These policies generally apply to all of my courses based on a Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule, but where they conflict with the policies listed on a syllabus for a specific course, follow the syllabus.

Attendance is required. Students are strongly encouraged to attend every class and are responsible for all material covered in class in the event of absence. Students may miss up to three class sessions without being penalized and are expected to save these for unexpected or special circumstances, such as illness, car trouble, and religious holidays. Additional absences will only be excused when truly unavoidable and will require documentation from a medical professional. Each unexcused absence (beyond the three granted above) will result in the deduction of a full letter from the final grade, to a maximum of two unexcused absences (two full letters deducted). No student may have six or more absences (excused or unexcused) and still pass the course. If there are six or more absences and the student provides documentation acceptable to the instructor, the instructor may elect to grant an incomplete or a withdrawal instead of failing the student. If there are six or more unexcused absences, the student will fail the course. Habitual lateness will be noted and may affect the final grade.

Creative Writing courses add the following: Students must not be absent on the day they are to submit work to the class or on the day their work is to be discussed in class, unless it is a verifiable emergency.

All assignments must be turned in to pass the course. Assignments are expected no later than the end of each class session on the day due. Unless there has been a documented emergency, late assignments will receive a maximum grade of D. Papers will not be accepted via e-mail. It is highly recommended that you have an extra printer cartridge and that you do not wait until the last minute to print out your assignments. Back up your files.

For Freshman Writing papers: staple, no plastic covers, 1 inch margins, typed, double-spaced, 12 point standard font (such as Times New Roman).

For Creative Writing submissions: staple, no plastic covers, 1 inch margins, typed, double-spaced, 12 point Courier. Specific guidelines will be discussed in class.

Participation is required. Each reading must be completed before the class in which it is being discussed, and students must be actively engaged in class discussion, demonstrating understanding of the assigned reading.

In order to receive maximum points on an assignment, be sure to give proper credit for all ideas and writing that is not your own and properly cite the texts being analyzed and sources being used (see the Brief Handbook’s chapter on MLA documentation).

Plagiarism: If, in a written assignment, you use the written words and/or the written ideas of another writer, you must acknowledge the author of those words and ideas. If you fail to acknowledge that you have used the words and/or ideas of another writer in your own written text, you are guilty of plagiarism. Note that plagiarism is not limited, as students sometimes think it is, to copying a passage from a source word for word. If you acquire specific information from a source, you must acknowledge that source, even if you have used your own words and paraphrased that information. Note that if you use the word choice (four or more consecutive words) of your source, you must use quotation marks to make it clear what writing is your own and what belongs to your source. Your essays are expected to contain much of your own thought and mostly your own writing, with sources and direct quotations used as support. There are a variety of acceptable ways of acknowledging the work of other writers. You should consult the MLA parenthetical section of the Brief Handbook for the preferred style for this course.

If, in any of your assignments, you do plagiarize the work of another writer, the minimum penalty your instructor will impose will be a failing grade for that assignment. If, in the judgment of your instructor, the plagiarism is premeditated or egregious you will fail the course. Instructors are also required to report instances of plagiarism to the Department Head, who may, in turn, report the case to Drexel University’s Office of Judicial Affairs.  If you plagiarize the work of another writer a second time, you will fail the course. The offense will be reported to The Office of Judicial Affairs, which may take further action. 

Students are encouraged to use the Drexel Writing Center, located in 032 MacAlister (x 6633).