Policies and Resources

Course Policies, Procedures, and Pertinent Information

All homework and in-class activities are important and will have an impact on your development and success as academic writers. You will devote time, thought, and energy to a variety of informal and formal reading and writing practices. During the course you might be asked to annotate readings, keep a record of ideas, jot down observations, complete in-class assignments, take notes on class discussions, collaborate with your classmates, and engage in a variety of research, drafting, and revision assignments. Your instructor will review class work on a regular basis. These will be graded on a point system. You will get a zero for coursework you do not complete or that you do not submit on time. If there are extenuating circumstances (e.g., medical or other emergencies), please contact meso that we can arrange a time to talk about missed work. Finally, writing well depends upon reading well. The course texts will provide you with ideas and arguments, facts and statistics. They will prompt thought as you agree or disagree, qualify or extend their knowledge. They enlarge the context for our class discussion, and they illustrate choices other writers have made as they composed. Writing and reading are interdependent practices, and you will move between the two regularly throughout the course. Be prepared to write about (or be quizzed on) that day’s assigned readings.

 Participation and Attendance: It is essential (and mandatory) that you attend class and participate. While I understand that everyone has different approaches to participation, I still expect that you arrive to class promptly so that we can begin on time, be prepared with (your own copies of) all readings/texts under investigation, and to engage in a way that best fits you (by actively listening, taking notes, asking questions, offering comments, collaborating with peers during group work, etc.). I also ask you to avoid walking around or stepping outside of class (but, of course, consult with us if you absolutely need to do either). Finally, missing class and/or arriving late will affect your learning, your classmates’ learning, and your grade. If you must miss a class, you are responsible for submitting on time (in person, on the course website, or by email) any work assigned. You are also responsible for asking your classmates about any changes made to the syllabus, calendar, and assignments. If you miss four class periods, you are at risk for failing the course, and your instructor will contact you about proceeding. Every three late arrivals count as an absence.

Late Policy on Major Assignments: 5% of the grade will be automatically deducted for major assignments turned in past the due date. I will still accept your paper and you will be deducted only 5% as long as you submit it by the next class period. If you miss this deadline and submit your assignment at the following class period (making it two class periods late) an additional 5% will be deducted (for a total of 10%). An example: If you miss the deadline for your Language and Literacy Narrative assignment (due on Monday, February 14th), you can submit it on Wednesday February 16th and will be deducted 5%, or you can submit it on Monday February 21st, and be deducted 10%. If you do not submit a major assignment within 7 days of its due date, you are required to schedule a meeting with me so that we can discuss how to proceed (or whether you need to drop the course). This policy applies regardless of you being absent or not, so you should still attend class even if you have not completed an assignment! And, again, if there are extenuating circumstances, please contact me immediately.

Feedback, Grading, and Use of Student Writing: All texts written in this course are generally public. You may be asked to share them with a peer, the class, or with me during classroom activities or for homework. You will also receive many kinds of feedback during this course. Some will come from fellow students and some will come from your instructor. Both are important; they tell you in various ways how your readers are responding to your writing. This feedback will also help you learn how to assess your own work. You are expected to put in serious effort to advancing your academic literacies, and you will (mostly) be assessed based on how effectively you have accomplished the various and different goals set out for each of our major assignments. Finally, you will also meet instructor around week 8 to discuss your progress, and you may be asked, encouraged, or required to seek additional feedback from tutors at the Writing Center.

Grammar: Students are expected to take an active role in developing their English language, grammar, and mechanics. We recognize that students come from different educational, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds and that it takes a lifetime to fully develop language and grammar, especially if English is a student’s additional (and not first) language. As your instructor, I am committed to adopting approaches deemed most effective by the fields of TESOL and Composition and Rhetoric: I will provide ongoing feedback on your writing to highlight language issues on which you need to work, and I will refrain from penalizing students for their language. It is not until the final essays that grammar will be accounted for in the grading.

 Computer Use, Blackboard, Email, and Assignment Format:

Our course will be loaded on Blackboard, CCNY’s on-line teaching support system. I expect you to be able to regularly locate, download, and link to a range of course materials. Assignments will sometimes be handed in during class (as a printed hard copy) but will mostly be submitted electronically (to Blackboard or, in some cases, via email). Assignments due online are due thirty minutes before our regular class start time (i.e., if our class meets at 9:30am, assignments due that day must be submitted by 9:00am). We will also contact you regularly via the Blackboard course student email listserv, so check your CCNY email daily.

Most assignments for this class must be word-processed, using Microsoft Word, OpenOffice, or Google Docs (please save all documents as rtf or doc files. No links or PDFs please). Computers, as you know, are susceptible to crashing and freezing. Problems with computers/printers/internet are not excuses for late work. Save your work frequently, back up your files (in multiple places!), don’t wait until the last minute to print, and plan your projects with extra time allowed for inevitable glitches.

Formatting for all essays:

  • Font: Times New Roman
  • Font size: 12
  • Line spacing: Double
  • Margins: Standard

In-class Expectations: For the courtesy of your fellow classmates, please turn off all cell phones, iPods, IM’s, iPhones, etc. Laptops must be used in ways relevant to our class (no outside coursework or surfing). Texting is not permitted during class. Be courteous, polite, and considerate to all members of the class at all times. We will have different perspectives voiced in class, so our comments should be shared and responded to respectfully. As a group, we will also represent diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and must all commit to honoring, respecting, and accounting for each other’s differences. As your instructor, I am committed to this.

Contacting Your Instructor: I encourage you to contact me and visit during my respective office hours. If you are unable to meet with me during the allotted office hours, please contact us so that I can arrange an appointment. I expect you to accept a responsible role as a communicator in this class and to keep me informed about your work, your progress, your questions, and your problems. Please do not hesitate to meet with me to talk about your work several times during the semester, preferably BEFORE your grade is the central concern.  Do not hesitate to email me to ask questions or send us important reminders.

The Writing Center: The CCNY Writing Center provides a supportive learning environment where students can have one-on-one tutoring sessions with experienced writing consultants. The Writing Center is located on the third floor of the North Academic Center (NAC). Students can schedule an appointment either by going to the Center in person, or by calling (212) 650-8104. This is a free resource available to all students and recommended for all writing assigned in this class. The Center also has a computer lab open to students where students can use computers and printers during operating hours (up to 15 pages a day). For more information on hours, location and services, please visit the official website of the CCNY Writing Center: http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/writing/.

Special Needs and Accommodations: There are several Student Support Services available for CCNY students. You can check this website for a complete list and for more information: http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/services/. If you believe that you need accommodations for a disability, please contact CCNY’s AccessAbility Center (Student Disability Services), http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/accessability/index.cfm, located in the North Academic Center, Room 1/218, or call (212) 650-5913 for an appointment to discuss your needs and the process for requesting accommodations. Since accommodations may require early planning and generally are not provided retroactively, please contact the Center as soon as possible. CCNY and I am committed to your success and to supporting Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This means that in general no individual who is otherwise qualified shall be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity, solely by reason of having a disability. You are also welcome to contact me privately to discuss your academic needs, although you’ll want to contact the Center direct to arrange for disability-related accommodations as I cannot do so on your behalf.

Academic Integrity: All writing submitted for this course is understood to be your original work. In cases where we detect academic dishonesty (the fraudulent submission of another’s work, in whole or part, as your own),

you may be subject to a failing grade for the project or the course, and in the worst case, to academic probation or expulsion. For a more detailed description of the guidelines for adhering to academic integrity, see CCNY’s Policy on Academic Integrity on the college website: http://www1.ccny.cuny.edu/current/upload/Academic-Integrity-Policy.pdf. As part of this course, we will discuss strategies for adhering to standard conventions for responsible source use and for maintaining academic integrity.

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