ENG 480, Computers and Writing
Western Illinois University
Fall 2003

Policy guidelines

Some rules are required for any organized learning situation. Consider the following as guidelines. However, for students who show a lack of initiative, engagement, or effort, these policies will become rigidly enforced rules very briskly.

Attendance

Please be on time and attend as many classes as possible. If you’re absent often, your participation points will suffer.

Class participation

Everyone should participate actively in class activities and discussions. If you aren’t asking to speak in every class, you aren’t participating enough. I’ll evaluate your participation in writing twice: at midterm and the end of the semester.

Ethical conduct

I expect every student to follow the highest professional standards for ethical behavior, especially regarding respect for other students. During discussion and group work, criticism and enthusiasm are great; rudeness or aggressiveness is unacceptable.

I also expect academic honesty. Plagiarism (use of another’s ideas, data, and statements with little or no acknowledgment), collusion (unauthorized or undocumented collaboration), or re-submission (presenting an assignment previously completed for course credit) are not permissible. Suspected ethical lapses will be reported in accordance with the University’s Academic Dishonesty Policy.

Extra credit

You can earn extra points, raising your chances of achieving the coveted “A” grade, on any assignment. Extremely high quality work can earn a grade as high as 110% of the total number of available points.

Feedback

Help me be a better teacher by letting me know when you enjoy a class or an assignment—I’ll keep it up. On the other hand, if something doesn’t work well for you or other students, I’d also like to know. Grades, assignments, and other facets of the course can change.

If you wish to remain anonymous, I suggest placing a printed note in my mailbox. Alternately, contact Dr. David Boocker, Chair of the Department of English & Journalism. (Feel free to tell him when I’m doing good things, too.)

Grading

You earn points for each completed assignment. A ten percent per letter grade scale is used for all assignments and final grades, and since there are 1,000 points in the semester, it’s pretty easy to figure out where you stand at any time.

Please keep track of your grades and keep all graded assignments.

assignment	points
Unit one	200
Unit two	200
Unit three	300
Class participation	150
Responses	150
Total points	1000

grade	points
A	900-1000
B	800-899
C	700-799
D	600-699
F	599 or fewer

Help!

Please get me involved if you need assistance. If you have a question or concern others might share, please ask it in class, or send an email to our class list.

For tutoring or other assistance, come to my office hours. Stop by any time you are in Simpkins Hall—I’m there quite often, and if the door is open, I’m happy to see you. Please keep in mind I share my office with another professor.

Students with special learning needs requiring pedagogical accommodation should speak with me as soon as possible.

Late work

Avoid late work. If you would like to turn in an assignment after the due date, contact me at least 48 hours in advance, or you may suffer a point penalty. If you are sick and need extra time, contact me as soon as possible. Unless you have permission from me, late work will not be accepted after one calendar week.

Grades of incomplete will only be given in the case of documented medical emergency (e. g. your arm fell off, and your doctor can prove it).

Privacy

There is no need to put your social security number or WIU ID number on any work turned in to me; your printed name will suffice.

By law (20 USC § 1232g, commonly called the “Buckley Amendment”), educational records must be kept confidential. So: I will only discuss your progress in the course with you in my office, where your privacy can be ensured. I will only email grades or progress reports to wiu.edu accounts. I will never post such information in public. Ever.

We will be using computers at WIU and in other locations. I will make every effort to ensure your privacy while using these systems. You can help by choosing good passwords, keeping your passwords secret, and logging out of any lab computers after you use them. Should you ever suspect your privacy has been compromised in any way because of a computer system used in the course, contact me immediately by telephone.

If you have a problem with computers, please ask me or the WIU helpdesk for help—but never email me or any other WIU staff member a password. Passwords should never be emailed.

WIU brings you the following announcements

In accordance with University policy and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), academic accommodations may be made for any student who notifies the instructor of the need for an accommodation. It is imperative that you take the initiative to bring such needs to the instructor’s attention, as he/she is not legally permitted to inquire about such particular needs of students. Students who may require special assistance in emergency evacuations should contact the instructor as to the most appropriate procedures to follow in such an emergency. Contact Disability Support Services at 298-2515 for additional services.

It is the responsibility of the student to comply with the prerequisites/corequisites for a course that he/she plans to take. Instructors who place the appropriate information on the syllabus and emphasize it during the first three class periods may exclude a student from the class who does not meet the prerequisites/corequisites by sending a note to the student with a copy to the registrar within the first two weeks of the term.

Updated 23 Aug 2003