Policies (including attendance policy)

In this course, students are expected to adhere to the Georgia State University student code of conduct.

This includes the university attendance policy. Excused absences are limited to university-sponsored events where you are representing GSU in an official capacity, religious holidays, and legal obligations such as jury duty or military service days. Absences for all other reasons will be counted. You are permitted four absences without penalty. Missing more than four classes will result in a deduction of one-third of a letter grade for each additional absence. Missing eight or more classes will result in automatic failure of the course. In the event of extended illness or family emergency, I will consider requests for individual exemption from the four-absence limit on a case by case basis.

Students who wish to request accommodation for a disability may do so by registering with the Office of Disability Services. Students may only be accommodated upon issuance by the Office of Disability Services of a signedAccommodation Plan and are responsible for providing a copy of that plan to instructors of all classes in which accommodations are sought.

English Major Senior Portfolios: (include this statement on your syllabi, too) The English department at GSU requires an exit portfolio of all students graduating with a degree in English. Ideally, students should work on this every semester, selecting 1-2 papers from each course and revising them, with direction from faculty members. The portfolio includes revised work and a reflective essay about what you’ve learned. Each concentration (literature, creative writing, rhetoric/composition, and secondary education) within the major may have specific items to place in the portfolio, so be sure to check booklet located next to door of the front office of the English Department. Senior Portfolio due dates are published in the booklets or you may contact an advisor or Dr. Goodman, Director of Undergraduate Studies. See the English office for additional information.

Receiving a grade of “incomplete” – in order to receive an incomplete, a student must inform the instructor, either in person or in writing, of his/her inability (non-academic reasons) to complete the requirements of the course. Incompletes will be assigned at the instructor’s discretion (if you have specific criteria for assigning incompletes, put them here)and the terms for removal of the “I” are dictated by the instructor. A grade of incomplete will only be considered for students who are a) passing the course with a C or better, b) present a legitimate, non-academic reason to the instructor, and c) have only one major assignment left to finish.

Your constructive assessment of this course plays an indispensable role in shaping education at Georgia State. Upon completing the course, please take time to fill out the online course evaluation.

Specifications on some course-specific policies are below.

Mobile Computing Policy

If you have them, you may bring laptops or mobile computing devices to class for use in in-class activities.

Project and Assignment Submission

All final projects must be completed and received by their due dates in order to pass the course. All parts of a project (i.e., drafts and reflections), including ungraded parts, must be completed by their due dates in order to pass the project.

See individual project descriptions for how to turn in each deliverable.

All projects and deliverables must be turned in to me before the due date and time. I will not accept projects or assignments in my mailbox or over email unless noted in class or in the assignment or project description. If you know that you will be unable to turn in a project or deliverable on time, please contact me in advance of the date in question: we may be able to make arrangements for you to turn your project or deliverable in at another time.

Work turned in after the due date/time will be penalized as noted below:

• 1 day late (including work turned in after the due time): 10% off total project grade
• 2 days late: 20% off total project grade
• 3 or more days late: failure of the project.

These are not class days.  They are “real” days, and include weekend days.  If there’s an assignment due on Monday, Tuesday is 10% off, Wednesday is 20% off, etc.

Participation and Office Hours Visits

Participation includes taking part in in-class discussions, completing assigned reading, exercises, and other homework assignments, participating in group activities, and developing a professional relationship with me through office visits, email communication, and asking questions before, after, and during class.

Please take advantage of my office hours: they exist for your benefit. While I won’t do your work for you (e.g., I won’t proofread your documents), I will respond to your specific questions. In my experience, students who regularly use office hours tend to do well in the course. If you’re not able to come during my scheduled office hours, please contact me, and we’ll arrange another way to meet.