NEW
Assignment Protocol
For All Off Campus Geography Courses
Eastern Oregon University
(Dr. M. Mustoe)
READ CAREFULLY
Not following these protocol could result in the loss of assignment points.

PREFACE
There are changes underway at EOU with respect to the way off campus courses are being administered. All of my off campus classes are delivered via the internet but I still rely on surface mail for assignments that students turn in. NOTE: Please mail all assignments to me at the address below.
NOTE: If you are on campus, you are welcome to drop off your assignments at the main office of the Business and Education School in ZABEL hall. However, also include an Self Addressed Stamped Envelope. SASE

Reminders:
Each Syllabus for these courses IS the course. Links to assignments can be found from the Syllabus. These are not Blackboard Type classes. Grades can be accessed by calling and talking with me on the phone, (541 962 3502) or by leaving a phone message. Please do not email me with grade request. Also, my notes on your assignments will be included as well as your assignment grades, on the assignments that will be returned to you in the mail via your SASE.

MECHANICAL ISSUES

1. Please send all assignments to:
Dr. M. MUSTOE
2406 Century Loop
La Grande, Or 97850

2. To make sure we can track your assignments each assignment must contain a cover sheet.

HERE. THIS IS NOT THE OLD EOU DISTANCE ED COVER SHEET.

3. All written assignments need to be Word Processed or typed. Unless the assignment requires handwritten components, or hand drawn images, diagrams or illustrations. Try to use both sides of the paper if possible to cut down on weight.

4. If the assignment requires some kind of textual explanation:
Type or Word Process the information. Geneva is the acceptable style for all assignments but if you do not have Geneva you may use other simple types as well.

5. If the assignment utilizes references:
If the assignment needs a bibliography then an accepted citation style must be used. The Chicago style is used in much of geographic research, however you may use whatever style you are familiar and fluent in.

4. If the assignment includes a series of questions that you must answer:
State the question directly in your answer sheet (the easiest way for this is copy and paste the question) or allude to the question within the body of your answer with an underline under the allusion.

5. In all assignments:
STAPLE EVERYTHING TOGETHER
DO NOT, LEAVE FRIZZY EDGES FROM THE PAGE BEING TORN FROM A NOTEBOOK
DO A NEAT JOB
SPELL CHECK YOUR WORK

6. TIMING
Please NO late assignments. If they are late (which they shouldn't be) points will be taken off.

7. All grades are final.

8. E-mails
ALL EMAILS Will BE ADDRESSED with a salutation and YOUR NAME.
Somewhere in the subject or somewhere in the body of the email PLACE the class you are in. (include whether it is Distance)
NO NAME, and or no class...NO REPLY. I have no idea who you are without this information.
Do not send attachments to emails
Call me on the phone with long lengthy questions or send me an email with your tele number.
Call me on the phone anyway...I disdain texting, I was born with vocal chords and chances are you were also.

ASSIGNMENT CONTENT

As far as content is concerned, a distance education course is no less rigorous than an on-campus course. However the modality of learning is much different. In fact the affective domain plays a very large role in distance education courses. Some of the questions you need to ask yourself regarding a distance course include: How motivated am I to take a course such as this? How interested am I in this subject matter? Can I learn by a self study type method? Do I like to read? Do I like to write. Do I appreciate taking the time to pursue a self-directed academic experience?

Here is an example of a self directed student. "Dr. Mustoe, I noticed that the link (url) on assignment page 3 was down...so I looked for an alternative link and found this one (url) and I used it for the class."

Here is and example of a NON-self directed student. "Dr. Mustoe, the link for assignment page 3 was not operating.....so I didn't do that part of the assignment....you really need to keep up with your links."

I grade the efforts of students like those above. Guess which ones get the best grades?

Regarding extra credit.
Extra credit comes in the form of extra effort, extra thinking, extra application of good logic. It does not not come in the form of some contrived means to increase a grade. My grades are fair and are not up for negotiation.

Working together on assignments is great. HOWEVER, DO YOUR OWN WORK. Two people sending in the same work will each get half the points for the assignment.

ASSIGNMENTS ARE JUDGED ON THE FOLLOWING CRITERION. PLEASE SEE THE RUBRIC HERE. NOTE: This is a general judging criterion based on percentages rather than points. Points are derived from these criterion.

I would like you to all get good grades....but more importantly learn something from these classes. Do the work, show the interest, and indicate your ability to communicate and think logically and clearly, and you will learn something and get a good grade.

 

Dr. M.
31 March 2009