Course Syllabus
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CM 107:College Composition I

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Ctrl & Click on a link below to view that section in the Syllabus. Course Calendar | Grading Criteria/Course Evaluation | Policies | Course Description | Instructor’s Grading Criteria/Timetable | Projects | Course Information | Instructor and Seminar Information | Rubrics | Course Materials | Kaplan University Grading Scale | Seminars | Course Outcomes | Netiquette | Tutoring | Discussion Boards | | | COURSE INFORMATION TOP
Term: 1204B
Dates: October 17th-December 24th
Course Number/Section: CM 107-28
Course Title: CM 107- College Composition I
Credit Hours: 5
Prerequisites: Any Academic Strategies course or any Eight Skills of the Effective Student Course.
It is strongly recommended that you complete the Campus Tour, available on your Student Homepage. This essential tutorial discusses hardware and software requirements as well as presenting an overview of learning with the eCollege platform.

INSTRUCTOR AND SEMINAR INFORMATION TOP Instructor Name and Credentials: Erica Wright
Kaplan Email Address: ewright@kaplan.edu
Office Hours (ET): By appointment
Google Chat™ will be used to communicate with the instructors during office hours. Please review the Google Chat Quick Start Guide for an overview of the system.
Course/Seminar Day and Time (ET): Wednesdays from 10pm-11pm ET
You can participate in Seminar through either attending the live Seminar or completing Seminar Option 2.

COURSE MATERIALS TOP
Textbook Information Title: The Kaplan Guide to Successful Writing Author: Diane Martinez, Susan Carlson, and Kara VanDam (Eds.) ISBN: 13: 978-1-60714-894-4 Publisher: Kaplan Publishing

Software Requirements

The Composition Department requires that all students have Microsoft® Word® (’03-’07), Microsoft PowerPoint ®(’03-’07), and Adobe® Reader ®(Free download at www.adobe.com).

AOL Instant Messenger: (for visiting Prof during Office Hours): If you are not an AIM Member you can download the free service by visiting the following site: http://www.aim.aol.com/

COURSE DESCRIPTION TOP
Students will learn how to communicate effectively in their professional field using various writing styles. Students will also identify and further develop their own writing process. Grammar and mechanics will be reviewed, helping students focus on the areas that will improve their writing.

COURSE OUTCOMES TOP
Course Outcomes: By the end of this course, you should be able to:
CM107-1: Compose original materials in Standard American English.
CM107-2: Use appropriate documentation as required.
. CM107-3: Illustrate the steps in the writing process.
CM105-4: Apply course knowledge of communication to a chosen profession.

COURSE CALENDAR TOP Unit # and Topic | Learning Activities | Assessments | Unit 1: Hearing the Call to Adventure | Introduce YourselfFinal Project InformationReadingDiscussionSeminar DiscussionJournal | AssessmentsDiscussionsAlternative Assignments for Seminar or AttendanceJournal | Unit 2: The Amulet and the Elixir | ReadingDiscussionSeminarGrammar Pre-TestJournal | Discussion postsAlternative Assignment for Seminar or AttendanceJournal | Unit 3:Crossing the Threshold – The Transformation Begins Here | ReadingDiscussionProjectSeminarGrammar ReviewJournal | Discussion postsProject—CLA-CM107-1 AssessedAlternative Assignment for Seminar or AttendanceJournal | Unit 4: Temptation – A Test for the Hero | ReadingDiscussionSeminarGrammar ReviewJournal | Discussion Posts--CLA-CM107-4 AssessedAlternative Assignment for Seminar or AttendanceJournal | Unit 5: Overcoming Obstacles – Facing Fears and Being Enough | ReadingDiscussionSeminarGrammar ReviewJournal | Discussion postsAlternative Assignment for Seminar or AttendanceJournal | Unit 6: The Fire Gift | ReadingDiscussionProjectSeminarGrammar ReviewJournal | Discussion postsProject—CLA-CM107-3 AssessedAlternative Assignment for Seminar or AttendanceJournal | Unit 7:Considering the Mentor and Revising the Journey | ReadingDiscussionSeminarGrammar ReviewJournal | Discussion postsAlternative Assignment for Seminar or AttendanceJournal | Unit 8: The Road Home | ReadingDiscussionSeminarGrammar Post-TestJournal | Discussion postsAlternative Assignment for Seminar or AttendanceGrammar Post-TestJournal | Unit 9: Paying it Forward | ReadingDiscussionProjectSeminar | Discussion postsFinal Project- CLA-CM107-2 Assessed Alternative Assignment for Seminar or Attendance | Unit 10:Beginning a New Journey | Reading Discussion | |

GRADING CRITERIA/COURSE EVALUATION TOP Assessments | Number | Points each | Total Points | Seminars | 9 | 10 | 90 | Discussions | 9 | 40 | 360 | Project | 11 | 70150 | 220 | Journal | 8 | 10 | 80 | Grammar Post-Test | 1 | 50 | 50 | Final Project | 1 | 200 | 200 | Comprehensive Exam | | | | Total Points | | | 1000 Points |

KAPLAN UNIVERSITY GRADING SCALE TOP Grade | Points | Percentage | Grade Point | A | 930 – 1000 | 93-100% | 4.0 | A- | 900 – 929 | 90-92% | 3.7 | B+ | 870 – 899 | 87-89% | 3.3 | B | 830 – 869 | 83-86% | 3.0 | B- | 800 – 829 | 80-82% | 2.7 | C+ | 770 – 799 | 77-79% | 2.3 | C | 730 – 769 | 73-76% | 2.0 | C- | 700 – 729 | 70-72% | 1.7 | D+ | 670 – 699 | 67-69% | 1.3 | D | 600 – 669 | 60-66% | 1.0 | F | 0 – 599 | 0-59% | 0.0 | AU | | Audit | N/A | CC | | Credit by Examination | N/A | EC | | Experiential Credit | N/A | I | | Incomplete | N/A | NR | | Not Required | N/A | P | | Pass | N/A | R | | Repeat | N/A | S | | Satisfactory | N/A | TC | | Transfer Credit | N/A | U | | Unsatisfactory | N/A | W | | Withdrawal | N/A |

INSTRUCTOR’S GRADING CRITERIA/TIMETABLE TOP
All course Projects submitted on time will be graded within five days of their due date (the Sunday of the following unit). Late work will be graded within five days of the submission date. Live Seminar Option 1 grades, Seminar Option 2 grades, and Discussion Board grades will be updated each week no later than Sunday of the week following the unit’s completion.

POLICIES TOP
Students who wish to review current policies (academic appeals, attendance/tardiness, plagiarism, etc.) should refer to the current Kaplan University Catalog and/or Addendum.

Late Assignments:
All unit assignments (Projects, ,Discussion Seminar, etc.) are due Tuesday by 11:59 pm ET of the unit assigned. At the discretion of your professor: * Late assignments can be marked down one letter grade for each unit the assignment is late. For example, if you turn in your Unit 5 Project, a “B” paper with a grade of an 85%, during Unit 6, one letter grade will be deducted from it, giving you a grade of C (75%). If you turn this Project in during Unit 7, two letter grades will be deducted from it, giving you a grade of D (65%). As you can see, it is to your benefit to submit assignments on time. * Late Discussion posts to classmates may not receive credit as their purpose is to further the Discussion and the Discussion cannot be furthered after it has ended. * Assignments submitted more than three units late will not be accepted. * Late Unit 9 Projects will not be accepted without approval from the instructor prior to the due date of the Project or an approved incomplete grade request.

Extenuating Circumstances: If you have extenuating circumstances that prevent you from completing Projects, Quizzes, Seminars or participating in the class, please contact the instructor to make alternative arrangements. * The possibility of alternative arrangements is at the discretion of the professor. Active communication is the key to overcoming any hurdles you may encounter during the term. It is your responsibility to inform the professor (ahead of time, whenever possible) of extenuating circumstances that might prevent you from completing work by the assigned deadline. * Prior notification does not automatically result in a waiver of the late penalties. Please note that evaluation of extenuating circumstances is at the discretion of the instructor and documentation may be required for verification of the extenuating circumstance. Examples of extenuating circumstances may include but are not limited to: personal/family member hospitalization, death in the family, weather/environmental evacuation due to fire/hurricane, or active military assignment where internet connectivity is unavailable for a limited time period. * General computer-related or internet connectivity issues are not considered extenuating circumstances. It is your responsibility to locate a reliable Internet connection and computer. They are available at most public libraries as well as locations such as FedEx Kinkos.

Incompletes
Incompletes provide students with limited additional time to complete coursework after the term’s end. To be considered for an incomplete, you should have completed approximately 75% of the coursework. Please see the Kaplan University catalog for further information. Whether or not to grant an incomplete is your instructor’s decision.

TUTORING TOP
Tutoring and many other resources are available in the Kaplan University Writing Center. You can find everything from using commas to conducting research. You can learn APA citation, review grammar, see sample essays, and this is just scratching the surface! In addition, you can also chat with a live tutor during live tutoring hours (listed in the Writing Center) who can help you locate material within the Writing Center, understand a particular assignment, and explore the Kaplan library. Finally, you can submit a paper and receive comments specific to that paper within 48-72 hours.

PROJECTS TOP
All Projects are due by 11:59 PM ET of Tuesday of the unit for which they are assigned. Please note that the submission clock is not set to Eastern Time. If you live in a time zone other than Eastern Time, please make the necessary adjustment so your work is not late. For the specifics of which Projects are due for each unit consult the Course Calendar and for the specifics of how Projects will be graded consult the appropriate Rubrics.

SEMINARS TOP
A description of all Seminars to be held can be found in the Flex Seminar Guide under the Course Home in your class. For the day and time of Seminar for this course, refer to the Instructor Information and Seminar Time section of this document.
Seminar Participation (synchronous Discussion): You can earn credit for Seminar by participating in 1 of the 2 options listed on the Seminar page for a unit.
Seminar Option 1: Live Seminars will be held using the KHE Seminar tool. In order to participate in a KHE Seminar, you will need the most recent version of Flash®, available as a free download from the following link: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/. Click on the Download button to start the download process.
Log in to your home page to access your current classes. You can get into the Seminar in one of two ways: 1) select the “My Studies” tab at the top of the page and then “My Seminars,” or 2) click on the “My Seminars” link with your course in the “Current Classes” section of your home page.
The “My Seminars” area has both a calendar and table view that will show all previous and upcoming Seminars that have been scheduled by your instructor. Double-click on the Seminar you wish to access. Thirty minutes before the scheduled start time, the “Enter” option will appear.
For additional instructions, review the KHE Seminar Student User Guide found in Doc Sharing in the classroom.

Seminar Option 2: Respond to the Seminar discussion questions listed. Each response will be graded individually and posted to the grade book using the rubric found in the “Rubrics” section of this document.
For information on Seminar grading, please find the Seminar Rubric in the “Rubrics” section at the end of this document, or click here to skip to that section.

DISCUSSION BOARDS TOP

A description of all Discussion topics can be found under each of the units in the course.

Discussion Participation: Discussions provide a forum for students to ask questions and answer important questions about the course material. The Discussions also allow students to receive feedback from the instructor and other students in the class. The professor will interact with students within the Discussion Board each week. A Discussion grade will be posted to the grade sheet for each unit.

Please find your Discussion Board Rubrics for all Discussions in the “Rubrics” section at the end of this document, or click here to skip to that section.

NETIQUETTE TOP
Interactions in an online classroom are in written form. Your comfort level with expressing ideas and feelings in writing will add to your success in an online course. The ability to write is necessary, but you also need to understand what is considered appropriate when communicating online.

The word "netiquette" is short for "internet etiquette." Rules of netiquette have grown organically with the growth of the internet to help users act responsibly when they access or transmit information online. As a Kaplan University student, you should be aware of the common rules of netiquette for the Web and employ a communication style that follows these guidelines. * Wait to respond to a message that upsets you and be careful of what you say and how you say it. * Be considerate. Rude or threatening language, inflammatory assertions (often referred to as "flaming"), personal attacks, and other inappropriate communication will not be tolerated. * Never post a message that is in all capital letters -- it comes across to the reader as SHOUTING! Use boldface and italics sparingly, as they can denote sarcasm. * Keep messages short and to the point. * Always practice good grammar, punctuation, and composition. This shows that you’ve taken the time to craft your response and that you respect your classmates' work. * Keep in mind that threaded Discussions are meant to be constructive exchanges. * Be respectful and treat everyone as you would want to be treated yourself. * Use spell check!
You should also review and refer to the Electronic Communications Policy contained in the most recent Kaplan University Catalog.
RUBRICS TOP
Discussion Board Participation Rubric

Grade: | Grading Criteria | A: 36-40 points | * Responses are on topic, original, and contribute to the quality of the Discussion. * Responses make frequent, informed references to unit reading material. * Responses are clearly written. * Responses meet posted length requirements. * Two or more responses per thread to classmates that are thoughtful and advance the Discussion. | B: 32-35.99 points | * Responses are on topic, largely original, and contribute to the quality of the Discussion. * Responses make some informed references to unit reading material. * Responses are generally clearly written. * Responses meet posted length requirements. * One response to a classmate per thread that is thoughtful and advances the Discussion. | C: 28-31.99 points | * Responses are on topic, but lack originality, and lack a significant contribution to the quality of the Discussion. * Responses make vague or summary references to unit material. * Responses have several mechanical or stylistic errors. * Responses do not meet posted length requirements. * Response(s) to others does not advance the Discussion. | D: 24-27.99 points | * Responses are only partially on topic, lack originality, and lack a significant contribution to the quality of the Discussion. * Responses make little or no references to unit material. * Responses have several mechanical or stylistic errors. * Responses do not meet posted length requirements. * No responses to classmates. * If there are two questions, student didn’t respond to one. | F: 0-23.99 points | * Responses are off topic, lack originality, and lack any contribution to the quality of the Discussion. * Responses make little or no references to unit material. * Responses have several mechanical or stylistic errors. * Response is abusive or inappropriate (will result in 0 points automatically). * Response is plagiarized (will result in 0 points automatically). * Responses are missing. * No responses to classmates. |
Option 1: Attendance at Live Seminar Grade: | Grading Criteria | A: 9-10 points | * Frequent, excellent interaction on concepts being discussed by students and instructor. * Posts are on topic and contribute to the quality of the Seminar. * Student arrives on time and stays the entire Seminar. | B: 8-8.99 points | * Good interaction on concepts being discussed by students and instructor. * Posts are generally on topic and contribute to the quality of the Seminar. * Student may have been tardy or have left early. | C: 7-7.99 points | * Some interactions on concepts being discussed by students and instructor. * Several posts are off-topic. * Student is tardy or leaves early. | D: 6-6.99points | * Few interactions on concepts being discussed by students and instructor. * Off-topic conversations. * Student attends less than half of the Seminar, or is tardy and leaves early. | F: 0 -5.99points | * Off-topic conversations. * Abusive or inappropriate behavior. * No interactions with students and instructor. * Student attends a fraction of the Seminar. |

Option 2: No Attendance at Live Seminar, Alternate Assignment Completed Grade: | Grading Criteria | A: 9-10points | * Response is on topic and original. * Response makes frequent, informed references to unit reading material. * Response thoughtfully analyzes the relevance of the Seminar information to the student’s writing process * Response is clearly written. * Response meets posted length requirements. | B: 8-8.99points | * Response is on topic and original. * Response makes some informed references to unit reading material. * Response analyzes the relevance of the Seminar information to the student’s writing process. * Response is generally clearly written. * Response meets posted length requirements. | C: 7—7.99points | * Response is on topic, but lacks originality. * Response makes vague or summary references to unit material. * Response makes little reference to the relevance of the Seminar information to the student’s own writing process * Response has several mechanical or stylistic errors. * Response does not meet posted length requirements. | D: 6-6.99points | * Response is only partially on topic, and lacks originality. * Response makes little or no references to unit material. * Response does not analyze the relevance of the Seminar information to the student’s own writing process. * Response has several mechanical or stylistic errors. * Response does not meet posted length requirements. | F: 0 -5.99 points | * Response is off topic, and lacks originality * Response makes little or no references to lesson material. * Response has several mechanical or stylistic errors. * Response is abusive, inappropriate, or plagiarized. |

CREDIT (10 points) | Journal is submitted to Journal Dropbox on time and responds to the specific topic in a well-developed paragraph | NO CREDIT (0 points) | Journal assignment is not submitted or it may not respond to the specific topic or may be so brief that it does not develop or clarify ideas. |
CM107 JOURNAL RUBRIC

Project Rubrics

Unit 3 Project: 70 points A (63-70 points) | Project has a clear appropriate main point or thesis.Definition of courage is specific and the example demonstrating courage is well-chosen.Analysis of how the threshold is crossed is clear and thoughtful.Paragraphs are well-developed and use appropriate details that are relevant to the thesis.The Project is clearly organized, with a beginning, middle and end, along with effective transition devices.Grammar and mechanics are correct overall, with minor errors.Sentence structure is effective, including sentence variety and complexity.Project demonstrates original thought.Project meets length requirements.Project is in correct APA format. | B (56-62.99 points) | Project has a clear main point or thesis.Definition of courage is clear and the example demonstrating courage is effective.Analysis of how the threshold is crossed is clear and effective.Paragraphs are general well developed and details are appropriate.Project is organized with a clear beginning, middle and end, along with appropriate transitions.Includes some errors in grammar and mechanics that do not interfere with meaning.Sentence structure is clear and includes some sentence variety.Project demonstrates original thought.Project meets length requirements.Project is appropriately formatted, although some minor errors in APA format may be present. | C (49-55.99 points) | Project includes a main point or thesis that may need clarification.Courage is defined, but it may be general or the analysis of how the threshold is crossed is not effectively addressed.Paragraphs have some development, but more specific details may be needed or many details not relevant to the thesis may be included.May be missing some transitions.Includes an accumulation of errors, including some that may affect meaning.Sentence structure is adequate but may not demonstrate sentence variety or complexity.Project demonstrates some original thought.Project may only be two paragraphs be short of the length requirement.An attempt at APA formatting is made, but several formatting errors are present. | D (42-48.99 points)-------------------------------------------------
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F (0-41.99) | Project main point or thesis is unclear or missing.Courage may not be defined or analysis of how threshold is crossed is missing or unclear.Project is inadequately developed or includes mostly irrelevant biographical information.Organization is weak, with no clear beginning or end, and few if any transitions.Sentence structure is ineffective or unclear.Multiple grammar and mechanical errors are present and affect clarity and meaning.Project may be only one paragraph or may be less than 200 words.Project lacks originality and may instead rely on sources.-------------------------------------------------
Very little attempt at APA formatting is demonstrated.Project may have no clear main point or thesis or may be a general biography with irrelevant details. Project may lack development or not define courage or analyze how the threshold is crossed at all.Project is lacking in organization or is illogically organized.Sentence structure is consistently confusing or the project includes numerous major grammar errors that affect meaning or create incoherence.Project may be plagiarized (an automatic zero grade will be assigned)No attempt at APA formatting is demonstrated. | | | | | | |

Unit 6 Project: 150 points A (135-150 points) | Outline is in appropriate sentence format and is detailed .Draft has a clear main point or thesis.Paragraphs are effectively organized with clear transitions.Ideas are developed well but may still need some additional clarification or research information before the Final Project submission.Sentence structure is effective and sentences have complexity and variety.Grammar and mechanics are effective, although some minor errors may be present.Meets source requirements and incorporates relevant source information effectively.All source information is given credit through both in text citations and an appropriately formatted reference page.Demonstrates APA formatting. Meets length requirements. | B (120-134.99) | Outline is in appropriate sentence format and is detailed.Draft has a clear main point or thesis.Paragraphs are organized with clear transitions.Ideas are generally well-developed but may still need some additional clarification or research information before the final Project submission.Sentence structure is clear and sentences have some complexity and varietyGrammar and mechanics are generally correct, although minor errors that do not affect meaning may be present.Meets source requirements and incorporates relevant source information.All source information is given credit through both in text citations and an appropriately formatted reference pageDemonstrates APA formatting, with some minor errors. Meets length requirements. | C (105-119.99) | Outline is in appropriate sentence format but may be missing details .Draft has a main point or thesis but it may need revision.Paragraphs are organized but may be missing some transitions.Ideas are somewhat developed and will need some additional clarification or research information before the final Project submission.Sentence structure is adequate, with little variety or complexity. Grammar and mechanics are adequate, but several errors may be present, including some that affect meaning.May be ½ page short of the length requirement or may use only one source or may not incorporate relevant source information effectively. May rely too heavily on source information or quotes.Source information is given credit through both in text citations and reference page, but some errors are present.Demonstrates some APA formatting skills but multiple errors may be present. | D (90-104.99 points)-------------------------------------------------
F (0-90.99 points) | Outline is included but it may not be in sentence format or may be brief and lacking details. Main point or thesis is unclear and needs substantial revision.Paragraphs are poorly organized or may be missing transitions.Ideas are lacking in adequate development and will need to be substantially revised .Sentence structure is weak or unclear. Multiple errors grammar and mechanics are present, including errors that affect meaning. Does not meet source requirements. May use unreliable sources like Wikipedia.com or may rely entirely on quotes or over rely on sources in general. Source information not given appropriate credit although some in text citations may be present .Contains multiple errors in APA formatting. -------------------------------------------------
1 page or more short of the length requirement.Outline may be missing.Main point or thesis is missing or unclear and will need to be completely revised before final Project submission.Development is missing or details may be inappropriate to the thesis or main point.Project is disorganized.Contains frequent and pervasive errors in grammar and mechanics that affect meaning or create incoherence.Project is 2 or more pages short of the required length.Demonstrates no attempt at APA format.Does not use cite sources in text or is otherwise plagiarized. | | |

Unit 9 Project: 200 points A (180-200 points | Essay has a thoughtful main point or thesis and a clear audience and purpose.Project demonstrates substantial revision of the Unit 6 Project.Paragraphs are effectively organized and include effective transition devices.The introduction hooks the reader and the conclusion effectively draws the essay to a close Ideas are developed thoroughly and effectively Sentence structure is strong and sentences have complexity and variety.Grammar and mechanics demonstrate superior control of the elements of Standard edited American English, although some minor errors may be present.Meets source requirements and insightfully incorporates well-chosen sources, while still demonstrating original thought. All source information is given credit through both in text citations and an appropriately formatted References page.Demonstrates APA formatting. Meets length requirements. | B (160-179.99 points) | Essay has a clear main point or thesis and a clear audience and purpose.Project demonstrates effective revision of the Unit 6 Project.The introduction hooks the reader and the conclusion is effective.Paragraphs are clearly organized and include appropriate transition devices.Ideas are developed well and effectively. Sentence structure is strong and demonstrates some sentence complexity and variety.Grammar and mechanics demonstrate good control of the elements of Standard edited American English, although some minor errors may be present.Meets source requirements and incorporates appropriate and reliable sources, while still demonstrating original thought. All source information is given credit through both in text citations and an appropriately formatted References page.Demonstrates APA formatting, with some minor errors .Meets length requirements. | C (140-159.99 points) | Essay has a clear main point or thesis and an audience and purpose, although the essay may sometimes stray from that focus.Project demonstrates adequate revision of the Unit 6 .Project.Paragraphs are organized and include effective transition devices.Introduction may not motivate the audience to read on or the conclusion may merely repeat what has already been written.Ideas are generally developed, although some points may need clarification and more information.Sentence structure is adequate and generally clear, although little sentence complexity or variety is present.Grammar and mechanics demonstrate adequate control of the elements of Standard edited American English, although some errors are present.May use only two sources or include source material that is not relevant to the thesis. May rely too much on quoted material or may have minimal original thought. Source information is given credit through both in text citations and a reference page, but multiple errors may be present.Demonstrates APA formatting but may have several errors.Is ½ page short of the length requirements. | D (120-139.99 points) | Thesis or main point is unclear or the audience and purpose are not established. Project demonstrates very little revision of the Unit 6 Project. Project may be disorganized or include no transitions. The introduction makes no attempt at hooking the reader or the conclusion may be ineffective. Development is weak, with most points needing clarification or more information. May be one or more pages short of the length requirement. Sentence structure is ineffective and confusing. Multiple errors in grammar and punctuation are present, often affecting meaning. May use only one source, use irrelevant or unreliable sources or may simply cut and paste quotes from the sources. May have multiple errors in citations or be missing some in text citations. Lacks originality. Very little attempt at APA formatting is demonstrated. | F (0-119 points) | Had no controlling idea or thesis and lacks an audience or purpose.Ideas are lacking in development.Disorganized.Sentence structure is poor and creates a lack of clarity.Severe problems with grammar and mechanics that result in incoherence.Does not use any sources, merely copies or cuts and pastes sources, or has no originality of thought.Includes no in text citations or is missing the References page.Is plagiarized (zero grade is automatically awarded). |