Don’t
Panic!

A Cyber-Hiker’s Guide to the 

Argumentation

Galaxy

This Could be the most Challenging Class you will ever Take – And the most Important

Citizens of a democratic society need to be able to critically evaluate arguments, and be able to express their own arguments in rational, effective ways.  Too often, we make decisions based on the hair style or delivery of the speaker and not on solid critical thinking.  In this class you will learn to think critically, to evaluate arguments, and to create rational presentations of your own positions on topics of importance to you.
	This class challenges you to learn how to think rationally.  This presents difficulties for many of us.  We are used to thinking illogically, confusing emotional attachment to an idea with a rational commitment to the same, not understanding the difference between a fact and an inference, and being swayed by fine sounding arguments filled with fallacies and based on nothing but the ephemeral appeal of the speaker.  
	In this class you will struggle to stay focused  on actual fact and rational presentations of those facts.  This course is difficult for most of us.  It requires us to stretch our mental muscles.  It involves a great deal of writing, research, and speaking.  It involves a great deal of thinking.  Are you up to it? 

What You Will Learn
 
At the end of this course you will be able to:

1.	Create propositions for questions of value, questions of fact and questions of policy.
2.	Engage in group problem solving using rational arguments to settle disagreements
3.	Create and deliver a speech on a public policy issue.
4.	Create and deliver a speech on a legal topic.
5.	Participate in a public policy debate
6.	Identify logical fallacies in both written and verbal discourse.
7.	Critically evaluate evidence presented in support of an argument
8.	Critically evaluate reasoning presented in support of an argument
9.	Present arguments in a manner sensitive to the interpersonal dynamics of the situation.

How Does this Course Work?
An Overview

Taking an online course is both similar to and different from an on-campus course. As with all courses, you will need to read the textbook and complete written assignments. There will be exams. However, there are some significant differences as well. 

One major difference is that you can work at your own pace and on your own schedule. While there are some assignment periods during which you must turn in written work, you can take quizzes and exams mostly on your own schedule and interact in the forums at your own pace. 

Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, distance learning requires a great deal of self-discipline. Without the accountability of regular class sessions, it’s easy to get behind on your web board postings or to forget assignment due dates. So, setting a regular schedule for yourself to work on your assignments just as if you were in class is vital to your success. 

On-Line Current Events Discussions 

About every week to 10 days, I will post a link in a forum to an editorial or commentary related to some aspect of current events.  I will also post a question related to this editorial.  You will be asked to post an analysis of the arguments made.  You may also, respectfully, respond to other people’s analyses.  In fact, you will need to post twice to each forum. You will need a total of 20 postings of 100 words or more to meet the requirement. 

Virtual Debate

You will engage in an online debate with another student.  You will post an argument and your opponent will counter it, then you will refute that argument. As with an academic debate, there will be a panel of judges to determine who wins the debate.  The winner receives 10 extra points over and above my grade for the debater. 

Unit Quizzes 

You will take online multiple choice quizzes on each chapter and supplemental materials posted in the course documents section.  The quizzes will be automatically scored by the system online.  

Exams 

You have two exams, a midterm covering the first half of the textbook and supplemental materials , and a final covering the last half of the same. I will post these by September 15. There will be specific due dates for each, but you can take them anytime before that due date. You will find them in the Assignments section. You can use your notes and your book in answering the questions.

Written Assignments 

You have several written assignments.  These include four papers of 1000-1500 words each. These are discussed in depth in a later portion of this handbook. 

Live Meetings  

I am calling this a hybrid course since you will need to come to a number of on campus meetings to take care of the oral presentation component of the course. Here are the times and dates.   All meetings are in Business 43.

•	Saturday September 24 1-3 p.m. Instruction on researching the argumentative paper.
•	Monday, September 26 6-8 p.m. Instruction on writing the argumentative paper.
•	Saturday, November 12 1-4 p.m. Instruction on creating oral presentations
•	Saturday, December 10 11-1 p.m..  Presentation of Policy Speeches
•	Monday, December 12, 7-9 p.m. Presentation of Policy Speeches

  These meetings are mandatory.  Please, make arrangements now with work or family to attend.  There is no such thing as an excused absence in a course with this few campus meetings. So, examine your schedule carefully. If you cannot make those times, you should consider dropping the class.  There are plenty of students wanting to get in.

Due Dates

These are the dates by which your assignments are due.  This does not mean they all have to come in on that date.  You can send them in anytime prior to the due date.  However, I warn against waiting until the last minute.  You are dealing with technology and if the system is down you could miss the due date.  Since you know this, I will not make allowances for downed ISP’s etc. unless the problem extended more than 24 hours before the due date. 

.

The Basics

So, now you know the generalities of how the course works, let’s review some basic information you need to know about the course.  You know, the basic syllabus stuff. 

Textbook

Arguments and Arguing by Thomas Hollihan and Kevin T. Baaske 

Assignments
Oral Presentations
Public Policy Speech – 100

Issue Analysis Papers 
Question of Fact            - 100
Question of Value          - 100
Question of Policy          - 100
Defending the Opposition –100

Discussion and Debate

Editorial Discussion – 100
Virtual Debate – 100

Exams
Handbook Quiz                -50
Expectations Essay         -50	
Quizzes                         - 200

Grading Scale:

90-1000 = A
800-899  = B
700-799 = C
600-699 = D
Under 600 = F

Late Assignments 

Written Assignments turned in late will receive a 10 percent deduction in grade.  Speaking assignments will receive a 25 percent reduction in grade. And for speaking assignments your chances of making them up at all is very slim.  That is dependent on the time available and we are working with very little time.

Due Dates 

September 1 

Handbook Quiz

September 20

Quizzes Chapters 1-5
Topics for written assignments due

September 24 and 26

On campus meetings. 

Saturday (1-3 p.m. BA 40) Researching the Argumentative Paper
Monday (6-8 p.m. BA 43) Writing the Argumentative Paper

October 6

Proposition of Fact Paper Due

October 17

Quizzes Chapters 6-10 

October 25

Proposition of Value Paper Due

November 5

Quizzes Chapters 11- 15

November 10

Defending the Opposition Paper Due

November 20 – December 7

Virtual Debates

December 10

On campus meeting 10-1 p.m.. Room Business 40
Public Policy Speech
Proposition of Policy Paper Due

December 12

On campus meeting 7-9 p.m. Room Business 43
Public Policy Speech

Analysis Papers

In this class you will write four papers.  Each paper is 1000 – 1500 words long. They are formal, research-based, reasoned arguments.  Do not confuse argumentation with presenting an opinion.  Opinions are generally unfounded and unsupported.  As such they have little real value.  An argument is something that is rational, logical and backed by solid evidence.  

Every claim you make in one of these papers MUST be supported by research.  As such, your grade will be based in part on your research.  You must have a minimum of 4 sources of research cited in your paper to qualify for a “C.” You need 5 for a “B” and 6 for an “A.”  Just having these sources cited does not automatically give you these grades.  It’s just that your grade can be no higher than that. 

These papers are formal academic papers.  That means that the use of the first person pronouns I, me, we, us, ours, and mine is forbidden.  You will lose 2 points for each use of these pronouns.  Likewise, the second person you and yours is to be avoided and 2 points will be removed per instance.  I understand this makes writing difficult.  It also makes the writing more precise and forces you to focus on fact and argument rather than on personal opinion. 

Also, as academic papers, you will be expected to use formal source citations both within the text of your paper and prepare a works cited page.  Every work listed on the works cited page MUST be cited in the text of the paper itself.  Every source in the works cited page that is not listed will reduce your grade by 10 points.  So, it is vital that you are diligent about your source citations.  You may use either MLA or APA format.  However, I expect the paper to conform to one of these formats.  If you are unfamiliar with this type of academic formatting, then you may have difficulties in this class.  If you need help with your writing, you can receive it from our Writing Center in Humanities 59 or by emailing the center at rc.writingcenter@reedleycollege.edu .  You can even email your paper to the writing center and get help online. 

The Papers

Proposition of Fact Paper. (Due October 6) A proposition of fact is an argument which attempts to prove that something is a fact or will be a fact.  It deals with potentially verifiable matters. Informally, we are familiar with this type of argument.  A typical example is an argument over who played the lead in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest  or who was football’s MVP in 1987.  These types of arguments usually end with someone pulling a book off the shelf and looking up the answer. 
	But there are other more thorny questions of fact which are not so easily settled. Let’s take the example we began with.  Does Big Foot (or the Yeti, Abominable Snow Man or Sasquatch) actually exist?  Some people say such a creature does exist, and others say it does not.  The actually evidence is inconclusive enough to allow speculation.  After all, one has never captured Big Foot and brought it into town.  On the other hand, there are reported sightings, controversial movies, and physical artifacts such as footprints which provide evidence for believers to make their case.  
	On a more practical level a proposition of fact might revolve about a question about the future.  For instance, will the stock market go up or down in the coming year.  Obviously, one could simply wait a year and find out, but I want to invest today.  So, I approach two financial advisers.  One looks at the stock market trends over the past six months, the current state of the economy, the projections put out by various governmental agencies, economists and companies and says, “Yes, this is a great time to invest.”  The other looking over the same material says, “No, play it safe this year.  Invest in government bonds and put your money in the bank.”  Each adviser will present the evidence he or she feels supports his or her position.  They will also provide me with analyses of that evidence explaining why they came to those conclusions.  A year later, I will be able to verify those conclusions and either celebrate with a steak dinner or commiserate with a spam sandwich.

Proposition of Value Paper. (Due October 25)  Often an argument will not turn on some verifiable or potentially verifiable fact, but rather on making an evaluation of something.  Again, our informal conversations contain such arguments.  I’m thinking of buying a new car and I say, “I like the Pontiac Grand Am.  It’s cute, sporty, has good power and gets fair gas mileage.”  Meanwhile, my friend says, “Well, the Mustang is the classic sports car and gets better gas mileage and has a more powerful engine.” 
	There is no absolute right or wrong.  The argument turns on the criteria I am using to evaluate the vehicle.  If my criteria was economy more than good looks, then I might well go for a subcompact, electric-gasoline hybrid car like Primus. 
	Again using our Big Foot example a proposition of value might be whether or not studying such creatures (or possible creatures) like Big Foot is legitimate scientific research.  That argument would look at what are the generally accepted criteria for legitimate scientific research and see whether the Big Foot Expeditionary Study is legitimate.  
	Likewise, picking a stock, an argument might ensue over whether or not a stock is a wise buy.  While part of that argument might be a question of fact (will it go up or down next year) it also depends heavily on how one defines a “wise buy.”  If my criterion for purchasing securities is long term stability, then a stock which has risen little in value, but produces dividends every year could be considered a wise buy.  But if my criterion is a stock which I can buy low and sell high in a short term turnaround, then that same stock might not be “wise” according to my definition. 
	Establishing the criteria for making the evaluation, therefore, is the most important aspect of arguing a proposition of value.  Often, two people will be arguing about whether something is good or bad with completely different definitions of those words.  A good portion of a speech arguing a question of value is to define your terms and set the criteria for the evaluation

Proposition of Policy Paper (and Speech). (Due December 10) Every day we face questions of policy.  Should we purchase a new computer system for the office?  Should workers at the steel mill be given a raise?  Should a certain law be enacted?  The common factor in each of these is that they call for an action which results in a change in the status quo.
	So, proposing to create an expedition to hunt for Big Foot would be a question of policy.  The argument in this case would turn on either the need for research or the benefits which would accrue from doing the research.  Likewise, a speech proposing a new law to regulate the sale of securities would be a question of policy.  
	In both of these cases we are calling for some sort of action to take place.  This means you have to give the listener substantial reasons for taking that action.  It must provide the listener with ample evidence and reasoning to convince the audience to make substantial changes in the status quo.  This is what is called making a prima face case.   
	Obviously, because you are asking for your audience to either make changes themselves or encourage changes in the system, you have a much tougher job than simply convincing someone of a fact or of the inherent value of something.  
	To motivate action, you must create arguments not only addressing the generic good of the general public, but also the specific benefit of such a change to the individual in the audience.  In other words you not only answer the question “Why is this a good idea?”, but also “What’s in it for me?”   You must prepare arguments to address both.  That is why propositions of policy generally take the most work to support.
	Your question of policy paper and speech for this class needs to focus on public policy in some way.  That could mean proposing a new law, voting a certain way in an election, a change in personal behavior that would benefit society (like not drinking and driving), or some change taken by an institution (like a college, hospital, etc.), corporations and local, state or national governments which would benefit the greater culture.

Defending the Opposition.  This tends to be the hardest assignment for most of my students.  I want you to take one of the topics you have written about and write one on the opposite side of the issue.  So, if you wrote a pro-life essay about why we need a right-to-life amendment to the constitution, then I want you to write an essay defending the pro-choice position.  If  you were against the death penalty in one essay, then write a defense of the death penalty in another.  And I want you to be as vigorous in your defense of this position as you were of your own. 

Unless you are able to argue the opposition’s point of view effectively, you will never really be able to successfully argue against it.

Tips for Writing your Papers

Writing Your Paper
	While it is impossible to give you a complete education on writing term papers in a few paragraphs, here are a few tips. 

1.	Start Early. Select your topics in the next few days.  Time gets away from you and you have four papers to write. . The longer you wait to get started, the more rushed you will be at the end.  Set yourself a schedule.  Map out when you will research, write and rewrite your paper. 
2.	Source Everything. If you have never written a formal reasoned argumentative essay, you need to know that writing one is very different from writing a personal essay.  We have already mentioned the fact that it is research-based. You must back up each claim you make with specific evidence.  Your opinion is not enough.  You need the facts.   This also means that you need to “source” everything which comes from someplace other than your own imagination.   What we mean by “sourcing” is using in-text source citations.  These take the form of a short phrase contained within parentheses giving a reference to the original source of the information.  It will look like this (Jones, 1999) in APA style.  In MLA style it will look like this (Jones, p. 64)  You MUST source every fact you use, every direct quotation, every indirect quotation, every statistic.  If you fail to do this, you will lose points.  You must also include a works cited page listing every source you used in your paper. Only list those works you actually have sourced in the text.
3.	Dump the “I”s. Remove all use of the personal pronouns from your paper. Remove I, me, we, you, us, ours, mine, etc. This should not be directly addressed to the reader.  Nor should it point to you.  So, do not use terms like “I think,” “I believe,” “In my opinion.”  What you think or believe is not important.  What you can prove is what matters.  I will remove 2 points for each use of these pronouns. So, if  you have 5 “I’s” in your paper, you will lose 10 points.
4.	Save as a single file. I don’t know what it is with some people, but when they send me their paper, they send separate files for the cover sheet, the paper and the works cited.  Don’t do that!  You wouldn’t turn in a hard copy paper that way. I will remove 5 points from any paper which comes to me in pieces. 
5.	Write and Rewrite then Rewrite Again.  After you have written your paper, go back and look at it critically.  Did you cover everything you needed to cover?  Were your transitions tight?  Is it organized well? Did you support all your points with specific research? Were you using too much personal experience and personal opinion?  How was your spelling and punctuation?  Read your paper out loud.  This should help you spot problems you might not see reading silently.  If English is your second language, have someone else check your spelling, punctuation and grammar. 
6.	Use a diversity of sources. It is easy to depend heavily on a single source or a single type of source.  For instance, an anti-gun control essay might feature nothing but references to National Rifle Association sources.  Well, those sources are biased.  They are an advocacy group with the agenda to hold back gun control legislation.  You might agree with that agenda, but that does mean they are at best selective about their research. So anything coming from them needs to be supported by research from a less biased organization.  The same would go for material from a  pro-gun control organization.  

Now, I may step on some toes with this one, but here goes.  The question arises at times about whether or not to use religious materials in your paper or speech.  These sources tend to be biased. It may be a bias you agree with, even a justifiable one, but it is an obvious bias nonetheless.  

Sometimes a quote from a religious writer, who also is qualified in another field as well, may be considered an expert for evidentiary purposes. Likewise, if the nature of your essay is written from the perspective of a certain religious tradition, quotations might be appropriate.  For instance, a claim that Islam is not inherently a violent religion could be supported by quotations from the Koran.  However, most of the time any writer, religious or not with an agenda to pursue should not be considered a good source.  Even if their observations are correct, their bias leads them to be perceived as being less reliable.  

If you do quote religious sources be sure you also have secular ones which also support your perspective.  The use of exclusively religious sources for evidence will reduce your grade.
7.	Ask for help. If you need help, be sure to email me and ask.  Better to ask for help than to make an avoidable error. 

The Virtual Debate

This will be one of the more interesting assignments.  Usually, we think of debates in terms of two people standing on opposite sides of a stage arguing the affirmative and negative sides of a case.  Well, we will be doing a “virtual” debate.  About mid-semester each of you will be assigned randomly a debate topic based on current events and a position.  Do not argue about the position you have received.  It is irrelevant whether or not you agree with that position, you still must defend it.  The debate will take place in special forums that will be set up for that purpose.  

Here’s how it will work:

On an assigned date the affirmative will post a “constructive” position paper in favor of the proposition.  This paper is not to be less than 500 nor more than 700 words.  It needs to be fully sources like the analysis papers.  

The negative has 24 hours in which to respond with a negative “constructive” of the same length which attempts to refute point by point the affirmative’s case. 

Within 24 hours, the affirmative needs to refute the negative’s attack in a rebuttal of 250-300 words

The negative then has 24 hours to respond with a rebuttal of the same length. 

Within 24 hours each side has the option of presenting a closing statement of no more than 500 words. 

A panel of “judges” will be appointed to judge the debate.  The winners of the debate will receive 10 extra credit points in addition to the score I give to the debate. I will also give my take on who won the debate and that winner will also receive 10 extra credit points.  So, if the panel and I agree, you get 20 extra credit points for winning.  A split decision gives 10 points to everyone.

Getting in Touch

I try to be available to students, even when we don’t meet in person.  Here are the basic contact options. 

Email

This is your best option most of the time.  I check email several times a day and try to answer student email as quickly as possible.  You can usually expect a 24 hour or less turn around. 

To expedite matters, I would like you to include the word student in the subject line of your email.  For instance, “Student Question about the Term Paper.”  I have my email program set up to send all student email to a special file which I check first.  Also, make the subject line specific.  Instead of a subject line like “Your student,” use “Student needs help with book review.”  

If you are emailing me through the Blackboard system, be sure your profile includes an email address.  If it doesn’t, I can’t respond.  Also, be sure you include your name in your email if you expect me to check on something related to your grade or assignments.  Email addresses are not always helpful.  Like my email address of webservant2003@yahoo.com . If I didn’t sign my name you wouldn’t know who I am. It is also helpful to give me the section number since I have several online or web assisted classes. 

One of the first things you should do is set up your email address on Blackboard.  You should do that this week. Here’s how:

1.	Click on Tools
2.	Click on Personal Information
3.	Click on Edit Personal Information
4.	Enter your email address in the proper box
5.	Scroll to the bottom of the page and click “Submit.”

Instant Messaging

You can instant message me online using Yahoo! Messenger, AIM, and MSN messenger.  I even have a webcam if you want to speak “face to face” .  My ID is webservant2003 .  If I am online, I will respond.  However, please identify yourself as a student.  If I’m busy, I may ignore people who just want to chat, but I don’t ignore my students.  

Virtual Office Hours

1.	I will be keeping online office hours this term.  I will be available online Tuesday evenings 8-9.  You can contact me by instant messenger.

On Campus Office Hours

Monday, Wednesday, Friday  11 a.m.  Other times are available by appointment.

Phone

Office number is (559)638-3641 Ext. 3404 

Things to Do in the First Week

To help you get off to a good start here are some things to do this week.

Edit Personal Information

As soon as you enter Blackboard for the first time, do two things: enter an email address and change your password.  

Entering Email Address

1.	Click on Tools
2.	Click on Personal Information
3.	Click on the link marked Edit Personal Information
4.	Check the box with your email address entered. 
5.	If you have no email address or the wrong email address, then click in the box, highlight everything in the box, click delete and enter your email address. 
6.	Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Submit

Changing Password

1.	Click on Tools
2.	Click on Personal Information
3.	Click on the link marked Change Password
4.	Type your new password in the appropriate box and confirm it in the second box.
5.	Click Submit

Take the Handbook/Syllabus Quiz

After reading through this handbook, take the quiz.  This quiz is set to allow you to repeat it.  I want you to repeat it until you get all the questions correct.  By taking this quiz you will learn how to take a quiz on line and you will learn the basic information you need to know to complete this course.  It will answer the most common questions people have about the course.  

To take the quiz, do the following:

1.	Click on Assignments
2.	Click on  Handbook Quiz
3.	A box will pop up asking, “Do you want to take the assessment now?” Click OK
4.	The questions are all multiple choice. Click on the circle next to the right answers.
5.	Click on the single arrow pointing right to proceed to the next question.  You will be asked to confirm your answer.  Click OK  to proceed or Cancel to change your answer.
6.	Continue to the end of the quiz. 
7.	After the last question hit Submit and wait.  The system is scoring your quiz. This can take a few minutes.  Don’t panic if it takes awhile.  A screen will appear saying the quiz has been scored and asking if you want to see the results. 
8.	Click OK to see the results. You will see exactly what questions you missed, the correct answer and a few additional comments to help you learn the material.

Submit a Short Essay about your Expectations for this Class

Write a single paragraph of 150-200 words describing what you would like to learn during this course.  This will have no impact on your grade.  You will recieve the 50 points regardless of what you write. It is important that you not simply be taking this class to get a grade or fulfill a general ed requirement.  It will be most enjoyable and probably produce better academic results, if you are actively searching for something.  What is that which you would like to learn? Submit this assignment through the drop box.

To send a paper through the digital drop box do the following:

1. From the Welcome screen click on “Tools”

2. Click on Digital Drop Box

3. Click the  button marked “Send File.”

4. Click the button marked “Browse” 

5. From the box that appears on the screen find the file you want to send.  Note: You have to have a file saved either on your computer or on a disk to do this.  That file must  be either in MS-Word, rich-text or plain text formats. No other formats are allowed.

6. Click on the file name.

7. Click OK

8. In the box marked “Title” identify your file this way

 ‘Your Name – Expectations Essay’ 

9. Click submit.

You will be taken to a page verifying the receipt of your paper.  Print out a copy of this page for your records.  You will also have a copy of the paper saved in your own drop box along with the date and time submitted. 

Taking the Quizzes

I will begin posting quizzes this week and all quizzes will be posted by September 1 for each of the chapters in the textbook  and the supplementary material.  You can take these in any order you wish.  They are all true/false multiple choice quizzes.  Here’s how they work:

1.	Click on Assignments
2.	Click on Quizzes
3.	Click on the quiz you wish to take 
4.	A box will pop up asking, “Do you want to take the assessment now?” Click OK
5.	The questions are all multiple choice. Click on the circle next to the right answers.
6.	Click on the single arrow pointing right to proceed to the next question.  You will be asked to confirm your answer.  Click OK  to proceed or Cancel to change your answer. Note: you can use the back arrow to go back and change any previous answers.  Also clicking the little “x” in the upper right corner of the popup box will save your previous answers and you can continue where you stopped. 
7.	Continue to the end of the quiz. 
8.	After the last question hit Submit and wait.  The system is scoring your quiz. This can take a few minutes.  Don’t panic if it takes awhile.  A screen will appear saying the quiz has been scored and asking if you want to see the results. 
9.	Click OK to see the results. You will see exactly what questions you missed, the correct answer and a few additional comments to help you learn the material.

Posting to the Discussion Board

You will need to post at least 20 responses in at least 10 Editorial Analysis discussion boards.  You will also be using the discussion board for posting your Debate arguments and your Debate analyses.  You will also have separate small group discussion boards for critiquing one another’s papers. 

Other Forums

In addition to those discussion boards directly related to the subject matter of the course, we have three other forums both for your convenience and to help build a sense of community. 

•	Student Lounge.  In this forum you can discuss anything you like.  I promise I will not access this forum.  So, feel free to even criticize me or the class. 
•	Ask Me.  This forum provides you with a vehicle for posting questions which you believe other people might want to know the answers to as well as yourself. 
•	Goods and News. To help build a sense of community, its nice to share news.  So, if something interesting is happening in your life, why not let us know about it?

To Post an Original Message on the Discussion Board

1.	Click on Communication
2.	Click on Discussion Board
3.	Click on the title of the forum on which you wish to post your message
4.	Click on the button marked Add New Thread
5.	Type in a subject heading and type your message
6.	Click Submit

To Post a Reply to a Message

1.	Click on the button marked Reply
2.	Post message according to the instructions above

Some Cautions

The anonymity of the internet can be liberating.  Many can find it easier to talk about certain subjects when not physically present.  That can be both good and bad.  Sometimes it is good to move outside your comfort zone and share feelings and experiences.  However, sometimes you can share too much.  Likewise, the anonymity of the internet can bring out the worst in us.  So here are a few cautions. 

First, don’t share too much personal information online.  Avoid giving your address or phone number online.  

Second, share only up to your personal level of comfort.  One of the problems with the internet is that material put out online can be copied and passed on indefinitely.  So, sharing intimate information about your divorce say, could find its way back to your ex.  

Third, don’t pass on information you read on the discussion boards.  If I find out you have done so, I may remove all of  your discussion points. 

Fourth, play nice.  Ugly or insulting posts will be pulled.  Repeat offense will result in the loss of you discussion points. 

Submitting Your Papers through the Drop Box

1. From the Welcome screen click on “Tools”

2. Click on Digital Drop Box

3. Click the  button marked “Send File.”

4. Click the button marked “Browse” 

5. From the box that appears on the screen find the file you want to send.  Note: You have to have a file saved either on your computer or on a disk to do this.  That file must  be either in MS-Word, rich-text or plain text formats. No other formats are allowed.

6. Click on the file name.

7. Click OK

8. In the box marked “Title” identify your file this way

 ‘Your Name – Assignment’ (For instance: Terri Main – Book Review)

9. Click submit.

You will be taken to a page verifying the receipt of your paper.  Print out a copy of this page for your records.  You will also have a copy of the paper saved in your own drop box along with the date and time submitted. 

Drop Box Tips

1.	Be sure you click the button marked “Send File” and not the one marked “Add File” when sending a paper to me.  “Add File” merely saves a copy of the file in your drop box, but does not send it to me.  You can tell if your paper was “Added” instead of “Sent” because in the drop box under the name of the paper will be a line which says “posted by____” and the date.  If the file has been sent it will read “submitted by ___” and the date.  This is the most common reason for a paper failing to reach me. 
2.	Use the drop box to save back up copies of uncompleted work.  For security, save a copy of your work on disk, but also add a copy to your drop box.  Just click “Add File” and that will save a copy of your work on the Blackboard servers without sending it to me.  That way if you lose your floppy or you crash your hard drive, you have a back up of your work.  
3.	Don’t try to paste your file into the comments section.  Some people do this.  It doesn’t work.  It will only hold about 200 words of copy. 

How to know if your paper went through.

When you send in the paper through the drop box, you will be taken to a screen that will say “receipt success.”  Then when you click on the “OK” button, you will be taken back to your drop box where you will find a listing with the name of the file and a note which says “Submitted by your name” followed by a date and time in small letters. If the note reads “Posted By Your Name,” you will need to resubmit it because you clicked on “add file” instead of “send file.”

Please do not email me to confirm your paper went through.  I simply do not have time to personally check on everyone’s paper. I will not respond to emails asking me to confirm receipt of papers.  You just have to trust the system.  I will announce when the papers have been graded.  If you do not see a grade for your paper, then contact me and resend the paper.

Protecting Yourself

No matter how efficient a system, whether human or electronic, there can be glitches.  This means you have to take some responsibility for protecting yourself. Here are a few tips:

1.	When submitting a quiz, print out the page which gives you your score.
2.	When submitting a paper through the drop box, print the page confirming receipt and the page listing everything in your drop box. 
3.	Save copies of your book review in three formats: paper, online and on disk. 

Appeal Procedure
Some students (not many, but some) try to manipulate the system by claiming to have turned in work which they did not.  This means, as much as I might like to, I can’t take everyone’s word at face value.  Yet, we know mistakes happen.  So, here is the procedure for appealing a “missing” assignment. 

I will post an announcement when all the grades are recorded for a particular assignment (except for quizzes since they are automatically scored).  After this announcement, you will have two weeks to appeal a missing assignment.  Contact me by email or in class (in the case of face to face classes) and resubmit your assignment through the drop box.  

If I do not hear from you in two weeks, I will assume the assignment did not come in on time and you will receive the reduction for a late assignment or a zero grade if it does not come in at all.  It is your responsibility to monitor the Blackboard at least once a week for announcements. 

Time Management for Online Courses

	It is embarrassing to admit, but the first time I taught an online course, I got way behind in my work.  Because I wasn’t in class everyday, I just kept putting off my online work.  Big mistake! Suddenly I had all these papers coming in.  Students were asking about their grades.  I ended up pulling all-nighters just to get through the course. 
	I learned right then and there that you need to manage your time diligently to get through an online course.  What is true for me as a teacher is equally true for you as a student.  Without a regular class meeting reminding you to do the work you need to do in your class, it is easy to just keep pushing off the work until the due dates are upon you.  Here are some tips from the trenches on how to manage your time for an online class.

1.	Set a Schedule.  This is really vital.  Even though we don’t meet at a specific time and place, act like we do.  But here’s the good news you can set that time on your own.  So you could set an hour at 7 p.m. Monday, a half hour at 3 p.m. Wednesday, etc.  Be sure to have at least three hours a week scheduled just like you would in class.  However, you also need to realize that there is more than basic class time and time on Blackboard.  You will be reading your text, writing your papers, responding to editorials, studying for exams, etc. I would advise setting aside about 8-10 hours a week for each 3 unit online course you take.  And that is a low figure.
2.	Avoid Distractions. I know many of you are saying, “Yeah, right, you don’t know my house.  Phones are ringing, kids want stuff, the TV goes constantly.”  I do understand this.  However, if you were in a class at school you couldn’t take a phone call or run and get something for the kids.  Treat those scheduled hours just like you were in the classroom.  Turn off the cell phone and the TV. Personally, when I am working on my classes, I leave my phone on voicemail. If it is an emergency, they know to call back immediately and I will check the caller ID and answer the phone.  But I define an emergency as something which involves a person in a uniform: EMT, firefighter, police officer, etc.  Just about anything else can wait. If you have an office or den, close the door and put a sign up that says something like “Mommy/Daddy is at school.”  If you need to, go to a public library and work.  You’ll find you spend a lot less time on your schoolwork if you do this so you actually will have more time to spend with your family in the long run.
3.	Break Big Jobs into Little Jobs. There’s an old riddle that goes: “How do you eat an elephant.”  Obviously, the answer is “One bite at a time.”  Take out a calendar and mark off dates to have completed some aspect of this class.  For instance, “June 25 have read book for book review.”  
4.	Use the minutes. Sometimes people think they have to have an hour or more to do any work at all on this course.  But how long does it take to post one message on the discussion board?  How long does it take to complete a quiz?  Can you write a paragraph or two on your paper  in 15 minutes?  If you are on a bus going to an appointment across town, take your book with you and read on the ride.  Make notes about your term paper at lunch.  Log on to the discussion board while waiting for the electrician to come over to fix the wall socket. 
5.	Prioritize tasks. We often fall victim to the tyranny of the urgent.  That good TV show is on so you put off an important assignment to watch the show.  But that pushes off another assignment and so you end up rushing around to complete important things because you put them off for something that isn’t a high priority.  Time management people tell us that to be efficient, we need to prioritize our time.  That means sitting down with our To-Do list for the day and putting our tasks in order of importance.  Then, as much as possible, take care of the important stuff first.
6.	Plan for Delays.  I have a standing appointment in San Francisco.  I know that from my house to the appointment location my driving time is about 4 hours.  But I always give myself 5 hours.  Why?  Well, there are frequently traffic jams on the Bay Bridge.  There is road work during the summer.  There’s the possibility of detours.  I could have trouble finding a parking place.  More than once I’ve been glad I allowed for delays.  You need to do the same thing.  Sometimes, the server will be busy or your ISP will be running slowly.  The server might even be down.  If you wait until the very last minute to turn in your work or if you only budget the minimum time you need to complete your work, you may find yourself missing your deadlines.  Always add at least 10 percent to your estimated time for completing a project.  That way you have a buffer in case something unforeseen arises.
7.	Have a Backup Plan. While not strictly a time management issue, this does affect your time planning.  If you computer goes down, what are you going to do?  I know if my computer goes out, I can go to the local public library or go to the college library and use one of theirs.  With some of the bargains on computers I’m seeing on TV right now, you can almost afford to buy a “spare” computer.  I’m actually thinking about it.  Planning for the worst can sometimes help you do your best. 

Concerning Plagiarism
 
          I had taught for 6 years before I had my first case of blatant plagiarism. Now, I get 2-3 cases per year.  In spite of my warnings that plagiarized work will result in an “F,” students continue to foolishly turn in the exact same papers as two or three other students in the same class.  It may reflect a general moral bankruptcy in our times, a Napster mentality, or just declining intelligence in the student population.  I suspect, that strange as it seems to me, many students simply do not know what it is and may not know it is wrong.  And I suspect many do not understand why it is a serious offense.  In the next few paragraphs I will discuss what constitutes plagiarism, why it is wrong, and how it can endanger your academic future. 
How Plagiarism will affect your Grade in this Class
Any plagiarized work I receive will result in zero points for both the paper and the oral report accompanying the paper, if any.  That means, if your term paper is plagiarized, you will lose 200 points for the paper and 100 points for the oral report for a total of 300 points.  If you plagiarize two papers, you will fail the class.  
What is Plagiarism?
 Put simply, Plagiarism is taking someone else’s work and passing it off as your own. At it’s most blatant, it’s directly copying a paper or purchasing one from someone else.  Incidentally, if you are considering purchasing a paper from some Internet company, don’t!  I have access to a web-based service where I can compare your paper to thousands available online.  So can virtually any instructor. 
Sometimes the sheer stupidity of the plagiarizers amazes me.  I’ve had four students in a single class who sat together and were best friends turn in the same paper right down to the misspelled words.  Like, I wouldn’t notice? Others have turned in papers with one person’s name obviously whited out and the student’s name typed in with a different font and color ink. 
 But a paper doesn’t have to be exactly word for word to count as plagiarism.  If the paper is “substantially similar” to another paper, it is still considered cheating.  For instance, I had two students, a boyfriend and girlfriend, turn in two papers which were identical except that the first two paragraphs were reversed from each other.  Just shuffling the order of the writing doesn’t create an original paper. 
 Sometimes a paper is plagiarized because it is made up of paragraphs taken almost bodily from books and articles and pieced together without any commentary by the student and with no source citations.  These tend to be obvious by the different styles of the authors of the paragraphs clashing and the lack of transitional material.  I actually had one person give a speech that she read directly from a Xerox copy of a magazine article.
Certainly, you can quote from other people, but give due credit and don’t pass the work of others off as your own.  Also, you need to create an original work which incorporates the quotes and doesn’t simply string a bunch of them together without obvious synthesis.
 Sometimes plagiarism occurs in take-home essay exams and even with the in-class exams in which I allow you to bring notes.  Many times I find that the answers are direct quotes from the text book.  That may have pleased your high school teachers, but it doesn’t please me.  Your answers must be your original work.  Likewise, if you have had one person write down the notes for everyone, don’t copy them word for word.  I had one class where no less than 8 people answered the same question the same way misspelling the same words.  And, frankly, the answers weren’t that good to begin with.
 In other words, if the paper, exam or speech is largely the work of someone else, then it is plagiarism.  These papers or speeches will receive an “F” grade and two such papers will give you an “F” in the class. 
 Why is Plagiarism Wrong?
I shouldn’t even have to address this, but I feel I need to.  A number of students when confronted with the fact of their plagiarism, look at me in all apparent innocence and say, “But I got the paper in on time.”  One explained that the plagiarism was okay because it was for extra credit.  Obviously, something has gone wrong with the moral compass of our society when students can be caught and not even realize that cheating is wrong.
Plagiarism is wrong on two levels. The first level is that of basic honesty.  When you turn in a paper, you make an implied claim that this is something original.  When it is not original, that quite simply is a lie.  Secondly, plagiarism is wrong because it represents an attempt to obtain the benefits of a college degree without doing the work.  Completing the courses necessary for your degree will give you an edge in the job market, and provide a certain social status in society.  However, if you have obtained that degree by cheating, you are benefiting from something you did not earn. And, of course, on a personal level, you won’t learn anything unless you do your own work.  That will reduce the skills you need to succeed in business and personal life.  You can’t cheat on the job and expect to do your job well.
In some ways, I have to admit that the college system which places such a high emphasis on grades rather than on comprehensive evaluation of learning, contributes to this.  We all know that grades do not always equate to learning.  And sometimes we as instructors lose sight of the purpose of assignments.  They are not simply products to be delivered, but tools to facilitate learning.  
However, in admitting this, it does not excuse students cutting corners by cheating.  A paper or a speech is not a product I have ordered which has value independent of your learning experience.  The assignment is for your benefit and not mine.  Only by completing the assignment will you learn.  In writing this policy, I am committing myself to making the effort to keep learning first and grading as merely a natural outcome of the learning process.  
What Effects Can Plagiarism Have on your Academic Future?
Most Four-Year colleges and universities treat plagiarism as a major infraction of the rules.  You can be placed on academic probation, fail a class or even be expelled from the college.  If expelled for plagiarism, you will find it hard to be admitted to another college. Even if you are not removed from the school, your hopes of graduate work could be diminished.  You can find it difficult to get a faculty advisor for your thesis or dissertation.  If an academic probation becomes part of your transcripts, it can also impact your ability to get a good job.  
This type of thing can haunt you for years.  About 20 years ago, Sen. Joe Biden was running for President.  He had a reasonable chance of taking his party’s nomination.  However, it was discovered and reported that he had plagiarized a paper in law school.  His support vanished and eventually he withdrew from the race over something that had taken place more than two decades before. 
Is it really worth the risk.  Do your own work.  It’s  the right thing to do.  It’s the smart thing to do.

Frequently Asked Questions

I have a question mark or a lock next in my grade book next to a quiz or exam.  What does this mean?

This means that for some reason the quiz  or exam did not go through properly.  This usually results from either you dropping off line, having a power failure, exiting the program before you have finished the quiz or exam or hitting the enter button instead of clicking on the submit button at the bottom of the page. 

If this happens, you must email me immediately to clear the lock.  I check my email several times a day and can usually clear it within 24 hours or less. 

I couldn’t access Blackboard.  What do I do?

Wait and try again.  Think about the internet like a very busy telephone system.  Sometimes so many people are trying to access the system at the same time, you get the internet equivalent of a busy signal.  This usually takes the form of a “Page Not Accessible” or “Page Not Found” screen.  If you keep having trouble accessing Blackboard try the following before emailing me:

•	Turn off your computer entirely and unplug it.  Let it sit for 5 minutes. Then plug it back in and try accessing the web site again.
•	Check the URL for the site and be sure you are entering it correctly.  The URL you should use is http://scccd.blackboard.com . The link on the Reedley College web page may not be pointed to the right server until fall so if you have trouble linking through the school website, use this URL.
•	Try accessing another website from your computer that you have not accessed recently.  This will clarify if the problem is with Blackboard or with your own browser or internet service provider. 
•	Hit the refresh button.  Sometimes a “page not found” screen gets stuck in the browser’s cache.  Refreshing the page will sometimes clear it. 
•	Turn off any parental control or other content filters.  Sometimes these filters, as valuable as they are, can filter out good content as well as bad. 
•	Go to http://online.fresnocitycollege.edu/blackboard/ and send in a request for support.  They would be most likely to know if the system is down.
•	Email me and I’ll try to find out. 

How do I know you received my papers? 

When you send in the paper through the drop box, you will be taken to a screen that will say “receipt success.”  Then when you click on the “OK” button, you will be taken back to your drop box where you will find a listing with the name of the file and a note which says “Submitted by your name” followed by a date and time in small letters. If the note reads “Posted By Your Name,” you will need to resubmit it because you clicked on “add file” instead of “send file.”

I thought I sent my paper, but when you announced grades were posted, mine wasn’t.  What’s up?

What’s up is that your paper did not go through or it went through in an unacceptable file format and I was unable to send you an email because you did not add one to your profile. 

The most common reason for this to happen is that when submitting the paper you clicked on the button marked “Add File” instead of “Send File.”  What this did was simply save a copy of your paper in your own drop box without sending it to me.  You can tell if this happened by checking the file to see if the note reads “submitted” or “posted.”  If it reads “posted,” then you did not send the file to me. 

Of course, there can be system errors (although these are rare) and I could have overlooked it.  Either way, if you resend the paper within 48 hours after I post the notice that grades are posted, I will accept the paper as if it came in on time if you email me with an explanation. 

Can’t I just bring in my paper in person?

No.

Why Not? 

Because I said so.  Seriously,  this is the most secure method of giving me your papers.  A few months ago, I was at a meeting in Fresno.  When I got back to the car, I found the car broken into and some stuff was stolen.  Among the items stolen was a cheap portfolio I kept ungraded papers in.  I guess the crook thought it might have had money in it.  

I have lost papers.  Papers handed into the reception desk have been misfiled. However, I have yet to lose a paper online. In every case where someone has claimed the paper was lost, we discovered it was a user error in sending the paper. 

A second reason is that this is how business and education gets done today.  Our last accreditation self-study (a huge document we prepare to keep our accreditation) circulated in print form for review and editing.  This year’s self study is being edited and reviewed almost entirely online.  You need to learn to trust the online environment. 

Finally, electronic submission of papers is environmentally-friendly.  By saving paper we save trees.  We also reduce air pollution and save landfill space.  

What if I send you my work in some other way such as email or leave it with the receptionist at school?

You won’t get credit for the work.  I hate to be hardnosed about this, but one thing you need to learn is to follow the rules.  School rules are no less important than work rules or the laws of the land.  

Can I email you to find out if you got my papers?

Please don’t.  I have too many students to look up each individual paper from each individual student.  You have to trust the system.  There is information above about how to find out if the paper went through. I will not respond to requests to check on papers.  I don’t have the time.

My computer broke down what do I do?

Most libraries have public computers available as do many recreational centers, even cafes and hotels.  If you live in Reedley or nearby you can use the computers at the Reedley College library.  If they are full when you go, then wait.  This is no different than the requirement to type up your papers.  If the typewriter broke down, you would find another typewriter.  

How long are the analysis papers?

1000-1500 words

How long do the postings responding to the editorials need to be?

Initial response 100 to 200 words
Subsequent responses to other student analyses 50 words or more.

How long are the virtual debate postings?

Constructives are to be no more than 500-700 words (points will be taken off for shorter or longer postings)

Rebuttals are to be 250 – 300 words (points will be taken off for shorter or longer postings. 

How many editorial analysis postings do I need?

You need to respond to 10 editorials twice.  You need to respond once directly to the editorial and respond at least once to another student’s response.  

What is required for the policy speech?

The speech is 4-6 minutes in length which advocates a change in the status quo.  It must be research based.  You must have a minimum of four research sources for the C, five for the B, six for the A.  Your works cited will be sent to me through the digital dropbox.  The topic must relate to some sort of public policy issue.  Topics must be sent to me via the drop box for prior approval. 

If I miss my speech date can I make it up?

It is unlikely.  We do have two dates, but you will sign up for one or the other.  If you signed up for the first of the two dates, you can make it up IF we have time on the following Monday, but considering the tightness of the time frame that is unlikely.  Obviously, since Monday, December 12 is our last day, speeches scheduled on that day cannot be made up. You should make arrangements now to make these two meetings.  I’m not being mean, but when we have so few on campus meetings none of them are “optional.” 

What is your email address?

Webservant2003@yahoo.com

I emailed you and didn’t get a response.  What happened?

I try to respond to emails within 24 hours.  Since I do check my email several times a day, I usually respond within 12.  However, there are reasons I might not get back immediately. 

The most common reason with my students using Blackboard has to do with the Blackboard system itself.  If you sent me an email from within the blackboard system, you need to have your email address in your profile for me to respond.  If you do not have an email address in your profile, the system creates a fake address of email@email.com which goes nowhere.  So, be sure to update your profile before sending me an email from the system. 

A second common reason for a slow response is that the question may require some research on my part.  It sometimes just takes time to search out what you need to know. 

I do take weekends off.  I check email, but unless it is a simple question, I will usually leave the question until Monday.  I have a personal tendency toward workaholism and it has led to health problems at times.  So I am setting personal boundaries.  One of them is to take the weekends off. 

And there is the possibility that the email simply got over looked.  I get about 100 emails a day.  This is why I ask you to put the word “student” in the subject line.  I have a filter set up that sends those emails to a special file which I check first. 

What are your online office hours?

8 – 9 p.m. Tuesday evenings.  You can contact me either through my Yahoo! Messenger at webservant2003 or in the Blackboard chat room.

What are your on campus office hours?

11 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  Other hours are available by appointment.

When are the due dates?

September 1 

Handbook Quiz

September 20

Quizzes Chapters 1-5
Topics for written assignments due

September 24 and 26

On campus meetings. 

Saturday (1-3 p.m. BA 40) Researching the Argumentative Paper
Monday (6-8 p.m. BA 43) Writing the Argumentative Paper

October 6

Question of Fact Paper Due

October 17

Quizzes Chapters 6-10 

October 25

Question of Value Paper Due

November 5

Quizzes Chapters 11- 15

November 10

Defending the Opposition Paper Due

November 20 – December 7

Virtual Debates

December 10

On campus meeting 10-1 p.m.. Room Business 40
Public Policy Speech

December 12

On campus meeting 7-9 p.m. Room Business 43
Public Policy Speech

Can I get extra credit in this class?

Yes, you can get up to 75 points of extra credit. 

Extra credit options are explained earlier in the syllabus.  Extra credit papers must be sent through the dropbox prior to December 5. 

How do I check my grade?

One of the advantages of Blackboard is that you can look at what has been recorded for your grade at any time.  Just click on “Tools.”  Then click on the link to check grade.  You will see each grade which has been recorded to date.  Go only by the raw point score and ignore the percentages which Blackboard shows.   Those percentages are only for the tests and do not include the papers or presentations.  Just a note about the discussion board points.  I don’t post those scores until the end of the semester. 

 What file formats are acceptable for my papers?

Your paper must be in either MS-Word (not MS-Works), rich-text or plain text formats.  Most word processors can save in one of these formats.  Check your help file on your computer for instructions specific to your program.  

How do I format the papers?

You can use either MLA or APA style.  In terms of physical formatting, keep inch and a half margins on all sides, double space the text, and include the works cited page in the same file as the paper. 

How can I read your comments on my paper?

When I grade your paper, I will send it back to you through the drop box.  You can open the file and read my comments usually at the end of the paper along with your score. 

Can I send you my paper for review prior to submitting it for a grade?

Yes, you can.  I encourage this, but I must receive it at least 10 days before the due date. 

Are religious books or websites acceptable resources for our papers?

In general, they are not. These sources tend to be biased. It may be a bias you agree with, even a justifiable one, but it is an obvious bias nonetheless.  Sometimes a quote from a religious writer, who also is qualified in another field as well, may be considered an expert for evidentiary purposes. Likewise, if the nature of your essay is written from the perspective of a certain religious tradition, quotations might be appropriate.  For instance, a claim that Islam is not inherently a violent religion could be supported by quotations from the Koran.  However, most of the time any writer, religious or not with an agenda to pursue should not be considered a good source.  Even if their observations are correct, their bias leads them to be perceived as being less reliable.  

If you do quote religious sources be sure you also have secular ones which also support your perspective.  The use of exclusively religious sources for evidence will reduce your grade.

What is the policy on plagiarism in this class?

We have a no tolerance policy here.  If you plagiarize a book review or term paper or answers on your essay exam, you will receive zero points for the assignment.  In the cases of the book reviews and term papers you will also lose the points for the oral presentations.