This class uses Open Educational Resources (OER) instead of a purchased textbook.
OER are readings and resources that are published under a Creative Commons license, which allows educators and students to access, reproduce, and in many cases modify and redistribute freely.
The shorter readings and resources can be found on this class website.
These readings are divided by topic and can be found under the Writing and Research navigation drop-down menu (at the top of the website).
The longer readings are in the ENGL 1180 Reader which I will be providing copies of during the second or third class.
Please see the syllabus or your class schedule for meeting times and the room assignment.
The materials and assignments for this class will be primarily found on this website. Extra Credit information and the course syllabus can be found on our class's Canvas site.
The due dates for all major assignments and the readings can be found on the schedule at the end of the syllabus and on the class calendar, which can be found on the home page of this website.
Since our assignments will be turned in on Google Drive, the due dates are not listed in the Canvas assignment.
Please use the class calendar or your own planner to keep track of deadlines for this class, as Canvas will not be a reliable source for all the deadlines.
Everything that you will need to complete (readings, lectures, and assignments) will be listed in the schedule at the end of the syllabus and on the class calendar on this website.
Come to class. We'll be going over important concepts, working through issues that may come up with the major assignments, and covering the bulk of the theoretical content in the in-person portion of the class.
Complete all the readings and videos and give yourself enough time to draft your papers and finish your assignments.
Failing to regularly attend class and/or failing to complete the weekly work will likely set you back in the class, both with your grade and your ability to catch up later. Try to stay on top of everything from the start.
Make appointments with the Reading and Writing Studios to get additional help. You can make an appointment here: https://macomb.mywconline.com/
Call Macomb's Canvas support at 877-362-2662
I don't have access to your account, so if something isn't working right or you are having technical difficulties with the site, you'll need to contact Macomb's Canvas support number above.
If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to email me. My email address can be found on the syllabus or in the faculty directory (if you search for my name).
This class will focus on writing as a process, including multiple revisions before your Final Portfolio. Therefore, up until the Final Portfolio, all papers and projects will be graded on a check system, with the focus being on completing all required parts of the assignment.
I want you to focus on doing the work, not on worrying about your grade. So, if you complete the requirements and turn in all the required parts of the assignment, you will get full credit. Missing requirements will lead to partial credit, or if several requirements are missed, no credit.
Papers will be graded on a full check scheme ✓+, ✓, ✓-, or NC.
A full explanation of the check system can be found under "Grading Scheme" below.
See the class syllabus on Canvas for the full grading policy.
I do not accept resubmissions of work that has already been graded in any circumstances.
I do not review work before it is submitted for a grade since feedback on the writing progress is part of the course design.
Check Plus (✓ +) Full credit
Meets length, style, formatting, and research requirements. All required items (see submission packet checklist) are turned in. Complete, well organized, generally well written and thoughtful.
Check (✓ ) Partial Credit
Missing one item from the requirements or submission packet, under page requirements, ideas are not fully developed or not detailed.
Check minus (✓ -) Partial Credit
Missing two items from the requirements or submission packet; ideas not fully developed, under page requirements, and/or haven’t addressed all prompts in a writing assignment.
No Credit (No Credit)
Missing three or more items from the requirements or submission packet, did not complete the assignment (writing about something other than the topic, missing quite a bit of the assignment), and/or under the page length requirements.
Important Note: if your paper is substantially under the length requirement or not meeting the criteria so substantially that it cannot be considered a completed paper, your grade may be dropped accordingly.
The final portfolio will be graded on a rubric, which can be found with the assignment sheet.
Extra credit opportunities can be found in the Information Central module on Canvas. Extra credit will not be calculated until the end of the semester (EC doesn’t work with “weighted” grades in Canvas, so I have to manually enter them at the end).
To account for unexpected circumstances, you will get two “late freebies” that can be used for a one-week extension. One may be used for a submission packet (major project) and the other may be used for the Macomb Scavenger Hunt or any of the Reading Response (RRs) assignments.
The final portfolio will not be accepted late.
Once your late freebies are used up (or if you choose to not use it for a particular assignment), I’m happy to comment on late essays, but they will not receive credit.
See "How to Take a Late Freebie" below for further instructions.
Words of advice:
Don’t use up your late freebie on your first assignments, unless it is an actual emergency.
For midnight deadlines, I will not count a paper or assignment as late until 8 am (I won’t be grading them at 1 am, anyway).
For smaller assignments, like a reading response, rename a Google Doc file the name of the assignment and late freebie . For example: RR1-Late Freebie.
For submission packets (projects) turned in on Google Drive, the entire folder must be renamed to project name and late freebie. For example, Project 2—Late Freebie.
See the full instructions on the page "Late Freebie".
Certain genres, such as some of the options for your unfamiliar genre in Paper #2, will need to use a format that is more appropriate to the genre. For standard essays, this class will use basic MLA formatting for all essays, and the following can be used as a rough guide for paper formatting:
Margins: one inch on all sides
Spacing: double-space throughout, including within the heading and before and after the title
Font: Times New Roman (or similar), 12 point
Heading: Upper left-hand corner; your name, the class name, and the date, on the first page only
New Paragraphs: tabbed five spaces from the margin
Title: Centered, below the heading, with MLA capitalization of titles (see below). Do not bold or underline. Use quotation marks or italics only to indicate the title of another work within your title, such as this: An Examination of The Epic of Gilgamesh
Capitalization of Titles
1. Always capitalize the first letter only of the first word and last word of both title and subtitle, regardless of what they are
2. Capitalize the first letter of all other words within the title and subtitle except for these:coordinating conjunctions (and, or, for, nor, so, yet, but) the “to” of infinitives short prepositions such as “in” and “of” articles (a, an, the)
This class will use Google Drive to turn in work.
There will be class time designated for everyone to set up their folders and sharing/permissions. We will also go over some of the basics in class.
It is your responsibility to learn how to use the technology and get help, if needed, beyond that. Assignments will not be accepted late (outside of using a late freebie) due to technical issues. Work ahead, get help if you need it, and double-check that your documents are in the right folder for submission.
Additionally, you can always ask before or after class for me to take a look at your shared Google Drive folder if you would like to be sure that your assignment is in the right place.
The internet and YouTube are both excellent resources for getting help with nearly anything you could want to do in Google Drive, Docs or any other Google Suite software. Additionally, feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or need help.
If you need help with your Macomb login, email, or other college technology, please contact the Service Desk. Your password for Macomb (including Canvas, email, and MyMacomb) can also be reset on the password reset site.
If you need help with Canvas specifically, support can be reached at 877-362-2662.
Academic honesty is highly valued at Macomb. It is important to submit work that represents your original words or ideas. Whenever you use another’s words or ideas, please cite all relevant sources and the extent to which these sources were used. Words or ideas that require citations include all hard copy or electronic publications; all verbal or visual communication; and all submissions to public meetings or mailboxes.
Instances of academic dishonesty may result in a lowered grade on the assignment, a zero for the assignment with no opportunity for resubmission, or failure in the course, depending on the degree and type of dishonesty. An academic integrity report may also be filed with the college.
Academic dishonesty could involve the following:
Having someone complete a portion of your assignments
Having a reviewer make extensive revisions for you to an assignment
Copying work submitted by another person
Turning in assignments that are similar to another’s assignment in the course
Using information from online information services without proper citation
Turning in work that you did for another course or class without permission
This class will be a safe place for people to share their ideas and writing with others. I expect everyone to be respectful to their classmates and to me. This will include being respectful towards students who may share different viewpoints than their own. However, discriminatory language and behavior will not be welcome or tolerated.
Additionally, I expect everyone to use common sense when using technology in the classroom. Please wait until natural breaks between activities to use your cell phones for non-class-related purposes.
If you engage in disrespectful or disruptive behavior, you may be asked to leave the class and not return until you have scheduled a meeting with me.