Assignments
The course calendar lists only basic reading assignments and major papers. Detailed assignments for each paper are distributed at the time of the asssignment. Be sure you have the assigned handbook readings completed before the class meeting indicated. Additional written exercises and reading quizzes may or may not be announced. Other ongoing assignments include the Reading Journal and Annotated Local Editing Process described later. Each student will also present a short lesson on a reasoning fallacy during the critical thinking unit.
You may do preliminary drafting and informal work in pencil or pen or on a word processor, but submission drafts should be prepared on a word processor, double-spaced, and saved on a diskette. This class meets some days in a lab where you may use a word processor to draft. It is a good idea to save your work to "text" so you can access it from any word processor.
All materials pertinent to a submitted assignment should be stapled in the requested order and labeled carefully with your name, the assignment title, the draft number, and the date. This course follows the full process of each piece of writing, so you will rarely, if ever, turn in only a final draft.
For the first few papers, the assignment is not completed until the "Annotated Local Revision Process," explained in a separate handout, is satisfactorily submitted.
Attendance
Absences result in lower grades or failure. Make-up work is permitted only when an acceptable explanation is documented, for example, with a note from a medical doctor, court official, or by an obituary, and presented to me by the class meeting following the absence. If you must be absent, call me prior to the meeting or as soon after as possible. Regardless of absence, meeting assignments on time is still your responsibility. Frequent in-class assignments on Fridays should be a sign of caution against "three-day weekends."
If you have accumulated three absences by mid-term, your grade will be penalized one letter, and you will be advised to drop the course. If you have missed five class meetings by the end of the semester, your final grade will be lowered one letter. Seven or more absences will prevent you from passing the course.
Tardiness and Etiquette
If the roll has been taken before you appear in class, your absence remains on record unless you check with the instructor after class. Excessive tardiness translates into absences. Please eat, drink, send or receive cellular phone calls, chat with classmates, and tend to other personal needs before or after class
Plagiarism
A
Plagiarism@ can be either (1) intentionally using someone else's words, ideas, or text as if they were your own or (2) unintentionally but carelessly documenting or mishandling other sources. The former is not likely in this class, and an important part of the purpose of this class is to help you learn to avoid the latter. Students frequently fail assignments and sometimes course if they are caught plagiarizing (and it's not difficult to detect).Individual Conferences
You are encouraged to schedule an appointment to discuss each returned paper or any upcoming assignment when you need help. We will schedule conferences frequently. When you can't reach me at the first number listed, call the second (prior to 10 pm).