Writing to the World Wide Web
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Policies on Attendance and Participation, Grading, Academic Honesty, and Netiquette

Participation You'll be expected and required to attend and participate in class. I realize that people participate in different ways depending on their own personalities and interaction styles. Thus, you'll have a variety of ways to participate in this class: taking part in class discussions and small group discussions, participating in "virtual" class sessions in electronic chat space, and posting your thoughts on any aspect of the class to the class discussion list. In all cases, "participation" means coming to class alert and prepared by having completed the assigned readings and assignments. You're encouraged to make the most of all opportunities you'll have in this class to interact with others.
Attendance You're expected to attend all class sessions and conferences. My attendence policy is simple: If you miss a class, send me an email message explaining why you couldn’t be there. I reserve the right to subtract up to 25 points per missed class from your final grade. If you miss class and fail to send me a note, that’s an automatic 25 points subtracted from your final grade. Note that coming to class unprepared or being inattentive in class is the same as missing the class altogether.

If you miss a scheduled conference, either an individual conference or a conference scheduled for your design group, you'll be docked 50 points from your final grade.

Late Assignment Policy

For all other late assignments, I reserve the right to penalize you 10 points per day, including holidays and weekends.

Grading The points awarded for assignments, projects, and participation total 1000. You'll be graded on the following scale:
  • 900-1000 = A
  • 800-899 = B
  • 700-799 = C
  • 600-699 = D
  • Below 600 = F
If you're concerned with any grade you receive on any assignment, please don't hesitate to discuss it with me.
Academic Honesty Like all relationships, those established in the classroom are built on trust. Acts that violate this trust make for an unpleasant situation for all involved. A sure way to violate this trust is to submit another person's words, thoughts, research, or organization as your own. If you use another person's work without properly crediting that person, you'll receive a failing grade for the assignment and likely for the course. You may ask someone to read and comment on your work, but you're not allowed to have anyone else do your assignments for you. The Rensselaer Handbook has specific policies about various forms of academic honesty and procedures for responding to them. You're encouraged to familiarize yourself with them.

We'll spend time in class discussing issues such as using code, images, and other symbolic elements from other Web sites, as well as other issues of ownership in electronic environments.

Netiquette and Computer Ethics Much of the communication between all of us in this class will be conducted in various electronic environments (email, electronic chat spaces, etc.). As such, you should be aware of the need for a certain code of behavior in these environments. This code is usually referred to as "netiquette," etiquette on the Net and in other electronic forums.

Most netiquette is simple common decency and common sense. If you are engaging electronic environments as a member of the class then you are subject to the same expectations and rules of conduct any teacher or administrator might expect of you in a face-to-face environment. "Flaming" is a reality in electronic environments, just as arguments and disagreements are a reality in the classroom; but there are limits.

If your conduct in electronic space is deemed unbecoming the professionalism expected of Rensselaer students, you will be removed first from the specific learning environment; second, as warrants, from the class as a whole; and upon repeated offenses, as necessary, referred to Institute-wide disciplinary action.

You should also be aware of the ethical considerations of your use of computers in the classroom and at Rensselaer, as outlined in the ten commandments for computer ethics below (as expressed by the Computer Ethics Institute).

  1. Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people.
  2. Thou shalt not interfere with other people's computer work
  3. Thou shalt not snoop around in other people's files.
  4. Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.
  5. Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness.
  6. Thou shalt not use or copy software for which you have not paid.
  7. Thou shalt not use other people's computer resources without authorization.
  8. Thou shalt not appropriate other people's intellectual output.
  9. Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program you write.
  10. Thou shalt use a computer in ways that show consideration and respect.
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Created 1.1.97 huntk@rpi.edu