DUAL CREDIT AGREEMENT BETWEEN

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY

AND

FAYETTE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

In an effort to provide a seamless path of education for high school students seeking the academic rigor of a Research I institution, the University of Kentucky (UK) and the Fayette County Public School (FCPS) district have agreed to cooperate in an initiative for secondary students to receive dual credit in both the high school and UK curriculum requirements.

This Agreement specifies the roles and responsibilities of UK and FCPS (collectively, the Parties) in the dual credit partnership for the purpose of piloting the Kentucky Dual Credit Scholarship Program, a new program established by the Kentucky Governor’s Executive Order 2016-378. The courses offered in this program will be in accordance with the current UK Senate Rules.

The Program will include high school students screened by FCPS for eligibility, and FCPS teachers hired at UK as volunteer adjunct faculty in the appropriate academic departments offering the dual credit courses. For the purposes of this Agreement, dual credit is defined as a college-level course of student offered to high school students, and the enrolled student earns high school credit and college credit simultaneously. This definition is consistent with Kentucky Revised Statute 164.002 and the University Faculty Senate Rules 3.2.0 and 4.3.1.3.4.

As dictated by the Governor’s Executive Order, this Program includes only those courses that are transferrable for general education certification in Kentucky. FCPS and UK agree that for the purposes of this Program, UK is only offering four UK courses:

MA 109 – College Algebra - 3 credits offered by the College of Arts & Sciences (A&S) department of Mathematics

MA 111 – Introduction to Contemporary Mathematics - 3 credits offered by A&S department of Mathematics

WRD 110 – Composition and Communication 1 – 3 credits offered by A&S department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Digital Studies

WRD 111 – Composition and Communication 2 – 3 credits offered by A&S department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Digital Studies

UK Responsibilities:

1. UK faculty of each hiring department will train the high school teachers to teach the curricula for all academic dual credit courses in this Program. This training will occur during Fall 2016 and supervisory oversight and/or mentoring by appointed UK faculty will occur throughout the Spring 2017 term. Each UK department chair will appoint the selected high

 

 

school teachers as volunteer faculty adjuncts for Spring 2017 and (upon signature of the UK Statement of Responsibility) provide access to the MyUK portal for uploading course grades.

2. UK’s Office of Enrollment Management will designate a single point of contact to manage the admission, registration and grading process.

a. Students who participate in this Program will not be assessed any fees, tuition or other costs associated with the course.

b. UK’s Enrollment Management staff will be responsible for informing the schools’ staff and teachers of the current requirements, costs and fees associated with enrollment at UK as a participant in the dual credit initiative.

c. The schools’ staff will be responsible for gathering all the information needed for the UK short application form from the students who choose to participate in the dual credit initiative and will adhere to due dates and guidelines, as outlined in the UK Bulletin. (See special UK application form in Appendix A.)

d. UK’s Enrollment Management staff (in collaboration with the appropriate UK department and college staff) will be responsible for enrolling the students in the dual credit course section at UK.

e. ACT equivalents or UK Placement Tests may be used for certain courses at UK. The professional advising staff (in the A&S departments associated with this Program) will be responsible for working with the UK department and college staff to assure appropriate placement and/or supplemental instruction, if required, for each student.

f. UK’s Enrollment Management staff will work with FCPS, and KHEAA when necessary, to identify and report on each student who chooses to participate in the dual credit initiative to establish deadlines, to bill for payment, and to communicate tuition rates and refund policies.

g. FCPS staff will use Infinite Campus in accordance with KDE Course Data Standards (http://education.ky.gov/districts/tech/sis/pages/ksis-data-standards.aspx) to identify the dual credit courses and allow for KHEAA to create the report for statewide accounting purposes.

h. The schools’ staff will be responsible for obtaining parental permission for release of all grades in the dual credit class, if necessary, to from FCPS to UK.

3. UK faculty will train the high school instructors on the information about the course being taught, including how to provide the student with information about the course he/she is enrolling in and the benefits and risks of enrolling in such courses. UK faculty will be available for questions from the FCPS staff who function as the students’ advisors who are responsible for

 

 

maintaining contact with the students; informing the student of significant dates (i.e., add/drop dates, first and last day of class dates); grading policies; and monitoring student progress. Academic alerts will be handled within the FCPS system, and at midterm and at the end of each semester, the instructors will submit the students’ grades via the MyUK portal.

4. The UK department is responsible for periodic assessment of student artifacts to ensure comparable learning with traditional UK courses.

FCPS Responsibilities:

5. Staff from the high schools in conjunction with UK’s Office of Enrollment Management will be responsible for enrolling the students in dual credit classes.

6. FCPS will be responsible for purchasing required course materials for the purposes of this Program. FCPS will be responsible for providing access to any library or other support resources necessary for student success as outlined by SACSCOC guidelines.

7. FCPS will approve the release of Fifty-two ($52) per credit hour for all students who complete the UK course successfully. Successful completion of the UK course is defined as earning a passing letter grade (i.e., not including E, U, I or W)

Student Responsibilities:

8. High school students choosing to earn UK credit through this dual credit initiative must meet UK’s standards for acceptance as a non-degree-seeking student each semester. Students participating in the Program who wish to matriculate to UK as degree-seeking freshmen should apply to UK during their senior year, prior to the December 1 deadline. Grades earned at UK for dual credit courses will be a part of the student’s permanent academic record at UK and therefore will count in the student’s overall cumulative UK GPA. Upon enrollment at UK as a degree-seeking student - or at any university that accepts college credit successfully achieved at UK, students participating in this dual credit initiative will have the option of completing his/her college program in less time.

9. High school students who are eligible to earn the UK course credit will have UK course titles posted to their UK transcript regardless of the title of their high school course.

a. An official UK syllabus will be prepared for each dual credit course. One copy will be submitted to the UK department and individual copies will be given to students who enroll in the UK course.

b. Admission to UK is required before a student may enroll in a UK class and is contingent upon permission from FCPS (in collaboration with UK regarding the student’s eligibility). However, enrollment in the specific UK course is determined

 

 

(ultimately) by the high school teacher who is teaching that course (the UK adjunct instructor), with the consent of the school’s guidance counselor and principal.

10 High school students enrolled in the UK course will receive a grade using the UK grading scale and it should be similar to the grade that is earned in the student’s high school dual credit course. Students participating in the UK dual credit program must receive credit at both institutions. Students may not audit the class but must be fully enrolled and follow the UK academic calendar.

11. Students enrolled in dual credit courses will complete an evaluation for each course taken as a dual credit course. Evaluation forms (whether on paper or in electronic format) will be handled in a private and secure manner as required by UK Senate Rules. Results will be submitted as soon as coursework is completed.

12. Students enrolled in dual credit courses will adhere to the regular UK Academic Calendar. Should any one of the schools be closed for weather related occurrences, all UK coursework must be made up in a manner approved by the instructor. UK holidays will be observed by UK employees.

The success of the pilot program will be determined jointly by UK and FCPS faculty and staff, including quantitative data (such as ACT sub-scores, withdrawal or failure rates) as well as qualitative data (such as post-attrition survey responses, faculty (FCPS) to faculty (UK) interactions, surveys from the faculty development experiences, and/or Teacher Course Evaluation responses).

Although the parties have attempted to address the issues needed for a successful initiative, both Parties acknowledge that this is a new undertaking and agree to reasonably cooperate to resolve unaddressed issues.

This Agreement shall remain in effect until one or both parties decide to terminate the agreement or until June 30, 2017, whichever comes first. The letter of intent showing the list of dual credit courses must be reviewed prior to the beginning of the UK semester to ensure that current course offerings have been cross-referenced with the course expectations, skills and competencies to the satisfaction of both parties agreeing to this document. ________________________________________ ____________________________ Emmanuel Caulk, Superintendent Date Fayette County Public Schools

 

 

________________________________________ ____________________________ Timothy S. Tracy, Provost Date University of Kentucky ________________________________________ ____________________________ Eli Capilouto, President Date University of Kentucky

DRAFT: 13 October 2016 

6 

APPENDIX A UK Short Application for High School Students in Dual Credit Pilot for Spring 2017

DRAFT: 13 October 2016 

7 

MA109 College Algebra Sections

Active, engaged class participation is required in all sections. Make sure you know when and where your

class meets and make sure to bring appropriate materials to class (a way to view the textbook, a place to take notes, any calculator you want to practice using). Your active, engaged class participation is a major

component of your final grade.

Course description

College Algebra covers selected topics in algebra, such as a review of grade school algebra, quadratic formula, systems of linear equations, introduction to functions and graphing. Please see this more detailed

schedule with supporting lecture notes and worksheets. In particular, we will cover solving equations (linear, quadratic, power, radical, and absolute value equations, as well as equations mentioning the

unknown only once), graphing on the Cartesian coordinate system (with special emphasis on lines, their

slope, perpendicular and parallel lines), solving systems of equations (with substitution and elimination, both linear and non-linear), using technology (such as graphing calculators and numerical root finders),

solving applied problems, inequalities, and general functions, with special emphasis on exponential, logarithmic, polynomial, and rational functions.

The 2016-2017 Bulletin describes the course as

Selected topics in algebra. Develops manipulative algebraic skills and mathematical reasoning required for further study in mathematics. Includes brief review of basic algebra, quadratic formula, systems of linear equations, introduction to functions and graphing. This course is not available for credit to persons who have received credit in any mathematics course of a higher number with the exceptions of MA 111, 112, 123, 162, 201 and 202. Credit not available on the basis of special examination. Prereq: Two years of high school algebra and a Math ACTE score of 21 or above or a Math SAT score of 510 or above; or MA 108R; or appropriate score on the math placement test or grade of C or better in MA 111.

Grading

Your final grade is a letter grade A, B, C, D, or E. It is computed from several components (as indicated in the table). Each exam is taken in the evening, and has a very strict absence and cheating policy (be careful

not to get a zero on the exam). Homework is completed online and requires paying a significant fee ($60

to $150) with the textbook. The instructor score will measure active, engaged, in-class participation. It may be based on pre-class online quizzes, in-class activities or quizzes, or post-class online quizzes. Once the

semester is over, including the final exam, your total points can be compared against the grading cutoffs table to find the matching letter grade. Any curve will be decided after the final exam is graded, but is

unlikely to be significant barring unforeseen circumstances. A typical grade distribution is 20% of students assigned an A, 25% B, 20% C, 10% D, 10% E, and an additional 15% withdrawing. Grade distributions

may change from semester to semester, but this provides a rough indicator of the difficulty students as a

whole have with the course. Please note that the option to retake this course will be more limited in the future.

Grading components

Points % Assessment

SAMPLE

100 18% Exam 1

100 18% Exam 2

100 18% Exam 3

100 18% Final Exam

75 14% Online Homework

75 14% Instructor Score

550 100% Total

Grading cutoffs

Minimum points

Minimum Percent

Grade

495 90.0% A

440 80.0% B

385 70.0% C

330 60.0% D

0 0.0% E

Midterm Grades: Undergraduate students will receive a midterm grade. Mid-term grades will be posted

in myUK by the deadline established in the Academic Calendar (http://www.uky.edu/registrar/calendar).

Student learning outcomes and course goals

The goal of this course is to prepare you to use the basic tools of algebra to manipulate both known and

unknown numerical quantities. By succeeding in this course, you should be prepared to study elementary calculus (as presented in MA 123) as well as being able to understand and work with mathematical models

in your other course work.

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

Recognize that the equation of a line can take many forms. In particular, there are times when

point-slope form is more appropriate than slope-intercept form and vice-versa.

Describe the connection between the slope of a line and a rate of change.

Solve equations algebraically.

Convert a verbal problem description into a symbolic problem description.

Understand the Cartesian Coordinate System.

Recognize the relationship between the solutions of an equation and the graph of an equation.

Recognize the graphs of functions including linear, quadratic, polynomial, rational, step,

exponential, and logarithmic.

Use a variety of problem solving techniques to solve multi-step problems.

Required course materials

Textbook

The textbook College Algebra, by Thomas W. Hungerford and Douglas J. Shaw is required. You may use the 4th or 5th edition of the book, but please keep in mind the requirement to have an access code for

SAMPLE

WebAssign (an additional $65 if not purchased with a 5th edition book, but it can be called Contemporary Precalculus by Hungerford and Shaw).

We use a customized ($50 cheaper) version of the original book, which is specifically published for the University of Kentucky and can be purchased at any UK bookstore (about $150). There is also an ebook

version ($65 from WebAssign). The original and ebook versions are called Contemporary Precalculus.

Access Code for WebAssign

If you purchase your textbook new at any UK bookstore, this will come bundled with the book. Otherwise you will need to purchase the access code from the homework website WebAssign for about $65. You can

use WebAssign free until Wednesday, August 31 by logging into Canvas. It appears that Safari on a Mac computer cannot login. We recommend using Google Chrome. Once you purchase the access code, login

as usual through Canvas and it will complete the registration.

Clicker

Your instructor score is based on active, in-class participation. The way this is measured depends on

which section you are in. You may want to see the submission guidelines for some details.

In the large sections, 001-014, you will need a “Reef Technologies iClicker subscription” for $15 per

semester. They can be purchased from the UK bookstore, or directly from the phone app. If you don't have a device to view webpages on during class, then ask your instructor about other options. You'll need to

register them on Canvas.

Students in the small sections, 015-022, do not need an iClicker. You may be asked to purchase 3x5 index

cards (a dollar or two for the semester).

Lecture Notes

We will be using notes written for you as a complement/guide to the textbook in order to assist you

throughout the course. We will also be using practice problems at the end of every set of notes that have been designed to get you practicing during lecture. These are available for free on our website (though

you'd have to pay for printing if you wanted paper versions).

Lecture notes and worksheets

Textbook Lecture Notes Worksheet Slides

Section 1.1 A bit of review (handwritten) (typeset) worksheet(answers) slides

Sections 1.1,

1.2, 5.1A

Solving equations wisely (handwritten)

(typeset) worksheet(answers) slides

Sections 1.3,

1.4

The Cartesian coordinate system (handwritten)

(typeset) worksheet(answers)

Sections 11.1, 11.1A

Systems of equations (handwritten) (typeset) worksheet(answers) slides

Sections 2.1,

2.2

Using technology wisely (handwritten)

(typeset) worksheet(answers) slides

Section 2.3 A strategy for solving application problems(handwritten) (typeset)

worksheet(answers) slides

SAMPLE

Section 4.6 Inequalities (handwritten) (typeset) worksheet(answers) slides

Chapter 3 Functions (handwritten) (typeset) worksheet(answers) slides

Chapter 5 Exponential and logarithmic

functions (handwritten) (typeset) worksheet(answers) slides

Sections 4.1 to

4.4 Polynomial functions (typeset) worksheet(answers) slides

Section 4.5 Rational functions worksheet slides

Calculator

For part of the course you will need a graphing calculator. A standard choice is the TI-84 ($75 to $125). Most graphing calculators have the same basic functions, and you should be able to learn about your

calculator by reading the manual.

Using the calculator during a test for any reason other than performing the required calculations (for

example, to recall a previously stored formula) will be considered cheating. You may use any graphing calculator that is allowed by ACT. Note that you will not be allowed to use the calculator on a cell phone,

or any other communication device. Furthermore, you may not use any calculator that has a computer algebra system (CAS) or a QWERTY keyboard. In particular, you may not use the TI-Nspire CAS, any TI-

89, any TI-92, the HP 48GII, any HP 40G, any HP 49G, any HP 50G, the Casio Algebra fx 2.0, the Casio ClassPad 300, the Casio ClassPad 330, or any Casio CFX-9970G.

Course policies

There are a number of important policies that can have a dramatic effect on your understanding and final

grade in this course. These policies are intended to be uniform and simple, but if you have not read over them, they may have unexpected consequences.

Attendance

Active, engaged, in-class participation is mandatory and forms a major portion of your final grade. You should be ready to work when class begins (for example: seated, notes and pencil ready, attention to the

front, quiet at 8:00am if the class starts at 8:00am). You should not pack up or leave until class is over (for example: you should still be working at 8:49am if the class ends at 8:50am). If you have special

circumstances, please contact your instructor before class begins so that they can excuse late arrivals or

early departures. Unexcused late arrivals or early departures may result in significant reduction in participation grade for each day on which they occur.

Students need to notify the professor of absences prior to class when possible. Senate Rules 5.2.4.2

defines the following as acceptable reasons for excused absences: (a) serious illness, (b) illness or death

of family member, (c) University-related trips, (d) major religious holidays, and (e) other circumstances found to fit "reasonable cause for nonattendance" by the professor.

Students anticipating an absence for a major religious holiday are responsible for notifying the instructor

in writing of anticipated absences due to their observance of such holidays no later than the last day in

the semester to add a class. Two weeks prior to the absence is reasonable, but should not be given any later. Information regarding major religious holidays may be obtained through the Ombud (859-257-

3737, http://www.uky.edu/Ombud/ForStudents_ExcusedAbsences.php.

SAMPLE

Students are expected to withdraw from the class if more than 20% of the classes scheduled for the

semester are missed (excused) per University policy.

Per Senate Rule 5.2.4.2, students missing any graded work due to an excused absence are responsible: for informing the Instructor of Record about their excused absence within one week following the period

of the excused absence (except where prior notification is required); and for making up the missed work.

The professor must give the student an opportunity to make up the work and/or the exams missed due to an excused absence, and shall do so, if feasible, during the semester in which the absence occurred.

Verification of Absences

Students may be asked to verify their absences in order for them to be considered excused. Senate Rule 5.2.4.2 states that faculty have the right to request "appropriate verification" when students claim an

excused absence because of illness, or death in the family. Appropriate notification of absences due to University-related trips is required prior to the absence when feasible and in no case more than one week

after the absence.

Submission of assignments

Homework must be submitted online at WebAssign, in the appropriate course as accessed from Canvas. WebAssign is a for-profit company that charges a fee to use their online homework. The student is

responsible for paying this fee. The textbook at the UK Bookstore includes this fee (about $150 including both book and fee). The WebAssign website should also provide a link to purchase an online-only version

of the textbook that also includes this fee (about $65 including both e-book and fee).

The homework due dates are listed in the course schedule. Homework assignments are always due at

11:59 pm. Please note that if you are having trouble with the website, you should contact WebAssign for help. There will be many homework sets throughout the semester. You can see the homework

assignment due dates on the class schedule. Note that two of these assignments are due during Dead Week.

Exams must be taken at the specified times and locations, or an alternate exam must be approved by the instructor, using the form in canvas. You are expected to take the exam without notes, textbooks, online

access, or communication with your peers. You may use a calculator approved for use on the ACT.

Instructor score may require submission of online quizzes (also on WebAssign) that may be due before

class (“reading checks”), during class (“emporium style”), or after class (“daily quiz”). Sections 001 to 014 require the use of Reef Technologies iClicker which costss about $15 (and can be used on your smart

phone, tablet, or laptop). Instructor score may also require taking a short in-class quiz at the beginning (“entrance slip”), middle (“pop quiz”), or end (“exit slip”). You may be expected to bring your own index

card to turn in the quiz, especially in sections 015 to 022.

Please notify your instructor in advance if you need accommodations due to disability. Exam

accommodations require one week notice to get everything in place. Most accommodations can be worked

out (in broad strokes) with the disability resource center. They will provide you with a letter for your instructor that should make finding accommodations easy. You should still check with your instructor that

everything looks fine (and arrange a private meeting if details need to discussed).

SAMPLE

Academic Honesty

Per University policy, students shall not plagiarize, cheat, or falsify or misuse academic records. Students

are expected to adhere to University policy on cheating and plagiarism in all courses. The minimum penalty for a first offense is a zero on the assignment on which the offense occurred. If the offense is considered

severe or the student has other academic offenses on their record, more serious penalties, up to suspension

from the University may be imposed.

Plagiarism and cheating are serious breaches of academic conduct. Each student is advised to become familiar with the various forms of academic dishonesty as explained in the Code of Student Rights and

Responsibilities. Complete information can be found at the following website: http://www.uky.edu/Ombud.

A plea of ignorance is not acceptable as a defense against the charge of academic dishonesty. It is important that you review this information as all ideas borrowed from others need to be properly credited.

Senate Rules 6.3.1 (see http://www.uky.edu/Faculty/Senate/ for the current set of Senate Rules) states

that all academic work, written or otherwise, submitted by students to their instructors or other academic

supervisors, is expected to be the result of their own thought, research, or self-expression. In cases where students feel unsure about a question of plagiarism involving their work, they are obliged to consult their

instructors on the matter before submission.

When students submit work purporting to be their own, but which in any way borrows ideas, organization,

wording, or content from another source without appropriate acknowledgment of the fact, the students are guilty of plagiarism.

Plagiarism includes reproducing someone else's work (including, but not limited to a published article, a

book, a website, computer code, or a paper from a friend) without clear attribution. Plagiarism also includes

the practice of employing or allowing another person to alter or revise the work, which a student submits as his/her own, whoever that other person may be. Students may discuss assignments among themselves

or with an instructor or tutor, but when the actual work is done, it must be done by the student, and the student alone.

When a student's assignment involves research in outside sources or information, the student must carefully acknowledge exactly what, where and how he/she has employed them. If the words of someone else are

used, the student must put quotation marks around the passage in question and add an appropriate indication of its origin. Making simple changes while leaving the organization, content, and phraseology

intact is plagiaristic. However, nothing in these Rules shall apply to those ideas, which are so generally and

freely circulated as to be a part of the public domain.

Please note: Any assignment you turn in may be submitted to an electronic database to check for plagiarism.

Classroom Behavior, Decorum, and Civility

Students are expected to be actively participating during class. Students are also expected not to distract

others. If you arrive late, leave early, are distracted by your phone, or are otherwise not actively engaged with the class you may not receive credit for participating that day. If you are disrupting class, you may be

asked to leave.

College Algebra is traditionally a very difficult class, and many of your classmates will be having a hard time

adjusting both to the university and to the demands of the class. You are expected to treat your classmates with respect. It is reasonable to disagree, but you should express your disagreement respectfully. Personal

attacks or statements denigrating another on the basis of race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender or

SAMPLE

gender expression, age, national/regional origin or other such irrelevant factors are considered a severe

disruption. Harassment will not be tolerated.

Course Schedule

The following is a tentative course schedule. The homework assignments correspond to the lecture notes.

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

Aug 22 Aug 23

Aug 24

First Day of Classes

Aug 25 Aug 26

HW: Check-in

Aug 29

Aug 30

Last Day to Add HW: A bit of

review

Aug 31 Sep 1

Sep 2

HW: Solving Equations A

Sep 5

Labor Day

(no

classes)

Sep 6 HW: Solving

Equations B

Sep 7

HW: Mini-Exam 1 Sep 8

Sep 9 HW: Solving

Equations C

Sep 12

Sep 13

HW: Solving

Equations D

Sep 14 Last Day to Drop

Sep 15

Sep 16

HW: Cartesian

coordinates A

Sep 19

Sep 20

HW: Cartesian

coordinates B

Sep 21

Exam 1 (7:30pm –

9:30pm)

Sep 22 Sep 23

Sep 26 Sep 27 HW: Systems A

Sep 28 Sep 29 Sep 30 HW: Systems B

Oct 3 Oct 4 HW: Systems C

Oct 5 HW: Mini-Exam 2

Oct 6 Oct 7 HW: Tech Wisely

Oct 10 Oct 11 HW: Applied

Oct 12 Oct 13 Oct 14 HW: Inequalities

Oct 17 Oct 18 HW: Functions A

Oct 19

Exam 2 (7:30pm – 9:30pm)

Oct 20 Oct 21 Midterm grades

SAMPLE

Oct 24 Oct 25 HW: Functions B

Oct 26 Oct 27 Oct 28 HW: Functions C

Oct 31 Nov 1 HW: Functions D

Nov 2 HW: Mini-Exam 3

Nov 3 Nov 4 HW: Functions E

Nov 7

Nov 8

Presidential Election Day

(no classes)

HW: Functions F

Nov 9 Nov 10

Nov 11 Last Day to

Withdraw HW: Exp/Log A

Nov 14 Nov 15 HW: Exp/Log B

Nov 16

Exam 3 (7:30pm – 9:30pm)

Nov 17 Nov 18

Nov 21 Nov 22 HW: Exp/Log C

Nov 23

Thanksgiving Break

(no classes)

Nov 24

Thanksgiving Break (no classes)

Nov 25

Thanksgiving Break

(no classes)

Nov 28 Nov 29 HW: Poly A

Nov 30 HW: Mini-Exam 4

Dec 1 Dec 2 HW: Poly B

Dec 5 Dec 6 HW: Poly C

Dec 7 Dec 8

Dec 9

Last Day of Classes

HW: Rational

Dec 12 Dec 13 Dec 14 Dec 15 Final Exam

(6:00pm - 8:00pm)

Dec 16

Study help

In addition to the lecture notes, the textbook and your instructor's office hours, you may find the following useful for studying:

Old exams

The topics covered on each exam in MA 109 may change slightly from semester to semester. Thus, the exams which are linked to this page may cover different topics than the exams to be given this semester

in MA 109.

SAMPLE

Spring 2016 Exam 1 Exam 2 Exam 3 Exam 4

Key 1 Key 2 Key 3 Key 4

Fall 2015

Exam 1 Exam 2 Exam 3 Exam 4

Key 1 Key 2 Key 3 Key 4

Explanation 1 Explanation 2 Explanation 3 Explanation 4 (and another)

Spring 2015 Exam 1 Exam 2 Exam 3 Exam 4

Key 1 Key 2 Key 3 Key 4

Fall 2014 Exam 1 Exam 2 Exam 3 Exam 4

Key 1 Key 2 Key 3 Key 4

Spring 2014 Exam 1 Exam 2 Exam 3 Exam 4

Key 1 Key 2 Key 3 Key 4

Fall 2013 Exam 1 Exam 2 Exam 3 Exam 4

Key 1 Key 2 Key 3 Key 4

Spring 2013 Exam 1 Exam 2 Exam 3 Exam 4

Key 1 Key 2 Key 3 Key 4

Fall 2012 Exam 1 Exam 2 Exam 3 Exam 4

Key 1 Key 2 Key 3 Key 4

Spring 2012 Exam 1 Exam 2 Exam 3 Exam 4

Key 1 Key 2 Key 3 Key 4

Fall 2011 Exam 1 Exam 2 Exam 3 Exam 4

Key 1 Key 2 Key 3 Key 4

Spring 2011 Exam 1 Exam 2 Exam 3 Exam 4

Key 1 Key 2 Key 3 Key 4

Services in The Mathskeller and The Study

The Mathskeller is located in CB 063 in the basement of the classroom building. Many instructors from the

Department of Mathematics will hold office hours in the Mathskeller. In addition, limited drop-in tutoring is

available. The Mathskeller is open from 9am to 5pm Monday through Friday (except academic holidays) during the semester. Additional information is available at http://www.math.uky.edu/~mathskeller/.

The Peer Tutoring Program offers FREE drop-in tutoring for many University of Kentucky (UK) core courses.

Offering proactive assistance, the goal of the Peer Tutoring Program is to enhance students' academic

experience as early and as often as possible. The Peer Tutoring Program provides a welcoming and friendly atmosphere for students to drop in, as they wish, to seek help on homework or exam prep, or simply to

study within a group environment. Peer Tutors in The Study and The Study North are nationally certified, well-trained undergraduate students who have successfully completed the course for which they tutor at

UK. This makes them a great resource for questions about a professor or course format in addition to questions pertaining to the subject

Peer tutoring is offered in two locations—The Study, on the third floor of the Complex Commons building in the Blanding-Kirwan Complex on south campus, and The Study North, on the first floor of Champions

Court I/Jewel Hall (residence hall across from the Student Center) on north campus.

SAMPLE

SAMPLE

MA 111: Intro to Contemporary Mathematics, Section 001College of Arts & Sciences (A&S)Department of Mathematics (MA)

Fall 2016

Please read this syllabus carefully. It contains essential information about the course organization,grading, tests, etc. See related links to webpages for additional information on selected topics. If you needmore explanation ON AN ISSUE NOT COVERED HERE OR ON THE RELATED WEBPAGES, pleasedo not hesitate to ask Dr. Nguyen.

Instructor Information:Instructor: Nicholas D. NguyenOffice: Patterson Office Tower 705 (POT 705)Email: nicholas.nguyen@uky.edu (The best method of contact! )Office Hours: Tu 9:30-11 AM, Th 9:30-11 AM, POT 705,

MWF, 12:30PM-1:30 PM, Mathskeller, CB 063,Other times available by appointment.

Class Time and Location: MWF 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM, CB 234

Course Web Page: http://www.ms.uky.edu/~ndng224/MA111/

REEF Polling: I will be using REEF Polling by i>clicker in class this term. REEF Polling helps me tounderstand what you know, gives everyone a chance to participate in class, and allows you to review thematerial after class. Please see page 2 for information about REEF.

Textbook: A textbook is not required. Lecture slides and notes on upcoming topics will be posted onthe course website before each class meeting.

Course Goals:

• To expose students to a variety of mathematical topics, many of which they would never see in atraditional algebra-based math class.

• To encourage students to persist in solving problems and to develop an appreciation for the beautyof mathematical solutions.

• To recognize the value of mathematics in solving a variety of practical (and fun!) problems in societyand culture.

Student Learning Outcomes: This course will be an introduction to some modern mathematical meth-ods in application to real life problems. It is expected that by the end of the semester, students will acquirean informal understanding of a variety of new mathematical methods and will be able to appreciate theirpower and beauty. By the end of the semester, students should be able to demonstrate a proficiency inthe application of mathematical knowledge for modeling solutions to questions drawn from real life.

Course Help: If you find that you need help in the course, then you should visit Dr. Nguyen ASSOON AS POSSIBLE! If the posted office hours do not work with your schedule then you should askabout making an appointment.

Additional help can be found from faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduate students avail-able in the Mathskeller, CB 063, M–F, 9–5, http://www.mathskeller.com.

SAMPLE

Creating Your REEF Polling Account:Go to http://reef-education.com or download the REEF Polling app for your smartphone to sign upfor a REEF Polling account.

You should use your university email address and your STUDENT ID NUMBER without theleading 9 in the Student ID field. If you need to change your email address, password, or student ID, edityour account profile. Do not create and use more than one REEF Polling account as you will only receivecredit from a single account.

Unless you will exclusively be using an i>clicker remote, you will need to purchase a subscription touse REEF Polling. You can use a credit card to purchase online or through an in-app purchase, or buy anaccess code from the bookstore. Creating a REEF Polling account automatically starts a free 14-day trialsubscription.

Note: if you buy an access code, you must redeem it online at http://reef-education.com - the codecannot be entered in the app.

Add a Clicker to Your REEF Polling Account:You may use either your smart device or registered clicker to vote in classroom polls throughout the termand will be able to review your session history no matter which device you use.

If you want to use your i>clicker + or i>clicker 2 remote, you must register it with your REEF account.Register your clicker by logging into REEF Polling, navigate to your profile, and then enter your 8-characterclicker ID.

Add This Course to Your REEF Polling Account:Search with the following information to find this course and add it to your REEF Polling account:Institution: University of KentuckyCourse: MA111-F16-Nguyen-8am

2

SAMPLE

Grading: You will be evaluated in the course in the areas below, weighted by the given percentages.Participation 15%Project 10%Homework 15%Mini-Exams 7.5% each (×2 out of 4)Exams 15% each (×3 out of 4)

Two Mini-Exam scores and One Exam score will be dropped from your final grade.See the sections on Mini-Exams and Exams for more information.

Your overall letter grade will be based on the following percentages (rounded to the nearest whole percent):A 90%-100%B 80%-89%C 70%-79%D 60%-69%E 0%-59%

Participation: This portion of your grade will be earned by attending class on a regular basis (withoutarriving late or leaving early), completing in-class assignments, and actively participating in the lesson withREEF polling. You will often be allowed (and encouraged) to work in groups during our class meetings.

Project: This portion of your grade will be earned by completing a written project. I will go into moredetail about the project in the middle of the semester.

Homework: This portion of your grade will be earned by completing individual online assignments outsideof class. These assignments will include an online portion at

http://webwork111.as.uky.edu/webwork2/MA111-F16-Nguyen/

Details on using the homework site will be posted later (at the same place you found this syllabus).Homework is usually assigned every week, and typically will be due three to five days after it is assigned.

Mini-Exams: We will have a mini-exam midway through each of the four covered topics. Although(two of) these will contribute to your overall grade, they are designed more to give you an idea of theprogress that you are making with the material. We will spend 20-25 minutes on mini-exam days takingthe mini-exam itself, and then cover new material for the rest of that day.At the end of the semester, your grade is determined by your highest two mini-exam scores.

Exams: We will have four exams throughout the semester, one for each of the topics we cover. Three outof four of these will contribute to your overall grade. Note that the exam during Finals week is Exam 4.At the end of the semester, your grade is determined by your highest three exam scores.

Note on Calculators: Please see this page for a description of permitted calculators which may be usedon exams and mini-exams:

http://www.actstudent.org/faq/calculator.html

You do not need a graphing calculator for this course; you will only need a basic calculator that can doaddition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and exponents.

SAMPLE

Rules and Regulations

UK Core: This course satisfies the Quantitative Foundations requirement of the UK Core GeneralEducation program, http://www.uky.edu/GenEd.

Excused Absences: University Senate Rule 5.2.4.2 defines the following as acceptable reasons for excusedabsences:

1. serious illness;

2. illness or death of family member;

3. University-related trips;

4. major religious holidays;

5. other circumstances your instructor finds to be “reasonable cause for nonattendance”.

Be prepared to supply documentation for any absence you want to be counted as excused.You must show me this documentation within one week after the absence. Students anticipatingan absence for a major religious holiday are responsible for notifying the instructor in writing of anticipatedabsences due to their observance of such holidays no later than the last day for adding a class. It is almostalways possible to notify your instructor of an excused absence before class. Students who have excusedabsences due to University-related trips or major religious holidays must inform the instructor prior to theabsence and must complete all work prior to the absence. Students who are ill must inform the instructorof their absence(s) as soon as they return to class and they must provide documentation to demonstratethat the absence(s) was excused. Students who have excused absences due to illness or the death of afamily member will be allowed to make up any missed work in a timely manner. These arrangements mustbe made with the instructor on a case-by-case basis.

Academic Integrity, Cheating, and Plagiarism: You should feel free to study with friends, but anywork you submit for a grade should be your own work. This applies to all exams, quizzes, and writingassignments, with the exception of any assignment that is specifically designated as a group assignment.

Academic dishonesty, in any form, will not be tolerated. This includes, but is not limited to, copying aclassmate’s work, allowing a classmate to copy your work, modifying an exam after it has been handed backin an attempt to deceive the instructor into believing the assignment was graded incorrectly. A studentfound guilty of academic dishonesty will receive an automatic E on the assignment, and in some cases theoffense may lead to an E for the course, academic probation, or even expulsion. See sections 6.3.1 and 6.3.2at www.uky.edu/StudentAffairs/Code/part2.html for more information regarding academic integrity.

Disability Accommodations: If you have documented disability that requires academic accommoda-tions, please see me as soon as possible during scheduled office hours. In order to receive accommodationsin this course, you must provide me with a Letter of Accommodation from the Disability Resource Center(Suite 407, Multidisciplinary Science Building, 859-257-2754, email address dtbeac1@uky.edu) for coordi-nation of campus disability services available to students with disabilities.

Suggestions: Constructive suggestions for this course are welcome at any time. I welcome suggestionsthat will improve the course both this semester and in semesters to come. If you have any concerns,please bring them to my attention first. Further recourse is available through the office of the DepartmentOmbud and the Department Chair. Both the Ombud and the Chair can be reached from the main officein POT 719.

SAMPLE

Classroom Behavior, Decorum, and Civility: I expect that you will not only attend class, butthat you will participate in class. I expect that you will be respectful of yourself and others.

Please do not bring food items in the classroom. Any drinks you bring into the classroom mustcome in a container with a lid or cap. Please silence your cell phones when you enter class, but keepthem on and connected to Wi-Fi if you use your phone for REEF polling. Please do not work on otherclasses during lecture. Please do not surf the internet during class. Please do not read the newspaperduring class, work on Sudoku, etc. during class. Please do not sleep during class. Please do not talk orwhisper during lecture unless the instructor has given you the floor. In a classroom it is difficult for otherstudents and the instructor to hear if there are several little conversations taking place at the same time.

The university, college and department has a commitment to respect the dignity of all and to valuedifferences among members of our academic community. There exists the role of discussion and debatein academic discovery and the right of all to respectfully disagree from time-to-time. Students clearlyhave the right to take reasoned exception and to voice opinions contrary to those offered by the instructorand/or other students (S.R. 6.1.2). Equally, a faculty member has the right—and the responsibility—toensure that all academic discourse occurs in a context characterized by respect and civility. Obviously, theaccepted level of civility would not include attacks of a personal nature or statements denigrating anotheron the basis of race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, age, national/regional origin or other such irrelevantfactors. Students who are not respectful, not civil, or disruptive in any way may be asked to leave theclass, with all subsequent penalties applied to their grade.

Important Math 111 Dates:The following is a list of exam dates for the Fall 2016 semester (TENTATIVE!):

Wednesday, September 7: Mini-Exam 1 Wednesday, September 21: Exam 1Wednesday, October 5: Mini-Exam 2 Wednesday, October 19: Exam 2Wednesday, November 2: Mini-Exam 3 Friday, November 11: Exam 3Wednesday, November 30: Mini-Exam 4

Final Exam (Exam 4): Wednesday, December 14, 3:30 PM - 5:30PM

Important Semester Dates:The following is a list of important dates for the Fall 2016 semester:

• Wednesday, August 24: First day of classes

• Tuesday, August 30: Last day to add a class

• Monday, September 5: Labor Day break (academic holiday)

• Wednesday, September 14: Last day to drop a class without receiving a grade

• Monday, October 17: Midterm of Fall 2016 semester

• Friday, November 4: Last day to withdraw from a class

• Tuesday, November 8: Presidential election day (academic holiday)

• Wed-Fri, November 23–25: Thanksgiving break (academic holiday)

• Friday, December 9: Last day of classes

SAMPLE

MA 111: Introduction to Contemporary Mathematics An introduction to concepts and applications of mathematics, with examples drawn from such areas as voting methods, apportionment, consumer finance, graph theory, tilings, polyhedra, number theory, and game theory. This course is not available for credit to persons who have received credit in any mathematics course of a higher number with the exceptions of MA 112, 123, 162, 201 and 202. This course does not serve as a prerequisite for any calculus course. Credit not available on the basis of special examination. Prereq: Two years of high school algebra and a Math ACT score of 19 or above, or MA 108R, or math placement test.

Course Coverage: 1st quarter of semester: Voting Theory 2nd quarter of semester: Cryptography 3rd quarter of semester: Compensation Theory 4th quarter of semester: Graph Theory

Midterm Grades: Undergraduate students will receive a midterm grade. Mid-term grades will be posted in myUK by the deadline established in the Academic Calendar (http://www.uky.edu/registrar/calendar).

Attendance: Students need to notify the professor of absences prior to class when possible. Senate Rules 5.2.4.2 defines the following as acceptable reasons for excused absences: (a) serious illness, (b) illness or death of family member, (c) University-related trips, (d) major religious holidays, and (e) other circumstances found to fit "reasonable cause for nonattendance" by the professor. Students anticipating an absence for a major religious holiday are responsible for notifying the instructor in writing of anticipated absences due to their observance of such holidays no later than the last day in the semester to add a class. Two weeks prior to the absence is reasonable, but should not be given any later. Information regarding major religious holidays may be obtained through the Ombud (859-257-3737, http://www.uky.edu/Ombud/ForStudents_ExcusedAbsences.php. Students are expected to withdraw from the class if more than 20% of the classes scheduled for the semester are missed (excused) per University policy. Per Senate Rule 5.2.4.2, students missing any graded work due to an excused absence are responsible: for informing the Instructor of Record about their excused absence within one week following the period of the excused absence (except where prior notification is required); and for making up the missed work. The professor must give the student an opportunity to make up the work and/or the exams missed due to an excused absence, and shall do so, if feasible, during the semester in which the absence occurred.

Verification of Absences Students may be asked to verify their absences in order for them to be considered excused. Senate Rule 5.2.4.2 states that faculty have the right to request "appropriate verification" when students claim an excused absence because of illness, or death in the family. Appropriate notification of absences due to University-related trips is required prior to the absence when feasible and in no case more than one week after the absence.

SAMPLE

Academic Integrity Per University policy, students shall not plagiarize, cheat, or falsify or misuse academic records. Students are expected to adhere to University policy on cheating and plagiarism in all courses. The minimum penalty for a first offense is a zero on the assignment on which the offense occurred. If the offense is considered severe or the student has other academic offenses on their record, more serious penalties, up to suspension from the University may be imposed. Plagiarism and cheating are serious breaches of academic conduct. Each student is advised to become familiar with the various forms of academic dishonesty as explained in the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities. Complete information can be found at the following website: http://www.uky.edu/Ombud. A plea of ignorance is not acceptable as a defense against the charge of academic dishonesty. It is important that you review this information as all ideas borrowed from others need to be properly credited. Senate Rules 6.3.1 (see http://www.uky.edu/Faculty/Senate/ for the current set of Senate Rules) states that all academic work, written or otherwise, submitted by students to their instructors or other academic supervisors, is expected to be the result of their own thought, research, or self-expression. In cases where students feel unsure about a question of plagiarism involving their work, they are obliged to consult their instructors on the matter before submission. When students submit work purporting to be their own, but which in any way borrows ideas, organization, wording, or content from another source without appropriate acknowledgment of the fact, the students are guilty of plagiarism. Plagiarism includes reproducing someone else's work (including, but not limited to a published article, a book, a website, computer code, or a paper from a friend) without clear attribution. Plagiarism also includes the practice of employing or allowing another person to alter or revise the work, which a student submits as his/her own, whoever that other person may be. Students may discuss assignments among themselves or with an instructor or tutor, but when the actual work is done, it must be done by the student, and the student alone. When a student's assignment involves research in outside sources or information, the student must carefully acknowledge exactly what, where and how he/she has employed them. If the words of someone else are used, the student must put quotation marks around the passage in question and add an appropriate indication of its origin. Making simple changes while leaving the organization, content, and phraseology intact is plagiaristic. However, nothing in these Rules shall apply to those ideas, which are so generally and freely circulated as to be a part of the public domain. Please note: Any assignment you turn in may be submitted to an electronic database to check for plagiarism.

 

 

WRD 110: Composition and Communication I  Fall 2014 Instructor: Joshua Abboud Section Time Location Office Location: 1319 POT 007 MWF 9-9:50am Blazer

015 MWF 10-10:50am Blazer Office Hours: MWF 1-2pm and by appointment Phone: 859.257.8947 Email: j.abboud@uky.edu

  

OVERVIEW AND GOALS Composition and Communication I is the first course in a two-course sequence designed to engage students in composing and communicating ideas using speech, writing, and visuals. Students will develop critical thinking and information literacy skills within an academic context that emphasizes the problems confronting educated citizens of the twenty- first century. Students will practice composing, critiquing, and revising ideas for audiences in oral, written, and visual formats, and will work in small groups to develop interpersonal communication skills.

Composition and Communication I is a course in speaking and writing emphasizing critical inquiry and research. We will be investigating ideas of community—how we define community, what our place is in community, the culture and practices associated with different communities, how community changes and how we can respond to or affect that change. Throughout the course, I will encourage you to explore your place in the broader community and take a stance on issues of public concern—that is, to begin to view yourself as an engaged citizen. You will engage in reflective thinking and analysis, conduct primary research in the community and secondary research using Library resources, and learn how to write and speak effectively as we answer questions focusing on our place in different communities and spaces. A significant component of the class will be learning to use visuals and online resources to enhance writing and oral presentations. Over the course of the semester, class members can expect to work independently, with a partner, or with a small group of classmates to investigate, share findings, and compose presentations of their research, as well as to practice and evaluate interpersonal and team dynamics in action.

 STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES By the end of the semester, students will be able to

compose written texts in many different modes and media and deliver oral presentations that represent a relevant and informed point of view appropriate for its audience, purpose, and occasion in an environment that reinforces the recursive and generative nature of the composition and delivery rehearsal processes.

demonstrate an awareness of strategies that speakers and writers use in different communicative situations and media, and in large and small groups; learn to analyze and use visuals effectively to augment their oral presentations; to employ invention techniques for analyzing and developing arguments; to recognize and address differing genre and discourse conventions; and to document their sources appropriately.

find, analyze, evaluate, and properly cite pertinent primary and secondary sources, using relevant discovery tools, as part of the process of speech preparation and writing process.

develop flexible and effective strategies for organizing, revising, editing, proofreading, and practicing/rehearsing to improve the development of their ideas and the appropriateness of their expression.

 

 

collaborate with peers, the instructor, and librarians to define revision strategies for their essays and speeches, to set goals for improving them, and to devise effective plans for achieving those goals.

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engage in a range of small group activities that allow them to explore and express their experiences and perspectives on issues under discussion.

 

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS We are fortunate this semester to participate in a pilot run of a new textbook that is being produced in-house by WRD faculty. The textbook content is finished and it is in the final stages before it gets rolled out to the larger WRD student population. I will make the textbook available to you through blackboard. This will be at no cost to you; this comes, however, with a responsibility. We ask that you take notes as you read and use the textbook; note down any issues you may have technically or otherwise, typos or incorrect information, and any impressions about the text itself, the examples used, the images, colors, etc. (negative or positive).

  

 

COURSE POLICIES  

On - Ti m e A t t en d a n c e a n d P a r t i c i p a t i o n  

Since discussion will be an integral part of the course, you must be prepared for class, on time, and offer productive comments based on the assigned readings. Preparation involves not only reading but also making notes about the reading so that you are prepared to discuss issues in depth. I reserve the right to add quizzes to the class agenda if too many class members appear to be unprepared.

 You can accrue three unexcused absences without penalty but your final course grade will be reduced by a half letter grade for each unexcused absence thereafter. This will also negatively impact your participation grade as you will not be in class to contribute. To receive an excused absence, you must provide official documentation; if for a sponsored University activity (such as intercollegiate athletics), documentation must be provided in advance.

 Students who are 10 minutes late on a MWF will be marked absent for the day, unless otherwise decided on by the instructor and student. If you will have a consistent problem making it to class on time you will need to discuss this matter with the instructor as soon as possible to decide alternatives. Being marked absent for a tardy will become an unexcused absence, weighing against your total number of unexcused absences, if you cannot provide proper documentation. If a quiz occurs, you can only make it up if you have a valid, documented excuse for your tardiness. So be prepared and on time!

 One more note about attendance and participation: In this section of the class policies I also like to include what I expect from you in terms of our interactions as students and instructors. I take this very seriously. This is NOT a class you can miss and expect to pass. This is not a course that you can come unprepared and expect to pass. Attendance/Participation is not only about your own well-being and learning, but also a matter of ethos and being a citizen of the university and class community. It shows mutual respect to the instructor and your colleagues, not to mention yourself. The policies above outline a basic and practical guide to what these mean to the functioning of the classroom, however, it means much more than simply attending and raising your hand once in a while. It means taking an active part in your learning. The instructor guides the class and assesses progress; the students earn their grades by making it their class.

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Excused Absences

Students need to notify the professor of absences prior to class when possible. Senate Rules 5.2.4.2 defines the following as acceptable reasons for excused absences: (a) serious illness, (b) illness or death of family member, (c) University-related trips, (d) major religious holidays, and (e) other circumstances found to fit “reasonable cause for nonattendance” by the professor.

Students anticipating an absence for a major religious holiday are responsible for notifying the instructor in writing of anticipated absences due to their observance of such holidays no later than the last day in the semester to add a class. Two weeks prior to the absence is reasonable, but should not be given any later. Information regarding major religious holidays may be obtained through the Ombud (859-257-3737, http://www.uky.edu/Ombud/ForStudents_ExcusedAbsences.php.

Students are expected to withdraw from the class if more than 20% of the classes scheduled for the semester are missed (excused) per University policy.

Per Senate Rule 5.2.4.2, students missing any graded work due to an excused absence are responsible: for informing the Instructor of Record about their excused absence within one week following the period of the excused absence (except where prior notification is required); and for making up the missed work. The professor must give the student an opportunity to make up the work and/or the exams missed due to an excused absence, and shall do so, if feasible, during the semester in which the absence occurred.

Students may be asked to verify their absences in order for them to be considered excused. Senate 

Rule 5.2.4.2 states that faculty have the right to request “appropriate verification” when students claim 

an excused absence because of illness, or death in the family. Appropriate notification of absences due 

to University‐related trips is required prior to the absence when feasible and in no case more than one 

week after the absence.  

Of f i c e H o u r s a n d Ot h e r C o m m u n i q u é  

I am here to help you succeed, not fail. Sometimes failure is part of this process, but most of the time I find that students rise to the challenges they face and overcome them in novel ways. I cannot help you all in the same way; you all have individual situations. I will hold regular office hours for you every week. These hours are not for me; they are for you. If you have any issues, or questions that need special attention, or if you just feel the need to make sure you are on track and we are both on the same page, please come see me at office hours.

 I will NOT discuss grades in any way through email. Do not even try. This is not only a policy of mine, but a very serious university privacy issue. We can discuss grades and performance in person during office hours. I will not respond to any request to discuss grades electronically except to setup an appointment to meet face to face.

 I will also refuse to tell you what happened in a particular class you missed, but most especially through email. Most of the time I am asked in an email "Did I miss anything?" Please put yourself in my position: how would you feel about being asked this question? We are learning all about rhetoric and audience, and this is the worst possible question to ask an educator. Of course you missed EVERYTHING!!! And there is no possible way to recreate the events of the class. You missed it and it cannot be recovered; ask another student and move on. You have the syllabus; you know what is going on and when things are due. I also will not respond to emails telling me you will not be in class. I will know when you don't show up, and then I will either await your excuse note or it will go down as an unexcused absence.

 Email is my preferred method of getting in touch with me. However, I am not waiting by my computer 24

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hours a day for your emails, so please be considerate of my time when you decide to email me. Make sure it isn't a question about what you missed, nor letting me know you will miss class. I will respond to special requests or important concerns, of course.

 We may also be using various social media platforms to communicate with one another. Some of you will embrace this and find it a wonderful way to communicate in everyday situations. None of them, however, are efficient ways to contact me when you expect a quick response. For anything important regarding the class I will use Twitter as only one way to alert you to something. Email will be the official way for me to relay something important to you. Please check your email at least once per day.

 Lastly, I will be inputting scores into Blackboard as you receive them for your projects and assignments. There will be a column that claims to give you a grade "total," perhaps in a percentage. This is not your final grade. Final grades are calculated with your assignments as well as attendance and participation scores. These will be included once the semester is over. I am including this part here because your grade should never be a surprise. If you have any concerns we can speak about them in office hours. You should know where you stand; this is up to you. Keep track on Blackboard and with me individually and you should have a perfect idea of your final grade. This will prevent gaps between what you "believe" your final grade "should" be and what it actually "is" once everything has been calculated.

 Please note: if you have turned in any assignments late or have missed more than the three unexcused absences for the semester, you can be certain you will not receive an "A" for this class regardless of the quality of the work you have turned in. That should give you a good estimation of where you stand as the semester comes to a close. We will talk more about this (hopefully outside of class as well) as the semester goes on. In summary: It is your job to monitor your grades, know your attendance and how much you feel you're engaging the class, and make this class your own. There is no extra credit in this course, but you will have ample time and opportunity for peer review, make multiple drafts, and revise your work. This should be a learning experience, and I will assume that this is a process that will continue even after you graduate.

 La t e A ssi g n m e n t s

 

Per Senate Rule 5.2.4.2, students missing any graded work due to an excused absence are responsible: for informing the Instructor of Record about their excused absence within one week following the period of the excused absence (except where prior notification is required); and for making up the missed work. The professor must give the student an opportunity to make up the work and/or the exams missed due to an excused absence, and shall do so, if feasible, during the semester in which the absence occurred.  P l agi ar i s m

 

Per University policy, students shall not plagiarize, cheat, or falsify or misuse academic records. Students 

are expected to adhere to University policy on cheating and plagiarism in all courses. The minimum penalty 

for a first offense is a zero on the assignment on which the offense occurred. If the offense is considered 

severe or the student has other academic offenses on their record, more serious penalties, up to 

suspension from the University may be imposed.   

Plagiarism and cheating are serious breaches of academic conduct. Each student is advised to become 

familiar with the various forms of academic dishonesty as explained in the Code of Student Rights and 

Responsibilities. Complete information can be found at the following website: 

http://www.uky.edu/Ombud. A plea of ignorance is not acceptable as a defense against the charge of 

academic dishonesty. It is important that you review this information as all ideas borrowed from others 

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need to be properly credited.  

Senate Rules 6.3.1 (see http://www.uky.edu/Faculty/Senate/ for the current set of Senate Rules) states 

that all academic work, written or otherwise, submitted by students to their instructors or other academic 

supervisors, is expected to be the result of their own thought, research, or self‐expression. In cases where 

students feel unsure about a question of plagiarism involving their work, they are obliged to consult their 

instructors on the matter before submission. 

When students submit work purporting to be their own, but which in any way borrows ideas, organization, 

wording, or content from another source without appropriate acknowledgment of the fact, the students 

are guilty of plagiarism.  

Plagiarism includes reproducing someone else's work (including, but not limited to a published article, a 

book, a website, computer code, or a paper from a friend) without clear attribution. Plagiarism also 

includes the practice of employing or allowing another person to alter or revise the work, which a student 

submits as his/her own, whoever that other person may be. Students may discuss assignments among 

themselves or with an instructor or tutor, but when the actual work is done, it must be done by the 

student, and the student alone.  

When a student's assignment involves research in outside sources or information, the student must 

carefully acknowledge exactly what, where and how he/she has employed them. If the words of someone 

else are used, the student must put quotation marks around the passage in question and add an 

appropriate indication of its origin. Making simple changes while leaving the organization, content, and 

phraseology intact is plagiaristic. However, nothing in these Rules shall apply to those ideas, which are so 

generally and freely circulated as to be a part of the public domain. 

Please note:  Any assignment you turn in may be submitted to an electronic database to check for 

plagiarism. 

 Cl a s s Co n d u c t

 

We will have fun and work hard this semester, and there will be a great deal of give and take in our discussions. But we will only have fun if you conduct yourself with respect for yourself and others. In general, I am asking you to attend to the following issues:

 1) come to class prepared (do all reading and come prepared to discuss it; do all homework) and

take pride in the work you do 2) offer support and encouragement to your classmates 3) listen to others carefully before offering your opinion 4) talk to me outside of class if anything that happens during class bothers you.

 I say this with a heavy heart as I acknowledged the place of technology and social media in learning environments. But after years of trying these things have always been more of a distraction than a help. In order to maintain a productive work environment, I expect you to turn off your cell phone before each class period and stay off of social media sites such as Facebook unless otherwise requested by the instructor. We will have times in class when we do things with these technologies, but as a general rule give your respect to the instructor, your classmates, and yourself by staying on task. Also, refrain from eating, sleeping, reading irrelevant materials, talking once class is in session unless asked to do so, and

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entering the classroom late or leaving early without permission. Engaging in such activities will have an adverse effect on your participation grade and, eventually, your final grade. But more than that these guidelines will help you to take ownership of the class, which is my goal as your learning facilitator.

 Students who engage in behavior so disruptive that it is impossible to conduct class may be directed to leave for the remainder of the class period. See the UKY's Code of Student Conduct for further information on prohibited conduct: http://www.uky.edu/StudentAffairs/Code/part1.html

 Pe e r R e v i e w W or k s hops and I ns t r uc t or C onf e r e nc e s

 

Because most writers, educators, and other professionals must learn to work collaboratively, you will collaborate extensively with your peers both in and out of class. You will be working throughout the semester with other students in workshops, peer reviews, and assignments. Treat everyone in this class as a valued colleague, and you will have few problems. That means that you will honor all deadlines agreed to by your classmates as though I were the one who set them and in general be respectful. Consequences for "slacking" may result in anything ranging from a full letter grade deduction for the assignment to a zero (determined on a case-by-case basis).

 We will have weeks dedicated to both peer and instructor review for most of your major assignments. These weeks will focus on sharing your work with other students or conferencing individually with me to gain greater insight into possible revisions. I expect you to take these days seriously and listen carefully to the feedback. This means taking notes and then following through with what will make your work better. We will discuss how these workshops and conferences when they occur on the schedule.

 Bl ac k boar d

 

The daily schedule may change during the semester. You will be responsible for being present in class to be informed of these changes. All of the major assignments will have documents that will outline the guidelines for that particular project, which will be posted to Blackboard. Please refer to these documents for details about the assignments. If you lose an assignment page or handout, you are expected to get a copy from Blackboard or another student rather than from me.

 In general, all assignments will require a creative title, your name, my name, and the date, but this is particularly important for items posted to Blackboard or other online space. You are responsible for keeping back-up (I recommend several) copies of all your work since electronic texts can be lost. Copies of work can be saved in the “Content Collection” area of your Blackboard account. You are also responsible for checking to make sure that your assignments are posted to the correct resource, whether it is Blackboard or not, on time, in the right location, and in the right format.

 Wr i t i n g C e n t e r

 

The Writing Center is located in W. T. Young Library in the Hub (phone: 257-1368). You can walk in or make an appointment online (http://web.as.uky.edu/oxford). The staff can assist you at any stage of the writing process and can help you learn to identify issues with all aspects of your writing as well as work with you on visual design.

 Media Depot The Media Depot is a student digital media space located in the Hub at W.T. Young. The Media Depot provides; access to recording equipment and space, editing stations with specialized multimedia software, and technical support for students’ development of their academic media projects. The Media Depot is funded by the Student Technology Fee and is a collaboration between the University of Kentucky Analytics and Technologies (UKAT) and UK Libraries and is in support of the QEP, Presentation

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U. This is a relatively new resource from the University that I encourage you all to use. Please see their website at http://www.uky.edu/ukit/mediadepot for more information about their services and to schedule appointments. Also, their YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/UKMediaDepot has video tutorials for many of the programs you may find yourself using over the course of the semester.

 St u d en t s wi t h S p e c i a l N e e d s

 

If you have a documented disability that requires academic accommodations, please see me as soon as possible during scheduled office hours. In order to receive accommodations in this course, you must provide me with a Letter of Accommodation from the Disability Resource Center (DRC). The DRC coordinates campus disability services available to students with disabilities. It is located on the corner of Rose Street and Huguelet Drive in the Multidisciplinary Science Building, Suite 407. You can reach them via phone at (859) 257-2754 and via email at drc@uky.edu. Their web address is http://www.uky.edu/DisabilityResourceCenter.

  

ASSIGNMENTS AND MAJOR PROJECTS  

The assignments in this class are meant to guide you through an exploration of two things: 1) critical inquiry and deployment of rhetorical discourses and media to examine issues such as ethos, community, modes of writing and communication, social media, etc. 2) the use of multiple modes of communication to examine and articulate ideas of identity related to a relationship to writing. The broad question we will be investigating throughout the term will be: what is your relationship to language? In this course we will be interrogating this in terms of writing and community.

 

 Note on Research: Most of your research sources will come from books, newspapers, blogs, magazines, or websites, just to name a few. Regardless of the type of resource, you will select credible sources relevant to your project and contribute to rich development of your essay and speech. We will spend extensive time in class discussing what makes a good resource and how to best find and incorporate research. We will also cover how to properly cite a resources both in-text, on a works cited page, and as an oral citation. Remember that all resources MUST be properly cited. If they are not, you have committed plagiarism. If you have questions or concerns about how to cite a resource make sure to ask me about it during office hours, consult your pocket Style Manual, the online Purdue OWL, visit the Writing Center, or any combination of these things BEFORE you submit your final draft/give your speech.

 Space Documentary Project

 

For the most part, documentary films are meant to do what their name implies: create an archive about particular issues and subjects. They can make overt arguments about an issue, or they can assume more subtle approaches. The argument of a documentary forms in the editing/composing stages. Mostly, though, they are about exploring and archiving communities and cultures.

 Throughout the semester you will be investigating the question of communities, cultures, and spaces around you and your place within them. The culmination of your inquiries will be to create a short documentary that visualizes the issues that your research raises about a particular local space and will include images, text, and audio that you will create yourself. This is a documentary rather than a narrative film because you will be exploring real places and people, and in so doing creating a new argument as you compose your statement around moving images. This also means more than simply speaking to a camera on a tripod. You will need to experiment with locations, camera effects, audio, and much more. The quality of the camera and the video does not matter; what matters is that you explore the possibilities of using moving images. This means that you can shoot on a camera phone or

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even a web cam if you have to, as long as you understand the rhetorical nature of these choices. We will discuss what these are in class together.

 This documentary will be the final product of all your research, but along the way we will be working on other assignments that will help us in our work. All of these assignments will move your project forward and will make it possible for you to produce a rhetorically rich and ethical video. Please note that because of the craft and effort that goes into a project such as this it will be impossible for you to leave much of this work to the last minute. The assignments before the final video will help to set a pace and maintain a rhythm that will not overwhelm you. This will make for a much better and more informed final project that you can be proud to own.

 Project Pitch No matter what kind of project a producer wants to make, be it written or otherwise, they must always learn to be pitching their ideas to various folks who will be helping to fund and work on the project. This essay will give you an opportunity to pitch your documentary to the instructor to persuade them that it should be made. The documentary project will be a response to the question of what space means in terms of your selected location, architecture, historical context, etc. Your purpose here is to argue for the importance of your answer to the question and why your documentary should be produced. Give the basic version of your argument here, understanding that it will be refined throughout the project. You will be required to create a creative tentative title and slogan and explain how you foresee completing the project. The pitch should also include at least 3 citations from outside sources, formatted correctly in MLA style and have a total of 1500 words. The Project Pitch is worth 10% of the final grade.

 Outline/Storyboard One of the most important parts of being a writer or other producer is to plan and develop your ideas. This way you can understand how your project will come together, as well as providing a blueprint to communicate to others working with you. This will be a preliminary sketch of the documentary, specific to the visual medium. In the course of the sketch, think about what you will need to do to get the final project done. What hurdles do you see ahead? How will you leap over them? This requires that each student turn in both a text based essay answering these questions and explaining your aim, as well as a visual storyboard that explains how the video will look and flow. The audience for this component will be different from the pitch: the producers are all on board, they want a plan, a structure, and some promises from you about how the project will be developed and finished. The outline essay should be at least 1000 words; the visual storyboard part will vary depending on the medium, but in general will be about 3-5 pages of images. The Outline/Storyboard is worth 10% of the final grade.

 First Cut of Documentary All kinds of writing must be continually revised, and this is no less true of video projects. Most likely your first draft will be bulky, long, meandering, and lack focus. Audiences will have confused reactions. This is all part of the process. It is a good thing your producers are here to suggest ways to revise your work so that it reaches that audience better. With that said, this should not be a work in progress (AKA a two minute clip of you talking to the camera) but a finished work with the realization that it will be drastically altered by the critiques of your classmates, your instructor, and yourself. We will all give you feedback for this draft so that you can make it the best you can for the final. Make sure to pay attention and take notes to the feedback you receive from the instructor and your peers. The First Cut is worth 10% of the Documentary Project grade.

 Final Cut The final project will be turned in at the beginning of the last week of class. It should take into account the critiques performed earlier and be drastically refined from the previous draft. You will present the project to the class (your adoring audience) and be ready to answer any questions. The finished

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documentary should be between 2-5 minutes, with a target time of 3 minutes. Anything over 5 minutes will have points taken off half a letter grade per 30 seconds. The Final Cut is worth 20% of the Documentary Project grade.

 Formal Documentary Presentation

As part of the final project each student will create a formal presentation that will be included as part of a course exhibition of class research. Each student should prepare a brief formal demonstration of 

their subject as well as answer questions from an audience of their peers. Using the research that you completed you will present your documentary and explain your revisions. The purpose of this presentation is to explain your work and present your video, as well as answer questions. Each presentation should run about 5-7 minutes and is considered a formal speech assignment. The Formal Presentation is worth 10% of the Documentary Project grade.

 Project Response Essay All work should be considered always under continual revision. It is a good idea to take a step back from any work you do to evaluate your successes and failures, and take inventory of how you would approach your work if you were to revise once again. A reflection paper will accompany the final cut. This 1500 word essay should outline the student’s use of peer and self critiques to refine the artifact, explain and defend the choice of medium and how it supports the argument of the composition, and a note on further refinement (if you had another month with this project, what would you do). Also, the essay must reflect on how the student used various ideas, concepts, theories, and class discussions in the development of the video project. This means I expect you to cite at least three sources and refer to other readings and discussions as you think through your work. The Reflection Paper is worth 10% of the final grade.

 Participation Our class is centered on inquiry and research. The goal is to make you curious, encourage you to ask questions, and make connections between things. In this class we are using concepts of communities to explore these kinds of questions and make these connections. In order for any genuine and significant inquiry to be accomplished in this way we will have to do our research in ethical ways. Ethical inquiry begins in the classroom between students and instructors developing an environment of learning for everyone in a way that students take ownership of the class. This doesn’t mean that the instructor takes a backseat, in fact the instructor plays an important role in pushing for that learning to take place. The role of the student is to push back in constructive ways, not in resistance, but in mutually productive ways. This kind of learning can only be done when the student is not only present in the classroom, but prepared, engaged, and continually revising thoughts and ideas.

 Participation understood in this manner means much more than attendance, and even more than making sure to ask a question in class every once in a while, or responding to a prompt in a discussion (although it means this as well). I will be asking you to continually take notes inside and outside the classroom. These will not necessarily be for quizzes, but for a record of your own learning; a learning journal of sorts that demonstrates the development of your thinking in class. I will periodically ask you to show me your notes as a way for me to help you forward in any way you may need. You can choose the format (blog, written, video, audio, etc.). While regular attendance will earn you points, so will regular discussion contributions. Significant contributions to workshops will also be required; this means not just saying something is “good” or “needs some work,” but offering positive and constructive feedback. There will also be free writes and reading quizzes that will provide a way to help you practice and perform the skills and concepts we are learning in terms of critical inquiry. These will make you responsible for the material in the class, as well as move you toward taking ownership of the class.

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 There will be quizzes over the reading we do in class. They will be short and concise and be administered in order to make sure you do your work. Sometimes I will give you a free write opportunity 

instead of a quiz. Be in class, do your work, and you should be fine. That is all I want to say about that.  

Here is a breakdown of the participation grade: Regular Attendance (Less than 3 absences for full points): 10% Discussion Contribution (Regular participation): 10% Free Writes/Quizzes: 10%

 Grading Policy

 

Only students who have completed all components of the two major assignments are eligible for a passing grade in this course.

  

90 – 100%: A Video Documentary 40%  

80 – 89%:  

B Project Pitch  

10%  

70 – 79%:  

C Outline/Storyboard  

10%  

60 – 69%:  

D Project Response Essay  

10%  

59% and below:  

E Attendance/Participation  

30%  

  

General Course Grading Standards  

A Work is complete, original, insightful, of a level and quality that significantly exceeds expectations for the student’s current level of study. Products demonstrate in-depth understanding of course issues, a high level of analytical skills, are clearly and creatively presented with negligible errors in grammar, citation and source referencing, in proper and consistent style and drawn from an extensive and wide range of quality sources. Technology was explored and where appropriate, effectively utilized in research, analysis and presentations.

 

B Work is complete, of a level that meets expectations and is of a quality that is acceptable and appropriate given the student’s current level of study. Products demonstrate a solid understanding of course issues, good analysis and are clearly and neatly presented with limited errors in grammar and citation and source referencing in generally consistent style (APA or other) drawn from a good range of sources. Technology was explored and where appropriate, utilized in research, analysis and/or presentations.

 

C Work is partially incomplete, late (with instructor permission/approval) and/or of a level that only partially meets expectations and/or that does not meet acceptable standards given the student’s level of study. Products demonstrate inconsistent or superficial understanding of course issues with little analysis demonstrated and/or contains significant grammatical errors and incorrect/inconsistent use of citation and referencing drawn from limited and/or mixed quality sources. Technology was minimally or inappropriately used in research, analysis and/or presentations.

 

D Work is incomplete, late and/or of a level that only partially meets expectations and/or is largely unacceptable given the student’s current level of study and standing. Products demonstrate limited understanding of course issues and exhibit little analysis and/or contains significant grammatical errors and insufficient/incorrect/inconsistent use of citation and referencing drawn from few (if any) low-quality sources. Technology was not used or inappropriately used in research, analysis and/or presentations.

 

F Major assignments are missing, incomplete or excessively late without permission of instructor and/or demonstrates lack of effort and/or lack of understanding of central course concepts.

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Mid-term Grade (for 100-400 level courses, and for undergrads in 500-level courses) Mid-term grades will be posted in myUK by the deadline established in the Academic Calendar (http://www.uky.edu/registrar/calendar).     

 

COURSE SCHEDULE Town Branch Writer Collection (TBWC)

 All reading should be completed on the first day of class each week. There will be quizzes on the reading as well as occasional small presentations and free writes relevant to the week’s topics.

 Week 1 Aug 27-29: Introduction to Composition and Communication

Introductions; Syllabus; What Is Rhetoric?  

Week 2 Sep 1-5: Rhetoric and The Rhetorical Situation

Sep 1 NO CLASS (Labor Day); Read TBWC 11-70  

Week 3 Sep 8-12: Argument

Assign Project Pitch; Read TBWC 284-408  

Week 4 Sep 15-19: Audience

Read TBWC 115-166; Writer’s Workshops for Pitches  

Week 5 Sep 22-26: Rhetorical Analysis

Project Pitches Due; Read TBWC 191-206  

Week 6 Sep 29-Oct 3: Understanding Genres

Assign Outline/Storyboard; TBWC 388-418  

Week 7 Oct 6-10: Research

Read TBWC 71-114  

Week 8 Oct 13-17: Using Evidence

Outline/Storyboards Due; Assign Space Documentary; Read TBWC 309-349  

Week 9 Oct 20-24: Writing Process

Read TBWC 207-259  

Week 10 Oct 27-31: Style and Visual Design

Read TBWC 347-387; 419-461  

Week 11 Nov 3-7: Reading and Responding and Citation

Read TBWC 167-190; 260-283  

Week 12 Nov 10-14: First Cuts for Space Documentary Space Documentaries due (First Cuts); Presentations of First Cuts begin

 Week 13 Nov 17-21: Presentations Week (First Cuts cont’d)

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Presentations of First Cuts  

Week 14 Nov 24-28: Workshopping & Rehearsing

Nov 24-28 No Classes (Thanksgiving Break)  

Week 15 Dec 1-5: Workshopping & Rehearsing  

Week 16 Dec 8-12: Final Cuts of Space Documentary Week (Final Cuts)

Presentations of Final Cuts

 

 

WRD 111: Composition and Communication II  Spring 2015 Instructor: Joshua Abboud Section Time Location Office Location: 1319 POT 006 MWF 9-9:50pm Blazer Hall Office Hours: MWF 11-12 pm 028 MWF 1-1:50pm Blazer Hall

and by appointment Phone: 859.257.8947 Email: j.abboud@uky.edu

    

OVERVIEW AND GOALS Composition and Communication II is the second of two general education courses focused on integrated oral, written, and visual communication skill development emphasizing critical inquiry and research. In this course, students will explore issues of public concern using rhetorical analysis, engage in deliberation over those issues, and propose solutions based on well-developed arguments. Students will sharpen their ability to conduct research; compose and communicate in written, oral, and visual modes; and work effectively in groups (in pairs and small groups). A significant component of the class will consist of learning to use visual and digital resources, first to enhance written and oral presentations and later in digital projects intended for various public audiences.

Composition and Communication II is the second of two general education courses focused on integrated oral, written, and visual communication skill development emphasizing critical inquiry and research. In this course, students will explore issues of public concern using rhetorical analysis, use ethnographic skills engage in deliberation over those issues, and ultimately propose solutions based on well-developed arguments. Students will sharpen their ability to conduct research; compose and communicate in written, oral, and visual modalities; and work effectively in groups. The focus will be on investigating the concepts of cultural and community identity using ethnographic practices as well as engaging ethical and critical concerns. By expanding our view of culture and community we will come to recognize and investigate one issue this community faces.

 Students will be grouped in teams, each of which will explore a different local community issue or “scene” and determine the discourses and practices related to that scene. For the first two-thirds of the class, students will decide on their team focus and conduct significant primary and secondary research on the issue, carefully making evaluations along the way. In the last third of the class, teams will develop Public Service Announcement (PSA) Campaigns that will include various artifacts designed to bring attention to the issue according to conclusions that the team has decided through their research. These campaigns will be digital projects that communicate well-argued solutions to audiences beyond the classroom. The end goal is to research a problem or controversy uncovered through research of people and spaces, after having identified a community scene.

 

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES By the end of the semester, students will be able to

compose written texts in many different modes and media and deliver oral presentations that represent a relevant and informed point of view appropriate for its audience, purpose, and occasion in an environment that reinforces the recursive and generative nature of the composition and delivery rehearsal processes.

demonstrate an awareness of strategies that speakers and writers use in different communicative situations and

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media, and in large and small groups; learn to analyze and use visuals effectively to augment their oral presentations; to employ invention techniques for analyzing and developing arguments; to recognize and address differing genre and discourse conventions; and to document their sources appropriately.

find, analyze, evaluate, and properly cite pertinent primary and secondary sources, using relevant discovery tools, as part of the process of speech preparation and writing process.

develop flexible and effective strategies for organizing, revising, editing, proofreading, and practicing/rehearsing to improve the development of their ideas and the appropriateness of their expression.

collaborate with peers, the instructor, and librarians to define revision strategies for their essays and speeches, to set goals for improving them, and to devise effective plans for achieving those goals.

engage in a range of small group activities that allow them to explore and express their experiences and perspectives on issues under discussion.

 

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS  

Town Branch Writer (PDF provided by professor)

iMovie for iPad

Audio editing app (WavePad, SoundCloud, Garage Band, etc.)

Evernote or other note taking app

Other apps used to complete assignments  COURSE POLICIES  On - Ti m e A t t en d a n c e a n d P a r t i c i p a t i o n

 

Since discussion will be an integral part of the course, you must be prepared for class, on time, and offer productive comments based on the assigned readings. Preparation involves not only reading but also making notes about the reading so that you are prepared to discuss issues in depth. I reserve the right to add quizzes to the class agenda if too many class members appear to be unprepared. Since discussion will be an integral part of the course, you must be prepared for class, on time, and offer productive comments based on the assigned readings. Preparation involves not only reading but also making notes about the reading so that you are prepared to discuss issues in depth. I reserve the right to add quizzes to the class agenda if too many class members appear to be unprepared.

 You can accrue three unexcused absences without penalty but your final course grade will be reduced by a half letter grade for each unexcused absence thereafter. This will also negatively impact your participation grade as you will not be in class to contribute. To receive an excused absence, you must provide official documentation; if for a sponsored University activity (such as intercollegiate athletics), documentation must be provided in advance.

 Students who are 10 minutes late on a MWF will be marked absent for the day, unless otherwise decided on by the instructor and student. If you will have a consistent problem making it to class on time you will need to discuss this matter with the instructor as soon as possible to decide alternatives. Being marked absent for a tardy will become an unexcused absence, weighing against your total number of unexcused absences, if you cannot provide proper documentation. If a quiz occurs, you can only make it up if you have a valid, documented excuse for your tardiness. So be prepared and on time!

 One more note about attendance and participation: In this section of the class policies I also like to include what I expect from you in terms of our interactions as students and instructors. I take this very seriously. This is NOT a class you can miss and expect to pass. This is not a course that you can come unprepared and expect to pass. Attendance/Participation is not only about your own well-being and learning, but also a matter of ethos and being a

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citizen of the university and class community. It shows mutual respect to the instructor and your colleagues, not to mention yourself. The policies above outline a basic and practical guide to what these mean to the functioning of the classroom, however, it means much more than simply attending and raising your hand once in a while. It means taking an active part in your learning. The instructor guides the class and assesses progress; the students earn their grades by making it their class

 

Excused Absences

Students need to notify the professor of absences prior to class when possible. Senate Rules 5.2.4.2 defines the following as acceptable reasons for excused absences: (a) serious illness, (b) illness or death of family member, (c) University-related trips, (d) major religious holidays, and (e) other circumstances found to fit “reasonable cause for nonattendance” by the professor.

Students anticipating an absence for a major religious holiday are responsible for notifying the instructor in writing of anticipated absences due to their observance of such holidays no later than the last day in the semester to add a class. Two weeks prior to the absence is reasonable, but should not be given any later. Information regarding major religious holidays may be obtained through the Ombud (859-257-3737, http://www.uky.edu/Ombud/ForStudents_ExcusedAbsences.php.

Students are expected to withdraw from the class if more than 20% of the classes scheduled for the semester are missed (excused) per University policy.

Per Senate Rule 5.2.4.2, students missing any graded work due to an excused absence are responsible: for informing the Instructor of Record about their excused absence within one week following the period of the excused absence (except where prior notification is required); and for making up the missed work. The professor must give the student an opportunity to make up the work and/or the exams missed due to an excused absence, and shall do so, if feasible, during the semester in which the absence occurred.

Students may be asked to verify their absences in order for them to be considered excused. Senate Rule 5.2.4.2 states that faculty have the right to request “appropriate verification” when students claim an excused absence because of illness, or death in the family. Appropriate notification of absences due to University‐related trips is required prior to the absence when feasible and in no case more than one week after the absence.

 Of f i c e H o u r s a n d Ot h e r C o m m u n i q u é

 

I am here to help you succeed, not fail. Sometimes failure is part of this process, but most of the time I find that students rise to the challenges they face and overcome them in novel ways. I cannot help you all in the same way; you all have individual situations. I will hold regular office hours for you every week. These hours are not for me; they are for you. If you have any issues, or questions that need special attention, or if you just feel the need to make sure you are on track and we are both on the same page, please come see me at office hours.

 I will NOT discuss grades in any way through email. Do not even try. This is not only a policy of mine, but a very serious university privacy issue. We can discuss grades and performance in person during office hours. I will not respond to any request to discuss grades electronically except to setup an appointment to meet face to face.

 I will also refuse to tell you what happened in a particular class you missed, but most especially through email. Most of the time I am asked in an email "Did I miss anything?" Please put yourself in my position: how would you feel about being asked this question? We are learning all about rhetoric and audience, and this is the worst possible question to ask an educator. Of course you missed EVERYTHING!!! And there is no possible way to recreate the events of the class. You missed it and it cannot be recovered; ask another student and move on. You have the syllabus; you know what is going on and when things are due. I also will not respond to emails telling me you will not be in class. I will know when you don't show up, and then I will either await your excuse note or it will go down as an unexcused absence.

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 Email is my preferred method of getting in touch with me. However, I am not waiting by my computer 24 hours a day for your emails, so please be considerate of my time when you decide to email me. Make sure it isn't a question about what you missed, nor letting me know you will miss class. I will respond to special requests or important concerns, of course.

 We may also be using various social media platforms to communicate with one another. Some of you will embrace this and find it a wonderful way to communicate in everyday situations. None of them, however, are efficient ways to contact me when you expect a quick response. For anything important regarding the class I will use Email to alert you. Email will be the official way for me to relay something important to you. Please check your email periodically throughout the day.

 Lastly, I will be inputting scores into Blackboard as you receive them for your projects and assignments. There will be a column that claims to give you a grade "total," perhaps in a percentage. This is not your final grade. Final grades are calculated with your assignments as well as attendance and participation scores. These will be included once the semester is over. I am including this part here because your grade should never be a surprise. If you have any concerns we can speak about them in office hours. You should know where you stand; this is up to you. Keep track on Blackboard and with me individually and you should have a perfect idea of your final grade. This will prevent gaps between what you "believe" your final grade "should" be and what it actually "is" once everything has been calculated.

 Please note: if you have turned in any assignments late or have missed more than the three unexcused absences for the semester, you can be certain you will not receive an "A" for this class regardless of the quality of the work you have turned in. That should give you a good estimation of where you stand as the semester comes to a close. We will talk more about this (hopefully outside of class as well) as the semester goes on.

 In summary: It is your job to monitor your grades, know your attendance and how much you feel you're engaging the class, and make this class your own. There is no extra credit in this course, but you will have ample time and opportunity for peer review, make multiple drafts, and revise your work. This should be a learning experience; a process that will continue even after you graduate.  La t e A ssi g n m e n t s

 

Per Senate Rule 5.2.4.2, students missing any graded work due to an excused absence are responsible: for informing the Instructor of Record about their excused absence within one week following the period of the excused absence (except where prior notification is required); and for making up the missed work. The professor must give the student an opportunity to make up the work and/or the exams missed due to an excused absence, and shall do so, if feasible, during the semester in which the absence occurred. 

 Pl agi ar i s m

 

Per University policy, students shall not plagiarize, cheat, or falsify or misuse academic records. Students are expected to adhere to University policy on cheating and plagiarism in all courses. The minimum penalty for a first offense is a zero on the assignment on which the offense occurred. If the offense is considered severe or the student has other academic offenses on their record, more serious penalties, up to suspension from the University may be imposed.

Plagiarism and cheating are serious breaches of academic conduct. Each student is advised to become familiar with the various forms of academic dishonesty as explained in the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities. Complete information can be found at the following website: http://www.uky.edu/Ombud. A plea of ignorance is not acceptable as a defense against the charge of academic dishonesty. It is important that you review this information as all ideas borrowed from others need to be properly credited.

Senate Rules 6.3.1 (see http://www.uky.edu/Faculty/Senate/ for the current set of Senate Rules) states that all academic work, written or otherwise, submitted by students to their instructors or other academic supervisors, is expected to be the result of their own thought, research, or self-expression. In cases where students feel unsure about a question of plagiarism involving their

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work, they are obliged to consult their instructors on the matter before submission.

When students submit work purporting to be their own, but which in any way borrows ideas, organization, wording, or content from another source without appropriate acknowledgment of the fact, the students are guilty of plagiarism.

Plagiarism includes reproducing someone else's work (including, but not limited to a published article, a book, a website, computer code, or a paper from a friend) without clear attribution. Plagiarism also includes the practice of employing or allowing another person to alter or revise the work, which a student submits as his/her own, whoever that other person may be. Students may discuss assignments among themselves or with an instructor or tutor, but when the actual work is done, it must be done by the student, and the student alone.

When a student's assignment involves research in outside sources or information, the student must carefully acknowledge exactly what, where and how he/she has employed them. If the words of someone else are used, the student must put quotation marks around the passage in question and add an appropriate indication of its origin. Making simple changes while leaving the organization, content, and phraseology intact is plagiaristic. However, nothing in these Rules shall apply to those ideas, which are so generally and freely circulated as to be a part of the public domain.

Please note: Any assignment you turn in may be submitted to an electronic database to check for plagiarism.

 Cl a s s Co n d u c t

 

We will have fun and work hard this semester, and there will be a great deal of give and take in our discussions. But we 

will only have fun if you conduct yourself with respect for yourself and others. In general, I am asking you to attend to the following issues:

 1) come to class prepared (do all reading and come prepared to discuss it; do all homework) and take pride in the

work you do 2) offer support and encouragement to your classmates 3) listen to others carefully before offering your opinion 4) talk to me outside of class if anything that happens during class bothers you.

 I say this with a heavy heart as I acknowledged the place of technology and social media in learning environments. But after years of trying these things have always been more of a distraction than a help. In order to maintain a productive work environment, I expect you to turn off your cell phone before each class period and stay off of social media sites such as Facebook unless otherwise requested by the instructor. We will have times in class when we do things with these technologies, but as a general rule give your respect to the instructor, your classmates, and yourself by staying on task. Also, refrain from eating, sleeping, reading irrelevant materials, talking once class is in session unless asked to do so, and entering the classroom late or leaving early without permission. Engaging in such activities will have an adverse effect on your participation grade and, eventually, your final grade. But more than that these guidelines will help you to take ownership of the class, which is my goal as your learning facilitator.

 Students who engage in behavior so disruptive that it is impossible to conduct class may be directed to leave for the remainder of the class period. See the UKY's Code of Student Conduct for further information on prohibited conduct: http://www.uky.edu/StudentAffairs/Code/part1.html  Pe e r R e v i e w W or k s hops and I ns t r uc t or C onf e r e nc e s

 

Because most writers, educators, and other professionals must learn to work collaboratively, you will collaborate extensively with your peers both in and out of class. You will be working throughout the semester with other students in workshops, peer reviews, and projects. Treat everyone in this class as a valued colleague, and you will have few problems. That means that you will honor all deadlines agreed to by your classmates as though I were the one who set them and in general be respectful. Consequences for "slacking" may result in anything ranging from a full letter grade

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deduction for the assignment to a zero (determined on a case-by-case basis).  We will have weeks dedicated to both peer and instructor review for most of your major assignments. These weeks will focus on sharing your work with other students or conferencing individually with me to gain greater insight into possible revisions. I expect you to take these days seriously and listen carefully to the feedback. This means taking notes and then following through with what will make your work better. We will discuss how these workshops and conferences when they occur on the schedule.  Bl ac k boar d

 

The daily schedule may change during the semester. You will be responsible for being present in class to be informed of these changes. All of the major assignments will have documents that will outline the guidelines for that particular project, which will be posted to Blackboard. Please refer to these documents for details about the assignments. If you lose an assignment page or handout, you are expected to get a copy from Blackboard or another student rather than from me.

 In general, all assignments will require a creative title, your name, my name, and the date, but this is particularly important for items posted to Blackboard or other online space. You are responsible for keeping back-up (I recommend several) copies of all your work since electronic texts can be lost. Copies of work can be saved in the “Content 

Collection” area of your Blackboard account. You are also responsible for checking to make sure that your assignments are posted to the correct resource, whether it is Blackboard or not, on time, in the right location, and in the right format.  Wr i t i n g C e n t e r

 

The Writing Center is located in W. T. Young Library in the Hub (phone: 257-1368). You can walk in or make an appointment online (http://web.as.uky.edu/oxford). The staff can assist you at any stage of the writing process and can help you learn to identify issues with all aspects of your writing as well as work with you on visual design.

 Media Depot The Media Depot is a student digital media space located in the Hub at W.T. Young. The Media Depot provides; access to recording equipment and space, editing stations with specialized multimedia software, and technical support for students’ development of their academic media projects. The Media Depot is funded by the Student Technology Fee and is a collaboration between the University of Kentucky Analytics and Technologies (UKAT) and UK Libraries and is in support of the QEP, Presentation U. This is a relatively new resource from the University that I encourage you all to use. Please see their website at http://www.uky.edu/ukit/mediadepot for more information about their services and to schedule appointments. Also, their YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/UKMediaDepot has video tutorials for many of the programs you may find yourself using over the course of the semester.  St u d en t s wi t h S p e c i a l Ne e d s

 

If you have a documented disability that requires academic accommodations, please see me as soon as possible during scheduled office hours. In order to receive accommodations in this course, you must provide me with a Letter of Accommodation from the Disability Resource Center (DRC). The DRC coordinates campus disability services available to students with disabilities. It is located on the corner of Rose Street and Huguelet Drive in the Multidisciplinary Science Building, Suite 407. You can reach them via phone at (859) 257-2754 and via email at drc@uky.edu. Their web address is http://www.uky.edu/DisabilityResourceCenter.

  

ASSIGNMENTS AND MAJOR PROJECTS  The assignments in this class are meant to guide you through an exploration of two things: 1) critical inquiry and deployment of rhetorical discourses and media to examine issues such as ethos, community, modes of writing and communication, social media, etc. 2) the use of multiple modes of communication to examine and articulate ideas of identity related to a relationship to writing. The broad question we will be investigating throughout the term will be: what

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is your relationship to language? In this course we will be interrogating this in terms of critical inquiry and research.  

 The biggest difference between WRD 110 and this course is twofold: 1) WRD 111 is a project based course in which most of the assignments will be components of one large project over the course of the semester, and 2) Most assignments after the first couple of weeks will be done within your teams. This means you will be responsible for an individual part of each assignment that you will decide on as part of your group. It also means I will be expecting a lot more out of your projects in terms of length and quality since you will have a built in peer group at all times.

  Note on Research: Most of your research sources will come from books, newspapers, blogs, magazines, or websites, just to name a few. This is what we will refer to as the “archive.” Regardless of the type of resource, you will select credible sources relevant to your project and contribute to rich development of your essay and speech. We will spend extensive time in class discussing what makes a good resource and how to best find and incorporate research. We will also cover 

how to properly cite a resources both in-text, on a works cited page, and as an oral citation. Remember that all resources MUST be properly cited. If they are not, you have committed plagiarism. If you have questions or concerns about how to cite a resource make sure to ask me about it during office hours, consult your pocket Style Manual, the online Purdue OWL, visit the Writing Center, or any combination of these things BEFORE you submit your final draft/give your speech. If your assignment is turned in without a properly formatted works cited page I will return it to you for revising and then I will expect it to be resubmitted before the due date. I suggest you leave yourself some time and not submit work a minute before the deadline in case of emergencies.

 Note on Submitting Work: You will have many assignments for this class, both formal and informal. The major assignments are listed in the syllabus and you will turn many of these in to the instructor in different ways. There will be others, however, that are not listed and the instructor may ask you to submit these through email as an attached file. If this happens you will be required to label your file in the following way: [student last name]_[assignment title]. If your file is not labeled as such then it will not be graded. I receive a high volume of emails and work can easily get lost if not correctly labeled.

 On a related note: every email you ever send to me or any other instructor must have a relevant subject. Never send an email with a blank subject or informal subject. If you are submitting work through email place in the subject header the same label as your attached file. Emails with inappropriate tones, informal or just plain lazy writing will not receive a response. Please put some thought into every piece of writing you do for me and your other instructors. They will be very happy you did.  Public Service Announcement (PSA) Campaign

The major team project for this class will be a PSA campaign that you will research and deploy as part of your team. Throughout the semester there will be individual assignments that will scaffold your experience with PSAs so that you can learn the vocabulary, the genre, and the culture surrounding public service campaigns. The larger project will also be separated into various assignments due throughout the term so that you do not have to do everything all at once. This will also make it possible for you to continue to deepen, focus, and become increasingly familiar with your subject. In other words, every assignment for this class will exist to help you toward your PSA project.

 As you will learn, PSAs have been around since about World War II, and we are all well acquainted with them whether or not we are able to recognize them as such. They began as ways for the government to get out particular kinds of messages to the public with the goal of mobilizing people in certain ways. These campaigns usually stem from activist roots: a group or organization sees a need, a problem, or concern within society and desires to advocate for particular changes. Sometimes these advocacies can be general (such as the anti-smoking “Truth” campaign) or more targeted (like the famous “Duck and Cover” films from WWII). What they all have in common is a strong rhetorical element that has an exigence (there is a problem here), identifies an audience (this group needs to hear this) and deploys the best means to

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advocate for a solution (this is what needs to be done in this way).  You will be doing the work of PSAs by firstly researching particular local communities, spaces, or even social problems you are already aware of and identifying something that needs attention. This will be your issue, the concern you take up to build your campaign around. The end result will be various media and modes that address the issue you choose and offer awareness and even some solutions to the issue. Every group will be required to create a video as part of the PSA campaign. Along with the video you will be required to deploy two other modes for getting your message out to your audience. These modes can be anything from posters to websites, but they need to take both your subject and audience into consideration. All components of the project are of a rhetorical nature; that is, they will, to the best of your ability, 

account for exigence, audience, and purpose.  Project Pitch and Speech The first order of business will be to explore some of your interests and do some preliminary research into one possible topic for your PSA. Before you are placed into teams you will investigate one community, organization, space, etc. that interests you and pitch this to the class as a possible subject of a PSA campaign. I will also be an audience since I will have to approve each of the topics.

 The speech length will range from 2-4 minutes. This length will be strictly observed which means that you will have to rehearse multiple times to be able to do well. You are trying to pitch your idea, so you will want to try to convince the class that your topic is worth joining you to research. Although there is no reward for pitching a popular idea you will need to approach the speech as if you want to persuade the whole class to join your project. We will be choosing groups based on the topics you pitch in class.

 As part of the speech you will need to turn in a hard copy of your speech to me. This speech is worth 10% of the final grade.

 Weekly Campaign Reports Once you have been placed into teams and you have chosen your topics you will be working collaboratively for the rest of the term. You will have to decide within your groups how you will divide work and what your individual timelines will be. Group work can be extremely challenging for all involved, but it can also be very rewarding. In order to make sure you are continuing to have positive experiences each team will be required to turn in a weekly report that briefly outlines what each of you accomplished on the project. Some weeks you will have more to report than others, but you should always be working on something. These reports will begin on week 6 and be due on the Friday of each week until week 15, for a total of 10 reports. Each report should be about 250-500 words and you need to comment on each member’s contribution to the project that week. Each report will be turned in each Friday evening by 11:59 pm through email using the subject: Weekly Campaign Report. Each report is worth 10 points each and altogether the reports are worth 10% of the final grade.

 Issue Inquiry Essay This assignment will ask you as a team to begin researching your topic in earnest. Because your PSAs will either originate from a particular community or address specific community concerns as a team you will seek out the spaces in which these concerns become realities. This requires you to enter into a space in order to begin to analyze and understand the objects and practices associated with your audience and topic. Once you are visiting that space you will perform participant observation, note-taking, and even informal interviews to gain some insight into what is taking place within that space and the interactions between those involved. You will also need to enter the “archives” and research what has been studied, reported on, said about, or left out regarding the issues you are considering. In a 2000-2500 word (~8- 10 pages) webtext you will write a research essay that explains what you have found and what the ramifications are of what you have uncovered. You will also be required to provide digital images and/or video shot with appropriate permission (or other kinds of visual evidence) to accompany your scene depiction and captions to explain the various parts. In order to present the webtext you will need to create a group web presence through WordPress. We will talk

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about how to set this up. It will also be a place to post notes you make and other elements of your project.  The scene depiction will have three sections: an Introduction to the general topic you are considering, the Narrative section that describes the details of the scene and the issue, and an Analysis of the research you have found about this issue. You will need to perform at least one interview for this assignment and post it to your webtext as audio. You will also be required to post at least 5 original pictures that pertain to your project (or two video clips, or any combination of 

the two). The analysis section is the most important and will require you to do some library and academic research into the issue. You will need to do searches to see if anyone has ever done any kind of research into this group, space, or issue and include this past research. You will need to describe how your own research is related to what you have found. The Scene Depiction is worth 10% of the final grade.

  PSA Video The portion of the project that every team will provide will be the PSA Video. The video will need to address the audience and subject of your project very clearly, but it must also be contained in some kind of format specific to your project. In other words, your team will need to decide what venue your video would most likely be viewed: on Youtube, a website, on network TV, before a movie at the theater, etc. There will be several steps involved in creating your video, as well as a first cut due to elicit feedback from the class to make the video the best it can be. Remember that this video is a slightly different genre than a typical documentary, although you will use similar approaches. We will be watching many different kinds of PSA videos to get an idea of how others communicate within the genre.

 Storyboard One of the most important parts of being a writer or other producer is to plan and develop your ideas. This way you can understand how your project will come together, as well as providing a blueprint to communicate to others working with you. This will be a preliminary sketch of the PSA video, specific to the visual medium. In the course of the sketch, think about what you will need to do to get the final project done. This is a work flow as well as an organization assignment: how exactly do you want your video to look? The audience for this component will be different from the pitch; the producers are all on board, they want a plan, a structure, and some promises from you about how the project will be developed and finished. The storyboard will be completed using Powerpoint (or other slideshow application) and will consist of 10 still images each with 50-100 words of text explaining what is going on in that particular scene. The Storyboard is worth 10% of the final grade.

 First Cut of Video All kinds of writing must be continually revised, and this is no less true of video projects. Most likely your first draft will be bulky, long, meandering, and lack focus. Audiences will have confused reactions. This is all part of the process. It is a good thing your producers are here to suggest ways to revise your work so that it reaches that audience better. With that said, this should not be a work in progress (AKA a two minute clip of you talking to the camera) but a relatively finished work with the realization that it will be altered by the critiques of your classmates, your instructor, and yourself. We will all give you feedback for this draft so that you can make it the best you can for the final. Make sure to pay attention and take notes to the feedback you receive from the instructor and your peers. The First Cut is worth 10% of the final grade.

 Final Cut The final project will be turned in at the beginning of the last week of class. It should take into account the critiques performed earlier and be drastically refined from the previous draft. You will present the project to the class (your adoring audience) and be ready to answer any questions as part of your presentation to the class. The finished PSA video should be between 5-10 minutes. Anything over 10 minutes will have points taken off half a letter grade per 30 seconds. The Final Cut is worth 10% of the final grade.

 PSA Campaign Components

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In addition to the video your team will need to create and deploy two other modes and tactics to get out the message of your PSA. These will also need to be presented at your final presentation and their effectiveness assessed. These 

components can range from pamphlets, posters, magazine advertisements, movie trailers, shorter versions of your longer video PSA, etc. The most important part of these components is that they are part of a campaign and that they are audience based. They should complement the work of your video and not seem detached from the rest of the project. Think about creating a logic between all parts of the PSA; it is a campaign, not distinct elements. There needs to be an assessment of their effectiveness in terms of the overall approach of your project These results need to be reported during the final PSA report. Each component of the campaign is worth 10% of the final grade for a total of 20%.  PSA Report and Assessment

As part of the final project each team will create a formal presentation that will be included as part of a course exhibition of class research. Each team should prepare a brief formal demonstration of their campaign as well as answer questions from an audience of their peers. Using the research that you completed you will present your PSA and explain your revisions. The purpose of this presentation is to explain your work and present your video, as well as answer questions. You will also be required to report on the effectiveness of both your video choices and the other components that your team chose to create. Each presentation should run about 20 minutes and is considered a formal speech assignment. Each member of the team will be required to have a brief speaking role. The Formal Presentation is worth 5% of the final grade.

 Project Response Essay All work should be considered always under continual revision. It is a good idea to take a step back from any work you do to evaluate your successes and failures, and take inventory of how you would approach your work if you were to revise once again. A reflection paper will be required from each student. This 500-750 word essay should outline the student’s use of peer and self critiques to refine the PSA, explain and defend the choice of medium and how it supports the argument of the composition, and a note on further refinement (if you had another month with this project, what would you do). Also, the essay must reflect on how the student used various ideas, concepts, theories, and class discussions in the development of the PSA project. This means I expect you to cite at least three sources and refer to other readings and discussions as you think through your work. This essay will be turned in as part of your portfolio of writing at the end of the semester.

 Participation Our class is centered on inquiry and research. The goal is to make you curious, encourage you to ask questions, and make connections between things. In this class we are using concepts of communities to explore these kinds of questions and make these connections. In order for any genuine and significant inquiry to be accomplished in this way we will have to do our research in ethical ways. Ethical inquiry begins in the classroom between students and instructors developing an environment of learning for everyone in a way that students take ownership of the class. This doesn’t mean that the instructor takes a backseat; in fact the instructor plays an important role in pushing for that learning to take place. The role of the student is to push back in constructive ways, not in resistance, but in mutually productive ways. This kind of learning can only be done when the student is not only present in the classroom, but prepared, engaged, and continually revising thoughts and ideas.

 Participation understood in this manner means much more than attendance, and even more than making sure to ask a question in class every once in a while, or responding to a prompt in a discussion (although it means this as well). I will be asking you to continually take notes inside and outside the classroom. These will not be for quizzes, but for a record of your own learning; a learning journal of sorts that demonstrates the development of your thinking in class. I will periodically ask you to show me your notes as a way for me to help you forward in any way you may need. You can choose the format (blog, written, video, audio, etc.). While regular attendance will earn you points, so will regular

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discussion contributions. Significant contributions to workshops will also be required; this means not just saying something is “good” or “needs some work,” but offering positive and constructive feedback. There will also be free writes and reading quizzes that will provide a way to help you practice and perform the skills and concepts we are learning in terms of critical inquiry. Finally, there is a section for class citizenship, which takes into account how you have behaved toward the instructor and students, as well as contributions you have made beyond just discussion. These will make you responsible for the material in the class, as well as move you toward taking ownership of the class.

 Here is a breakdown of the participation grade: Regular Attendance (Less than 3 absences for full points): 3% Discussion Contribution (Regular participation): 3% Workshop: 2% Class Citizenship (respect, sharing, helping other students): 2%

 Grading Policy Only students who have completed all components of the two major assignments are eligible for a passing grade in this course.

    

90 – 100%: A Project Pitch and Speech 10%  

80 – 89%:  

B  

Issue Inquiry Essay 10%  

70 – 79%:  

C  

Storyboard 10%  

60 – 69%:  

D  

PSA Video First Cut 10%  

59% and below:  

E  

PSA Video Final Cut 10%

    

PSA Components (2) 20%

    

PSA Report and Assessment 10%

    

Weekly Campaign Reports 10%

    

Attendance/Participation 10%  

General Course Grading Standards  

A Work is complete, original, insightful, of a level and quality that significantly exceeds expectations for the student’s current level of study. Products demonstrate in-depth understanding of course issues, a high level of analytical skills, are clearly and creatively presented with negligible errors in grammar, citation and source referencing, in proper and consistent style and drawn from an extensive and wide range of quality sources. Technology was explored and where appropriate, effectively utilized in research, analysis and presentations.

 

B Work is complete, of a level that meets expectations and is of a quality that is acceptable and appropriate given the student’s current level of study. Products demonstrate a solid understanding of course issues, good analysis and are clearly and neatly presented with limited errors in grammar and citation and source referencing in generally consistent style (APA or other) drawn from a good range of sources. Technology was explored and where appropriate, utilized in research, analysis and/or presentations.

 

C Work is partially incomplete, late (with instructor permission/approval) and/or of a level that only partially meets expectations and/or that does not meet acceptable standards given the student’s level of study. Products demonstrate inconsistent or superficial

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 understanding of course issues with little analysis demonstrated and/or contains significant grammatical errors and incorrect/inconsistent use of citation and referencing drawn from limited and/or mixed quality sources. Technology was minimally or inappropriately used in research, analysis and/or presentations.

 

D Work is incomplete, late and/or of a level that only partially meets expectations and/or is largely unacceptable given the student’s current level of study and standing. Products demonstrate limited understanding of course issues and exhibit little analysis and/or contains significant grammatical errors and insufficient/incorrect/inconsistent use of citation and referencing drawn from few (if any) low-quality sources. Technology was not used or inappropriately used in research, analysis and/or presentations.

 

F Major assignments are missing, incomplete or excessively late without permission of instructor and/or demonstrates lack of effort and/or lack of understanding of central course concepts.

  

Mid‐term Grade (for 100‐400 level courses, and for undergrads in 500‐level courses) Mid‐term grades will be posted in myUK 

by the deadline established in the Academic Calendar (http://www.uky.edu/registrar/calendar).     

 COURSE SCHEDULE Note: This schedule will change as necessary for the needs of our class. Other reading may be assigned throughout the semester. Students will get ample warning.

 Abbreviations

r: reading due that day. w: writing due that class period s: speaking assignments/activities due that day

 Week Monday Wednesday Friday

 1   1.14 Syllabus

Introductions 1.16 Project Pitch and Speech Overview

2 1.19 No classes - MLK Jr. Day 1.21 1.23

3 1.26 1.28 s: rehearsal day

1.30 s: rehearsal day

4 2.2 Project Pitch Speeches 2.4 Project Pitch Speeches 2.6 Project Pitch Speeches

5 2.9 Issue Inquiry Overview Decide Teams; Brainstorm Topics

2.11 2.13

6 2.16 PSA Campaign General Overview Storyboard Overview

2.18 Writing Workshop w: paper workshop

2.20 Writing Workshop w: paper workshop First Weekly Report due

7 2.23 2.25 2.27 Issue Inquiry Due

8 3.2 3.4 3.6

9 3.9 3.11 3.13 Storyboards Due

10 3.16 SPRING BREAK 3.18 SPRING BREAK 3.20 SPRING BREAK

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11 3.23 Visual Arguments r: EAA ch. 14; Grantland Morris “What We Talk About When We Talk About Hoodies”

3.25 Image and Text r: “Less Talk, More Rock”

3.27

12 3.30 4.1 4.3

13 4.6 The Case of Internet Technology w: Information R/evolution

4.8 The Case of Internet Technology r: “Is Google Making Us Stupid?”

4.10 The Case of Social Media r: Electronic Monuments (selection) w: Gates of Heaven

14 4.13 First Cut PSA Videos Due 4.15 First Cut PSA Videos 4.17 First Cut PSA Videos

15 4.20 In-class work day 4.22 In-class work day 4.24 In-class work day

16 4.27 PSA Reports and Assessments ALL PSA VIDEOS DUE

4.29 PSA Reports and Assessments

5.1 PSA Reports and Assessments Portfolios and Response Essays Due