| Missouri Western State College Division of Liberal Arts and Sciences Department of English, Foreign Languages, and Journalism David R. McElwee Assistant Professor, English Office: JGM 307A Phone: 271-4312 E-Mail: mcelwee@griffon.mwsc.edu Office Hours: Required Materials: Writing From A to Z. Sally Ebest et al. -IBM formatted 3.5" floppy disk Recommended: Course Objectives: General course objectives for English 104 can be found at: http://www.missouriwestern.edu/eflj/eng104.asp Policy Regarding Attendance: You are expected to be prepared for and attend every class meeting by completing all reading and writing assignments specified for that given day. However, I understand that circumstances can arise that might prevent you from attending a class session. Therefore, you are allowed to miss up to three (3) days without negatively impacting your final grade. For every class session missed in excess of three (3) days I retain the right, at my discretion, to lower your final grade evaluation by one (1) letter grade for each class session missed in excess of three (3) days. A student who misses more than five (5) classes cannot attain a passing grade for the course and should withdraw immediately. Policy Regarding Academic Honesty: Students are expected to read and familiarize themselves with the Policy on Academic Honesty as found on page 28 of the Student Handbook. This policy is to be strictly adhered to by all students participating in this course. In the event of a breach of this procedure, the student will receive a grade of "F" for the assignment and I will recommend disciplinary action be taken, up to and including immediate dismissal from the course. The address of the web site is as follows: Policy Regarding Students with Disabilities: Any student participating in this course who has a disability that may require special consideration is strongly encouraged to make an appointment with me as soon as possible so that special consideration might be given in making accommodations for said disability. Policy Regarding Evaluation of Student Work A B C D F Grade Breakdown by Assignment: -Papers (4) (Prompts T. B. A.): 10% each Assignments turned in late will lose one (1) letter grade per business day they are late. Late assignments can receive a grade no higher than "C". Work missed during class cannot be made up. Philosophy of Assessment I use portfolio grading, which means that I assign neither a letter grade nor points to any writing assignments until the end of the semester. I respond to each major paper by informing students that it is either "acceptable" or "unacceptable." If I deem the work "acceptable," that assessment will convert to at least a "C" for that paper at semester's end. Further revision is completely at the student's discretion. If I deem a work "unacceptable," the paper in question would be at best a "D" at semester's end and likely result in a repetition of the course if all other work were of the same quality. The highest grades will go to the students whose efforts and intellects allow them to produce the most complete, clear, correct, and insightful writing. Portfolios from these students will contain multiple drafts of every assignment, a concise writing style, and a clean, unmarked final draft. In addition, students who receive the highest grades will have completed all assigned journal entries to full length and truly engaged the subject matter thoughtfully. Likewise, students who receive the highest grades will have received the highest quiz scores, contributed meaningfully to class discussions, and met all deadlines for drafting and submitting work, in addition to fulfilling the attendance requirements. Midterm Grades: I submit a "C" for students whose work is complete and passing and whose absences are below the limit. I submit a "D" for students whose work is complete but not acceptable. I submit an "F" for students whose work is incomplete and/or who have exceeded the absence limit. Excused Absences: Common sense must prevail. I may grant special consideration to students who can document extenuating circumstances or who are representing Classroom Behavior: As stated in the MWSC Student Handbook, instructors "may establish additional classroom rules and expectations for conduct in the classroom. Behavior, which disrupts the classroom environment or interferes with other students' ability to learn, may be grounds or justification for dismissal from the classroom" (28). Sleeping, conducting private conversations, using computers for other than assigned purposes, eating, drinking, and damaging property are some of the more common acts that can damage the learning environment. In addition there will be no cellular phones or pagers allowed inside the classroom. In the event of an interruption by a cellular phone or pager, the student will be asked to leave the classroom immediately and proper disciplinary action will be taken. Let's establish a cordial and respectful atmosphere in which we can have fun while learning together. Disclaimer We live in a world filled with chaos and as such, I reserve the right to modify, as needed, the distribution of points for student evaluation purposes and the schedule of assignments as the course develops and changes. I try to make all accommodations that I can to adapt the course to the needs of the students. Contract This syllabus is of a contractual nature. Remaining a part of this course is an agreement by you to all of the stipulations put forth in this syllabus. If you have a problem with any of the policies put forth in this syllabus, consideration should be given to dropping this course. |
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