Grading Policy and Assessment: Literature Courses

Examinations, Assignments, Grading Homework and Interaction Participation and Expectations Grading Policy Plagiarism Absences Conduct Course Repeat Policy Assistance

Examinations, Assignments, Grading
We will have one (1) RESEARCH PAPER. This paper will have multiple stages, all of which will be graded. There is an annotated Works Cited, a first draft, a peer edit, and a final draft. All research drafts will be typed (or word processed), double spaced, and about 5-15 pages in length. Papers should reflect your overall understanding of the concepts taught in this course.

There is also an in-class presentation required of each student. This presentation is a result of individual research. The presentation will cover a particular author, genre, or era, explaining themes presented in selected works chosen by student, with examples and analysis of themes and meanings within the selected representative works.

This class is a process: if you do poorly at the beginning of the course but show improvement, your grade will reflect the latter work. Conversely, if you crank out A's on the first papers but flake off as the quarter progresses, your grade will seriously suffer. It is imperative you remain on top of the class. Reading ahead is encouraged. Talking with classmates and me about the assignments and any problems you may have is also encouraged. There is no curve in this course, so there is no competition. Any help from another student is encouraged - communication will make this course more interesting. See grades discussion for specifics.

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Homework and Interaction
You will be expected to participate by keeping up with the reading and the writing assignments. Due date for papers will be announced in class. Since we will be using peer editing and feedback, the failure to do your own work will adversely affect your classmates, as well as your grade. You are responsible for both grammar and understanding the material. This class will require a great deal of reading-keep up or you will soon find yourself floundering in your own personal sea of confusion. If you do not understand something, ask!

See Grading Rubric...Minimum Requirements for specific grading policies as to penalties for doing assignments wrong

Grading

• A - Difficult to achieve. Must show significant insight and a clear understanding of the material. Must also exhibit a thorough understanding of the basics of composition, as well as the proper essay format and literary terminology. Must complete all work on time and as requested. Must submit a final paper that shows complete understanding of the concepts taught in this course.
• B - Not as hard to achieve. Must be competent in the fundamentals of the writing process. Should show more than basic, clear understanding of source material and the essay format, and should have all work handed in on time and completed as requested. No major errors should be apparent in final paper(s).
• C - Fairly simple to achieve. Should show basic understanding of the writing process, with some signs of insight into the material. All assignments should be completed, with only a few minor errors. If you simply show up and do the work, you'll probably get this grade.
• D - Pretty easy to achieve. Major errors will still be evident in writing. Missed assignments, failure to complete assignments, and lack of improvement will get you one of these grades.
• F OR FW - Real easy to achieve. Don't show up, don't do the assignments, don't improve at all, 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 level of achievement as the semester progresses, your grade will suffer. Thus, as you improve, so will your grade. It is possible to start out with C's and D's 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. Don't forget to officially drop or withdraw from a class which you no longer attend or it will likely be an "F" OR "FW"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 merits and weaknesses of your paper, the grade itself is not changeable unless you rewrite the paper. Grades are not negotiable.

I weigh the grades as follows:

A = 4.0
B = 3.0
C = 2.0
D = 1.0
F = 0

A "PLUS" (+) adds 0.3 points to a grade; a "MINUS" (-) subtracts 0.3 points from a grade. A "B+" then, is a 3.3 G.P.A.; an "A-" is a 3.7 G.P.A.

If you fail to hand in a satisfactory final paper, you will fail the course.

See the grade grid to calculate your grade points in this course.

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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. Essays and reports sold through the mail are not acceptable, and will get you into a great deal of trouble. If you use a quote from someone else, document it by giving the writer's name, the work the quote came from, and the page numbers. You must use the correct citation format on your final paper to receive full credit. If you have any questions, I can help you to document sources correctly.

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Absences
If for some reason you need to miss a day, or an assignment with a VALID excuse, talk to me and we can work something out. In this course a missed day is a missed week. Two missed weeks is grounds for being dropped from the course. You must see me about situations before they become problems.

Nothing is written in stone, so if you have any problems, come and see me; maybe we can work something out. However, if you don't care enough to make the effort, I won't either.

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Conduct
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 this classroom. Turn off your cell phone. Don't spend your time on line. 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.

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Repeating the Course
It is important that you succeed in this course. If you get a D, F, FW, NC or W grade in this course, you may repeat it only once. If you receive a D, F, NC or W in this course twice, you will need to take this course at another college or file a petition (Request for Exceptional Course Repeat) with the Counseling Office. The few successful petitions each year are granted because of extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the student (see Catalog, section: Repeated Courses for more details). If your petition is granted, there is no guarantee you will be able to add the course. You will be added at the discretion of the instructor and only if the class has an available space.

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Assistance
Finally, the Learning Center, the Computer Lab and the Reading Lab are located in the EDC building. There are 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.

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© T. T. Eiland, January 1998
Last modified: January 30, 2017