The mission of New Mexico State University at Alamogordo
is to provide quality learning opportunities for individuals in the diverse communities we serve.

• Master enough computer skills to take online quizzes, word-process reports, research reports, illustrate reports with graphics, work collaboratively with computer-mediated communications, and build basic websites.
• Demonstrate the ability to summarize and analyze sophisticated scientific arguments.
• Achieve the ability to write to different audiences.
• Achieve the ability to match the tone of  texts with specific purposes.
• Become competent revisers of  texts to achieve standard edited English, as promulgated in technical and scientific publications.
• Gain team-building, team-maintaining, and team-facilitating abilities.
• Increase civic literacy and civic participation through service learning projects.
• Demonstrate basic abilities of document design, including the effective inclusion of design elements and graphics in texts.
• Demonstrate abilities in the use of research in technical reporting.
• Exhibit effective oral communication techniques, including the use of sophisticated audio-visual aids.

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Assignments & Grading
Your semester grade will be figured as follows:

Grade Worth      Assignments
 

Attendance
This is NOT a self-paced course.  Although it isn't easy, it is possible to create a community of learners online.  One way to do this is to work together on some common tasks, and to read the same chapters at the same time.  So, we will work together, week by week, even if we don't always do it synchronously.
(Vocabulary note:  synchronous computer mediated communication means that participants in computer communications are all online at the same time, as in a Chat Room, or on the telephone.  Asynchronous computer mediated communication means that participants use computers to communicate, but may not all be online at the same time, as with Email or with Discussion Tools, or leaving a message on an answering machine.)

Attendance will be taken weekly in the Discussions Tool or the Chat Tool..  (I also have sneaky ways to check on whether you logon or not, but I'd rather note your participation as a "talker").  Absences (that is, no evidence of a student logging in and participating in a calendar week--Sunday through Saturday--starting Sunday, January 18) will be reported to the financial aid office, possibly resulting in loss of financial aid.  There are no make-ups for attendance.  However, the way to "make-up" for trouble with WebCT is to email me directly at mcneel@nmsua.nmsu.edu with your comments on the week's reading assignment.

If you miss any two weeks by not logging in and participating, your semester grade will be lowered by one letter grade.  That is, an A grade becomes a B grade for the semester. If you miss any three weeks by not loggin in and participating, your semester grade will be lowered by two letter grades.  That is, a C grade would become an F grade.

How to attend: Students must log in and participate in the weekly discussions, most of which will be student-led.  Help your fellow students who are trying to stimulate learning through online discussions, questions, web links,  and presentations (and who are trying to get good grades) by showing up online and commenting on their discussion questions or prompts.

Together we will make an effort to learn how internet connections and the WebCT platform can create productive attendance and participation in a community of learners.

Instructor Contact Information
 
 

Mr. Ron McNeel Professor of English Faculty Mentor for Web Course Development

Office #115, Faculty Office Building Office phone, (505) 439-3742 Office Hours: Tu, W, Th 1:00-4:00 P.M. Online Hours: Often Sunday evenings Cell Phone: (505) 491-3658 email: mcneel@nmsua.nmsu.edu emergency email:  ron_mcneel@yahoo.com

Books and Materials Technical Communications, by Mike Markel, 7th edition A Pocket Style Manual, by Diana Hacker, 4th ed Handbook for Technical Writers, optional Dictionary Access to an Internet-connected computer WebCT Account:  NMSU User ID and Password Access to a fairly up-to-date suite of productivity software:  MS Office with Word, Excel, PowerPoint; or the Corel WordPerfect Office with spreadsheet and presentations tool.  Beware:  Lotus software seems to cause problems for others without it--and I don't have Lotus.  MS Works, although shipped with many home computers for free, causes a lot of problems.

Prerequisites English 111G, or its equivalent first year college writing course, is a prerequisite for ENGL 218G  Some computer experience is required for this internet version of the ENGL 218G course--especially email, and sending and receiving attachments.  At least a rudimentary knowledge of spreadsheet software (like Excel or Quattro Pro) and presentation software (like PowerPoint) will be important.  If  you get discouraged with WebCT, or your own software, or your own computer skills, there are face-to-face sections of this course.  One is held on Holloman Air Force Base in the second 8 weeks of the semester, so if you had to drop this course sometime in the first 7 weeks you could pick it up again.

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Plagiarism, and Grading Policies

•  You are responsible for the information presented at each class session whether or not you can get online from home. 
•  Since a first year college writing course is a prerequisite for this course; and since every first year college writing course will cover issues of plagiarism; I  am confident that you have been exposed to the rules governing plagiarism.  If you are not, refer to any first year college English textbook. 
• Plagiarized papers will receive a grade of zero.  Disciplinary action may be initiated against students who engage in academic dishonesty.  You should familiarize yourselves with the Student Code of Conduct in the NMSU-A Student Handbook.  A plagiarized formal written report is sufficient cause for a failure grade for the entire course. In such a case, disciplinary action at the University level will be initiated. In case I have a question about whether or not your formal written report is indeed authored by you, keep all pre-final drafts, notes, bibliography cards, and other research and drafting materials. Be prepared to deliver these pre-final research materials by mail.
• The formal written report is a requirement for passing the course.
• The Final Exam is a requirement for passing the course.
• ALL late papers will lose 10% of the possible points.  A paper is late if it is received by me,  either on  the WebCT email system or by another email system I use, with a "Sent" time and date after Saturday midnight of the week the assignment is due.  I will not take late papers or revisions after Midnight,  April 24.
• So that NMSU-A may engage in assessment activities, the instructor reserves the right to keep early drafts and final drafts of your assignments. 

In Case of Holloman Air Force Base Closure
National or international events may cause Holloman Air Force Base to close, keeping students from leaving the base to attend classes on campus, and keeping instructors from entering the base to teach classes there.  To alleviate the problems a closure would cause,
• the instructor may collect student phone numbers and email addresses;
• the instructor may use email addresses to create a distribution list to keep students up-to-date on assignments and activities;
• students should note the instructor’s email address and be adept at sending word-processed assignments as attachments via computer;
• instructors and students may need to mutually agree on a make-up class or classes, times, places, and modes of instruction (including email or chat room discussions), in order to abide by state requirements of 750 minutes of class time per credit hour.

Classroom Conduct
• You are not allowed to use tobacco products in classrooms at NMSU-A or HAFB.
• You are not allowed to eat or drink in computer classrooms at NMSU-A or HAFB.
• Any student engaging in disruptive behavior will be required to leave the class.

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