FALL, 2026

ENGL 1101, COMPOSITION I, 3.0

ONLINE VIA DESIRE2LEARN

Course Description:

A composition course focusing on skills required for effective writing in a variety of contexts, with emphasis on exposition and analysis and including the use of research skills. DISCLAIMER: This is a standard English course at a college level; please be prepared to face themes, facts, comments, policies, etiquette, etc., prevalent in the academic setting.

 

Course Student Learning Objectives (SLOs):

·       Students will demonstrate the ability to produce written communication that conforms to academic standard English and is organized into a series of coherent, unified paragraphs.

·       Students will demonstrate the ability to assimilate, analyze and organize information by composing in various formal modes and writing with a clearly developed thesis and effective support.

·       Students will demonstrate the ability to adapt written communication stylistically to suit a variety of circumstances and audiences.  

 

Course Prerequisites:

None.

 

CORE IMPACTS Objectives:

·       A composition course focusing on skills required for effective writing in a variety of contexts, with emphasis on exposition and analysis and including the use of research skills.

·       Students will communicate effectively in writing, demonstrating clear organization and structure, using appropriate grammar and writing conventions.

·       Students will appropriately acknowledge the use of materials from original sources.

·       Students will adapt their written communications to purpose and audience.

·       Students will analyze and draw informed inferences from written texts.

·       CRCs: Critical Thinking / Information Literacy / Persuasion

Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals.

This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question:

·         How do I interpret the human experience through creative, linguistic and philosophical works?

Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome:

·         Students will effectively analyze and interpret the meaning, cultural significance and ethical implications of literary/philosophical texts in English or other languages or of works in the visual/performing arts.

Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies:

·         Ethical Reasoning Information Literacy Intercultural Competence.

Course Communication:

• This course requires students to participate in web-based exercises, which will be included in computing their grade. A course shell been developed for this course in Blackboard and D2L, which includes course assignments, additional web links, multimedia resources and links to the discussion forum. Additional web resources may be added to the page throughout the semester. A copy of this syllabus is also available. In combination, this syllabus and the Moodle course shell explain all the requirements for this course.      
• Use ONLY your Outlook gordonstate.edu email when emailing me. Do not use the Desire2Learn email program to contact me. Please develop the habit of reading all the posts in the "Ask a Question" forum in Desire2Learn, since many very important issues will be discussed there. If you have a general question about the course, e.g., policies, assignments, dates, Teams sessions, post it in the forum so that all can benefit. In addition, check your gordonstate.edu email often and regularly. I will use the gordonstate.edu email and the "Ask a Question" forum in Desire2Learn frequently to advise you of important information like syllabus and assignment changes, graded assignments, helpful examples and resources you can use toward the completion of your assignments. I will respond to your emails within 24 hours Monday through Friday.
• When emailing me, please address me in a professional manner and indicate which course you are from. My academic title is "Dr. Perkowski." Please use this form of address when communicating with me.
• Please read my emails and D2L announcements carefully because many important updates will be communicated this way. Do not send any attachments or links—plain text only (just copy/paste your work.
• Things happen, naturally, but please do not present me with a problem and expect me to solve it. Instead of sending me comments about issues ending with a period (.), send me possible solutions to your dilemma ending with a question mark (?). Please take responsibility for being proactive.
• Teams lectures are optional to attend but mandatory to review, since vital class information will be discussed therein. These are our class instruction.
  
   

Course Format:

Course Resources:

• Required Text: All the materials are available under Content in D2L
• Recommended Text: None
• Additional Resources: None

  Course Assessments:

• Grades will be computed based on the combination of the following:

The course points fall 90-100 (A), 80-89 (B), 70-79 (C), 60-69 (D) and 0-59 (F). The grades will be posted in the D2L gradebook within 7 business days after the assignment due date.
You can expect to access the course materials and grades via our course in MyCourses (Brightspace by D2L). Students should check this MyCourses (Brightspace by D2L) course daily, as changes will always be announced and recorded on the course site.

 
Late Work:

• No late work will be accepted.
• Assignments revised/submitted past the deadline will not be accepted.
  
   

Final Exam Details:

• The final exam will be given on December 3, 2026. The date and time of the final exam is set by the registrar and will be posted at midterms. The exam schedule cannot be changed at the convenience of the student. You should not plan to be absent during that week. A make-up final exam will be given only in cases of a verifiable excused absence.
  
   

College-wide Statements:

• ATTENDANCE POLICY
• Class attendance is expected of all students enrolled at Gordon State College. Being prepared for class in advance and participating on a regular basis is a vitally important ingredient for academic success. Research continually shows that poor attendance and/or limited participation usually results in low grades. However, because the delivery mode, content, assignments, and other particulars for each class section vary so widely, Gordon State College does not specify an official campus-wide attendance standard. Nonetheless, students who are absent with the approval of the Office of Academic Affairs will be permitted to earn credit for work missed during their absences. In addition, with the prior approval of the Academic Affairs office, dual enrollment students who are absent will also be permitted earn credit for work missed during their absences Approval of such activities will be granted by the Academic Affairs Office and posted online at Approved Absences. Such excused absences are reserved for situations in which students are representing their school or the college. All students are responsible for contacting instructors prior to all excused absences in order to arrange to make up any missed work. Instructors will determine reasonable accommodations for missed coursework that best fit the circumstances of their course. Examples of reasonable accommodations might include but are not limited to:
• Rescheduling of an individual’s quiz or exam;         
• Revising the deadline for any out-of-class assignment at the instructor’s discretion;
• Creating an alternate assignment with an equivalent grade.

At the beginning of each semester, every instructor will distribute a course syllabus and clearly state his or her attendance policy. It is the student’s responsibility to inquire of the instructor if there are questions.
A WF will be assigned as the final grade if the student stops attending class after mid-term.
The instructor will notify the Registrar’s Office in writing if a student receiving veteran’s benefits is absent from a class three consecutive weeks in a fall or spring semester, two consecutive weeks in a full session summer semester, or one week in a half session summer semester.
Gordon State College related field trips and extracurricular activities which require a student’s absence from class must be approved by the Provost; however, final approval for class absences remains with the individual instructor.
Enrollment Verification: Every semester, faculty will provide electronic verification of class attendance for each student on each official class roll following procedures outlined by the Registrar. Class rolls become official at the close of the drop-add period each semester. Faculty enrollment verification is due on the tenth calendar day of fall and spring semesters and as announced for summer semester. Students reported as never attending a class by this date will be removed from the official class roll.

• For students who do not receive financial aid, loans or scholarships, tuition and fees will be recalculated after the class is removed from the schedule. If appropriate, a refund will be issued to the student.
• For students receiving financial aid, loans or scholarships, tuition and fees will be recalculated after the class is removed and financial aid, loans or scholarships will be adjusted accordingly. This adjustment could result in a reduction of aid awarded or loss of loan or scholarship funds.
• No student will be enrolled in a class after the close of the drop/add period.
• A student whose class schedule would otherwise prevent them from voting will be permitted an excused absence for the interval reasonably required for voting.

• COMPUTER & ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT USAGE POLICY
   

o   The rules stated below are (1) to assure that all College property, including, but not limited to, computer hardware and software, electronic and telephone systems are used for business purposes only, (2) to assure that all internal proprietary information is safe-guarded, and (3) to advise employees and students that College equipment is not to be used to store or transmit information or items which they consider to be private or personal. The fact that the College may not have enforced these policies in the past should not be interpreted to mean that the College cannot enforce them now or in the future.
 

• Only current faculty, staff, and students may use the College computer equipment, electronic equipment and software.
• Students may use college computers and software for class assignments, term papers, projects, and/or tutorials for their courses.
• Computer software is protected by United States copyright law. Most software manufacturers allow for use of software in classes or computer labs. The College does not condone use of its software for any other purpose.
• Disk/files are subject to inspection by Gordon State College. Those found to contain unauthorized copies of copyrighted software will be erased.
• In classes where computer networks are used, students may use only usernames, passwords, and files authorized by their instructor.
• Unauthorized changes to machine configurations, system configuration programs, or batch files are prohibited.
• Unauthorized additions, deletions, or modifications of application software are prohibited.
• Gordon State College equipment cannot be used to type, transmit or print harassing, offending, illegal, sexually suggestive, or inappropriate messages.
• All systems belonging to Gordon State College are subject to monitoring. The College reserves the right to enter and review all computer databases and electronic transmissions, including but not limited to, computer, electronic, and telephone systems.
• Anyone who uses the College’s computers and electronic equipment acknowledges and agrees to observe these policies.
• The technology side of the course (e.g., electronic devices, hardware, required software, reliable access to the Internet, correct login information) is the sole responsibility of the students enrolled in online courses.

• Standards of Academic Conduct and Student Integrity

o   Gordon State College Academic Dishonesty Policy — When a faculty member becomes aware of an act of academic dishonesty, the faculty member may penalize the act in one or any combination of five ways depending on the faculty member’s assessment of the severity of the infraction.
 Assign a grade of F for the assignment and/or require remedial action by the student.
Assign a grade of 0 for the assignment and/or require remedial action by the student.
      Assign a failing grade in the course.
Assign penalties as stated in the course syllabus.
Refer the matter to the Dean of the School.

• In addition, after having dealt with the act of academic dishonesty, the faculty member should send a brief memorandum to the Dean of the School identifying the student, the infraction, and the resolution. Academic deans will report egregious cases to the Dean of Students for placement in student record and potential additional action.
• If the student wishes to contest the faculty member’s decision, the student may appeal the decision to the Department Head and then the Dean of the School using the Academic Request process. When the matter reaches the School Dean by faculty member referral or student appeal, the Dean may ask the Academic Judicial Committee to consider the matter and make a recommendation. As stipulated in the Student Code of Conduct found later in this catalog, the student may appeal the Committee’s recommendation to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. When the deliberations are concluded, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs will communicate the decision to both the student and the faculty member.
• If the Dean of Students receives memoranda reporting two different incidents of academic dishonesty by the same student and neither case is overturned by appeal in the Office of Academic Affairs, the student will be summoned to the Student Affairs Office for appropriate disciplinary proceedings.
• College expects academic honesty from students and instructors. Students have the obligation both to themselves and to the College to make the appropriate College representative aware of instances of academic deceit or dishonesty. Generally, this entails making the situation known to the instructor and, if needed, to the Dean of the student’s school. Likewise, faculty members are responsible for enforcing the stated academic standards of the College. Instances of violating academic standards might include, but are not necessarily limited to, the situations outlined below (adapted from MCNY):

§  Cheating is receiving or providing unapproved help in any academic task, test or treatise. Cheating includes the attempt to use or the actual use of any unauthorized information, educational material or learning aid in a test or assignment. Cheating includes multiple submission of any academic exercise more than once for credit without prior authorization and approval of the instructor.
§  Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s work as though it is your own. In an academic community the use of words ideas or discoveries of another person without explicit, formal acknowledgement constitutes an act of theft or plagiarism. To avoid the charge of plagiarism, students must engage in standard academic practices such as putting quotation marks around words that are not their own, employing the appropriate documentation or citation and including a formal acknowledgement of the source in the proper format. Students are expected to use the proper MLA format for citations, e.g., “quote” (21).
§  Fabrication involves inventing or falsifying any data, information or records.
§  Obstruction is impeding the ability of another student to perform assigned work.
§  Collusion comprises assisting any of the above situations or performing work that another student presents as his or her own.
§  Use of AI is explicitly forbidden in this course.
Artificial Intelligence deceives a faculty member or other individual who assesses student performance into believing that one’s mastery of a subject or discipline is greater than it is. Since writing, analytical and critical-thinking skills are part of the learning outcomes of this course, all writing assignments should be prepared by the student. Developing strong competencies in this area will prepare you for the competitive workforce. Therefore, AI-generated submissions (using ChatGPT, iA Writer, Midjourney, Claude, Gemini, Komo, Wordtune, Copilot, Jasper, Brave, Watson, Grammarly, Perplexity, Canva, DALL-E, Runway, etc.) are not permitted and will be treated as plagiarism (see above).

• Title IX & Mandatory Reporter Information: Gordon State College is committed to providing an environment free of all forms of discrimination and sexual harassment, including sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking. If you (or someone you know) has experienced or experiences any of these incidents, know that you are not alone.  Please know also that all faculty members at GSC are mandated reporters. Any student reporting any type of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking must be made aware that any report made to a faculty member under the provisions of Title IX will be reported to the Title IX Coordinator or a Title IX Deputy Coordinator. If you wish to speak with someone confidentially, you can contact the Counseling and Accessibility Services via the email above. The licensed counselors in the Counseling Office can provide confidential support. GSC does not discriminate against any student on the basis of pregnancy, parenting, or related conditions. Students seeking accommodations on the basis of pregnancy, parenting or related conditions should contact Counseling and Accessibility Services at the email above regarding the process of documenting pregnancy related issues and being approved for accommodations, including pregnancy related absences as defined under Title IX.”
• ADA, IEP, and 504: If you have a documented disability as described by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, you may be eligible to receive accommodations to assist in programmatic and/or physical accessibility. The Counseling and Accessibility Services office can assist you in formulating a reasonable accommodation plan and in providing support in developing appropriate accommodations to ensure equal access to all GSC programs and facilities.” Contact Counseling and Accessibility Services at aliciad@gordonstate.edu.
• COVID updates: https://www.gordonstate.edu/corona-virus/index.html
• Religious Holidays: GSC acknowledges that the academic calendar can sometimes conflict with major holidays from among our diverse religious traditions. If you need to miss class to observe a religious holiday, just let me know beforehand so we can figure out how you’ll get your work completed.  
• School-Related Absences: If you need to miss class because of a school-related activity (sports, field trips, etc.), please contact me beforehand.
• GA House Bill 280: See the University System of Georgia at the following link  http://www.usg.edu/hb280.

Miscellaneous Student Resources:

• Tutoring: The GSC Student Success Center provides tutoring services for students on a variety of topics. They also provide online academic resources. Please see the Student Success Center’s website for more information.
• NetTutor This free online tutoring is available 24/7 via D2L. To access, select “Tools/Resources” from within the D2L course. Then select NetTutor and pick the subject. Leave a question or start live tutoring (link to tutoring hours will be in upper right corner). You can use the chat feature or ask tutor to turn on audio. These sessions are recorded, so you can watch them multiple times.
• D2L: Brightspace by D2L is GSC’s online learning management system (LMS). Course materials and your gradebook are housed on D2L. Here are the instructions for getting into our course, in case you’re new to this system:
• Go to the homepage  www.gordonstate.edu.
• Choose “My Gordon” link (top middle of page).
• Choose “Brightspace by D2L.”
• Log in with GSC email username (do not include @gordonstate.edu) and current GSC email password.
• Once D2L opens, choose our class under the “My Courses” widget (on far right of page).
• Choose “Content” on the course navigation bar at top to view our course materials.
• Do Note that you cannot see any of your courses in D2L until the first official day of classes. If you add the class in Banner Web during the Drop/Add period, it will take an overnight process for you to be added into D2L.

• Assistance with D2L: 
• If you cannot log in, consider resetting your password here (passwords must have uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers/symbols, must be at least 10 characters and cannot include name/username).
• If you still cannot log in or if you have some other weird problem, then email d2lhelp@gordonstate.edu and provide your name, your 929 number and the course/section information. This email is checked M-F, 8-5.
• You also have access to a 24/7 Live Chat hosted by the University System of Georgia.  Chat live here.
   
• Assistance with computer hardware (i.e., loading Microsoft Office, removing a virus from your computer, etc.)
• You can call GSC Information Technology at 678-359-5008. They are open M-F 8-5. If you leave a voicemail, please include your name, 929 number, a brief description of the problem and a call-back number.
• You can go to GSC Information Technology in the Instructional Complex Building, room 109.
• Computers on Campus: There are computers all over the campus if you need to use one, including in the first-floor computer lab of the Instructional Complex (IC), as well as in Academic, Russell, Smith, Nursing & Allied Health Services, Hightower Library and the Student Success Center. If you live in the residence halls, there are computer labs located there as well.
  
• Counseling and Accessibility Services Office: If you (or someone you care for at GSC) feels overwhelmed, depressed or in need of support, please contact this office for free counseling at alisonb@gordonstate.edu.

o   Please know that there is also a 24-hour crisis line available: 1-800-715-4225.

• Highlander House: If you or someone you know is facing food insecurity or needs toiletry items, check out this free student success resource: SARC 113.
   
• Career Services Center: Our Career Services Center offers many forms of assistance for you, such as Kuder Interest Assessments; Career readiness, preparation and assistance; internship preparation and opportunities; Toastmasters; Professional Development Events; and Community Engagement and Service-Learning opportunities (328 Lambdin Hall, 678.359.5719).

Course Calendar: