gradingpol.html

Late Policy and Grading Policy for all of Professor Williams's Courses

Late formal paper policy:

Keeping in mind the many emergencies and unforeseen events that can occur in the average SJSU studentís life, I have a very generous extension policy. As long as you give me the request in writing (complete with a new deadline) before the paperís due date, most requests for an extension will be granted.
If the original deadline is passed by a student who has not received an extension or an extended deadline has been passed, 10% of the total points possible will be taken off for lateness up to one week. After the first week, 10% will be taken off the top of the paper score for each day late (thus 8 days late = -20%, 10 days = -40% and so on).
No paper will be accepted 16 calendar days after the deadline.

Participation:
"Participating" is defined in this class as doing the reading and being able and willing to respond to the comments and questions of both the professor and your fellow students on a daily basis. As it is usually impossible for every student to speak or respond to questions during the course of a class, reading quizzes will also be given frequently to ensure that students are indeed completing and understanding the readings. These quizzes will determine the participation grade for the day that they are given.

Department Statement and Detailed Grading Rubric:
The following statement has been adopted by the English department for inclusion in all greensheets:

In English Department Courses, instructors will comment on and grade the quality of student writing as well as the quality of ideas being conveyed. All student writing should be distinguished by correct grammar and punctuation, appropriate diction and syntax, and well-organized paragraphs.

The Department of English reaffirms its commitment to the differential grading scale as defined in the SJSU Catalog ("The Grading System"). Grades issued must represent a full range of student performance: A = excellent; B = above average; C = average; D = below average; F = failure. Courses graded according to the A,, B, C, No Credit system shall follow the same pattern, except that NC (No Credit) shall replace D or F. In such classes, NC shall also substitute for W (Withdrawal) because neither grade (NC or W) affects students' GPA.

In written assignments for English 169, this scale is based on the following criteria: A [90-92=A-, 93-96=A, 97-100=A+] = Excellent: The "A" essay is articulate and well developed with fluid transitions and a clear and persuasive use of evidence, which is drawn from the literary text itself, lecture materials (when appropriate), and research materials. An "A" essay contains a fresh insight which teaches the reader something new about the subject matter.

B [80-82=B-, 83-86=B, 87-89=B+] Above average: The "B" essay demonstrates a good understanding of its subject, a clear and persuasive use of evidence, a certain level of ease of expression, and solid organization. However, it usually lacks the level of originality and creativity that characterizes the insight found in an "A" essay.

C [70-72=C-, 73-76=C, 77-79=C+] = Average: The "C" essay makes a good attempt at all the assignment's requirements. It has a reasonable understanding of its subject matter but its ideas are frequently simplistic or over-generalized. The writing style is also more bland and repetitive than the style shown by "A" and "B" essays and it often contains flaws in grammar, punctuation, spelling and/or word choice. It may also use textual evidence out of context.

D [60-62=D-, 63-66=D, 67-69=D+] = Below average: The "D" essay is poorly organized and generally unclear. It has inappropriate or inadequate examples, is noticeably superficial or simplistic, and/or contains some serious mechanical and grammatical problems. A "D" essay may also reveal some misunderstanding of the assignment requirements.

F = Failure: An "F" essay has not addressed the requirements of the assignment and is unacceptable work in terms of both form and content.

The misrepresentation of another's work as one's own, whether the original work is published or not, is plagiarism and will result in a failing grade. The incident will also be reported to the dean of students for possible further action. All quotes must be enclosed in quotation marks or, when more than three lines, put in an indented block like the quote above. Full citation of the original author and source must also be included.For all papers, review excerpt from Writerís Handbook at the back of the reader for help with quote integration, formatting & proper citation. Your final requirement in the course is to be courteous and professional to both classmates and the professor. I realize that most people take this as a requirement in their daily lives and this statement does not need to be reiterated here. However, people sometimes forget that the classroom is a professional setting and rules that govern a business meeting in a corporation, apply here. For example, devices such as cell phones and pagers need to be turned off; coming to class late is unacceptable.