing differs from academic writing;
- Understand the role and principles of readability and how to apply the readability formula to make your writing
- Employ some of the different styles, forms, and conventions used in professional writing;
- Gain experience in producing reader-based documents, using available high-tech equipment;
- Evaluate the professional writing of others;
- Write and work collaboratively.
This is a writing class and we will be doing lots of it, both in class and out. You are expected to show a high-level or professional proficiency in grammar and usage. While this course will cover some aspects of usage and style, it is not a remedial grammar course.
Grading Criteria: Like most students, you likely have two goals in taking this course: 1) to improve your writing and communication skills and 2) to get a high grade. To get a high grade, my best advice is “COME TO CLASS.” For you to improve your skills, you must write frequently and have your documents edited. My job as your mentor will be to offer you editorial commentary to help you improve your writing. I will not mark or comment on every problem in your writing because part of the learning process is for you to learn to identify and correct problems yourself. But I will comment in detail on portions of each assignment.
One other note: if you are concerned about the grade you received on an assignment, please go home, let it sit overnight, then study the relevant portions of the textbook/notes that discuss the issues I raise. If after studying the text/notes you do not understand my comment/the grade or you don't see how the comments apply to your document, talk with me, and I will try to help you understand my comments/the grade. Your grade is not a starting point for negotiations, and in all likelihood, I will not change it, but I will listen and try to understand your point of view.
The grade you get in this course is largely determined by two factors: your current skills in reading, critical thinking, and writing; and the effort you put into the course. I place a high value on the effort that a student puts forth and consider attendance and participation to be the two crucial factors for success in this class.
Grading: Grades are based on content, organization, expression, and mechanics.
A = 90–100%
B = 80–89%
C = 70–79%
D = 60–69%
F = 59% and below
No paper = 0
Reminder: To pass a semester course, a student must earn a 60% in the class.
Grades have the following weight:
1st/3rd Quarter 2nd/4th Quarter
Practice - 40 percent Practice - 15 percent
Assessment - 60 percent Assessment - 30 percent
Formal Report - 35 percent
FR Oral Presentation - 20 percent (if given)
This class is a public forum. Please consider every piece of writing you do for this class to be "public property." Part of becoming a good writer is learning to appreciate the ideas and criticisms of others, and in this course our purpose is to come together as a writing community. Remember that you will often be expected to share your writing with others, so avoid writing about things that you may not be prepared to subject to public scrutiny or things you feel so strongly about that you are unwilling to listen to perspectives other than your own. This does not mean that you are not entitled to an opinion but that you adopt positions responsibly, contemplating the possible effect on others.
Homework Policy: Your assignments demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively what you have learned. When it is assigned, it is required. You are encouraged to save printed and electronic copies of all of your assignments when possible.
Late assignments will be accepted during the unit of study for a maximum of 50%. If missing assignments is chronic, disciplinary action will result. Please consult the Student Handbook and Planner.
Test/Paper Policy: All students are expected to prepare adequately for all tests. If a student is absent on the day of a test, he or she is expected to take the test the day he or she returns to school. If a student is absent on the day a paper is due, he or she should send it via email or with another student (or share a Google Doc). Extenuating circumstances will be handled separately.
Academic Honesty: “Plagiarism is copying or paraphrasing material that is not your own work without giving proper documentation of the source. Plagiarism includes copying another student’s work, copying work from the Internet, books, or periodicals, and purchasing work. Plagiarism is the most serious form of academic dishonesty and is subject to disciplinary action as outlined in the Cincinnati State Student Code of Conduct, published in the College Catalog. The penalty for plagiarism is a grade of “F” for the term, and your instructor will pursue additional disciplinary action under the Student code of Conduct.” From the Cincinnati Technical College Eng 104 Syllabus (June 2012)
Quite simply, plagiarism is theft.
Cheating in any form will result in an “F” on that test, paper, or assignment. A student's second offense will result in an "F" for the quarter. A student's third offense will result in an "F" for the course.
Extra Help Policy: Students having problems of any kind are encouraged to schedule time for extra help either before or after school.
Make-up Work Policy: Students who are excused from school have the same number of days to make up the work that they missed. For example, if a student misses three days of school, he or she has three days of school of make up and turn in the missing work. Tests or quizzes must also be made up in this time frame. It is the student's responsibility to ask for any work missed during an absence. Students who are truant are unexcused and cannot make up work. Suspended students should check Oak Hills High School's policy on make-up work.
Classroom/Behavior Rules:
Students are responsible for adhering to all rules stated in the Student Handbook and Planner. In addition, the students need to be aware of the following rules:
1. Attend class regularly. Missing more than 20% of the classes will result in failure of the course.
2. Read assigned materials prior to class discussions.
3. Complete all homework, tests, and assignments.
4. Participate in class discussion.
5. Be on time (students who are tardy need a pass). **Students who are tardy will stay after school the amount of class time
they miss. Three tardies denote chronic tardiness and the offending students will be referred to their principal.
6. Bring all necessary materials to class (students will not be able to go back to lockers after the bell has rung).
7. Be courteous and respectful.
8. Follow the guidelines in the Student Handbook and Planner.
9. NO GUM! NO FOOD! NO DRINKS! NO CELL PHONES! Water only.
10. Follow the OHLSD Safety Protocols at all times.
Cell phones are to remain on SILENT (not vibrate) in your purse or book bag. If an activity allows you to use your phone, I will give
you explicit permission. Never assume that it is acceptable to have your phone out. Please note: You get one warning about your cell phone (all semester). After this warning, a phone call will be made home, and your cell phone will be collected at the start of class each day for the rest of the semester.
Students who ignore these rules will face disciplinary action, which will vary depending upon the severity of the misconduct.
Needed Materials: You will need the following for this class . . .
**Per state regulations, teachers cannot supply shared materials this year, which means students should provide their own supplies. We cannot allow students to use our staplers, hole punch, sharpeners, scissors, markers, etc.
**Given the climate, expect most assignments and handouts to be digital or uploaded to Google Classroom.
Please have the following supplies with you daily:
One spiral notebook
One folder
Highlighters
Package(s) of Post-It Notes (various colors)
Paper, pens (some colored), and pencils (as needed)
Expo Markers
Earbuds or Headphones
Chromebook and charger (no daily loaners)
Face mask(s)
Much Needed and Greatly Appreciated (but not required):
1. Tissues
2. Paper Towels
3. Clorox Wipes