Here are the policies I use in managing learning environments. My intention is to maximize learning through active engagement. If you have questions about these items or have other questions, please email me at: johnsong@evergreen.edu.

Topics are in alphabetical order:

Agreements, Assignments and Readings, Attendance and Participation, Communication, Do-Overs, Emailing papers, Exams, Extra-Credit, Grading, Group Projects, Incompletes, Journals, Lateness, Papers, Plagiarism, Presentations, Readings and Assignments, Workload.

Generally, your continued enrollment means that you understand and agree with the requirements of the syllabus. However, you are free to make an alternative proposal if you feel another approach might work better for you. This should be made in writing and then we can schedule a time to meet and discuss your proposal.

You do have to agree to treat everyone in the class with respect and to take personal responsibility for your learning and making your contribution to the learning of others.

You are expected to disagree with any idea, belief or opinion presented in class; our goal is to get as many diverse views on the table as possible. I often present views and issues to provoke discussion (which may or may not reflect my true opinions) to challenge you to think about your opinions and the assumptions you hold. When I ask why, it isn't that I disagree with your view or opinion, it is that I want you to get beneath the surface so you understand the reasons for your opinion. Is it "paradigm paralysis"? What distinguishes class discussions from a barroom exchange is that I expect you to be able to understand why you think they way you do about the topic and to be able to support your views with evidence, facts, and theory in a logical argument. I am far more interested in uncovering the "why" than the "what." Besides, it would an incredibly boring class if people were limited to only parroting my beliefs and perspective.

You are expected to be fully prepared to engage in active learning and make a significant contribution in every class. This includes, but is not limited to, preparing assignments and leading class discussions on specific readings.

You are expected to read the text material prior to class and have completed the assignments. You should be prepared to engage in active discussion.

If you have specific questions about the readings or assignments, please email your questions to me at least one day prior to class. If I don't hear from people, I assume everyone has read and understood the material. I then feel free to use the readings and assignments as a jumping off point for discussions and in-class exercises. I will not read from the textbook. I will, however, explain anything that isn't clear or open a discussion if the material raises some questions in your mind. If you wish to discuss some specific material, feel free to start a discussion if it appears that I will not be spending much time on that article or chapter.

Assignments are a way for you to roll your sleeves up and apply the material. Some people learn best by trying things out prior to discussions. The assignments (other than the SPSS assignments) are intended to facilitate your learning and are not graded. You should be prepared to turn in assignments-please type. In some classes, like research methods, I am likely to collect them every week. The assignments should be typed, double-spaced in Times Roman 12 point font.

You are expected to attend all class sessions, show up on time and make a contribution. Each of us brings knowledge and experience that adds to the learning of all.

Obtain an email account that you can use all the time. If you are using a work email and should not be, obtain a non-work email address.  Join the list serve.    I communicate via the list serve.  You also should have access to the internet as assigments sometimes require that you get into cyberpace..

My email address is: johnsong@evergreen.edu

I am very accessible via email and it is my preferred form of communication. I am an introvert.

I am also available on the established office hours listed on the syllabus, before and after every class, and at other times that are mutually agreeable. Don't wait for a full-blown crisis before you get in touch with me.
 
 

If you appear to be having difficulty with a written assignment at the beginning of a semester, I may suggest that you do it over. Typically, I use this for a returning student who is taking a graduate class for the first time. These should be turned in one week after I turn them back to you and you must attach the original version that I have marked.

I do not typically grant do overs for papers due at the end of the semester. However, I am willing to review an early draft or outline. Please check with me to make arrangements so that I have enough time to get it back to you in enough time for you to make any changes prior to the due date (assume I will take one week to get my comments back to you).

I prefer not to receive papers or assignments via email; they should be turned in during the regular class times unless we make other arrangements.

Exams are designed to help you grasp the basic concepts needed in the research methods course. Students from the prior classes have stated that exams help them focus their attention by providing a familiar structure to their learning. I have accommodated that request.

In Research methods, quizes be given in-class; you will be able to bring in two pages of typed notes. Final exams, when given, will be in-class exams and you will be able to bring five pages of typed notes.

I will not give in-class make-up exams. If you are unable to take the exam when assigned, please speak me about making alternative arrangements.
 
 

Since we all have different learning styles, I use multiple measures of performance that emphasize different skills. The narrative evaluations reflect a range of activities and performance:  written communication is central, but equally important is participation. Depending on the learning objectives of the particular course, other skills such as presentation skills, collaboration, leadership, initiative, etc. might also be noted.

I have not given any exams here at Evergreen and do not give letter or numeric grades. However, if this would be helpful to you, let me know.

Always keep a copy of your written papers and assignments for yourself when you turn in the original (we will often discuss them during the class). Keep a file of all returned work with  my comments (this comes in handy when we have come up with  different evaluations about your performance).

No credit.  If you do not do acceptable work for graduate school, you will not receive credit. I will try to talk about poor performance before the end of the quarter. However, if you fail to turn in work at the end or miss your scheduled individual or group presentation, you will not receive credit for the quarter.  I don't like to give incompletes and only do so in life or death situations.

The ideal group size is 3 people. I will not assign you to a group; people will self-select their groups to the extent possible. Each group will select a specific project within the context of the description on the syllabus.

Feedback on group projects will include an assessment by your team as well as a class assessment of the presentation.

I will ask you to do a self-assessment. I am looking for honesty here and your grip on reality. If there is a great discrepancy between what you thought your performance was and your peers' assessment, I will let you know. Your self-assessment won't count in your grade.

Working Together: You may find it helpful to review the "Working in Groups" paper on my home page. Everyone is expected to carry their own weight. The groups will do a peer assessment at the end of the class which will factor into the individual grades for the project.

Dysfunctional Groups: If a group becomes dysfunctional, they need to contact me and set up a meeting. Each member will have an opportunity to present their issues and concerns, and to engage in a process for resolving the conflict. If problems persist, the group can make a formal written recommendation to me to fire a member or to disband. A meeting will be scheduled with me and a joint decision will be reached. A member who is fired will complete the project alone, with a 20% reduction on the project grade. If a group completely disbands, each of the individual members are still responsible for completing the project and making individual presentations; they to will lose 20% of the project grade.

I do not believe in giving incompletes. If life overtakes you and prevents you from mastering the material, you should exercise your option of withdrawing from this course. Be realistic about the amount of time and energy you actually have and how much stress you wish to live with. These courses will all be given again.

In the rare event that I do agree (in cases of illness, death and other events outside your control), the work turned in after the semester is over will be considered late.

Work (assignments, papers, presentations, etc. etc.) must be done on time. Papers should be on my desk at the start of the class in which it is due; bring a copy that you can refer to in class..

If some event prevents you from meeting a deadline, please contact me as soon as possible to arrange an extension. Please keep in mind that computers and printers know when you are under stress and they take delight in malfunctioning at that time. Don't wait for the last minute. Computer failure will not give you an excuse to turn work in late. It is highly recommended that you print out a draft prior to your final edits; if you should run into a computer glitch, you can turn the draft in while you work out the computer problems.
 
 

Papers provide an opportunity to learn and demonstrate your mastery of the subject in areas you find interesting within the context of this course. It also provides you with an opportunity to improve your written communication skills.

All written work (except the journals-see above) should be typed, double-spaced, well-written, concise, and follow academic style of references (see "writing 101" on my home page).

I will return papers and assignments at the next class meeting.

I don't care what word processing software you use. I prefer Times Roman 12 point font (I'm getting too old to read things smaller than that and larger fonts make me think you don't have much to say)..

Staple papers! Please do not use plastic covers; they fall apart.

Paper Length:

A short paper should run somewhere between 3-5 pages. It should be complete and concise to convey your major points.

Other papers: I tend to prefer short to long. I like papers that are concise, interesting, and easy to follow. However, it is difficult to give an precise number of pages. Do what you need to do to tell your story as simply, clearly concisely and completely as you can. Use graphics when they add value. Think about papers and articles you have read that you thought were great: use them as your guide. If you start going beyond 20 pages, it had better read like a Pulitzer prize winner wrote it.

Style and Technique:

A useful reference for written assignments is A Manual for Writers by L. Turabian, available at most bookstores but you may want to use other manuals.  The MPA faculty here prefer APA style. I don't care.  Evergreen has a writing center that can help.  See "writing 101" on my home page for ideas about how to write a great paper. I am not sure I know how to teach writing but come see me if you are having difficulties. Writing is a skill that is developed by practice and good coaching. It is an essential skill for professional (and academic) success.

Variations of Papers:

The Reflective Journal:

I sometimes assign this. This is a way for you to continually process the material in this class and its relationship with the real world. The theory suggests that this process accesses the right side of the brain (the left side being more analytic and well-developed in school). It is experientially based. You should write at least once per week; more often would be better. If in doubt, give me a copy of some early entries and I can provide you with feedback. Some people have suggested a structured format while others suggest taking time to write 3 hand-written pages everyday and to just let whatever thoughts and ideas surface. You can write in any style (even poetry would work here); if you are a visual learner, feel free to express yourself through graphics and art. Unlike academic papers, you don't need to use citations (unless you are directly quoting-and even here, just give the person's name). As a handwritten journal, I do not expect it to be as well-written as a typical paper where you have lots of opportunities to edit and refine the writing. There is no spell check yet invented for our handwriting. If writing doesn't work for you, you may use the word processor (then run spell check). As you might guess, this is highly subjective and there is no "right" answer, there is only your meaning. As long as you fully engage in the process, you will receive a good grade.

The Reflective Paper:

These are short academic papers (full citations) which asks you to summarize the course readings (or some particular theme in the readings). You are expected to synthesize and integrate all the readings that relate to that theme or highlight areas of agreement or disagreement of the various authors (note: I use the plural). Each paper would use the readings that you have not written about before-you are looking to demonstrate mastery of the course material. This portion of the paper should be 2-3 pages long. Then you are to reflect on the readings in terms of your own experiences. What, in your experience, supports or doesn't support what the authors have written. Why? What would you tell the authors if you were to meet them about your experience and how that might inform their thinking. This portion of the paper should be 2-3 pages long.

Memos:

These are one page, singled space, following traditional format:
To:
From:
Date:
Subject:

It should consist of 4 paragraphs. The first should give an overview of the issues, the second should give the particular facts that are relevant, the third should give your recommendations, and the fourth should justify your recommendations. The key here is to be very succinct.

This is a question of honesty, trust, and integrity. Don't sell your soul. I have an intuitive sense about these things-I've been surprised how easy it is to detect and sad that some people feel the need to cheat.

Plagiarism is not acceptable in any form and will result in an automatic loss of credit for the course.  Plagiarism is when you turn in work that is not your own, when you use the exact words of someone else without a citation, or when you use someone's ideas without a citation. (See "Writing 101" on my homepage for examples of how to properly cite someone else's work).

I also consider turning in a paper that was done for another course as a variation of plagiarism; this paper will not be counted as meeting the requirements of the course.   While I have no problem with your using similar material, the papers have to be specifically tailored to this class, use course material, and represent some original work on your part.

You must rehearse ahead of time and be completely prepared prior to walking into class on the day of the presentations. You are expected to self-manage your time and stay within the agreed upon time-limit.

You are expected to give the other presenters your undivided attention. I think it is rude not to actively listen to your colleagues and you also you miss an opportunity to learn from them. I will note in your evaluation if you are not prepared, working on your presentation while others are presenting, or otherwise not paying attention.

While the workload (why do we call this work and not fun?) varies from week to week, you should expect to spend an average of 5-10 hours for each class and completing all assignments and papers. (Note: the all day Saturday classes are the equivalent of 2 regular classes: get a head start. It is overwhelming when you wait until the night before!). Most of your learning will come from the work you put into reading and making sense of the readings through the assignments, papers and class discussion. In the end, it isn't the grade that really matters; it's what you have learned. The more you invest, the more intellectual capital you will possess to help you increase your performance on the job.

Don't limit yourself to what I have assigned. Go outside the boundaries of class assignments so you learn what you feel is important. At the end of the semester, if you feel I should have covered something, ask yourself: "why didn't I go after that myself?" Assign yourself!

Two Reminders:

Ask yourself-how can you take control of your learning process so it is fun. If it is fun, it becomes so much easier to do. If it isn't fun, it isn't worth doing.

Put the big rocks in the jar first.