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CFD 370: RESEARCH, ASSESSMENT, AND EVALUATION OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
SPRING 2016
COURSE INFORMATION
*Instructor of Record: Rachel Haine-Schlagel, Ph.D.
Email: rhaine@mail.sdsu.edu
Class Days: M-W-F
Class Time: 10-10:50am
*Dr. H-S will be on leave starting March 26, 2016.
Class Location: NE 271
Office Hours: Monday 11-12 (and by appointment)
Office Hours Location: EBA 428
**Co-Instructor: Mikaela Kinnear, Ph.D.; mkinnear@mail.sdsu.edu; office hours by appt. in EBA 428
**Dr. Kinnear will take over the class on April 4, 2016.
Course Overview
This course focuses on conducting research with children and families. The class will cover the stages of
developing and implementing a research study and expose you to a number of research designs
commonly used in research with children and families. You will also be provided with some
opportunities to gain hands-on experience with research procedures. This course has real life relevance
in its focus on promoting your ability to be a critical consumer of research.
Course Student Learning Objectives: What follows are course student learning objectives (SLO’s) and
indicators of student success in meeting each objective.
Table 1. Course Student Learning Objectives and Indicators of Student Success
Student Learning Objective (SLO)
Indicators of Student Success
SLO #1: Distinguish between research findings and
-strong performance on relevant exam items
opinions.
-attendance at relevant Learning Community
(LC) sessions
SLO #2: Recognize how the scientific method is used -strong performance on relevant exam items
to arrive at empirical conclusions.
-attendance at relevant LC(s)
-participation in Peer Grading
-Group Presentation attendance
-strong Group Presentation performance
SLO #3: Conduct a targeted literature search.
-strong performance on relevant exam items
-attendance at relevant LC(s)
-strong performance on Lit Search assignment
SLO #4: Identify ethical issues in research.
-strong performance on relevant exam items
-completion of Human Subjects Tutorial
-attendance at relevant LC(s)
-strong performance on Academic Honesty quiz
SLO #5: Identify and summarize key aspects of
-strong performance on relevant exam items
research articles.
-attendance at relevant LC(s)
-participation in Peer Grading
-Group Presentation attendance
-strong Group Presentation performance
SLO #6: Distinguish between different research
-strong performance on relevant exam items
designs and data analytic techniques commonly
-attendance at relevant LC(s)
used in research with children and families.
-Group Presentation attendance
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Student Learning Objective (SLO)
SLO #7: Work in a group to design a study focused
on children and families.
SLO #8: Demonstrate presentation skills by
presenting a research proposal in front of the class.
SLO #9: Exhibit openness to utilizing research
methods professionally and/or personally.
Indicators of Student Success
-completion of Data Collection assignment
-strong Group Presentation performance
-attendance at relevant LC(s)
-strong Group Presentation performance
-attendance at relevant LC(s)
-strong Group Presentation performance
-aggregate class improvement on research
methods attitudes measure
Note: This document is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. If revisions are made, an
email will be sent and the most up-to-date version of this document will be posted on Blackboard
(https://blackboard.sdsu.edu). It is the student’s responsibility to keep up-to-date with any changes to
the syllabus and course schedule.
Enrollment Requirements
This class is limited to CFD majors and minors only. For majors, you must have completed all lower
division preparation for the major courses with a grade of C (2.0) or better. If evidence of your major or
minor is not on file, you must present proof of this requirement directly to the instructor in the form of
your degree audit report (complete report, not a print screen of a single page).
Completion of an online reflective learning portfolio tutorial is required for all CFD major students taking
this course (not minors). Proof of successful completion required. See the CFD Portfolio section of the
Child and Family Development website (http://coe.sdsu.edu/cfd/portfolio/index.php). All majors must
submit a printed copy of your signed Portfolio agreement to the instructor to remain enrolled in the
course.
Course Materials
Required Text:
Cozby, P., & Bates, S. (2014). Methods in behavioral research (12th edition). New York: McGraw-Hill.
(ISBN: 978-0-07786-189-6) [ON RESERVE – BF76.5 C67 2015]
Suggested Texts:
American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological
Association (6th edition). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. (ISBN: 978-143380-561-5) [ON RESERVE – BF76.7 P83 2010]
Skloot, R. (2010). The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks. New York, NY: Crown Publishers (ISBN: 978-14000-5217-2) [ON RESERVE – RC265.6 L24 S55 2010]
Required Online Readings: There will be some required readings posted on Blackboard as part of certain
assignments. An announcement will be sent out via Blackboard when readings are posted but please
check Blackboard regularly for updates.
Additional Materials: This course may utilize Poll Everywhere (www.polleverywhere.com) to
anonymously poll students throughout the course. If used, to respond you will have the option of
texting via your phone or logging into the website via your computer or smart device.
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Course Schedule
Table 2 - Course Schedule with Date, Topic, Readings, and Assignment Due Dates (assignments due
prior to start of class except Article Summaries)
Week
Date
Lecture Topic/
Required
Assignment
Learning Community Topic/Exam Date
Reading
Due Date
Week 1 1/20 Lecture #1: Introduction to the Course
1/22 Lecture #2: Introduction to the Scientific
C&B Ch. 1
Method
Week 2 1/25 Lecture #3: Introduction to the Scientific
Method
1/27 Lecture #4: Introduction to the Scientific
C&B Ch. 2
Method
(p. 21-38)
1/29 Lecture #5: Introduction to the Scientific
Academic Honesty Quiz
Method
Week 3 2/1
Conducting Literature Searches
LOVE LIBRARY, ROOM LA76; Come into library
dome. Take the elevator or stairs to basement of
dome. Go down hallway next to media center to
find LA76. There are signs to help you find it.
2/3
Lecture #6: Anatomy of a Research Article
2/5
Learning Community #1 – Conducting Lit
Searches/Anatomy of a Research Article
Lecture #7: Ethical Conduct of Research
Week 4
2/8
Week 5
2/10
2/12
2/15
2/17
2/19
Week 6
3/9
Lecture #8: Ethical Conduct of Research
EXAM #1
Lecture #9: Fundamental Research Issues
Lecture #10: Fundamental Research Issues
Learning Community #2 – Fundamental
Research Issues
Lecture #11: Observational and
Qualitative Methods
Lecture #12: Observational and
Qualitative Methods
Learning Community #3 – Observational
and Qualitative Methods
Lecture #13: Measurement
Lecture #14: Measurement
EXAM #2
Lecture #15: Survey Methods/Design Class
Survey
Lecture #16: Survey Methods
3/11
3/14
3/16
Learning Community #4 – Survey Methods
Lecture #17: Experimental Designs
Lecture #18: Experimental Designs
3/18
Learning Community #5 – Experimental
Designs
2/22
2/24
2/26
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
2/29
3/2
3/4
3/7
C&B Ch. 2
(p. 39-41)
C&B Ch. 3
Lit Search/Research
Interests
C&B Ch. 4
Human Subjects Tutorial
C&B Ch. 6
Article Summary #1
*Peer Grading
C&B Ch. 5
C&B Ch. 7
Article Summary #2
*Peer Grading
C&B Ch. 8
Article Summary #3
*Peer Grading
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Week
Date
Week 10 3/21
3/23
3/25
Week 11 4/4
4/6
4/8
Week 12 4/11
4/13
4/15
Week 13 4/18
4/20
4/22
Week 14 4/25
4/27
4/29
Lecture Topic/
Learning Community Topic/Exam Date
Lecture #19: Conducting Experiments
Lecture #20: Conducting Experiments
EXAM #3
SPRING BREAK
Lecture #21: Other Designs
Lecture #22: Other Designs
Learning Community #6 – Other Designs
Lecture #23: Statistics
Lecture #24: Statistics
Learning Community #7 – Statistics
Lecture #25: Analyzing Existing Data
Lecture #26: Analyzing Class Survey Data
EXAM #4
WELLNESS & CAREER FAIRS (please
attend; no class held)
Instructor Support for Group Presentation
Workgroups
Group Presentations
Required
Reading
C&B Ch. 9
C&B Ch. 11
C&B Ch. 11
Assignment
Due Date
Class Survey Data
Collection
C&B Ch. 12
C&B Ch. 13
Group Presentation
PowerPoint Slides
Week 15 5/2
Group Presentations
5/4
Group Presentations/Course Wrap-Up
Note: C&B = Cozby & Bates, 2014
Course Structure and Conduct
Course Structure: The course consists of lectures, whole-group and small group class discussion,
individual assignments, demonstrations, a full-class data collection project, four exams, and small group
presentations. You will be responsible for material presented both in class and in readings. Scoring
rubrics will be provided for applicable assignments. Students should check the course Blackboard page
regularly for readings and updated instructions.
Communication: Please check your email regularly as the instructor may use it to contact you about
assignments, syllabus changes, etc. Check that the email address you have listed on Blackboard is the
address that you use most often because that is how the instructor will contact you.
IMPORTANT: It is strongly recommended that you contact the instructor through Blackboard to
facilitate a prompt response. If you are unable to communicate through Blackboard, please do the
following when contacting the instructor via email:
 Be sure to include “CFD 370” as the start of the subject line.
 Be sure to include your full name in the message (not just your first name).
The instructor will respond to your emails as quickly as possible, typically within one business day. A
prompt response will likely be delayed when the above email communication methods are not used. If
your question can be found in the syllabus, the instructor will not respond to your email so be sure to
check the syllabus carefully before emailing your question.
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CFD 370 ID: To facilitate grading in such a large class, you will be assigned a CFD 370 ID in the Grade
Center by 2/3/16. Please make note of this ID in several places, including any phone/tablet device that
you may bring to class. You are required to write your CFD 370 ID on any hard copy work submitted to
identify you. If you do not write your CFD ID on your hard copy assignments when indicated in the
instructions, half the points for that assignment will be taken off.
Attendance: Attendance is expected and will contribute to your success in this course. It will be very
difficult to receive a passing grade in this course without understanding and knowing the material
presented both in the text and during the lectures. If you miss a class lecture, you will be responsible
for getting copies of notes from classmates. Copies of PowerPoint slides will be made available on
Blackboard. Some lecture material may be recorded and made available on Blackboard. Class will begin
promptly at 10am each day. If you know you will be late to class on a regular basis, as a courtesy please
let the instructor know via email and in-person.
Course Assessments
Course Requirements:
 Reading assignments as specified on course schedule.
 Examinations as scheduled (4 but lowest score is dropped).
 Out-of-Class assignments as described below (7).
 Group presentation as described below.
 Participation activities as described below (3).
Examinations: There will be four non-cumulative multiple choice exams (each worth 30 points) covering
course material (see course schedule below for dates). Your lowest exam score will be dropped; thus, no
make-up exams will be given. Please schedule your semester activities and travel plans accordingly. A
study guide will be made available for each exam one week prior to the exam date.
Exams will be administered through Blackboard and will only be open during the time the class is
typically held. The best browser for Blackboard is Firefox. There are known problems with using other
browsers to take tests in Blackboard. Download Firefox for free: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/.
Blackboard exams perform optimally when the computer is on a hard wired connection; it is
recommended that you take exams at the SDSU library (never take an exam on a tablet or phone).
Out-of-Class Assignments: These assignments are designed to help you achieve the student learning
objectives (SLO’s) of this course through hands-on experiences. All assignments must be submitted via
Blackboard and are due prior to the start of the class indicated on the Course Schedule (Table 2),
unless otherwise noted. Detailed instructions for each assignment, scoring rubrics when applicable, and
instructions for how to submit via Blackboard will be made available at a later date. The following outof-class assignments are due throughout the course:
Academic Honesty Quiz: You will be asked to complete the following online plagiarism tutorial
(http://library.sdsu.edu/guides/tutorial.php?id=28) through the SDSU Library and complete a posttutorial quiz on Blackboard. IMPORTANT: The quiz will show up in the tutorial but it has been recreated in Blackboard. You MUST take the quiz through Blackboard, not through the library's website,
to receive credit. Please note, stating that you did not understand what constitutes plagiarism is not a
valid excuse for committing an act of plagiarism. Be sure to contact the instructor with any questions
you may have regarding plagiarism BEFORE turning in assignments.
Literature Search/Research Interests Assignment: This is a written assignment submitted through
Blackboard that includes viewing a research writing and referencing online tutorial, conducting your
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own brief literature search and referencing the articles you find, and providing a description of some of
your research interests to help match you for the Group Research Study Proposal Presentation project
(see below).
Human Subjects Tutorial: You will be asked to complete the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Protecting Human Research Participants tutorial (https://phrp.nihtraining.com/users/login.php) and
submit your completion certificate through Blackboard. It is anticipated that this assignment will take
you 3-4 hours depending on how quickly you move through the modules.
Article Summaries (3 total): You will be required to complete three Article Summary assignments during
the course that exemplify the three most common approaches to studying children and families: survey,
observational, and experimental. You will be provided with the article and a scoring rubric to guide
completion of these assignments. Instructions for submitting these assignments are as follows:
1. Upload your assignment to Blackboard by 8pm the day before the class session when the
assignment is due. If you do not submit the assignment in Blackboard by the deadline, you will
receive an automatic 11 point reduction.
2. The day the assignment is due, submit a printed copy of the assignment in class that has your CFD
370 ID written on it and no other identifier. If you do not submit a printed copy of the assignment on
the class due date with only your CFD ID and no other identifier, you will lose the opportunity to
participate in Peer Grading for the assignment (see description below) and will receive an automatic
11 point reduction.
Please be sure to complete these assignments independently. The assignments are designed to facilitate
your learning the material required for success on exams as well as the Group Research Study Proposal
Presentation.
Class Survey Data Collection: As part of our Class Survey project in which we will design a survey, collect
data using the survey, and analyze the data together as a class, you will be asked to recruit survey
respondents that meet our project eligibility criteria. You will receive up to three points for recruiting
three participants who complete the survey prior to the due date.
Group Research Study Proposal Presentation: Based on your research interests as indicated in the
Literature Search/Research Interests Assignment, you will be assigned to small groups of 5 and asked to
work on a research study proposal. Structured instructions for what to include in your proposal and how
to divide tasks within the group will be provided. Your group will be asked to present your proposal to
the class (see the Course Schedule in Table 2). Each group will be given access to a Blackboard
Discussion Group to facilitate your collaboration and to allow you to communicate efficiently with the
instructor and submit your presentation slides. Use of the Discussion Group is optional (other than to
upload your required presentation slides before the due date). Note, the majority of points are assigned
for individual work within the small group (see Table 3). Your group presentation slides will be due on
4/29 at 9am, regardless of which day you are presenting. You will be expected to upload your slides to
Blackboard via your Blackboard Group. ***Failure to upload your slides by the due date will result in
the loss of half of the allotted 30 points for this assignment.
Participation: Participation comprises a significant portion of your grade in this class. Participation
points can be earned through three separate activities:
Peer Grading: You are required to complete Peer Grading for the three Article Summary Assignments
described below. You will only be eligible to participate in Peer Grading for an article summary if you
have submitted your assignment via Blackboard by 8pm the day before the class session when the
assignment is due (see more details in the section above about the assignment itself). Peer grading
requires the following:
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1. Grade a peer’s assignment using a scoring rubric during the in-class Peer Grading session.
2. Submit a form (to be passed out in class prior to the Peer Grading session) that includes your CFD
370 ID, the CFD 370 ID of the assignment you graded, and the grade you assigned (no names or
other identifying information, please).
You will receive 10 participation points for each assignment Peer Grading you complete.
Learning Community Attendance: Learning Community (LC) sessions have been built into the Course
Schedule (see Table 2) to provide you with supplemental instruction. The goals of LC sessions are to
solidify your learning regarding topics that may be of most interest to you and/or that you find most
challenging to master. On LC days, no lecture will be provided. Rather, your questions related to the LC
topic will be answered by the instructor and/or the group and more in-depth discussion about the
assigned topic will be facilitated. LC guidelines include:
1. You are required to attend three (3) LC sessions (they are always scheduled on Fridays). Attendance
at each LC is worth 10 points. You are welcome to attend more LC sessions and can earn extra credit
for doing so.
2. To receive any and all credit for attending an LC session, you must do the following:
a. Draft a question for the LC as an MS Word document. Make sure your question is either
related to the LC topic identified in the course schedule or the group research proposal
presentation (see Table 2). Questions about other topics will not be accepted (but of course
are always welcome as a separate communication). Be sure to include your name and CFD
ID on the document.
b. Upload your question via Blackboard by 9am the Thursday before the LC session (e.g., the
first LC session is scheduled for 2/5 so you must submit your question via Blackboard by 2/4
at 9am).
c. Print a copy of your assignment to bring to the LC session.
***Failure to follow all of these steps will result in zero points being assigned for that LC
session.
The instructor cannot guarantee all questions will be answered in the LC session but will make sure all
remaining questions are answered via email, a future lecture, or in-person during office hours or
another appointment if applicable.
TIP: Once your groups have been assigned, you can use the Fridays you are not attending LC sessions to
meet as a group to discuss your group presentation. In addition, one class has been allotted exclusively
to providing you support in finalizing your group proposal and presentation (see Table 2).
Group Presentation Attendance: As described above, you will be working in small groups throughout
the semester to design a research study and present your ideas using a PowerPoint presentation to the
class. These group presentations will take place on three days at the end of the semester (see the
Course Schedule in Table 2). You will receive 5 Group Presentation Attendance participation points for
each of the other two group presentation classes besides yours that you attend. To track your
attendance, for each presentation other than your own you will complete a brief evaluation, include
your name and CFD 370 ID, and submit it to the instructor at the end of class.
Course Grading
Grading Policies: It is your responsibility to track your progress in the class at all times and to do what is
necessary to earn the grade you desire.

Blackboard Submissions: If you have difficulty uploading your assignments, please email your
written assignment to the instructor immediately as well as continue to try to upload the document
to ensure that your assignment is counted as being turned in on time. It is the responsibility of the
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student to submit their most updated draft and to check to make sure the document was uploaded
successfully by the due date. Later emails with updated drafts will not be accepted after the due
date for each assignment.

Late Policy: All work is expected to be turned in on time. With the exception of the Article
Summaries (see above), no late assignments will be accepted. It is recommended if you are unable
to complete an assignment that you obtain extra credit through attending additional LC sessions
(see below). As indicated above, given that the lowest exam score is dropped exams must be taken
at the scheduled times and no make-up exams will be scheduled.

Point Values: See Table 3 below for details regarding each course activity and the point value
assigned to it. The total possible points that can be earned in this course is 300 (see Table 3 for
grading scale based on this total).

Extra Credit: As indicated above, you can earn extra credit points by attending additional LC sessions
(see above for the guidelines for how to earn points).
Table 3. Point Values for Each Class Activity
Activity
Exams (30%)
Multiple Choice Exams (4 but lowest dropped)
Participation (23%)
Peer Grading (3)
Learning Collaborative Attendance (3)
Group Presentation Attendance
Out-of-Class Assignments (37%)
Academic Honesty Quiz
Lit Search/Research Interests
Human Subjects Tutorial
Article Summaries (3)
Data Collection
Group Presentation (10%)
Individual Grade
Group Grade
TOTAL POINTS
Table 4. Grading Scale
Letter
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
Points
93-100% = 278-300 points
90-92% = 269-277 points
87-89% = 260-268 points
83-86% = 248-259 points
80-82% = 239-247 points
77-79% = 230-238 points
73-76% = 218-229 points
70-72% = 209-217 points
67-69% = 200-208 points
63-66% = 188-199 points
60-62% = 179-187 points
Below 60% < 179 points
Point
Value Each
Point
Value Total
SLO(s) Assessed
30
90
SLO #1-#6
10
10
5
30
30
10
SLO #2, #5
SLO #1-#8
SLO #2, #5, #6
12
15
14
22
3
12
15
14
66
3
SLO #4
SLO #3
SLO #4
SLO #2, SLO #5
SLO #6
25
5
25
5
300
SLO #2, #5, #6, #8
SLO #7
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How to Succeed in This Course
Some students may find this course difficult despite attending class regularly and working hard. If you
follow these strategies, however, you will increase your likelihood of having a successful semester:
1. Work very hard at the start of the course. It’s particularly important to get off to a good start in
research methods, because most of the later material builds on the material from the beginning
of the course.
2. Ask questions in class and via Blackboard. If you don’t understand the assigned readings,
assignments, or lecture material, it’s likely that you’re not the only one. Asking questions helps
everyone. It helps you to better understand the material; often provides a new perspective for
other students; and gives the instructor important feedback on your understanding.
3. Read each assigned reading twice. Once before the class for which it is assigned and a second
time immediately afterward. At times this may be necessary simply to grasp the material; but
even if you understand a concept the first time, reviewing will enhance your retention.
4. Do the assignments on your own. Assignments must be completed on your own. Getting the
answers from someone else not only defeats the purpose of the assignments; it is unethical and
a violation of academic honesty.
5. See the instructor outside class. Don’t be embarrassed to come for help if you’re struggling.
Academic Honesty
The University adheres to a strict policy regarding cheating and plagiarism
(http://studentaffairs.sdsu.edu/srr/cheating-plagiarism.html).
Cheating
Instances of cheating may result in failure of the course and referral for disciplinary procedures that may
result in dismissal from the university.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the use of others’ words and/or ideas without clearly acknowledging their source. As
students, you are learning about other people’s ideas in your course texts, your instructors’ lectures, inclass discussions, and when doing your own work. When you incorporate those words and ideas into
your own work, it is of the utmost importance that you give credit where it is due. Plagiarism,
intentional or unintentional, is considered academic dishonesty.
Examples of plagiarism include but are not limited to:
 Using sources verbatim or paraphrasing without giving proper attribution (this can include
phrases, sentences, paragraphs and/or pages of work).
 Copying and pasting work from an online or offline source directly and calling it your own.
 Using information you find from an online or offline source without giving the author credit.
 Replacing words or phrases from another source with your own words or phrases.
 Submitting whole or part of a piece of work you did for one class to another class, unless you
have explicit permission from the instructor.
 Submitting whole or part of a piece of work you did earlier in a class for a later assignment.
 Submitting whole or part of a piece of work that is highly similar or identical to another
student’s work.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated in this class and will result in an automatic zero on the assignment in
question. Additional courses of action may include:
 Receiving a zero on related assignments
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


Receiving an F in the class
Being reported to the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities
Disciplinary review by Student Affairs
To avoid plagiarism, you must give the original author credit whenever you use another person’s ideas,
opinions, drawings, or theories as well as any facts or any other pieces of information that are not
common knowledge. Here are some specific tips:
 Reference in quotations another person’s actual spoken or written words, even if just a few key
words (along with the reference)
 Reference a close paraphrasing of another person’s spoken or written words
 Accurately cite all sources.
Become familiar with the policy (http://studentaffairs.sdsu.edu/srr/cheating-plagiarism.html) and refer
to it if you have any questions. Note, the instructor is likely to be able to discern high similarity among
assignments through the Originality program in Turnitin when you upload assignments to Blackboard.
Students with Disabilities
If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class, it is your
responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at (619) 594-6473. Student Disability Services is
located in Calpulli Center, Suite 3101 (third floor). To avoid any delay in the receipt of your
accommodations, you should contact Student Disability Services as soon as possible. Please note that
accommodations are not retroactive, and that accommodations based upon disability cannot be
provided until you have presented your instructor with an accommodation letter from Student Disability
Services. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Turnitin
Students agree that by taking this course all required written assignments may be subject to submission
for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted assignments
will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of
detecting plagiarism of such papers. You may submit your papers in such a way that no identifying
information about you is included. Another option is that you may request, in writing, that your
assignments not be submitted to Turnitin.com. However, if you choose this option you will be required
to provide documentation to substantiate that the assignments are your original work and do not
include any plagiarized material.
Course Policies

Discussion Etiquette: Students are expected to contribute to class discussions, ask questions,
question the instructor’s ideas, and express your own ideas. Please do so in a manner that is
respectful of both your fellow students and of the populations examined. Please keep any
personal information shared confidential, listen to others’ contributions, and make
contributions about your opinions in a respectful manner. Inappropriate remarks about or
behavior regarding any protected group in the classroom will be reported to the Center for
Student Rights and Responsibilities, as will disruptive behavior. Please note, SDSU policy
prohibits harassment on the basis of race, sex, gender identity, age, religion, national origin,
disability, sexual orientation, Vietnam era veteran status, and other protected veteran status.
Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action, including expulsion of students.
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
Cell Phones: Out of courtesy to your instructor and your fellow classmates, please switch your
cell phone to “silent” or “vibrate” mode when class is in session and place it in your pocket.
Please also refrain from texting or using other applications on your cell phone during class, with
the exception of instructor-led polls.

Laptop Computers, iPads, and Other Electronic Devices: Computers and other electronic
devices are welcome in class as long as they are used for taking notes and other class-related
work. Students will be expected to refrain from using their computer to check Facebook, email,
and other activities not related to the class. These activities can be distracting both to the
student engaging in them and to the entire class.

Student Work Samples: Your work may be selected by the instructor to keep on file. The work
that is selected may be used for the purposes of evaluation from higher education accreditation
institutions and as an example for future versions of this course. You have the right to refuse to
grant permission for the instructor to keep your work samples, and this decision will not affect
your grade in any way.

Religious Accommodations for Students: Students who need to be absent from class due to the
observance of a religious holiday or participate in required religious functions must notify the
instructor in writing as far in advance of the holiday/obligation as possible. Students will need
to identify the specific holiday or obligatory function to the instructor. Students will not be
penalized for missing class due to religious obligations/holiday observance. The student should
contact the class instructor to make arrangements for making up tests/assignments within a
reasonable time.

Military Personnel Statement: A student who is a member of the National Guard, Reserve, or
other U.S. Armed Forces branch and is unable to complete classes because of military activation
may request complete or partial administrative unrestricted withdrawals or incompletes
depending on the timing of the activation.

Grade Appeals: The professional responsibility for assigning grades is vested in the instructor of
the course, and requires the careful application of professional judgment. A student wishing to
appeal a grade must first meet with the instructor who assigned the grade to try to resolve the
dispute. If the dispute cannot be resolved directly with the course instructor, contact the Office
of the Ombudsman at SDSU Student Affairs (http://go.sdsu.edu/student_affairs/ombudsman).
Student Support Resources
Blackboard Support: Student Help Desk phone: (619) 594-3189; Email: scc@rohan.sdsu.edu. The
Blackboard Support website (http://its.sdsu.edu/blackboard/student/gettingstarted/loggingin.html)
website will help you use your Blackboard course sites and help answer some of your questions.
Answers to common questions, such as how to access Blackboard and your courses, can be found by
visiting the support pages: Logging In to Blackboard
(http://its.sdsu.edu/blackboard/student/gettingstarted/loggingin.html) and Frequently Asked Questions
(http://its.sdsu.edu/blackboard/student/additionalhelp/faqs.html).
Turnitin Grademark: To view a marked paper, you will need to click on the blue "View" button next to
the assignment. The student GradeMark paper view will open in a separate window in which the
student may view or print the grade and comment information. The comments will often take a minute
or two to load, so please be patient. Not all browsers will be able to display the complete features of
GradeMark. If a browser that is not fully supported is being used, a notification will inform the user.
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SDSU Library: The SDSU Library (http://infodone.sdsu.edu) includes a service that provides live help on
your research questions from a professional librarian 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Student Computing Center: Students are responsible for their own computing needs and solving
computer related problems. Difficulties with computers and instructional technology are not an
acceptable excuse for not turning in work. The Student Computing Center (http://scc.sdsu.edu) is
comprised of an open Lab and Help Desk and is located on the 2nd floor of the Love Library building. The
entry door (LL-200) is on the south side of the building facing the Open Air Theatre.
Writing Center: It is strongly recommended that students who have challenges with writing schedule a
consultation at the Writing Center (http://writingcenter.sdsu.edu/) to obtain support in completing the
written assignments to ensure you receive full credit (it is recommended you bring the scoring rubric
with you to the consultation).
CFD Mentor Center: One-on-one help with homework, creative writing, applications, etc. Free tutoring,
quiet place to study, social support, and study groups are available. Located in EBA 409. Contact the
instructor for more information.
WebPortal: Some of the services offered through the SDSU WebPortal
(http://www.sdsu.edu/webportal) include: My Registration, My Class Schedule, My Grades, Enrollment
Verification, Degree Evaluation, Transcripts (Official and Unofficial), and Change E-mail/Address.
Medical Excuses from SDSU Student Health Services: SDSU Student Health Services will not provide
medical excuses for short-term absences due to illness or injury. In circumstances when the illness or
injury is prolonged (an absence of more than five days) and requires medical attention or
hospitalization, we will work with students to provide appropriate documentation. When a student is
hospitalized or has a serious, ongoing illness or injury, SDSU Student Health Services will, at the
student’s request and with the student’s consent, communicate with the student’s academic adviser
and/or Student Disability Services. Students are instructed to contact their professor/instructor/coach in
the event that they need to miss class, etc. due to an illness, injury, or an emergency. All decisions about
the impact of an absence, as well as any arrangements for making up work, rest with the instructors.
Academic advisers are available to provide assistance to students or faculty members who have
concerns about attendance issues.