When are the assignments due, and how much are they worth?

Research Topic	Thursday, July 6th	40 points
Midterm Exam	Thursday, July 13th	130 points
Treasure Hunt	Monday, July 24th	100 points
Web Page	Thursday, July 27th	100 points
Final Exam	Thursday, August 3rd	130 points
Total		500 points

How will final grades be computed?

You are encouraged to keep track of your grades on various assignements. (The paper version of this syllabus has a place to do this.) To compute your own grade:

Total = _______ points / 5 = _______ average points

Points will be converted into grades using the following guidelines:

Academic integrity is more than a policy; it is a philosophy, and a correct one. I take the honor and integrity of our University very seriously, and I hope that you do, as well. In all that we do as faculty and students (attending classes, preparing classes, studying, taking exams, etc.), we are all bound by the Honor Code of the University, and I will take any steps necessary to uphold its principles, as should you.

As students of communication, we must be especially sensitive to respect the creative, communicative work of others. Plagiarism is defined by the UNC-CH Instrument of Judicial Governance as "intentional representation of another person's words, thoughts, or ideas as one's own." This includes direct quotation and paraphrasing without attribution. Plagiarism is considered a very serious violation of the Honor Code, and will not be tolerated. If you have any questions about plagiarism or anything in the Honor Code, please feel free to ask me.

On every project and exam for this class I will ask you to pledge yourself to the Honor Code. A University-approved condensed statement of the Honor Code will be on every test, which I would like you to read, then write "Pledged." and sign your name. For any other assignments, please write "Pledged to UNC-CH Honor Code." and sign your name.

Violations of the Honor Code will be processed through the appropriate channels as governed by the University.

For more information please refer to The Instrument of Student Judicial Governance for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Attendance and Tardiness

A large part of the educational process involves you being in class and interacting with your classmates and me. Summer semesters are extremely intense, and, like the ads say, "If you miss a day, you miss a lot." Fifteen points will be deducted for each unexcused absence up to three, then 20 points for each absence thereafter.

Attendance will be recorded using a daily sign-up sheet. It is your responsibility to locate and sign the sheet each day that you attend!

Please inform me before you need to miss any class, not after. This must involve a phone or e-mail message, and must only be for an extreme circumstance. Excused absences include doctor appointments, illness or injury, family emergency, participation in a university athletic event, wedding, etc. No absence will be considered excused after the fact.

I understand that sometimes, by no fault of your own, you may be late for class. Please respect your fellow classmates by entering quietly and taking the closest seat. It is rude to your classmates and me if you are continually late.

Deadlines

This class is part of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and journalism is all about deadlines and making them. Please consider the due dates for the assignments as such. Late projects will be accepted only with prior communication with the instructor, and only in extreme circumstances.

Exams will be given on the days marked. A make-up exam will only be considered for the first exam, and only in the most extreme circumstance. Look at the dates now and schedule accordingly.

Definition of Grades

The Faculty Council adopted these definitions in 1976. The Council reiterated that the purpose of grade is to identify degrees of mastery of subject matter. Moreover, those grades have specific meaning with respect to mastery of the material:

A: Outstanding mastery of course material. Students earning an "A" have performed far above that required for credit in the course and far above that usually seen in the course. The "A" grade should be awarded sparingly and should identify student performance that is relatively unusual in the course. The "A" grade states clearly that the student has shown such outstanding promise in the aspect of the discipline under study that he or she may be strongly encouraged to continue.

B: Superior mastery of course material. Students earning a "B" have exhibited mastery clearly above that required for credit in the course. The "B" grade should represent student performance that is strong and very clearly above performance that is generally held to be satisfactory. The "B" grade states that the student has shown solid promise in the aspect of the discipline under study.

C: Satisfactory mastery of course material. The "C" grade should reflect performance that is satisfactory on all counts and that clearly deserves full credit for the course. The "C" grade states that, while not yet showing an unusual promise, the student may continue to study in the discipline with reasonable hope of intellectual development.

D: Mastery of course material that is unsatisfactory or poor along one or more dimensions. Students achieving a "D" have exhibited incomplete mastery of course material but have achieved enough to earn credit for the course. The "D" grade states that the student has given no evidence of prospective growth in the discipline; an accumulation of "D" grades should mean that the student would be well advised not to continue in that academic field.

F: Unsatisfactory mastery of course material. Students earning an "F" have not demonstrated sufficient mastery of course material to earn credit for the course. The "F" grade indicates that the student's performance in the required exercises has revealed almost no understanding of the course content. A grade of "F" should warrant an adviser's questioning whether the student may suitably register for further study in the discipline before remedial work is undertaken.

Grade appeals

You have the right to appeal any grade in this course. You may talk with me about any grade and discuss my determination of that grade. If you are not satisfied, you may submit an appeal in writing along with the assignment or project in question. I will respond to your appeal. If you are not satisfied with my response, you may appeal to your academic dean. A grade appeal committee will consider your complaint and will recommend action.