Rhetoric and Composition

• Write thesis-based essays that provide strong support and specific details
• Engage in a writing process that includes invention, drafting, and revision
• Demonstrate proficient use of Standard Written English
• Find, evaluate, and synthesize credible sources in support of a research paper
• Document sources responsibly and follow a designated style guide

Additional information about course objectives can be found on the department webpage, http://libarts.mwsu.edu/english/.

This class will not use the plus/minus grading system. In this class, the following numerical equivalents for grades are used: A = 100-90%; B = 89-80%; C = 79-70%; D = 69-60%; F = 59-0%.

• All assignments are to be typed and formatted—and outside sources documented—according to MLA style; I will return any assignments that do not comply with this requirement
• Unless otherwise noted, all assignments are to be submitted electronically as email attachments. Please name the document according to the following template:   lastname.assignment
• With the exception of the Annotated Bibliography assignment (which is due at the end of class on 10/11), all assignments are due at the start of class or they earn a 10% deduction.

 By enrolling in this class, the student expressly grants MSU a “limited right” in all intellectual property created by the student for the purpose of this course.  The “limited right” shall include but shall not be limited to the right to reproduce the student’s work product in order to verify originality and authenticity, and for educational purposes.

Note: You may not submit a paper for a grade in this class that already has been (or will be) submitted for a grade in another course, unless you obtain the explicit written permission of me and the other instructor involved in advance.

Late assignments, defined as work not submitted by the start of class on the designated due date, will be accepted, but they will lose 10% off the final grade.  Additionally, no late work will be accepted after Friday, November 19.

My policy is very simple and straightforward: if you have more than 9 absences (the equivalent of 3 weeks of class), excused or not, you fail the class.  Please note, however, that this is not an invitation to miss 3 weeks of class—class time will provide the instruction you need to meet the objectives of this course and to learn how to develop as a rhetor and a writer.  When you miss class meetings, you miss out on the instruction for which you pay tuition.  In the unfortunate event that you accrue 10 or more absences before the last day to withdraw, you have the responsibility of withdrawing from the class.  Please don’t feel you have to explain or justify any absences to me; I respect your privacy, but you must accept the consequences.  If you miss class, you miss any writing assignment or group work done during that period, and you miss any announcements regarding future assignments.  Please notify me in advance if you will not be able to make class; you may leave an email message.  If you must miss class on a due date for an assignment, email it as an attachment or it will lose points.  Consider it your responsibility to be here, prepared for class, or you will not do as well as you wish, nor gain as much as you could.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the use of someone else’s thoughts, words, ideas, or lines of argument in your own work without appropriate documentation (a parenthetical citation at the end and a listing in "Works Cited")–whether you use that material in a quote, paraphrase, or summary. Take credit for and pride in your own work; I expect you to produce everything you submit for class.  I do not want to see essays written by your friend, roommate, parent, or pet or downloaded from one of the myriad Internet databases offering hot papers--keep in mind that the Internet is equally available to all, including your teachers. We will spend lots of time in this class discussing responsible and appropriate methods for citing sources of information, and I expect you to adhere meticulously to these methods. Plagiarism will result in a 0 on the assignment, and I will follow the reporting procedures required by the Dean of Students.

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 disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Disability Support Services in Room 168 of the Clark Student Center, 397-4140.

Lateness:   We have 50 minutes for each class meeting, and I expect you to be on time. If you are repeatedly late to class, I will simply begin marking you absent.  Please let me know if extenuating circumstances prevent you from arriving promptly.

 General Courtesy:  Please turn off cell phones or put them on vibrate. Resist the temptation to text during class; texting does NOT only interfere with your ability to learn but also distracts your peers.  Show respect to your classmates by listening to them when they speak.  If you need to get a drink of water or blow your nose or use the restroom, simply leave as quietly as possible; you don't need my permission or a hall pass, but please make an effort to avoid disrupting class.