Class Policies & Information

Does this class have a book?

• This class uses Open Educational Resources (OER) instead of a purchased textbook.

  • OER are readings and resources that are published under a Creative Commons license, which allows educators and students to access, reproduce, and in many cases modify and redistribute freely. 

• The shorter readings and resources can be found on this class website.

  • These readings are divided by topic and can be found under the Writing and Research navigation drop-down menu (at the top of the website). 

• The longer readings are in the ENGL 1180 Reader which I will be providing copies of during the second or third class.

When does this class meet?

• Please see the syllabus or your class schedule for meeting times and the room assignment. 

What is a "hybrid" class?

A hybrid class is a mix of online (asynchronous) instruction and in-person, traditional instruction. This class is a 50-50 hybrid, meaning that we will meet for 50% of the class hours in person and the other half of the class will be completed online (asynchronously).

Since this is an accelerated 12-week class, we will still be meeting two days a week, but our class times will be shorter. Typically, a four-credit, 12-week class needs to meet for around six hours a week; we'll be meeting for closer to three hours a week. 

Where do I find our class materials and assignments?

• The materials and assignments for this class will be found in a combination of the ENGL 1180 Reader (this will be provided to you in class), this website, AND in Canvas. 

• The asynchronous online portion of this class will be completed entirely in Canvas. 

  • I recommend that you use the Modules page (instead of using Calendar or To-do) because items without Canvas-set due dates, such as lessons or readings, will not show up in those other areas of Canvas.

• The due dates for all major assignments and the readings can be found on the schedule at the end of the syllabus and on the class calendar, which can be found on the home page of this website.

  • Since some of our assignments will be turned in on Google Drive, the due dates are not listed in the Canvas assignment. 

  • Please use the class calendar or your own planner to keep track of deadlines for this class, as Canvas will not be a reliable source for all the deadlines.

• Our Canvas class will open roughly a week before the first day of the semester during “Week 0.” Please do not turn in any assignments or attempt any quizzes until the semester has officially started. 

How do I know what I need to do each week?

• Everything that you will need to complete (readings, lectures, and assignments) will be listed in the schedule at the end of the syllabus and on the class calendar on this website. 

• Make sure you are completing everything in each week’s Module AND anything that is listed on the syllabus schedule.

How is this class organized?

In-person Part

For the in-person part of this class, we'll meet in a classroom and it will look like a traditional class. We will go over all of the major assignments (papers) in person. The assignments can be found on this class website under "Assignments" in the navigation menu at the top of the page. 

Some readings will need to be completed before class meets; those readings will be noted in the schedule at the end of the syllabus. Make sure to check the schedule regularly, just like you would for any other on-ground class. 

Your paper submission packets and final portfolio will all be turned in on Google Drive (we'll talk more about this in class). 

Online Part 

The asynchronous online part of this class will be completed on Canvas. This part of the class will look and feel more like a typical online class, minus the discussion boards. Each week will be broken up into its own "Module" on Canvas and labeled by week. For example, the module titled "Week 1 (Online Part)" will have all of the online lessons and assignments for Week 1 under it. 

The work for the online part of the class will focus on a weekly "Grammar, Style, and Structure" lesson. You will have readings, written lectures, and/or videos to watch on the topic of the week. Then, you'll have a quiz that is due on Friday to test for understanding of that topic. Additionally, you will have a weekly reading summary to write on the readings for that week. 

Important: Every week, make sure to check both your schedule (at the end of the syllabus) and the weekly modules for all items that are due and all readings. 

What can I do to help myself succeed in this class?

• Come to class. We'll be going over important concepts, working through issues that may come up with the major assignments, and covering the bulk of the theoretical content in the in-person portion of the class.

• Complete all the readings and lectures and give yourself enough time to draft your papers and finish your assignments.

• Failing to regularly attend class and/or failing to complete the work in the weekly modules will likely set you back in the class, both with your grade and your ability to catch up later. Try to stay on top of everything from the start. 

• Make appointments with the Reading and Writing Studios to get additional help. You can make an appointment here: https://macomb.mywconline.com/

What do I do if I can't get into Canvas or am having technical issues with Canvas?

• Call Macomb's Canvas support at 877-362-2662

• I don't have access to your account, so if something isn't working right or you are having technical difficulties with the site, you'll need to contact Macomb's Canvas support number above. 

If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to email me. My email address can be found on the syllabus or in the faculty directory (if you search for my name). 

This class will focus on writing as a process, including multiple revisions before your Final Portfolio. Therefore, up until the Final Portfolio, all papers and projects will be graded on a check system, with the focus being on completing all required parts of the assignment. 

I want you to focus on doing the work, not on worrying about your grade. So, if you complete the requirements and turn in all the required parts of the assignment, you will get full credit. Missing requirements will lead to partial credit, or if several requirements are missed, no credit.

Papers will be graded on a full check scheme ✓+, ✓, ✓-, or NC. 

A full explanation of the check system can be found under "Grading Scheme" below.

The online part of the class, which includes a weekly quiz and reading summaries will use a more traditional point system.

See the class syllabus on Canvas for the full grading policy.

Grading Policies

• I do not accept resubmissions of work that has already been graded in any circumstances.

• I do not review work before it is submitted for a grade since feedback on the writing progress is part of the course design.

Full Check Grading Scheme (for Papers and the Macomb Scavenger Hunt)

Check Plus (✓ +) Full credit

Meets length, style, formatting, and research requirements. All required items (see submission packet checklist) are turned in. Complete, well organized, generally well written and thoughtful.

Check (✓ ) Partial Credit

Missing one item from the requirements or submission packet, under page requirements, ideas are not fully developed or not detailed.

Check minus (✓ -) Partial Credit

Missing two items from the requirements or submission packet; ideas not fully developed, under page requirements, and/or haven’t addressed all prompts in a writing assignment.

No Credit (No Credit)

Missing three or more items from the requirements or submission packet, did not complete the assignment (writing about something other than the topic, missing quite a bit of the assignment), and/or under the page length requirements.

Important Note: if your paper is substantially under the length requirement or not meeting the criteria so substantially that it cannot be considered a completed paper, your grade may be dropped accordingly. 

Final Portfolio Grading

The final portfolio will be graded on a rubric, which can be found with the assignment sheet.

Extra credit opportunities can be found in the Information Central module on Canvas. Extra credit will not be calculated until the end of the semester (EC doesn’t work with “weighted” grades in Canvas).

Online work is due by midnight online on the due date, unless otherwise stated on the assignment sheet. 

Grace Periods

For midnight deadlines, I will not count a paper or assignment as late until 8 am (I won’t be grading them at 1 am, anyway). 

Quizzes are due on Fridays by 11:59 pm. They will stay open until Sunday at 11:59 pm if you should need an extension. After Sunday at midnight, the quiz will close and cannot be taken after that time. 

Late Freebies

Additionally, to account for unexpected circumstances, you will get two “late freebies” that can be used for a one-week extension on a paper submission packet, the Macomb Scavenger hunt assignment, or a weekly Reading Summary assignment. 

The final portfolio will not be accepted late.  

Once your late freebies are used up (or if you choose to not use it for a particular assignment), I’m happy to comment on late essays, but they will not receive credit. 

See "How to Take a Late Freebie" below for further instructions.

Words of advice:

Don’t use up your late freebie on your first assignments, unless it is an actual emergency. 

For Projects turned in on Google Drive, the folder must be renamed to project name and late freebie. For example, "Project 2—Late Freebie." For Reading Summaries turned in on Canvas, a comment must be left on the assignment to let me know that you are taking a late freebie. 

See the instructions on the page "Late Freebie".

Essay Formatting 

Certain genres, such as some of the options for your unfamiliar genre in Paper #2, will need to use a format that is more appropriate to the genre. For standard essays, this class will use basic MLA formatting for all essays, and the following can be used as a rough guide for paper formatting:  

• Margins: one inch on all sides

• Spacing: double-space throughout, including within the heading and before and after the title

• Font: Times New Roman (or similar), 12 point

• Heading: Upper left-hand corner; your name, the class name, and the date, on the first page only

• New Paragraphs: tabbed five spaces from the margin

• Title: Centered, below the heading, with MLA capitalization of titles (see below). Do not bold or underline. Use quotation marks or italics only to indicate the title of another work within your title, such as this: An Examination of The Epic of Gilgamesh

Capitalization of Titles

1. Always capitalize the first letter only of the first word and last word of both title and subtitle, regardless of what they are

2. Capitalize the first letter of all other words within the title and subtitle except for these:coordinating conjunctions (and, or, for, nor, so, yet, but) the “to” of infinitives short prepositions such as “in” and “of” articles (a, an, the)

This class will use both Canvas and Google Drive to turn in work. 

Google Drive

There will be class time designated for everyone to set up their folders and sharing/permissions. We will also go over some of the basics in class. 

It is your responsibility to learn how to use the technology and get help, if needed, beyond that. Assignments will not be accepted late (outside of using a late freebie) due to technical issues. Work ahead, get help if you need it, and double-check that your documents are in the right folder for submission. 

Additionally, you can always ask before or after class for me to take a look at your shared Google Drive folder if you would like to be sure that your assignment is in the right place. 

Getting Technology Help

The internet and YouTube are both excellent resources for getting help with nearly anything you could want to do in Google Drive, Docs or any other Google Suite software. Additionally, feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or need help. 

If you need help with your Macomb login, email, or other college technology, please contact the Service Desk. Your password for Macomb (including Canvas, email, and MyMacomb) can also be reset on the password reset site. 

If you need help with Canvas specifically, support can be reached at 877-362-2662.

Academic honesty is highly valued at Macomb. It is important to submit work that represents your original words or ideas.  Whenever you use another’s words or ideas, please cite all relevant sources and the extent to which these sources were used. Words or ideas that require citations include all hard copy or electronic publications; all verbal or visual communication; and all submissions to public meetings or mailboxes.

Instances of academic dishonesty may result in a lowered grade on the assignment, a zero for the assignment with no opportunity for resubmission, or failure in the course, depending on the degree and type of dishonesty. An academic integrity report may also be filed with the college.  

Academic dishonesty could involve the following:

• Having someone complete a portion of your assignments

• Having a reviewer make extensive revisions for you to an assignment

• Copying work submitted by another person

• Turning in assignments that are similar to another’s assignment in the course

• Using information from online information services without proper citation

• Turning in work that you did for another course or class without permission

This class will be a safe place for people to share their ideas and writing with others.  I expect everyone to be respectful to their classmates and to me. This will include being respectful towards students who may share different viewpoints than their own. However, discriminatory language and behavior will not be welcome or tolerated.  

Additionally, I expect everyone to use common sense when using technology in the classroom. Please wait until natural breaks between activities to use your cell phones for non-class-related purposes. 

If you engage in disrespectful or disruptive behavior, you may be asked to leave the class and not return until you have scheduled a meeting with me.