HomeMy WebLinkAboutALP-063Revised Spring 2025
Bergen Community College
Division of Humanities
Department of English as a Second language
Departmental Syllabus
ALP 063: American Language III: Writing
Semester and year:
Course and Section Number: (e.g. ALP 063 - xxx)
Meeting Times and Locations:
Instructor:
Office Location:
Phone:
Departmental Secretary: (optional)
Office Hours:
E-mail Address:
Course Description:
ALP-063 American Language III: Writing emphasizes writing for academic purposes and
provides advanced English language learners with intensive practice using critical thinking to
analyze, and interpret texts in order to write cause/effect, compare/contrast and argumentative
essays.
3 lec., 3 non-degree credits . Prerequisite: ALP-053 Pre- or Co-requisite: ALP-061/062
Student Learning Outcomes:
As a result of meeting the requirements in this course, students will be able to:
● Use writing process with emphasis on critically reviewing and revising for content,
organization, and grammatical correctness
● Write organized, well-developed and cohesive multi-paragraph essays based on texts
● Use cause/effect, compare/contrast, argumentation in essays
● Compose grammatically correct sentences using structures identified as essential for
academic prose
● Use vocabulary from the Academic Word List
● Use mechanics (punctuation, spelling, format) correctly
● Demonstrate the ability to incorporate sources and in-text citations in their writing.
Means of Assessment:
To determine whether students have achieved course goals, teachers will evaluate
● Portfolios showing pre-writing, drafting, revising and editing
● Six to eight in-class and at home essays, including one 500-word 5-6 paragraph essay
with sources and citations
● Students need to pass the Level III Writing Final Exam, in which they will be asked to
write a multi-paragraph essay, and successfully complete all course requirements in order
to pass American Language III: Writing.
Grammar for Academic Writing:
● Sentence structure: writing complete sentences; avoiding fragments and run-ons
● Verb tense usage appropriate for academic writing (simple present, simple past; present
perfect)
● Passive Voice: function and use in academic prose:
● Modals of possibility and ability used for hedging
● Noun clauses to introduce information from sources; reporting verbs for paraphrasing
● Gerunds
● Impersonal it-constructions
● Adverb Clauses: cause/effect; concession; condition
Based on Hinkel (2013) “Research Findings on Teaching Grammar
for Academic Writing”, English Teaching, 68 (4), 3-21.)
Course Text:
Jeanne Lambert (series editor) Final Draft 4 with Writing Skills Interactive 4 (Online Writing
Pack). Cambridge Press. 2016.
ISBN: 978-1-107-49557-9
Research Assignment:
Students should complete a research assignment (5% of the total grade).
The assignment involves the following steps:
1. Library visit: Students attend a library instruction class scheduled by their instructor.
2. Reading, annotating, and discussing an article in class. Two options for the topic are available:
“I Just Can’t Quit Facebook”
“In Defense of Algorithms”
3. Writing a short summary of the main points from the article and a short reaction/response to
the ideas in the reading.
4. Creating a Works Cited page.
Research assignment should be completed and submitted to the instructor electronically by the
end of week 12-13th of the semester and before the finals.
Grading Policy (to be designated by the instructor)
A student’s final grade for the course is based primarily on his/her performance on the required
work for the course (homework, writing assignments, tests), class participation, group work and
on his/her overall mastery of the material covered in the course.
Sample grading policy
Attendance and class participation: 15%
In-class essays 35%
At-home essays 15%
Research Assignment: 5%
Final Exam: 30%
Grade Breakdown: A 90-100
B+ 86-89
B 80-85
C+ 76-79
C 70-75
D 65-69
F 64-below
Attendance Policy: (to be designated by the instructor)
Sample:
Students are expected to attend class regularly and punctually. Attendance will be taken at each
class session. If students occasionally arrive late, they should enter quietly, and not disturb the
class. If students miss class, they should find out what they missed. It is probably a good idea
for students to exchange telephone numbers with other students as a way to find out about
missed classes.
Poor attendance will affect a student’s grade. If a student’s absence exceeds one and a half times
the number of weekly meetings, the student’s grade will be lowered by one full letter grade. If a
student is absent excessively, the student can expect to fail the course. Lateness counts, too. Two
late arrivals will equal one absence.
Plagiarism Policy:
Students are responsible for their own work. Bergen Community College is committed to
academic integrity-the honest, fair, and continuing pursuit of knowledge, free from fraud or
deception. Behavior that demonstrates a lapse in Academic integrity includes Plagiarism.
Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty and may be a violation of U.S. Copyright laws.
Plagiarism is defined as the act of taking someone else’s words, opinions, or ideas and claiming
them as one’s own. Examples of plagiarism include instances in which a student:
● knowingly represents the work of others as his/her own
● represents previously completed academic work as current
● submits a paper or other academic work for credit which includes words, ideas, data or
creative work of others without acknowledging the source
● uses another author ’s exact words without enclosing them in quotation marks and citing them
appropriately
● paraphrases or summarizes another author ’s words without citing the source appropriately
Source: Bergen Community College Catalog, 2016 (page 9)
Academic Integrity Statement:
Academic Integrity is a standard of conduct in the BCC Student Code of Conduct:
https://bergen.edu/wp-content/uploads/StudentCodeofConduct2016_EngVer12062016.pdf
The College defines academic integrity as “the honest, fair, and continuing pursuit of knowledge,
free from fraud or deception. Students are responsible for their own work. Faculty and academic
support services staff will take appropriate measures to encourage academic honesty.”
Examples of behavior that demonstrate a lapse in academic integrity include: copying another
student’s work, doing the work for someone else, sharing answers during an exam, plagiarism,
and unethical use of technology for acquiring information from the Internet.
NOTE: If any of your work, all or in part, is plagiarized, that is copied from any source without
proper citation, or there is any reason to suspect that it is not your own, it will not be accepted,
and you will receive 0% for that assignment.
Statement on Accommodations for Disabilities
Bergen Community College aims to create inclusive learning environments where all students
have maximum opportunities for success. Any student who feels he or she may need an
accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the Office of Specialized
Services at 201-612-5269 or via email at ossinfo@bergen.edu for assistance.
Student and Faculty Support Services
ELRC (English Language Resource Center) Room E-156 201- 612-5292
http://www.bergen.edu/elrc
The Sidney Silverman Library – Reference
Desk
Room L-226 201-447-7436
http://www.bergen.edu/library
Sample Course Outline & Calendar (to be designated by the instructor)
Note to Students: The following Course Outline is tentative and subject to change, depending
upon the progress of the class.
Week(s) Topic/Activity/Assignments Learning
Outcomes
Assignments
1-2
Topic: Consumer Behavior
Introduction to an Essay
1/2/3 Diagnostic Writing
Assignment
3 Topic: Immigration
Narrative Essay
1/2/3/4 Textbook: Unit 2
Writing Assignment 1
4 Topic: Effects of Geographic Mobility
1/2/3/4 Textbook: Unit 3
Writing Assignment 2
5
Topic: Food and Culture
Textbook: Unit 4
Writing Assignment 3
6
Topic: Media
Library Visit
1/2/3/4 Textbook: Unit 5
(optional)
Writing Assignment 4
7
Topic: The Information Age
Research Assignment: Introduction
How to annotate an article
5/7 Textbook: Unit 6
Research Skills
8 Research Assignment: Continue
How to write a summary
4/5/7 Textbook: Unit 6
Research Skills
9 Spring Break – No Classes
10 Arguments vs. Opinions
Introduction
1/2/3/4/5/6/7 Writing Assignment
5: Research
Assignment Due
10 Arguments vs. Opinions
Thesis in an Argumentative Essay
1/2/3/4 Textbook: Unit 7
11 How to Build Refutation
The Language of Counterargument
1/2/3/4/5 Textbook: Unit 7
Writing Assignment 6
Practice Test 1
12
Timed Writing
Review and Practice
1/2/3/4/5 Practice Test 2
13 Review Final Exam
14 Make Up Assignments
Personal Conferences
15 Semester Ends