FAQ

Where Can I Find Stuff?

 

Lesson Posts appear on this class blog (hosted by Wix.com), with the links shared on the class Slack channel and on Canvas simultaneously so you can’t miss them. Your blog posts are likewise posted on this class blog.

 

Slack discussions are on Slack (obviously).

 

Participation Quizzes and the final, graded form of the four major papers are collected via Canvas.

 

Meetings with me take place via Zoom.

​

A full copy of this course's syllabus can be found on Canvas, in Files. I also emailed it to you in the first week of class.

​

I was having an off day and I got a 2/5 on a Participation Quiz. Can I make it up?

​

No, but your score on the participation quizzes don't actually matter--though if you got 0/5 right, I might be worried you were just guessing. The idea behind the quizzes is to force you to keep up with the Lesson Posts, and to guide your reading/watching habits with them by highlighting critical points.

​

I missed a participation quiz on Canvas. Can I make it up?

​

Generally no, but you get 5 free passes on quizzes. Fun fact: you can also cash in one of your 5 "absences" to get a 48 hour extension on a graded assignment. 

​

My other classes are ridiculous and I need an extension on a paper, can I have one?

​

Yes--you can exchange one of your 5 free passes for a 48 hour extension. If you're out of passes, email me, since it seems like you're missing a lot and we may need to work out some alternative assignment schedule for you.

​

I have a friend in this class. Can I be in the same peer review group as them?

​

Yes, by all means. Just make sure your friendship can handle working together on graded assignments (not all friendships can, not judging). When the peer group signup sheet goes out in week 3, make sure you get a spot with your friend.

​

I forgot to do a blog post like 2 weeks ago. Can I make it up?

​

That's gonna be a "no" from me, boss. Timeliness is a critical part of writing on the internet. Try not to miss another one--each one is 3% of your whole grade.

​

I got sick and forgot to keep up with course materials. HALP.

​

Definitely email me ASAP and we'll work out a make-up process for you. It's easy to lose track of online classes, so when in doubt, email me or ask for help on the Slack.

​

What do we do if you, our beloved professor and fearless leader, gets COVID-19?

​

In the not-entirely-unlikely event that I get sick (I've managed to avoid it thus far), rest assured that I always have Lesson Posts made up several days early. Just keep following along with the syllabus and course schedule. Professorial illness may interfere with how quickly you get stuff back from me, obviously.

​

I found a meme that makes me think of this class. Can I share it?

 

On the slack, in #random. As long as it's not inappropriate. If you want to analyze a meme as part of your research work, that's also sometimes fun.

​

Can you define inappropriate?

​

I was born in the late 1980s, so I grew up on the Spicy Internet and let me tell you, it wasn't great. Don't post racist/sexist/bigoted/demeaning/violent stuff unless you want me (and your peers) to think of you as a total jerk. If you've got to touch on something potentially difficult in your work (like, for instance, in a research paper on mental health or a narrative essay that features a compound fracture), maybe put a little content warning on there, so your peers know what's going on. Hurting people's feelings is not an effective communication strategy, and this class is all about effective communications strategies.

​

Speaking of which, that whole election thing--

​

Yeah, one of our alumni is President of the United States now, and we're going to have to talk about politics. It's gonna happen, not because this is a politics class, but because all human activity is inherently political. Try to be nice. Keep in mind, while I am ethically bound to grade you with absolute neutrality (I always grade based on how good a job you did saying stuff, not what you were saying), I also have opinions and feelings, and so do your peers.

​

Also note that while I don't typically intervene in the content of your writing, when it comes to assignments I reserve the right to warn you away from a topic if I'm not sure I can grade it objectively.

 

Keep in mind that freedom of speech does not mean freedom from the consequences of speech. Sometimes people don't like what you say, and they're allowed to say so.