INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

   GRADING CRITERIA

Grade Scale:   90 – 100% = A;  80 – 89% = B;  70 – 79% = C;  Below 70% = F

  1000- 900 pts = A

     899-800 pts = B

     799-700 pts = C

     699 – 0 pts =  F

• Graded homework assignments cannot be made up or turned in late for any
• No late work of any kind will be accepted during the last week of classes (the week before finals).
• All assignments are released in Canvas on Monday at 9:00am and are due the following Monday by 11:59pm

Detailed Grading Procedures:

Final grades will be determined by your scores in the following categories:

1. Vocabulary Study (200 pts. of 1,000 total):

Twelve new vocabulary words will be assigned each week.  There will be a weekly homework assignment on these words.  The homework assignments will require matching responses, fill-in-the-blank responses, and one- or two-sentence responses.  Also, there will be a comprehensive vocabulary test every three weeks.  Summing up, there will be eight (8) vocabulary homework assignments in all, each worth fifteen (15) points, and four (4) vocabulary tests in all, each worth twenty (20) points.

2. My Reading Lab (100 pts. of 1,000):

Students will do some of their work for this course in “My Reading Lab.”  At the beginning of the semester, students will take a pretest in “My Reading Lab” that will give them an initial reading score.  Each student will be expected to improve upon that initial score by at least 100 points by the end of the semester.  Students who improve their scores by more than 100 points will receive ten (10) points of extra credit for each twenty-five (25) points earned beyond the required 100 points.

3. Quizzes (200 pts. of 1,000):

There will be ten (10) quizzes throughout the semester.  Each quiz will be worth twenty (20) points.  The quiz schedule is in the course calendar.

4. Practice Readings (200 pts. of 1,000):

There will be ten (10) practice readings throughout semester.  Practice readings are detailed lessons which often require written responses (mapping or writing brief paragraphs).  Each practice reading will be worth twenty (20) points.

5. Project (200 pts. of 1,000):

A midterm project will be required during the eighth week of the semester.  Directions for the midterm project will be given in class.

6. Final Exam (100 pts. of 1,000):

The final exam will be given during the last week of class.  The date for the final exam is posted in the course calendar.

CLASS RULES

1. Turn off and put away all electronic devices prior to entering class. Students are not allowed to have any electronic devices on their desks or in view.  Students are not allowed to read or send text messages or check their cell phones during class. Students who break this rule will be asked to leave the classroom, will be counted absent for the class period, and will receive disciplinary action, which may include expulsion from the course.  (Students may put their cell phones in the instructor’s cell phone basket for the duration of the class if they wish to do so.)
2. Store your coat, purse, backpack, and other carrying bags or materials on the back of your chair, or on the floor beside or beneath your desk. Students are expected to keep only their course materials (textbooks, papers, and pens/pencils) on their desktops.  Students who break this rule will receive disciplinary action, which may include expulsion from the course.
3. Students are not permitted to use laptop computers in this section of Reading 0305. Students who break this rule will receive disciplinary action, which may include expulsion from the course.
4. Students are required to submit their writing assignments (including the midterm project) through the turn-it-in drop box to receive credit/grades. Students who plagiarize any writing assignments will be required to sign the NCTC academic dishonesty form, will receive a grade of zero (0) for the plagiarized assignment, and will be ineligible to receive a final grade of A in this course.  Further disciplinary action, including expulsion, may follow.
5. Be courteous and respectful to everyone in the classroom at all times. Maintain a positive and professional attitude.  All students are expected to remain respectfully engaged with the instructor and the learning materials throughout each class period.  Students who break this rule will receive disciplinary action, which may include expulsion from the course.
6. Students are required to use appropriate "netiquette" while interacting on class discussion boards. Comments that are rude, aggressive, or dismissive will not be tolerated.  Students who break this rule will receive a grade of zero (0) for the offending assignment.  Further disciplinary action, including expulsion from the course, may follow.
7. Students are not permitted to use or to appear to be using earbuds or earphones/headphones of any type while in class. Students who break this rule will be dismissed from class, will be counted absent for the class period, and will receive further disciplinary action, which may include expulsion from the course.
8. A seating chart will be assigned in this section of Reading 0305. Students are required to sit where they are assigned according to the seating chart.  Also, the seating chart may change throughout the duration of the semester.  Students who do not sit in assigned seats as directed by the instructor will receive disciplinary action, which may include expulsion from the course.
9. Students are expected to arrive to class on time for the start of each class period. Students who consistently arrive after class begins will be counted tardy, and will receive disciplinary action, which may include expulsion from the course.
10. Students are expected to remain seated in class for the duration of each class period. Students are expected to use the restroom, make or receive telephone calls, and take care of any personal matters before or after class.  Students who consistently leave the classroom (more than two times throughout the semester) during the class period will receive disciplinary action, which may include expulsion from the course.
11. Students are not permitted to sleep in class. Sleeping students will be dismissed from class, will be counted absent for the class period, and will receive further disciplinary action, which may include expulsion from the course.
12. Students are to conduct themselves in a courteous and respectful manner while visiting the NCTC writing lab. Misconduct toward staff members or fellow students in the NCTC writing lab will result in disciplinary action, which may include expulsion.
13. Administrative policy prohibits food and drink in classrooms. Students are expected to eat their meals and snacks before or after class.  Students who consume food in class will be dismissed from class, will be counted absent for the class period, and will receive further disciplinary action, which may include expulsion from the course.

*Note:  Please read the "Frequently Asked Questions" page for this course (Module 1 in Canvas).  All of the information on that page also applies to this syllabus.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

STUDENT EMAIL

All students at NCTC are assigned a student email address, also known as Lion Pride email. Lion Pride email can be accessed on the NCTC home page by clicking on MyNCTC, then the link “Lion Pride Email” to the left. After clicking the Lion Pride Email link, the Microsoft Office 365 window will open.
1. Enter your NCTC student e-mail address. (for example, Smithj123456@student.nctc.edu)

2. Enter your password (your NCTC Student ID Number, either 7 or 9 numbers).
3. From the list of Microsoft icons, choose MAIL.
4. You will be asked to set your language and local time zone (Central Time). Your account is now activated.

**It is the student’s responsibility to activate and regularly monitor the assigned NCTC (Lion Pride) e-mail account. Important announcements and notifications from the Admissions office, Financial Aid, or other college staff will be sent via the Lion Pride student email system.

For communicating with classmates and instructors, students also have an option to communicate through Canvas. Canvas messaging is NOT the same as Lion Pride e-mail. Failure to read and/or receive NCTC e-mails (either in Lion Pride or in Canvas) is no excuse for not complying with the College Prep Attendance Policy or any other school policies. Be sure to regularly check BOTH the Lion Pride email as well as the Canvas inbox for important messages and information.

TSI COMPLIANCE

At North Central Texas College, students who test but do not meet the passing scores in ALL sections of the TSI Assessment or any other THECB approved testing measurements are required by state law to obtain TSI advising and continuously enroll in a formal college preparatory studies (developmental) program every semester until all TSI requirements are satisfied. TSI program attendance is MANDATORY. Non-compliance with the rules of attendance will result in a student being WITHDRAWN from the college preparatory course and possibly from North Central Texas College. Withdrawals are subject to college policies as set forth in the college catalog.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all College Prep classes for which they have registered. There are NO excused absences.  Faculty in the Department of College Preparatory Studies will notify students of absences on a regular basis and one courtesy warning e-mail notification will be sent to the students’ current NCTC student e-mail address (Lion Pride email and/or Canvas email) when the student accrues 1 week absence (not necessarily consecutive days) in a course. Please check your NCTC student email (Lion Pride) frequently to ensure that you are receiving notifications from the college and from your instructors. Some faculty may send notifications in Canvas as well. Failure to read and/or receive NCTC e-mail (Lion Pride) is no excuse for not complying with the Attendance Policy. It is the student's responsibility to maintain correct and current e-mail and local and permanent addresses with the college.

After a student has been absent from class 2 weeks (not necessarily consecutive days), the student may be dropped. If the student is dropped from the only College Prep class in which he/she is enrolled and is TSI liable, the student may be DROPPED from all remaining courses for that semester.

Inform the instructor in writing during the first week of class of any religious holidays observed this semester. Documentation must be given to the instructor at the class following the holiday.

Also, since punctuality has become a problem in recent semesters, three tardies may be considered one absence. Coming in late disrupts the class. Occasions do occur that you will need to be tardy, but not on a consistent basis.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

*See separate course calendar

LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW

Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is Thursday, April 6, 2017.

DISABILITY SERVICES (OSD)

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability. On the Corinth Campus, go to room 170 or call 940-498-6207. On the Gainesville Campus, go to room 110 or call 940-668-4209.  Students on the Bowie, Graham, Flower Mound, and online campuses should call 940-498-6207.

North Central Texas College is committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, ADA Amendments Act of 2009, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112).   http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/SupportServices/Disabilityservices.aspx

STUDENT HANDBOOK

Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook. http://nctc.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2016-2017/Catalog/North-Central-Texas-College-Student-Handbook

CAMPUS RESTRICTIONS

Tobacco-Free Campus:  NCTC restricts the use of all tobacco products, including cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and smokeless tobacco, on campus property.

Campus Carry: Current law prohibits the open carry of firearms on college campuses including all property such as parking lots.  For more information, see the website at http://www.nctc.edu/Police/gun-laws-campus-carry