The following is an overview of the standards which will be applied to
the composition and evaluation of Papers and Reactions. These are important
to bear in mind as you prepare Written Work for this class.
The Content of Papers/Reactions. All Papers must
stem from QTTs (Quality Thesis Topics) in the form in which they have
been expressed and approved in class and must center on material in
the Chapters on this web site. Likewise, Reactions should address directly
the article under review. Papers must follow the enumeration
system discussed in class (T, A, B, C, ...); Reactions do not.
Stick to the Topic. In general, all Written Work in
this class must address course material primarily, and other issues
secondarily. Stick to the QTT you and your Pentad created (see Section
21 in The Writing Guide)! There is no need to do research
outside of the materials provided for you in the class (the Chapters
on line), but if you wish to, you may.
Papers versus Reactions and Group Work. There is
no prescribed balance of Papers or Reactions or Group Work. Do whatever
combination of Group Work or Written Work exercises you want in the
process of accumulating the maximum of 550 points designated for this
aspect of your grade.
Word Count. At the bottom
of your Paper or Reaction, please include a word count. Papers which
have fewer than 550 words will automatically lose one-third
of the possible credit (content). Reactions which have fewer than 300
words will lose half their possible credit (content). The number
of words in a document can be easily determined by looking under "File"
and then "Properties" in the menu of any Word text (look under
"Statistics") or WordPerfect text (look under "Information").
Any student who falsifies or misrepresents in any way the word count
will have that piece of Written Work returned with no credit.
Line-Spacing. The three lines at the top of the page
(giving your name, the specific assignment and the date; see next paragraph)
should be single-spaced. The rest of the paper should be double-spaced.
At the top of Papers and Reactions.
[Click here to see an example
of a properly formatted paper (pdf file).] At the top of the first
page of all Written Work, you should include the following information,
in the following order:
* On the first line, put your first and last name.
* On the second line, put (a) the Part of the class to which the
Written Work pertains, (b) the type of assignment (e.g. Paper, Reaction,
Capstone) and (c) the specific assignment your Written Work is addressing
(i.e. the full title of the article to which you are reacting or the
full QTT you are addressing). If this runs beyond the line, that is
fine. Capstones need note "Capstone" only; that is, they
do not need to cite a Part of the class or a specific assignment.
* On the third (or next) line, put the date on which you turned in
this written work.
Then leave one line empty and begin the Paper or Reaction.
Only ONE Paper and/or Reaction per Part of the Class.
A student may turn in for credit only one Paper and/or Reaction
pertaining to any single Part of the class.
Deadlines. Written Work must be turned in as hard
copy—I will not accept any Written Work electronically!—at
or before the beginning of class on the date designated as the deadline
for that assignment (see Syllabus). No Written
Work will be accepted for full credit once class has begun (to see class
policy on late work, click
here). Please do not interrupt a lecture to turn in an assignment!