RYERSON UNIVERSITY
Department Of Geography and Environmental Studies
GEO 208: GEOGRAPHY OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
WINTER 2016
Instructor:
Dr. Philip Coppack
Office:
JOR 609
Phone:
(416) 979-5000 ex.6174 (I don’t respond well to phone calls but…)
E-mail:
pcoppack@ryerson.ca (e-mails, within reason (below), I will answer.)
Website:
www.geography.ryerson.ca/coppack/geo208 [THIS IS NOT A D2L SITE.]
Office hours: By chance or appointment.
READ THIS NOW
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR READING EVERYTHING IN THIS COURSE OUTLINE, IN THE
POWERPOINT SLIDES, IN THE RYERSON EMAILS I SEND, AND IN THE LECTURE MATERIAL I
PRESENT. I WILL NOT RESPOND TO ANY EMAIL QUESTION WHERE THE ANSWER IS IN THIS
MATERIAL.
BE SURE ANY EMAIL TO ME HAS EXACTLY THE FOLLOWING SUBJECT LINE OR THEY WILL
END UP IN JUNK MAIL:
GEOGRAPHY 208 STUDENT QUERY-2016
NOTE
THIS COURSE DOES NOT USE D2L EXCEPT FOR EMAIL PURPOSES.
THE WEBSITE ADDRESS FOR THIS COURSE IS:
www.geography.ryerson.ca/coppack/geo208
This is a Lower Level Liberal studies course. It is not available to students in the Geographic
Analysis program. Students admitted in Fall 2010 to programs in Criminal Justice, Politics
and Governance, Psychology, Sociology or Undeclared-Arts may not take this course for
Lower Level Liberal Studies credit.
Students are required to use their Ryerson email address for communication with the
instructor. It is the responsibility of students to check their Ryerson email and the course
website regularly.
THE ONLY GRADES THAT WILL BE POSTED FOR THIS COURSE ARE THOSE FOR THE
MIDTERM TEST.
ESSAY GRADES ARE ON THE ESSAYS AND THEY WILL BE HANDED BACK BEORE THE COURSE
ENDS IF POSSIBLE.
I EXPRESSELY DO NOT SEND INDIVIDUAL GRADES BY EMAIL SO DON’T ASK ME TO.
The Faculty Course Survey will be conducted online March 25 - April 4.
Course Description:
This one semester course explores the changing geographic patterns of the global economy and
urbanization. Starting with a discussion about the relationships between population growth and
demographics, the course explores various aspects of human systems, including geopolitics,
health, environment, resource use, urbanization and identity.
Course Objectives:
The overall objective of this introductory course in human geography is to increase students'
understanding of the world through the use of different scales of geographic inquiry. The
course explores the geographic forces shaping regional, national and international
development as well as the interconnections between global and sub-global scales of human
activities, investigating how these forces defined the past and influence contemporary
economies, societies, politics and environments. Canadian examples will be used to provide
relevance and context. At the end of the course, students will have an appreciation of global
processes and the consequences of globalization, including the complexities, uncertainties and
controversies associated with global issues.
Required Text:
There is no required text for this course. The PowerPoint and other references you are asked to
peruse are all you need.
Course Evaluation:
Course Component
Mid Term Test (50 multiple choice)
Essay ( 1200-1500 words)
Final Exam (multiple choice & essay)
Weight
30%
40%
30%
Due Date
Week 6
Week 10
University's Final Examination Period
Grades for the first term test will be available within one week of the test. Grades for the essay
will be available in the last lecture.
Course Schedule:
WEEK
Week of
LECTURE TOPIC
1
January 18 1. Introduction to the Course.
Essay Topics Introduction and course mechanics. Babel and Contagion: the
Distributed paradox of territorial fragmentation and social economic integration.
Global territory and the global village.
2
January 25 2. Geographic Concepts.
Changing territorial structure. Geographic constructs: space, location,
place, distance, direction, area, time. Scale and chaos.
3
February 1 3. Regions, Nations and the Global Community.
History of globalization and the global village, global change,
colonialism, nation states, regions, territory, global inventory.
4
February 8 4. Population I – Growth and Demographics.
5
6
February 15
February 22
7
8
February 29
March 7
9
March 14
10
March 21
ESSAY DUE.
11
March 28
12
FRIDAY
APRIL 1ST
April 4
13
April 11
Global population dynamics and demographics.
READING WEEK
5. Population II – Health.
Global health.
MID TERM TEST (ON LECTURES 1-5)
6. Population III – The Digital World.
The communications technology revolution.
7. Resources.
Resources and ecological footprints.
8. Environment.
Defining environment, history of environmental concern, climate
change as an example.
9. Economic Development.
Global trade and capital flow, corporations and transnationals
(TNCs), Millennium goals, development progress.
‘F’ IS FOREVER FRIDAY: LAST DATE TO DROP COURSE WITHOUT
ACADEMIC PENALTY.
10. Geopolitics.
Global interest groups and conflict.
11. Urbanization and Cities.
Urban growth versus urbanisation.
Links between urbanization, economic growth, demographic change.
Final Exam Review.
SELF STUDY (your Tuesday hour)
This is a content rich course about the world. It is designed to educate, inform, and even
entertain you. There is more excellent information about the human (and planetary) condition
readily and easily available today than at any other point in our history. This self-study hour is
designed to get you to look at some of this information in a form that I cannot easily replicate:
presentations by some of the best scholars and agencies in the world using some of the best
video technology available. You are to use the hour to view the videos below according to the
schedule outlined. They will supplement lecture material and either fill in gaps or summarise
the material we cover in the course.
Self-Study Schedule – Watch the following videos:
WEEK
OF
1
Jan 18
LECTURE TOPIC
Introduction to
the Course.
SELF STUDY
None.
2
Jan 25
3
Feb 1
Geographic
Concepts.
Regions,
Nations and the
Global
Community.
4
Feb 8
Population I –
Growth and
Demographics.
5
Feb 15
6
Feb 22
READING WEEK
7
Feb 29
8
Mar 7
9
Mar 14
10
Mar 21
Population II –
Health.
MID TERM TEST
(ON WEEKS 1-5)
6. Population III
– The Digital
World.
Environment.
Lecture
Commanding Heights – Episode Three, Chapters 1119.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/hi/st
ory/ch_menu_03.html
Don’t Panic – The Facts About Population. Hans
Rosling.
http://www.gapminder.org/videos/dont-panic-thefacts-about-population/ Also at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dymPP9RhPjw
None
Lecture
None
Lecture
TBA
Resources and
Population
The Corporation – Chapters 1-10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4ou9rOssPg
11
Mar 28
Economic
Development.
The Corporation – Chapters 11-end
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4ou9rOssPg
12
Apr 4
Geopolitics.
13
Apr 11
Urbanization
and Cities
Commanding Heights – Episode One, Chapters 1-10
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/hi/st
ory/ch_menu.html
Lecture
ESSAY ASSIGNMENT - WEIGHT IN YOUR COURSE GRADE: 40%
DUE DATE:
IN YOUR SECTION’S LECTURE DURING THE WEEK INDICATED ON THE COURSE OUTLINE.
This essay gives students the opportunity to explore the geography of a region and an
associated current geographic issue of interest within the scope of the lecture topics of this
course.
CHOOSE A REGION (A COUNTRY IS NOT A REGION).
Your first task is to choose a region using the United Nations’ regional groupings as discussed in
Lecture 3.
CHOOSE A TOPIC.
You must then choose a topic from one of the lectures of this course. For example, you may
wish to choose an aspect of Demographics such as the demographic dividend (Week 3), Health
such as the changing nature of the double burden (Week 4) or the Pandemics threat (Week 5),
Resources and Population such as ecological footprints (Week 8). Be sure to consider the use of
a human geographic perspective in your discussion. For example, if you choose environment
(Week 9) I do not want a scientific essay on climate change but one which discusses the human
impact such as rising ocean levels on the coastal cities of your chosen region. If you have any
concern about the suitability of your issue, discuss it with me.
INVESTIGATE YOUR REGION AND TOPIC USING DATA SOURCES.
Your essay should include some data analysis and those data should be the most recent
available and obtained from reliable sources such as the Population Reference Bureau, World
Bank, United Nations, WHO, IMF, etc. If in doubt, check with me before using them. All sources
need to be cited precisely enough that I can find them. The web is an excellent source of
excellent data. I am fine with already analysed data such as those presented by the Gapminder
organization (http://www.gapminder.org/data/) but be careful of these secondary sources as
some of them are out of date or just plain wrong.
INVESTIGATE YOUR REGION AND TOPIC USING NARRATIVE SOURCES.
To learn more about your region and topic you must read about it. You may use using peerreviewed journal articles, academic books, government reports, and/or articles in the popular
press. Make sure to be aware of any bias in your sources and address it in your essay. You may
also use websites but make sure to evaluate them carefully for their usefulness and credibility
in an academic paper and if in doubt, see the Ryerson library resource:
http://library.ryerson.ca/guides/toolbox/web_resources/
All of your narrative sources should be no older than 2001. If there is a specific reason that you
want to use an earlier source, please check with me before using it. This does not pertain to
quantitative data used in an historical context (see next item). All sources need to be cited
precisely enough that I can find them.
INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS.
 A map of the region you are investigating. The scale at which you display your region
depends on the issue under investigation but be sure to include geographic context,
that is, the surrounding regions. If it is appropriate, the content of the map can relate to
your issue. Make sure to include the source of the map in proper format under the map.
You can include more than one map to meet the requirements if appropriate.

Numerical statistics to substantiate your arguments. These may be processed by you
from raw data or extracted from reliable reports or reliable data websites if available.
Make sure to include the source of the data in proper format under the map. I expect to
be able to click on the link and find what you found – within reason. Most reliable sites
(such as the UN, IMF, WHO, PRB, etc) use search engines that do not allow a link to
reconnect to a specific search operation. That’s OK. You can include more than one data
table to meet the requirements if appropriate, and from separate sites if the data is not
available from one.

Follow all other submission and writing guidelines below. The fact that you did not read
them does not mean they do not exist.
ESSAY DUE DATE: At the beginning of class as indicated in the lecture schedule above.
Submission:
 Deadline: The paper is due in hard copy in your section’s lecture time.
 Format: This assignment should be word processed in good English prose, use research
paper format headings (see below), and be 1.5 spaced using Office normal margins
default. It will be graded on the quality of the writing as well as the quality of the
analysis. Number the pages, bottom centre.
 Title Page: You must use the attached title page template.
 Introduction: Establish the topic and your research objective(s).
 Background: Discuss the concepts you will be using and any academic studies other
people have done on your topic should there be any. You can use the textbook and the
web but be wary of the biases of non-academic sources and make any bias clear in your
write-up.
 Data and Methods: Explain what data you used and what you did with the data to
achieve your objectives.
 Results and Discussion: Summarize the results of your analysis using words, tables,
graphs, photos and/or maps and discuss your findings based on the concepts and
expectations from the literature.
 Conclusion: End with a brief, final summary.
 References: All sources that you used for ideas, concepts, data, tables, diagrams, etc.
including your own field observations should be referenced within your paper at the
appropriate place using footnotes and included in a separate page of references at the
end of your essay. Use any accepted academic reference style – I am not fussy.

Length: 1200 - 1500 words, not including illustrations, references, appendices.
Late Penalty for the Essay:
The essay should be handed in directly to the instructor in hard copy at the beginning of your
section’s lecture class during the week specified in the course schedule. There is a late penalty
of 2% per calendar day which will be enforced once the lecture begins. Late assignments are to
be submitted to the drop-box on the 6th floor of Jorgenson Hall to be date stamped. Because of
time constraints, requests for deadline extensions will be considered only under exceptional
circumstances and students need to inform the instructor by email, and a new due date agreed
upon, prior to the assigned due. If an extension is being requested on medical grounds,
students must complete the Ryerson Medical Form which can be accessed at
http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/forms/medical.pdf. THIS MEDICAL FORM MUST BE SUBMITTED
TO YOUR PROGRAM DEPARTMENT AND NOT TO YOUR INSTRUCTOR (see below). Students
must also follow Ryerson's Academic Consideration and Appeals Policy
http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol134.pdf.
REGARDLESS OF ANYTHING SAID ABOVE, NO ESSAY WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE GRADED
PAPERS ARE RETURNED IN YOUR CLASS.
USE THE FOLLOWING WRITING GUIDELINES.
The value of grades in university was discussed in the first lecture and is in the first PowerPoint.
REVIEW THIS SLIDE. The essay will be evaluated based on the following criteria and grades
assigned according to The ABCs of University Grading PowerPoint slide.
UNDERSTANDING OF THE ISSUE
Clear connections are made between the topic and the related concepts from your text and
lectures.
SUPPORT FOR ARGUMENTS
Examples and sources are used effectively to buttress all arguments. Quoted material and ideas
of others are well integrated into the discussion. All ideas flow logically and the arguments are
reasonable and sound. University-level analysis and tone are used.
LOGICAL STRUCTURE
There is a solid introduction outlining your region and topic. This is followed by a discussion of
any data you will use, discussion of results and a conclusion. The paragraphs utilize topic
sentences and paragraph transitions are smooth.
UNIVERSITY-LEVEL LANGUAGE SKILLS
Sentence structure, grammar, spelling and punctuation are correctly used. First person is NOT
used.
OTHER WRITING IRRITATIONS TO AVOID
The reason for the following demands is due to the fact that I will likely have 200 to 400 essays
in this course. Consistency in format and presentation makes the job of marking easier and
avoids mistakes and lost papers or parts thereof.
DO NOT use those appalling plastic slipcovers with the stiff spines for your essays. Use a simple,
cheap, effective staple in the left hand corner. If the paper is supposed to contain your field work
and/or surveys, staple it all together. None of the topics requires so bulky a package as to make
this impossible.
TYPED papers only are acceptable. Do not submit a hand written paper or it will be returned to
you for typing, with the subsequent late penalties applying. USE SPELL CHECK AND GRAMMAR
CHECK!
MARGINS are to be “Office Normal”: 2.54 cm all around, and the TYPEFACE should be in black 12
point Courier, CG Times or Calibri only. Do not get innovative with this. A whole essay in Italics or
script or Magneto is extraordinarily tiresome to read.
PAPER should be white bond only. Don't hand in those awful sky scenes or wrinkled paper
designs the bookstore is selling. Again they are tiresome in the extreme to read and completely
unnecessary: they don't improve your writing style, believe it or not.
LINE SPACING should be 1.5 only. PAGE NUMBERS should be on every page of text, bottom
centre.
HEADINGS/SUB-HEADINGS should be used to organise your paper, but do not get into subheadings ad nauseum.
FIGURE/TABLE references should be stated as (Figure 1, Table 1 etc.) and put into the sentence
where you first refer to the item. Do not write "see Figure so and so".
SURNAMES AND CHRISTIAN NAMES should appear as they do in your official registration records
and hence on my grade recording sheets. ALWAYS put your student ID number on your work.
These should be put into the appropriate slots on the Title Page Template provided.
AMOUNT, LEVEL, QUANTITY, and NUMBER: get them correct. People are not an amount, they are
a number, milk is an amount - gallons of milk are a number. As a loose rule, if the object(s) to
which you are referring come in discrete units they are a number or a quantity; otherwise they
are an amount or level.
JARGON: Avoid it like the plague. I don't care what the arguments are for it, it creates confusion
and obfuscation and unnecessary complications for all who are not privy to it.
WHEREAS should not be used to start a sentence … unless you intend to finish it. This is a
sentence. Whereas this is not. But joining the two with a comma would have worked (though the
sentence wouldn't make any sense!).
NEVERNEVERNEVERNEVERNEVER use the word "prove". It is not possible to prove anything, only
to disprove it. If you don't believe this, then read Carl Popper and Thomas Kuhn on the matter.
ITS, IT'S & ITS': This is one of the most common and annoying grammatical errors in student
essays. It's = it is; its = the possessive of the pronoun "it" - The dog wagged its tail; its' = nothing at
all in English.
ALOT & CAN NOT: These are two more of the most annoying and common grammatical errors,
and they really annoy me. Alot is not a word, it is two very poor words "a lot"; use many, several,
much. Can not is not two words it is one word "cannot", the negative of "can". INDEPTH is
another of these "let's make two words into one" aggravations - it is two words: "in depth".
SEXIST, RACIST, or HOMOPHOBIC language is not condoned in society as a whole, at Ryerson, or
in my classes.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR ESSAYS
Below are:
A front page template that you must use.
A marking rubric.
The grade recording template that will be returned with your marked paper.
The grading material gives you an idea of how papers get marked and what constitutes the
various grades that you receive in this course, and more generally in university. In university,
grades are not what you may think they are so read this material carefully. An average grade in
university is a ‘C’ not a ‘B’. What you think a paper is worth and what you get for it are usually
not highly related. Putting a great deal of work into your paper is no guarantee you’ll get a good
grade; however, doing little or no work is usually the path to a poor grade. When we mark
papers we do not go out of our way to give you what you might consider to be a poor grade.
Remember – you wrote the paper and earned the grade and what gets evaluated is what you
wrote not what I read. Two things you should note about grades. First, it is virtually impossible
in an essay type assignment to allocate numeric grades. So even though you may see numbers,
it is the letter equivalent of the range that approximates what the paper was worth. Second,
trying to negotiate for a couple of extra grade points will have no effect on your overall grade
for the course. These are assigned as letter grades only. And rarely, when an essay is marked,
are we out by more than a sign.
Title Page Template:
You must use the template below as your title page. DO NOT CHANGE IT. Be sure to use the
SURNAME and FIRST NAME that appear on your official Ryerson record and thus my class list.
DO NOT FORGET YOUR ID NUMBER.
Staple
Only!
SURNAME:
FIRST NAME:
STUDENT NUMBER:
COURSE:
SECTION NUMBER:
INSTRUCTOR:
GEOGRAPHY 208
Dr. Philip Coppack, JOR 609
ESSAY TOPIC:
REGION:
TOPIC:
ESSAY TITLE:
MARKING GUIDELINES
To be considered excellent a paper must have received an excellent rating in all three categories.
NOTE that in university a “satisfactory” paper will get a ‘C’ NOT a ‘B’. And if you expect an ‘A’
grade, write an ‘A’ paper.
MATERIAL
ORGANISATION
STYLE
EXCELLENT (‘A’ range – you have excelled)
Clear and penetrating ideas.
Clear focus with original thesis. Diction clear and concise.
Mature grasp of the subject.
Clear and purposeful
Concern for reader and delight
Accurate and plentiful
development.
in the language.
documentation.
Rich in detail and rigorous in
Appropriate tone and pointed
Focused on problem to be
reasoning.
emphasis.
solved and linked to larger
Smooth transitions, clearly
Mastery of the mechanics of the
context.
connecting elements of the
language.
paper.
GOOD (‘B’ range – you have exceeded expectations)
Clear and interesting ideas.
Clear and specific focus.
Diction appropriate and
Good grasp of subject, with
Clear and adequate
accurate.
some omissions.
development.
Varied and appropriate
Accurate documentation.
Sufficient but limited details.
sentences.
Focused on problem to be
Sound reasoning.
Tone generally appropriate and
solved.
Adequate transitions
emphasis apparent rather than
connecting elements of the
pointed.
paper.
Good grasp of language
mechanics.
SATISFACTORY (‘C’ range – you have met expectations)
Clear ideas.
Thesis clear but simple and/or
Diction limited or word flowery.
Grasp of subject but
insufficient.
Similar sentence lengths.
assimilation of ideas
Barely sufficient details and
Tone and/or emphasis not
incomplete.
occasionally faulty reasoning.
always appropriate.
Accurate documentation but
Some awkward transitions or
Adequate grasp of language
limited in number and variety gaps in the structure of the
mechanics.
of sources.
paper.
Wanders occasionally from
focus of problem.
POOR (‘D’ range – you have not met expectations)
Confused thoughts.
No focus.
Awkward and faulty use of
Little or no documentation
Insufficient detail to make the
language.
and of inferior quality or
case.
Poor grasp of language
suspect sources.
Faulty reasoning.
mechanics.
Unfocussed and not
No apparent structure and
Inappropriate tone.
addressing the research
awkward transitions.
problem.
BASIS OF EVALUATION
Some or all of the items within each element may apply to your paper.
Name: ___________________________________________
IDEA/RESEARCH QUESTION
Includes originality and creativity of research idea, or execution of pre-set topic; staying on topic and
answering the question set; pertinence and connection to course content; links to course concepts;
feasibility; quality and quantity, detail and pertinence of literature review .
DATA COLLECTED/WORK DONE
Includes quality and quantity of data, whether it is primary or secondary, amount of field work involved,
creativity shown in acquiring data, difficulty of acquisition, precision of use, accuracy of data, rigour and
objectivity shown, pertinence to problem statement/research question.
EXECUTION
Includes thoroughness of work plan, connection to problem statement, goals, objectives, testable
expectations, methodology and data collection; amount, pertinence and understanding of
software/statistics used; maintaining focus and answering the question posed; precision in the use of data
collected in answering the question.
GRAMMAR/LANGUAGE MECHANICS
Includes English grammar and style skills in using the language; use of good essay form; clarity of
communication; brevity, organization; requested referencing style; grammar: punctuation, spelling, gender
neutral, non-racist language; no plagiarism or recycling.
PRESENTATION
Includes organization of paper, keeping to requested length, number, quality, sourcing and pertinence of
maps, figures and tables; using specified margins and page number styles; using conventional typefaces
and paper stock; staples not slip covered; your “official” name and ID # on the cover; my name clearly on
the cover; title clearly on the cover.
Grammar Shorthand Used:
INC: Incomplete sentence.
RUN: Run-on sentence.
GR: grammar sloppy or incorrect.
SP: Spelling error.
SSP: Single sentence paragraphs – don’t use them.
NW: no such word/poor use of word.
P: Should be new paragraph.
UC: Unclear statement of idea.
PLL: Paraphrase of someone else’s idea.
REF: Unacceptable form of referencing.
WW: wasted words – sentence states the obvious or nothing at all.
PUN: Punctuation poor.
?: Huh?
COL: Don’t use colloquialisms.
MS: Margins/spacing unacceptable.
TP: Typeface and/or paper stock unconventional and irritating.
GRADE
weight 20%
GRADE
weight 30%
GRADE
weight 30%
GRADE
weight 15%
GRADE
weight 5%
FINAL
GRADE
Out of 100%
Course Policies
Electronics in Class
In consideration for all others in the room, everyone is asked to turn off cell phones and other personal electronic
devices during class time. Computer laptops can be used for note-taking only, but these too will be prohibited if
their use is disruptive.
Late Policy
There will be a late penalty of 2% per calendar day for the essay assignment and no late essays will be accepted
after the graded papers are returned in class. Late assignments are to be submitted to the assignment drop-box on
the 6th floor of Jorgenson Hall to be date stamped. Because of time constraints, requests for deadline extensions
will be considered only under exceptional circumstances and students need to inform the instructor by email, and
a new due date agreed upon, prior to the due date if at all possible, or as soon as possible after the date. Students
seeking an extension based on medical or compassionate grounds should see procedures for missed assignment
deadlines below.
Missed Assignment Deadlines, Term Tests and/or Final Examination
If a student misses an assignment deadline, a test or an exam, a new assignment due date, a makeup test and/or a
makeup exam may be arranged according to Ryerson's Undergraduate Course Management Policy. The
requirements for medical documentation/notification for missed work or other issues are set out in the
Undergraduate Academic Consideration and Appeals Policy.
If an assignment deadline, test or exam is missed for medical reasons, the student must inform the instructor via
email in advance when the student will be missing an assignment deadline, test or exam for medical reasons. A
Ryerson Medical Certificate and the Academic Consideration Form must be supplied to the student's program
office within three (3) working days of missed or affected classes, assignments, tests or examinations to receive
consideration.
If an assignment deadline, test or exam is missed for compassionate reasons, the student must contact the
instructor via email in advance when the student will be missing an assignment deadline, test or exam. It is
advisable that the student provide relevant and appropriate documentation to the student's program office when
possible, along with the Academic Consideration Form. For more information, consult the Undergraduate
Academic Consideration and Appeals Policy.
Accommodation of Students with Disabilities
Students who require academic accommodation services and support should contact the Access Centre and refer
to Academic Accommodations of Students with Disabilities Policy. If academic accommodations for tests and
exams are required, it is the student's responsibility to book at least 7 business days prior to the date of writing
any test or exam. Late test/exam bookings are no longer accepted. For more information, refer to the Access
Centre Test/Exam Booking Procedure website.
Accommodation of Student Religious, Aboriginal and Spiritual Observance
Requests for accommodation of observance can be made formally to the course instructor. The student must
submit a clear explanation of the observance and requested accommodation along with a copy of the
Accommodation of Student Religious, Aboriginal and Spiritual Observance form. Instructors will confirm
accommodations, in writing, within 5 days of receiving the request.
Refer to Accommodation of Student Religious, Aboriginal and Spiritual Observance Policy for more information.
Academic Integrity
It is the student's responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Academic Conduct and understand what
plagiarism means. According to the University, plagiarism means claiming the words, ideas, artistry, drawings,
images or data of another person as if they were your own.
There are many different types of plagiarism, including:
 Copying and pasting material from a website







Making minor changes to an author's words or style and then presenting the material as your own
Taking text from published authors, your friend's paper, or work you've already handed in
Using a direct quotation but leaving out the quotation marks
Paraphrasing too closely to the original
Failing to cite sources or citing them incorrectly such that the work cannot be properly found
Working with another student on a project but failing to put both names on the final product
Having someone else re-write or heavily edit your paper
Just remember, if you are found guilty of academic misconduct in a course:
 the minimum penalty you will receive is a mark of zero (0) on the test, exam, paper, project or
assignment in question
 the “Disciplinary Notice (DN)” will be placed on your academic record and official transcript where it
will remain until you graduate.
 The professor might also decide to fail you in the course.
 If you already have a DN on your record you will be placed on “Disciplinary Suspension (DS)”.
 The University also has the right to place you on Disciplinary Withdrawal or to expel you from the
University.
For more information about plagiarism, please refer to the Office of Academic Integrity website.
Plagiarism Detection Service
This course may use the electronic plagiarism detection service, Turnitin. (See detailed information from your
individual instructor on the section-specific website about the essay component of the course.) If this is required, it
should be noted that according to Ryerson's Course Management Policy: "Students who do not want their work
submitted to this plagiarism detection service must, by the end of the second week of class, consult with the
instructor to make alternate arrangement." (Sect. 4.3.1.1.1).
Student Email Policy
According to the Establishment And Use Of Ryerson Student E-Mail Accounts For Official University
Communication Policy, students are required to use their Ryerson email address for communication with the
instructor. It is the responsibility of students to check their Ryerson email and the course website regularly.
Student Code of Non-Academic Conduct
It is students' responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Non-Academic Conduct and conduct
themselves in a manner consistent with generally accepted standards of behaviour, University regulations and
policies.