Eiland's Online English Materials

fractal
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:

Item Value
Essays (6 at 12% each)72%
Final Literature Research Paper OUTLINE 8%
Journal 20%

Grading on the 6 COMPLETED/ACCEPTED Essays:

A = 95%
B = 84%
C = 74%
D = 64%
F = 0
Essays marked in CANVAS as INCOMPLETE are not counted toward final grade
Failure to COMPLETE 6 ACCEPTED essays will result in Failure of Course

Grading on OUTLINE:

A = 95%
B = 84%
C = 74%
D = 64%
F = 0
Failure to submit an OUTLINE will result in Failure of Course

A "PLUS" (+) adds 5% to a grade; a "MINUS" (-) subtracts 4% from a grade. A "B+" then, is an 89%; a "B-" is an 80%.

Grading on JOURNAL:

60 pages =A
50 pages = B
45 pages = C
44 or fewer pages = D
No Journal submission = F
Any page less than full but greater than 1/2 full = 1/2 page
Any page 1/2 page or less counts as 0 page
Failure to submit a Journal will result in Failure of Course

Total Grade in Course is as follows:

90 - 100% = A
80 - 89% = B
70 - 79% = C
60 - 69% = D
0 - 59% = F

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.

PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism is the act of submitting someone else's work as your own. This includes using a report or essay written by someone else, quoting from a source without giving that source credit, or taking someone else's ideas or thoughts and submitting them as your own. The school policy on plagiarism is simple: If you are caught, you will be sent to the Vice President of Instruction. We do this in order to identify problem students. Also, you will certainly fail the assignment. With repeated offenses, you will fail the course, and possibly be expelled from this institution. The bottom line is that we want your thoughts and ideas, in your words. If you have any questions, I can help you to document sources correctly.

Lastly, do not let yourself get behind and then expect me to read a pile of papers at the end of the semester. Due dates are firm.

Next, a word about class conduct. You are all adults. This is a learning environment. It is not your living room or a public place. I personally don't care how you speak to others or your friends outside of this class, but it is my responsibility to keep some semblance of order and decorum in the chat room and on CANVAS. Treat others with respect and you will receive the same. I reserve the right to remove anyone who cannot comply with the conduct guidelines set forth in the college catalog. Know the rules and be respectful.

Finally, the campus learning center is located in the P1 portable. It has tutors and other aids to help you. Use it! One last thing. I am willing to meet with you before or after class if you need help or have any questions... but you must ask! I expect you to take the initiative to do the best you can this semester.


© T. T. Eiland, January 1998-2019
Last modified: Aug 20, 2018