ENGLISH 302-N07
CRN 12686
ENGLISH 302-N29
CRN 19249

Advanced Composition
Distance Learning
Spring 2025


Prof. Joyce Johnston

Dept. of English
4220 Horizon Hall
 jjohnsto@gmu.edu


Office Hours: Tuesdays 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Zoom (or in-office by arrangement)
http://mason.gmu.edu/~jjohnsto 




This section of English 302 uses Blackboard as course management software.  Access Blackboard at http://mymasonportal.gmu.edu.  After logging in using your MasonLive user ID and password, click on the Courses tab at the upper right of the screen.  Then click on the course name to access the Blackboard course folder. Both the Course Schedule and the Course Policies can also be accessed on the professor's website, available at http://mason.gmu.edu/~jjohnsto



COURSE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
 CLICKABLE MENU






















Methods of Instruction


Academic Standards
 & Student
Resources









WHY TAKE ENGLISH 302?

English 302 builds on the rhetorical awareness and other skills that you learned in English 100/101 by introducing a disciplinary context for advanced research and writing.  This course helps you: understand how knowledge is created and transmitted (and the key conventions of research) in your discipline, articulate and refine your own research question and situate your investigation in an ongoing context or conversation in your field, and design a major project that adds new perspectives to the conversation. 


Advanced composition will help you engage in academic and non-academic inquiry as you work on narrowing a research question and as you engage with your discipline or field of study.  It will also assist you to be successful in the considerable amount of writing required by the Mason Core courses and beyond to graduate schooling and professional research.

  A MASON IMPACT / MASON CORE COURSE

This course is part of The Mason Core (General Eduction) program, which is designed to help prepares students for work in their majors and minors, for their careers, and for life-long learning. Its goal is to provide a foundation for The Mason Graduate: an Engaged Citizen and Well-Rounded Scholar who is Prepared to Act.  English 302 fulfills the Mason Core Written Communication (Upper-Level) requirement.  For more information, visit the Provost's Mason Core page. 


As a Mason Impact course, ENGH 302 teaches students to understand knowledge creation and to investigate a meaningful question through the development of an inquiry-based research project that evaluates, synthesizes and incorporates multiple perspectives. It is categorized as an Integration Course where "students develop the ability to use written communication as a means of discovering and expressing ideas and meanings: in short, employing writing as a way of thinking."   The in-depth research you conduct in this course informs the construction of your final project as an intellectual or creative contribution to your field of study. You may apply for funding through Mason Impact to support your work on this final project in preparation for submitting it as a Mason Impact Project. The title of your project will be highlighted on your transcript.


FEATURES UNIQUE TO OUR COURSE

The section is organized around the concept of professional writing within a STEM environment. The semester's work focuses on rigor and ethical practices in STEM research, especially the use of peer review and the challenges faced by non-Western scholars in getting published in recognized journals.

This is an asynchronous course in a distance learning format.  Thus, there are no scheduled class meetings; instead, there are clear deadlines for completing each assignment and submitting it to Blackboard.  Because each assigmment builds on the one before it, there are epnalties for late submissions.  Please pay close attention to the Class Policies on Late Submisson, found under the Course Policies iink.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This course will be hosted on Canvas for the Spring 2025 semester. Please ensure you are familiar with accessing and navigating this platform. Resources and support are available at: https://lms.gmu.edu/getting-started-students/ to help you get started. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to me or contact the ITS Support Center for assistance.

PREREQUISITES FOR ENGLISH 302

Students must have completed or transferred in the equivalent of English 100 or ENGH 101. Students must have completed 30 credit hours and the Mason Core literature requirement before enrolling in the course.  While it is possible to enroll after passing 30 credit hours, the program strongly recommends that students wait to enroll in ENGH 302 until they have completed 45 credit hours. Students should take a version of English 302 related to their major field.

The College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) has specific requirements for which version of English 302 its students must take, which are listed on the Composition website. If you are a student with the College of Engineering and Computing, you should talk with your advisor and make sure you are enrolled in the correct version of ENGH 302.

WAIVING ENGLISH 302

Full instructions for submitting a portfolio and taking an essay exam to attempt to waive English 302 may be found on the Waiver of English 302 page.  Any student who does not waive the course MUST take it in order to graduate, since as part of the Mason Core, it is one of the Foundation Requirements in Written Communication.

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OBJECTIVES

COURSE OBJECTIVES

MASON CORE OBJECTIVES

This course is part of the Mason Core (General Education) Program, which is designed to develop "a Mason graduate [who is] an engaged citizen, a well-rounded scholar, and someone who is prepared to act."  It fulfills the Mason Core Upper Division Written Communication requirement. For more information on the Mason Core, visit the Provost's Mason Core page.

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR ENGLISH 302

DEFINITION: English 302 provides extensive practice in writing and analyzing expoistory forms such as essay, article, proposal and technical or scientific reports with emphasis on research related to student's major field.

DISCIPLINE BASED GOALS: Students who successfully complete ENGH 302 will be able to adapt their reading and writing to meet the expectations of their academic discipline and future workplace. They will be able to demonstrate the ability to: 
  1. analyze the rhetorical situation (audience, purpose, and contex) in order to recognize the expectations of readers and understand the main purposes of composing across multiple contexts relevant to their fields of study
  2. understand the conventions of academic and non-academic genres, to include usage, specialized vocabulary, format and attribution/citation systems
  3. apply critical reading strategies that are appropriate to advanced academic and nonacademic texts of relevance to their fields of study
  4. identify and synthesize multiple perspectives in articulating and refining a research question relevant to their fields of study
  5. engage in a recursive process of inventing, investigating, shaping, drafting, revising and editing to produce a range of academic and nonacademic texts of relevance to their fields of study

ADVANCED WRITING GOALS: Students who successfully complete ENGH 302 will demonstrate that they have continued to develop their research and writing strategies to an advanced level; they will be able to: 
  1. use writing as a tool for exploration and reflection in addressing advanced problems, as well as for exposition and persuasion
  2. successfully employ strategies for writing as a recursive process of inventing, investigating, shaping, drafting, revising, and editing to meet a range of advanced academic and professional expectation,including, when given appropriate time for drafting and editing,  the ability to produce documents in Standard Edited American English that are generally free from error 
  3. collaborate with others as they write, through peer review, group projects, and/or consulting with outside experts (writing center tutors, librarians, subject-matter experts, workplace informants, etc.) 
  4. identify, evaluate, and use research sources (print and electronic), to include advanced online library searching of databases pertinent to their disciplines and the critical use of web sites 
  5. employ a range of appropriate technologies to support their researching, reading, and thinking, with particular attention to the ways that advanced students and professional locate, analyze, organize and share information

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COURSE MATERIALS

TEXTS


All course readings will be done online, using uploaded articles, links provided in the syllabus, and material e-mailed to the class by the instructor. Please note that online readings are no less required than paper texts are in other classes.

A research handbook is highly advisable, as students will be expected to use their appropriate professional format flawlessly by the end of the semester.  For the Volgenau School, the default format is APA, so the handbook is the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Assocation (7th edition.) This is available at the GMU Bookstore, or any commercial bookseller, including Amazon.  Be sure to acquire the current (7th) edition, as previous versions have significantly different formatting. Students in Electrical Engineering have the option to use the IEEE Editorial Style Manual.  Physics students have the option to use the American Institute of Physics guide, AIP Style Manual, edited by J. T. Scott.  Mechanical Engineering students can use the Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition.  Civil Engineers can use Publishing in ASCE Journals: A Guide for Authors (2014).   The Purdue OWL's Citation Chart compares the formatting for MLA (not used in this class), APA and Chicago formatting.

Diana Hacker's A Writer's Reference (10th ed.) is an optional but extremely valuable resource for questions of grammar, usage and research documentation.  It contains a section on APA formatting, so could be substituted for a research handbook. There is also an alternate version titled A Writer's Reference with Resources for Multilingual Writers and ESL (8th ed.) A good general guide is Writing with Sources: A Guide for Students (3rd edition) by Gordon Harvey.  The paperback version can be purchased from the GMU Bookstore for about $10.00.  If ordering elsewhere, the ISBN number is 97816246665547

TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS

HARDWARE: Since this class is a distance learning section, it is BYOD (bring your own device.) Students must use their own personal electronic devices to participate in class activities.  Smart phones are generally NOT adequate to this purpose due to the difficulty of extended writing on such small screen sizes.

Activities and assignments in this course will use the Canvas Learning System, available at https://Canvas.gmu.edu/   Students are required to have regular, reliable access to a computer with an updated operating system (recommended Windows 11 or Mac OSX 10.13 or higher) and a stable broadband internet connection (cable modem, DSL, satellite broadband, etc.) with a consistent 1.5 Mbps (megabits per second) download speed or higher.  You can check your speed settings using the speed test on this website.


You should have sufficient hard disk space available to allow for the storage needed to install any additional software and space to store work that you will do for the course.  Make sure you have a backup file system in place, such as OneDrive (1 TB of cloud-based storage provided through the Mason license to Office 365) to save your work in event of a hard drive failure.


If you need to purchase a computer, laptop or tablet, you can do so through PatriotTech, the computer store of the George Mason Barnes and Noble bookstore.  The store offers educational discounts and special deals,  Purchasing through the bookstore is an option, not a requirement.


SOFTWARE: You will be using Canvas, a learning management system (LMS), for your online composition course. To access Canvas, go to the MyMason Portal page and log in with your Patriot Pass credentials. Your Patriot Pass consists of your Mason NetID (username)and strong password. If you are new student at George Mason, go HERE to sign up for a Patriot Pass.

Make sure your computer is protected from viruses. GMU does not provide free antivirus software, but recommends

If using a PC to access Canvas, Microsoft recommends using either Chrome or Mozilla Firefox as your browser for the most reliable experience.  If using a Mac, use Mac OS10.5 or higher. You can use Safari but some Canvas features may not work optimally with it.  If necessary, you can set up a Mac or a computer running Linux with Boot Camp or virtualization software so Windows will also run on it. You can use a browser checker to make sure your browser is compatible with Blackboard. Also, if using LibreOffice, Virtual Office or similar, or a Mac, be sure to check that your files have successfully converted to .doc or.docx format before submitting assignments. Assignments submitted in other formats, or submitted in ZIP files, will not be scored.

Check GMU email regularly, preferably daily. Any student not regularly using his or her GMU email account must set that account to forward to the student's preferred email address.  Failure to do so will mean that the student will not receive any class notices, warnings of missing assignments or individual contact from the instructor, all of which are sent to the class list maintained by the Registrar's Office. In return, please email the instructor at jjohnsto@gmu.edu with any questions or concerns.  GMU policy dictates that Mason Mail is the only way in which I can communicate with you by email, therefore I can only respond to email sent from a GMU email address.


To participate in virtual conferences, you must have a computer or tablet with virtual meeting software.  Any of the following are acceptable: Class Collaborate (native in Blackboard), Zoom or Skype.  All of these platforms require you to use a reliable computer with both camera and microphone.

To view audio and video files, you must have either Quicktime, Real Player or Windows Media Player installed on your computer.  These programs require a high-speed internet connection.

To read PDF files, you will need a PDF reader, such as Preview (included for Macs) or the most recent version of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, which is free.  A tutorial is provided within this course.

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COURSE POLICIES

CLASS POLICY ON FORMATTING EMAIL



Any questions or correspondence should be directed to the instructor's GMU email address: jjohnsto@gmu.edu.  This is the preferred method of contact.  All GMU-related correspondence is handled through that address and ONLY that address. All replies from the instructor will be directed to the student's GMU email address and ONLY that address. Instructors will not respond to messages sent from or send messages regarding course content to a non-GMU mail address. See more information on the GMU Common Course Policies Page.

NOTE: When contacting the instructor about a message sent to the class list, students should be sure to reply to the instructor's email address rather than to the entire list.  This places communications within the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act


UNIVERSITY POLICY ON CLASS MEMBERSHIP

Students are responsible for verifying their enrollment in this class. Deadlines are included in the Course Schedule for this class as well as the GMU Schedule of Classes.

For Spring 2025, the Last Day to Add classes is Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025.  The Last Day to Drop without financial penalty is Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2025.  The Last Day to Drop with 50% financial penalty is Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025.   The Unrestricted Withdrawal Period runs from Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, to Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. A course dropped during this period does not appear on the student's transcript but receives no financial refund.

Web Withdrawal (also known as Selective Withdrawal) lasts from Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025,  to Monday, March 31, 2025, but incurs a 100% tuition penalty.  After that, withdrawal requires the approval of the Dean and is only allowed for nonacademic reasons.  The web withdrawal option may be used no more than three times in a student's undergraduate career at George Mason and must be completed within the dates above. See the GMU Office of Undergraduate Affairs for withdrawal procedures.
IMPORTANT: Courses dropped during this period do not affect the student's GPA, but are marked "W," which affects the student's academic standing and Satisfactory Academic Progress for scholarship purposes.

ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS POLICY

In accordance with English Department policy, each student will submit a minimum of 3500 words in the course of the semester, which will serve as the basis for the course grade. Any student with a documented disability which could impact the completion of this requirement must notify the instructor at the beginning of the semester, using a Faculty Contact Sheet.


George Mason University is committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities for all students by upholding the laws that ensure equal treatment of all people with disabilities.  If seeking accommodations for this class, pleases first visit http://ds.gmu.edu  for detailed information about the Disability Services registration process.  Then please discuss your approved accommodations with the professor.  Documentation is required to obtain course adaptations to ensure that students recieve appropriate support and assistance for success in the class. The Office of Disability Services is located in
SUB 1, Suite 2500, phone number (703) 993-2474. Its email address is ods@gmu.edu.

CLASS POLICY ON SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS

All assignments must be submitted to Canvas. The instructions file for each assignment contains the link to submit it when finished as well as the date when it is due.

It is the students' responsibiity to retain a copy of work submitted in case of submission problems, plus all graded files until the final course grade appears on their transcripts at the end of the semester.

CLASS POLICY ON EXTRA CREDIT

Extra credit is not awarded in this class. However, the Analysis of Academic Discourse assignment can be revised and resubmitted for regrading after a professor-student conference.  Directions can be found in the last file in the page for Analyzing Academic Discourse. In addition, the Annotated Bibliography assignment can be revised and resubmitted for regrading in accordance with English Dept. policy.


CLASS POLICY ON LATE WORK

Late work will be penalized one letter grade for the first  24 hours after the due date.
Late work will be penalized 50% of the original grade if submitted more than 24 hours after the due date until the end of the first week. The late penalty cannot be removed from work resubmitted or revised. 
No work will be accepted more than a week after the due date indicated on the Course Schedule.
Deadlines will be adjusted appropriately if the student is using the Life Happens Pass for that assignment.

If extraordinary circumstances prevent a student from submitting to Blackboard on time, it is their responsibility to email the assignment to the instructor BEFORE the due date to avoid late penalties

Late work may be delayed in being graded and returned; delay is usually one week but may be more. Please keep this in mind, especially near the end of the semester.


EXCEPTION: Each student is eligible for a "Life Happens" Pass one time--and one time only--during the course of this semester.  This entitles the student to a three day extension on the due date for an assignment, as long as the student informs the instructor in writing within those 72 hours that they are using their one-time Pass.  In the event of a personal crisis or extreme emergency, please email the professor immediately.

IMPORTANT: The Research Paper has a non-negotiable due date due to the necessity of submitting final grades in time for graduation. It cannot be submitted late.

CLASS PARTICIPATION POLICY

Be aware that writing is a time-intensive activity. The Registrar's Office suggests 3 hours per week per credit hour, but composition courses can easily take more time.  It is thus very difficult to make up any significant amount of lost time. Anyone who must unavoidably miss class activities is advised to notify the instructor promptly to avoid falling behind.  In an online class like this one, course work and deadlines go on as scheduled, regardless of weather-related closings, unless there is a network outage or Blackboard crash.

If a major religious holiday will interfere with the ability to participate in class activities or submit an assignment on the due date, it is the student's obligation to provide the professor with the date(s) within the first two weeks of the semester.  See the Mason University Life Religious Holiday Calendar for dates.


Since group work is conducted online, it is crucial that each person contribute meaningfully to the group to which that person is assigned. Therefore, participation in the class environment is an important part of the semester grade, especially for the civility blog and the peer reviews of research papers.  It is not possible to earn an "A" in this class without timely, meaningful group contributions. When interacting with others in the class, as well as the instructor, remember the core rules of Netiquette.  Be sure to carefully craft communications to show respect and avoid misinterpretation.

Active presence in online conversations is essential.  This implies brain awareness, without other distractions, as well as the basic courtesies of formal social gatherings. A student who is seriously unprepared for class or group work--having no draft ready for group mates to critique, for example--will lose class participation points for that activity.  Any serious breach of good online conduct may cause the loss of all participation points.

CLASS POLICY ON FORMATTING ASSIGNMENTS FOR SUBMISSION

The instructions for each assignment include the correct title for the file(s) submitted.

Assignments MUST be submitted in Word (.doc or .docx) format.  If using ZIP files, remember to unzip them before submitting. The ONLY exception to this is screen shots of quizzes, which may be submitted as JPEG or PDF files.  No other file types will be scored. If using a Mac or  a Word equivalent like Open Office or Libre Office, it is the student's responsibility to ensure that his/her submissions can be read in Word 2016. 


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GRADING CRITERIA

UNIVERSITY GRADING REQUIREMENTS FOR ENGLISH 302

It is University policy that in all Mason Core English classes (English 100, 101, 201 and 302) students must achieve a grade of C- (70) or higher to receive credit for the course. Students must complete all major projects to earn a C (or higher.) Students with averages of 69.9 or lower will receive an NC (No Credit) for the course. Students can keep track of their grade in the course folder in Canvasby clicking on Grades in the Course Menu.

It is also university policy that all students in English 302 must successfully complete a major research assignment in order to earn credit for the course.  In our case, this is the Research Paper

In addition, the University requires that students submit a minimum of 3500 words in course of the semester, upon which the course grade is based.

It is also the policy of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, which houses the English Department, that once final grades have been recorded, instructors should not accept any additional work from a student to change a grade.

Around Spring Break, you will receive a midterm grade based on the work of the first portion of the semester, which you can view in PatriotWeb. The midterm grade’s purpose is to help you understand how well you are doing so that you can make any adjustments necessary. It is not meant to predict your final grade, as the work in the second half of the semester is weighted more heavily.   All student grades will be posted regularly in Canvas viewable through Grades under the Communications heading in the Course Menu.


UNIVERSITY POLICY ON REPEATING THIS COURSE

Beginning Fall 2018, there is a limit of three graded attempts for this course.  A W does not count as a graded attempt. Please see AP.1.3.4 in the University Catalog and consult with your academic advisor if you have any questions. If you need to take the course after a third attempt, you must complete the Course Repeat Exception Request process.   


COURSE GRADING SCALE: PERCENTAGE BREAKDOWN OF FINAL GRADES

Each assignment, as well as the final course grade, is graded individually, using a 100-point scale. The university-mandated grading ranges are:

A+ 100-97.5% | A 97.4-92.5% | A- 92.4-90% | B+ 89.9-87.5% | B 87.4-82.5% | B- 82.4-80% | C+ 79.9-77.5% | C 77.4-72.5% | C- 72.4-70% | D 69.9-60% | F below 60%

ESSAY GRADING CRITERIA


Many students speak multiple languages which are not always valued in academia or the workplace. Therefore, there will  be no grade penalties for minor errors which do not  prevent the reader from understanding the writing. However, when there are many grammar or punctuation errors, some points will be subtracted, although the emphasis will always be on content and learning.  If one error appears frequently, there will be a comment so that the student can, by correcting one skill, make a significant improvement in the mechanics of the paper.

CALCULATING THE SEMESTER GRADE


Assignments are individually graded on a scale of 0-100, as described in the previous section.  They are then assigned percentage values (sometimes known as weights) to calculate the final semester grade.  Calculations are handled by Canvas's grade book function.


In ascending order, weights/percentage values for course assignments are:

ASSIGNMENT
 PERCENTAGE
 STUDENT LEARNING
OUTCOMES SUPPORTED
Quiz on Course Policies
 5%
 1, 3, 6
Class Civility Blog and Survey
 5%
 3, 6
What is Your Academic Discipline? Worksheet
 5%
 5, 7
Peer Review of Research Paper
 10%
 1, 2, 3, 4, 7
IRIS Plagiarism Test 10%
 1, 3, 5, 7
Research Conference with Instructor and Proposal 10%
 1, 3, 4
Annotated Public Writing (includes Public Writing Worksheet)
 10%
 1, 2, 3, 5 7
Analysis of Academic Discourse--Annotated
 10%
 2, 3
Annotated Bibliography 15% 2, 3, 6
Research Paper
 20%
 5, 6


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METHODS OF INSTRUCTION

EXTENDED WRITINGS

There are four MAJOR WRITING ASSIGNMENTS for this course, each in a different format. Each assignment has an instructions containing goals, skills developed by the assignment, procedures to complete the assignment, and grading criteria. There are also help files supplementing each assignment, designed to provide support in locating materials and/or developing needed critical analysis and research skills

  1. The Analysis of Academic Writing--identifies characteristic of the academic writing genre in a research article of the student's choice
  2. The Annotated Bibliography---presents your preliminary research about your potential topic to establish that it is a current and viable issue in your field. The research should help you narrow your topic to a current "problem" that can be addressed in your literature review.  English Department policy requires that students be able to rewrite one major assignment for a higher grade; this is that assignment. 
  3. Annotated Public Writing--compares and contrasts academic writing with writing for a wider audience on the same topic

  1. The Research Paper--a scholarly paper that includes the current knowledge and gaps in the research on the "problem" identified in your Annotated Bibliography.  This assignment allows the student to demonstrate:
    1. Synthesis writing as students review the current state of scholarly and popular-media knowledge about a current technology which affects their disciplines
    2. Identification of research gaps and fruitful avenues for future exploration
    3. Standards and expectations for graduate level research in students'field of study, including evaluation of types of source and requirements for credibility
    4. Participation in the intellectual conversation in students' disciplines by evaluating current technology use and proposing practical applications of their research
    5. The use of the appropriate documentation format for a given discipline
    6. Use of appropriate vocabulary, sentence structure and organizational patterns for college-level writing
    7. Tone and diction appropriate to a scholar 
    8. Ability to move smoothly from first-person to third-person writing when appropriate

Successful submission of a complete Research Paper by the due date is required to earn credit for this course.  At a minimum, a complete paper must contain a title page (exception: IEEE), abstract page, body with internal citations for sources and a references page.

SHORT WRITINGS


Four SHORT WRITINGS will establish appropriate online behavior norms, used for critical reading, writing and reflection on research material:
  1. a class blog in which students compare appropriate with potentially challenging topics for online interaction, followed by a survey to establish a class code of conduct for a business environment
  2. a worksheet designed to introduce and reinforce the concept of an academic discipline
  3. peer review of classmates' literature review drafts
  4. a brief statement in two parts which accompanies the student's face-to-face or virtual conference on his/her research proposal

QUIZZES


Two QUIZZES, taken online, will cover concerns in business research and writing.
  1. The first tests student knowledge of the policies established by the Mason Core program, Students as Scholars, the English Department and the University itself, as well as the professor's policies for the class
  2. The second will review plagiarism and intellectual property. It is a prerequisite for acceptance of the Research Paper, which in turn is required in order to pass the class. 


After the due dates for the quizzes, students will be expected to use these elements accurately and appropriately, with grade penalties if this goal is not achieved.  Otherwise, grammar will be taught in this class only occasionally, on an as-needed basis. Please consult the instructor if a particular grammar question arises.

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ACADEMIC STANDARDS

ACADEMIC STANDARDS

It is expected that students adhere to the George Mason University Academic Standards as it relates to integrity regarding coursework and grades. More information about Mason’s Academic Standards, including discussion of Honesty, Acknowledgement, and Uniqueness of Work, can be found on the Academic Standards page and Mason’s Common Course Policies Page.

Two fundamental principles to follow at all times are:
1.    All work submitted must be your own.
2.    When using the work or ideas of others, including AI such as ChatGPT or Grammarly, you must properly attribute source or resource use

George Mason University requires all members of this community to maintain the highest standards of academic honesty and integrity.  Cheating, plagiarism, lying and stealing are all prohibited.   Instructors in the Composition Program are required to report any suspected instances of plagiarism to the Honor Council. All judgments about plagiarism are made after careful review by the Honor Council, which may issue penalties ranging from grade-deductions to course failure to expulsion from GMU. These are expained on the Academic Standards website.

NOTE: Submitting course materials or your own answers/responses to course assignments to online study sites are Honor Code violations.


THE COMPOSITION PROGRAM'S STATEMENT ON PLAGIARISM

Mason's Composition Program recognizes that appropriately attributing sources is a learning process.  This class will include direct instruction in source integration, documentation, and citation strategies in a range of rhetorical istuations, and follows the CWPA Best Practices for Defining and Avoiding Plagiarism. Instructors in the Composition Program support the Mason Honor Code, which requires them to report any suspected instances of plagiarism to the Mason Honor Committee. All judgments about plagiarism are made after careful review by the Honor Committee, which may issue penalties ranging from grade-deductions to course failure to expulsion from GMU.

AVOIDING PLAGIARISM


To avoid plagiarism, meet the expectations of a US academic audience, give their readers a chance to investigate the issue further, and make credible arguments, writers must:
  • put quotation marks around, and give an in-text citation for, any sentences or distinctive phrases (even very short, 2- or 3-word phrases) that writers copy directly from any outside source: a book, textbook, article, website, newspaper, song, baseball card, interview, encyclopedia, CD, YouTube video, movie, etc.
  • completely rewrite (not just switch out a few word) any information they find in a separate source and wish to summarize or paraphrase for their readers, and also give an in-text citation for that paraphrased information
  • give an in-text citation for any facts, statistics, or opinions which the writers learned from outside sources (or which they just happen to know) and which are not considered common knowledge in the target audience (this may require new research to locate a credible outside source to cite)
  • give a new in-text citation for each element of information; that is, do not rely on a single citation at the end of a paragraph, because that is not usually sufficient to inform a reader clearly of how much of the paragraph comes from an outside source.

Writers must also include a References list at the end of any paper or essay that includes research, providing full bibliographic information for every source cited in their work

Unless a student has ODS accommodations, they are not allowed to record class sessions, instructional videos or recordings of sesssions such as office hours.  This is a FERPA privacy violation for all course users as well as an Honor Code violation.


Some kinds of participation in online study sites violate Mason's Academic Standards. These include accessing test, quiz or assignment answers for this class; uploading any of the instructor's materials; and uploading any of your own answers or finished work.  Always consult the Course Polices and Procedures as well as the professor before using these sites.

While different disciplines may have slightly different citation styles, and different instructors may emphasize different levels of citation for different assignments, writers should always begin with these conservative practices unless they are expressly told otherwise. If student writers ever have questions about a citation practice, they should ask their instructor.

AVOIDING SELF-PLAGIARISM


Students should be careful to avoid self-plagiarism, the practice of re-using their own academic work in two courses or contexts.  If you wish to use your research or writing from another course, project or context in this section of ENGH 302, please speak to the instructor first.  The Instructor needs to approve every instance in which previous research and portions of previous writing might be used in two different courses.  Failure to consult with the instructor might result in a failing grade for the assignment and/or a referral to the Academic Integrity Office.

POLICY ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TEXT GENERATION

We have multiple writing assignments in this class.  Because the act of composing a response in your own words actually increases your learning, it is important that you complete the task yourself rather than rely on an artificial intelligence tool (AI). Completing these writing assignments yourself will strengthen your performance in this class on later assignments and activities, as well as help you develop professionally and succeed in your career goals.  You should also be aware that AI text generation tools may present incorrect information, biased responses and incomplete analysis; thus, they are not yet prepared to produce text that meets the standards of this course.  If you do choose to experiment with AI text generation, you are expected to indicated your usage of it and give credit for text that has been generated by AI.
Text generated by an artificial intelligence (AI) generation tool such as Chat GPT is not accepted in this class as "the student's own work" and so will be considered similarly to text published on paper or online or text composed or significantly edited/altered by another person.  The use of such text without proper attribution is a violation of academic integrity and is therefore an Honor Code violation.


STUDENT RESOURCES

STUDENT SAFETY

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers free counseling, academic workshops and a 24/7 student crisis line at (703) 993-2380.  Services are provided by professional counseling and clinical psychologists, social workers and counselors.  CAPS' individual and group counseling, workshops and outreach programs are designed to enhance students' personal experience and academic performance.

In an emergency, call Crisis Link at (703) 527-4077 or go to Online Crisis Chat, sponsored by the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.  You may also call the campus police at (703)-993-2810, especially if a problem arises at night when daytime offices are closed. To prepare ahead to avert emergencies, consult Mason Ready.

George Mason University values diversity. Through the webpage on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Mason seeks to create and sustain inclusive learning environments where all are welcome,valued and supported. It is committed to providing equal opportunity and an educational and work environment free from any discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation or age.  The LGBT+ Resources Center and the Center for Culture, Equity and Empowerment focus on advocacy and direct student support to advance equity and inclusion. GMU adheres to all applicable state and federal equal opportunity/affirmative action statutes and regulations.

Students can use the tools Mason provides to change their names and pronouns.  If you wish, you can inform the instructor of your name and gender pronouns, and how best to address you in emails or conferences. The instructor uses the pronouns "she/her/hers" and prefers to be addressed as "Professor Johnston" in emails and verbally. Chosen pronouns (as selected in PatriotWeb) should display wherever a user profile displays in Canvas courses, such as discussion boards.

George Mason University is also committed to a campus that is free of sexual misconduct and incidents of interpersonal violence.  As a faculty member, the instructor for this course is designated as a "Responsible Employee" and must report all disclosures of sexual assault, interpersonal violence and stalking to Mason't Title IX Coordinator per University Policy 1412.  If you experience or witness such an incident, contact the Title IX Coordinator's Office at (703) 993-8730 for available options and resources at the Office of Diversity Services and Programs. This office works specifically with African Heritage, Hispanic/Latino, Asian/Pacific American, American Indian, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning populations.   


All non-confidential employees, including your faculty member, have a legal requirement to report to the Title IX Coordinator, all relevant details obtained directly or indirectly about any incident of Title IX Prohibited Conduct (such as sexual harassment, sexual assault, gender-based stalking, dating/dometic violence).  If you prefer to speak to someone confidentially, please contact one of Mason's confidential employees in Student Support and Advocacy (SSAC), Counseling and Psychological Services, (CAPS), Student Health Services (SHS) and/ or the Office of the University Ombudsperson. See more information on the GMU Common Course Policies Page.


Students of all immigration statuses are welcomed and valued in this classroom, including undocumented students, students from mixed-status families, and students with Temporary Protected Status.  As an instructor, I aim to create a learning environment that respects and affirms the diversity of student experiences and perspectives.  If your status is impacting your success in English 302, please consult the professor to plan ways to accommodate your situation.  Your status will be kept confidential unless required by judicial warrant.  You can also reach out to UndocuMason (our local chapter of Undocu+) or email them at undocumason@gmail.com.  They have compiled resources for undocumented students that can be helpful as you navigate your academic career.

The Student Support and Advocacy Center , available at (703) 380-1434, offers educational programming, one-on-one consultations, and resources in the areas of interpersonal violence, personal wellness, and alcohol and drug use. Students seeking additional counselling or advice should contact Counseling and Psychological Services  (CAPS) at (703) 993-2380.   CAPS provides free counselling and academic workshops to enhance students' personal experience and academic performance.


The Stay Mason Emergency Assistance Fund is designed to provide temporary, short-term assistance to students experiencing financial hardship. The fund is available to all students, regardless of immigration status.  For information and assistance with hunger and homelessness, visit https://ssac.gmu.edu/patriot-pantry/  For available short term funding, visit https://ulife.gmu.edu/student-emergency-assistance-funding-fall-2023

ACADEMIC RESOURCES

IMPORTANT: The University Catalog is the central resource for university policies affecting all students, faculty and staff conduct in university academic affairs.  Other policies are available at http://universitypolicy.gmu.edu/.  All members of the university community are responsible for knowing and following established policies.

The Stearns Center maintains a clickable list of university offices offering academic and policy assistance to students.

The Mason Student Services Center  is the central resource for information and solutions related to registration, enrollment, financial aid, billing, academic records and other student support services. Phone: (703) 993-2000

Learning Services, located in SUB 1, Suite 3600, provides a variety of free, experience-based learning opportunities for the Mason community through one-on-one academic coaching,  academic success workshops and online resources.


The Office of Disability Services at George Mason is committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities for all students by upholding the letter and spirit of the laws that ensure equal treatment of people with disabilities.  Access is incuded ias one of the Common Course Policies at GMU. Under the administration of University LIfe,  Disabiity Services implements and coordinates reasonable accommodations and disability-related services that afford equal access to university programs and activities. Students can begin registration at any time during their enrollment at George Mason.

If you are seeking accommodations for this class, please first visit http://ds.gmu.edu for detailed information about the Disability Services registration process.  Then please discuss your approved accommodations with the instructor in advance of any relevant class meeting or assignment.  Disability Services is located in Student Union Building I (SUBI), Suite 2500.  Email: ods@gmu.edu
Phone: (703) 993-2474.

The University Writing Center: The Writing Center is one of the best resources you will find on campus. The center offers a wealth of online resources for student writers. You can schedule a free 45‐minute appointment with a trained consultant to help with any phase of the writing process face to face or on Zoom or by written feedback on your draft. Consultants will work with you on any phase of your writing project. They can help you developo your ideas, provide feedback on a draft, answer your questions and show you strategies for brainstorming, organizing, drafting, revjising and editing.  Schedule your appointment to allow plenty of time to revise your pape rafterwards.  To make an appointment, go to https://writingcenter.gmu.edu , register with the Center and make an appointment using the online scheduler.  Send questions to wcenter@gmu.edu.  Assistance with writing specifically for multilingual students is also available at the Mason Writing Center.



The University Library: In addition to a wealth of printed resources, the library hosts multiple electronic databases indexing hundreds of journals. GMU is also a member of the Washington Research Library Consortium (WRLC), which means you have hassle‐free access to the library resources of eight area universities.  Please take some time to explore the library's offerings; you may also instant message the library with any questions. In our distance learning environment, the library's Online Education Services are particularly helpful. For personalized assistance, contact your subject-area librarian or David Lemmons, our experienced and creative course librarian, at dlemmons@gmu.edu

The Language Resource Center in Mason's Global Centerprovides workshops and tutoring in reading, speaking and writing for multilingual writers.  Mason's Global Center also offers tutoring through its Language Resource Center.

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LAND ACKNOWLEGEMENT STATEMENT:

At the place George Mason University occupies, we give greetings and thanksgivings

to these Potomac River life sources,

to the Doeg ancestors, who Virginia annihilated in violent campaigns while ripping their lands apart with the brutal system of African American enslavement,

to the recognized Virginia tribes who have lovingly stewarded these lands for millennia including the Rappahannock, Pamunkey, Upper Mattaponi, Chickahominy, Eastern Chickahominy, Nansemond, Monacan, Mattaponi, Patawomeck, and Nottaway, past, present, and future, and

to the Piscataway tribes, who have lived on both sides of the river from time immemorial.