It’s that time of the semester when no one remembers anything and shit keeps piling up anyway, so here’s a general round-up of things that students tend to forget around now. (This is not a comprehensive list, so always consult the Calendar Google Doc on D2L and Assignment Guidelines for detailed deadlines and the Grading Contract for general requirements for each grade.)

  • Don’t forget to do your field notes! Check the Calendar and Assignment Guidelines for the due date, format, and directions.
  • Feedback conferences are always mandatory regardless of the score you receive, and you must do all 3 to receive a B+. I keep getting asked if you need to meet with me if you receive a ★. Keep in mind that a ★ does not mean “perfect” or even “well written,” just that you hit at least the bare minimum of the assignment parameters. Feedback conferences are your only chance to receive comments from me on Phase 1 drafts before you revise for Phase 2. If you don’t make them for the weeks listed in the Calendar (unless there are extenuating circumstances), I count them as Missed. (I also make note of if you stand me up without notifying me you need to reschedule.)
  • Peer review is mandatory and you must participate to receive a B+. I don’t penalize you for drafts that aren’t posted on time. I monitor the #workshop channels and count the number of drafts submitted in a timely fashion, and I
  • Writing Center visits are required for the B+. You can refer to the Grading Contract to see the number of hours required for different grades. The Writing Center books up fast, especially towards the end of the semester, so don’t wait until the last minute. I will not work around this requirement, especially if you haven’t gone once by the end of the semester.
  • Revise your + scores if you want to overwrite the score! If you received a + score on any draft so far and want to overwrite it with a ★ score, don’t wait until the last minute. I will accept revisions for Unit 1-2 drafts that received a + until Week 12 (Friday 4/16 at 5pm).
  • Don’t put off revising your Phase 2 drafts. We’ll do some work with this in the final weeks of the semester, but don’t wait until the last minute to revise for your Phase 3 drafts for the Final Portfolio. Use the general feedback posts to poke at your Phase 2 drafts now and then, and schedule meetings with me if you need additional guidance.
  • Don’t put off meeting with me. If I run out of meeting times at the end of the semester, I won’t be able to accommodate you, so don’t wait until the last minute if you think you need to Zoom with me!
  • Take more time and care with Unit 3. Be advised you’ll have a lot of difficulty revising and resubmitting Essay 3 Phase 2 because of the shortened semester, and you won’t have much turnaround for Essay 3 Phase 1 either. If there’s ever a unit where you should pay extra close attention to the directions, it’s this one.
  • Review the Grading Contract. We solidified the Grading Contract in Week 2 and it hasn’t changed, so I expect you to be aware of specific requirements listed there. I can’t always reach out to everyone who seems to be having difficulty, though I try, so you are responsible for being aware of your scores on drafts, of your scores on Slack posts, of requirements you need to fulfill, of homework or meetings you’ve missed, and how all this affects your final course grade. Due to FERPA, I only discuss grades in a Zoom or phone meeting, so if you’d like to discuss your standing in the class, please schedule an appointment through the Calendly link on the Syllabus.