• 
  You should have a computer with Windows 8 or more recent.
• Internet access
• You should have MS Office, specifically Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, or use Microsoft 365 available to you through Lamar State College Port Arthur. When you log into your email, look on the left side of the screen for links to Word, Excel, and Powerpoint.
• You should have a printer with scanner OR phone with camera for the purpose of making a digital image of some lab work

The grading scale for Lecture is as follows:

1000-900 points – A (100-90%)

899-800 points – B (89-80%)

799-700 points – C (79-70%)

699-600 points – D (69-60%)

599 and lower – F (59 or lower)

Discussions    200 (5 discussions 40 points each)

Assignments 200 (4 assignments 50 points each)

Test 1             100 (2 points each of 50 questions)

Test 2            100

Test 3            100

Test 4            100

Final exam    200 (2 points each of 100 questions)

Total             1000

Academic Honesty: Plagiarism and cheating is not acceptable in this class, and will be dealt with by way of irreplaceable zeros.

Test make-ups: None. You will have from the start of the course until the due date to complete the tests. Please do not wait until the last hour. You may only take each test once. You will have 1 hour to complete each regular test, and 3 hours for the final.

Drop Policy: Students can only drop this course during the regular drop period set up by Lamar University. Please let me know if you are going to drop the course via email on the Blackboard site. It is the student’s responsibility to drop the course.

Disability: If you have a disability that prevents you from completing work, please let me know as soon as possible.

 

• Discussion Rules of Engagement:
  The purpose of discussion is to exchange ideas and demonstrate a deeper level of learning and understanding of the topic. Please carefully review all of these rules.
  
  Response to discussion question (DQ) is due no later than Thursday of each discussion week (early is always good!). Students must reply to two (2) peers or instructor each discussion week for participation points. Participation posts may be posted any of the 7 days of the given discussion week. The DQ response is worth 20 points, and each reply to peers is worth 10 points each. DQ responses posted between Friday and Sunday will lose 1 point per day.  
       
  Point earning responses to the DQ must address each part of the DQ, be as thorough as possible, with a minimum of 200 words. 
  
  Point earning participation posts must either, add something new to the topic, or provoke deeper thinking. These can be accomplished by sharing a relevant website, posing a question deeper than 'what do you think,' sharing something you looked up, sharing a personal experience deeper than 'I didn't know that,' or 'I learned something new from your post.' No word limit on the participation posts! Just add something new!
  
  Some things that do not constitute substantive are: 

  • 
    Thanking a classmate.
  • Agreeing with a classmate.
  • Complimenting a classmate.
  • Providing irrelevant commentary.

  
  Always support your statements with logic and argument, citing any sources referenced. Post your initial response early and check back often to continue the discussion. Be sure to respond to your peers' and instructor's posts, as well.
  DQ responses or participation posted after the discussion week will not be awarded points. 
  **Rules do not apply to introductions; length requirement only for response to the DQ itself, participation posts may be shorter, but MUST add something new to the topic.