eCampus Syllabi:

Introduction

When your course is loaded and ready for access, there will be a pre-loaded syllabus in the course, located by clicking “Syllabus” in the course navigation bar. The syllabus will need to be edited by you to include your information, as well as information about grading structure, exams, and the information listed below. You will practice this as a graded exercise in module 5 of this certification course, so prepare for this by understanding the guidelines below.

Parts of eCore/eMajor Syllabi

Several USG institutions have implemented policies to standardize the information that appears in course syllabi. While most of eCampus’s syllabi already include the following information, all instructors should make certain that ALL the items below appear in some manner in your syllabus.

1. Course Objectives

Course objectives or expected learning outcomes of the course should be included in your syllabus. These objectives were developed for all eCampus courses during the design and construction process. These are pre-loaded into your syllabus.

2. Topical Outline

A topical outline for the course should be in your syllabus. These outlines were placed in all eCore and eMajor courses during the design and construction process. If you modify these, please modify them on the syllabus, also.

3. Required Course Materials

Required course materials, including texts, should be listed on the syllabus. Textbooks were chosen for all eCore and eMajor courses during the design and construction process; please be sure that you list the current and correct text. The textbook for all of eCore’s courses are OER’s, Open Education Resource Textbooks, which means that they are available to students free of charge. There are still many OER development opportunities available for eMajor course, though many of our eMajor courses use OERs. For most OERs, the publishers’ websites offer multiple download options in addition to the PDF’s that are pre-loaded into the courses.

If you require additional materials for the course, such as access to software for homework assignments, please include these in the course resources. Please be advised that eCampus has OER instructional designers who specialize in locating OER, including software, that are little to no cost. One of the primary advantages of eCore courses is that the textbooks are free.

4. Course Assignments

Principal course assignments with due dates should be posted in both the syllabus and the calendar, including required readings, papers, discussions, and examinations. These assignments were placed in eCampus courses during the design and construction process; please double check to make sure your assignment dates are current and correct.

5. Course Requirements

Specific course requirements for grading purposes, such as written and oral tests and reports, research papers, performances or other similar requirements, and/or participation requirements should be summarized on your syllabus. These requirements were placed in all eCampus courses during the design and construction process; please double check to make sure your course requirements are current and correct.

6. Proctored Exam Information

Proctored Exam procedures/requirements should be listed in the syllabus, and highlighted in order to bring extra attention to them. Exam dates should be posted in both the syllabus and the course calendar. Notify students which exams (midterm, final, or both) will be delivered in a proctored environment.

7. Instructor Contact Information

Instructor contact information to include: (a) instructor name, and (b) instructor accessibility to students (such as office hours, office location, telephone number, and/or e-mail address). eCampus instructors are required to post and maintain at least two regular office hours each week. Please use the area of the syllabus template entitled "Instructor Information" to enter your individual contact information.

8. Attendance Policy

If you have specific requirements for “attendance” or participation, they should be stated clearly and defined. If attendance is to be weighed for the final grade, the syllabus should state what the weight or course points will be. These policies were placed in all eCampus courses during the design and construction process; please double check to make sure that your attendance and participation policies are consistent with the course template.

9. Academic Honesty Policy

Reference to the Academic Honesty Policy and a statement as to what behavior specific to the course could be academically dishonest. Each eCore and eMajor student is bound by the code at his or her individual school, in addition to USG’s policy for eCampus students. It is also helpful to include a general statement about academic honesty and plagiarism. Students should also be reminded that they have the right to appeal an academic dishonesty penalty. eCampus’s policy is preloaded into the syllabus, and the policy for USG eCampus can be found at:

• eCore: https://ecore.usg.edu/current-students/student-guide/policies-and-procedures#academic-honesty
• eMajor: https://emajor.usg.edu/current-students/student-guide/policies-and-procedures#academic-honesty.

It is helpful to include the appropriate link in the syllabus as well.

10. Make-Up Work Policy

Policy for make-up of examinations should be well spelled out in the syllabus. This information is not predetermined; each instructor must set their own policy for their own course.

11. Late Work Policy

Policy for late work should be clearly stated in the syllabus. Each instructor can set their own policy on late work for their course. This is not pre-loaded into the course syllabus.

12. Grading Policy

How the final grade will be determined with respect to weights or points assigned to various course requirements should be stated clearly in the syllabus. Grading scales were placed in all eCampus courses during the design and construction process. Please make sure that your grading policy is in accordance with that of the course template.

13. Grades of Incomplete

Instructors may fill out a form in SEADS to assign a grade of "I" (Incomplete). Please refer to eCampus’s official policy on Incomplete grades, and include this link in your syllabus, also:

• eCore: https://ecore.usg.edu/current-students/student-guide/policies-and-procedures#incomplete-grade-policy.
• eMajor: https://emajor.usg.edu/current-students/student-guide/policies-and-procedures

USG’s eCampus policy on Incomplete grades states:

The notation of "I" (incomplete) may be given to a student who, for nonacademic reasons beyond his or her control, is unable to meet the full requirements of a course. In order to qualify for an "I", a student must:

• Have completed most of the major assignments of the course (generally all but one);
• Be earning a passing grade in the course (aside from the assignments not completed) in the judgment of the instructor.

When a student has a nonacademic reason for not completing one or more of the assignments for a course, including examinations, and wishes to receive an incomplete for the course, it is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor in person or in writing of the reason. A grade of incomplete is awarded at the discretion of the instructor and is not the prerogative of the student. Conditions to be met for removing a grade of incomplete are established by the instructor.

If an “I” request from a student is granted, the instructor should communicate the terms for satisfying the course requirements to the student before submitting Incomplete Grade Form in SEADS. Students should be informed that they must complete the coursework before the end of the next academic term. If test proctoring is needed to complete the coursework (for eCore classes), the instructor should notify the eCampus Testing Coordinator (etesting@westga.edu). The information submitted via the Incomplete Grade form is sent to the eCampus Administrative Services office. After confirming the request with the instructor, eCampus staff will forward the request to the registrar at the student's affiliate institution. Instructors should retain a paper copy of the request for their records.

Instructors granting an "I" are responsible for monitoring student work, communicating with the student, grading student work, and submitting forms regarding the student's performance outside of the semester dates, even if they are not teaching with eCore or eMajor in the following semester.

14. Student Accessibility Services

A statement about how to contact Student Accessibility Services is required in your syllabus. Information on Accessibility is available at these webpages:

• eCore: https://ecore.usg.edu/current-students/student-guide/academic-services#student-accessibility-services-amac.
• eMajor: https://emajor.usg.edu/current-students/student-guide/academic-services#student-accessibility-services-amac

15. File Formats

A statement about your preferred file format for assignments (Word, PDF, etc.) should be included in your syllabus.

16. Common Language for Syllabi

The syllabus should include this statement:

"The course syllabus is a general plan for the course; deviations announced to the class by the instructor may be necessary. The instructor reserves the right to modify the syllabus for best learning outcomes."

Sample Statements

Reflecting eCampus Policies in your Syllabus

The following are sample statements of what can be included in your syllabus. All eCampus syllabi come with standardized language. Some of the content may not apply to your course in the same way as it applies to others. Please ensure that your syllabus reflects the content and objectives of your course. Please ensure all statements included in your syllabus reflect eCore or eMajor policies. If you are not sure if they do, please visit https://ecampus.usg.edu/kbase/emajor-pp/ for eMajor policies, or https://ecampus.usg.edu/kbase/ecore-pp/ for eCore policies.

For more information on the policy in question, or contact eCampus at eFaculty@westga.edu.

Sample Academic Honesty Statement

Dear Students,

It is dishonest to take the work of others and pass it off as your own. Lack of awareness of academic dishonesty and plagiarism is NOT an excuse. Please read the following definitions of plagiarism and academic dishonesty. Always check with your instructor if you are not sure if you are properly and completely citing sources. Review your college or university's policies on academic honesty in the student handbook.

I will penalize you for academic dishonesty as harshly as I am permitted. Generally, this means on your first instance of academic dishonesty, you will receive a 0 on the assignment. A second violation means an F for the course. In both cases, I will report you to the eCore dean and/or your institutional chief student affairs officer, as appropriate. You have the right to appeal academic dishonesty penalties.

Definitions of Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty:

• To take the writings, graphic representations, or ideas of another person and represent them as you own without proper attribution given to the original source.
• Taking someone else's ideas, words, or writing, and attempting to pass them off as your own.
• Using another author's ideas or words without proper documentation; representing someone else's creative work (ideas, words, images, etc.) as your own, whether intentional or not.

Examples of plagiarism in a course:

• Copying and pasting text from the internet into your paper without showing the material is directly quoted and also providing a footnote or endnote and a complete reference entry in your bibliography.
• Having a friend or relative write a paper for you, then turning it in as your own.
• Purchasing a paper on the internet, then turning it in as your own.
• Copying another student's online discussion posting and using it as your own.

There is no substitute for integrity. Earn your college degree.

Sample Statement Clarifying How Grades are Calculated

Final Grade is Determined Solely by Course Activities and Assessments.

In both HIST 2112 and HIST 2111, five items determine your course grade. They are as follows:

• Essay One (15% of final grade)
• Essay Two (25% of final grade)
• Discussion Response and Participation (30% of final grade; average of 10 lesson discussions)
• Midterm Exam (15% of final grade)
• Final Exam (15% of final grade)

Each of these activities and assessments links directly back to the objectives and goals of the course noted in the syllabus. Your performance on these activities and assessments is how I measure whether or not you as a student achieved and met the objectives and goals of the course.

In calculating final grades, I use standard rules for rounding. For example, 89.5 would round to a 90 (A), but 89.4 would round to an 89 (B). There are two opportunities for extra credit, which will be announced through GoVIEW Announcements.

If you want to earn a good grade in this course, you must perform to a high standard on the five activities and assessments listed above and described further in the syllabus. I cannot "raise" your grade a point or two at the end of the semester, just because you tell me that you are not happy with your final average. You must demonstrate through the five activities and assessments that you have achieved a certain grade. Note that the discussion component of the course already assesses your participation, so the argument of "I participated a lot in the course, so you need to raise my grade" does not hold water. Neither does the argument of "I spent a lot of time on this course, so you need to raise my grade." Many times, students spend a great deal of time on a subject and still end up with an average performance and corresponding grade. Sometimes, other students do not have to put in the same amount of time, and yet they end up with a better performance and better grade. Time spent in studying and participating in class are only two of several factors that determine whether or not a student succeeds in a course.

Your best strategy to raise your grades: Do more than the minimum number of discussion postings. Make sure that anything you write (paper or posting) is polished and well-written. Finally, make sure you start preparing for exams well before the exam is given.

Sample Discussion Grading Statement

Attendance and Participation in Discussion

"Attendance" and participation are required in an online class. You will be expected to participate in ongoing discussions of the lesson topics and to interact with other students and your instructor regularly. It is expected that you will demonstrate a positive attitude and courtesy toward other participants in the discussion and observe good discussion netiquette.

Your grade for discussion participation will account for xx% of your course grade.

Lack of participation in weekly online discussions is considered an absence, even if you are logged into the course. If for any reason you are unable to participate by the due dates listed in the course calendar, it is your responsibility to inform your instructor.

To help you know what is expected of you for participation and how your participation will be graded, be sure to read the participation grading guidelines below.

Participation Grading for Discussions

• You must make 1 initial post, 250 words or more that relates to section topic
• You must reply to at least 3 classmates, 100 words or more, discussing the section topic
• Your posts must reference course material; cite these in APA format.

Note: One initial post and a minimum of three follow-up posts are the minimum requirements for an A for each topic. One initial post and a minimum of two follow-up posts are the minimum requirements for a B. To receive either an A or B, all posts must meet deadline requirements stated in the instructor's initial post.