Fact Sheet 1.

2.
3.

LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR ANY REASON All course assignments, as instructed, are to be completed online by 11:59 p.m. (pacific standard time) on the due date indicated on the syllabus. Discussion threads will be locked once due date has passed. The required textbooks are: a. Breckenridge, Stan L. (2012) Popular music in America: Forging the American spirit. Iowa: Kendall-Hunt Publications. b. Breckenridge, Stan L. (2011) Music taste or waste: Critical listening skills for students, teachers, and parents. Iowa: Kendall-Hunt Publications. NOTE: I strongly recommend getting the 2nd edition of the Popular music in America book mentioned above. (NOT the 1st edition). There are updated materials and additional chapters that are required to read for your written assignments. The syllabus reflects chapter numbers and specific pages drawn from the 2nd edition. Be advised, if a student chooses to get the 1st edition, it is his or her responsibility to get the additional required information. Also, the final exam will reflect readings from the 2nd edition. ALL students must adhere to course requirements as set forth in the syllabus. This is not an independent study course, so please do not request to alter any assignment. It is the students responsibility to post an assignment in the correct place. If not, points may be subtracted and there WILL BE a delay in grading the assignment. Replies to your colleagues Reading Reflections and News Articles are due the same day and time as the initial post. Can I submit an assignment before its due date? Yes What if my clocks show 11:59 PM, but Blackboard does not accept my assignment? Do not go by your clocks at home or wherever you are, everyone (students and the professor) will adhere to the time as shown by Blackboard. This means to not wait until the final minute to submit your work. I WILL NOT ACCEPT IT. What if my parents/husband/wife/friend scheduled a vacation or I need to attend my best friends wedding, and I therefore need to travel out of state? It is your responsibility to submit your work on time. You can submit your work wherever you may be, as long as you have access to a computer. I encourage you to check to see if you can download Rhapsody on your computer. Do not wait until the due date to discover there is a problem. Often, I receive frantic emails from students (an hour or less before a due date) stating they can not download something only to find there is a problem with their computer system. Students are required to complete ALL readings, ALL music listening, and ALL other required assignments. Listening and analyzing songs are vital to acquiring a comprehensive understanding of African American music. That said, it is important to have a way to listen to the many songs that are included in this course. For the

4.
5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11. 12.

13.
14. 15.

16.

17. 18.
19. 20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

students convenience, a registration to rhapsody (music listening service) is included with a NEW COPY OF THE REQUIRED TEXTBOOK. NOTE: IT IS THE STUDENTS RESPONSIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO LISTEN TO ASSIGNED SONGS THROUGH RHAPSODY OR BY ANY OTHER MEANS (such as itunes, napster, etc.) IN ANY EVENT, THIS IS WHY I ENCOURAGE TO PURCHASE A NEW COPY OF THE REQUIRED TEXTBOOK. Can I get partial credit for submitting an assignment late? Again, NO late assignments will be accepted FOR ANY REASON. If a student submits an assignment with a word count lower than the required count the student will receive either percentage points or a 0. This will be the instructors discretion. What if my computer crashed or it was stolen, which thus prevents me from accessing my documents? Let me advise you to always save a back-up copy as you complete each assignment. Ultimately, it is your responsibility to submit assignments on time. Regarding plagiarism: a. If 50% or greater of an assignment is plagiarized the student will receive 0 points for that assignment AND a warning. b. If plagiarism occurs again (50% or greater), the student will receive a F letter grade for the course. Each student is required to do their own work. If it is discovered that a students work is being completed by someone else, the registered student will receive an F in the course. Regarding all writing assignments: Sentences fewer than six words will NOT be counted. Even though the class is 100% online, can I meet with the professor in person? Yes, send the professor an email stating the reason for the meeting, and provide days and times of your availability. The most common error students make is submitting an assignment a few minutes prior to 11:59 PM. This will usually be okay, but let me assure you that I have experienced numerous instances where this did not work for students. Therefore, make it a habit to NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST FEW MINUTES to submit an assignment. I WILL NOT ACCEPT IT. HELP! HELP! HELP! What if there is still time to submit my assignment but Blackboard is not accepting it? If this happens, submit your work to the Digital Dropbox (located in Tools) and send me an email to this effect. (DO NOT ATTACH THE DOCUMENT TO MY EMAIL.) Thoroughly read the requirements for each assignment as discussed in the syllabus and take note of when it states, Points for [said assignment] will be based upon: This lets YOU know what is needed to possibly receive full credit. Regarding extra credit: I usually do not offer extra credit for this online version of Afro/MUS 356. However, I may offer an opportunity to earn extra points, but do not rely on this. Do not compare requirements or student activities in this course with those in the traditional classroom version. Due to student anonymity, same may feel obliged to be quite liberal with their word usages, which thus may result in a disrespectful tone. This will not be tolerated. Please self-govern your discussions with others to ensure respectful

25.

26.

27. 28.

discourse. You do not have to agree with others, but you can respectfully disagree. Questions: read the syllabus thoroughly before asking questions. If you have a question about the syllabus, send it to the discussion board under Questions About the Syllabus. If your question is personal send it to my email sbreckenridge@fullerton.edu Probably like you, I do not sit in front of my computer 24/7 waiting for someone to send me a message. Therefore, do not expect me to respond to an email just prior to assignment due date. That said, manage your time well and plan AHEAD. I will make every effort to respond to an inquiry within 48 hours. I have faith in your ability to fulfill all course requirements, as other students have successfully completed this same course in previous semesters. Use appropriate communication skills when sending an email to the instructor: a. I expect all students to begin an email with Professor, Dr., or Mr. Breckenridge: b. Please state the course you are enrolled in (I teach more than one) c. Do not use shorthand or text messaging symbols d. Make every effort to use proper spelling and grammar e. Please end your email with your first and last name