How can I calculate my grade?
This course utilizes weighted grades. The accurate grade percentage will be displayed in the Grades button of the Blackboard site. You should see a grade and feedback on shorter activities within 48-72 hours of the deadline but no later than the next similar deadline (i.e. you won't have to submit a discussion board post until the previous discussion board post has been graded). You should see feedback on longer assignments within 7 days of the submission deadline. I will communicate any changes from these deadlines via email. Thus, you won't need to calculate your grade because Blackboard should automatically calculate your grade for you.
Do you allow late work?
You are allowed ONE (1) late submission for any reason (with the exception of the final project). Any other work will not be accepted late unless arrangements are made with me in advance. Assignments should be submitted on the due date in the format specified for the assignment. Failure to submit an assignment according to the guidelines by the deadline counts as a “late” submission and will not be graded (i.e., if you submit a document in a format that I cannot open or submit to the wrong place, etc.).
What if I get to the end of the semester and I need a higher grade?
If you know that you need a particular grade to graduate/maintain financial aid/complete your program/etc., please plan to earn that grade throughout the class. I do not a) reconsider grades, b) assign extra credit, c) allow previous missed assignments to be made up later in the course.
This course utilizes weighted grades. The accurate grade percentage will be displayed in the Grades button of the Blackboard site. You should see a grade and feedback on shorter activities within 48-72 hours of the deadline but no later than the next similar deadline (i.e. you won't have to submit a discussion board post until the previous discussion board post has been graded). You should see feedback on longer assignments within 7 days of the submission deadline. I will communicate any changes from these deadlines via email. Thus, you won't need to calculate your grade because Blackboard should automatically calculate your grade for you.
Do you allow late work?
You are allowed ONE (1) late submission for any reason (with the exception of the final project). Any other work will not be accepted late unless arrangements are made with me in advance. Assignments should be submitted on the due date in the format specified for the assignment. Failure to submit an assignment according to the guidelines by the deadline counts as a “late” submission and will not be graded (i.e., if you submit a document in a format that I cannot open or submit to the wrong place, etc.).
What if I get to the end of the semester and I need a higher grade?
If you know that you need a particular grade to graduate/maintain financial aid/complete your program/etc., please plan to earn that grade throughout the class. I do not a) reconsider grades, b) assign extra credit, c) allow previous missed assignments to be made up later in the course.
How will I know what I need to do to earn the grade I want/require in this class?
A (90%-100%)
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To earn an "A" in this class, you will consistently submit work on-time that demonstrates the main features of technical communication (see pp. 4-8 in Strategies for Technical Communication in the Workplace for a description of these features). In addition, the course work will demonstrate a) an awareness of a specific audience and with the deliverable tailored to that audience, b) effective collaboration with classmates (when required), c) excellent research that is both relevant to the audience and clearly documented, and d) effective design for the relevant medium and message. A-level work demonstrates attention to all of the above principles.
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B (80%-89%)
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To earn an "B" in this class, you will submit work on-time that generally demonstrates the main features of technical communication (see pp. 4-8 in Strategies for Technical Communication in the Workplace for a description of these features). In addition, the course work will demonstrate a) an awareness of a specific audience and tailor assignments for that audience, b) effective collaboration with classmates (when required), c) excellent research that is both relevant to the audience and clearly documented, and d) the ability to effectively design the document for the relevant medium and message. B-level work demonstrates attention to most of the above principles.
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C (70%-79%)
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To earn an "C" in this class, you will submit most work on-time that does not always clearly demonstrate the main features of technical communication (see pp. 4-8 in Strategies for Technical Communication in the Workplace for a description of these features). For example, course work may a) struggle with either an awareness of who the specific audience is or not be tailored to a specific audience, b) fail to effectively collaborate with classmates (when required), c) not include adequate research that is both relevant to the audience and/or is not clearly documented, and d0 not be effectively designed for the relevant medium and message. C-level work demonstrates a lack of attention to some of the above principles.
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D (60%-69%)
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To earn an "D" in this class, you will fail to submit some work on-time and/or struggle to clearly demonstrate the main features of technical communication (see pp. 4-8 in Strategies for Technical Communication in the Workplace for a description of these features). For example, course work may a) not define a specific audience or not be tailored to that specific audience, b) fail to effectively collaborate with classmates (when required), c) not include research that is both relevant to the audience and/or is not clearly documented, and d) not be effectively designed for the relevant medium and message. C-level work demonstrates a lack of attention to the majority of the above principles.
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F (<60%)
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To earn an "F" in this class, you will fail to submit most work on-time and/or fail to clearly demonstrate the main features of technical communication (see pp. 4-8 in Strategies for Technical Communication in the Workplace for a description of these features). Generally, students who earn an F in this course do not meet deadlines or do not demonstrate the most basic elements of clear technical writing (i.e., assignments are not edited for grammar or clarity, do not meet assignment instructions, etc.).
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