MUST READ: Expectations of November and December

Journalism 12

Mr. Tompkins

10/31/2014

I feel it would be helpful if I clarify my expectations for the class for the remaining weeks of the semester. 

We reviewed assignment deadlines on Weds/29. I want to highlight those deadlines:

November 12: Virtual communities/Reddit paper is due

November 19: Social Media as a search tool (handout will be posted this week). Students will map a search for a topic that will be assigned a week before it is due, since the topic must be as topical and newsworthy as possible). 

December 3: Research paper is due (note the date). We will discuss and workshop this paper in class, but remember that this is an assignment that is weighty in two ways. First, you will produce an interesting, intelligent paper of some 1800-2000 words. Second, the grade on this paper will form a substantial part of your grade for the semester.

December 10: Final Exam (note the date)

Students were directed in the beginning of the semester that notebooks would be handed in at the end of the semester. In order to help the class - and to ensure that you will have an interesting, informative record of the class - I will begin to check off notebooks during the final minutes of each Wednesday class between now and mid-December. I expect to see a record of the agenda for each class (copied from the board), and the material discussed in class. The quality of your notes will be weighted as if each week an extra homework grade has been added to your overall grade.

Until recently I have urged students to bring their digital devices to class to be able to search out information during discussions and to access class handout material during class. This is a college level class, and for that reason I don’t treat students as if they were high school students. It shouldn’t be necessary for a teacher to look over shoulders or to try to follow students’ digital footsteps during class time. However, it’s been brought to my attention that some students have been taking advantage of this. For that reason, I’m asking students to keep phones, iPads etc in their backpacks unless we have a particular reason to bring them out. Students who aren’t wiling to cooperate will be asked to leave the class for the day.

I have dropped several students for poor attendance. Several others can not miss any more classes without being dropped.

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