On-line Research Writing:  English 102 
Professor Gary Parks (gparks@shoreline.edu)
Shoreline Community College 
Shoreline, WA, USA 

How the Assignment Calendar Works

The Assignment Calendar (AC) is a very important course document. Here are some basics about how to use it:

• You must access and read the AC (and the Blackboard site) by Monday noon each week (unless there is a Monday holiday) to understand the week's assignments. Some assignments take a long time to complete, so read all assignments and ask necessary questions early in the week. The Assignment Calendar does not come to you; you must access it through Blacklboard (Assignments button).
  
  
• Aside from the Discussion Board, assignments listed in the AC are due by Thursday of each week (i.e., by 11:59 p.m. Thursday) unless otherwise noted. The deadline policy in the syllabus describes what to do if you can't make the deadline. This is a flexibile policy with notification of the need to be late, and an inflexible policy without notification of the need to be late (honestly, no second chances unless your house burned down, etc.), so make sure you understand and use the policy if needed.
  
  
• Unlike other assignments, the Discussion Board postings can be completed any day of the week and do not have a Thursday deadline. Typically two postings per week, minimum, are required, but make sure to read the many other criteria in Online Discussion Expectations.
  
  
• Assignments are listed in the AC, but typically not described. To read the assignment desciptions, you must click the link and read each assignment. In other words, any Web links in the AC are required reading that week unless otherwise noted.
  
  
• The AC is the only place where due dates are posted. Unlike most assignment handouts in a traditional class, you will not find due dates implanted on the assignment descriptions.
  
  
• Some work and assessments are not listed in the AC. These include pop quizzes and some homework that may be assigned for specific class needs. These assignments will be found in announcements as they emerge throughout the quarter.
  

• Future weeks are posted so that you can plan ahead. Unlike a traditional face-to-face class, you won't get constant reminders about upcoming work in this class. The AC is your reminder. This is the hardest part of the course for a significant number of students so please remember to look ahead and plan things.
  
  Back to Assignment Calendar  // Syllabus  //  Blackboard site