Frequently Asked Questions about policies, assignments, grades, etc.
This is an official document, it is required reading. Each student must be familiar with
its contents. If anything is unclear, please ask me, in-class or via email.
Passing or failing the course will depend upon your understanding what this document says. All students must read this entire page
thoroughly before they meet with me to discuss individual grades or grievances.
Please read this page carefully, it is like a binding contract - the
entire semester will test how well you understand these course policies and
guiding principles. All students in my courses accept these rules
when
they remain enrolled. Rules, standards and deadlines are the same for everyone and will not change, you disregard
them at your peril. Student athletes receive no special treatment, they are not excused from any classes and must meet all course requirements.
No whining, no bargaining, no grade-grubbing, please. Be aware that I never negotiate or justify policies during class or via e-mail. When using email, always identify yourself by registered name and course,
or else I will not respond. The time we spend in class is for teaching and discussing course-relevant issues, I won't discuss
personal problems in class meetings.
WARNING:
I never permit after deadline quizzes or papers, extensions, or make-ups, or extra-credit work, since that is unfair and there is no time for this. I ban laptops, tablets, media recorder/player devices, and phone use during class, here is why. Each unauthorized use of an electronic device is penalized with a 5-point reduction in one's total points earned. Disruptive students get dismissed. Cheaters and plagiarists fail the entire course. I follow the University Policy Manual.
If you don't want course policies to apply to
you, then you should drop this course by the third week of instruction. Otherwise, you won't be able to do so without a documented, serious and compelling argument - dissatisfaction with grades or overwhelming course-load are not compelling reasons.
Students may not drop this course after the sixth week of instruction. See University policy on Dropping a Course. Further, if it appears that you will fail the course, I will not issue an incomplete or a WU - that is dishonest because it violates campus policy. You can repeat the course. College is hard and expensive but it is worth it.
1. By what main principle of justice is this course administered?
Never do for any student what one cannot do for every student. It
is unfair to others and to me when you ask that your work or situation
be judged
by any criteria other than those outlined in this FAQ. I strive to treat
everyone
equitably
by holding
everyone accountable to the same
rules
and
restrictions.
I am
a bearer
and
enforcer
of
academic and professional standards; never expect me to lighten-up or compromise. Be
advised: Do not ask to be treated differently by pleading that
you or your circumstances are special.
Reasonable accommodation for students with documented disabilities is not special treatment, it is a civil right. See SSWD and me ASAP if you are unsure about your status or think you need accommodations. We must meet within the first two weeks of the semester so that we may form an action-plan to address your needs.
Here is my "No Special Treatment Policy": Never do for anyone what I cannot do for everyone, since this would be unfair to others and myself. Some implications follow.
- I am not going to
play the "what-will-MY-grade-be-if-I-do X, Y, or Z" game
or the "what-do-I-need-to-do-to-get-the-grade-I-want"
game. My duties are to teach philosophy and to evaluate honestly student work, given my training, professional
values and goals. Grades are not the goal, they are measures of your understanding, regard them as information - they are neither rewards nor punishments. Asking for grade checks given insufficient data or asking whether you are "on the right track" when I don't have any idea what that means is disorienting and invites mistaken conclusions. Whatever distracts me from teaching or compromises
my ability to evaluate effectively is irrelevant and I resist it.
Asking me to speculate about possible grades is a waste of my time
and your resources, since overall grades are undetermined until the end of
the course. I issue no false assurances, keep track of your own grades. Too
many people ask teachers to do what they should do for themselves.
- I produce no grade-checks
to students, coaches, parents or any other concerned adults - evaluate
your own grades and share them with whomever you wish using SacCT and
the grading scheme described on the syllabus and this page. Check
your grades (in SacCT) to be sure I have an accurate grade
for you for each assignment; all
grading questions
need to be presented and resolved within one-week of any assignment's
return or no grade-change will occur. Stay focused on your
current status and responsibilites in the course, I won't
remind you
of your
obligations.
- Getting you the grade you want or feel you deserve is neither my intent nor a course objective. I aim to help you achieve Satisfactory or C level understanding of course material. Understanding is the goal, not an A or whatever grade you seek. If you are unsatisfied with your grades, please do not ask for special treatment in the form of extra work or make-ups. Course grades are determined by performance on assessments, nothing more and nothing less. Standards have to be the same for everyone, otherwise grades is unfair. Extra-credit is special-treatment, since I cannot offer this to everyone I do not offer it to anyone.
- I never proofread
papers and offer no unscheduled rewrites, make-up quizzes
or extra-credit work, because I cannot do this for everyone and granting
exceptions
is unfair to others, including me. Proofreading amounts to pre-grading which is unfair to those who do not get the advantage, and since an instructor with over 200 students per semester cannot proofread all or even most papers, no such advantage should be created. It is unfair to fellow students when an instructor produces make-ups, because it produces multiple-standards of evaluation which compromises the validity of a test. Further, someone always misses a quiz or deadline, so if I did make-ups I would be creating a new quiz every week. There is and will be no risk-free
extra credit - I don't have the time or resources to do this.
- My policies are non-negotiable so don't ask for them to
change. You need to be aware of these policies when you stay enrolled
in the course. The
rules
of the
game do not
change when you are unhappy with the outcome
of the
play. Plan to take quizzes and submit assignments by their posted
deadlines - missed
assignments
receive
Fs. I expect people to be self-reliant problem-solvers
and to respond with a sense of urgency to educational responsibilities
and deadlines. Word of advice: Expect technical difficulties
in satisfying your obligations and anticipate dealing with
them personally and promptly.
- Grades = Information, i.e., Grades ≠ Rewards or Punishments, grades are not goals
2. What kinds of graded work are there in this course?
Note: Some courses have both assessments and assignments (as
described below), some have only assessments and others have only
assignments. Refer to the syllabus
to
see
exactly what sorts
of graded work are required for your course.
ASSESSMENTS: These
are always quizzes taken via SacCT within
posted availability dates or quizzes taken during a class meeting. For the online quizzes. Look for the open and close dates and times under ASSESSMENTS in SacCT. Check
often to see when each
is available
in SacCT, you
need
to know when exactly
they
are
open
and when ultimately they close; I will not repeat these deadlines
to you since you can look them up yourself. The in-class assessments are unannounced pop-quizzes which occur during class-time. These are short answer/essays just like study questions available in SacCT. No quiz may be made-up, taken early or late - no exceptions, absolutely.
Access the online quizzes by clicking on the ASSESSMENTS link on the course home page
in SacCT. Each online assessment is comprised of 13 multiple-choice, short answer
or matching
questions.
Take online quizzes on campus computers - personal laptops and wireless connections are unreliable. Be aware that online quizzes are only open for the duration of the period
specified for each in SacCT and are never open over weekends. Check
their availability
dates and arrange your schedule accordingly. Each opens on a specific date and time and closes on another. Once the deadline passes it will never
again be available - no
exceptions, no make-ups. Pay close attention to the directions preceding each assessment
which tell you
how
to use SacCT
successfully: once
you begin
an attempt
you may NOT quit and return later since the clock for each expires
after the time allotted regardless
of whether you remain in the program or online. I
design these so that students can take them from campus computers
at least once before the deadline, but I cannot guarantee that you
will be able to take any quiz more than once.
Some people may be able to take these quizzes from home computers,
however, I don't guarantee this method and I will not troubleshoot
your system if
you encounter a problem. If you have a problem I am going to ask whether you have taken the quiz from
a campus computer.
- If you miss an assessment, then you receive a zero
for that assessment.
There are no make-ups or extensions. Acknowledge it, embrace it,
then let it go. Focus on remaining work. You will have had
plenty of time to take each and the deadlines will be posted
well in advance, excuses are irrelevant. Pay attention to deadlines
and
availability
within
SacCT.
It is your duty to meet this obligation to yourself.
- Only the HIGHEST score you achieve of all of your online quiz attempts
will count as your grade for that assessment.
Manage your time and use
your attempts wisely. Do not quit in the middle of an attempt or close your browser and try to get back in. These actions will use up that
attempt (yes, it counts), so take these only when you have the time and
motivation to finish. Don't wait until the final hours of a quiz deadline to take it, since if something goes wrong we are out of time and I can't help you.
- I do not advise taking quizzes anyhere other than on campus, personal systems are less stable. If you are able to take a quiz from home, and have a problem, then you need to get to campus and take it immediately. Alert
me ASAP and I will check the system, but usually it is an error
on your system. If you have demonstrable problems taking
an assessment notify
me immediately - I probably
will not be able to help you if you notify me on
the last day of the assessment.
In short, do not procrastinate, complete each assessment at
least once earlier rather than later
so that we have time to remedy any correctable difficulties
should they
arise. Technical
difficulties are not common but do occur, so we need to deal
with them promptly.
- I never discuss
quiz content (specific questions) when a quiz
is open and not ever via email. Please
visit me after
that quiz
closes in my office hours in the week following the quiz, if
you want to discuss an online quiz.
I never release publicly any answers
to any quiz in SacCT. Why? In the past, students cheated by sharing correct answers, so I will no longer reveal the correct answers online. If you want to see answers to the questions that you had on your quiz, then come to see me after the quiz closes, we can go over it together in my office. This is the only way you can review your answers, quizzes will never be discussed in class and answers will not be public. You can thank your self-centered cohorts for this result, in effect, their actions deprive everyone from the opportunity to learn from mistakes on their quizzes online. You can still learn from your mistakes, you just can't do it online as easily as before.
ASSIGNMENTS: These
can be either written answers to specific questions that I ask you during class OR take-home typed research papers. In-class writing will be unannounced and based upon what has been assigned or discussed thus far. Call these "pop-quizzes." If assigned, research papers will be described in SacCT. When
a research paper assignment you seek is not available in SacCT, then either it has not
yet been assigned or
its deadline has passed. Review my Top
10 Ways to Fail.
- NOTE: Any take-home, typed papers
require that you present a convincing argument justifying whatever
conclusions you present with rational, not personal or emotional reasons.
Bottom-line:
Do not expect any grade higher than a D if you do not present a coherent
answer to a question or if you provide no supporting argument. "No argument, no C."
- Do visit me in office hours for guidance or ask specific questions via email. I will NOT read drafts or tell you whether your answers are correct prior to submission. Don't
ask me to tell you whether you are "on the right track." The problem: I have no idea what being "on the right track" means.
I don't want to issue false assurances and I won't presume that your effort
(which I do not evaluate until it is turned in) is either accurate or adequate.
Sometimes the help students solicit from me could be best got by visiting
me in person; I can't help you much unless we can exchange thoughts. Email
is very limited. Please visit me in my office where we can talk about
your thoughts and efforts.
- How should acceptable papers submitted in-class be formatted? Unless
I tell you otherwise, any
assigned written work submitted to me in-class for a grade must be typed,
double-spaced, 1-inch margins all around, 12-pt font, no cover sheet or folders. Expect serious grade-reductions for each deviation from these format
restrictions. Posted
paper lengths are LIMITS not
requirements.
- WARNING: I ACCEPT NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS, not ever, no exceptions, absolutely, period. There just isn't time for this and it would be unfair to those who manage to complete their work by deadline.
- For courses with research papers only: Never put any research paper assignment
under my office door or leave it on any desk in a classroom where
I am not yet present; if you do this, then presume it will get lost
and will receive no credit. Don't
turn-in assignments to anyone else but me; if you do give it to
someone else or push it under the door or leave it on my desk it
receives an F. Don't trust others to do for you what you should
do for yourself, so don't expect
others
to
turn in
your
work.
- "May I submit a paper early?"
- Yes, only if you give it to me in person.
- "What if I don't submit my paper assignment
by the deadline?"
- You will not receive any credit. There will be ample time to complete your papers by deadline (at least two weeks). Don't procrastinate, get it done.
- "Will you accept an assignment via email?"
- Never. This is unreliable. Also, I do not open attachments, not ever. This threatens the integrity of my computers.
- "Isn't my grade just subjective
anyway?"
- No. Read my answer to the "Aren't grades
really subjective?" in section
(10) below.
- "Aren't you kind of a jerk with your policies, my other profs are nicer."
- Perhaps. I want to be as clear as possible. When I must choose between making some of my students happy and treating all of my students fairly, I choose to be fair. I find no way to show students what the course requires other than to be straightforward and honest in my description and application of course policies.
3. How are grades determined?
For each assignment, assessment, quiz, or paper that I evaluate,
I will assign a numerical score which corresponds to a letter-grade
on my grade-scale. Notice that
scores
correspond
to letter-grades NOT percentages. Notice that
scores
correspond
to letter-grades NOT percentages. Notice that
scores
correspond
to letter-grades NOT percentages. Do you understand?
Here is the rough number to letter-grade conversion scale:
this number
correseponds to |
< 3 |
3 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
this letter-grade |
F |
D |
C - |
C |
C + |
B - |
B |
B + |
A - |
A |
To get a rough idea about what any quiz or paper score means on a scale of 0 to 12, take your score and match it to its letter-grade equivalent. For
instance, if you score a 7 out of 12 on a quiz, that is equivalent
to a C+. I use numbers to stand for letter-grades because
it simplifies bookkeeping. Notice that there isn't any D+ or D-. Anything below a 5 is unsatisfactory. Please note, this scale does not apply to the in-class Midterm or Final in Philosophy 4 courses.
Attendance, which is mandatory, is NOT a
component of your course
grade UNLESS you are enrolled in Philosophy 4. Students not enrolled in Phil 4 don't get penalized for non-attendance. Realize that when you miss class you will
miss important material or announcements, and you will have to catch yourself up. Researchers
find that students who do not attend class
regularly do poorly on exams.
How do you determine your overall course grade? The method for doing this is different for each course. Please see the specific formula for doing this on your course syllabus.
- Please don't ask me to speculate about your grades or check your calculations of your grade, I will not answer any request to do so. You must do this for yourself since all of the info you require is under My Grades in SacCT. Use scores data in SacCT and my grade scale if you want to guess at your final grade. Realize that you start with zero points (an F) and earn your way out of it. So, for several weeks your grade will be an F. Of course, grades aren't official until the course is over. I don't assess overall performance until the course is over because until then, because I have insufficient data to do so.
4. Must students attend all class meetings?
Yes. Attendance is mandatory, that is, I always expect you
to be present, on-time, attentive and prepared to discuss assigned material. In all of my courses EXCEPT Philosophy 4 (starting Spring 2013) I do not penalize people for occasional non-attendance.
I take attendance sometimes so that I may learn who some of my students
are. When one misses a class, one will definitely miss essential material,
discussion
and
useful
practice
exercises
which cannot
be made-up. If you must be late, try very hard not
to disturb the rest of us.
This
is
a
trade-off. I will not treat you
like
children
whose tardiness
or absence
affects
my
evaluation of your work, because you decide where you want
to be and are ultimately responsible for any material presented in-class.
You will not expect me to catch you up. It is up to you
to
keep
yourself
informed about deadlines and course material - I am not your parent or
your personal tutor and will not even attempt to present to you in
a 10
minute office-visit
or an e-mail
message
the
entire
content
of a missed lecture. A pattern of lateness or absence will definitely
count against your understanding of course material and will undermine
any sympathy I might have for your not understanding what is presented.
When you are absent, you miss important material that cannot be made-up.
*Non-attendance penalty for Philosophy 4 (starting Spring 2013) only: If you are absent from more than 2 classes, then you receive a 10 point reduction from your overall total points in the course for each subsequent absence. E.g., if you are absent 4 times, then I deduct 20 points from your total. There is no difference between an excused and unexcused absence, you get two free absences, after that each absence is penalized.
5. Why doesn't Prof. Merlino share with students the slide presentations used in class?
Slides that I use in class discussions are not available in any form, they will never be posted or distributed. Slides are for presentation purposes only, for three reasons.
a. My presentations are under constant revision. I want discussions to stay fresh and relevant. There is not enough time to produce slides/outlines before or after meetings for mass consumption and also fulfill all of my teaching obligations. People undersestimate the time it takes to prepare lectures, slides, and course material, especially now that we expect online content/interaction/teaching/testing as well.
b. Slides shows are poor substitutes for actual content or instruction. When teachers distribute slides, students presume mistakenly that the sketchy, superficial, outline on the slides is all that they need to know. Slide presentations are best understood as talking-points supporting the speaker, not sources of knowledge or understanding - slides supplement, they do not teach. My slides are based primarily on material presented in assigned reading material, so if you read what is assigned, you have the original material. Lots of people think Powerpoint is Evil, but I don't believe this, nevertheless, cognitive and educational research on its effective use is inconclusive so far. Some designs and methods of presentation with slides work, but many popular ones do not. One big problem psychologists find: It is more difficult to process information if it is coming at you in the written and spoken form at the same time.
c. As a teacher, under the fair use limitation and exception to copyright law, I may use in the classroom some material that is the intellectual property of others, e.g. images, data, publications. But if I post slides containing this material, then this constitutes distribution, which violates copyright law. I am aware that other teachers distribute slides or outlines, but I will not do what I cannot do, and I will not do what it is either unethical or illegal.
6. By what objective criteria are written/oral
student efforts evaluated?
Student efforts with satisfactory (C) grades generally either do not do something required well or do not do something required at all. Realize that you start from zero, and earn your way to a satsifactory grade or better. Ask not what you did wrong, ask instead what you didn't do that was required. You always start at the bottom of an evaluation scale, with your reader not accepting what you assert or simply not understanding you. This is where we all begin: Confused, unclear, and incoherent, and then as we rework our written efforts we can become clearer, more convincing
- Any assigned work that must be submitted online in SacCT automatically
receives zero-credit once the deadline has passed. This means absolutely
no late work will be accepted after deadline. There are two reasons for this:
(1) Students will always have had ample time to complete
and submit online any assigned work by any deadline, and (2) I discuss answers after the deadline.
- For any assignment, if a student neglects any essential requirement,
then one earns no more than a "satisfactory" grade.
- When a student merely reports
or comments or emotes or strings together quotes and gives no critical
analysis in a written effort, then give "unsatisfactory" grade.
- If no accurate, coherent argument is present in any paper requiring one, then give an "unsatisfactory" grade.
- When unsupported
assertions or sincere but unsubstantiated beliefs are the only support for
argument, then give no "good" grade.
- If argument given lacks
any clear, defended justifying or explanatory principle, then give no "good" grade.
- If student
does nothing that an assignment requires, then give zero credit.
7. How should I compose a paper or in-class writing assignment for Prof. Merlino?
- Just answer the questions posed, in clear, precisely and accurate sentences. Your goal is to demonstrate that you understand the material presented. Define any terms you do not want me to misunderstand. If you don't answer the questions, expect no credit.
- In general, a written effort acceptable for an English or Journalism course
is NOT acceptable for a Philosophy course. Philosophical writing
is critical or argumentative, not
descriptive, narrative or expressive of personal feelings. I will usually
assign a paper requiring an argument for or against a clear proposition. Such papers aim to persuade
the reader
by producing rational reasons presented in the form of a logical argument for a definite conclusion about an issue. Don't be snarky. Always
avoid ridicule, sarcasm, irony
and
any personal
attacks in philosophical writing - rhetorical devices such as these are
useless, irrelevant and undermine your effectiveness.
- In general, do NOT include in your short essays any introductions or closing summaries unless I explicitly
ask you to do so. Some courses will require that you analyze an article and write a longer paper on it, and for these, intorductions and summaries are required. Follow these guidelines for such assignments.
- NEVER ask questions that you do not answer
in your paper. Posing questions in an paper only asks for
information when you need
to make supported assertions using adequate justifications. Say what
you mean and I shall assume
that you mean what
you say. One letter-grade
Just don't ask questions in a piece of writing.
- In papers, NEVER QUOTE ANYBODY,
not ever, absolutely, and if you must cite references, then specify
sources of relevant information so
that I can check them. What
others say is only evidence of what they said which
we already know from listening to them. Avoid blind
acceptance of any
Internet information, since much of what is online is unsubstantiated speculation
and uncritical
opinion. You
may paraphrase but you must be accurate, brief and logically consistent in
your reconstructions. For example, only cite authoritative
(scientific, peer-reviewed, credible, verifiable) references
such as journals, published articles, and reputable
web
sites. Beware of information posted on any web site;
as a rule I doubt any online assertions unless
overwhelming evidence from independent, credible sources
supports
it. Dogmatic, cranky,
gullible, uncritical or wicked people affirm unsubstantiated
opinions as if they are describing established facts.
Realize that repeating
what someone else said in a text or on a web
site
is only
evidence
that someone said it, not that it is true, reliable
or worthy of acceptance. The burden of proof for any
claim rests with whomever
asserts it whenever their reasoning relies upon it.
Thus, quotes serve no useful, supporting function
in an argumentative piece of formal writing. Be advised: If you plagiarize,
you will fail. Review CSUS Academic Honesty Policies on this.
- Do NOT use ANY autobiographical remarks ("I believe..." or "I just think..." or "I feel that..."). NEVER use the terms "I" or "me" in any formal paper where your aim is to convince your reader that a point-of-view is true or acceptable; recall that what you believe or think is not going to convince anyone that the content of your belief is true. Nothing you write for me will be about you or your personal beliefs; questions will always focus on ISSUES (subjects of controvery) or ARGUMENTS (collections of claims inteneded to establish the truth of a conclusion).
- Do NOT describe ANY biographical, emotional, historical,
cultural, scientific, political, oe or religious context within
which any such claims are made - none of that is relevant
to whether any claim is true or worth believing. Background
information which is interesting and related and sometimes important
for understanding why people believe what they do, but philosophical
writing seeks to JUSTIFY accepting that what people believe
or say is true. So don't tell your
reader what people believe and why, instead tell us why
anybody
else
ought
to believe
it too, using facts and principles and logic, not mere opinions
- Do NOT
use any language like the following denial-phrases anywhere
in your writing: "just because" or "does not mean" or "not
necessarily." These are evasive
phrases of denial, not reasoned refutation - please see
my How
to Disagree Effectively handout. Expect a one point deduction
for each occurrence of these phrases. I deduct one point for every occurence
any denial phrase.
- NEVER attach any cover sheet, folder or other presentational padding
to your submission. Just type your name and the course name
at the top of the first page. I deduct one point for every page
in excess of the posted page limit for each paper, so a cover sheet
reduces your grade on a paper by one letter-grade.
- Answer precisely and coherently each of the questions presented
to you in any assignment description. I should be able to discern
clear answers to all of them. I will not hunt for answers. Remember,
you are trying to convince your
reader
that your point-of-view
is not only acceptable but also reasonable (that is, not based on
falsehoods, free from contradictions, and worth believing). You don't
get any credit
for what you do not do.
- JUSTIFY any major conclusion you make or rely upon with
an argument based on rational reasons (NOT autobiographical assertions of sincere belief
or feelings).
- Use simple noun-phrases and ACTIVE rather
than passive voice verb-constructions in your expositions, arguments
and
explanations. "Abortion
kills a fetus" is
more direct, bold and concise than "the
termination of a pregnancy utilizing abortion is the cause of the
death of the fetus" "Mistakes were made" is how
cowards who ought to say "I made a mistake" evade responsibility.
For more on active versus passive voice, explore this
site.
- Do PROOFREAD your work one more time prior to submission. I
don't accept papers with scribbled-in corrections or amendments.
Any fragmentary sentences or ungrammatical utterances reduce your success
rate.
Detect incoherencies, vague generalities, vulgarities, cliches, smart-aleck
remarks, gaps in reasoning
and missing or weak answers to relevant questions BEFORE you
are evaluated.
I never
proofread answers before submission, but do talk with him about your thoughts
during office hours.
- REALIZE that "I do not understand" is an explanation, not an excuse. I cannot give you understanding; reading the text or notes does not automatically give you understanding - you must interact with the material and me seriously. You need to seek help from me or others when you are in distress and you must do this immediately. If you wait you, then you will get behind but will remain responsible for material and assignments. This will be your own fault, so take the initiative and work on your difficulties promptly.
- Student Tutorial on How Not to Plagiarize: library.csus.edu/content2.asp?pageID=353
8. I am still having trouble writing my paper, what should I do?
Go to the Campus
Reading and Writing Center in 128 Calaveras Hall for one-on-one help. Just
do it. Now. Their tutors can help you be a better writer; help
you locate and
correct errors,
give feedback
on focus, organization, and clarity; help you decide what to focus on in
one session; and help you brainstorm ideas for your paper. Be aware that
tutors
cannot guarantee a good grade on a paper, correct papers for
you or guess what your teacher wants from your writing, address all aspects
of
your writing
in one session; or tell you what to write.
9. What if I am not satisfied with my grade?
Irate student to Merlino: "Hey, why didn't I get an A? I worked
really hard on this assignment! What is wrong with this paper? Show me what
I did wrong!"
Merlino to irate student: "Your paper did not earn an A because
it did not demonstrate "A-level" competence. Realize that what
you expect has little to do with what your written effort deserves. (That
is, according to me, your assessment of the quality of your own work is inaccurate.)
Let us go over your paper together - during office hours and not during class-time
- and we can discuss what I did not understand and what you could have done
better."
- Any and all grade appeals must occur in-person in office hours
only and always within two weeks of when the grade is posted - I will
not spend lecture time or time between classes or any time during finals
week to hear complaints. Your
work requires careful scrutiny so any review must be done when
ample time is available
to
both of us. If you can't come during scheduled office hours, then
let us make an appointment for a time when we can meet. For questions
about specific grades on past assignments, you need to talk to me
in person so we can go over your work. I don't evaluate via email!
10. Aren't grades really subjective?
1. My evaluations of your writing are subjective in that they are based
on my experience and expertise but they are not arbitrary.
I judge your work given its overall coherence and convincingness. Students
get the grade that I think they earn. No one earns a passing-grade for regular
attendance or effort alone. I have reasons for grades that I assign and you
should come to see me for specific details. I don't discuss grades via email.
I will not discuss your grade in-class or between classes, since grades
and privacy
and my commitments to other students are also important.
Visit me
in my office for a closer reading of your work and a careful consideration
of
any
grievances. Grades
are non-negotiable
but I pledge to be willing and able to justify my judgment
to you. However, one thing I will not even attempt to do is tell you why
the grade is NOT what you expected or wanted. You should presume these biases
are irrelvant,
since the grade is an assessment of that effort not you or your potential.
The burden is on you in your graded efforts to demonstrate competence, it
is not my duty to tell you why your work isn't good enough to get the grade
you wanted. When I make
a grading-mistake I shall adjust student grades accordingly. The grade I
assign to your submitted work is based also upon the following objective criteria
for good writing applied uniformly to all.
GOOD writing is: Clear, precise, accurate, thoughtful, organized,
uses conventional grammar and spelling, cogent
- Philosophical papers feature NON-FALLACIOUS ARGUMENTS (i.e., arguments
with acceptable assumptions, relevant facts, supported by evidence) --- write to persuade your reader to accept your conclusion, do not merely describe your point-of-view.
POOR writing is: Unclear, inaccurate, imprecise, superficial, disorganized,
ungrammatical, incoherent, reliant upon irrelevant facts, rhetorical
- Unphilosophical papers contain no arguments or present only FALLACIOUS
ARGUMENTS or describe personal beliefs. Fallacious arguments lack acceptable assumptions or rely
upon irrelevant facts or are not adequately supported by evidence...
- AVOID asking questions in written work. For example, sometimes people
use questions rather than assertions to make themselves understood. But
questions say nothing, they only ask, and when your reader sees them they
simply do not know what you think or mean to say. Just say what you mean;
I will assume you mean what you say.
General rule: In written efforts, never ask questions that you
do not answer, especially in a formal argument where
rhetorical questions have no logical or evidentiary value. Rhetorical
questions have little, if any, philosophical merit. Questions ask;
they do not tell.
2. I encourage effort but only reward accomplishment. Written work must
DEMONSTRATE to me that you understand relevant issues and are able
to comment insightfully and critically upon any particular argument (and
its
conclusion)
about those issues. Your writing needs to demonstrate minimally that you
know
what is going on.
When disagreeing with a claim, show me - don't just tell me - why
it is false or why the author of a rival argument for that claim is
mistaken. Present reasons for rejecting a conclusion by producing reasons
for rejecting key assumptions of the main rival argument about the issue
being discussed.
[more on How to Disagree Effectively]
3. I penalize people for grammatical and logical mistakes. Also,
you only receive credit for what you do successfully. If in your writing
you
digress, miss a key issue, or express a serious inaccuracy about any significant
or essential claim in your
writing, then your score cannot amount to "A-level" work.
EXAMPLE: Suppose you are required to answer three questions but you only
answer two. Even if you do so admirably well, you can earn no more than
a B for that effort. Miss two questions, and you receive no more than a
C. If you miss all three questions, you should not expect to receive a passing
grade for that assignment.
Number One Weakness of Philosophical Argumentation: Changing the subject.
Talking about anything other than the issue or argument in question in
your written work undermines your efforts.
4. Number One Piece of Advice: Proofread, proofread, proofread! Why
you can't trust the spell-checker: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OonDPGwAyfQ
11. What other expectations should I have?
- Consider all issues raised in this course in a thoughtful and sincere
manner, taking care to avoid poorly supported arguments and unsubstantiated
opinion. Sincere statements of personal belief or disagreement are not sufficient
reason for us to believe or doubt anything. I do not accept mediocre efforts;
I urge you at all times to justify whatever claims you make.
- Tolerate and judge different points of view, but be courteous listeners
and speakers. All views are subject to disbelief, so always be prepared to
deny (or assert) personal views on the basis of reasoning and evidence. In
this course, attacks on arguments are permissible (and encouraged) but attacks
on persons are not.
- Ask questions whenever any term or concept is unclear or if you are
confused or unconvinced by any claim said or read during the course of this
class. I don't read minds, so please stop me and ask for (or volunteer) clarification
at any time; it is very likely others share the same concerns.
- I will not preach. I teach people how to think critically and I introduce
them to what others have thought about significant philosophical issues. I
will not tell you what to think or how you should act. This course is an occasion
for people to exercise careful thought, and to realize the practical value
of rational deliberation.
- Serious disagreements will arise in class and this is good because
they compel us to clarify and support our own beliefs, which is useful whenever
we want to resolve conflicting points-of-view or influence the thoughts and
actions of others. In this course, you should expect me to provoke people
to discuss their own thoughts about issues raised in the text and in current
events. Sometimes I will be deliberately controversial and disputatious, so
never assume that what I say is what I believe.
12. Will you summarize course policies?
- Scores received on assignments are assessments of your work; scores
are NOT based upon any imagined or expected averages or percentages or
curves.
I apply my grade scale from the syllabus to all efforts.
I
do
not reward effort;
I
can only evaluate you on what you do successfully. Dull people, smart
people, pretty boys, mean girls, slackers, hard-workers,whiners, and
sycophants, are all graded by the same standards - me
and my grade scale. I am not a mind-reader or lie-detector and teaching
philosophy is not an exercise in raising personal self-esteem. I have no reliable way of
judging motives or efforts of students and no foolproof
way of assessing hardships or excuses for truth or adequacy given the
diversity of struggling students I instruct, so I assess each student
on performance only.
- Got a gripe about a grade? Visit me during office hours for
detailed discussions of your graded work. Particular
cases or grievances and all grades will only be discussed in-person, not
in class and never
via e-mail. Go to the syllabus for this course to check my availability
or make an appointment with me via e-mail. I expect any student to read
this
document before she or he contests a grade or policy. All disputes about
assigned grades must be brought to my attention in my office hours within
one week of the return of that graded assignment. Grades are important, so
talk to me sooner rather than later; if you wait until the last week of
class it is too late.
- View generic Guidelines for Writing a Philosophy Paper.
Pay attention to my amendments.
- No extensions, make-up, extra-credit work or rewrites will be offered.
Discuss your papers and any problems with me PRIOR TO submission. This follows
from my "No Special Treatment" Policy - I strive to treat
each participant in my courses fairly (including myself). I allow people to
fail so that they may see what it takes to succeed.
- I don't ask for excuses and I don't accept verbal or undocumented excuses. Never expect that I will excuse you
from an assignment even if you experience personal hardships. Organize your
life so as to anticipate difficulties. Click here for my
thinking about excuses in general. ("My printer ran out of ink"
is an explanation, not an excuse - plan ahead. If grandma dies, then I
am sorry for your loss but it is not my fault - you still must meet the
obligations of this course because I treat everyone equally; I give you ample
time to do your work, so do not wait until the last minute to complete your
tasks.)
- Always keep a copy of submitted work for your records; I will
ask for this if I do not receive a paper that you claim you turned in.
- Enrolled students who do not submit any work for this course or submit
inadequate work will receive an F for this course. It is your responsibility
to assure that you are (or are not) enrolled. You must drop your own
self and you must make sure you are either in (or out) of the course.
I will not verify this for you. Enrolled students will receive an F when no
work is submitted.
- I do not offer incompletes.
Never expect an incomplete. It is entirely up to my
discretion -
I follow
exactly university
policy on this. You should expect to retake the entire course if you stop
attending class or fail to earn scores sufficient to pass the course.
- My policies are non-negotiable. I assume that each
student accepts the terms of my policies when he or she remains enrolled
in my course. Don't ask me to change my policy for you and I will
not tell you that your presence in the course is voluntary. ***Students
retain the right to drop any course (by established deadlines) and instructors
reserve the right to conduct their courses as they and their academic peers
see fit.***
- How to drop the course: You do this yourself, instructors do not do this for you. Drop courses yourself through the second week of the semester using My Sac State. Students may not drop any course after the sixth week of instruction - see University policy on Dropping a Course. There is no such thing as an automatic drop. Instructors have the authority to drop students, but they are not required to do so. Failure to drop a course according to University policy will result in the assignment of a failing grade of “WU” or “F” in the course. If you are uncertain which classes you are enrolled in, log onto My Sac State and check your Student Center or check with the Admissions and Records Counter.
- University Definitions of Grade Symbols here.
13. What if I can't find the answer to a question not on this FAQ?
- Please visit me in my office if you have any questions, or ask them in class so that others may hear the answers too.
Scott Merlino, Ph.D.