N/A or TBA

1.           Regular attendance

2.           Participation in classroom activities

3.           Completion of assignments

Oral and Written Examinations.  Participation.  Fluency.  Projects.  Note that students receive participation points for each course session, so absences lower final grades. If a student has three unexcused absences then that student will not be allowed to participate in final projects or take the final examination. Five absences (excused or unexcused) lead to automatic failure in the course. Except in unusual cases late assignments will not be accepted. Plagiarism may  result in an automatic failure of the course.

Students should familiarize themselves with course policies, including those specifically related to Attendance, Participation, and Extra Credit opportunities (if any).

¨          ATTENDANCE & PARTICIPATION POLICY:  For the most current Attendance and Extra Credit policies, please see the webpages at http://www.briandavidphillips.net/nccu/ or the class Facebook group files section. . . Attendance and Participation in this course are required.  Students who are tardy or absent will be penalized through lower possible participation points.  Attendance is taken regularly and penalties are applied.  Typically, students receive on average ten to fifteen participation points each class period (more or less depending upon activities of the week and actual participation).  Participation Grade Penalties are as follows:  Tardy, -5 participation points; Second Hour Tardy, -10 participation points; Absence, no participation points possible.  Use of Cellphone, tablet, computer, or mobile device without specific permission or instruction from the instructor, no participation points possible, -10 to -15 participation points and possibility of device being confiscated for the period (yes, just like elementary school students).   Attendance Points and Penalties are as follows:  Penalties for tardiness or absence are grade points taken from the course final grade of the semester.  Tardy, -1 grade point; Second Hour Tardy, -2 grade points; Unexcused Absence, -3 grade points; Three Unexcused Absences, not allowed to take final exam and zero points for final project; Five Absences, automatically fail course.  Note, students who missed the first few course sessions are still penalized for attendance and participation, even if they had not yet registered for the course.

¨            EXTRA CREDIT POLICY:  For the most current Extra Credit policies, please see the webpages at http://www.briandavidphillips.net/nccu/ or the class Facebook group files section . . . Students may makeup for points lost due to missed classes or gain additional grade points by completing optional extra credit activities.  Extra credit is always optional.  However, certain extra credit opportunities are not available to everyone and others are time sensitive.  It is to your advantage to sign up for extra credit earlier rather than later to ensure that you are eligible and that the schedule allows for the activity.  If you wish to pursue extra credit, do so early.  Extra Credit is NOT available within the last two weeks of the semester.

¨            Days in which students are scheduled to make presentations or in which interactive drama or similar activities are planned count as DOUBLE ATTENDANCE DAYS and all participation and attendance points or penalties are double. 

• Missed Appointment, if you make an appointment to see Dr. Phillips in his office and are tardy, -1/2 grade point; if you do not show, -1 grade point; if you do not contact Dr. Phillips and let him know you are missing the appointment by email at least twenty-four hours prior to the appointment or by phone within twenty-four hours, an additional -1 grade point. Failure to contact the instructor within one day before or after is an additional -1 grade point.

• Taking Notes:  University students are expected to have pen/pencil and paper with them during all class sessions.  You should take notes during class of information presented in lecture or discussion as well as of content of media presentations.  Please take notes with pen and paper and later transcribe to your digital note files (lit screens from mobile devices or notebook computers can be distracting to other students during class).

As per the English Department guidelines, this course employs realia (authentic materials).  We have no books on reserve in the library for this course.  Most readings will be provided electronically.

Reading materials will be authentic on a variety of subjects related to the issues being discussed. In addition, excerpts from texts related to persuasion, influence, and debating will be provided.