Required Materials

Every student is required to have his/her own copy of the following course texts:

Burch, C. Beth. A Writer's Grammar. New York: Longman-Pearson, 2003. (ISBN 978-0-205-31804-9)
Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, & Russel Durst. They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing with Readings. New York: Norton, 2009. (ISBN 978-0-393-93174-7)
Hari, Daoud. The Translator: A Memoir. New York: Random House, 2008. (ISBN 978-0-8129-7917-6)
Plato. Phaedrus. Trans. Christopher Rowe. London: Penguin, 2005. (ISBN 978-0-14-044974-7)

All books are available through the Mars Hill College Bookstore, both online and at the brick-and-mortar site on Main Street, and through other retailers.

In addition, every student must have a wireless-enabled notebook computer and a working MHC network account; should a student not have his/her own notebook, one will be provided.

Attendance & Tardiness

Each student is permitted to miss four class meetings without penalty. Any absence beyond the fourth, regardless of the reason for that absence, will result in a penalty of one-third of a letter grade to that student's course grade. The instructor may excuse additional absences in exceptional circumstances.

A student who arrives no more than ten minutes late to class will be considered tardy, two such instances equaling one absence. A student who arrives more than ten minutes late will be marked absent.

Late Work

Except in exceptional circumstances, late work will not be accepted. A student who is unable to submit an assignment on time must request an extension well in advance, preferably at least twenty-four hours. Extensions are not automatic and, when allowed, carry grade penalties, typically a full letter penalty for every day the assignment is late. An assignment submitted after its due date without an extension will receive a grade of 0.

Preparedness

Students are expected to come to all class meetings having completed the assignments, including required readings, and ready to participate. A student who comes to class without having done the reading or without an assignment necessary for that day's class, or a student who has trouble paying attention (or staying awake!), will be dimissed from class and marked absent.

Cancellations

Should inclement weather or some other event necessitate that a class meeting be cancelled, students will be informed via an email to their MHC addresses — non-MHC accounts will not be used — and via Twitter. Also, when possible, a sign announcing the cancellation will be posted on the classroom door.

Electronic Devices

Students are encouraged to bring their laptops to every class meeting and to use them as appropriate. This includes writing, conducting research, and carrying out any tasks associated with the course; it does not include general web browsing, communicating with friends, checking out one's Facebook feed, playing games, or doing anything online that has no course-related purpose. Other electronic devices, such as portable media players and mobile phones (smart or otherwise), must be turned off and put away before the beginning of class.

Plagiarism

Students are expected to have reviewed and accepted the Honor Code and the Honor Pledge in the 2009-2010 MHC Student Handbook, page 37. Committing plagiarism — presenting the words, ideas, or work of another as one's own — is an egregious breach of this code, is an act of base deceit, and is absolutely reprehensible to the academic community. A student found to have plagiarized will receive a 0 for the assignment and a 0 for his or her class participation grade, and he or she will be reported to the Honor Council. Subsequent acts of plagiarism will result in a failing grade for the course.

Accommodation

Students with documented learning disabilities are encouraged to communicate with the Counseling Office in the Wellness Center and complete the Disability Information Release and Accommodation(s) Request form. Accommodation, including but not necessarily limited to additional time or a low-distraction environment for taking exams, is available only for students who request it through the Counseling Office.

Textbooks