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Bulletin Board Policies for Online Statistics 

You are required to participate in Bulletin Board discussions.  THE PURPOSE OF THESE DISCUSSIONS IS TO ENGAGE YOU IN CRITICAL THINKING ABOUT THE CONTENT.  This is a LEARNING PROCESS; therefore, I do NOT expect your initial comments to be accurate.  But I do expect them to reflect that you have done the assignment, read the book, worked the corresponding lessons on the CD, and THOUGHT about the materials.  You will use this forum to make guesses, question what others have submitted, or debate others' comments.  It is perfectly legal to make comments about homework problems or other related questions. The criteria used to determine your grade is whether or not your comment contributes to the conversation by moving the discussion forward.  If your comment is simply a repeat of what others have said, does not reflect thought on others' previous comments, nor encourage further conversation, that posting will not count.

BULLETIN BOARD PROCEDURE:  

  1. These are designed to serve as online "study groups" for your benefit.  Direct the comments to your classmates, not to me.  I will act as a facilitator only and will contribute to discussions in a very limited way. 
  2. When more than one posting is required per assignment, you cannot post both (or all three) comments in the same day.  
  3. Approximately every other week, an assignment will be announced via the class email list that operates through your CCSU email address - not your WebCT email.  (Assignment deadline dates are also posted on the WebCT Course Calendar.) When I announce (via email) that the assignment is posted, I'll also tell you how many thoughtful, relevant comments are required for that posting and the deadline.  To be eligible to receive the group grade, you must meet the requirements stated above.  At the end of the time limit for the discussion, I will read the group's "final answer" and grade that on a scale from 1-10.  You will NOT be graded individually on the quality of all comments that you contribute to the discussion.  Accuracy of answer will be included in your grade, but only on the final answer that you submit directly to me via email.  It is not important that you know the "right answer"  as you utilize the bulletin board to discuss the scenario.  Rather, as a group, your discussion should eventually lead you to the correct solution/answer.  If your early comments are statistically invalid, that's okay as long as you make progress toward more correct statistical thinking.  
  4. The bottom line:  Your grade will be based on two things: 1) Did you individually make the required number of postings where each posting reflects some thought? AND 2) Did you, as a group, come to the correct answer?  (On group assignments, it is possible for group members to receive different grades because of the individual accountability.) 
  5. If you do not post the requirement for 2 consecutive online assignments or 2 out of 3, you will receive zeros for ALL subsequent Weekly Online Assignments (this includes Group Discussions and Quizzes).
  6. Whether the assignments are group or individual YOUR FINAL ANSWER MUST BE SENT TO ME PRIVATELY AS AN EMAIL MESSAGE TO MY CCSU ACCOUNT, not posted to the Bulletin Board and not emailed through WebCT.
    In the subject line, write BB1 or BB2, or whichever number represents your assignment.
    In this email sent to kimrobinson@mail.clayton.edu, please state, "This is our final answer."  Only one person from your group needs to submit the answer but they must include all group members names (I suggest you copy other members in your group).  
    However, it is not permissible for one person to submit all the final answers week to week.  Each week, a different person in the group must write up the final response.  If an assignment is turned in by any group member who already submitted a previous assignment but  another (still participating) member has not submitted the "final answer," all group members will receive a zero for that assignment.  
    Unless you have graphs in your answer, PLEASE SEND THE FINAL ANSWER AS AN EMAIL, NOT as a Word attachment.  ANY BB SENT AS A WORD ATTACHMENT THAT IS JUST TEXT (NO GRAPHS, NO STAT BOXES) WILL BE RETURNED AS UNACCEPTABLE.
    You will receive solutions after I've read and graded ALL comments.