Tone Considerations

Office Hours 

Unwelcoming: If you need to contact me outside of class, you can visit my office hours, email me, or contact the department and leave a message. (Adapted from Harnish et al., 2011). 

Welcoming: I welcome you to contact me outside of class and student hours. You may email me, call my office, or contact the department and leave a message.  (Adapted from Harnish et al., 2011).  

Welcoming: Office hours are beneficial for all students and are an unstructured time where we can discuss topics of your choosing. It’s especially useful to visit office hours to develop relationships with faculty in fields you might want to pursue (faculty can write you letters of recommendations and share insights about their discipline). For when you have questions about assignments, I welcome you to come and talk through your ideas. Sometimes just a five-minute conversation over Zoom or on the phone is all you need. Struggle is a natural part of learning, but if you're feeling frustrated that means it is time to reach out for some guidance. Don't hesitate to contact me! 

Late Work 

Unwelcoming: It is your responsibility to keep track of and meet all due dates. Work turned one day to one week after the due date will be marked down by half. Unless specific arrangements are made beforehand, work will not be accepted that is more than one week late. 

Welcoming: Do your best to stay to meet all the due dates. This will ensure that I have an opportunity to give you feedback. Falling behind can be an overwhelming feeling and may prevent you from achieving what you are capable of. If you expect that it might be difficult to meet this week's due dates, let me know so we can work out a different plan. I am just a message away. 

Welcoming: I tend to think about late work as having two types. The type that isn't really going to matter to anybody if it’s a little bit late (soft deadline) and the type that actually does matter (hard deadlines). Your homework assignments, for instance, are mostly useless to you if done after the deadline because they are keyed to a particular moment in the course progression. Thus, I am not likely to give you credit for late work, because the value of most of the homework assignments relies on them being done on time. But maybe, not always. So don’t be afraid to ask. With drafts of papers, I’m perfectly happy to let you have a two-day grace period on the paper if you’re prepared for the presentation time,which has to be on that day because it’s a group activity in class. If you’re going to use the grace period, please let me know beforehand. If you need significantly more time with an assignment, please come and talk to me and tell me what’s up. We can probably figure things out. My concern will always be for your progress and for your ability to participate in the course. (Adapted from Matthew Cheney)

Welcoming: Since this course is based on a process approach to research writing, submitting assignments on the due dates is invaluable. If other commitments start to interfere with your ability to meet deadlines, please come see me during an office hour (over Zoom) to discuss your situation so we can problem solve together. I expect all essays to be turned in on time; however, I understand unforeseeable events may present themselves, so you may turn in ONE essay late (up to one week) with no penalty to you. When you submit the essay, just add a comment that you are using the "LATE ASSIGNMENT PASS.” No questions asked (Note: You cannot use this for the Final Essay) 

Attendance

Unwelcoming: I expect you to attend every class. If you cannot attend a class, please let me know. If circumstances make you miss more than three classes during the semester, I will drop you from the class roster in accordance with the college’s attendance policy. (Adapted from Harnish et al., 2011). 

Welcoming: You should attend every class but extenuating circumstances arise that can make this difficult. If you cannot attend a class, please let me know. If circumstances make you miss more than 2 classes during the quarter, you may be overextended. I ask that you come to see me to discuss your options. (Adapted from Harnish et al., 2011). 

Welcoming: I hope that you don’t miss any classes because missing even one class may have an effect on your learning. I have tried to make each class useful to you, and I have tried to make our class activities mostly things you could not replicate on your own. We have a limited amount of time together, so we should use all of that time well. If you miss a class, you will, indeed, miss stuff. More than that, we will miss you. Absences detract from the whole class experiences for everyone. However, I know that things do come up. Life doesn’t stop because you have a class. And in the case of illness there is flexibility. But if you miss more than a week of class, you should get in touch with me and let me know what is going on so we can make a plan to get you in the best possible shape to pass. (Adapted from Matthew Cheney) Class 

Participation

Unwelcoming: Come prepared to actively participate in this course. This is the best way to engage you in learning the material (and it makes the course more interesting.) (Adapted from Harnish et al., 2011). 

Welcoming: All of us in the class, you, me, your peers, have a responsibility to create an environment in which we can all learn from each other. I expect everyone to participate in class so that we can all benefit from the insights and experiences that each person brings. (Adapted from Harnish et al., 2011). 

Essay/Writing Requirements

Unwelcoming: All papers must be in APA. Papers should be closely edited for correctness and I will mark down any essays with more than 3 errors. This is an upper-division course, so I expect students to have mastered APA. 

Welcoming: Please use APA formatting for the 3 required essays. We will be covering APA in class, but also I encourage you to visit the Writing Center or my office hours if you have any questions. I will provide you with written feedback on your rough and final drafts. This feedback is not meant to discourage you, but to offer suggestions that will help you improve. Getting feedback on written work is valuable and part of professionalism for everyone (including me) and I hope that both the peer reviews and my comments on your essays will help you think through how readers might respond to various aspects of your work. I enjoy working with students and encourage you to meet with me outside of class to discuss my feedback on specific assignments or any general writing questions. 

Use of Technology

Unwelcoming: Cell phones are a distraction in class. I expect you to not be on your cell phone during our class meetings.

Welcoming: Although technology offers many learning benefits, if it is used irresponsibly, it poses the potential for distraction and disengagement, which challenges our classroom learning quality. Because it is important for us as learners to be attentive and engaged with the material and with ourselves, you are encouraged to utilize technology in an effective and professional manner to enhance your learning. Furthermore, even in a virtual classroom, you are encouraged to practice professionalism and be respectful to your professor and peers. This includes practicing awareness of where your attention is, monitoring and reflecting on how you engage with the material, and considering how you affect and are affected by others.