General Resources

Helpful Docs

MLA Formatting

Citation Machine (MLA formatting generator)
MLA Formatting handout
MLA lecture
All MLA Information (OWL Perdue University Writing Center)

Helpful Links

Walkthroughs

Click Here

Use this Feeback Script to train the AI model.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

As AI becomes more widely available, the standards for academic work have shifted - the bar really has been raised. When students have access to powerful tools that can explain concepts, clarify language, and model strong analysis, the expectation is that they will arrive better prepared to engage at a higher level.

In practical terms, this means it’s no longer reasonable to come to class completely lost about a poem, a passage, or a key idea when you have the ability to get immediate help. Think of AI as a reliable "first stop" tutor: use it to define unfamiliar terms, paraphrase difficult lines, identify patterns in imagery or sound, and test your understanding before discussion. If a poem feels confusing, don’t stop at "I don’t get it." Use the tools available to you to do the preliminary work so that class time can be spent on deeper interpretation, richer conversation, and more thoughtful questions.

That said, using AI effectively requires judgment. Don’t treat it as a shortcut or an authority that replaces your own thinking. Use it intelligently and purposefully, always filtering what it produces through the specific critical lenses of this course. In other words, your work should reflect the course itself: the frameworks from our lectures, the methods and concepts from the readings, and the expectations embedded in the language of the assignments. If the AI gives you an interpretation, your job is to evaluate it: Does it actually fit the text? Can you support it with evidence? Does it align with the approach we’ve been practicing in class? If it doesn’t, revise your thinking and ask better questions.

A good rule of thumb is this: AI can help you get oriented, but you are responsible for analysis. Use it to build understanding, not to outsource it. And bring your questions to class, office hours, or discussion forums. The goal is not just to "use AI," but to use it in a way that strengthens your reading skills, sharpens your critical thinking, and deepens your engagement with the material.

Frequently Asked Questions

Zoom

All Zoom-related technical issues must be handled by Zoom, itself. Click here to reach their support portal.
Mobile and even tablet versions of the Zoom application lack the functionality and the screen real estate necessary to perform the vast majority of required tasks.

My institution uses a different technology. I don't want to use something else.

All students are required to use the desktop version of Zoom regardless of the technology solutions an institution has adopted.

Where do I find the Zoom Meeting URL for my course?

The Zoom Meeting URL is listed on your course's homepage at the LMR website. You can also find it on your course's site at your university (Blackboard, Canvas, etc.).

How do I set up my Zoom application?

Click here for Zoom's user help system.

The link to my Zoom meeting (lecture or appointment with Prof. Rosenberg) doesn't work.

You should make sure that you're using the most recent (updated) link.
Check your course's homepage.
If this is your first time attending a lecture (and not an appointment), the lecture link is available on the course's homepage hosted at your university (almost always either Canvas or Blackboard).

I don't know/I never received my Zoom meeting link (course lecture or appointment with Prof. Rosenberg).

If you're trying to attend your first class meeting, the meeting link is located on the course's homepage hosted by your university - usually, either Canvas or Blackboard.
Office Hour appointment links are provided in the confirmation email.

General Policy & Information Technology Resources (per university)

Wherever a conflict of information exists between the course syllabus and that contained on this website, the course's syllabus prevails. Additionally, wherever information exists in one entity (either the course syllabus or this website) but is not present in the other, such content is to be understood as part of the course syllabus.

General Policy

I need an extension on an assignment.

Generally, extensions are rarely granted and then only under truly extraordinary circumstances. But it never hurts to ask - i.e. an overwhelmed single parent, etc. Therefore, book an appointment with me.

What is your attendance policy?

Each course has its own policy regarding attendance, and you should therefore refer to your syllabus. Click here for further information.

Is it okay to leave class if Professor Rosenberg hasn't shown up after x minutes?

It is some institutions' general policy that if the professor hasn't arrived to a class meeting after x minutes, students are able to leave without penalty. However, I do not subscribe to this policy; students are expected to attend the full duration of each meeting.

This is especially relevant if there is a graded assignment (scheduled or not) and I arrive late, because, since make-up work is generally not allowed, only those students who waited would have the opportunity to complete the assignment.

I was absent, and I need to know what I missed.

Keep in contact with another student in the class - I am not your initial, go-to person; your fellow students are. Keep in mind that while the general policy is that "make-ups" for any missed assignments are not permitted, you are strongly encouraged to book an appointment with me to discuss your issue.

I'd like to discuss a grade I received on an assignment.

Either book an appointment with me or see me after your next class.

I missed a class/assignment because I wasn't able to log into Zoom. Can I make it up?

As a general rule, assignments are not able to be made up, especially those that are given in-class (either face-to-face or via Zoom). However, do discuss your issue with me.

How do I book an appointment with Professor Rosenberg?

Click here to book an appointment.

How do I contact Professor Rosenberg?

Click here to contact me.

I'm a new student and need website access.

Contact the Help Desk at your university (see below).

Technology

What is the Zoom meeting link for my lectures / for my Office Hour appointment?

The Zoom link to your course meetings is located on the course homepage (Blackboard, Canvas, etc.).
The Zoom link to your Office Hour meeting is sent to you in the confirmation email.

How do I convert an essay to the PDF file format?

Most word-processors, including Google Docs, have this capability, usually performed by executing either a "save as" or an "export" command where you would then select the PDF file format. We have walkthroughs for Word to PDF and Google Docs to PDF, and you can refer to the above links, as well.

I cannot upload my assignment.

The two most common reasons are either you've missed the deadline or your file is not in the proper format. Essays (and most other documents) must be submitted in the PDF file format. (Click here for conversion to PDF walkthroughs.) Otherwise, for all technical issues, consult your college's Help Desk (see below).

I cannot find my assignment on the website.

Check your course calendar, as all coursework is located there. But be aware that assignments are added as the semester progresses and not all at once. Therefore, it may be the case that the assignment hasn't yet posted, especially if we recently discussed it in class. Otherwise, consult with your university's Help Desk.

Another reason (though far less common) is that I rescinded the assignment. Check your email or the "Announcements" page of your course website.

I'm not receiving emails

Check with the Help Desk at your university (see below). However, to save you a trip, it's altogether possible that your email application has flagged the emails as spam (or junk). If this is the case, adjust your email application so that emails from the university and from my applications are recognized as "safe."

University Help Desks

Boston University

Click here for TechWeb

Bridgewater State University

Click here for Student Technology.

Harvard University

Click here for FAS (College, GSAS, DCE) and here for HUIT.

Massasoit Community College

Click here to log into the MyMassasoit Portal. From there, select "Help Desk" in the main menu (along the top of the screen).

MassBay Community College

Click here to email the Help Desk.
Click here for the Help Desk website.

Quinsigamond Community College

Click here for the IT Service Desk.

UMass/Boston

Click here for the Help Desk.

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