Course Policies
Required Materials
Readings
Please purchase the Writing 150 Course Book, available for purchase as a digital access card through the USC bookstore or directly online at https://hmpublishing.redshelf.com.
The course book will serve as a useful resource for you to consult as you are working in the course, and it will help to reinforce important content that we discuss in class. We may use materials from the course book during class sessions, and I will often refer you to the relevant sections of the course book to support your learning.
For regular course readings on the thematic of Education and Intellectual Development, I will upload or link those assigned texts to our course Blackboard site. You may choose to print those readings or bring a tablet or laptop to class to have readings available. Please be sure to closely read and annotate those readings in preparation for class discussions.
Laptop/Tablet and Word Processing Software
Please note that for this class, we may conduct writing work in person that will require you to bring a laptop/tablet. I will try to announce those days in advance of our meetings, but if in doubt, have a device available to use, especially for days when we are conducting in-class peer review.
You will also want to use word processing software to generate your materials and drafts for this course. You can use Google Docs, Microsoft Office, Apple Pages, or other software for that work.
USC provides access to Google Docs (and other software), which you are welcome to use.
All students similarly have access to Microsoft Office for free. More information regarding access to that software can be found at https://itservices.usc.edu/office/.
If you choose to use Apple Pages or another word processing application, you must export your files as a Word document (.docx) or PDF for submission (whether for ancillary or final draft submission).
Attendance
This class has been designed to be delivered as an in-person course. I will not be offering a hybrid option to attend our regularly scheduled classes remotely via Zoom.
As active members of a writing community, it is important to be involved and active during every class period. Because this course incorporates frequent small- and large-group activities into daily lessons, students who are absent affect not only their own learning but that of their fellow students.
Attending the course helps you understand the expectations of the assignments, the perspectives of your peers, and hands-on work toward drafting and revising your papers.
In-person attendance in this class is mandatory. Your attendance and participation in the course impact your standing with the Grading Contract for this section of WRIT 150.
I hope you attend as many classes as you are able and arrive on time and prepared for the day’s work to maximize your learning opportunities in the class.
Unexcused Absences
Any absence that is not related to participation in a University-sponsored event or in observance of a religious holiday, will be classified as an unexcused absence. A doctor's note or other proof of good cause for your absence will not excuse that absence. However, you may be able to make up that absence; more information on make-up attendance is below.
Excused Absences
If you are involved in a University-sponsored event that will cause your attendance or will be absent in observance of a religious holiday, please provide one week’s advance notice prior to that absence to have it be excused; you must provide written verification for University-sponsored event absences.
If you anticipate that your excused absences related to participation in a University-sponsored event, group, or team will exceed six absences during the semester, it may be in your best interest to enroll in a different section of WRIT 150 that meets on different days/times or enroll in the course in a later semester.
Please be aware that participation in a University-sponsored event or observance of a religious holiday does not excuse you from completing any work that is due for that class period (or that will be completed in class). The reason you are required to give one week's notice is so that we can make alternate arrangements to ensure you can complete that work.
If you are a USC athlete, I understand that you may not know whether you will be required to miss class for an event or travel with one week's notice. However, I expect you to alert me to the possibility of your absence one week ahead of time; if you are able to attend class as scheduled, you will be gladly welcomed.
Attendance and Grading
As outlined in the Grading Contract, the number of absences you accrue in the course may result in final grade deductions.
You are allowed 2 or fewer unexcused absences to remain in good standing (no grade deductions; minimum grade of B)
If you have 3 absences, you will receive one final grade deduction (B-)
If you have 4 absences, you will receive 3 grade deductions (C)
If you have 5 absences, you will receive 5 grade deductions (D+)
If you have 6 absences, you will receive 7 grade deductions (D-)
Any student who misses more than three weeks of class (7 or more absences) will be required to either drop the class or take a final grade of “F.”
While excused absences will not negatively impact your final course grade, excessive absences will affect your learning in the course and create an extra burden of doing assignments outside of the course to ensure satisfactory completion of the required work.
Make-up Attendance
The rationale for mandatory attendance in the course is to ensure that we foster a robust learning community and have ample opportunity to discuss and receive feedback from one another. While the attendance policy above is firmly stated, I am empathetic to the many challenges that may arise during the semester.
In the event that you are feeling unwell or are otherwise unable to attend the scheduled class session, I may offer a make-up attendance assignment to allow you to earn credit for the class session.
Typically, this make-up assignment will ask you to complete additional written work, which you must submit to me via email within 72 hours of the class session that you missed (or as you and I will collectively determine).
Please note that make-up attendance requires extra work on your part and mine, so I will offer that option by request only.
I will accommodate your option to make-up your absences as much as possible, but I will need you to communicate with me to make those arrangements (for example, if you are actively dealing with an illness or condition that hampers your ability to work, I may extend the deadline for make-up work, but I need you to ask for that additional time).
If conditions arise that may result in frequent absences from the class or if the attendance policy as stated in this syllabus presents an undue challenge to your success in the course, please reach out to me as soon as possible.
Office Hours
Office hours may be an unfamiliar or perhaps intimidating concept to you as a student; you are not alone! Just check out the title of this NPR article from 2019: "College Students: How to Make Office Hours Less Scary."
Suffice to say, I promise that office hours do not need to feel so intimidating, and I offer them foremost for your benefit. If you have questions about the course, are having challenges with an assignment, or would just like to chat, you are welcome to take advantage of my office hours!
My regularly scheduled office hours are:
Mondays from 10:30–11:30 a.m. and 12:30–1:30 p.m. &
Wednesdays from 10:30–11:30 a.m.
I am also available to meet with you for office hours by appointment.
For example, if you are usually in class during my scheduled office hours or have other commitments that prevent you from attending, please do not hesitate to reach out to schedule a mutually convenient time to meet.
Unless otherwise announced, I will be available to meet in-person during my scheduled office hours in JEF 210A.
I will also offer a Zoom option for office hours during those same time periods; the link for that Zoom option is: https://usc.zoom.us/j/94516313678?pwd=S3JxUEZnRTdqU0M3bXA0TDFEblhUQT09.
Office hours are first-come, first-serve. It's fine to give me a heads-up if you plan to stop by during office hours (in person or online), but I cannot guarantee that I will be available at the exact time you arrive if I am meeting with another student.
Please note that office hours are offered for all of my students, so I may need to restrict the time I can meet with you each week to provide equitable access to other students.
Communication with Instructor
The most viable communication option with me outside of class time is to email me at chappelo@usc.edu.
I make every effort to reply to student emails within 24 hours during the week. Please note that messages sent after 5 p.m. on weekdays or on weekends may not receive a response until the next working day.
If I do not reply to your message within 24 hours when classes are in session, you are welcome to send a follow-up message.
I also have an office phone number that you may call or text: (213) 821-4836. This number is linked to my USC Zoom account, so I will only receive your message/call in real time if I am logged in to Zoom.
Our primary forum of shared communication and submission of work will be through Blackboard. Please be sure to check our course Blackboard site regularly; I will do my best to send announcements and reminders through that platform, but you should consult each major assignment prompt for a schedule of readings and ancillary work.
USC automatically generates a Slack channel for our class, but I do not plan to use that forum for official course communication. You are welcome, however, to use that channel to communicate with your fellow students, if you would like.
Individual Conferences
At multiple times in the semester I will cancel class to hold mandatory individual conferences. These conferences are an opportunity for me to meet with you individually and discuss your work in a more focused setting.
If you fail to sign up for a conference time or miss your scheduled conference, it will be counted as an absence.
Please note that if you meet with me during another time slot or during office hours to “make up” your missed conference time, you will still be counted as absent for the conference, although you will hopefully benefit from the feedback you receive through that discussion.
Instructor Feedback
The primary method for receiving written feedback from me prior to your final draft submission is through the individual conferences that I hold during each assignment cycle. I will adopt various approaches to those conferences, but it is in your best interest to attend each conference fully prepared and with a set agenda in mind.
If you would like additional feedback on a draft prior to final draft submission, you must meet with me during office hours or attempt to schedule a meeting with me to discuss your draft.
Because I take careful effort to give useful feedback and have many demands on my time and attention, I will not respond to emails where a draft is attached with a request to review and offer feedback without prior conversation regarding that request.
Required Work in the Course
This course consists of four unique essay assignments (Writing Projects 1-4), the final portfolio, ancillary work and activities related to those projects or the thematic, and your attendance and participation in the course.
Late or Missing Ancillary Work
You must complete all of the ancillary writing assignments and tasks on time, including process work, reading responses, stylistic exercises, and so on. Ancillary work will be counted as late if you do not submit on Blackboard by the specified deadline.
In most cases, I will not offer extensions on ancillary work, especially for those assignments that will be used during the class period by which they are due. (An imperfect or unpolished submission is far preferable to none at all!)
You may not submit ancillary work after the final deadline window of the project during which it was assigned is closed; any work not received in by the close of the assignment cycle will be counted as missing. Full details about the impact of late or missing ancillary work is discussed in the Grading Contract section of the Syllabus.
Requirement to Submit Process Documents
Because this course is a writing workshop and we will be looking at drafts and process elements of your work, you must submit a rough draft and relevant process documents in order for your final draft to receive credit. Your work for this class should be developed specifically for this class; you may not re-use old essays for this course.
These documents should be developed as we proceed through projects, and you must submit those rough drafts or other process work on time. In the event that you fall behind in the course, I expect you to contact me to make arrangements for the submission of that process work.
This requirement to submit process documents is critical because students must submit final drafts of every writing project in order to pass the class. (So if you don't turn in process documents, you won't be able to meet this requirement.)
Peer Review
Because this is a writing workshop, I want to encourage you to view your peers’ feedback as integral to your development as a writer. Their insights should matter to your work. The insights you provide in reviewing your peers’ work also helps you to develop your critical eye. To those ends, we will have peer review work scheduled during each major assignment cycle.
To incentivize the work you are asked to do for those activities, your peer review work will be counted as ancillary writing assignments. In most cases, you must be present for peer review activities in class and actively conduct and post your written peer review response to receive credit for that activity.
If you are absent on peer review days, it may not be possible to “make up” the assignment unless your absence is due a University-sponsored event or religious holiday observation. If you will be absent on peer review day due to one of these reasons, you must contact me in advance to make alternative arrangements to give and receive peer feedback to earn credit.
Extension Policy for Final Drafts
For final drafts, I will readily offer extensions of up to one week upon request. Please note that I do not need an excuse/reason from you to request that one-week extension; simply contact me to request that extension prior to the deadline.
Be mindful that you are still responsible for any other deadlines that may arise for other coursework while completing the final draft.
Essays submitted after your extension deadline will be counted as Late Essays according to the Grading Contract.
I will offer longer or additional extensions beyond that initial one-week request for good cause, so you should contact me with a proposal for submitting your work in a timely manner.
Public Nature of Writing
Please consider every piece of writing you do for this class to be “public.”
Remember that you will be expected to share your writing with others in the class, so you may want to avoid writing about things you are unprepared to have subjected to public scrutiny or things you feel so strongly about that you are unable to listen to perspectives other than your own.
This does not mean that you are not entitled to an opinion but that you should adopt positions responsibly, contemplating the possible effect(s) your arguments will have on others.
Anti-Racist and Anti-Bias Statement
**policy drafted by members of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the USC Writing Program and included here with gratitude for their work
We are dedicated to anti-racism in and out of the classroom. We wholeheartedly stand against racism, dehumanization, oppression, colonization, xenophobia, and white supremacy. Silence on these issues is not an option.
We acknowledge that racism and dehumanization can occur consciously and unconsciously; it is important to have grace with each other. But we must also commit to the lifelong work of deconstructing our unconscious and conscious biases; dismantling the racist structures; and creating an academic environment that rejects white supremacy in all its forms.
Even further, academic writing has historically been a tool for oppression. It has encouraged standardization originally based in whiteness – and so we must ask, “Who set those standards? Why do we value only those standards? And as writers, how can we reform the standards?”
As a writing class, we will consistently reflect on these concerns. We will encourage and support each other’s journeys. We will cultivate authentic writing voices; closely examine our policies and practices; and commit to continually educating ourselves to provide an educational experience that is anti-racist, humanized, and celebrates intersectional identities.
With collaboration, we will create an anti-racist system in our classroom.
Some ways we will include anti-racism in our class:
Have explicit (and uncomfortable) discussions about institutionalized racism; re-center voices of the oppressed; and be accountable to how universities and writing have played a part
Learn and be attentive to how race interacts with ethnicity & race, sexuality & gender identity, nationality, ability, and other aspects of identity; how intersecting identities impact classroom dynamics; and equally value through assessment, feedback, and assignments intersecting identities of students
Commit to consistent training from BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and marginalized scholars that combat white supremacy
Engage in collaborative and intersectional work with students and not just for students. Anti-bias and anti-racism is lifelong work that must be communal to take root
Encourage multilingual and multimodal writing through demonstration, assessment, class activities, and assignments.
Safe Spaces
This course may contain content (assigned readings, in-class discussions, etc.) deemed offensive by some students. If you have concerns about any course content, please bring these concerns to my attention.
Because we represent a broad spectrum of identities and perspectives, I endeavor to make my classroom and office a safe space for students of all gender and sexual identities, all ages and life experiences, and all cultural, religious, and social backgrounds. I welcome our returning veterans to the USC community, and I strive to make all students feel accepted and included in the classroom.
While I deeply value open and earnest debate, I require all students to closely adhere to the Student Code of Conduct and maintain respectful, civil modes of discourse.
Our differences are valuable, and they are a source of vibrancy and creativity in our USC community. If a student feels uncomfortable at any point, they should contact me privately as soon as possible so that we may address any concerns together. I will ask any student to leave the classroom who does not heed my call for respect.
Student and Disability Accommodations
USC welcomes students with disabilities into all of the University’s educational programs. The Office of Student Accessibility Services (OSAS) is responsible for the determination of appropriate accommodations for students who encounter disability-related barriers. Once a student has completed the OSAS process (registration, initial appointment, and submitted documentation) and accommodations are determined to be reasonable and appropriate, a Letter of Accommodation (LOA) will be available to generate for each course. The LOA must be given to each course instructor by the student and followed up with a discussion. This should be done as early in the semester as possible as accommodations are not retroactive. More information can be found at osas.usc.edu. You may contact OSAS at (213) 740-0776 or via email at osasfrontdesk@usc.edu.
Academic Integrity
The University of Southern California is foremost a learning community committed to fostering successful scholars and researchers dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge and the transmission of ideas. Academic misconduct is in contrast to the university’s mission to educate students through a broad array of first-rank academic, professional, and extracurricular programs and includes any act of dishonesty in the submission of academic work (either in draft or final form).
This course will follow the expectations for academic integrity as stated in the USC Student Handbook. All students are expected to submit assignments that are original work and prepared specifically for the course/section in this academic term. You may not submit work written by others or “recycle” work prepared for other courses without obtaining written permission from the instructor(s). Students suspected of engaging in academic misconduct will be reported to the Office of Academic Integrity.
Other violations of academic misconduct include, but are not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, fabrication (e.g., falsifying data), knowingly assisting others in acts of academic dishonesty, and any act that gains or is intended to gain an unfair academic advantage.
The impact of academic dishonesty is far-reaching and is considered a serious offense against the university and could result in outcomes such as failure on the assignment, failure in the course, suspension, or even expulsion from the university.
For more information about academic integrity see the student handbook or the Office of Academic Integrity’s website, and university policies on Research and Scholarship Misconduct.