Disrespect will not be tolerated.  While students are expected to express their own ideas and opinions in the discussion section of this course, students are also expected to use words that are appropriate for a classroom situation. No cursing, personal insults, or disrespectful language will be tolerated. Violation of this rule will result in the student being barred from using the discussion portion of the course, which will result in the loss of points for discussion contributions

The discussion forums in this class provide a great opportunity for you to practice your technical writing style.  Proofread and spell-check your discussion posts, and check your posts and replies for clarity and accuracy. As with emails, avoid using text-message style abbreviations. In addition, proofread your posts for tone. A successful writer is ever-mindful of his/her audience, and your posts should be courteous and professional—even if you are disagreeing with a classmate. Discussion posts with numerous spelling and grammar errors an inappropriate tone will not receive credit.

Other Responsibilities

• Check your grades regularly in Blackboard. If you have any questions or concerns about your grades, please talk to me as soon as possible.
• If you have questions or concerns about any assignment grade, you must meet with me about your concerns BEFORE the week of finals.
• Read the plagiarism policy on the top of this syllabus. Plagiarism is a serious offense and will result in a zero on the assignment. If you are concerned about plagiarism or are not sure whether you’ve cited sources correctly, please schedule a visit with me or with the Writers’ Corner.

Grade Determination

Grades will be based on the following system:  
                A             90-100= high achievement
                B             80-89= above average achievement
                C             70-79= satisfactory achievement
                D             60-69= unsatisfactory achievement
                F              0-59= unacceptable

Grade Percentages of Assignments

• 50% Writing Assignments*
• 20% Quizzes, Discussions and Other assignments
• 20% Final e-Portfolio
• 10% Final Exam

*Note that 50% of your grade is the writing assignments. Within this category, some assignments will be worth more points than others. For instance, your recommendation report, a lengthy assignment, will be worth 200 points while other smaller assignments will be worth 25, 50 or 100 points.

Final e-Portfolio: You will create an e-portfolio in Google Sites. The portfolio will include assignments and reflections from this class. I will provide further instructions about this project as class progresses, and I will offer video tutorials that will guide you through the process.

Final Exam: Your final exam must be proctored. It can be taken on the Amarillo College campus, either at the testing center on Washington Street or in the computer lab in Ordway. If you cannot take your exam on campus, you may arrange for a proctor to give you the test in your locale. If you choose the latter option, you'll need to post your proctor contact information. I will provide more details about this later in the course.

Assignment Criteria

I will provide a rubric for each writing assignment that will set forth the criteria for grading.

Tutoring

TUTORING:  You can use SMARTHINKING (click), online tutoring available through the AC website.  Be advised that the Smartthinking tutoring service has a 2-3 day turnaround, so you need to submit work well before the due date to be sure to receive timely feedback from a tutor.

If you are near the AC campus, you are welcome to visit the Writer's Corner (click) located in Ordway Hall to get help with your assignments.

Also, feel free to call me or, if you are in Amarillo, make an appointment to stop by my office during office hours or during a scheduled appointment time.

Assignment Submission and Late Work

Assignment Submission:

• Please submit each assignment in its designated place in Blackboard. Please follow instructions for naming each file before submitting it in Blackboard.
• I will not accept assignments submitted through email unless I have specifically told you to email an assignment to me.
• Assignments must be submitted in .doc or .pdf format. I will not accept work submitted in a format other than .doc or .pdf.
• Save your work carefully and diligently. If you do not have a thumb drive, you may want to create your documents in Google Docs so you don’t have to worry about saving. If you work in Google Docs, you can save your work in .pdf or .doc before you submit it in Blackboard.
• For your final portfolio, you will need to submit rough drafts and revised final copies of the writing you’ve done in the course, so make sure you are saving and organizing all of your assignments.

Late work will receive a 10% penalty per day after the due date—no exceptions. Any assignment turned in after the due date at 10 p.m. is late. I understand that technical problems occur and life issues sometimes interfere with assignments, but I am counting on your commitment to this class despite life's setbacks. Work on assignments ahead of their due dates. If a situation arises that interferes with your turning in work in a timely manner, please email or call me.

Assignment Due Dates:   Below is an outline of the course. Exact due dates for assignments are not specified on this syllabus; I will inform you of exact due dates.  Also, check the class calendar regularly, which is located in Blackboard.

Revisions: You are encouraged to revise any assignments before submitting them in your final portfolio. Your revisions will not change your original grades on the assignments, but they will improve your chances of earning a higher grade on your portfolio.

If you received a zero on an assignment because you did not turn it in, you may still do the assignment and submit it with your final portfolio to ensure credit for portfolio completion.

"Attendance" in an Online Course

Try to log in every day, no less than every other day. In an online course, participation is extremely important. Assignments are given and are due on a weekly basis, often due by Wednesday at 10 p.m.  Lack of participation and submission of assignments in a timely manner will be taken into account when the final grade is determined. You hurt yourself when you fall behind schedule.

Students are expected to participate actively in this online course. Participation means:

• Logging in to the course every day, at least to check mail and read announcements. I watch when students last logged in.
• Checking email regularly in your Amarillo College GMail account. I frequently send emails that explain course updates or include course notes, so please check your AC Gmail account as often as possible.
• Reading chapters from the textbook when assigned.  You must read the textbook to pass quizzes and do well on assignments!
• Completing and submitting weekly assignments by due dates
• Reading and posting discussion messages as assigned.
• Taking online quizzes and final exam.

Withdrawal

An online course can be demanding for students.  Since there is no set meeting time, you must discipline yourself to read the text, participate in discussions, and complete assignments on time.  I hope you are committed to this process.  If you are, you should succeed in this class.  That said, I also hope you know that a real person (that's me!) is here to grade your assignments, monitor your progress, adjust due dates and assignments accordingly, and answer any questions you may have.

If during the semester you consider dropping, please check with me first for an alternate plan that protects your investment in this course and gives you an opportunity to complete it.  Remember that the deadline for drops this semester is April 23, 2015.

Withdrawing early from a class could affect scholarship or financial aid monies.  Check with a counselor or advisor before you withdraw from any class.