Faculty Syllabus

INRW 33947/17317:0340 029/021

Course Syllabus, Spring 2026

R. Rodriguez

In the chart below, locate your course information (start/end dates, meeting day/time, location). 

R. Rodriguez, Professor

512-698-9099                                     

Email: ruben.rodriguez@austincc.edu

Office Hours: TTh 10AM – 11AM (or by appointment)

Important Note: Additional course syllabus and important information can be found in the Departmental Syllabus for all INRW sections, which is posted on the CLS Department webpage, as well as the College Policies & Student Support Services. These documents supplement this syllabus and include the following information:

• Prerequisites

• Summary of Student Expectations

• Course objectives and Student Learning Outcomes

• Essay and Assignment Requirements

• Academic Honesty Guidelines (including discussion of plagiarism, collusion, & AI technology)

• Use of Student Work explanation

• Health and Safety Protocols

• Student Rights and Responsibilities (including student freedom of expression, student complaints, and anti-discrimination policies)

• Testing Center Procedures

• Student Support Services (including Student Accessibility Services, tutoring, & library services)

• Student Organizations

• Personal Support (including food, financial, and childcare support, & mental health services)

*Please remember that it is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with all of these documents.

In some cases, INRW 0340 is paired with English 1301 as noted in the above chart. Closely note your section’s 1301 coreq as well as your section’s starting date. Students must register for both sections. Please register for the INRW section first. NOTE: If you withdraw from one of these sections, you will automatically be withdrawn from the other. Also, if either professor withdraws you from a section due to lack of progress or excessive absences, you will be withdrawn from both.

INRW 0340 is a reading and writing course required of students based on their TSI Scores. My goal in this course is to provide you with the reading and writing strategies that will help you to be successful in English composition, other college courses which require reading and writing, and your future success in society.

Course Rationale. INRW 0340 is an exit course designed to prepare students to engage successfully with college-level reading and writing. Students who have not passed the reading and writing portion of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) must enroll and participate in a developmental reading and writing course until they satisfy the TSI reading and writing requirement.

Required Materials.

NO TEXT is required for this course. Instead readings (op-eds, essays, speeches, articles, etc.) will be either supplied by the instructor (and posted on Blackboard) or required of students. Additionally, be sure you come to class prepared with the following supplies:

• Notebook or looseleaf paper for in-class writing.

• Access to a computer or tablet (for completing Blackboard activities) and printer

  AND computer access in case class may periodically meet virtually.

Instructional Methodology. A variety of approaches will be used in this class including discussion, use of electronic media, collaborative learning, individual activities, and one-on-one conferences.

Course Description. This course is designed to assist students to focus on the basic errors of grammar, and includes composition of complete sentences, paragraphs, and essays. Attention will also be paid to correct punctuation and spelling as well as words that are often confused. Also, an emphasis on planning, writing, and revising assignments will be a major component of the course. Students will participate in individualized and group instruction in a classroom or workshop setting. Course(s) goals: To prepare students to write confidently and effectively in college-level credit courses and to pass the writing portion of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI). Prerequisites: WS I students must have passed Reading Fundamentals.  WS II students: TSI complete in DEVW 0300 and/or 0310. Grade of C or better in DEVW 0300 and/or 0310 OR placement by a Written Essay Score of 4 and objective score of 350-355.

Guidelines for Submitting Essays. All essays must be typed and must fulfill the requirements of MLA Document Design. For each essay, I will provide detailed guidelines concerning submission either on Blackboard and/or hard copies will be turned in to me in class. Carefully read the essay guidelines and ask questions when you don’t understand something.

Major Writing/Essay Assignments. You will complete Five to Six (5-6) major writing assignments or essays this semester. A hard copy of each essay is required and/or submission may be made in Blackboard.  The due date for each paper will be announced in class as well as written on the assignment sheet with ample time for you to complete these assignment. Writing assignment types may include

--Major Writing Assignment #1: Personal Essay drawing on your personal experience.

--Major Writing Assignment #2: Opinion/Position Essay in response to a topic or issue discussed in class.

--Major Writing Assignment #3: Summary Report drawing from various sources (articles, blogs, etc.).

--Major Writing Assignment #4: Paraphrase Report drawing from various sources (articles, blogs, etc.).

--Major Writing Assignment #5: Textbook Chapter Review/Report drawing from a chapter in a selected textbook.

--Major Writing Assignment #6: End of Semester Portfolio consisting of a review and proofing and editing of all major writing assignments submitted throughout the semester.

*The Reflection Exit Assessment: Reflection Exit Assessment -- write a response analyzing your work from the semester. This assignment will be evaluated “PASS” OR “FAIL” according to a rubric focused on content, organization, and grammar & mechanics. Students must have a C or better in the course to qualify to take this assessment. Those who do not pass will receive a grade of D or F for the course regardless of their other course grades. Students who pass this exam will receive the grade they have earned in their other course work.

Grading Breakdown/Scale:

 Grading Breakdown/Scale:
Major Writing Assignment #1: 20% Tentative Due Date: 2/06
Major Writing Assignment #2: 20% Tentative Due Date: 2/20
(4 research components @ 5% each,
Final Research Paper @ 30%)
--Major Writing Assignment #3: 5% Tentative Due Date: 3/06
--Major Writing Assignment # 4 5% Tentative Due Date: 3/03
--Major Writing Assignment # 5 5% Tentative Due Date: 4/20
--Major Writing Assignment # 6 30% Tentative Due Date: 4/30
(Research Paper)
Homework: 10%
Attendance/Engagement: 5%
(includes mandatory conferences)
Reflection Exit Assessment: 0%
(graded pass/fail)
_____________________________________________
TOTAL: 100%                               

Grading Policy. For each of the major writing/essay assignments, I will provide detailed information explaining what is required on each assignment in order to successfully complete each. You will also have an opportunity to review examples of these essays written by ACC students. We will work on drafts of these essays in class, so you may ask questions and receive feedback at that time.
 

Late Work. Unless otherwise stated, to be counted as “on time,” all assignments must be turned in at the start of class on the date stated on the assignment sheet whether the class meets face-to-face, virtually or is a DIL section. I will not accept late work unless you have extenuating circumstances and/or you have visited with me BEFORE the assignment is due. Assignments submitted after the due time and date will assigned a grade deduction according to the following schedule.

Day 1 (assignment due day/time): There will be a 30 minute grace period to submit an assignment after the due time. For instance if an assignment is due at 12pm, you will have until 12:30pm to turn in your work with NO GRADE DEDUCTION. If an assignment is submitted AFTER the 30 minute grace period, a deduction of 10 points will be made to the final assignment grade.

Day 2: A 15 point grade deduction will be made to the final grade if an assignment is turned in a day after the due day/time. No exceptions will be made.

Day 3: A 20 point grade deduction will be made to the final grade if an assignment is turned in two days after the due day/time. No exceptions will be made.

Day 4: A 25 point grade deduction will be made to the final grade if an assignment is turned in three days after the due day/time. No exceptions will be made.

No assignment will be accepted more than 3 days after the due date. No exceptions will be made.

Missed Work. When a class must be missed due to an emergency or other reason, it is the student’s responsibility to alert me via email and/or text. You will also be responsible for missed class work and/or assignments. The student must be prepared to continue with the course the next class day that he/she attends the class. In addition, a student may visit during office hours to ask questions about missed material, but the instructor is not obligated to re-teach missed material in its entirety.

Electronic Devices. Cell phones and other electronic devices are disruptive, and it is not possible to fully engage in class while using an electronic device. Additionally, device usage disrupts others who are pursuing an education. Therefore, please keep all devices on silent to avoid disrupting others. If a call or text is urgent, you may quietly excuse yourself and use your device outside of the classroom. There is absolutely no texting or other cell phone use allowed in class at any time. In addition, you may not use a laptop or other computer in class during lecture time or other designated activity time. You may only use computers during designated work time, and computer use must always be directly related to our course objectives. I may ask you to leave class for the day if your cell phone or other electronic device usage becomes a distraction.

Attendance Policy. Students who attend regularly and who come on-time, prepared and ready to participate tend to perform much better than those who do not. This is why attendance is mandatory. That said, because things happen, you may miss 3 face-to-face class periods without penalty. Absences after 3, as well as excessive tardies and early departures, may result in penalties ranging from significant attendance & engagement deductions to failing the course based on attendance alone.

Important to Remember. Please note the use of the word “may” in that last paragraph. There is flexibility here. First, if you are sick and/or potentially contagious with something (Covid, the flu, RSV, Strep, a mystery illness that makes you feel awful), please stay home and contact me BEFORE class so that I am aware of your health situation.

I am also aware that occasions may arise where a student’s family members are sick and must be cared for; jobs disappear or change; technology or transportation fails; child care falls through; and so forth. If you have a health emergency (physical or mental, related to yourself or a close family member) or other significant life situation that affects your attendance or performance, please contact me ASAP. I do not need specific details, but communication is necessary to determine what policy flexibility might be reasonable to help you succeed.

Withdrawal Policy. It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his or her name is removed from the roll should he or she decide to withdraw from the class. The instructor does, however, reserve the right to drop a student should he feel it is necessary. If a student decides to withdraw, he or she should also verify that the withdrawal is submitted before the final withdrawal date as noted in the ACC college catalog. The student is also strongly encouraged to retain his/her copy of the withdrawal form for his or her records. Students who enroll for a third or subsequent time, in a course taken since Fall 2002, may be charged a higher rate of tuition for that course. State law permits students to withdraw from no more than six courses during their entire undergraduate career at Texas public colleges and universities. With certain exceptions, all course withdrawals automatically count towards the limit. Details regarding this policy can be found in the ACC college catalog.

Scholastic Dishonesty. All work in this course must be your own.  Anything copied or taken from another source without proper documentation and turned in as your own work constitutes Plagiarism.  If you plagiarize in this class, you will receive zero points on the assignment (with no chance to revise) for a first offense and a grade of “F” for the course for the second offense. See the ACC Student Handbook for further discussion of scholastic dishonesty.

Classroom Conduct. You are expected to conduct yourself as a professional student. In addition, since we are covering so much material, there is no time to become distracted with behavioral issues. According to the ACC student handbook (http://www.austincc.edu/handbook/), acceptable standards of conduct include behavior that:
 

• Reflects the highest level of honesty and integrity.
• Is civil, courteous, and respectful of all members of the campus community, their property, and the property of the college.
• Promotes mutual respect, equality, and safety of its members and opposes those acts that harass, intimidate, or haze its members.  

By enrolling in an ACC course, students agree to abide by the college’s Student Standards of Conduct. Acting in a disrespectful manner towards other students, the instructor, or classroom visitors will not be tolerated. Examples of disrespectful behavior include, but are not limited to: slamming doors or other objects, shouting, and using profane language. There are many interpretations of what might be considered disrespectful behavior, but the instructor will serve as the judge of what constitutes disrespectful behavior. The first act of disrespect will result in the instructor discussing the situation with the student. The second act of disrespect will result in the student being withdrawn from the class. In extreme cases, there may be no discussion initiated by the instructor, and the student may automatically be withdrawn from the learning community directly following the first act of disrespect.

Departmental Web Page. Go to www.austincc.edu/writing for additional information on the developmental writing program and for online writing resources.

Withdrawal Policy. Regular and punctual class and laboratory attendance is expected of all students. I reserve the right to withdraw a student for not meeting course prerequisites or for submitting plagiarized work. I also reserve the right to withdraw students for not making adequate progress in the course (generally because they are not submitting significant assignments, are not earning a passing grade, or are missing too much class.) Please be aware, however, that I do not automatically withdraw students for these things. If you are no longer able to attend class, or are unable or unlikely to pass the class by the Final Withdrawal Date, it is up to you to decide whether to drop or take the failing grade.

Students are responsible for understanding the impact that withdrawal from a course may have on their financial aid, veterans’ benefits, and international student status. Per state law, students enrolling for the first time in Fall 2007 or later at any public Texas college or university may not withdraw (receive a “W”) from more than six courses during their undergraduate college education. Some exemptions for good cause could allow a student to withdraw from a course without having it count toward this limit. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with an advisor when making decisions about course selection, course loads, and course withdrawals.”

Essay Requirements. Students must write and revise all academic essays that count for a minimum of 50% of the course grade. Essays must be word-processed. The first week of the semester, INRW students are required to handwrite a start-of-semester writing assessment. This assessment will give me an idea of your composition strengths and weaknesses so that these are addressed throughout the semester. A final essay--the Departmental Essay--will be written during the week prior to the end of the semester. Students will hand write a four-paragraph persuasive departmental essay on an assigned topic. This essay will be written in class under instructor supervision.

In-Progress (IP) Grades. An IP (In-Progress) grade may be used for students in developmental education courses. An IP may be awarded to students who remain in the class, are attending and are progressing but not achieving the standards for earning a C or better in the course. An IP is a final grade for the term and counts toward the student's term hour load but carries no grade points or credit toward graduation. An IP does not mean successful fulfillment of the objectives of the course or completion of remediation. Students who earn an IP and continue at ACC must re-register in the same course for the next term that they enroll in unless TSI requirements are otherwise met, in which case the IP becomes the final grade. An IP grade is not to be used as an alternative to an I or an F. TSI-mandated students who have excessive absences do not qualify for an IP. Students may earn an IP in the same course two times. On the third attempt, the student is not eligible for an IP and instead must earn an A, B, C, D, or F.

Grade of Incomplete (I). An instructor may award a grade of “I” (Incomplete) if a student was unable to complete all of the objectives for the passing grade in a course due to extenuating circumstances that must be documented. An incomplete grade cannot be carried beyond the established date in the following semester. The completion date is determined by the instructor but may not be later than the final deadline for withdrawal in the subsequent semester. To qualify for an incomplete in Developmental Writing, a student must have three-quarters of the course completed and permission from the instructor. To receive an incomplete, a student must make a written request to the instructor and then fill out and sign the appropriate school document by the deadline noted in the current course schedule. Please note that incompletes are rare. They are to be used for extreme circumstances such as a student who is unable to complete the final exam because he or she was hospitalized.

Scholastic Dishonesty Policy A student attending ACC assumes responsibility for conduct compatible with the mission of the college as an educational institution. Students have the responsibility to submit coursework that is the result of their own thought, research, or self-expression. Students must follow all instructions given by faculty or designated college representatives when taking examinations, placement assessments, tests, quizzes, and evaluations. Actions constituting scholastic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, collusion, and falsifying documents. Penalties for scholastic dishonesty will depend upon the nature of the violation and may range from lowering a grade on one assignment to an “F” in the course and/or expulsion from the college. See the Student Standards of Conduct and Disciplinary Process and other policies at. All work submitted in this course should be a student's own work. When a student borrows ideas, wording, or organization from another source, that information must be referenced using the methods prescribed by the instructor. Plagiarism or collusion could cause a student to receive a failing grade for the course or to be withdrawn from the course. Each instructor will provide students with a penalty policy for scholastic dishonesty. Plagiarism is appropriating, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means another's work and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of it in one's own work. Collusion is unauthorized collaboration with another person or persons in preparing written work for fulfillment of course work.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. AI policy from the Department of Composition and Literary Studies.

USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

While the firm expectation for all courses is that student work will reflect authentic (student-generated)

effort and original critical thinking, the use of AI tools may support student learning and equip them to

engage critically with artificial intelligence academically, professionally, and personally.

INTRODUCTION

The Composition and Literary Studies department recognizes that AI technology offers both risks and

opportunities for writers. Individual CLS faculty have the freedom to set their own specific policies on

whether and how students can use both types of AI in their classes. They may opt to disallow all AI or

allow certain types within certain parameters. Please consult individual instructors' syllabi for policies

and information about the seven sections below that are specific to your course or section.

DEFINITION

In setting policies, we think about two types of AI:

● Instructive AI (Grammarly, Packback, etc.), which can help check existing writing

● Generative AI (ChatGPT, Gemini, etc.), which can generate writing and images from scratch

RATIONALE

● CLS expects students to put their own effort into each step of the writing process, including

generating ideas, drafting, and revising. Even when AI is allowed, it should not substitute for a

student's critical thinking. Instructors may check for individual effort and originality in various

ways, including in-class writing, conferences, and peer review.

● CLS requires that all final assignments reflect a student's unique ideas stated in their original

words and sentences. Any ideas or phrasing that are not directly from a student must be properly

attributed to their sources. Even when AI is allowed, it should not be used to generate content

that will be graded as if it were a student's own.

● CLS requires that any use of Generative or Instructional AI, even as part of prewriting, must be

documented. Individual instructors will explain their standards and methods for this

documentation.

● CLS requires that instructors’ individual policies discuss the data privacy, bias, accuracy, and

plagiarism risks of Generative AI. Students must be able to make an informed decision before

using this technology.

RESOURCES

Instructors may provide resources, tutorials, and guidelines for using AI tools. Students are expected to

utilize these to ensure responsible use.

ASSESSMENTS

If the use of AI is part of a course or assignment grading rubric, students may be evaluated on how

effectively and ethically they use and integrate AI in their work.

PENALTIES

Assignments that do not reflect a student's original work, do not properly attribute sources, and/or do

not adhere to relevant usage permissions are a form of academic dishonesty and are subject to the

college's Academic Integrity Process. Specific consequences for academic dishonesty should be outlined

in the instructor’s syllabus.

EXCEPTIONS

Instructors may set specific expectations, limitations, and exceptions (such as for accommodations)

regarding the use of generative AI tools in their classes, which should be clearly stated in the syllabus.

USAGE PERMISSIONS

Expectations regarding whether and how students use AI tools in a course will be explained clearly in the

instructor’s individual syllabus.

ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT AND PLAGIARISM

Austin Community College values academic integrity in the educational process. Acts of academic

dishonesty/misconduct undermine the learning process, present a disadvantage to students who earn

credit honestly, and subvert the academic mission of the institution. The potential consequences of

fraudulent credentials raise additional concerns for individuals and communities beyond campus who

rely on institutions of higher learning to certify students' academic achievements and expect to benefit

from the claimed knowledge and skills of their graduates. Students must follow all instructions given by

faculty or designated college representatives when taking examinations, placement assessments, tests,

quizzes, and evaluations.

Actions constituting scholastic dishonesty include, but are not limited to,

plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, collusion, falsifying documents, or the inappropriate use of the

college’s information technology resources. Further information is available at

https://www.austincc.edu/about-acc/academic-integrity-and-disciplinary-process

Plagiarism can be defined as using the words and ideas of another writer without acknowledging the

debt. Plagiarism takes many forms, including the omission of parenthetical citations, the failure to place

quotation marks around direct or modified content taken from another source, and another person

writing the essay for the student. It is of utmost importance for students to understand that in academic

and professional life, plagiarism of any kind is absolutely unacceptable. Therefore, acts of plagiarism,

major or minor, may have serious repercussions, which could include a failing grade, expulsion from

the class, and/or disciplinary action on the part of the College. Specific policies can be found in

individual faculty syllabi; College policies can be found in the ACC Student Handbook.

Plagiarism also includes collusion, a problem that happens when someone other than the student

contributes a substantial portion of the essay for the student. Please note that having a friend or paid

tutor contribute to a paper in the form of adding content or extensive revising or editing will be

considered collusion, a form of plagiarism.

Scholastic Dishonesty Policy. Students who violate the scholastic dishonesty policy may receive an F for the course.

Student Discipline Policy. Cell phone use (or texting) is not permitted and cell phones should be turned off prior to class meetings. Please be respectful of others.  Students who violate class policies will be asked to leave class. Repeat violators will be reported to the Dean of Students.

Lab Use. Your work is to be original and no help may be used other than the instructor’s or that of the writing lab tutors. Lab tutors are to help but are not to edit or proof your papers.

Student Rights and Responsibilities. Students at the college have the rights accorded by the U.S. Constitution to freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, petition, and association. These rights carry with them the responsibility to accord the same rights to others in the college community and not to interfere with or disrupt the educational process. Opportunity for students to examine and question pertinent data and assumptions of a given discipline, guided by the evidence of scholarly research, is appropriate in a learning environment. This concept is accompanied by an equally demanding concept of responsibility on the part of the student. As willing partners in learning, students must comply with college rules and procedures.

Statement on Students with Disabilities. Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented disabilities.  Students with disabilities who need classroom, academic or other accommodations must request them through Disability Services. Students are encouraged to request accommodations when they register for courses or at least three weeks before the start of the semester, otherwise the provision of accommodations may be delayed. Students who have received approval for accommodations from Disability Services for this course must provide the instructor with the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ from Disability Services before accommodations will be provided. Arrangements for academic accommodations can only be made after the instructor receives the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ from the student. Students with approved accommodations are encouraged to submit the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ to the instructor at the beginning of the semester because a reasonable amount of time may be needed to prepare and arrange for the accommodations. Additional information about Disability Services is available at www.austincc.edu/support/osd.

Safety Statement. Austin Community College is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for study and work. Students are expected to learn and comply with ACC environmental, health and safety procedures and agree to follow ACC safety policies. Additional information on these can be found at www.austincc.edu/ehs. Because some health and safety circumstances are beyond ACC’s control, we ask that students become familiar with the Emergency Procedures poster and Campus Safety Plan map in each classroom. Additional information about emergency procedures and how to sign up for ACC Emergency Alerts to be notified in the event of a serious emergency can be found at www.austincc.edu/emergency. Students are expected to conduct themselves professionally with respect and courtesy to all. Anyone who thoughtlessly or intentionally jeopardizes the health or safety of another individual will be immediately dismissed from the day’s activity, may be withdrawn from the class, and/or barred from attending future activities.

Use of ACC E-mail. All College e-mail communication to students will be sent solely to the student’s ACCmail account, with the expectation that such communications will be read in a timely fashion. ACC will send important information and will notify you of any college related emergencies using this account. Students should only expect to receive email communication from their instructor using this account. Likewise, students should use their ACCmail account when communicating with instructors and staff. Instructions for activating an ACCmail account can be found at www.austincc.edu/accmail/index.php.

Student and Instructional Services. ACC strives to provide exemplary support to its students and offers a broad variety of opportunities and services. Information on these services and support systems is available at www.austincc.edu/s4. Links to many student services and other information can be found at www.austincc.edu/current. ACC Learning Labs provide free tutoring services to all ACC students currently enrolled in the course to be tutored. The tutor schedule for each Learning Lab may be found at www.austincc.edu/tutor/students/tutoring.php. Students who need help setting up their ACCeID, ACC Gmail, or ACC Blackboard, should see a Learning Lab Technician at any ACC Learning Lab. 

There is NO TEXT for this course. Students will be read historical and contemporary texts (essays, articles, etc.) throughout the semester. These texts will be assigned by the instructor.

Potential reading, discussing. and writing topics this semester may include politics, economics, and other historical and/or current events that impact the lives of young people in America. 

--to become effective close readers

--to become effective writers

--to become effective rhetoricians

--to understand effective research and how sources support a position

--to understand different types and styles of writing

--to conduct research