Self Test: Course Guidelines

Attendance in this course is

• optional
• required three times a week
• required once per week
• required once per module

Attendance

• does not count toward the grade
• counts for 10% of the overall course grade

The most valuable part of the course in terms of point value is

• written assignments
• discussions
• final project

You may contact me by

• sending a private message
• using the course email
• using private email
• using Skype
• arranging a time to talk on the phone
• all of the above

Answers to the written questions at the end of each module

• should be based on the textbook only
• can be answered by pasting in text from Wikipedia
• can be answered with information from a combination of the textbook and credible web sites

Pasting in text from a web site to answer written questions is

• a great time-saver
• OK if it's from a credible or a recommended site
• allowed if you give credit to the author
• explicitly not allowed, and will result in zero points being awarded

Answering written questions using text that is verbatim (or nearly so) from the textbook is

• helpful if it answers the question exactly
• OK if you put quotations around the text
• explicitly not allowed, and will result in zero points being awarded

True or false: Answers to written assignment questions have to be composed entirely in your own words.

• True
• False

If you use information (not exact text) from the textbook or web sites to answer written assignment questions, you need to

• be thankful that you found the answers
• give the URL of the website and the page number from the textbook

The best way to earn a high grade in the discussions is to

• post a lot
• write posts that contain relevant content
• post something you think the instructor will agree with

Writing a discussion post that is based on your opinion

• can be a good way to jump into the discussion
• is especially relevant if you have direct personal or professional experience with the topic
• is not worth as many points as a more substantive post that you researched from other sources
• should not be the only type of post you make
• all of the above

If you don't like science you should

• suffer through this course and hope for a C
• try to change your personality so that you do like science
• understand that even though this is a science course, it mostly deals with aspects of everyday life that most people find to be quite interesting

Example Syllabus Quiz
Mel Huff, Geology & Environmental Science Faculty, NEO A&M College

Correct answers are in italics.

Feel free to change the answers to fit your particular course. In addition, I change the questions from semester to semester if the previous class had struggled understanding or remembering part of the syllabus. These questions are the ones that I repeatedly get asked throughout each semester, even though the answers are stated in the syllabus as well as other locations in the course.

1. How often should you log into this class?

• Once a month or less
• Never
• At least once per week
• Every few weeks or so

2. I will be able to turn in late homework.

• True
• False

3. I will be able to make up an exam.

• True
• False

• True
• False

5. How will exams be taken?

• Via D2L
• We don't have exams in this class
• proctored

6. I don't have to respond to EVERY discussion

• True
• False

7. How will labs occur? (select all that apply)

• We don't have labs for this class
• We will meet during 2 Saturday sessions to do labs
• Lab is optional for this class
• I will download instructions and do labs on my own

8. What is the purpose of the tentative schedule listed at the end of the Syllabus?

• To keep me on track for finishing the course
• So that I have an idea of what we will be covering
• I have no idea
• It has no purpose

9. Which of the following will you be able to drop one of? (select all that apply)

• homework
• lab
• discussion response
• exam

(I also add in a few short answer responses and have them name some things that are environmentally friendly or geological in nature (depending on the course) just to get them thinking about the class.)