Additional Guidelines

Make-­‐Up & Extensions Policy

Participation grades will be adversely affected if students have more than two unexcused absence per quarter.  Absence equals -­‐5 points for that week.   While there is no guarantee that missed class work can be made up, extensions to assignment due dates will be provided, arrangements may be made, if extenuating circumstances are involved. Whenever possible, arrangements must be made prior to the absence or assignment due date.   Appropriate supporting documentation will be required in these instances, such as a letter from the dean of your college or your academic advisor providing the details of your extenuating circumstance. If you do not make arrangements prior to the due date, late assignments – if accepted – will be penalized at the rate of 10% off per day late.

Grading Policies

The instructor’s goal is a 2-week turnaround for all grading. All grades will be posted to the online gradebook, available on the Polylearn site via the My Grades link. The standard grading scale for this course is:

A 93.5-­‐100%	B+ 86.6-­‐89.9%	C+ 76.6-­‐79.9%	D+ 65.0-­‐69.9%
A-­‐ 90.0-­‐93.4%	B   83.3-­‐86.5%	C  73.3-­‐76.5%	D   60.0-­‐64.0%
	B-­‐ 80.0-­‐83.2%	C-­‐   70.0-­‐73.2%	D-­  55.0-­‐59.9%

From the date that any assignment or exam grade is posted, you have one week to request a formal re-grade. To request a re-grade, please submit a list of concerns with supporting evidence explaining why you feel you earned a different grade to the instructor by email and then make an appointment with the instructor.

Plagiarism & Cheating

Please remember that Cal Poly does not tolerate academic cheating or plagiarism in any form. Please review the formal policy on cheating and plagiarism (including definitions, sanctions, and appeal procedures) found in the Campus Administrative Manual, Section 684, available at:  

https://academicprograms.calpoly.edu/academicpolicies/Cheating.htm

According to Cal Poly policies, “Examples of plagiarism include, but are not limited to, the following: the submission of a work, either in part or in whole, completed by another; failure to give credit for ideas, statements, facts or conclusions which rightfully belong to another; failure to use quotation marks when quoting directly from another, whether it be a paragraph, a sentence, or even a part thereof; close and lengthy paraphrasing of another’s writing without credit or originality; use of another’s project or program or part thereof without giving credit.”

The instructor takes any evidence of academic dishonesty very seriously. You must document all outside sources, including web sites, using MLA or APA guidelines. Failure to do so constitutes a violation of Cal Poly policy. Please   note that cases of plagiarism will be dealt with as 'cheating' and that, according to Cal Poly policies, “Cheating requires, at a minimum, an F assigned to the assignment, exam, or task, and this F must be reflected in the course grade. The instructor may assign an F course grade for an incidence of cheating. Irrespective of whether the student appeals the finding of cheating, the instructor is obligated to submit to the OSRR director a Confidential Faculty Report of Academic Dishonesty.”

Please also note that submitting work for which you have already received credit in another course also counts as cheating, according to the Cal Poly Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Religious  Holidays

If any of our scheduled course meetings or due dates conflict with your observation of specific religious holidays, please notify the instructor. I can help you find a fellow student to share notes with you, or I can arrange to have the class recorded. I may also arrange an alternate assignment for the day(s) in question. However, you must make arrangements prior to the holiday in question, or it will be counted as an unexcused absence.

Writing Center

For assistance with your writing, you may wish to use the free services offered by Cal Poly’s University Writing Center. They can provide help as you review and revise your work, such as by offering writing tips, grammar rules, stylistic suggestions, etc. Since your grade in this course is significantly based on writing, the Writing Center can be a valuable resource. Please see http://www.calpoly.edu/~wrtskils/writlab/ for current hours and locations.

Disability   Accommodations

Reasonable accommodations are available for students who have a documented disability. Please notify the instructor during the first week of class if accommodations are needed. To receive accommodation, you must show the instructor a visa from the Disability Resource Center. For more information, see: https://drc.calpoly.edu/. If you will need special assistance in the event of an on-­‐campus emergency, please also alert the instructor.