SYLLABUS FOR ENGLISH 3900: SUMMER SESSION I 2007
Professional and Technical Writing
Instructor: Dr. Ted Walkup
Office: Arts and Sciences, Room G210-K
Phone: (678) 466-4743
E-mail Address: tedwalkup@clayton.edu
Home Page: http://a-s.clayton.edu/walkup/tsw.htm
Online Office Hours: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., and on campus by appointment.
Course Description: An advanced study and application of principles for effective professional and technical writing. Topics to include audience and context analysis, ethical communication, and writing for international readers. Students put these concepts into practice by writing and designing several professional and technical documents for both specialist and non-specialist readers. Prerequisite: ENGL 1102 (C).
Learner Outcomes: In order to pass this course, students will demonstrate
Required Texts and Media:
Computer Policy: All students at Clayton State are required to have access to a laptop computer and to use that computer actively in all courses for e-mail access, electronic submission of papers, and other uses. Information about computer requirements is available in the Academic Catalog and at http://itpchoice.clayton.edu. Success in this online class demands a basic level of computer skill. The course requires that you send and receive e-mail, understand word processing, access and use Internet resources, understand file management, and know how to use WebCT Vista. If you lack these basic skills, please arrange to get help from Student Software Support Services in the lower level of the Library or from the HUB in the University Center.
E-mail Protocol: E-mail is the official mode of communication at Clayton State University. You must activate your Clayton State e-mail account and should check it each day because you will frequently receive important information about this course and from the University. It is vital to your success in this course that you read the individual messages and group mailings that I send to you. You should also respond quickly to any requests that I send to you individually.
During this summer session, I will check e-mail at least once a day. You can usually expect a reply to questions that you send me within 24 hours.
Work Ethic: In selecting the online approach to learning the course material, you have decided that a basically independent study approach is a good format for your particular learning style. Recognition of this mode of study is critical to your success in the course. Success in college classes usually requires two or more hours of studying and preparing outside class for each hour in the classroom. The online approach relies on only a minimum of classroom sessions, but it is designed to be just as demanding as the corresponding classroom courses.
You should be prepared to spend at least 10 hours each week on the reading and writing that are required for completion of the course. It is, thus, very important for you to follow the schedule carefully. You have a certain amount of freedom in when and how you study, but you need to keep in mind the deadlines for all required assignments and the dates and times for the required orientation and the final exam.
Midterm Grade Statement: Midterm grades will be posted before the deadline for withdrawal without academic penalty. This grade will represent approximately one-quarter of your final grade since more of the course work is turned in later in the semester.
Requirements and Grading Policy: Your final grade will be determined by the following:
Chapter Tests in WebCT Quizzes Folder 225 points
Letter 1 Assignment in WebCT Assignments Folder 50 points
Letter 2 Assignment in WebCT Assignments Folder 50 points
Chart Assignment in WebCT Assignments Folder 25 points
Project Report 1 in WebCT Assignments Folder 50 points
Project Report 2 in WebCT Assignments Folder 50 points
Final Project Report 3 in WebCT Assignments Folder 100 points
Final Exam 100 points
Total 650 points
Final grades in ENGL 3900 will be determined according to the following scale:
A 585-650 points
B 520-584 points
C 455-519 points
D 390-454 points
F fewer than 389 points.
Tests: You will take five tests on your textbook readings throughout this session. See the course calendar for specific dates. These tests are available in the Quizzes folder on WebCT Vista, and you should follow this procedure to log in and take tests:
Go to http://vista.usg.edu, and click on Clayton State University.
· Log in using your 5-digit csu number and your DUCK pin. (The HUB can assist you with any log-in problems.)
· The first time you log in, you may get a Java security warning. If you do, just click “Always” to give the applet permission to run.
· When you log in, click on your ENGL 3900 course. The course homepage has a link to the test you are to take.
· The first screen for the test gives all the details (the points, the time allowed, times available) and has a button to “Begin Assessment.”
· Make sure that after entering your answer you click “Save Answer” and then click “Finish.”
· Finally, please remember that you must take each test during the allotted time. If you do not do so, the test will not be reset for you to take at another time.
Project Assignments: The required project assignment consists of three reports. These reports must be completed as Word documents and submitted to the Assignments folder in WebCT Vista. To receive maximum credit, you must follow the assigned schedule for turning in Project Report 1, Project Report 2, and the Project Report 3. See the course calendar for specific deadlines. Unexcused late work will be penalized at least one letter grade. If you do not complete late or missed work within one week of the original date, you will receive a grade of zero. To pass ENGL 3900, you must complete each of these required assignments.
Letter Assignments and the Chart Assignment: The two required letter assignments must be completed as Word documents and submitted to the Assignments folder in WebCT Vista. The required chart assignment must include a Word document and an Excel file and must be submitted to the Assignments folder in WebCT Vista. To receive maximum credit, you must follow the assigned schedule for turning in the letter assignments and the chart assignment. See the course calendar for specific deadlines. Unexcused late work will be penalized at least one letter grade. If you do not complete late or missed work within one week of the original date, you will receive a grade of zero. To pass ENGL 3900, you must complete both letter assignments and the chart assignment.
Final Exam: The required final exam must be completed on campus during one of the two scheduled times. See the course calendar for specific dates, times, and locations.
Late Work and Missed Work: All required assignments should be received by your instructor before the deadline on the due date. All work turned in after that time is considered late. Late work will be excused only under the following conditions:
1. No later than the day before an assignment is due, please send an e-mail message requesting additional time. If I permit you to turn the assignment in late, then I must also approve a specific deadline for you to complete and turn in this work.
2. If a last-minute emergency comes up on a due date, please send me an e-mail message as quickly as possible to make arrangements for turning in your work. If a last-minute emergency prevents you from taking the final exam, you are responsible for making arrangements to complete this requirement as soon as possible.
Unexcused late work will be penalized at least one letter grade. If you do not complete late or missed work within one week of the original date, you will receive a grade of zero. You must complete all required work (the three reports, the two letters, the chart assignment, and the final exam) to receive a passing grade in this course.
Attendance: You are expected to attend the required orientation session (choice of two dates) and the final exam (choice of two dates). See the course calendar for specific dates, times, and locations.
Academic Honesty: Plagiarism is the copying, paraphrasing, or other use of original information from other writers or sources—including Internet sources—without proper acknowledgment or citation. While group work is sometimes encouraged, and in some cases the work of the group may be graded rather than the work of individual members, in most circumstances individuals are responsible for their own work and for the results. Any instance of plagiarism or other academic dishonesty is subject to referral to the Office of the Vice-President of Student and Enrollment Services. While the typical penalty for plagiarism is an F on the assignment, other penalties—including failing the course—are possible, depending on the circumstances.
Information about academic honesty and student conduct is available through links for the Office of Judicial Affairs in the Division of Student Affairs. Students should also review careful the following link for basic undergraduate student responsibilities: http://a-s.clayton.edu/BasicUndergraduateStudentResponsibilities.htm.
Accommodations: Individuals with disabilities who need to request accommodations or to obtain this document in an alternative format should contact the Disability Resource Center, Student Center 255-264, at 678-466-5445 or disabilityservices@clayton.edu.