Your grade for the course will be determined by the following breakdown of
assignments and responsibilities: These assignments and responsibilities are detailed
below. See also the section on absences and late work.
Your grade for the project will depend
on both its content and its presentation. A flashy,
well-designed but poorly written and researched
project will receive a weak grade; likewise, a
well-written and researched project that fails to
take any advantage of the unique capablities of the
medium will also receive a weak grade. In assigning
your project grade I will take into account not only the end
product but also your cumulative performance throughout the semester.
Your projects will be made available to the general public on the World
Wide Web. If the class's
collective work is of sufficient quality, we may
also attempt to publish it in a more formal setting.
Participation counts, both in-class and on our electronic discussion
list. On the list, I'll be looking for about one email post a week from
each of you. I
will initiate some discussion topics, but you
are all also encouraged to put forth topics of your
own, based on your responses to the readings and
class discussions. I will expect you to reply to
one another, forming what are called "threads" -- that is
how dialogue and insight happen -- but I will also
expect you to be mutually courteous and respectful.
Flames are not appropriate, even in jest.
Regarding in-class participation: this class is a
community, and you are all expected to contribute to
that community. Thoughtful and consistent
participation throughout the semester will garner the
highest participation grades.
The address of the class email list is: mgk-378@LSV.UKY.EDU. Subscription is mandatory. A
public archive of the list's discussion will be available from the threads page. Please do not forward advertisements
(called "spam"), attachments (which may contain destructive viruses), or
jokes
(not everyone will share your sense of humor). I will also be using email regularly to distribute announcements and
other
materials. You should get into the habit of checking your mail once a day,
even if this seems excessive at first. You will be
held
responsible for the content of all email messages 24 hours after they have
been posted. Email contributions are not a substitute for in-class participation,
nor is
in-class participation a substitute for email contributions. Both will be
evaluated for your course grade.
Attendance is required, and I will take attendance every class. You will
each be allowed two unexcused absences for the semester, no questions
asked. More than two unexcused absences will mean that I will decline to
offer you any benefit of the doubt should your end of the semester grade
fall evenly between two letter designations. (Thus, a student with more
than two unexcused absences whose work was stronger than a B but weaker
than an A would unequivocally receive the B.) Students who are chronically
absent will be asked to withdraw from the course.
For a list of excused
absences, see the Student Handbook of Rights and Responsibilities,
pages
45-6. Habitual lateness to class will be treated as an unexcused absence.
It is your responsibility to catch up on the material and assignments from
classes that you miss.
Web exercises and other assignments will be due at the beginning of class
meetings. If you are absent your work is still due on the assigned date. Late
assignments will be docked a full letter grade for each day -- not class
meeting -- that they are overdue. If turned in late on the day immediately
following their assigned due date they will still be docked at one full letter
grade. Exceptions will be granted only for those who have made prior
arrangements with me and who can demonstrate a legitimate need for an
extension. |