Assignments and Grading

Assignments Overview:

• According to the English department, formal, thesis-driven evaluated writing for students in English 201 should total at least 15-20 typed pages or approximately 3750-5000 across a minimum of 4 papers. Because this is an abbreviated semester, I have taken the liberty of modifying these requirements in as fair and as equitable a way as possible. These writing obligations will be met through participation in a paper and a multimedia portfolio project, as well as Exit Tickets (activities- discussion boards, blogs, and short responses).

• Participation in these Exit Tickets (activities) also represents participation in the class in general. These activities will be pass/fail. Submission does not imply credit. Your work must be complete and sufficient to earn credit.

• You are also responsible for two papers. You will have three possible paper options to choose from. These papers must be 4-5 pages in length minimum and will be assessed using the BMCC grading scale.

5 Exit Tickets- Activities 70%

Papers 30%

Extra Credit:

• Over the course of the semester, you will be given three paper options. You may complete the third paper for extra credit. For an A grade, you will receive 5 extra credit points added to your overall course grade. For a B grade, you will receive 4 extra credit points added to your overall course grade. For a C grade, you will receive 3 extra credit points added to your overall course grade. For a D grade, you will receive 2 extra credit points added to your overall course grade. For an F grade, you will receive zero extra credit points added to your overall course grade.

Grading:

All major assignments will be graded on the standard plus-minus letter-grade scale outlined by BMCC:

A = 100-93%​​​​​​ C = 76-73%​

A- = 92-90%​​​​​​ C- = 72-70%

B+ = 89-87% D+ = 69-67%

B = 86-83%​​​​​​ D = 66-63%

B- = 82-80% ​​ D- = 62-60%

C+=79-77%​​​​​​ F=59% or below

• I give your papers numerical grades which can be calculated towards your overall letter grade. The numerical and letter grade correlation has been determined by BMCC.

• You should always be able to have a strong sense of your standing within the course. Grades are posted on Blackboard in the “My Progress” section.

• I am always happy to discuss any grading questions that you may have. I don’t grade you arbitrarily. I want you to understand where your strengths are and where you need to improve.

• The final paper is graded using my rubric. My rubric has been largely shaped by the standards outlined by my experiences in numerous programs and reflects prevailing standards across universities in similar courses. The rubric is posted on Blackboard. I suggest you print the rubric for reference while writing and revising your papers.

• All your minor assignments submitted through Blackboard also have corresponding rubrics. They’ll be available for you to view before completing those minor assignments as well.