EMAIL
Throughout the semester, it will be quite common for us to communicate via email. I expect that you will use these communicative moments to apply your rhetorical skills as a technical and scientific writer-in-training. Use subject headings wisely by stating the purpose of the email. Address your audience in a professional manner; end your messages in a professional manner. Double check your emails messages for mechanical and grammatical errors. As important, do not attach files, especially if they are homework assignments, to your emails unless your audience requested the files. These communicative moments are varied, complex and are very common in the workplace, so use these moments as writing opportunities.
In this course we will use Gmail (i.e. Google email) to communicate. I will use bluetortugas@gmail.com as my teaching email. In order to gain access to course material, you will need to create a Gmail account and email me from your Gmail account to let me know that you've created your account. If you don't already have a Gmail account, you can create an account at www.gmail.com.
Your emails will be responded to within 24 hours, except during the weekends. Emails will not be answered during the weekends.
Note: You must have a Gmail account in order to access course material.
CELL PHONES
Please turn off cell phones and/or beepers before class starts as they can be disruptive.
ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION GRADE
Be in class and be on time. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of class. Attendance of each class is worth 1 point and at the end of the semester your attendance grade for the course will be added up and divided by the number of classes during the semester. All final grades will rounded. If you are tardy to class and arrive to class after attendance has been taken, you will receive 0.5 points. Also, if you leave class during the middle of class time, your attendance grade for that class be dropped to 0.5 points. Being excessively late on a frequent basis or having more than three (3) absences will lower your attendance and participation grade by at least a full letter grade. Lastly, see me if you believe you have truly extenuating circumstances and can’t attend class.
This is a class in communication, so your participation is essential. Get involved. Volunteer. Question. Probe. Expect also to engage regularly in a variety of in-class activities and exercises—oral, visual, electronic, and written; individual and collaborative. Bring in at least one “extra” to share during the semester. Share relevant ideas and observations. Bring in copies of relevant clippings and articles. Offer your own experiences. Make connections between what we’re discussing in this class and what you hear elsewhere—for example, what’s going on in other classes, what you hear at conferences, what you hear in our colloquia, what guest speakers say, and so on.
I will evaluate your participation throughout the term. You are to participate actively in review and editing workshops: whenever a workshop is scheduled, you are to have assigned materials ready for the workshop. These materials are due at the beginning of class; a student without materials for a workshop receives a mark against participation on that date.
Though I can gauge your participation in the class using your attendance record and in-class activity record, you will be given an opportunity to argue for how much credit you deserve for your attendance and participation grade. You will participate in an in-class essay activity where you present evidence regarding how much credit you deserve for class attendance and participation grade. During that activity, you will be able to address any attendance issues that may have influenced your participation in the course.
NOTE: This in-class activity will not count as part of your in-class extra credit activity grade.
This is a class in communication, so your participation is essential. Get involved. Volunteer. Question. Probe. Expect also to engage regularly in a variety of in-class activities and exercises—oral, visual, electronic, and written; individual and collaborative. Bring in at least one “extra” to share during the semester. Share relevant ideas and observations. Bring in copies of relevant clippings and articles. Offer your own experiences. Make connections between what we’re discussing in this class and what you hear elsewhere—for example, what’s going on in other classes, what you hear at conferences, what you hear in our colloquia, what guest speakers say, and so on.
I will evaluate your participation throughout the term. You are to participate actively in review and editing workshops: whenever a workshop is scheduled, you are to have assigned materials ready for the workshop. These materials are due at the beginning of class; a student without materials for a workshop receives a mark against participation on that date.
Though I can gauge your participation in the class using your attendance record and in-class activity record, you will be given an opportunity to argue for how much credit you deserve for your attendance and participation grade. You will participate in an in-class essay activity where you present evidence regarding how much credit you deserve for class attendance and participation grade. During that activity, you will be able to address any attendance issues that may have influenced your participation in the course.
NOTE: This in-class activity will not count as part of your in-class extra credit activity grade.
TECHNOLOGY
This course will use Google Gmail, Google Docs, Blogspot, Twitter and TSquare to communicate with you, share assignments and readings, and provide grades. You may also be expected to use Photoshop to edit images. Like all technologies, their functions and purposes are not necessarily intuitive, so take the time to be certain that you ask questions early on in the semester about how they work.
LATE ASSIGNMENTS
All assignments are due in your class time (collected after roll is taken) on the given due dates. Work turned in late is docked ten percent for every calendar day it is late. Work turned in after class on the due date is considered one day late. If you will be absent on a day that written work is due, submit your work via a friend on the due date (by the beginning of class) or submit it earlier. See me if you believe you have truly extenuating circumstances. Note: print your documents before the due date. Printers, computers, and computer disks are notorious for failing just before an assignment is due. Therefore, a broken printer or disk that fails is not an "extenuating" circumstance; they do such things regularly. Keep multiple copies of all work!
DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT
Georgia Tech does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. veteran. This class adheres to those guidelines. Alternative viewpoints are welcome in this classroom. However, statements that are deemed racist, sexist, classist, or otherwise discriminatory toward others in the class will not be tolerated.
No form of harassment or discrimination is allowed in this class. In keeping with the professional nature of this course, only professional behavior is acceptable between the instructor and the students and between students. No harassment of any kind is allowed in class including but not limited to gender, age, ability, religion, sexual orientation, and ethnicity.
ACADEMIC CONDUCT
You are responsible for knowing and abiding by GT’s policy for academic integrity. Consult the Honor Code online at http://www.honor.gatech.edu. The following text appears on the website:
Academic misconduct is any act that does or could improperly distort Student grades or other Student academic records. Such acts include but need not be limited to the following:
• Possessing, using or exchanging improperly acquired written or verbal information in the preparation of any essay, laboratory report, examination, or other assignment included in an academic course;
• Substitution for, or unauthorized collaboration with, a Student in the commission of academic requirements;
• Submission of material that is wholly or substantially identical to that created or published by another person or person, without adequate credit notations indicating authorship (plagiarism);
• False claims of performance or work that has been submitted by the claimant;
• Alteration or insertion of any academic grade or rating so as to obtain unearned academic credit;
• Deliberate falsification of a written or verbal statement of fact to a member of the Faculty so as to obtain unearned academic credit;
• Forgery, alteration or misuse of any Institute document relating to the academic status of the Student.
While these acts constitute assured instances of academic misconduct, other acts of academic misconduct may be defined by the professor.” Work that violates the Honor Code will receive zero credit and may result in failure of the entire course. I will also report any serious misconduct to the Dean of Students.
ADA
If you require accommodation to compensate for a disability, please speak with me outside of class so that we can identify an appropriate course of action.
If you have a documented disability and anticipate needing accommodations in this course, please make arrangements to meet with me soon, preferably in the first week of the semester. Please request that an ADAPTS staff verify your disability and specify the accommodation you will need.
Georgia Tech complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Any student who may require an accommodation under such provisions should contact me as soon as possible and no later than the end of the first week of classes or as soon as you become aware. No retroactive accommodations will be provided in this class.
EMERGENCY CONTACT
In case of disruptions and emergencies, contact the Police Department at 404.894.2500. Please program this number into your phone.
