Instructor: Dr. Fields

Office: Bea Wood 230

Email: peter.fields@msutexas.edu

INTERMEDIATE COMPOSITION & GRAMMAR ONLINE

ENGL 2113 x40 Summer II 2023

This course requires a WEB CAMERA for Final Grammar Exam & Final Essay

Office Hours: MTWR 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM & by appointment.

OFFICE PHONE 940-397-4246. You can call any time. My OUTLOOK email will record your VOICE message, alert me to it, and play it back. ZOOM: Make an appointment with me by email. IN-PERSON: Make an appointment by email to meet me in my office.

TWO Required Books:

·        The Little, Brown Compact Handbook. 10^th ed. Jane E. Aaron & Michael Greer. Pearson. ISBN 978-0-13-557127-9

·        The Best American Essays 2019. Edited by Rebecca Solnit. Mariner. ISBN 978-1-328-46580-1. Book must be used for W2, which is due Friday July 21.

Course Goals:

·        Write thesis-based essays that provide strong support and specific details.

·        Engage in a writing process that includes invention, drafting, and revision.

·        Demonstrate critical and creative thinking about a timely issue or debatable topic.

·        Demonstrate proficient use of Standard Written English.

Dates & Percentage values for Q’s, “W” writing assignments, and Final Exams:

·        Q’s 10%         10 Q’s: each Quiz (Q) is worth 1 % of semester grade

·        W1 5%           Enclosed Spaces: Pars. 1-2 Friday July 14

·        W2 10%         Enclosed Spaces: Pars. 3-4 Friday July 21

·        W3 12%         Losing Something Wednesday July 26

·        W4 13%         Fitting In Monday July 31

·        W5 10%         NOT Fitting In Friday August 4

·        Final Grammar Exam         20%   Wednesday 7:00 PM Aug 9 – Thursday 11:59 PM Aug 10

·        Final Essay Exam   20%   Wednesday 7:00 PM Aug 9 – Thursday 11:59 PM Aug 10

We need BEST AMERICAN ESSAYS 2019 as soon as possible!

The most important (and of immediate need) Is Best American Essays 2019 (Editor: Rebecca Solnit), published by Mariner. Our handbook is The Little, Brown Compact Handbook (Jane E. Aaron & Michael Greer), published by Pearson, or any edition of the LB BRIEF. Our campus bookstore is happy to ship books to you—just ask them.

 Tentative Schedule & Due Dates

Monday July 10 through Friday July 14:

W1 Enclosed Spaces: Pars. 1-2. These are paragraphs one and two of a four-paragraph essay we will finish with W2.

Both Pre-Test for Grammar and Q1 are open as of Monday July 10; Pre-Test closes 11:59 PM Thursday July 13; Q1 will close 11:59 PM Sunday July 16. Chapters (for Q1) below are from The Little, Brown Compact Handbook or LB BRIEF:

·        Parts of Speech Ch 21

·        The sentence CH 22

·        Sentence Types CH 24

Prompt for W1 & W2 Enclosed Spaces (you may freely use or adapt italicized suggestions): What do our enclosed spaces say about us?

·        Our enclosed spaces have a profound impact on us because…

·        We find refuge in our enclosed spaces because…

·        We have been shaped by our enclosed spaces because…

DUE DATE: W1 Enclosed Spaces Pars. 1-2 is due in the drop box before 11:59 PM Friday July 14.

Saturday July 15 through Friday July 21:

W2 Enclosed Spaces: Pars. 3-4. These two paragraphs conclude our four-paragraph essay that began with W1.

Q’s 2, 3, 4 open Monday July 17 & close 11:59 PM Sunday July 23.

·        Q2 Phrases/Clauses; CH 35 Fragments. CH 23

·        Q3 Comma splices/run-on syntax. CH 36

·        Q4 Subject-verb agreement. CH 29

In CONTENT see the modules for the quizzes; study the PDF in each module before taking the quiz. You are preparing for the Final Grammar Exam.

Paragraph three:

·        TOPIC IDEA (“we”) explains supporting idea 2 – one or two sentences.

·        After the topic idea (and prior to the quote), indicate author and title of required essay from Best American Essays 2019.

·        Explain in your own words the thought in the required Best American essay—two to three sentences.

·        Put a colon after the sentence just before the quote.

·        Then provide the quote with a parenthetical page number.

·        After the quote, provide context of your second example (with “I”) - one or two sentences.

·        Then provide description (with “I”) in at least three respects of your 2^nd example—just like you did for the first example in par. 2 for W1.

·        For par. 3 in W2 please quote from ONE of these two essays in BEST AMERICAN ESSAYS 2019: Camille T. Dungy, “Is All Writing Environmental Writing?” (pp. 70-76) or Elizabeth Kolbert, “How to Write about a Vanishing World” (pp. 124-130). After you introduce the author and title of essay, explain the thought in your words for two or three sentences prior to the quote.

Paragraph four (just four or five sentences):

·        Start with a NEW descriptive detail with “I” pertaining to either your first or second example—develop it for two or three sentences.

·        Then conclude with a “we” thought that revises your thesis in light of your new descriptive detail—one or two sentences.

DUE DATE: W2 Enclosed Spaces Pars. 3-4 is due in the drop box before 11:59 PM Friday July 21.

Saturday July 22 through Wednesday July 26: Our W’s are now all four paragraphs.

W3 Losing Something. [Our due dates now come faster: about every FOUR or FIVE days.]

Quizzes 5, 6, 7 open Monday July 24 and close 11:59 PM Sunday July 30.

·        Q5 Pronoun Agreement Ch 31, 32

·        Q6 Pronoun Case CH 30

·        Q7 Commas CH 39.

In CONTENT see the modules for the quizzes; study the PDF in each module before taking the quiz. You are preparing for the Final Grammar Exam.

Prompt for W3 Losing Something: How does loss make our lives meaningful?

·        Loss may be painful, but it is meaningful because…

·        Love and loss go together because…

·        Loss makes us see life differently because…

Paragraph three:

TOPIC IDEA (“we”) is based on supporting idea 2 – one or two sentences. After the topic idea (and prior to the quote), indicate author, title of required essay, and describe/explain in your words the situation in the essay (two or three sentences). Then provide the quote with a parenthetical page number. After the quote, indicate the context of example 1 (with “I” –one or two sentences). Then provide description (with “I”) in at least three respects of your 2^nd example—just like you did for the first example in par. 2. The required essay is J. Drew Lanham, “Forever Gone” (pp. 131-144, see esp. pp. 131-33, 136-42).

DUE DATE: W3 Losing Something is due in the drop box before 11:59 PM Wednesday July 26. [Notice our due dates are now about every FOUR or FIVE days!]

Thursday July 27 through Monday July 31: W4 Fitting In

Quizzes 8, 9, 10 open Monday July 31 and close 11:59 PM Sunday August 6.

·        Q8 Colons & semicolons CH 40 & 41.

·        Q9 Parallelism CH 16.

·        Q10 Apostrophes CH 42; see also Ch 43 on quotation marks.

In CONTENT see the modules for the quizzes; study the PDF in each module before taking the quiz. You are preparing for the Final Grammar Exam.

Prompt for W4 Fitting In: Why is it so important for us to fit in?

·        We feel a deep need to fit in because…

·        We are profoundly shaped by fitting in because…

·        We are never the same after learning to fit in because…

Paragraph Three:

Start with Topic Idea (“we”) based on supporting idea 2—one or two sentences. After topic idea (“we” –one or two sentences based on supporting idea 2), indicate author, title of required essay, and explain/describe in your own words the relevant scenario in author’s essay; after your brief discussion (two or three sentences), you may provide your quote (with parenthetical page). After the quote, provide context of example 2 (with “I” – one or two sentences) and then provide description with “I” in at least three respects—just like you did for the first example in par. 2. The required essay is either Lacy M. Johnson, "On Likability" (pp. 105-112; see esp. 105-106) OR Walter Johnson, "Guns in the Family" (pp. 113-123; see esp. 113-15, 116-17, 117-18, 120-22). 

DUE DATE: W4 Fitting In is due in the drop box before 11:59 PM Monday July 31.

Tuesday August 1 through Friday August 4: W5 NOT Fitting in

Prompt for W5 Not Fitting In: Why is failing to fit in sometimes a good thing?

·        Sometimes not fitting in turns out to be a good thing because…

·        Sometimes not fitting in is the best possible outcome because…

·        Sometimes we benefit in the long run from not fitting in because…

Topic Idea (“we”) is based on supporting idea 2 – one or two sentences. After the topic idea (and prior to the quote), indicate author, title of required essay, and describe in your words (two to three sentences) the situation in the essay; then provide the quote with a parenthetical page. After the quote, provide context of example 2 (with “I”—one or two sentences); then provide description in at least three respects of your 2^nd example—just like you did for the first example in par. 2. Our required essay for W5 is Kai Minosh Pyle’s “Autobiography of an Iceheart” (pp. 176-188).

DUE DATE: W5 NOT Fitting in due in the drop box before 11:59 PM Friday August 4.

Saturday July 1 through Thursday July 6: Finals Week

Monday August 7: All late “W” work must be submitted to their drop boxes before 11:59 PM Monday August 7. The late penalty is 10 points.

Friday August 4 – Monday August 7: Retake the Pre-Test (Bank A). It does not affect your semester grade; it has no grade value.

Friday August 4 – Monday August 7: Practice Question for Requires Respondus Lockdown + Webcam. In CONTENT click on the module for Practice Exam—it’s just ONE question (very brief) or in ASSIGNMENTS, click on TESTS.

Wednesday August 9: Final Grammar Exam opens at 7:00 PM; closes 11:59 PM Thursday August 10 - 50 multiple choice/60 minutes. Requires Respondus Lockdown Browser + Webcam: In CONTENT see module for Final Grammar Exam or go to ASSESSMENTS on navigation bar & click on TESTS.

Wednesday August 9: Final Essay opens at 7:00 PM; closes 11:59 PM Thursday August 10. - choice of 3 prompts/2 hours. Requires Respondus Lockdown Browser + Webcam: In CONTENT see module for Final Essay or go to ASSESSMENTS on navigation bar & click on TESTS.

PRE-TEST IN GRAMMAR (Two attempts recommended/NOT for a grade)

Pre-Test (Bank A) is modeled on our Final Grammar Exam. Take first attempt before the end of Thursday July 13. You might do it a second time August 4-7.

The Q’s (our 10 QUIZZES) in CONTENT (down the left side) are REQUIRED

Notice that each quiz module features study aids. At the very least, read the PDF before taking each Q. Once Q’s are closed, they cannot be reopened.

GOOD NEWS about the Q’s (but they are not extra credit)

Each Q becomes a 100 at the end of the semester, but only if you actually take the Q. Quizzes are NOT extra credit. If you fail to do the Q, the grade for that Q is a “0,” and it will hurt your overall grade.

Writing Assignments (the W’s)

All our writing is the same four-paragraph model (see model in this syllabus). For W1 and W2 we will write a four-paragraph essay in two parts: W1 Enclosed Spaces: Pars. 1-2 and W2 Enclosed Spaces: Pars. 3-4.

QUICK ACCESS on the NAVIGATION BAR

On the navigation bar, students can click on ASSESSMENT and ASSIGNMENTS for the drop boxes of our W’s, or click on ASSESSMENT and TESTS to find the Quizzes, Practice Exam, Final Grammar Exam, and Final Essay.

THREADS: Other students in class CANNOT see your work or my reply.

You have the OPTION of receiving my input on your writing BEFORE it is due in the drop box. It is not a requirement. NOTE: I am the only person who can see your thread.

The THREAD begins in CONTENT by clicking on the module for DISCUSSIONS

You will see a discussion forum for each “W.” Beside the title of each “W” discussion forum is an arrow. Click on the arrow for VIEW TOPIC. You will see the text box for your paragraphs. Do not use any attachment function--your work-in-progress must be in the text box in order for me to type my reply and see your writing at the same time.

SUBMISSION TO DROP BOX IS MANDATORY IN ORDER TO BE GRADED

Getting my input in a THREAD is a GOOD idea, but it does not constitute submission for a grade. In order to be graded, the “W” must be submitted to the drop box.

ALL LATE WORK is due no later than 11:59 PM Monday August 7.  

If students fall behind with a “W,” they may submit it late to the drop box, but it is subject to a penalty of 10 points out of 100. All late “W” assignments must be submitted to their drop box before 11:59 PM Monday August 7. A “W” assignment submitted after Monday August 7 will not be evaluated. It has no grade value. No exception.

Our Four Paragraph Model

Note: Do not use or adapt the descriptive details in yellow.

NOTE: Our writing is semi-formal. We may use a contraction (e.g., “can’t” for cannot), but we should not use “you” or “your.” Use “we” for ideas; use “I” for description of examples.

Below you may adapt ideas (answer-to-prompt/because, supporting ideas 1 and 2, thesis sentence, topic idea) and even context of example but not descriptive details highlighted in yellow—description is the melody and it is peculiar and unique to each writer.

Paragraph 1 needs these SIX items (ONE sentence each). We need TWO examples: i.e., two completely different things or two DIFFERENT experiences of the same thing (like a kitchen):

·        Answer-to-prompt and the "because" give us the overall idea (first person plural "We"): e.g., Our enclosed spaces are significant to us because they are where we formed the memories we cherish from childhood.

·        Supporting idea 1 will be the topic idea of paragraph two (“we”): e.g., As adults we look back and cherish the way our days began in our parents’ kitchen, ushering us from dreamland in our comfy beds to real life at school.

·        Preview of example 1 for par. 2 and one of its sensory details (use “I”): e.g., I remember toasting my mother’s homemade bread in the morning, spreading big dollops of butter on it along with grape jam, and then sprinkling liberal amounts of sugar and cinnamon.

·        Supporting idea 2 will be the topic idea of paragraph three ("We"): e.g., As adults we look back and remember arriving home from after school sports and band practice to the aroma of dinner cooking in our parents’ kitchen.

·        Preview of example 2 for par. 3 and one of its sensory details (use “I”): e.g., When I arrived home, I would lift the lid of my mother’s crock pot to savor the aroma of her pot roast which had been cooking all day while she was at work.

·        LAST SENTENCE of PARAGRAPH ONE: THESIS SENTENCE: “We.” Here is the “because” of the answer-to-the-prompt but without the word “because” (the THESIS may be refined and improved, but it has the same meaning as the reason—the "because"—in the first sentence of the paragraph). We have childhood memories that take us back to the family kitchen.

Paragraph 2 needs these components:

·        Topic idea restates and explains the first supporting idea ("We") – 1 or 2 sentences: e.g., We need a place that launches us into the world. The kitchen is where breakfast prepares us to venture forth.

·        Provide the context for the first example previewed in par. 1 (use "I")—1 or 2 sentences: e.g., I will never forget how my mother’s breakfast gave me a reason to get up in the morning.

·        THEN we need sustained DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE ONE in at least THREE respects (e.g., beginning, middle, and end)—use “I.”

·        Use “sensory” details: e.g., onions and peppers sizzled on the grill. SENSORY details paint a picture in sight, sound, physical action, texture, taste, and even smell. Strive for a SUSTAINED description with at least three sentences—that’s our minimum. I am hoping for more than just three sentences.

Paragraph 3 needs these components:

·        Provide 1 or 2 sentences for the Topic idea ("We"), which restates and explains supporting idea 2 in paragraph one: e.g., We need a place to come home to in the evening after our foray into the world. The kitchen is what beckons us home.

·        After the topic idea, acknowledge the required author from Best American Essays 2019. Put the title of the essay in quotation marks. Explain (better yet describe) the author’s scenario in your own words prior to the quote (two to three sentences of your words prior to the quote). Then quote from the designated essay in BEST AMERICAN ESSAYS 2019 and provide a parenthetical page.

·        For W2 use either Camille Dungy (70-76) or Elizabeth Kolbert (124-130) in our BEST AMERICAN ESSAYS 2019 book. Here is the model: Camille T. Dungy in her essay “Is All Writing Environmental Writing?” makes the point that the in-between is where nature has a chance to grab hold of us, change us, and make us more like her—more free. As a youngster, Camille eluded her neighbor’s scary Dobermans by climbing above her neighborhood cul-de-sac and venturing along an undeveloped hillside of overgrown weeds, precarious rock outcroppings, and imposing, scraggly trees. She was always in sight of her home, but the hillside terrain felt like untamed wilderness: “On that little-traveled path, I was free from the tensions of my built environment. I could be like the landscape in the hills beyond our house—a little wild and moderately protected” (71). [Note: Don't use my quote -- pick a different quote.]

·        IMPORTANT! Paragraph THREE is not over! After the quote, provide the context of the second example previewed in paragraph one: e.g., I remember my mother’s kitchen as a place where we all came home in the evening to gather around the dinner table.

·        Describe the second example’s experience with sensory details (visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, etc.). Include the descriptive detail you previewed for Example 2 in paragraph one. We need SUSTAINED description in at least THREE respects (e.g., beginning, middle, and end)—use “I.” The minimum would be at least three sentences.

Paragraph 4 (just four to five sentences) needs these components:

·        Start with a NEW sensory detail for the example you developed in either par. 2 or par. 3 (first person “I” – first two or three sentences).

·        Close with a “we” relevant thought: e.g., a variation on your THESIS sentence at the end of paragraph one in light of your new detail—one or two sentences.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Students who get help or benefit from an unfair advantage during their Final Essay or Final Grammar Exam (or aid and abet someone else’s unfair advantage) will receive a “0” for that test. The same is true for the “W” writing assignments in our course. Only one source is authorized for student use in the “W” assignments: a designated essay from Best American Essays 2019 (editor Rebecca Solnit). Our four-paragraph model in the syllabus provides a model for usage of, and quoting from, that designated essay. Such usage is confined to one part of paragraph three; this model requires the student’s own description or explanation of what the quoted passage means; the quote itself then follows with a parenthetical page. Except for that quote, the “W” assignment must be a student’s own authorship. The only person who may weigh in on the student’s choices, phrasing, and word-choice is the instructor. Except for my edits and suggestions (in a thread), a “W” assignment should be the student’s own work; otherwise, the grade for that assignment will be a “0” (no point value).

FAILURE TO FOLLOW DIRECTIONS (See our Four-Paragraph model above)

Students sometimes fail to follow some aspect of our four-paragraph model: e.g., they frequently slip up with the format for utilizing a quote from the designated essay in Best American Essays 2019. Failure to follow directions—no matter how much a student might slip up—is not academic dishonesty. Such mistakes are covered by the rubric.

SAFE ZONE: We need to treat each other with respect regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, political beliefs, age, or ability.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. The ADA requires that we accommodate disabilities for which the student has provided paperwork to Disability Support Services in Room 168 of the Clark Student Center (397-4140).

Grading – NO ROUNDING UP OF FINAL ADJUSTED GRADE IN D2L

Grading Scale (out of 100): A 100-90; B 89-80; C 79-70; D 69-60; F 59 – 50.

·        The rubric grade for an individual “W” assignment (and the Final Essay) may have a decimal of .5 or higher; that grade will be rounded up (e.g., 69.5 to 70).

·        Likewise, if less than .5, the grade for an individual “W” will be rounded down (e.g., 69. 4 to 69).

·        However, the final adjusted grade—the semester grade—in the D2L gradebook is not going to be rounded up to the next letter grade (nor rounded down). For instance, a 79.9 semester grade is a C, not a B; an 89.9 is a B, not an A.

ENGL 2113 Essay Rubric: W1 Enclosed Spaces: Pars. 1-2

Each category may be failing (50), passing (66), satisfactory (76), good (86), or excellent (96-100). The five categories are averaged together:

·        Par.1 starts with “we” answer to prompt w. because; offers two supporting “we” ideas; after supporting idea 1, previews an example (with “I”) with a sensory detail we will see again in paragraph two; after supporting idea 2, previews an example (with “I”) with a sensory detail we will see again in paragraph three. Ends w. THESIS “we” sentence that revises “because” of the answer-to-prompt but does not use the word “because.”

·        Par. Two starts with Topic idea with “we” at start of par. 2 (one or two sentences).

·        Par. Two provides Context of Example 1 with “I” (one or two sentences).

·        Par. Two features Description of example 1 in at least three respects w. sensory details.

·        Writing style is readable, creative, and original; phrasing and word-choice are clear.

COMMENTS & GRADE:

ENGL 2113 Essay Rubric: W2 Enclosed Spaces: Pars. 3-4

Each category may be failing (50), passing (66), satisfactory (76), good (86), or excellent (96-100). The five categories are averaged together:

·        Par. Three starts with Topic idea with “we” for one or two sentences (based on supporting idea 2 in paragraph one of W1).

·        Par. Three: After topic idea, the student acknowledges required author and designated essay from Best American Essays 2019 (either Dungy or Kolbert) and explains/describes author’s scenario for two or three sentences.

·        Par. Three quotes a significant passage from either Dungy or Kolbert with parenthetical page (not the quote cited in the model).

·        Par. Three provides context of example 2 and then description of Example 2 (previewed in paragraph one of W1) with “I” with dynamic sensory details in at least three respects in clear, readable, original language.

·        Paragraph four (4-5 sentences) starts with a new descriptive detail that pertains to example 1 or 2 and closes with a relevant “we” thought that revises the thesis in light of the new detail.

COMMENTS & GRADE:

ENGL 2113 Grading Rubric for W3, W4, & W5:

Each category may be failing (50), passing (66), satisfactory (76), good (86), or excellent (96-100). The five categories are averaged together for the grade:

·        Par.1 starts with “we” answer to prompt w. because; offers two supporting “we” ideas; after supporting idea 1, previews an example (with “I”) with a sensory detail we will see again in paragraph two; after supporting idea 2, previews an example (with “I”) with a sensory detail we will see again in paragraph three. Ends w. THESIS “we” sentence that revises the “because” of the answer-to-prompt but does not use the word “because.”

·        Topic idea with “we” at start of pars. 2 and 3.

·        Description of example 1 in paragraph two in at least three respects; description of example 2 in paragraph three in at least three respects with clear, readable phrasing and word choice.

·        The third paragraph provides quote from designated essay in Best American Essays 2019. After topic idea, the student cites author and designated essay from our book, explains/describes author’s scenario in student’s words, and then cites a significant quote. Provides parenthetical page after quote.

·        Conclusion (4-5 sentences) starts with a new descriptive detail pertaining to either example 1 or 2 and closes with a relevant “we” thought that revisits the first paragraph’s thesis and revises in light of the new detail.

COMMENTS & GRADE:

HERE IS THE RUBRIC FOR OUR FINAL ESSAY

FINAL ESSAY will be graded on this scale: failing (50), passing (66), satisfactory (76), good (86), and excellent (96-100). The five categories are averaged together.

·        Paragraph one has required six components (one sentence each) : answer-to-prompt/because (“we”), supporting idea 1 (“we”), preview of example 1 with descriptive detail we will see again in paragraph two (with “I”), supporting idea 2 (“we”), preview of example 2 with descriptive detail we will see again in paragraph three (with “I”), thesis (“we”- the “because” of sentence one but refined, without the word “because”). 

·        Topic ideas (“we”) for pars. 2 and 3 based on supporting ideas in paragraph one.

·        Description of example 1 in paragraph two in at least three respects; description of example 2 in paragraph three in at least three respects.

·        Conclusion starts with new descriptive detail (with “I”); closes with relevant “we” thought.

·        Readability, originality, creativity: essay uses clear and effective style throughout.

COMMENTS & GRADE:

Attendance

In D2L Class Progress indicates the most recent date that students have logged into the course. I do NOT have an attendance penalty, but the university tracks attendance for Financial Aid purposes. I use class progress (log-in history) in D2L for all reporting.

ALL LATE WORK is due no later than 11:59 PM Monday August 7.  

If students fall behind with a “W,” they may submit it late to the drop box, but it is subject to a penalty of 10 points out of 100. All late “W” assignments must be submitted to their drop box before 11:59 PM Monday August 7. A “W” assignment submitted after Monday August 7 will not be evaluated. It has no grade value. No exception.

Note: You may not submit a paper for a grade in this class that already has been (or will be) submitted for a grade in another course, unless you obtain the explicit written permission of me and the other instructor involved in advance.

Plagiarism is the use of someone else's thoughts, words, ideas, or lines of argument in your own work without appropriate documentation (a parenthetical citation at the end and a listing in "Works Cited")-whether you use that material in a quote, paraphrase, or summary. It is a theft of intellectual property and will not be tolerated, whether intentional or not.

Student Honor Creed

As an MSU Student, I pledge not to lie, cheat, steal, or help anyone else do so."

As students at MSU, we recognize that any great society must be composed of empowered, responsible citizens. We also recognize universities play an important role in helping mold these responsible citizens. We believe students themselves play an important part in developing responsible citizenship by maintaining a community where integrity and honorable character are the norm, not the exception.

Thus, We, the Students of Midwestern State University, resolve to uphold the honor of the University by affirming our commitment to complete academic honesty. We resolve not only to be honest but also to hold our peers accountable for complete honesty in all university matters.

We consider it dishonest to ask for, give, or receive help in examinations or quizzes, to use any unauthorized material in examinations, or to present, as one's own, work or ideas which are not entirely one's own. We recognize that any instructor has the right to expect that all student work is honest, original work. We accept and acknowledge that responsibility for lying, cheating, stealing, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty fundamentally rests within each individual student.

We expect of ourselves academic integrity, personal professionalism, and ethical character. We appreciate steps taken by University officials to protect the honor of the University against any who would disgrace the MSU student body by violating the spirit of this creed.

Written and adopted by the 2002-2003 MSU Student Senate.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Disability Support Services in Room 168 of the Clark Student Center, (940) 397-4140.

The professor considers this classroom to be a place where you will be treated with respect as a human being - regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, political beliefs, age, or ability. Additionally, diversity of thought is appreciated and encouraged, provided you can agree to disagree. It is the professor's expectation that ALL students consider the classroom a safe environment.

All instructors in the Department have voicemail in their offices and MSUTexas e-mail addresses. Make sure you add your instructor's phone number and e-mail address to both email and cell phone lists of contacts.

All students seeking a Bachelor's degree from Midwestern State University must satisfy a writing proficiency requirement once they've 1) passed the 6 hours of Communication Core and 2) earned 60 hours. Students may meet this requirement in one of three ways: by passing the Writing Proficiency Exam, passing two Writing Intensive Courses (only one can be in the core), or passing English 2113. If you have any questions about the exam, visit the Writing Proficiency Office website at https://msutexas.edu/academics/wpr, or call 397-4131.

Senate Bill 11 passed by the 84th Texas Legislature allows licensed handgun holders to carry concealed handguns on campus, effective August 1, 2016. Areas excluded from concealed carry are appropriately marked, in accordance with state law. For more information regarding campus carry, please refer to the University’s webpage at https://msutexas.edu/campus-carry/rules-policies.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact MSU Chief of Police at police@msutexas.edu.