Instructor: Lisa Moreland

Email: lmoreland@lamarpa.edu

Phone: Online Instructor

Office Hours: While there not a set time for students to meet daily because it is an online course, students are expected to log into Blackboard daily for assignment information.

Additional Contact Information: Students may email me to set up a virtual meeting, if desired.

Intensive study of and practice in writing processes, from invention and researching to drafting, revising, and editing, both individually and collaboratively. Emphasis on effective rhetorical choices, including audience, purpose, arrangement, and style. Focus on writing the academic essay as a vehicle for learning, communicating, and critical analysis.

No required textbook or materials.

Textbook Purchasing Statement: A student attending Lamar State College Port Arthur is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from the college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer.

TSIA2 complete in English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR)

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of individual and collaborative writing process

2. Develop ideas with appropriate support and attribution.

3. Write in a style appropriate to audience and purpose.

4. Read, reflect, and respond critically to a variety of texts.

5. Use Edited American English in academic essays. 

* Communication Skills: Students will demonstrate effective written and oral communication.

* Critical Thinking Skills: Students will engage in creative and/or innovative thinking, inquiry, analysis, evaluation, synthesis of information, organizing concepts and conditions.

* Teamwork: Students will demonstrate the ability to work effectively with others shared purpose or goal and consider different points of view.

* Personal Responsibility: Students will demonstrate the ability to connect choices and consequences to ethical decision-making.

Week One- Introductions, familiarizing with Blackboard, Grammar Notes #1, Grammar Quiz #1

Week Two- "The Writing Process", Freewriting and Looping to prepare for the Narrative Essay

Week Three- Narrative Essay topic and rough draft due

Week Four- Revising and editing, Final Narrative Essay due 

Week Five- Grammar Notes #2, Grammar Quiz #2, introduce the Process Essay

Week Six- Process Essay prewriting, topic due

Week Seven- Continue to draft Process Essay, Process Essay rough draft due

Week Eight- Revising and editing, Final Process Essay due

Week Nine- Grammar Notes #3, Grammar Quiz #3, introduce the Descriptive Essay

Week Ten- Building details, 100 details list, work on drafting

Week Eleven- Descriptive Essay draft due, revising and editing

Week Twelve- Final Descriptive Essay due, introduce the Research Essay, Grammar Notes #4, Grammar Quiz #4

Week Thirteen- Research topic due, continue research, Works Cited page due

Week Fourteen- continue drafting, Research Essay rough draft due to Moreland for edits (if desired)

Week Fifteen- Research Essay rough draft due, revising and editing, Final Research Essay due

Week Sixteen- End of Fall Semester

Week Four- Narrative Essay

Week Eight- Process Essay

Week Twelve- Descriptive Essay

Week Sixteen- Research Essay

December 3rd, 2026

The grading breakdown is as follows:

Quizzes and Discussion Boards- 15%

Narrative Essay- 15%

Process Essay- 15%

Descriptive Essay- 25%

Research Essay- 30%

A: Excellent

B: Good

C: Satisfactory

D: Passing

F: Failure

FN: Failure, Never Attended

I: Incomplete

W: Withdrawn

NG: No grade

Q: Course dropped

Q6: Course dropped, 6 drop rule applies

U: Unsatisfactory; no credit

Students may not collaborate with each other during grammar quizzes.  

During the revision process, students must complete their own edits with guidance from the course instructor. Students may not allow others to edit their work, as the purpose of the course is to strengthen your personal writing skills. As harmless as it seems to allow a classmate, parent or another teacher to look over your essay, you are denying yourself the ability to learn.

Any outside thoughts or information must be cited to avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism is cheating and will earn the zero it deserves. Once papers are turned in, they will be submitted to an online plagiarism checker to ensure quality and original work.  

In addition, you may not submit papers that you've crafted for another course.

Assignments are due by noon on the listed due date. Given the extremely flexible schedule of dual credit, there is no opportunity to turn in late assignments. Plan ahead and be productive in the course- this will ensure your success!

Be sure to check your campus email and Course Homepage using MyLSCPA campus web portal. You can also access your grades, transcripts, academic advisors, degree progress, and other services through MyLSCPA.

Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSCPA policies (Academic Dishonesty section in the Student Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Accessibility Services Coordinator, Room 119, in the Ruby Fuller Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241.

No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Use of electronic devices is prohibited.

This syllabus is part of LSCPA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.

As per Texas law and LSCPA policy, all LSCPA employees, including faculty, are required to report allegations or disclosures of child abuse or neglect to the designated authorities, which may include a local or state law enforcement agency or the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. For more information about mandatory reporting requirements, see LSCPA's Policy and Procedure Manual.

LSCPA is committed to establishing and maintaining an environment that is free from all forms of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other forms of sexual misconduct. All LSCPA employees, including faculty, have the responsibility to report disclosures of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual assault (including rape and acquaintance rape), domestic violence, dating violence, relationship violence, or stalking, to LSCPA's Title IX Coordinator, whose role is to coordinate the college's response to sexual misconduct. For more information about Title IX protections, faculty reporting responsibilities, options for confidential reporting, and the resources available for support visit LSCPA's Title IX website.

For more information about the Clery Act and crime reporting, see the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report and the Campus Security website.

If you have a grievance, complaint, or concern about this course that has not been resolved through discussion with the Instructor, please consult the Department Chair.