Spring 2004

English 101.10 -- Language and Composition I

Course Policies

Attendance
Your participation is vital to a successful experience in this course. Much of our class time will be spent either writing or doing collaborative work. While this provides you with more opportunities to grow as writers, it also means that it will not be possible to make up missed activities. Therefore, it is important for you to attend! Be on time. “Attending class” means that you are in class and are not excessively late.

If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed.

If serious illness prevents you from coming to class for a significant length of time please let me know as soon as possible.

Papers
You are encouraged to keep revising your papers throughout the semester. Remember that the advisory grades you recieve on your "final" drafts are not your final grade. Not only is revision allowed, but it is expected and you will need to revise your papers to do well in 101. In order to recieve a grade of C or higher, your final papers must be turned in with typed copies of all preliminary drafts, notes, and peer responses (both to and from other class members), and you must also include a Single Unit Submission Form and a copy of the Single Unit Grading Standards. These forms are included in the back of the Course Guide.

You will turn in both printed and electronic copies of these materials at the end of each unit. Your final portfolio, however, needs only to be turned in electronically. To turn in work electronically save the files to your SYV250 Folder. It is required that you also keep at least two backup copies of all your work.

Keep everything!
Not only does including these materials help me to see how your papers have developed, but you will also need them when you write your final reflective paper about your writing process and development throughout the semester.

Make sure you save and keep copies of rough drafts—DO NOT save over these when you revise your papers. You will need to keep a disk copy of everything, including rough drafts and peer comments (both responses you receive as well as those you provide for other members of the class).

A peer (another student from this class) must review all papers submitted for a grade. If you are absent on a peer response day, make arrangements to meet with another class member outside of class.

Keep Electronic Copies of Spoken or Handwritten Responses
When you recieve a spoken or handwritten response to your writing from your instructror or from peers, always write it down in a Word file so that you have it to refer to later and will be able to include it with the electronic copy of your portfolio at the end of the semester.

Save Your Work!
Also, save your work often, and save to more than place. You should, at minimum, save your work to your STV250 folder, to two other locations, such as disks or other storage devices, or to your H: Drive. It is fairly easy for files to become lost or damaged, but you are still responsible for safeguarding against these possible disasters. Lost work can result in an incomplete portfolio, which can seriously jeopardize your final grade for the course.

Grading
Your portfolio *is* your grade for the course, however please note that the portfolio evaluation standards include work done in class and electronically. Lack of participation or attendance may affect your grade in English 101.

You will receive advisory grades approximately every two weeks; however, the purpose of these grades is to help you to estimate how well you are working toward the standards you must meet for the portfolio-- They are not your final grade. See the Language and Composition I Course Guide for detailed information about the portfolio requirements and grading standards.

Course Guide
Please refer to the English 101 Course Guide for more information about the following:

• What is English 101?( pg 1)
  
• Two Portfolios (examples) (pg 21)
  
• Grading Standards (pg 117)
  
• Computers in English 101 (pg 125)
  
• Research (pg 128)
  
• The University Writing Exam (pg 146)
  
• Student Concerns, Course Policies, and Portfolio Submission Form (pg 162)
  
• Appendix A: Information for Computer Users in English 101 (pg 173)
  
• Appendix B: Forms You'll need for English 101

"This book contains important information about English 101, Language and Composition. If you are enrolled in this course, we expect that you will not only purchase, but also read the Course Guide. You are responsible for being familiar with the information it contains."

Special Needs
Any student needing to arrange a reasonable accommodation for a documented disability should contact Disability Concerns at 350 Fell Hall, 438-5853 (voice), 438-8620 (TDD).