English 217

Assignments

Lectures

Library

Resources

 

NOTE: Before beginning assignments, click on the following link to open a grade sheet and calendar that can be printed as a word document.

Unit One

***It Would Be to Your Advantage to Print This Unit

Before Beginning the Assignments***

In this unit:

  • You will be introduced to Internet E-Mail and to the class Discussion Board where you can communicate and discuss assignments with your classmates.
  • The class Discussion Board is like a class journal where your writings can be read by all the other students of that forum.
  • You will write two journal entries and send them to the class Discussion Board.
  • You will write an autobiographical essay.

Attention:

The essay for this unit is due 12/29/08. If you cannot meet this due date, please contact me by e-mail before this due date. If you are behind in your assignments, no more than two essays may be submitted in any given week unless you have made prior arrangements with me.  NOTE:  This does not include journal writing assignments.  You can submit as many of these at one time as you wish.

Assignment 1: 5 Points

NOTE** You MUST set up an MCC e-mail account. You will not be on my distribution list if you do not use MCC e-mail, and you will miss any mailings I may send out to the entire class. If you have not set up your account yet, you need to log in to the address below and create this account now. If you do not yet have Internet access at home, you can create this e-mail account from MCC's library or computer lab. If you prefer to use another e-mail account for communicating with me, you still need to set up the MCC e-mail account. You can then set it to forward any mail from me to your preferred e-mail address. Click on the link below to set up your MCC e-mail account if you have not already done so:

https://www.mc.maricopa.edu/apps/mymcc/CreateAccount.jsp

 ***When you are finished, return here.

Enter your e-mail account. Type a message to me telling me about yourself, why you chose to take English 217 by Internet etc. Also, in this message, let me know which e-mail account you will be using for the class. This message should be 50 - 100 words.

Click on the following link to send me your message.

 

  

*It is extremely important that you check your e-mail at least twice each week. Since this is not a lecture course, when I need to communicate with you, whether it be tips on the current assignments, announcements, or just news for the class, this communication will come over the Mail.

Each time you log on to e-mail from home, click on Get Msg at the upper left corner of the screen and search for new messages. You are responsible for any information I send you.

Assignment 2: 5 Points

Use the following directions to log on to your English 217 class Discussion Board:

  • Click on the Student Portal link below (this link will also be at the beginning and end of each unit).

MyMCC Student Portal

  • After you click on the Student Portal link, click on My Classes. Then you will be asked for your MCC e-mail username and password that you created when you set up your MCC mail account. A list of your courses will then appear.
  • Go to the bottom of the screen to Change Term. Change the term to the current semester.
  • Click on WebCT 6.0 under the words My Classes.
  • Click on Discussions on the left side of the screen.
  • Click on the assignment you are working on (Ex:  Assignment 2).
  • Click on “Create Message” and type your entry into the message box (you can also write the entry in MS Word and paste it into this box). Always be sure you are in the correct Assignment number when you write material in or copy and paste material in the Discussion Board. Do not send material to the  Discussion Board as attachments.  This is your first contact with the rest of the class so do your best. Be sure to fill in the "Subject" box with your Assignment name and number (for example: Smith's Assignment 2) prior to sending your entry to the Discussion Board. Always fill in the subject box like this:

 

Massey's Assignment 2

Or

Smith's Assignment 2

  • Write your message or copy and paste your journal entry into the"Message" box.
  • When you are finished, click on "Post" at the bottom of the "Message" box. Your entry has been sent.

 

  • NOTE: From this point on, all writings need to be done in a word processing program. Some will be pasted into your class Discussion Board, and others (each unit's essay) will be sent to me as an attachment through Internet e-mail. If you are working in the MCC Computer Lab or Library, you will use Microsoft Word, and you will need to have a formatted disk in the "A" drive.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you do not use Microsoft Word to type your assignments, you must save your assignments as Microsoft Word documents before sending them as attachments (Only essay assignments will be sent as attachments).

Assignment 3: 10 Points

Click on this link to read the lecture on A Critical Decision.

Enter Microsoft Word (or your word processing program if you are working from home).

Write a journal entry about a Critical Decision that you have made (minimum 400 words).

Save and name this document Assignment 3.

Access your English 217 class Discussion Board in WebCT.

Post your journal entry in the Assignment 3 Topic of your English 217 class Discussion Board. Be sure that you have clicked on the Assignment 3 Topic before you click on “Post.”

Assignment 4: 10 Points

Click on this link to read the lecture called Myself.

Enter Microsoft Word (or your word processing program if you are working from home).

Write a journal entry about Whom You Are and What Your Opposite Would Be (minimum 400 words).

Save and name this document Assignment 4.

Access your English 217 class Discussion Board.

Post your journal entry in the Assignment 4 Topic of your English 217 class Discussion Board. Be sure that you have highlighted the Assignment 4 Topic before you click on “Post a new topic to this conference.”

 

Assignment 5: 100 Points

Click on this link to read the lecture called Autobiography.

Enter Microsoft Word (or your word processing program if you are working from home).

Write a 700-900 word autobiography about your childhood, adolescence, goals, etc.


NOTE: Your essay needs to be700 to 900 words in length. Use your word processor's statistics feature to check the length of your essay as you are writing it.

You can write this essay in first person (I, me, we, our); however, DO NOT use second person (you, your) at any time in your writings in this unit or in any of the other units unless it is in dialogue or a direct quote.

Be sure to proofread your essay carefully and edit it for organization, sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation problems.

If you need help with editing techniques, click on this link and read the lecture on Editing and Revising.

Save and name this document (your last name's) Assignment 5.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you do not use Microsoft Word to type your assignments, you must save this assignment as a Microsoft Word document before sending it as an attachment.

Use the following directions to format the final, revised copy of your essay:

  • College essays normally do not require a separate title page.
  • Against the left margin of the first page of your essay, place your name, the course name and number/section number, the date, and the number of the essay on separate lines.
  • Double-space between lines.
  • Double-space after the heading and center the title of the essay on your page.
  • Capitalize the first and last words of the title and all other words except articles, prepositions.
  • Do not underline the title or put it in quotation marks, and do not use a period after the title.

Be sure to format your essay according to the directions above.

 When you feel you have created the best essay you can, use the following instructions to send your essay to me.

  • Click on the following link for instructions on how to send this assignment to my private e-mail address through Internet e-mail as an attachment.

Sending Attachments

  • Click on the following link to access my private e-mail address.
  • When asked for a subject, type (your last name's) Assignment 5.

 If you experience problems sending attachments, you have the option of printing your essay and sliding it under your instructor’s office door.

**IMPORTANT NOTE: You must check with your instructor before choosing this option.  This will not be an option for summer school students.

If you choose, you can mail your essay addressed to your instructor at English Department, Mesa Community College, 1833 W. Southern Avenue, Mesa, Arizona, 85202. NOTE: Be sure to mail your work in time for your instructor to receive it by the due date.

**IMPORTANT NOTE: You must check with your instructor before choosing this option.  This will not be an option for summer school students.

NOTE: You will be allowed to rewrite this essay one time after you have received your graded copy back. If your revised essay is greatly improved, you can receive a higher grade on the essay. However your grade cannot be raised higher than one letter grade. For example, if you received a 'C' on the first paper, the most you can receive on the rewritten paper is a 'B.'

**Rewritten essays must be turned in one week after the original graded essay is received.

Total Points for Unit 1: 130