Attendance & Participation

  • Be in class. Your attendance is required to succeed in this course. Attendance will be taken within the first fifteen minutes of class. These attendance records are definitive; you are responsible for signing attendance sheets and failing to do so will result in an absence even if you have materials/notes from the day in question. Each student will have four personal days during the semester to cover absences from class. When you miss class, you are responsible for acquiring information about what was discussed—such as notes from a classmate. Missing more than four classes will dramatically impact your final grade. For each absence after the initial four, your overall grade will be dropped 50 points (1/2 letter grade). You do not need to offer an explanation for your absences because I do not differentiate between excused and unexcused absences outside of extreme circumstances; however, if a student has an ongoing situation that requires special consideration, please discuss this with me at the beginning of the semester.
  • Be prepared. This functions as a seminar by integrating lectures with class and group discussions. It is essential for students to complete the assigned material prior to class in order to fulfill their responsibilities as part of our learning community. Everyone is expected to participate in class discussions. Because discussion and participation are necessary for successful, communal learning, let the unprepared be warned: I give pop quizzes when I notice required readings are not being completed.
  • Be attentive and engaged. I am a media scholar who cherishes most technological devices like children, and I am well-aware of how technological devices can function as educational and professional tools. However, technological devices often become distractions from our primary aim in the classroom: attentive learning and thinking. You can choose to use laptops or tablets to take notes in class but, to avoid distracting yourself and other students, I prohibit their use for any other purposes (email, Twitter, Facebook, completing work for other classes, etc.). Two caveats: 1) I expect you to turn off all devices during media screenings, and 2) I expect you to refrain from using cellphones during class without permission.

 

Assignments

  • Read. All readings should be completed by the date listed on the syllabus. Readings listed as “optional” or “background” are not required but offer additional insights on the subject matter.
  • Watch. You will be required to watch media in and outside of class. If you are absent during an in-class screening, you must acquire and view the material on your own time. I will provide information about how to access media you must screen outside of class, including links to streaming or rental services like Netflix, Amazon, and iTunes.
  • Submit. Assignments should be formatted according to instructions and submitted on Blackboard before class begins (1:35pm) on the day they are due. Grades for late submissions are lowered 10% (or 1 letter grade) per day. Late submission penalty waivers are rarely considered and require a legitimate/documented excuse (submitted at least one week in advance) or medical documentation in the case of a dire, health-related emergency. In-class assignments/quizzes cannot be completed late—no exceptions.
  • On Excuses. I am unable to ascertain the legitimacy of most justifications students provide for missing class or assignment/exam deadlines. To prevent penalties associated with absences or late submissions, assume: your computer will crash, get a virus, or explode; your USB key drive will be erased or eaten by the dog; your e-mail attachments will become inaccessible because Google discontinues G-Mail; you forget to upload your assignment to Blackboard; you did not know Information Technology Services provides assistance with Blackboard; you cannot provide a hardcopy assignment because every possible printer inkwell runs dry; your car will break down, the bus skips your stop, the train derails, or your eco-friendly car-pool group decides to drive their own cars to campus; any number of people meet their tragic, untimely death(s); and, finally, assume that you might be hung-over, sleep in, or otherwise miss class. Class will continue and deadlines will arrive regardless of any excuses you offer—real or imaginative. So, be prepared to arrive to campus early, finish and submit assignments early, or something of these sorts. This way, you can devote more time to punctual arrivals and can avoid wasting your creativity on excuses for the inability to meet assignment deadlines—for whatever reason.

Northeastern University Academic Integrity Policy

While the internet makes plagiarism seem easy—to locate information on Google, for example—it is just as easy for me to track down plagiarism. If you can Google it, I can Google it. So, DON’T PLAGIARIZE! Cite all of your sources, put all direct quotations in quotation marks, clearly note when you are paraphrasing work by other authors, don’t try to resubmit work you have written in another course, etc.

Cheating, collusion, dishonesty, and plagiarism of any kind will not be tolerated. Taking part in any one of these forms of academic dishonesty can result in a zero for the assignment, course failure, and/or expulsion from the university. The university’s policy on academic integrity is available online.

 

FROM THE ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY:

A commitment to the principles of academic integrity is essential to the mission of Northeastern University. The promotion of independent and original scholarship ensures that students derive the most from their educational experience and their pursuit of knowledge. Academic dishonesty violates the most fundamental values of an intellectual community and undermines the achievements of the entire University.  […]

The following is a broad overview, but not an all-encompassing definition, of what constitutes a violation of academic integrity:

Cheating

The University defines cheating as using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise. When completing any academic assignment, a student shall rely on his or her own mastery of the subject. Examples include, but are not limited to:

  • Unauthorized use of aids such as but not limited to notes, text, the Internet, cell phones, etc. to complete any academic assignment.
  • Copying from another student’s academic work.
  • Unauthorized communication during an examination.
  • Handing in the same paper for more than one course without explicit permission from the instructor(s).
  • Intentionally viewing a test before it is administered.
  • Storing notes in a portable electronic device for use during an examination.

Fabrication

The University defines fabrication as falsification, misrepresentation, or invention of any information, data, or citation in an academic exercise. Examples include, but are not limited to:

  • Inventing data, facts, or sources for an academic assignment.
  • Altering the results of a lab experiment or survey.
  • Citing a source in a bibliography that was not used.
  • Stating an opinion as a scientifically proven fact.

Plagiarism

The University defines plagiarism as using as one’s own the words, ideas, data, code, or other original academic material of another without providing proper citation or attribution. Plagiarism can apply to any assignment, either final or drafted copies, and it can occur either accidentally or deliberately. Claiming that one has “forgotten” to document ideas or material taken from another source does not exempt one from plagiarizing. The following sources require citation:

  • Word-for-word quotations from a source, including another student’s work.
  • Paraphrasing (using the ideas of others in your own words).
  • Unusual or controversial facts not widely recognized.
  • Audio, video, digital, or live exchanges of ideas, dialogue, or information.
  • Students unclear as to whether or not a source requires citation should speak with their professor or consult the Writing Center in 412 Holmes Hall.

Unauthorized Collaboration

The University defines unauthorized collaboration as instances when students submit individual academic works that are substantially similar to one another. While several students may have the same source material, any analysis, interpretation, or reporting of data required by an assignment must be each individual’s independent work unless the instructor has explicitly granted permission for group work. Examples include, but are not limited to:

  • Submitting work that closely matches that of another student, even when the work is to be original to the student handing in the assignment.
  • Sharing a take-home examination, case write-up, lab report, or any other assignment with a peer without express permission from the instructor.

Participation in Academically Dishonest Activities

The University defines participation in academically dishonest activities as any action taken by a student with the intention of gaining an unfair advantage over other students. Examples include, but are not limited to:

  • Misrepresenting oneself or one’s circumstances to an instructor.
  • Stealing an examination.
  • Purchasing a pre-written paper.
  • Selling, loaning, or otherwise distributing materials intended for the purpose of cheating, plagiarism, or other academically dishonest acts.
  • Destroying, altering, stealing, or forging another student’s work, library materials, laboratory materials, academic records, course syllabi, or examination/course grades.
  • Intentionally missing an examination or assignment deadline to gain an unfair advantage.
  • Forging information or signatures on official University documents.

Facilitating Academic Dishonesty

The University defines facilitating academic dishonesty as intentionally or knowingly helping or contributing to the violation of any provision of this policy. Examples include, but are not limited to:

  • Doing academic work for another student.
  • Making available previously used academic work for another individual who intends to resubmit the work for credit.

Obligation to Uphold Academic Integrity: All members of the Northeastern University community have a role in upholding the Academic Integrity Policy. […] All instructors are required to refer to Northeastern’s Academic Integrity Policy in their course syllabi.

 

Appeals: Students may appeal the disciplinary actions of an Academic Integrity violation on the three grounds identified in the Code of Student Conduct. The Appeals Process outlined in the Code of Student Conduct will be used for such appeals. Please refer to the Code of Student Conduct for a complete description and explanation of the Appeals Process.

Other Information

  • The University offers a range of support services for students.  Some of the available resources include:
    • The Office of Undergraduate Education offers information about various resources for student assistance, including academic advisement, tutoring, career counseling, etc.
    • CAMD advisors can provide specific information for students majoring in Media & Screen Studies.
    • The Writing Center provides advice and tutoring in composition.
  • Students who wish to request accommodation for a disability may do so by registering with the Disability Resource Center. Students may only be accommodated upon issuance of a signed Accommodation Plan by the DRC and are responsible for providing a copy of that plan to instructors of all classes in which accommodations are sought.
  • Regarding withdrawals: September 26th is the last day to drop the class without a “W” grade. December 7th is the last day to withdraw and receive a “W” grade. To avoid withdrawals, I encourage you to attend class and complete every assignment on time. Contact me via e-mail or during office hours to discuss any problems with the course. Students who do not perform well in class, on assignments, and/or on exams will be sent an e-mail by me to schedule a meeting to discuss problems or difficulties with the course. The purpose of the meeting will be to remedy the problem(s) and find ways to succeed in this course.
  • Finally, your constructive assessment of this course plays an indispensable role in shaping education at Northeastern University. Upon completing the course, please take the time to fill out the TRACE evaluation.