Class Policies

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Please take the time to read and absorb the information presented here. If you have any questions or concerns, please Contact Lisa.

You may also want to take a moment and read the post about Expectations. My class is an open, inclusive classroom space. What that means is that we want to acknowledge and respect diverse people and opinions and create a learning environment where all people and views are welcome.

What if I don’t learn like everyone else?

See note above about inclusive classroom space. While there is an official institutional policy on these things (see below), here is my policy. I’m here to help you and work with you to achieve your goals. Just talk to me and we’ll find a way to work things out (whether you’ve officially declared or not). Together we can find a way to get you what you need in a format that you need it.

Official USF policy: Students with disabilities are responsible for registering with Students with Disabilities Services (SDS) in order to receive academic accommodations. SDS encourages students to notify instructors of accommodation needs at least 5 business days prior to needing the accommodation. A letter from SDS must accompany this request.

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What do I do if I am struggling in aspects of my life?

There are lots of taboos that we never talk about. Things like money, food, and shelter because it seems we should all have these things, especially if we’re in college. That’s not necessarily true.

We also don’t talk about our mental health enough, and it’s really easy to let things pile up mentally to where you start to suffer from the weight of it all.

If you are a parent and have a child care issue, children are welcome. If you have car problems or consistent transportation issues, talk to me so we can work out alternative arrangements so that you can still manage things. If you have another problem or concern that is not listed here, please come and talk with me. My door is always open and I’ll find ways to get you the help that you need. –Top–

What is this course all about?

This course is about how to do research. We will be approaching research by breaking it down into methodologies, methods, and practices, and taking the stance that it is an iterative and reflexive process.

So what’s in it for me?

Since y’all have a lot of different aims and goals, we’re going to focus on the big ideas and concepts in hopes that you can then transfer these into your own goals and more so, to be able to carry the information forward as a solid foundation on which to build your research skills and abilities. Being able to understand research results and also to do research is a key skill that you can use no matter what the next stage of your career is. So your takeaway is a solid toolkit to be able to analyze and to do research.

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What books and materials will I need?

We will be using parts of pieces of a number of texts. We will not be using any one text completely, so if you’re a hold it in your hand person, you’ll need to set aside funds for printing pages from an online source. Otherwise, I’ll provide links to the materials or specific ways for you to obtain the readings and things that you’ll need.

Many of the things we will be reading are journal articles. I will give you the citation, but it’s a useful exercise for you to become a library master and obtain the materials for yourself. If you need a short course in how to use the library website, please let me know.

See the course schedule for more specific information.

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What are we going to be doing in class?

We’re going to be talking alot and sharing and discussing. This will often involve you working with another student or two and then reporting back to the class. You may be asked to share some of the writing we may do in class. I recognize these sorts of activities do not work well for everyone, but we’ll work through a way to discuss and to share in ways that work for each of you.

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How many classes can I miss?

I strongly encourage that you miss no classes at all. However, I understand life happens so we’ll try to work something out if you’re willing to do your part. Just talk to me about it.

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How will my grade be calculated?

See Assignments where you’ll find more information about the assignments and their weight, as well as information about collaborative projects and my grading philosophy.

This is the equivalent to the USF system mandate for “Basis for Final Grade” and “Grade Dissemination.”

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What are the USF mandated policies that must appear on the syllabus?

Here they are: https://www.usf.edu/provost/faculty-success/resources-policies-forms/core-syllabus-policy-statements.aspx

 

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