Overview Objective Materials grading Exam ELI Policies and Procedures Contacting the Instructor Beginning the Course
AST 107: Editing and Proofreading Skills - 3 Credits
Professor: Diane Mickey  

Overview

This course is designed to develop skills essential to creating and editing business documents. It covers grammar, spelling, diction, punctuation, capitalization, and other usage problems.

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Objectives

 

If you do well in this course, you will be able to:

    Locate and correct:
  • Errors in names, addresses, and numbers.
  • Omissions, repetitions, and transpositions.
  • Misspelled words and errors in word usage.
  • Errors in capitalization and punctuation.
  • Errors in plurals, possessives, and word division.
  • Errors in number style.
  • Errors in grammar and sentence structure.
  • Style and format errors.
  • Errors in statistical and technical documents.
  • Inconsistencies.

    Demonstrate the ability to recognize and edit the following:

  • Substandard English.
  • Difficult words.
  • Trite language.
  • Passive voice.
  • Wordliness and redundancies.
  • I-attitude and negative words.
  • Biased language and stereotypes.
  • Errors in final copy.
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Materials

 

The required textbooks for this courseare:

  • Proofreading & Editing Precision, 5th Edition, Pagel, Thomson/South-Western
  • A Writer's Reference, Hacker, Bedford St.Martin's, 5th Edition

For information on how to order your textbooks, go to http://eli.nvcc.edu/books/
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Grading
 

Your course grade will be determined by the assignments and exams, according to the following points:

Assignments
Possible Points
Home Page Creation
25
2 Forums @ 25  pts. ea.
50
11 exercises@25 points each
275
3 Exams
300
Mini-simulation
100
Final Exam
200

Grading Scale
A
855-950
B
760-854
C
665-759
D
570-664
F
0-569
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Exams

 

There are 4 online exams in this course. You are expected to take your examinations at one of the NVCC campus Testing Centers. Be sure to allow enough time to complete your exam before the Testing Center closes; Testing Centers have specific policies relating to the administration of ELI exams. You will need to take a photo ID, your NovaConnect empl ID number, and the appropriate Exam Pass when you go to the Testing Center.  

For Testing Center locations, hours of operation and policies, click here.

For information on taking exams outside of the metropolitan area, click here.

 
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ELI Policies and Procedures

 
This is an Extended Learning Institute (ELI) course. ELI courses differ from campus courses in several important ways, including enrollment dates, communication with faculty, assignment completion requirements, and exams. You must follow ELI's policies and procedures if you take this course. Read (or review) ELI's Policies and Procedures before you begin the course. If you have questions, call ELI at (703) 323-3347 or (888) 435-6822.
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Contacting the Instructor

 

I am here to help you succeed in this course. Occasionally questions or problems may arise. Here is how to contact me when they do:

E-mail : dmickey@nvcc.edu,
Telephone : (703) 878-5631.
You may also call me to schedule a meeting in person, either at ELI or my campus office in Woodbridge. 

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Beginning the Course
 

1. Use your web browser to connect to http://www.nvcc.edu/bbstart. Follow the directions to determine your email, Blackboard and VIVA account user names and passwords.
2. Access your email account and make sure you know how to use it; you will be required to use this account for all course-related email.
3. Log on to Blackboard at http://learn.vccs.edu.
4. Click on this course under "My Courses." Review the entire course to make sure you understand what will be required of you. Then start completing the assignments.

Please note that account generation takes approximately one week from the time of your paid registration. If you cannot log on after one week, contact the IT Help Desk. If you can log on to Blackboard, but your course isn't listed, please contact ELI or your instructor.