DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

Course Policies

General Comments on Assignments: Writing successfully depends on your ability to read with scrupulous attention and insight. You will be expected to have completed all assigned reading by the due date. Frequent in-class writing will help you stay disciplined about getting the reading done on time. In writing your essays, I encourage you to: address an intelligent, public audience in a graceful style, providing key information necessary to understand your arguments; develop your ideas in an interesting, original, and coherent manner; support your arguments with evidence; use sources thoughtfully and appropriately; express yourself in clear, concise language; structure your essays carefully; and title your work in a thoughtful and meaningful way. Any time a rough draft is due you must come to class on time with that assignment printed out and ready to workshop. It is not acceptable to come to class late because the library was crowded or there was a long wait time to print. Plan accordingly.

Paper Format: Most formal writing assignments must be typed, and must follow this format:

·      Double-space the paper with one-inch margins all around.
·      Use Times New Roman, 12-pt, as your font.
·      Put your name, class name/number, assignment, and date at the top left corner.
·      Include page numbers at the bottom, right hand corner.
·      Papers should have a fresh, interesting title relevant to the subject of your essay. A title page does not count as a page of text.  
·      All in-text citations must conform to the latest MLA style guidelines.
·      Research papers should include a works cited page. 
·      Unless otherwise indicated, all final drafts of papers are due to Blackboard. They must be either Word or PDF documents. No papers submitted via e-mail will be accepted.

·      It is your responsibility to keep a photocopy or electronic copy of your paper. 

 

Class Participation and Attendance: Your responsibility in the class is to be not only a student, but also a reader and responder for other members of the community. It is essential that you attend class faithfully and come fully prepared to participate in discussions of assigned reading and in writing workshops. To be effective participants, students need to complete reading and writing tasks by assigned dates. In fact, the only way the class will work is by actively engaging and taking ownership of your own education. Come to every class with questions about the material and raise your questions and concerns in class.

Writing Workshops: A vital, ongoing intellectual conversation is the heart of the course. The writing workshop, in which students respond to their peers’ writing, is a very important part of the class. Your purpose in those workshops is to support each others’ writing efforts by offering careful and thoughtful responses as readers, pointing out the writer’s successes and offering constructive suggestions for improving the work. My expectation is that you will respond to each other’s work seriously and critically, and approach each draft with sensitivity, insight, and imagination. You will use the responses of readers to revise, refine, and polish selected pieces of your writing before submitting a final version to me. The ethical norm of our class is that all students’ writing (drafts and your comments) is considered confidential; you should not discuss your peers’ work outside the classroom. This ethic enables us to develop the trust and security we need as a community.

Attendance & Punctuality: Since our class functions as a community, it is essential that students attend class consistently. More than three absences will affect your final grade, which will drop by ½ letter for each additional absence. Lateness for class, if extreme or chronic, will be counted as an absence. If tardiness becomes an issue, any tardy that exceeds 20 minutes will result in one absence. Lateness is discourteous to the instructor and students. If you must be absent from class or cannot submit an assignment on time because of a personal emergency, you should email me as soon as possible. If you were unable to attend class due to illness, please talk to me after you return. After an absence, a student should contact a classmate about class material and obtain notes. Please avoid leaving early. If you leave before the end of the class without discussing it with me beforehand, you will be considered absent for the day. Any time a rough draft is due you must come to class on time with that assignment printed out and ready to workshop. It is not acceptable to come to class late because the library was crowded or there was a long wait time to print. Plan accordingly. If you are struggling to attend class, communicate with your Academic Success Coach and with your instructor, who will work with you to negotiate a plan for attending and completing the class.

Cell Phones: Turn off ringers on mobile devices, tablets, and all other electronics before entering the classroom. Put them on silent, not vibrate. Everyone gets one accidental ring. If you need to call or text, you must leave the classroom. Electronic devices can only be used for classroom-related activities. You may use laptops to revise assignments on writing workshop days or to reference your required texts. I prefer that you take notes by hand, with a pen and paper. Studies have shown that this task enhances learning.

 

Deadlines & Late Work: Unless there are extenuating circumstances, late work is unacceptable. No exceptions, unless for real and serious emergencies, in which case you should get in touch with me at once. Extensions for emergencies will generally be granted only once per student per semester, though I will make assessments on a case-by-case basis. There is an automatic 10-point deduction in these cases. Be prepared to forfeit the points if your assignment is late.

Assignment Policies: I will review outlines/drafts for your assignments. I must receive them at least three business days prior to the due date, and I will not answer major conceptual questions pertaining to the assignment the final 24 hours before the due date. If you have questions about a grade you received, you must review the material and wait at least 48 hours before contacting me. You are expected to submit original work for this course. Do not recycle papers written for other courses.

Collaboration: There will be in-class and online assignments where you will work in pairs or in small groups of 3-4.  I will let you know when an in-class activity is a collaborative one; if I do not specifically tell you to collaborate, you can assume that the assignment should be completed on your own. All written assignments outside of the classroom should be completed individually. Please note that in some situations uncalled for collaboration can be construed as plagiarism. For more information on plagiarism, see the classroom “academic honesty” policy.

 
Availability: This semester I will hold both in-person and virtual office hours on several different days and times and encourage you to make use of this resource. Office hours are an appropriate venue to confer about any aspect of the course, clarification of expectations or grades, comments on papers, questions about course material, papers in progress, etc., however, email may work for many simple questions. One-on-one help and individual attention often results in a deeper understanding of course materials and clearer expression of that understanding in your writing. Studies show that office hours have a positive impact on student learning. That being said, I strongly suggest that you visit me in office hours by appointment. Email me to set a time. If you make an appointment, I expect that you will keep it like any other professional meeting. Your time is valuable, as is mine. If you must cancel, let me know at least 24 hours in advance. 
 
E-mail: I am available by email at Adrianna.Santos@tamusa.edu Monday through Friday 8AM - 5PM. Do not use the Blackboard message option. I usually return emails within 48 hours but I may not check my email on the weekend. Be aware that this is a form of professional communication. As such, please include a formal salutation, and state clearly what class you are in and the purpose of your email. Proofread for grammar and spelling errors. Maintain proper email etiquette and use this resource for course related material only. Address me as Professor or Dr. Santos. I will respond with a formal greeting and your last name unless you indicate otherwise (I will take my cue from how you sign your email). In short, I will respect you and I expect the same. I also recommend that you:
  • Check your e-mail everyday.
  • Do not procrastinate. Ask your questions or submit your drafts early but don’t expect an immediate response when you send a message. 48 hours is standard turnaround time.
  • Include "Subject" headings: use something that is descriptive and refer to a particular assignment or topic.
  • Be courteous and considerate. Being honest and expressing yourself freely is very important but being considerate of others online is just as important as in the classroom.
  • Make every effort to be clear. Online communication lacks the nonverbal cues that fill in much of the meaning in face-to-face communication.
  • Do not use all caps. This makes the message very hard to read and is considered "shouting." Check spelling, grammar, and punctuation (you may want to compose in a word processor, then cut and paste the message into the discussion or e-mail).
  • Break up large blocks of text into paragraphs and use a space between paragraphs.
  • Sign your e-mail messages.
  • Never assume that your e-mail is secure; unfortunately, others may be able to read or access your mail. Never send or keep anything that you would not mind seeing on the evening news. Always use your university email for this and all other TAMUSA courses.

Self-Reliance: This is an upper division English course. I realize that some of you are either non-majors or new to the English major; however, because this is a major and upper division course, I expect a certain level of proficiency in terms of reading, writing, speaking, and critical thinking.  If you need extra help or assistance in a particular area, you need to be proactive and independently seek solutions. Don’t hesitate to make an appointment with me, visit the tutoring center, the library, and/or the OWL at Purdue website for more resources. https://owl.english.purdue.edu/

 

Student Services and Support: There are a multitude of resources on campus that can help to guide you in your academic career. I suggest that you explore these resources on your own but listed below are a few that may be particularly useful for you.

 

Blackboard  We will use Blackboard for a variety of reasons (discussion, assignments, readings, etc.) and you are expected to fully engage with it. Blackboard can be accessed at http://tamusa.blackboard.com/ If you need assistance (technical support) with Blackboard, please email HelpDesk@tamusa.tamus.edu or call (210) 784-4357.

 

Jaguar Writing Center – The Jaguar Writing Center provides writing assistance to graduate and undergraduate students in all three colleges. Writing tutors work with students to develop reading skills, prepare oral presentations, and plan, draft, and revise their written assignments. Students can make individual or group appointments with a writing tutor. The Writing Center has two locations: Central Academic Building, Suite 208 and Brooks City-Base, Room 104. Both locations can be reached by emailing tutoring@tamusa.edu or calling (210)-784-1332. Appointments can also be made through JagWire using TutorTrac, which is found under the services tab. 

 

Library Services The library is located in CAB 202. Study rooms, computers, and printers are available. Do not forget to create not only a University Library account but a WorldCat account as well. This gives you access to hundreds of resources from our library website that would not otherwise be available. You must login to both (in the upper right hand corner of the search engine page) every time you access the databases. Library services can be reached at (210) 784-1500 or http://www.tamusa.edu/library/

 

Students with Disabilities – The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities.  Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disability.  If you believe you have a disability that may require accommodations, please contact Disability Support Services for the coordination of services. DSS is located on the 1st floor of the Main Campus building (Room 127) and on the Brooks City-Base Campus in Room 149. The phone number for DSS is 210-784-1335.

 

Student Counseling and Wellness Services – The Office of Student Counseling & Wellness Services (SC&WS) provides short-term individual, couples, and group counseling services, consultation, and prevention services that facilitate students’ academic and life goals and enhance their personal growth and well-being. SC&WS’s staff of licensed mental health professionals can work with you to identify effective strategies both to cope with difficult situations and to achieve goals set with your counselor. To schedule an appointment please call (210-784-1331) or email (StuCounseling@tamusa.edu). SC&WS is located in Suite 212 of Patriot’s Casa.

 

BookstoreThe bookstore is located in CAB 135. Contact them at (210) 784-1070. http://tamusa.bncollege.com.

 

Diversity: The English program and Texas A&M University-San Antonio is committed to fostering inclusive classroom environments where diverse backgrounds and perspectives are not only respected and understood, but are also recognized as powerful resources for building communities of writers both in the classroom and across campus. While working with classmates and instructors, we ask that you:

 

* respectfully share your unique experiences and perspectives

* demonstrate respect for and openness to the perspectives and experiences of others

* value the opportunity to learn from difference

 

Demonstrating respect for those different from you not only prepares you for success in the classroom, but it also prepares you for success as citizens and professionals in a global community. Because we value the respectful expression and exchange of ideas, students who use violent, harassing, and/or discriminatory language, including, but not limited to, sexist, racist, homophobic, classist, ableist, and/or anti-ethnic language, will be reported to the university and may be subject to Student Code of Conduct policies, as well as any classroom conduct or civility policies your instructor has established. Lastly, the English program is committed to affirming linguistic diversity in student communication. We approach style and grammar as context-specific and do not advocate the use of Edited American English expect when appropriate for the writer’s genre and audience.

 

Classroom Conduct: In addition to the above English Program policies, I also require that the following classroom conduct guidelines be followed: Be respectful. We may discuss sensitive topics in this course and it is perfectly normal that we may not all agree, however, you are to refrain from using language or behavior that is intolerant and/or insensitive to others. I have a zero tolerance policy on hate speech or otherwise oppressive and unproductive language. It is unacceptable. I reserve the right to ask you to leave if you do not abide by these standards. You may also face more serious consequences by the University and your participation grade will suffer the consequence as well.

 

The following behaviors are not conducive to a positive classroom environment and will negatively impact your participation grade: coming to class without the required assignments; disrespecting your peers and your teacher; sleeping through class; putting your head on the desk or your backpack; continually staring out the window; off-topic conversations with your classmates; doing work for other courses; surfing the internet, playing games, social networking, text messaging, or instant messaging friends on cell phones or laptops; listening to your iPod; paying online bills; reading the newspaper; rolling your eyes when others speak; hostile behavior or any behavior that is inappropriate, and/or off-task. If I witness repeated inappropriate behavior, I will ask you to leave and you will be counted absent. 

 

Here are some other general suggestions for discussion, both virtual and in person.

  • Be specific.
  • Do not take the issues “at face value.” Try to respond based on an informed understanding of ALL the readings, PPTs, and other materials for the week.
  • Elaborate. Use examples as opposed to over-reliance on a general "feeling" about something you have read. Always come back to the text. While our personal experiences are important in that they act as a frame of reference, do not rely solely on personal anecdote or subjective opinion to examine literary texts.
  • Refer to specific parts of the text and contextualize them within the time they were written as well as within the stated themes of the class. Consider the historical and social context, and, if available, biographical information.
  • Reading or referring to quotes is expected, but make sure you also aim for your own paraphrase and analysis of the text/response to questions asked.
  • Maintain a scholarly tone appropriate to a classroom. As you have all probably noticed, humor, sarcasm, and irony read differently to different people. Choose your words carefully. Basically, respect others.
  • Be aware of your level of participation. If you rarely speak up, try to challenge yourself to do so more. If you always have something to say, make sure to allow space for others to respond as well.

Plagiarism – Simply put, plagiarism is copying another’s work, whether it’s word-for-word or paraphrasing. It is a form of “cheating.” Give credit where it is due. The English Program recognizes that what constitutes plagiarism depends upon context. As such, we work with you to learn how different genres, professions, and academic disciplines define plagiarism. In the context of your English classes, plagiarism is defined as the intentional use of another’s “language, ideas, or original (not common-knowledge) material” without acknowledgement (“Defining and Avoiding Plagiarism”). If you are found to have committed plagiarism as defined here, your instructor will report you for academic dishonesty, and you may be subject to failing the assignment or even failing the class. Please consult Student Handbook for more information. http://osa.tamuk.edu/studentorganizations/studentorganizations_files/studenthandbook.pdf.

Here are some helpful websites concerning definitions of plagiarism and MLA citation:

 

 

 

 

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.