Attendance policy: You can take up to three absences in this class before there are negative consequences for your grade. In general, allowable absences are there for moments when absences due to health and related concerns emerge. I hope we all follow this policy as closely as possible, and save allowable absences until they are truly–and unpredictably–needed.
Attending class regularly shows respect not only for your professor, but for your peers and for the very mission of the course. Perhaps more importantly, if you do not attend class regularly, you will not do well. Class participation and engagement are also an important part of your grade, and if you miss out on class, you will inevitably fall behind in other areas of the course.
I will note attendance daily. After three absences–whether unexcused or excused–I can your grade by a single increment (from a B to a B-, for example) for each additional absence.
Excessive tardiness will be viewed as absence. I will commit to starting class on time and I expect you to do the same.
You can be dropped from that course after your 6th absence.
OAKS: The College’s Learning Management System, including the Gradebook, will be used for this course throughout the semester. But our main website is house here, on WordPress.
Assignments and Grades (grade breakdown subject to change):
Your grade in this course will reflect your performance in five broad categories as described below. You can earn a maximum of 1000 points in this course. You can read more about the major assignments under the Assignments tab.
- Presence—20 @ 10 points each = 200 points / 20%: measured by your performance on frequent Reflective Engagement and other measures of participation (10 points each) that you will have an opportunity to complete across the semester. I expect active participation in class conversations even if I don’t assign a specific point value to this category. If you are a quieter person, one way to signal your interest in class discussion would be to comment on your peers’ blog posts more extensively.
- The “Post|English” blog—4 @ 50 points each and 2 @ 100 points each = 300 points / 30%: Over the course of the semester, each of you will compose 6 blog posts of 650-800 words each responding to specific prompts. On the Assignments tab, you’ll see instructions for four posts and two field reports, all of which will appear on the blog. I expect your posts to be polished, properly formatted, and they should also incorporate various forms of media and external reference (images, video embeds, links to other sites or posts, and so on). Never blogged before using the WordPress platform? No problem, just check out the instructions under the blog tab on our course website.
These blog posts will cover a range of topics, and two of these posts will be “field reports”: one will be an interview and profile of a former CofC English alumni English major; and the second will be a job market analysis relevant to your prospective field and goals.
- A note on privacy: you have full control of who has access to your posts. You can post publicly or privately so that your posts will be visible only to those in our class. You can also change how your name appears as an “author” on your post, allowing you to blend public expression and some sense of control of privacy. We will discuss how to control these privacy tools in class. These field reports will be double-weighted.
- Final ePortfolio–400 points / 40%: The final portfolio is the culminating project for the semester, and one that students will be working on from day 1. This portfolio will include (1) a personal-professional narrative in which students introduce themselves and frames the various artifacts in their portfolio; (2) a resume or CV and link to a LinkedIn profile; (3) a remix or adaptation of a previously completed academic project in a new genre for a new audience; and (4) additional examples (minimum 2, maximum 4) of student work in English and other academic and professional areas that aptly demonstrate the skills, knowledge, and dispositions cultivated during their time at CofC. Part of the grade for your ePortfolio will relate to digital presentation and design as well as your final presentation to the class.
Grading Policy: I will add up all the points you’ve earned in the course and give grades based on the following table:
- A-Range: 970-1000 = A+, 930-969 = A, 900-929 = A-
- B-Range: 870-899 = B+, 830-869 = B, 800-829 = B-
- C-Range: 770-799 = C+, 730-769 = C, 700-729 = C-
- D-Range: 670-699 = D+, 630-669 = D, 600-629 = D-
- <600 = F
On Inclusive Class Discussions:
1) Respect others’ rights to hold opinions and beliefs that differ from your own.
2) When you disagree, challenge or criticize the idea, not the person.
3) Listen carefully to what others are saying even when you disagree with what is being said. Comments that you make (asking for clarification, sharing critiques, expanding on a point, etc.) should reflect that you have paid attention to the speaker’s comments.
4) Be courteous. Do not interrupt or engage in private conversations while others are speaking. Be aware of messages you may be communicating with your body language.
5) Support your statements. Use evidence and provide a rationale for your points.
6) Share responsibility for including all voices in the discussion. If you have much to say, try to hold back a bit; if you are hesitant to speak, look for opportunities to contribute to the discussion.
7) If you are offended by something or think someone else might be, speak up and do not leave it for someone else to have to respond to it.
8) Recognize that we are all still learning. Be willing to change your perspective and make space for others to do the same.
What other rules are important to you? Please feel free to share additional concerns you have with me via email, in my office hours, or in our next class when we will supplement these rules as we create a sort of class contract.
Dual Submission Policy: In most circumstances, same paper may not be submitted for a grade in more than one class. Because this course includes a portfolio including past work, you will be returning to and revising past work in this course.
Plagiarism and the Honor Code: What follows is quoted verbatim, and reflects official CofC policy:
Lying, cheating, attempted cheating, and plagiarism are violations of our Honor Code that, when identified, are investigated. Each incident will be examined to determine the degree of deception involved.
Incidents where the instructor determines the student’s actions are related more to a misunderstanding will handled by the instructor. A written intervention designed to help prevent the student from repeating the error will be given to the student. The intervention, submitted by form and signed both by the instructor and the student, will be forwarded to the Dean of Students and placed in the student’s file.
Cases of suspected academic dishonesty will be reported directly by the instructor and/or others having knowledge of the incident to the Dean of Students. A student found responsible by the Honor Board for academic dishonesty will receive a XF in the course, indicating failure of the course due to academic dishonesty. This grade will appear on the student’s transcript for two years after which the student may petition for the X to be expunged. The student may also be placed on disciplinary probation, suspended (temporary removal) or expelled (permanent removal) from the College by the Honor Board.
Students should be aware that unauthorized collaboration–working together without permission– is a form of cheating. Unless the instructor specifies that students can work together on an assignment, quiz and/or test, no collaboration during the completion of the assignment is permitted. Other forms of cheating include possessing or using an unauthorized study aid (which could include accessing information via a cell phone or computer), copying from others’ exams, fabricating data, and giving unauthorized assistance.
Research conducted and/or papers written for other classes cannot be used in whole or in part for any assignment in this class without obtaining prior permission from the instructor.
Students can find the complete Honor Code and all related processes in the Student Handbook.