UHD Composition Program

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TEACHING: UNIVERSITY

 

 

Academic Honesty: UHD has established policies regarding academic honesty.   See http://www.uhd.edu/about/hr/PS03A19.pdf .  If you believe a student has plagiarized it is important to fully investigate and document the matter. If you suspect that the student has downloaded material from the web, try a goggle search. Reference librarians have offered to help in these cases.  If you suspect the student has had another person write the essay, question the student about the material.  If the prose is not theirs, they will not know the vocabulary or the ideas and will often admit to the plagiarism at that time. After you have proof of the plagiarism, you should fill out an Academic Honesty form. These forms can be found in the office. The form establishes the fact of the plagiarism and the penalty you provide for it. You sign it; the student has the option of signing it. It then goes in the student's permanent record, but not on their transcript.

To prevent plagiarism, create writing assignments that do not invite it.   Avoid topics such as gun control, TV violence, the death penalty, abortion, etc. Use the reader as a source and require quotes from it to make plagiarizing more difficult. Sequence your assignments so that they build on one another, thus preventing plagiarism.

Academic Support Center (ASC): Academic Support Center (ASC): Students at UHD may get help with writing, reading, and math in the Academic Support Center . The ASC is in 925-North (ext. 8669). The Writing Center is a part of the ASC. The Writing Center is generally open Monday through Thursday 7:30am-9pm, Friday 7:30am-2pm, and Saturday 11am-3pm. It is closed on Sundays. Please consult the Writing Center brochures for changes to hours of operation. Isidro Grau is the head of the ACS. It is possible for students to do make-up work in the ACS if it doesn't require proctoring. You can make arrangements to leave the make-up assignments at the front desk of the ASC.

Dagmar Corrigan is Director of the Writing Center . Her email is corrigand@uhd.edu or via telephone, 713-221-8297. The Writing Center is where students may get help with writing assignments for any course. The Writing Center is staffed by faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduate peer tutors . While the Writing Center will not report individual Writing Center visits to you, you may request that students turn in their conference notes, which describe the general content of each Writing Center conference. Writing Center Referral Forms are also available in the mailroom and allow you to specify the kind of help you think students may need. Instructors use the Writing Center services in a variety of ways:

• to substitute for peer reviews for students who miss an in-class peer review

• to get extra credit
• to justify the delayed submission of a paper

If you have any students whom you think would make good tutors, contact Dagmar Corrigan.

Below is a description of the services offered by the Writing Center .

Writing Center Tutoring Services Walk-In Tutoring The first available tutor works with students on a first-come, first-served basis.

Appointments: Students who wish to plan ahead may make an appointment with a tutor. Appointments with a specific tutor can also be made by checking the appointment schedule, located at the front desk of the Academic Support Center . Appointments last for 30 minutes and can be made either in person in the Academic Support Center or by phone. Students are limited to two, 1/2 hour, appointments per week. Appointments will be held for 5 minutes, and then will be given away to a walk-in student.

To make an appointment in person:

•  Go to the Academic Support Center , 925-N
•  Sign up for a Writing Center appointment with the front desk staff.
•  Same-day appointments are not accepted. To make an appointment by phone:
•  Call 713-221-8669
•  Schedule an appointment with the front desk staff of the Academic Support Center
•  Same-day appointments are not accepted Virtual Writing Center

The Virtual Writing Center is available to students who cannot find the time to visit any of our on-campus locations. UH-Downtown students can submit their papers via email for tutor consultation.  

To Submit a Paper to the Virtual Writing Center , compose a message and send it to: writingcenter@uhd.edu In the text of your email message, please include: 1. your name 2. your professor's name 3. the course name and number 4. a description of your assignment 5. a couple of very specific questions about your paper. Then attach your paper to the message. Tutor responses are made within two business days. Please be advised that tutors will NOT edit or proofread papers. Tutors will be happy to work with students during regular Writing Center hours to help them develop editing skills so that they may become better editors of their own work.
 

English 1105:

A one-credit course taught by faculty tutors. Students are usually referred by their instructor or self-advised into this course. English 1105 offers individualized instruction in English composition. This course is suggested for students who have problems in some aspect of writing and seek to improve their mastery in particular areas. Faculty tutors design a course of study to assist student in learning new skills or in overcoming specific errors. This course fulfills no English composition degree requirement. The course is offered on a pass/fail basis.

To enroll in English 1105 : Students may register for the course during registration. After registration and drop-and-adds are over, students report to the Writing Center (N925) to register with a Writing Center Tutor. Students also arrange a regular meeting time and tutor when they visit the Writing Center to enroll. Students who enroll during registration should visit the Writing Center during the first week of classes to arrange for a time and a tutor. 

Developing Writers Program

This program is for English 1300/130A only . Students are referred by their instructor for this program and sign up for two half-hour Developing Writers conferences each week. Students meet with the same tutor, and conference notes are sent directly to the instructor.

English 1101

English 1101, Tutorial for Fundamentals of English, offers individualized instruction in developmental English composition and is an option for students who are placed on Developmental Probation. The instructor-tutor designs a course of study to assist the student in learning new skills and/or overcoming specific problems that impede academic success. This course fulfills no English composition degree requirement and is offered on a pass/fail basis.

UHD Writing Center Mission Statement

The University of Houston-Downtown Writing Center tutors dedicate ourselves to helping those who seek to become better writers, critical thinkers, and communicators in all written work across the curriculum. Through both face-to- face and online tutoring, the Writing Center provides a supportive writing environment.

Policies for Student Use

1. The student is responsible for establishing the direction and content of the conference.

2 . We will teach you to become better editors of your own work. Please do not ask tutors to do your editing for you. To edit someone else's work is a violation of the UHD Honesty Policy ( Academic Honesty Policy, PS 03.A.19).

3. Writing Center Staff does not discuss faculty grading policies or grades, nor do we speculate on what grade a paper might/should receive. This policy also applies to the WPE.

4. Writing Center Staff will not consult on take-home exams or homework unless specifically notified by the instructor.
5. Instructors will NOT be notified of your writing center conferences.

Blue Books: Exam books are available for students to purchase in the University Bookstore on the 3rd floor. You should tell the students before the exam if you expect them to bring a blue book.

Class Rosters: The Department does not distribute class rosters. To access and print out your roster, go to the UHD home page, www.uhd.edu . Click on "Faculty and Staff" (it is in red on the right). Click on "e services for faculty and staff." Click on "My class roster."

Select the semester that you wish to look at. Follow the instructions on the screen.

When you get to the screen entitled, "Course Information," click on the "class roster" box. These rosters are continually updated, so you are able to print out current ones as you need them. Printing directly from this screen may result in a roster on two separate pages. To avoid printing extra pages, click on "Download this roster;" the roster will be sent to your email address for you to open. Another option is to block, copy, and paste the roster into a Word file, then print out that file.

VERY IMPORTANT: On your roster, those students whose information is highlighted in yellow have requested that their email and other personal information be kept confidential. By law, we must respect this request. To prevent a lapse in confidentiality, when you send students an email from your distribution list, use the blind cc option on the screen where you are composing your email message:

Click on "View" on the toolbar

Click on Bcc Field

Enter your distribution list in the box for Bcc that appears on the message screen. Doing so will prevent students from seeing each other's addresses.

You should check your roster each week for the first three weeks of the semester and again around the official drop date. Any student attending class but not named on a current roster should be referred to the Department office for help in correcting their registration. Do not allow students to remain in your class if they are not on the current roster by the second week of class.

If you have never logged in before, you will have to go through that process and choose a new PIN. You will have gotten the ID and PIN through your email address or you will have found it in your mailbox. If you have lost this information, go to the TTLC, A700 or ext. 8031, for help.

Computerized Classrooms: See Electronic Facilities .

Course Numbering: All course numbers at UHD have letters and four numbers. The letters, such as ENG or HIST, indicate the discipline of the course. The first of four numbers indicates the level of the course (1=freshman, 4=senior). The second number indicates number of credit hours. The last two digits indicate the particular course within the department. Each section of a course is also assigned a unique 5-digit CRN (Course Record Number) for the semester.

  Disabilities : Students with disabilities should register with Disabled Student Services in Room 409-S, at 713-221-8430. You will be contacted by the Disabled Students Services office with specific information about the accommodations needed by the student. You are not obliged to make any special adjustments for students who are not properly registered. Your syllabus should include the Statement of Reasonable Accommodations, such as the one below:

"UHD adheres to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines, with respect to providing reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. Students with disabilities should register with Disabled Student Services and contact their instructors in a timely manner to arrange for appropriate accommodations."

 

Electronic Facilities : The computers in adjunct offices are equipped with standard software, including the Microsoft Office suite and Netscape (for Internet access). You should be sure to select the department laser printer in 1032-S for print jobs.

Faculty members have several options for electronic classrooms, which are helpful for in-class essays or hands-on research. Because more and more people wish to use an e-room, it has become increasingly important to reserve them early.

For an e-room reservation, email Shirley Kankey at kankeys@uhd.edu (provide link ). She can reserve it for multiple dates. If Shirley is unable to help you, or if it is especially important for you to be in N-930 or 935 , contact Isidro Grau at graui@uhd.edu . (provide link ). Isidro has fewer rooms under his purview, but will fit you in if he can. If you want to use an e-room for the entire semester, let both Sandi Dahlberg and Bill Gilbert know as soon as possible. Because of the limited number of these classrooms, however, we need to avoid signing up for the entire semester, when half a semester would do just as well. You may be able to arrange use of a room that is assigned to one faculty member for the entire semester. Such informal sharing may be one of the best ways to insure fair usage of these valuable rooms.

The reservations we make for computerized classrooms may result in a room in one of several areas across the university.

The Academic Computer Lab (ACL)

(S-800) has several electronic classrooms available for regular or occasional usage. All are equipped with at least 24 computers, plus a teaching computer which projects onto a screen. They have the usual software (MS Office) and Internet access; desktop publishing software is usually not available, but may be upon request.

The English Department has four e- rooms . Each of these facilities has about 24 computers, each of which has MS Office, Internet access, and Daedalus.

In the Commerce Street Building there are also a number of e-rooms

The Technology Teaching and Learning Center (TTLC)

is located on the 7 th floor of the Academic Building (which means you have to cross over on the 3rd or 6th floor from the Main building). TTLC has several electronic classrooms available, each of which has a very nice projection screen set up with about 25 student computers. They may also have other special facilities/features available. The TTLC is a great resource for faculty members who are interested in developing, expanding, or exercising their knowledge and use of technology, most especially WebCT. There is a full-time staff available for consultation and training with access to up-to-date technological tools. You can get help with web-sites and surfing, distance learning, desktop publishing, etc. They also offer workshops on a regular basis.

Email: Important departmental business is communicated on email and all faculty are expected to check and read their email weekly. Faculty members get free email accounts through the university when hired. There is also a dial-up service available to allow you to access UHD and the Internet from home; for this, contact Information Resources at ext. 3000.

Email Distribution List: To create an email list for your class, follow these instructions: Go to the UHD homepage ( www.uhd.edu ). Click on Faculty and Staff. Click on "e services for faculty and staff." Click on "My Class Roster." Log in (See instructions under Class Rosters) . Select semester. Follow instructions on screen. On the screen entitled "Course Information," click on the "Email List" box to get a window that contains all of your students' UHD email addresses. To create a class email distribution list, block the list of student email addresses. Then:

• Copy them by right clicking; select copy
• Close window
• Go to your UHD email window entitled "Microsoft Outlook"
• Click on tools; select address book
• Click on the first icon (a white thing with serrated bottom)
• Select "new distribution list;" click on ok

In the "untitled-Distribution list" window that opens up, there is a place for you to give your list a name such as "8AM 1301 F03." Choose a name and enter it.

• Click on "select members"
• Click your cursor in the blank white box under the words "Add to distribution list"
• Right click and select paste.
• Click on "OK."

A new screen will appear that contains your list. Click on "Save and close."

Viola! You have an email distribution list for a class.

Final exams: The date and time for your final exams are listed on the UHD website. They may also be found on the back of the semester's class schedule booklet. You must meet with your class at that time.

Honesty code: See Academic Honesty

Learning Disabilities: See Disabilities.

Library: The W. I. Dykes Library takes up the whole 5th floor and can be accessed only from the east side of the building (the Main Street side).

Here is a link to the library homepage: http://www.uhd.edu/library/splash.html .

The library does not always have extensive resources in print, but is quickly increasing its electronic sources. The staff, headed by Pat Ensor, is very knowledgeable and helpful. There are also many computers available for access to a wide range of electronic databases and search functions.

Pat Ensor, Director of Library Services

Voice: (713)221-8011 Fax: (713)221-8037

Work: Ensor@uhd.edu

As faculty members in the UH System, we can use our IDs to check out materials from libraries on the other campuses in the system. Area libraries outside the System, such as Rice and St. Thomas , allow more restricted access via use of a HARLIC card, which you can apply for in the UHD library.

To schedule a library tour for students, or any other session with a librarian, go to this page: http://www.uhd.edu/library/forms/instruction.html .

Multimedia Services: Some classrooms are equipped with VCRs and TVs. If your classroom is not so equipped, you may reserve audio-visual equipment for classroom use in Multimedia Services located in the Technology Teaching and Learning Center (A-700); they will deliver the equipment to your classroom. You need to reserve projectors 24 hours in advance, other equipment 48 hours in advance. However, be warned that sometimes this office is not quick to respond. They'll need to know your name, department, equipment needed, date(s) needed, time(s) needed, classroom number, office number, and a telephone number where you can be reached during the day. Fill out an online reservation form online (under "Computing/Technology" from the homepage). Or use this hyperlink to Multimedia Services ' email account: ( multimedia_services@uhd.edu ).

You can check out a boom box and a DVD player from the English Department office. Also available for checkout from the English Department is a wide range of videotapes.

  If you borrow equipment from Multimedia Services, and if your class ends after regular business hours, be sure and ask them what to do with the equipment.  

Plagiarism: See Academic Honesty .

Prerequisites: The course(s) that you teach may require one or more prerequisites. At present, the UH-Downtown administrative computer system is not configured to check for prerequisites before allowing a student to register for a course. You therefore may have students enrolled in your course(s) who have not met the prerequisites. Please ask your students about prerequisites at the beginning of each semester to insure that they are in the appropriate course. Course prerequisites also should be listed on your syllabus.

Reserve Materials: You may put books and articles on reserve in W.I. Dykes Library on the 5th floor. The librarians will give you a form to fill out at the reserve desk - you may decide how long the check-out period is and whether the students can take the materials out of the library at all. Usually reserves are available within 24 hours. At the end of the semester, the library will contact you about returning the materials to you or to the shelves.

All composition textbooks are on reserve for student use. If students are unable to purchase all texts immediately, refer them to the Reserve Desk of the library.

Student Resources: From time to time you may wish to refer a student to one of the following student services (partial list). Because of construction/remodeling, the rooms may change:

        Academic Advising Center -- helps non-declared majors to help select courses, declare a major, and add/drop a course -- S-360, 713-221-8006.

        Academic Computing Lab -- provides resources and user support for instructional activities at UHD -- S-800, 713-221-8540.

        Career Services -- provides career counseling or job information -- N-370, 713-221-8980.

        Counseling Services -- offers individual, couples, and group counseling for a variety of academic and personal concerns -- N-390, 713-221-8132.

        Disabled Student Services -- helps students with academic difficulty related to a disability -- S-409, 713-221-8430. Students must register with this office to receive accommodations in their classes.

        Financial Aid -- responds to questions related to a student's aid, the impact of dropping below a 12-hour course load, etc. -- S-330, 713-8041

        Houston Resource Center -- serves as a student outreach center and clearinghouse for a variety of national, state, and local scholarships -- N-355, 713-221-8203.

        Student Locker Rental -- rents on a semester basis the lockers on the second, third, and fourth floors -- S-204, 713-221-8585.

        Parking Office -- issues parking permits by semester. For students, permits cost $35 for the fall and spring semester, and $12 for each summer session -- N-354, 713-221-8127.

        PASS (Preventing the Abuse of Substances and Self) -- offers intervention, consultation, and referral for drug/alcohol abuse issues -- S-280, 713-221-8989.

        Sports and Fitness -- serves as a vital and integral part of student life on campus providing the university community with programs that offer vigorous, fun-filled, health-promoting physical activities conducive to wellness and personal development -- Jesse H. Jones Student Life Center -- 713-221-8225.

        Student Activities -- offers students opportunities (almost 50 organizations) to become involved at UHD and in the community -- S-280-713-221-8573.

        Student Affairs -- serves as a resource for students by distributing information, assisting with problem resolutions and interpreting university policies, rules, and procedures -- S-390, 713-221-8100.

        Student Health Services -- focuses on health promotion, disease prevention, and treatment of minor illnesses and injuries -- N-380, 713-221-8137.

        Student ID Card -- identifies students at UHD. The card is required for various activities, services, and academic functions -- N-330, 713-221-8000.

        Testing Services -- offers national and state exams such as the ACT Assessment, GED, SAT, MCAT, LSAT, THEA, THEA Quick Test -- S-370, 713-221-8027.

        University Police Department -- provides 24-hour police services, operates the Lost and Found, escorts faculty and students to their cars upon request, and provides general assistance to UHD students, faculty, and staff -- N-118, 713-221-8065.

        Veterans' Affairs -- works with education benefits available to students who are veterans of the U.S. military -- S-350-713-221-8522.

        W.I. Dykes Library -- offers individual assistance from reference librarians in utilizing the online catalogs, print materials, or any of the electronic library resources -- 5 th Floor, 713-221-8181.

Technology Teaching and Learning Center : See Electronic Facilities .

Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA): Formerly known as TASP, THEA is part of the Texas Success Initiative, which attempts to ensure college-readiness among entering students.

Writing Center : See Academic Support Center