Policies

Class Attendance

Class attendance and participation are required for this course. The Bucknell Catalog states that:

A. Students are expected to attend the regularly scheduled meetings of the courses for which they are enrolled.

B. Classes scheduled during class hours should be given priority over other activities. “No student who participates in an extracurricular event, team, or program can be penalized solely for missing such extracurricular activities when they are scheduled in conflict with regularly scheduled meeting times of the student’s courses.” (Action of the faculty, September 1993)

C. Faculty should provide, on the first day of classes, a clear statement of:

  1. The consequences of any absences.
  2. Scheduled time commitments outside of class.

D. Students should not be required to attend extra or rescheduled academic events that conflict with other classes or other important commitments.

(see https://www.bucknell.edu/academics/majors-and-minors/course-catalog/academic-regulations.html)

With respect to consequences for absences, my policy focuses on class participation and in-class activities. I will often assign points for participation in class activities and class discussions. Only students present during these activities and discussions can earn these points. There is no way to make up points that are missed. Thus, if you are absent from class on a day that I have an in-class activity, you will be unable to earn those points. Your class participation grade is based on the percentage of in-class activity/class discussion points you earned out of the total number possible.

I will often assign points for participation in class activities and class discussions. Only students present during these activities and discussions can earn these points. There is no way to make up points that are missed.

 

Professionalism/Class Participation

This class is one of your first professional commitments, so we will define and practice quality professional behavior. Behaviors that are problematic, such as arriving late, being unprepared, missing class, texting, not participating in group work, turning in work late, not doing your own work etc., will not be helpful in your learning or your grade. Please bring printed copies of all articles to class rather than using your computer in class. My intent is to help you lay the groundwork for excellence, and so your involvement in and professional demeanor towards the class counts heavily. Please feel free to discuss these matters with me or the class. In cases of suspected plagiarism, I will follow University policies for academic honesty & plagiarism, which can be found at http://www.bucknell.edu/x1324.xml.

Laptops/Cell Phones

In order to promote class discussion, deep listening, and engagement, I generally do not permit the use of laptops or cell phones during class unless they are an explicit part of the lesson. My experience is that laptops create a barrier between individuals and decrease the quality of class discussion. If a laptop is essential for you, for whatever reason, please let me know and we can discuss your particular situation. Research suggests that hand-written notes are more effective for learning and I encourage note taking as a way to remember course content and record your insights.

Access Statement

If you have anything you would like to talk to me about that would help me work with you, please contact me. Students with University-recognized disabilities who may need classroom accommodations should contact me as soon as possible. All discussions will remain confidential. See http://www.bucknell.edu/x7752.xml for more information.

 Bucknell University Honor Code

As a student and citizen of the Bucknell University community:

  1. I will not lie, cheat or steal in my academic endeavors.
  2. I will forthrightly oppose each and every instance of academic dishonesty.
  3. I will let my conscience guide my decision to communicate directly with any person or persons I believe to have been dishonest in academic work.
  4. I will let my conscience guide my decision on reporting breaches of academic integrity to the appropriate faculty or deans.

 Bucknell University expectations for academic engagement

Courses at Bucknell that receive one unit of academic credit have a minimum expectation of 12 hours per week of student academic engagement. Student academic engagement includes both the hours of direct faculty instruction (or its equivalent) and the hours spent on out of class student work. Half and quarter unit courses at Bucknell should have proportionate expectations for student engagement.

 Grading System

Grades in this course will be based on the following percentages. Grades in each area will be determined by calculating the number of points earned out of the number of possible points:

  1. Blogs and Annotations (percentage of grade = 10%) based on the number of points earned out of the total number of possible points. Each blog or annotation assignment is worth a maximum of 3pts.
  2. Class Attendance/Participation (percentage of grade = 10%). The class attendance grade is based on the number of in-class activities completed.  On various days, when we have  small group discussions, I will take attendance and awarded 2pts to those in class. Total points possible will be calculated at the end of the semester based on the number of points earned out of the total number of possible points.
  3. Movie Response Papers (percentage of grade = 45%). You must write three response papers. Each paper is worth 15% of your grade.
  4. Leading a Class Discussion (percentage of  grade = 10%). With a partner, you will be expected to lead a class discussion on one of our readings. You need to prepare ahead of time with a plan that will hook the audience and encourage participation in the discussion.
  5. Podcast (percentage of grade = 25%), This assignment has multiple parts that will each receive grades. Together all elements of the assignment are worth 25 points. Note that the grade has both a group element and an individual element. The individual contribution grade will be based on your responses to an online survey designed to gauge the level of participation of each member of the group. Together these elements compose 90% of the podcast grade (weighting of each element is listed on the podcast rubric).  In addition to the podcast there is a two-page reflection paper on the experience of working on the podcast  (10% of assignment grade).

The scale below is a general scale for assigning grades:

A         93-100 % of points                             C+      77-79 %
A-        90-92 %                                              C        73-76 %
B+       87-89 %                                              C-      70-72 %
B         83-86 %                                              D        63-69 %
B-        80-82 %                                              F        62 % or less

A Note about Late Work

Assignments are due on the dates listed on the course syllabus or those announced in class. For each day that an assignment is late, the grade will drop by 1/3 of a grade. For example, if you fail to turn in an A paper that is due on a Tuesday and turn it in on Thursday it will become a B+.

Foundation Seminars

Foundation seminars introduce first-year students to the learning community in which
they are expected to participate actively while at Bucknell. Through a wide variety of
activities, students come to value and to emulate the characteristics of an engaged learner.

In particular, they take responsibility for their own learning and understand how specific
activities are related to the learning goals of a course. They take an active role in
evaluating their own learning, and if necessary, seek assistance in order to achieve the
learning goals. They can apply and transfer knowledge across disciplines and can make
connections at various levels. They are aware that learning is a social act that requires
collaboration and self-awareness as well as being receptive to constructive criticism and
alternative ideas or solutions.

Students improve their ability to analyze, evaluate and interpret materials they encounter
to synthesize and communicate the results of their studies, and to create works of their
own. This process fosters critical thinking skills complemented by the creative
dimensions of imagination and insight. Through exposure to different perspectives,
students come to realize the limitations of a single viewpoint, while learning to construct
persuasive arguments based on close analysis of multiple viewpoints.

All foundation seminars are taught as W-1 courses with enrollment limited to 16 students.
The foundation seminar instructor also serves as the student’s academic adviser, unless
the student enters Bucknell with a declared major (B.S. in the natural sciences,
mathematics, or education; B. Mus.; B.S.B.A.; or B.S. in Engineering), or until the
student declares a major.

Learning Outcomes:
1. Students will develop writing, reading, speaking, listening, and information
literacy skills necessary for collegiate-level academic work.

2. Students will develop capacities for independent academic work and become
more accountable for their own learning.

Writing Courses

1. Include recurring instruction in writing.

Methods of instruction will vary. There is no single model for teaching a W1 course. But whether the instructor is assisted by student peer editors or by tutors, whether instruction is directed to the whole class, to small groups, to individuals, or in combination of these methods, the important aim is to reinforce the development of skills by frequent instruction (weekly, if possible).

2. Teach the writing process: planning, composing, revising, editing.
By teaching writing as a process, by presenting strategies for each stage, and by allowing time for reworking, instructors enable students to improve thought and to improve communication.

The writing process often varies by discipline and by instructor. Consequently, it is essential that faculty members be clear about what is expected of students in the drafting/revising process as well as about the criteria by which writing assignments will be evaluated. Students should be held accountable for meeting these expectations and for treating each stage of the process with an appropriate amount of care.

3. Teach and emphasize the importance of the following expository skills:

  • addressing intended audiences
  • achieving purposes
  • organizing the whole paper, paragraphs, and sentences
  • choosing appropriate words
  • punctuating and spelling correctly

Since the W1 course is the foundation course in composition, it should teach those expository skills that are a) generally recognized elements in higher-level discourse, and b) needed by the majority of students entering Bucknell.

Instructors of W1 courses will stress the importance of these expository skills, and students will be held accountable for demonstrating the mastery of these skills in their writing. When providing feedback to students on late-stage drafts or final submissions of written work, instructors will point out recurring errors and require students to address these problems.

As a first resource for addressing writing problems, instructors may refer students to a print or online writing “handbook.” (Sample handbooks are available in the Writing Center, and links to electronic resources may be found on the Writing Center’s web pages for students.) For more serious problems, the instructor may work with students individually. Writing Center peer and staff consultants will similarly be available to help students remedy flaws in their writing mechanics as well as other issues. For wide-spread problems (i.e., problems appearing in several student papers within a class), the instructor may wish to use class time to point out and correct patterns of error.

4. Require frequent writing from each student.
The instructor, who may be assisted by student peer reviewers or by tutors, should see a substantial amount of this writing.

For mastery, students need to write more than instructors alone can read. However, a substantial amount of writing should receive response to aid revision. The response need not be time-consuming, but it should be prompt and frequent (weekly, if possible). Response to work in progress should occur in addition to evaluation of finished writing for grading.

5. Teach the use of writing as thinking and as a means of creating and processing knowledge. 
W1 courses include writing assignments that cause students to engage in intellectual work. Types of assignments may include essays, abstracts, journals, emails, question formulation, field notes, lab notebooks, or short answers to prepared questions, all designed to use language as a resource for inquiry.