Disposition of Graded Work:
You should keep documentation of all graded assignments, even after the term has ended. Any student who appeals a course grade must submit all graded course work with such an appeal.
Attendance and Participation:
Because so much of your learning depends on your interactions with our community of writers, you must visit our webboard and contribute ideas regularly to receive credit for the course. You should check the board at least twice weekly as well as checking your email at least three times weekly for course announcements. In traditional classes, students who exceed four (4) absences fail the course. Although we do not technically "meet" for synchronous chats, we do have regular deadlines which are described in our course schedule. Missing more than 4 of these deadlines will constitute failure of our online course. Please note that there is no distinguishing between "excused" or "unexcused" absences, except for extreme situations clarified by department, college, and university policy. Contact me via email as soon as possible if you anticipate trouble meeting deadlines.
Course Work and Time Commitment:
Much of our class work occurs on the webboard. Come to this forum prepared to share/revise your own drafts and read/revise others' drafts. On days that we are scheduled to discuss assigned readings, you must be able to demonstrate that you have read and thought about the material. This means that you must work steadily to keep up with our schedule of reading and writing assignments on your own. Time management and personal initiative are especially important to suceeding in an online writing course. Considering that face to face courses require three hours of your "presence" each week, you should budget significantly more time than this to our course.
Late Work:
Late assignments will not be accepted. If you cannot meet a deadline, contact me well ahead of the due date to request an extension. These will only be granted on a case by case basis.
Revision Policy:
Because revision is built into the structure of this course, graded papers cannot be rewritten for more points. Please do not hesitate to meet with me prior to a deadline for help with your writing.
Plagiarism:
Plagiarizing is the act of presenting as your own any work that you did not exclusively generate. Plagiarism of all or a portion of any assignment will be strictly penalized. See the Guide to Composition for more information on plagiarism.
The Public Nature of the Class:
This class relies on online discussion of your writing. Part of becoming a good writer is learning to appreciate the ideas and criticisms of others. This class is structured so that we may become a vibrant online writing community. Since you will often be writing for an audience of your peers, avoid topics that you may not be prepared to subject to public scrutiny or that you feel so strongly about that you are unwilling to listen to perspectives other than your own. This does not mean that you are not entitled to an opinion, but you should adopt positions responsibly and contemplate their possible effects on others. Also be aware that our class will be composed of diverse members; it is your responsibility to use appropriate language and to respect others' opinions and backgrounds per university guidelines. In particular, please do not write about any criminal activity that you have knowledge of as a witness, victim, or perpetrator. As odd as it seems, I might be legally required to report such matters to authorities.
Disability Resources for Students:
ASU complies with all federal and state laws and regulations regarding discrimination, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). If you have a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for equal access to education at ASU, please call Disability Resources for Students (DRS) at 965-1234. Please feel free to discuss special accommodations with me.
Withdrawal Deadlines:
Last Day of Final Drop/Add: 1/20
Unrestricted Withdrawal Deadline: 2/8
Restricted Withdrawal Deadline: 3/29
Restricted Complete Withdrawal Deadline: 4/25
Other important dates:
Spring Break: 3/11 - 3/15
Last Day of Classes: 4/30
Grades available on SunDial: 5/13