Posting made May 13, 2012
As a reminder, you should be checking the scores I send you with what I input on Blackboard's Gradebook. Please look over your scores there and let me know if you see any inaccuracies. If you do that, you should send the scores I have previously sent you to verify the inaccuracy. We are heading into the last month of the semester and we want to make sure your scores are correct.
Listed below is some old, but important, information:
The essay scores are based on 10 points and are roughly equal to the following grades:
10-9 = A, 8 = B, 7 = C, 6 = D
Keep track of your point totals and match them with the syllabus grade scale. I recommend having a class folder in your email client and keeping all the assessments and scores I send you there.
Discussion board postings are based on credit points. Note that "Major Postings" are worth double credit. I might be a bit off on this, but I believe we will have 20 possible credits for postings. The number of points you receive will be based on the percentage of credits earned. For example, if you earn 8 out of 10 credits (90%), you would then get 90% of participation points (27).
Course Policies
If you are struggling with the readings or writings, please take time to ask questions and give an update if you are not able to send in an assignment during the week. If you don't receive a reply from me on an assignment or question within 48 hours, please send a follow-up message. If you don't receive a reply to your follow-up e-mail, then definitely use my voice mail. This can be found on our syllabus. If you have not received a score, than assume that you have no credit for the assignment and make sure to take the initiative to find out why.
Plagiarism is a common problem in academics and seems especially so in on-line classes. Some students copy directly from Internet sites, other texts or even other students' papers and fail to include quotation marks and citation. I run into numerous incidents of this each semester and am becoming increasingly less tolerant of this problem. I will approach incidents of plagiarism on a case by case basis. However, at the minimum, expect a failing grade in the paper if plagiarism is found. Also expect that I will file an incident report with Citrus College's Dean of Students. At the maximum, you will also receive an F in the course. Any questions? If so, please send them via email so we can make sure this doesn't happen to you.
Remember:
- don't use outside sources for our papers. If you feel confused, use the discussion board or contact me directly.
- while it is okay to talk out ideas with friends and family, don't have them write any of the papers for you.
- only changing a few words from someone else's writing means you still have to include quotation marks and citation. I can help students with examples of that if you feel you need it.