Course Policies
Life
We're living through some tough times, and some of us are facing significant challenges in our personal as well as academic lives. I'm committed to doing all I can to make this class a positive part of your year, and to responding with understanding, empathy and flexibility if complications arise for you this semester. The most important thing is to get in touch with me sooner rather than later if you're struggling. And the other most important thing is for all of us to be kind and patient with each other.
Attendance
Attendance is required for all sessions of this course. The course’s emphasis on peer-editing and workshopping means that absences affect all of us and disrupt the mechanism of our communal work. If you have to miss a class, please contact me with as much advance notice as possible.
Deadlines
Because of the quick turn-around time required for writers and editors to do their jobs prior to the next class, deadlines in this class are fundamental to the nature of the course’s design. This schedule replicates the way that many professional writers work, and a single student’s failure to adhere to the deadlines compromises the learning experiences of everyone in the class.
If you tend to have trouble meeting assignment deadlines, or if your course load or other commitments this semester are likely to create conflicts with these deadlines, you should discuss with me whether the Calderwood seminar is an appropriate fit. If you repeatedly miss deadlines, unfortunately I will have to remove you from the class.
I am more than happy to make whatever disability- or emergency-related accommodations are reasonable within the constraints of this course’s schedule. You should know, however, that extensions on assignments fundamentally alter the nature of this course, and cannot be granted for non-essential reasons.
Respect
Please be respectful towards one another, especially when critiquing each other’s work. Focus your comments on the writing, not on the author. Be sure to include comments about valuable features of the work alongside suggestions for improvement. (The “compliment sandwich” is a nice technique!) Aim to be constructive and to give feedback that relates to the author’s aims for the piece, not your own.
Plagiarism
is an academic offense that the College takes very seriously. In order to avoid being accused of plagiarism, be sure to reference any materials that you quote or paraphrase. The particular format that you use for references is unimportant, provided that it is clear and consistent throughout. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
More info on the Honor Code here.
Disability Accomodations
I have a disability myself (solidarity!) and it's very important to me that all my students have the resources they need to flourish in this course.
If you have a disability or medical condition, either long-term or temporary, that means you need academic accommodations, please contact Disability Services to get a letter outlining your accommodation needs, and submit that letter to me.
Disability Services can be reached at disabilityservices@wellesley.edu, at 781-283-2434, by scheduling an appointment online at their website www.Wellesley.edu/disability, or by visiting their offices on the 3rd floor of Clapp Library, rooms 316 and 315.
You should request accommodations as early as possible in the quarter, or before the quarter begins, since some situations require significant time for review and accommodation design.
If you're unsure but suspect you may have an undocumented need for accommodations, I encourage you to contact Disability Services about that too. They can provide assistance including advice, screening and referral for assessments.
Don't be shy about contacting me at any point in the semester if something comes up: I will be an empathetic ear!