Policy Statement

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Course Description: The course will introduce you to various kinds of academic writing and acquaint you with strategies for creating such discourses in a computer-mediated setting. To help you achieve these central goals, I will help you learn to read critically and utilize techniques which will help in inventing, drafting, revising, and editing your own writing. Our use of computers in this class will not be superfluous, and we will be implementing them in each stage of the writing process.

Materials:

1. The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing. Short 6th edition by Rise B. Axelrod and
Charles R. Cooper. New York: St. Martin’s. 2001.
2. AVA Packet.
3. One manila folder labeled with your name, ID#, course section, instructor’s name, and semester-year.

Grading Policy:

You will produce 4 papers totaling 70% of your grade, 20% will come from your online participation in WebBoard, and 10% of your grade is based on class participation (homework, group work, and attendance).

Essay Exam 15%
Literacy Autobiography 15%
Community Profile 20%
Extended Definition 20%
WebBoard Participation 20%
Class Participation 10%

Late papers will not be accepted. If you are absent (unexcused) the day a paper is due, have another classmate bring your paper to my office or to class THE DAY IT IS DUE, or it will not be accepted. Excused absences must be approved before the absence occurs.

You will be required to post WEEKLY to WebBoard, with a few exceptions for holidays, final exams, etc. The nature of these postings is discussed in your packets (See WebBoard 101). Your grade for WebBoard participation will be based on a few factors: depth of the entry, length of the entry (not that it’s long, but that it meets the minimum requirements), and frequency of posting. I want each of you to have a presence on the listserv if it is going to function as I hope it will, which is to extend learning beyond the traditional walls of the classroom.

Class participation is based on attendance, group work, and homework/quizzes. Group work will be graded on how involved the members of the group are and to what extent they contribute to group assignments. Although homework, group work, and attendance individually seem insignificant in comparison to the 4 papers, they total 10% of your grade. Don’t take these assignments lightly!

Attendance Policy:

Department policy states that a student’s grade will be lowered by one letter at the fourth unexcused absence, and two letters at the seventh unexcused absence. A student who has ten or more unexcused absences fails the course. If you are less than 15 minutes late to class, you are tardy. If you are more than 15 minutes late to class or if you leave early, you are absent (unexcused). Three tardies equal one unexcused absence. Our in-class work is one key to your success in 1113, so don’t get into the bad habit of missing class.

How to Contact Me:

You may reach me one of several ways. I don’t have a phone in my office, so email is the easiest, fastest way to contact me (loryates@ou.edu). Come by my office, and I will usually be there during the day between Tuesdays and Thursdays. Again, however, email is probably your best bet, as I check it from my home and office.

Accommodation:

If you are a student in this course who has a disability that may prevent you from fully demonstrating your abilities, you should contact me as soon as possible so we can discuss accommodations that will allow your full participation in the course.

Plagiarism:

One issue that I will be addressing over the course of the semester is plagiarism. I believe that intellectual property theft is as serious as any other theft. If you are unsure of what plagiarism is, please make an appointment with me to discuss this BEFORE an assignment is due. Proven plagiarism can result in failure of the course and further university action.

Paper Format:

All papers to be turned in for grades should be typed, Arial 12 pt. font, 8 ½ X 11 paper with 1" margins and double-spaced; this INCLUDES drafts. Follow MLA format for proper formatting and documentation of sources.

Withdrawal Dates:

The last day to drop this course without a recorded grade is September 1, 2000.

Final Exam:

Our class will meet at the scheduled exam time. Although no formal exam will be required, your presence during this exam time will be. No exceptions will be made to this final exam schedule.

Release Statement:

Of course, as events and circumstances change, the syllabus may also change. Be flexible, and I will try to do the same.

Some Advice:

I can’t stress enough the importance of two things: attending class regularly and keeping up with assignments. A quick way to ruin your academic career is to flunk a class due to absences or to have to take an incomplete for a course. Beyond these obvious reasons, attending and being an active part of this class will provide you with skills to improve your writing throughout your tenure at a university and beyond these ivied walls. I’m here to help you, so don’t hesitate to make an appointment with me to discuss any problems you are having in the course.