Drake English 313

By taking this class you are agreeing to attend, on time. If you are unwilling to make this agreement, do not take this class.

As with a "real" job, you must attend class regularly. All students are allowed one unexcused absence; after this absence, each unexcused absence lowers your overall grade 3% (4% T/Th classes and during the Summer). Absences are only excused for either medical reasons or official university activities; you must provide appropriate, dated documentation upon returning to class. If you miss a class, you are responsible for knowing before the next class what you missed and what work is due the day you return. Please ask another student what you have missed, and not your instructor.

I take roll at the beginning of each class. If you are not present when I take roll, you are marked absent. If you wish to have your absence changed to a "tardy", it is your responsibility to ask me to do so after class. Excessive tardies will lower your grade. I realize that this attendance policy is often unpopular, but it is my intention to reward students who attend regularly and to encourage those who do not attend regularly to do so. I have yet to hear a fair argument as to why students who do not attend class should be rewarded with grades similar to those who do attend.

You are expected to seek my help on any material you do not understand or any assignments on which you would like additional feedback. I am paid to be in my office and help you, and you are the ones paying me, so don't hesitate to seek me out. However, please do not simply "drop in" to my office during times not set aside for office hours or conferencing; I use that time for prep and grading. If my weekly office hours do not work for you, we can always schedule an appointment.

Type all drafts that will be read by others, including drafts you bring to conferences and peer review. Double-space reports and single space letters and memos.

All written assignments are due by 5:00 (4:00 during the Summer) and may be turned in, on time, either in class or at my English office mailbox, Brink 200.

You may extend the deadline on ONE assignment this semester by up to one week. All other late assignments are penalized 10% for each day late for up to three weekdays. After three days all late assignments will receive a grade of no higher than a C-.

Hand in all formal assignments in a two-pocket folder WITH ACCOMPANYING DRAFTS, RELEVANT HOMEWORK AND COVER/GRADE SHEETS. Assignments turned in without relevant drafts, homework and/or grade-sheets will be marked N/C.

THREE DRAFT POLICY: every assignment you want me to read and/or grade must be accompanied by at least two rough drafts (printed drafts of your paper that you have clearly revised); I am not at all interested in reading, helping with or grading any piece of writing its author has not carefully revised in hard-copy form at least twice.

Revisions for higher grades are not allowed on assignments unless otherwise specifically assigned. Revise your work before turning it in for a grade.

N/C or "No Credit" Grades

Incomplete work will be marked "N/C" for "No Credit" and should be resubmitted by the student once complete.  Revised N/C assignments will receive a grade no higher than 80/100 or "B -".

If a student continues to turn in incomplete work, this work will be grade "F" and cannot be resubmitted. Repeated N/C papers will generally significantly lower a student's over-all grade. 

Papers get lost; you are responsible for keeping an extra copy on hand.

Lectures, Tests and Homework

In an effort to cut back on both departmental and student costs, I've eliminated the textbook for this course and will also post information on this web-page rather than using handouts. Consequently, all of the "theoretical" and "how to" information for this course will be covered in class or made available on-line. Lecture notes will not be made available on-line and you are expected to take notes in class. You will also be tested once or twice on material covered in lectures and posted on-line.

I may also assign small homework assignments as a means of breaking up the larger assignments into smaller part and/or allowing me to give you feedback mid-assignment. Homework is normally due with its associated assignment unless otherwise directed; assignments turned in without their associated homework are normally marked "N/C".

Using the Web-Site

This site operates as the de facto textbook for my 313 classes. Please help me maintain this site for your benefit by emailing me as soon as you locate errors, including broken links.  Please do not tell me in class about problems with the site (or I will most likely forget by the time I'm back in front of the computer), but rather email me the link to the problematic page so that I may fix it easily. Also note that I can only maintain this site from my on-campus office, so I may not address your problem immediately. Even if you cannot access relevant information concerning an assignment, you are still responsible for completing that assignment;  therefore, especially if the problem affects your ability to complete an assignment, the sooner you contact me the better.