Late papers will be lowered one letter grade. Any student who is found guilty of plagiarism, who, in other words, has passed off someone else's ideas or words as his own, will receive a failing grade for the assignment, may receive a failing grade in the course, and may be subject to more serious action. See appropriate pages in College Composition at Miami. To answer the kinds of administrative questions most students ask, I've tried to be clear, direct, and honest about the course, the requirements, and my expectations. I've also tried to begin a dialogue about terms such as portfolio, peer editing, and writer's notebook, terms that will be essential to the course.
Writing is one means of communicating.
I'm trying to show from the very beginning that I want to communicate with you. I reserve the right to adjudicate individual problems individually, but I can assure you that whenever I do so, I consider the rest of the class. I will do my utmost to be consistent and fair. If you need to ask for special consideration, consider the effect such a request has on me and the rest of the class. Introduction to course, texts, and to each other.