These are the classes I'm teaching this semester - SPRING, 2010.
Click on image or link for specific class information pages.
The VCU Honor System will be strictly enforced in this class. Cheating, fabricating material or using another’s work without attribution – plagiarism – will earn you and automatic F in the course, and your name will be turned in to appropriate university officials. The honor policy provides substantial penalties for violation, including expulsion from the University.
Unless specified otherwise, all work done for this course is considered “pledged” work, as defined by the Honor System. Each assignment implicitly carries this pledge from you to me: “On my honor, I have neither given nor received aid on this assignment.” The full text of the VCU Honor System policies can be found at http://www.students.vcu.edu/rg/policies/rg7honor.html
Commitment to Diversity
It is vital that students in this course, with guidance from the instructor, include in their course work—both written and oral—people and subjects such as ethnic, racial and religious minorities, people with disabilities, the disadvantaged, gay men and lesbians, and other similar groups. This includes, but is not limited to, developing sensitivity to language and images that may create an appearance of bias. The intent is to ensure that student work reflects the diversity of the culture, and that students are exposed to diverse ideas and perspectives. In this class, it is the shared responsibility of the instructor and students to foster an environment that supports free expression.
The VCU School of Mass Communications (the “School”) and the VCU Brandcenter are committed to diversity in all aspects of its program, including providing a climate of inclusion as well as addressing student and faculty hiring and retention, curriculum, research and scholarship, and outreach and service.
Disabilities
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 requires Virginia Commonwealth University to provide academic adjustments or accommodations for students with documented disabilities. If you have a disability that requires an academic adjustment or accommodations, you can contact the coordinator of services for students with disabilities. For more information, see the University’s web page on Services for Students with Disabilities http://www.students.vcu.edu/dss/
Attendance and Participation
Your informed participation in class discussion is crucial to your success in this class. I expect that you will attend every class, and arrive ready to start work on time. Class will begin on time, and tardiness can influence your participation grade. If you are unprepared, you will not be able to participate fully and your grade will reflect this.
My expectations are that you will come to every class, arrive on time, and be prepared to participate. NOTE: no excuses for missing presentations will be accepted without exceptional documentation.
Attendance and participation are important, and you cannot effectively learn if you are not present. You will be expected to know material from the assignments as well as supplemental material covered in class.
Participation goes beyond question responses and frequency. The participation grade is also associated with the content quality and your willingness to participate.
Scheduling, guests and speakers
From time to time, we will have guest presenters, either in person or connecting virtually. Whenever possible, we will schedule these presentations during normal class time. However, it may be that to accommodate a guest’s schedule we will have both sections of the class meet at the same time instead of individually.
Additionally, there may be times when instead of meeting in class, you will have individual group meetings with me – I will post sign up sheets at my desk at the appropriate times.
I will give advance notice so you can adjust your schedules accordingly. I will contact you by email, so make sure to keep up to date on email.
Incompletes
An incomplete will only be granted under very stringent conditions, as determined by VCU policy.
Writing Style
All papers and written documents must be typed, double-spaced with one-inch margins. For papers with sources, please use MLA or APA referencing style. It is required that papers be proofread for grammar, punctuation and format errors prior to submission -- but don’t rely on your computer’s spellchecker! They’re just not that smart. These types of errors can reduce the grade on a good paper dramatically. Keep a copy of all papers. Submission of papers via email may be acceptable, depending on the assignment. I will let you know.
Assignments
Assignments must be presented on their due dates. Only under very special circumstances will exceptions be made to this rule, and in all cases, it is completely at MY discretion to accept late and/or allow make-up work. I MUST receive emailed assignments on the day they are due. Assignments that require posting must be posted by their due-date. There will be no extra-credit assignments – if you have time to do extra credit, surely you had time to do the original work correctly. Only under very special circumstances will exceptions be made to these rules. In all cases, it is at the sole discretion of the instructor to allow make-up work.
Academic Misconduct and Plagiarism
It is expected that you will perform your work in this class in an honest and ethical manner. Individual assignments should reflect your own work. Group assignments should reflect the equal participation of all group members.
Plagiarizing, cheating and interfering with the work of others are grounds for failure in the course and possible disciplinary action at the department, school and/or university level.
Plagiarism as defined in The American Heritage Dictionary is “to use or pass off as one’s own the words or writings of someone else.” This includes, but is not limited to, writings found in books, journals, textbooks, and on the Internet. It also includes underlying code as well as graphic images and other intellectual property on projects.
If you have questions as to the use of a particular piece of intellectual property or the proper crediting of sources, you must see me prior to submission of projects and other assignments. If you attempt to pass off the writings or projects of someone else as your own, you will receive an F in this class. This is not negotiable.