1 Getting Started

• Final Assignments: 550 points
• Quizzes: 60 points
• Weekly Assignments: 390 points
• Total points possible: 1000

A = 900 – 1000 pts.
B = 800 – 899 pts.
C = 700 – 799 pts.
D = 600 – 699 pts.
F = 599 pts. and below

Discussion Grading

Here is a breakdown of how discussion contributions are evaluated:

Grade

“A” Level

(90 – 100 percent)

• Contributions are prompt and relevant to the questions and/or issues posed.
• Posts demonstrate good critical thinking and reflection, including logical analysis and synthesis of ideas from readings, classmates’ posts, classmates’ writing, and discussions.
• Responses to others focus on inquiry and analysis and are encouraging and thoughtful in tone.
• Responses are posted over a period of time (not all posted at once) and address a variety of subtopics
• Posts are well-written and free of grammar errors and typos.

“B” Level

(80 to 89 percent)

• Posts demonstrate some critical thinking and some attempt to respond to posted prompts and to classmates’ ideas and writing but are brief and/or general in nature.
• Responses to others demonstrate some inquiry, response, and analysis but stay at the level of summary, non-specificity, and occasional analysis.
• Posts are fairly well-written and free of most errors and typos.

“C” Level

(70 to 79 percent)

• Posts are brief, spotty, and demonstrate more summary or generalized responses than critical reflection, response, and analysis.
• Posts contain grammar errors and typos.

“D” and “E” Level

(up to 69 percent)

• Remarks are short, superficial, spotty, and/or lacking.
• Writing is unpolished and contains a large amount of grammar errors and typos.

Check the “Course Schedule” page for a specific breakdown of points associated with discussions.

• For discussion assignments worth 20 points, 18 – 20 points is an A, 16 – 17 points is a B, etc.
• For discussion assignments worth 50 points, 45 – 50 points is an A, 40 – 44 points is a B, etc.

Peer Review – A Few Notes

Throughout this course, you will engage in peer-review, a process that will allow you to give and receive feedback for rough drafts of final projects. Students tend to come to peer-review with a variety of experiences and, at times, anxieties. Some of you may have substantial experience with peer-review; others of you may be coming to it for the first time. Even those with experience likely followed diverse approaches and methods.

With this in mind, here are a few notes about peer-review that reflect what may be helpful:

• Peer-review is a two-way process: It is easy, sometimes, to forget that peer-review is a two-way process. The process of providing feedback for others can be just as useful, if not more useful, than receiving feedback, as it allows us to strengthen our analytical muscles.
• Peer-review helps writers see others’ approaches and styles: Peer-reviewing the work of others for this class allows you to see how others are tackling the same assignment. You might admire and learn from the approaches of others in your group.
• Peer-review is part of life: Keep in mind, also, that peer-review is an activity that goes beyond college-level writing courses; you likely will, or already do, engage in peer-review in some level in your work lives as you work with others to refine documents and correspondence. As you will find in the research unit, peer-review is a scholarly practice as well that helps ensure the reliability and credibility of published work. You can probably think of instances in our world where it would be valuable to require more in the way of peer-review.
• Your feedback is valuable! Many students feel timid about offering feedback to others, particularly when feeling uncertain about specific concepts and about writing. Know that your response as a reader is valuable, as everyone in this class has different strengths and experiences as writers and readers, and each of you has something useful to add. You are advised to frame your remarks as readers instead of “critics.” For example, instead of saying, “Your essay needs a better introduction,” you could express it as, “When I read your first paragraph, I had a difficult time knowing your overall main idea… Is your goal to argue that Tucson needs more bike lanes or that Arizona needs stricter laws regulating cell phone use while driving? Your main idea becomes clearer later on, but focusing your introduction will help you create a stronger opening!”

These benefits and tips, as too often, find that students have misconceptions about peer-review and worry about offering feedback to others. Others think of peer-review as a one-way process (getting ideas for revision), when really, the process encompasses so much more than that. It is the instructor’s hope is that, by understanding the full purpose and value, you will feel more invested in the process and gain the most from this valuable collaborative experience.