INRW 0420 | Integrated Reading & Writing

Overview

This Departmental Syllabus, which applies to all sections of INRW 0420 across Austin Community College, supplements any section specific syllabus that the instructor may provide. The instructor’s syllabus will include specific class structure for your section, along with the instructors contact information, office hours, the location and time of the course, required books and materials, reading and writing assignments, grading and other policies (such as lateness and attendance), a course schedule of assignments and deadlines for the semester, and the instructor’s description of the course.

The following headings and information may be used in any order to align with the professor’s design, and may include information about the college credit course that it may pair with. Following the heading and information explanations, there is a syllabus example.

Course Description (4 Credit Hours)

Students will improve their college reading and writing skills both in and out of class through integrated reading and writing activities. Daily and major writing assignments will offer students the opportunity to master the reading and writing processes and the critical thinking skills necessary to complete college work. Students will read and write for expressive, informative, and persuasive purposes. Brief and essay-length writing activities accompanying the readings will enhance critical reading and writing skills. In addition, the readings will provide models for using written language effectively to compose essays. A special focus will be placed on how to read, understand, and apply information in college-level texts and how to plan, organize, and revise an effective college essay. Lab work will include weekly assignments in the Connect IRW computerized skills software.

Course Rationale

Intermediate Integrated Reading and Writing Strategies (INRW 0420) offers students the opportunity to improve their college reading and writing skills in one three-hour class with two 50-minute weekly lab meetings. Students who successfully complete Intermediate Integrated Writing and Reading Strategies 0420 will be eligible to enroll in Integrated Reading and Writing Strategies 0430, 0340+College credit coreq, or INRW 0230+ College coreq, all of which are exit level courses.

Delivery Options

ONL, DLS, HYC — Distance Learning gives ACC students the opportunity to earn credit through non-traditional courses that are taught fully or partially online. Course content and transferability are identical to classes offered on campus.

Prerequisites

One of the following must apply:

TSI 1.0 Rdg 310–343; & Writing 310–339; Essay 1–4
TSI 2.0 910–944; DT 4; Essay 1–2
TSI 2.0 910–944; DT 3; Essay 1–5

Course Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, students will:

Engage in reading and writing as integrated but reciprocal processes.
Comprehend and develop vocabulary effectively in reading and writing throughout the curriculum by determining the meaning of unfamiliar words using decoding, contextual or structural analysis, or by using a dictionary.
Locate explicit textual information, draw inferences, identify purpose, describe and analyze expository texts.
Read and demonstrate comprehension and knowledge of sentence structure by paraphrasing simple and complex sentences.
Generate ideas from assigned readings and gather information relevant to the writer’s purpose, point of view, tone and patterns of organization.
Use strategic operations such as searching, scanning and questioning and self-correcting to identify the main idea and supporting details of paragraphs by writing short essay answers to questions over expository text material or by writing summaries.
Use self monitoring activities (metacognitive) to self-correct reading processes and proof writing activities.
Write essays with a clear lead in, and develop a thesis statement, using an essay map when appropriate.
Realize the importance of revision in writing to improve continuity of ideas and clarity of purpose
Demonstrate developing ability to recognize and apply the conventions of standard English in reading and writing.

Student Technology Support

Students who do not have the necessary technology to complete their ACC courses can request to borrow devices from Student Technology Services. Available devices include iPads, webcams, headsets, calculators, etc. Students must be registered for a credit course, Adult Education, or Continuing Education course to be eligible. For more information, including how to request a device, visit austincc.edu/sts (opens in new tab) . Student Technology Services offers phone, live-chat, and email-based technical support for students and can provide support on topics such as password resets, accessing or using Blackboard, access to technology, etc. To view hours of operation and ways to request support, visit austincc.edu/sts (opens in new tab) .

Use and Retention of Student Work

Written artifacts from this course may be used for research and publicity purposes after the course has ended. Papers and anything used will have student names removed to maintain student confidentiality. If you do not want your written work used for these purposes, please send an email to your instructor that states you would like to opt-out. Opting out will have no effect on your grade. Professors will retain either electronic or physical copies of course work for one semester following enrollment. Students are responsible for making copies of any papers they want to keep for their files.

Section-Specific Policies

Required Texts & Materials

Individual professors will assign required texts and materials for their sections. Students are responsible for acquiring those texts and materials in a timely manner. The section syllabus will indicate if no textbook purchase is required (ZTC) or if open educational resources (OER) are used.

Instructional Methodology

Individual professors will indicate their most common methods for instructing students, including (but not limited to) lecture, discussion, small group activities, writing workshops, and service learning.

Distance Education Information (if applicable)

Sections with any distance education component will specify whether they are fully online, hybrid, or hy-flex and whether they are synchronous or asynchronous. They will also specify any technology requirements for students. This is only required for distance education sections.

Assignment Information

The following are required components of this course. If this is a stand alone course, the portfolio is required. However, Individual professors will provide their own information regarding them.

Personal/Autobiographical Essay; sentence construction assignment; response paragraph (ex. Responding to blogs); summary of informational text (3 paragraphs); paraphrase assignment; textbook chapter assignment: (demonstrate reading strategies such as 2 column notes, annotations, concept map, and answer essay question—to simulate test essay question—over material); final Essay: (Include in Portfolio grade); homework; participation; and MindTap or Connect.

Grading Policy

Individual professors will provide grading criteria and explain their grading system in detail. Professors may use a range of methodologies to assign grades for individual assignments and for the course, but all assignments (such as essays, in-class writing, quizzes, journals, homework, group work, presentations, etc.) will align with course goals and learning outcomes.

Course Outline / Calendar

Individual professors will provide a course outline/calendar of important due dates for their sections. This outline may include any special themes, units, or guiding principles unique to certain sections.

Attendance / Participation

Individual professors will enforce their own policies for attendance and participation, including whether and how attendance is taken and whether and how participation is assessed. However, early in the semester, all professors are required to certify attendance by a deadline set by ACC. Students who have not attended class by that date will be withdrawn. In online sections, logging into the class learning system (i.e. Blackboard) or completing work may count as attendance.

Withdrawals

Individual professors will enforce their own withdrawal policies based on progress and attendance. However, it is important to know that The Texas State Legislature passed a bill stating that students who first enroll in public colleges and universities beginning in fall 2007 and thereafter may not withdraw from more than six classes during their undergraduate college career. See ACC Student Handbook for further information. The instructor may establish deadlines by which students must complete a specific number of assignments, amount of progress, or level of attendance in order to remain in a class. If students do not meet the instructor’s requirements, they may be subject to WITHDRAWAL from the course. It is the student’s responsibility to know an instructor’s withdrawal policies.

Missed Exams or Late Work

Individual professors will enforce their own policies for missing and late work. This may include whether or not late work is accepted, when it is accepted, and what penalty may be assessed.

Incompletes

Individual professors will have their own policies as to Incompletes as a final grade. Students should be certain that they know what their professor’s policy is.

Academic Misconduct & 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 austincc.edu/about-acc/academic-integrity-and-disciplinary-process (opens in new tab)

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.

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.

While the firm expectation for all courses is that student work will reflect authentic (student-generated) effort and original critical thinking, individual professors will enforce their own policies on the use and documentation of generative AI technology. Where generative AI technology is allowed, its use must be documented. Instructional AI tools (such as spelling and grammar checking tools, Grammarly, Quillbot, and Packback) are generally considered acceptable aids to writing. However, individual instructors may provide specific guidelines or place certain restrictions on the use of these tools.

Sample Syllabus Structure

The following is an example syllabus structure showing how an individual instructor might build a section-specific syllabus for INRW 0420. It is reproduced verbatim from the source departmental syllabus document and is intended as a reference for instructors.

Course Header

Intermediate Integrated Reading Writing

INRW 0420

Instructor Name:
Course Name and Number: Integrated Reading and Writing Strategies
Section: Synonym: INRW 420
How to Reach the Instructor:
Posted Office Hours (in-person and virtually):
Office Location and Number:
Phone:
Email:

Course Description and Rationale: INRW 0420

This is a four credit hour course with a required lab component. Students will improve their college reading and writing skills both in and out of class through integrated reading and writing activities. Daily and major writing assignments will offer students the opportunity to master the reading and writing processes and the critical thinking skills necessary to complete college work. Students will read and write for expressive, informative, and persuasive purposes. Brief and essay-length writing activities accompanying the readings will enhance critical reading and writing skills. In addition, the readings will provide models for using written language effectively to compose essays. A special focus will be placed on how to read, understand, and apply information in college-level texts and how to plan, organize, and revise an effective college essay. Lab work will include weekly assignments in the Connect IRW computerized skills software.

Prerequisites

One of the following must apply:

TSI 1.0 Rdg 310–343; & Writing 310–339; Essay 1–4
TSI 2.0 910–944; DT 4; Essay 1–2
TSI 2.0 910–944; DT 3; Essay 1–5

Distance Education

The required lab for this course, MindTap, is considered distance learning. Although we will use some class time to complete or review assignments and address questions, you are expected to complete this on your own time. All Lab assignments will be completed through the Cengage platform located in Blackboard (BB). These assignments have due dates. To receive any credit for them, you must have them completed by the due date. It is imperative that you have a reliable Internet connection and potentially a backup plan such as the public library, hot spot on your phone, and usage of any ACC campus. All students are encouraged to visit ACC Distance Education General Information

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, students will:

Engage in reading and writing as integrated but reciprocal processes.
Comprehend and develop vocabulary effectively in reading and writing throughout the curriculum by determining the meaning of unfamiliar words using decoding, contextual or structural analysis, or by using a dictionary.
Locate explicit textual information, draw inferences, identify purpose, describe and analyze expository texts.
Read and demonstrate comprehension and knowledge of sentence structure by paraphrasing simple and complex sentences.
Generate ideas from assigned readings and gather information relevant to the writer’s purpose, point of view, tone and patterns of organization.
Use strategic operations such as searching, scanning and questioning and self-correcting to identify the main idea and supporting details of paragraphs by writing short essay answers to questions over expository text material or by writing summaries.
Use self monitoring activities (metacognitive) to self-correct reading processes and proof writing activities.
Write essays with a clear lead in, and develop a thesis statement, using an essay map when appropriate.
Realize the importance of revision in writing to improve continuity of ideas and clarity of purpose
Demonstrate developing ability to recognize and apply the conventions of standard English in reading and writing

Linked with 0430 or Great Questions (HUMA 1301) add specific outcomes.

Instructional Methodology

This is a lecture-based course with a required learning lab component designed to prepare you for college-level reading and writing. The course has elements administered through BB, a learning management system that serves as a central hub for you to obtain handouts, upload most completed assignments (you will have the option to hand turn-in assignments if that is preferrable), takes quizzes, and monitor your grades. You will meet at the Highland Campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Your ebook and lab assignments are located in the ebook & Mindtap lab folder in BB. ZOOM is used for meetings and collaboration

Student Technology Support

Required Texts & Materials

FDA-Ebook Fusion Book 1 with MindTap

Grading Policy

Grades will be earned on the following basis:

A 100–90
B 89–80
C 79–70
D 69–60 Student must repeat the course.
F Student did not complete course requirements or has an average below 60.

Assignment Descriptions — Required Assignments

Personal/Autobiographical Essay: 10%
Sentence construction assignment: 5%
Response paragraph (ex. Responding to blogs): 5%
Summary of informational text (3 paragraphs): 5%
Paraphrase Assignment: 5%
Textbook Chapter Assignment: 10% (demonstrate reading strategies such as 2 col notes, annotations, concept map, and answer essay question—to simulate test essay question—over material)
Final Essay: (Include in Portfolio grade)
Homework: 15%
Participation: 5%
Mindtap/Connect 20%
Portfolio

At A Glance Tentative Course Outline / Calendar

Please see Folder(s) for specific assignments and due dates. Note that schedule changes may occur during the semester. Any changes will be announced in class and posted in the current weekly folder.

Week 1 — Introductions, Course Design, Setup & Purpose — Syllabus & Syllabus Assignment

Course Policies

Attendance / Class Participation

Attendance is expected for all meetings times. All assignments and activities outlined in the BB folder must be completed by the identified due dates. Regular and timely class participation in discussions and completion of work is expected of all students. Students who miss more than three hours of class (2 days) will be at risk of being withdrawn. If attendance or compliance with course policies is unsatisfactory, the instructor may withdraw students from the class. Please be mindful that if you are TSI complete and are taking this course, you are required to complete the course. If you drop this course, you will be dropped from English 1301.

Missed Exam and Late Work Policies

Unless otherwise noted, assignments, quizzes, and exams are due by 11:30 PM of the due date. Only assignments are accepted late. They are accepted 1 week later than the due date at 11:30 PM. However, 10% is deducted. Discussion Boards, Quizzes and Exams must be completed on or before the deadline at 11:30 PM. No exceptions!

Communications

It is very important that students use their ACC email to communicate to the professor. Usage of Non-ACC emails can delay or prevent a response to inquiries. Using your ACC email, students may communicate with the professor via direct email, email through Blackboard, or calling the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays before 3:30 pm. Response to student inquiries will occur within 24 hours except on the weekends. Inquiries made after 12 pm Friday will receive a response the following Monday.

Withdrawal Policy

It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his or her name is removed from the rolls should they decide to withdraw from the class. The instructor does, however, reserve the right to drop a student should he or she feel it is necessary. If a student decides to withdraw, he or she should also verify that the withdrawal is recorded before the Final Withdrawal Date. The Final Withdrawal Date for this semester is Thursday November 16th. The student is also strongly encouraged to keep any paperwork in case a problem arises.

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.”

Incompletes

“An incomplete (grade of “I”) will only be given for extenuating circumstances. What constitutes “extenuating circumstances” is left to the instructor’s discretion. If a grade of I is given, the remaining course work must be completed by a date set by the student and professor. This date may not be later than two weeks prior to the end of the following semester. A grade of I also requires completion and submission of the Incomplete Grade form, to be signed by the faculty member (and student if possible) and submitted to the department chair.

Students may request an Incomplete from their faculty member if they believe circumstances warrant. The faculty member will determine whether the Incomplete is appropriate to award or not. The following processes must be followed when awarding a student an I grade.

Prior to the end of the semester in which the “I” is to be awarded, the student must meet with the instructor to determine the assignments and exams that must be completed prior to the deadline date. This meeting can occur virtually or in person. The instructor should complete the Report of Incomplete Grade form.
The faculty member will complete the form, including all requirements to complete the course and the due date, sign (by typing in name) and then email it to the student. The student will then complete his/her section, sign (by typing in name), and return the completed form to the faculty member to complete the agreement. A copy of the fully completed form can then be emailed by the faculty member to the student and the department chair for each grade of Incomplete that the faculty member submits at the end of the semester.
The student must complete all remaining work by the date specified on the form above. This date is determined by the instructor in collaboration with the student, but it may not be later than the final withdrawal deadline in the subsequent long semester.
Students will retain access to the course Blackboard page through the subsequent semester in order to submit work and complete the course. Students will be able to log on to Blackboard and have access to the course section materials, assignments, and grades from the course and semester in which the Incomplete was awarded.
When the student completes the required work by the Incomplete deadline, the instructor will submit an electronic Grade Change Form to change the student’s performance grade from an “I” to the earned grade of A, B, C, D, or F.

If an Incomplete is not resolved by the deadline, the grade automatically converts to an “F.” Approval to carry an Incomplete for longer than the following semester or session deadline is not frequently granted.”

Statement on Academic Integrity

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, generative A.I. or the inappropriate use of the college’s information technology resources. Further information is available at austincc.edu/about-acc/academic-integrity-and-disciplinary-process (opens in new tab)

Statement on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Students

The Composition and Literary Studies department recognizes that AI technology offers both dangers and opportunities for writers. In setting policies, we think about two types of AI:

Instructive AI (Grammarly, Packback, etc.), which can help check existing writing, and
Generative AI (ChatGPT, Bard, etc.), which can generate writing from scratch. Individual CLS faculty have the freedom to set their own specific policies on how students can use both types of AI in their classes. They may opt to disallow all AI or allow either or both types within certain parameters. However, the following guidelines are true for all CLS classes:

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 own 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 own unique ideas stated in their own original words and sentences. Any ideas or phrasing that are not directly from the student must be properly attributed to their source. Even when AI is allowed, it should not be used to generate content that will be graded as if it were the student’s own.

Assignments that do not reflect a student’s original work and properly attribute sources are a form of academic dishonesty and are subject to the college’s Academic Integrity Process.

CLS requires that any use of Generative AI, even as part of prewriting, must be documented. Individual instructors will explain their standards for this documentation.

CLS requires that instructor policies must 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.

Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence

Generative AI is not permitted in this course. GAI is a type of artificial intelligence that can learn from and mimic large amounts of data to create content such as text, images, music, videos, code and more, based on inputs or prompts (Harvard University Information Technology). GAI is prohibited in this course because the course objectives include practicing reading, writing and thinking skills that are foundational to understanding future college level materials, composing original written assignments and thinking for oneself. Generative Artificial Intelligence may not be used to complete the pre or post assessments, daily homework assignments, Discussion Posts or Daily Question Cards, practice essays for the Content Tests, or any item included in the portfolio. Students suspected of using AI to complete assignments may receive a zero for the AI produced work. For crossover work with HUMA 1301, I will be following the guidelines of your professor in that course (please consult that syllabus) and be sure to follow all citation guidelines.

Use and Retention of Student Work

See BB for Detailed College-wide Policy Information

Last updated August 18, 2026

Related Resources

Download this syllabus (Google Drive) (opens in new tab)