Course Policies:
Conduct: Students are held to the highest standard of respect for all members of the classroom. By the time you reach college, you are aware of successful classroom behavior: turn off cells phones during class (no texting); do not listen to an ipod during class, no extraneous laptop use (checking email, playing WoW); arrive on time ready to work / stay throughout the class; do not talk over another student or professor; do not dominate class discussion; do not hold side bar discussions during class; be proactive in the learning process; ask questions / avoid hasty assumptions.

Every student deserves a classroom environment conducive to learning; if you ignore classroom policies, you will receive a warning or be asked to leave the class or be dropped from the class, depending on the severity and/or frequency of the conduct. Please check your Student Handbook for additional information.

Attendance: Because the course is interactive, you are expected to attend class and be prepared to discuss the assigned material. After your 4th absence, your final grade for the course is lowered by 5%. Each subsequent absence may result in an additional 3 % deduction from your final grade. For example, if you miss 6 classes and your final average is a 75%, you will receive a 67%. The 75% is a passing grade; the 67% is not. The absence policy is enforced because it is well recognized that steady attendance is a predictor for individual and overall class success; absences affect class dynamics and typically add to the work load of group members and your instructor.

Assignments: Unless otherwise stated, assignments are due at the beginning of class on the day that they are due and in the form that they are assigned (ie: hardcopy, electronic submission). I typically ask for two printed copies of a paper. The TCC has functional printers that you can use to print assignment. "My printer is broken" is not an acceptable excuse for turning in a paper late. Always keep a back up copy of assignments in case a paper is misplaced. You might also consider emailing assignments to your email account in case your computer has a problem during the semester.

Grades on late assignments will be docked 10% for each class period. In-class work (group activities, quizzes on readings) cannot be made up and will receive a 0. If you cannot attend class on the date an assignment is due, make arrangements to turn it in during scheduled class time. If you are having problems completing an assignment on time, contact me before the due date if you wish to petition for an extension. You have one extension per semester to turn in an essay, project, or reschedule an exam. You are expected to turn in the assignment or take the exam within one week. Extensions cannot be given for individual or group presentations or for final projects/ papers.

Picking up Final Papers:
Final papers are available for you to pick up at the end of the semester in Fitch 106. The administrative assistant will hold the papers for no more than one week into the Spring 09 semester. If you do not pick up your papers by that time, they will be recycled.

Assignment Format:
Unless otherwise stated, all out-of-class papers and assignments must be word-processed. Include your name, course number, and the date. Papers should be given an appropriate and interesting title, which should be centered above the first line of the body text. Use standard 12 pt. font, double or 1.5 , one-inch margins all the way around, and a consistent documentation style. The NMT Writing Center is a valuable resource.

Academic Honesty: Plagiarized work will receive a 0 and you may be dropped from the course. In addition, you may not turn in a paper written for another class (including recycling a high school paper) without prior permission of involved professors (and collaborators). NMT's policy on plagiarism is clearly stated in your Student Handbook.

Grades:
Papers will be evaluated according to clear criteria established within the specs of each assignment. The specs of the projects are closely related to course goals, and we will discuss the targeted skills in class in connection to each assignment. Because writing is not a linear process, In general, grammar and mechanics count for 30% of the overall grade on an essay/ project write up.

Our class will engage in peer review and teacher review and based on that feedback, you will have the opportunity to revise the final draft. Your paper won't be drenched in red ink; I do not correct all of the "errors" on your essays. I look for basic patterns of error in areas such as grammar, composition skills, content, and documentation and allow you to make necessary revisions. Your handbook will be really useful in revising your work, and you will find that our campus Writing Center is a valuable resource. In addition, I am happy to meet with you during office hours to discuss your writing.

Here is your grade breakdown:

Special Needs: Any student with specials needs should contact the instructor immediately so that arrangements can be made.