General Policies

Class begins when I take roll. If you aren't in class then, you're absent. All written assignments must be on my desk before then or they will be considered late and will be subject to the specific penalties outlined below.

All out-of-class writing assignments-including homework-must be typed in a 12-pt. font and must conform to MLA guidelines for style and documentation of sources; no hand-written submissions will be accepted. I do not accept homework, drafts, or essay assignments via e-mail.

Unless you plan on feeding everyone, no food of any kind allowed in class.

Turn off your cell phones. If I catch you using one in class you will be asked to leave.

I am always happy to discuss graded assignments with you; however, you must wait at least 24 hours after I return an assignment before you can discuss it with me. This will give you an opportunity to read my comments thoroughly, and it will also allow you to bring specific and focused questions to a meeting with me.

Feel free to come to my office during the above hours if you have any concerns about the class. If you cannot make it during scheduled office hours, let me know and we'll make other arrangements. You can also send me e-mail whenever you want; I'll try to respond quickly, but keep in mind that I'm usually only in the office two or three days per week.

Grades & Grade Appeals

Grades throughout the semester are based on the following four-point scale:

• A = 3.50-4.00   Work far exceeds average requirements for the assignment. Assignment written in clear, interesting, grammatically correct prose, showing individuality and highly developed thinking and writing skills. An 'A' paper is written at a level of sophistication far beyond the level of most Freshman writers.
• B = 2.50-3.49   Work exceeds average requirements for the assignment. Assignment written in clear, grammatically correct prose, showing well developed thinking and writing skills. A 'B' paper is written at a level that stands above the average of most Freshman writers.
• C = 1.50-2.49   Work meets requirements of the assignments. Assignment written in understandable prose, with a minimum of grammatical errors, showing effort and progress in thinking and writing skills. A 'C' paper is one that is written at the level of most Freshman writers.
• D = 0.50-1.49   Work does not meet minimum requirements for the assignments. Lack of clear focus, consistent problems with sentence structure and/or numerous grammar and mechanics problems interfere with readability.
• E = 0.49 or below   Work is unacceptable. Failure to complete writing as assigned, level of effort and progress will not result in credit for the course.

Your final course grade will be derived from the following components (all dates tentative):

20% -- Attendance/Class participation/Homework
10% -- Essay 1 (5 pages) - Feb. 17
15% -- Essay 2 (5 pages) - Mar. 12
40% -- Essay 3 (10 pages) - Apr. 7
15% -- Essay 4 (5 pages) - May 5

To pass this course, you must complete all major unit essay assignments with a grade of 'C' or higher; see the "Writing Program Guidelines" for complete details. Consideration will be given on your final grade to significant changes in the quality of your work (i.e., improvement or decline) over the course of the semester.

Homework assignments, e-mail reports, and listserv responses with be scored either acceptable (check) or unacceptable (minus). You cannot submit these assignments late nor can they be made up if missed.

No +/- grades will be given for the final course grade.

Finally, do not discard any drafts, notes, papers, or research materials you produce during the semester, until you receive a final grade.

Class Participation

Several components comprise your overall participation grade. In addition to attending class, being on time, and being prepared, you will also be expected to submit homework, offer quality workshop and peer review comments, write responses, and conscientiously perform in-class writing activities.

You are required to sign up for a time to have your writing be the focus of a full-class workshop. For this workshop, you must photocopy and distribute to everyone in the class a typed copy of your essay draft during the class period prior to the one in which the writing will be critiqued. Come to class with your working draft copied and ready to hand out. Although this writing may be a draft, it must also be sufficiently developed that the class will enjoy working on it. If you have questions about this, just ask me. Please note: if you should fail to participate on the date you sign up for, you may not be given an alternate date. Deadlines must be met; otherwise the class will be left with less to think about and discuss for that day. Moreover, failure to participate in having your work critiqued in a full-class workshop may result in a failing class participation grade.

As a reader of workshop drafts, you will receive a participation grade that reflects how you make every effort to respond to your peers' writing. You will receive drafts from your classmates prior to the workshop, and it is your responsibility to make as many written suggestions and comments on that draft as possible so that the writer will have concrete ideas for revision. We will learn in class how to make these suggestions and comments. Failing to provide a considerable number of quality responses for the writer or failing to respond at all is inappropriate for this class.

Grade Appeals

A request for re-evaluation of any major assignment must be made in writing within two weeks of a paper's return to you. In a letter or memorandum, your request must set forth specifically and in detail all points of disagreement with the evaluation. For this purpose, references to the course grading criteria as well as the assignment's specifications and expectations are essential. Within one week, I will respond to the request for re-evaluation in writing. My decision is final, assuming that the grade has been based solely upon a good-faith judgment of your work. Appeal of the course grade must be made in writing within two weeks of its receipt.

Complaints or concerns we cannot resolve will be taken to the Writing Program Office. See the "Writing Program Guidelines" for complete details.

Absence & Late Work

Regular attendance is essential in all classes and you are held accountable for every class meeting, whether absent or present, for whatever reason. Each day that you attend class on time, you will receive four (4) points for attendance that day; otherwise, you will receive none. Your final attendance grade will be the sum of you daily points divided by the number of class sessions (on a four-point scale). Three (3) consecutive unexcused absences will reduce your course grade by one letter-grade, whereas missing six (6) times total--excused or otherwise--will deny you credit for the course. This policy is not negotiable under any circumstance. On the other hand, why you're gone is your business, not mine, and you are not obligated to explain your absence in any way. In any event, no absence can be designated "excused" until documentation has been provided and verified. See Student Rights and Responsibilities for the University's complete policy on absences.

Each class period will move quickly, so showing up late is very unhelpful to you and your classmates. If you aren't in class when I take roll, you're absent for attendance purposes, and any work due will be considered late.

Late essay assignments will be marked down one letter grade for each calendar day they're late up to one week, after which they will no longer be accepted for credit. Other late assignments (homework, etc.) will simply earn no credit.

Scholastic Honesty

Plagiarism is a serious academic offense. Since this course provides you with direct instruction in finding, using, and documenting outside sources for your papers, plagiarism will never be considered an error, but will be considered a violation of academic policy. The minimum penalty for plagiarism is an 'E' in the course. However, more severe penalties may be recommended.

In general, cheating is the wrongful submission or taking of any information or material by a student with the intent of aiding himself or herself to improve a final grade. I further define cheating as any attempt by you to deceive or mislead me. Cheating specifically includes submitting work performed for other courses at this or other institutions without my prior consultation and approval.

Plagiarism and cheating are defined in more detail in Students Rights and Responsibilities,and in the "Writing Program Guidelines."