Instructor: Dr. John Dalbey	Office: 14-203
Phone: 756-2921	Email:
CSc Dept: 756-2824	Office Hours:  M 1000-1100 MW 1400-1500 Th 1500-1600

There will be regular required reading assignments from the textbook and supplemental articles. Class discussions usually go into depth on a small number of issues from the text or current issues related to topics in the text. Much of the material in the text is not presented or discussed explicitly in class, so you need to do the readings in advance so you understand the concepts behind the issues we will discuss in class.  There will be occassional short quizzes (unannounced) to test your comprehension of the readings.

There will be frequent written homework assignments that involve responding to questions about the readings or investigating some topic presented in class. You may discuss the homework with other students, but you must create and submit your own work. Responses to questions must be typewritten (refer to these guidelines).  Please include at the top of your submission your name, the course and section number, and the assignment number.

There will be occasional in-class activities (both individual and group) which will count the same as a homework.

About two-thirds of the assignments will be graded credit/no credit.  The remaining third will be randomly selected to receive a numeric score.  The average score on the graded assignments will be the score assigned for all your submissions.

INDIVIDUAL ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Each student will give an oral presentation to the class. Read the Oral Presentation Requirements.

EXAMINATIONS

"Midterm Exam"
The midterm exam will be a combination of multiple choice and short answer questions and a written essay question.  Students will be provided a list of essay topics to study in advance.  During the in-class exam one of the provided topics will be selected for students to provide a written essay.

"Final Exam"
The final examination will be a comprehensive exam with both objective and essay style questions.

Exam rules:  closed book, closed note, no headsets, no cell phones (or other digital devices), restricted bathroom breaks.

Letter grades are assigned on a straight percentage basis: A = 90-100%, B = 80% - 89%, C = 70% - 79%, D = 60% - 69%, F = < 60% .  (The instructor may scale these ranges as appropriate). Borderline scores may receive a Plus/Minus grade. 

ALTERNATE GRADING SCHEMES
If you feel the above grading scheme will not provide the best assessment of your learning in the course, you may negotiate with the instructor for an alternate scheme. You must agree to an alternate scheme before the end of the second week of classes.

ATTENDANCE

Missed classes can not be "made up." If you are absent on the day you are scheduled to give a presentation, you get a zero  for that presentation.  You may obtain permission to be excused from class for valid academic or medical reasons, but it is your responsibility to secure permission from the instructor BEFORE the date you will be absent. The instructor may request appropriate documentation of your excuse.  The midterm and final examinations may only be taken during the scheduled exam period.

WRITING REQUIREMENTS and GRADING SYMBOLS

Follow these guidelines for written work.
 

HOMEWORK SUBMISSION

Due dates for all coursework are shown on the course calendar. Written homework is due at the exact class start time. Late homework is not accepted. In general, electronic submission of assignments is not accepted.  If you have some circumstance which you anticipate may cause you to be tardy upon occassion please see the instructor in advance to make alternate arrangements.

If you anticipate illness, other academic burdens, or other emergency will prevent you from submitting your assignment before the deadline, you may request an extension. Simply leave a message for me before class time asking for an extension of the due date. You may leave a message for me electronically, by voice mail, or in the department office. (Limit: 2 extensions).

Notes:

• The reference timepiece is the instructor's wristwatch which he sets by the campus clock tower chime.
• Class starts at the exact class start time (ten minutes after the hour) not when the instructor begins speaking.
• If you are in the room but your work isn't on the table, it's still late.
• Work placed on the table after the class start time is late regardless of whether the instructor has collected the stack of papers.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

In this course, homework assignments, oral presentations, and exams are individual efforts. You may verbally discuss the homework topics with other students unless specifically prohibited. However, any written work which you submit must be entirely your own. You may not "work together" on individual assignments.  Assignments which appear to be the result of a "group effort", or which appear to have been copied from another student, will be considered plagiarized. Similarly, you must explain your homework solutions using your own words, not copying the answers from the textbook. Violations of this policy may result in being failed from the course. See the campus policy on Plagiarism (C.A.M. 684)

COMPUTING POLICIES

A number of important class documents will be made available in electronic form. They can be accessed via a WWW browser through the 302 link from the instructor's home page. These files should be considered as evolving documents, as they will be refined and updated as the course proceeds. Each document will have a version date so that you can determine if you are reading the most recent version. It is your responsibility to be sure that you are working from the most current document.

Occasionally the instructor will mail announcements to the entire class by using an alias which sends mail to your Cal Poly Mail account. If you don't use Cal Poly Mail regularly, you should setup your account to forward your mail to your regular email account.

The instructor will not read email whose "Sender" field is not an actual student name. Don't use nicknames in mail you send to the instructor or it will be returned to you unread.

Students are expected to learn and abide by the Campus "Responsible Use" policy, Calif. state laws (see Penal Code Section 502), and federal laws.

You may access documents on the course web site only via hyperlinks.  You are not authorized to view other documents that may exist but have no hyperlink to them.

CLASSROOM CLIMATE
The topics in this course are potentially controversial and students often hold diverse views.  It is a core value of academic discourse to be tolerant of views different than our own and to treat others with respect.  Students are expected to be thoughtful about their remarks and to participate in discussions in a manner that exhibits courtesy toward and interest in those with differing views. 

In addition, an atmosphere conducive to learning can be fostered by minimizing distractions for others who are trying to  concentrate.  Common courtesies include:

• Arrive on time.  If you arrive late please enter quietly and take a seat in the row nearest the door.
• Don't wear headphones or earphones and don't listen to portable devices in classroom.
• Do not use a notebook computer during lecture. (If you have a legitimate need, see the instructor).
• Do not use your cell phone when you are in the classroom
• There will be a break about halfway through the class time. Please use these official breaks to attend to your needs.
• Only one person speaks at a time during discussions; no side conversations.
• Wait until class has been dismissed before packing up.

The use of audio-visual recording devices of any kind (camera, tape recorder, etc) are not allowed without the instructor's permission.

CELL PHONES AND PAGERS

Cell phones present an annoying disruption in class and a distraction from course activities. You may not talk on a cell phone in the classroom for any reason.  Once you enter the classroom or lab, put your cell phone away where it is out of sight. Turn off any audible alarms.

RECORDING DEVICES

DROP/WITHDRAWAL POLICY

You may use CAPTURE to drop this course any time during the first two weeks of class. Please carefully evaluate your schedule and determine if you will remain in the class before the end of the add/drop period. After the drop date, the only way out of the course is called "withdrawing" from the course; this requires a "serious and compelling" reason, such as a medical emergency. You may not withdraw simply because you are earning a bad grade or you forgot to drop through CAPTURE. Withdrawal requires you to document that some desperate situation has arisen after the drop day that you could not have reasonably anticipated.

PENALTIES

Document History