art courtesy of Janet Preslar, FrActivity

English 101S Supplemental Instruction

Grading Policy & Assessment

GRADING POLICY

A - SUPERIOR.

Must exhibit a thorough understanding of the basics of composition. Must complete work on time and as requested. There will be no major sentence or paragraph errors. There will be very few grammar errors, with no fragments, comma splices or run-ons. Only a few spelling or punctuation errors will be evident. In other words, student will demonstrate complete understanding of the concepts taught in this course. To achieve an "A" you must complete 6 written assignments, complete the Journal with at least 60 pages, get a high "B" or better on the 6 graded papers and the Outline.

B - ABOVE AVERAGE.

Not as hard to achieve. Must be competent in the fundamentals of the writing process. Student should have work handed in on time and completed as requested. Word choice will be accurate, and there will be few errors in spelling, punctuation, or capitalization, as well as sentence or paragraph construction. In other words, no major errors should be apparent in final paper(s). To get a "B" you must complete 6 essay assignments with a "C" or better average, and complete the Journal with at least 50 pages, as well as submitting a passable Outline.

C - AVERAGE.

Fairly simple to achieve. Should show basic understanding of the writing process. All assignments should be completed, with only a few minor errors. Thesis will be clearly stated and the paper will be appropriate length. Language will be free from slang, and student should demonstrate mastery of basic grammar. Few fragments or run-ons will be evident. There will be no verb tense shifts, no subject-verb disagreement, and there will be some transitional expressions used to create a smooth, logical paper. If you attend regularly and are able to do the work as requested, you'll probably get this grade. To merely pass (get a "C") you must satisfactorily complete 6 essay assignments, with an overall passing grade ("C") on the 6 graded essays. You must complete the Journal with at least 45 pages. You must also get an overall passing grade on the OUTLINE.

D - BELOW AVERAGE.

Pretty easy to achieve. Major errors will still be evident in writing, including second language errors, fragments and run-ons, a large number of spelling errors, repetition of words and phrases, clichés, slang and an overall weak use of the language. Missed assignments, failure to complete 6 essay assignments, not submitting a Journal or Outline and lack of understanding of the basics of composition and logic will get you one of these grades.

F - INFERIOR.

Real easy to achieve. Don't show up, don't do the assignments, and show a real lack of concern for the whole thing, and you earn one of these grades.

This is a process; if you do poorly at first, but improve as the semester progresses, your grade will reflect the latter work. Conversely, if you get A's at the beginning of the course but fail to maintain that pace as the semester progresses, your grade will suffer. Thus, as you improve, so will your grade. It is possible to start out with problems at the beginning of the term and have a B or an A as your final grade. What you must keep in mind is that a recorded grade is final and is unlikely to be changed unless there is an overwhelmingly compelling reason. Don't forget to officially drop or withdraw from a class which you no longer attend or it will likely be an "F" on your record. Be sure to finish all assignments as requested, for Incompletes are also a rarity, designed for specific instances which are clearly outlined in the college catalog. Know your responsibilities. And remember: although I explain in great detail the strengths and weaknesses of your papers with you, grades are not negotiable.

I weigh the grades as follows:

If for some reason you need to miss a class, or you miss an assignment with a VALID excuse, talk to me and we can work something out. Missing the first 3 assignments is grounds for being dropped. You must see me about situations before they become problems.

Makeups for missed work MAY be arranged if the excuse is valid and if the situation is known to me beforehand. If you come to me after the fact, some sort of verification will be necessary in order to be allowed to make up work.