English
101C
Course
Policies
Readings
Writing
Assignments
Class
Resources
|
Writing
and Creating in Digital Spaces: Course Policies
Instructor: Ms. Erin Karper
Office: Heavilon Hall 443
Office Hours: MW 11:30-12:30, and by appointment
Office Phone: 494-3784
Email: ekarper@purdue.edu
Purpose/Requirements
English
101C, as part of Purdue's two-course English composition
sequence, serves to provide students with an opportunity to develop
and practice their skills in writing and research. Since this class
meets in a computer lab, it will take advantage of the technology
provided and ask students to read, write, and above all think critically
about writing in digital spaces, especially the spaces provided for
writing on the Internet.
Why the Internet? Internet use has grown remarkably in the late 20th
century and will continue to grow. Most students will be required
to use the Internet as a resource in their jobs as well as for their
personal enrichment. As a resource, the Internet can be used for a
variety of purposes. Students need to be able to think, read and write
critically both on and off-line. The projects in this course will
be designed to help students acquire both the technological and the
rhetorical skills necessary for such undertakings.
Students are required to complete all assigned readings,
participate actively and maturely in both in-class and electronic
discussions, work effectively and constructively as members of groups,
attend all required meetings and turn in all assigned writings on
time.
back to top
Coursework
Writing Assignments
- A "traditional" essay focusing
on an on-line community.
- A "home page" describing
yourself or a particular interest of yours, designed in hypertext.
- An annotated bibliography which serves
as preliminary research for a group project.
- A group project, which has three parts:
- research, planning and outlining
- writing content which integrates research and argumentation
- creating a web site using this content
- A self-reflection memo where you assess
your progress in the course.
Participation
In-class
and group work
You will participate actively yet respectfully during class meetings
and discussions, including quizzes, peer review, and group work.
You will be responsible for making sure that your group gets work
accomplished in a timely and satisfactory manner, and you will participate
in that process to the best of your ability.
Online
Spaces
MOO
We will be occasionally doing assignments that have us working
in an online community called ProNoun,
which is a MOO (MUD, Object-Oriented). You will be expected to participate
in these activities to the best of your ability, and you will be
expected to participate attentively and respectfully just as you
would in a face-to-face meeting. Failure to do so will result in
the loss of any points from that activity, and particularly offensive
behavior could have you barred from the MOO or in extreme cases
result in failure of the course.
Issue
Questions
Each week, I will post an issue question to the class listserv,
as well as posting it to the issue questions
web page. These questions may be about the issues we are working
with that week, or they may be more general questions related to
technology. To answer an issue question, you must post
a response to the listserv that either relates to the original
question or any of your classmates' responses within the week that
it is due.
Satisfactory electronic participation means that you will post
responses about at least eight (8) issue questions to the class
listserv. Posting above the minimum is encouraged and desired, but
if you do not have at least 8 resposes posted to the list, you will
forfeit all participation points in this area.
back to top
Grading
Your final grade will be compiled by adding the total points you
have received throughout the semester.
The point values for assignments and participation are listed below:
- On-line community essay: 150 points
- Home page: 150 points
- Annotated bibliography: 100 points
- Group project: 300 points total
- planning, research, and outlining: 100 points
- drafting content: 100 points
- web page design and layout: 100 points
- Participation: 300 points total
- In-class activities, including quizzes and peer review: 100
points
- MOO activities: 100 points
- Issue questions: 100 points
Point total conversion scale
- 900-1000 points: A
- 800-899 points: B
- 700-799 points: C
- 600-699 points: D
- below 600: F
back to top
Course
Policies
Late Work Policy
Late work of any kind is not accepted, except in cases of
dire and documented emergencies.
Attendance
Attendance is essential. Our meetings will be spent in activites
which contribute to your learning and directly affect your grade.
You will also be allotted time for peer review of drafts and work
on your group project. In addition, class participation is an important
component of your grade that cannot be satisfied unless you attend
our meetings. If you are absent for any reason, missed writing opportunities,
and in-class assignments may not be made up. Tardiness is unacceptable;
please come to class on time.
Plagiarism
You must acknowledge the original author(s) and document sources
whenever you use another person's words or ideas in your own or
your group's work. Plagiarism is a serious offense and is grounds
for failure of this course. If you have any doubts about what constitutes
plagiarism, please speak with me.
Formatting and Submission Guidelines
Specific formatting guidelines will be given for each assignment;
it is your responsibility to see that they are followed. In general,
work should be typed, double spaced, spell-checked and proof-read.
Below are some general guidelines for the different ways that you
will be asked to submit assignments.
For submissions via email, the instructor will inform you as to
whether she wishes you to send the document as an attached file
or by cutting and pasting it into the email message. If you are
sending the instructor an attached file, make sure that it is in
Word format; she does not have the resources to translate files
written in other programs.
If you are submitting an assignment which is being saved to the
course folder, make sure that you save it in the proper location;
if the instructor can't find it in the proper place, she won't grade
it.
If the assignment requires a paper copy, please make sure that
your name and section number appear in the upper right hand corner
of the first page, and that it is double spaced. Title pages, plastic
report covers, folders, and clip art are not necessary, honest.
The instructor would be much more impressed with a well written
paper.
Top
15 Ways To Frustrate The Instructor and/or Make English Not Fun
Below is a list of the top 15 ways in which you can make what could
be a very pleasant English 101 experience into a very unpleasant
one. The instructor encourages you to use this list as an example
of what not to do, but does remind you that she is willing
to listen to reasonable and polite requests and will attempt to
accommodate your needs. [Most of the time. When she's had her caffeine.]
15. Show up consistently late and ask questions about what we were
doing before.
14. Turn in assignemnts that don't meet the requirements in any
way, shape or form (see 7).
13. Whine and plead for deadline extensions.
12. Fail to turn in major assignments and then act surprised when
your grade is in peril.
11. Ask questions, whether in class or via email, to which the
answer is readily available on the class web site or in any of the
email reminders. (There is, however, a difference between "can you
clarify what you mean by this?" and "where is this?)
10. Ask "is there a final in this class"? There is no final. Period.
9. Ask the instructor what you can do to get an A in the class
(especially if you "really need" it to counterbalance a grade in
another class.)
8. Ask for extra credit.
7. Turn in projects in formats that differ from the requirements.
This would include: emailing the instructor a paper when she's asked
for a dead tree copy, turning in dead tree copies in clear plastic
binders or with title pages, emailing the instructor your web project
instead of saving it in the class folder...
6. Email the instructor saying "I missed class, what did we do
today?"
5. Email the instructor saying "What is the reading/assignment/issue
question for today/yesterday/two months ago?"
4. Email the instructor asking if she has graded a particular assignment
yet.
3. Turn in late work.
2. Be a slacker in group work and force the instructor to deal
with the righteous wrath of your group members.
1. Fail to pay attention in class becuase you were busy checking
your email/IMing your best friend/downloading porn/drooling on your
keyboard.
back to top
these pages created/maintained by
erin karper
introductory
writing program | department
of english | purdue university
last updated: january 8, 2000
|