EDC 1200: College Reading and Study Skills

Instructor: Mrs. Julie Cash

Academic Support Advisor

Paul L. Foster Success Center

Office: Sid Rich 035

Phone: (254) 710-8709

Required Textbook: Essential Study Skills, 7th ed., Wong

Course Content: This course is not “study hall”. It is an academic course designed to teach the best methods of learning by applying scientifically based strategies for acquiring knowledge. The practical tools, information, and strategies necessary for succeeding academically and earning a Baylor degree will be the focus of the course. The course will also include opportunities to allow you to become knowledgeable about resources available to you on campus and to develop a greater understanding of degree requirements as well as university policies.

Evaluation: This course is a graded course for two hours of academic credit. You should expect to spend at least 2 to 3 hours outside of class each week to complete assignments in order to be successful in this course. The vast majority of the assignments you complete will improve chances of success in other course as well. For most degrees, the course will count as elective hours; however, the final course grade does calculate into your GPA.

Grading System: Your grade in this course is based on the number of points you accumulate during the semester. There are 1000 total points possible (including the Final Exam).

  • The course final examination, should you be required to take it, is worth 200 points.
  • Class participation (requiring class attendance, listening, taking notes, and contributing to discussion) will account for 125 points of your grade.
  • The other assignments have point values ranging from 25 to 50 points, some of which will be done in class. The assignments are designed to help you in your other courses; although not every assignment can be applied to a course you are taking this semester.

*The key to success is to maintain a semester and weekly calendar of due dates, a habit practiced by successful students.

Course Policies

  1. You are expected to do your own work. Students caught cheating will receive no credit for assigned work.
  1. Attendance Policy: If you are not present for 75% of the class sessions you will automatically fail EDC 1200. If you absences exceed 7, you will fail the course regardless of your course average. EDC 1200 is scheduled to meet for 28 class sessions this semester. Therefore, the number of absences must not exceed seven. With the eighth absence, a student receives an F for EDC 1200.
  1. Note: All course requirements may not necessarily be fulfilled by meeting the 75% minimum. The student bears the responsibility for the effect which absences may have upon class participation, in-class assignments, written assignments, reports, papers, and other means of evaluating performance in a course.
  1. Be on time. Notify me after class if you are late so I can mark you present. If you fail to notify me, you will be counted absent for that class session.
  2. Being counted tardy 4 times will be counted as 1 absence.
  3. Arriving to class more than 20 minutes late will be counted as an absence.
  4. Students who are tardy more than 4 times will not be eligible to be exempt from the final.
  1. Classroom attendance is also part of your course grade (125 points).
  2. You are eligible to receive5points per class session based on your class participation.
  3. If you are up to 5 minutes late, you are only eligible to receive4 points.
  4. If you are more than 5 minutes late, you can only earn a maximum of 3participation points.
  5. You are also deducted 1 point per violation for:
  6. using electronic devices during class unless instructed to do so by Mrs. Cash,
  7. being disruptive, or
  8. refusing to collaborate when otherwise instructed to do so.
  1. Disruptive, noisy, and disrespectful students will be asked to leave class. Offenders will not be eligible to be exempt from the final.
  1. Assignments submitted need to include the student’s name and the course section to receive full credit.
  1. Grades for course assignments will be awarded based on qualityof the work, not simply completion of the work.
  1. Text messaging during class is prohibited. “Taking notes” on your cell phone is also prohibited. Ipod/ MP3 player and Ipadusage is also prohibited. Laptopswill be used under the direction of Mrs. Cash at times during the semester as part of class. One may also take notes on their laptop if granted accommodations by OALA. Offenders will not be eligible for exemption from the final exam and will have points deducted from their class participation grade.
  1. Assignments can be submitted 3 ways:
  2. Paper copy submitted in class prior to the specified due date
  3. Emailed to as an attachment before 5:00 pmon the specified due date
  4. Uploaded on to Blackboard before 5:00 on the specified due date
  1. Assignments will be accepted late for 2 weeks following the specified due date.
  2. Assignments submitted late will receive a maximum of half the credit points.
  3. Assignments will not be accepted late if submitted more than 2 weeks after the due date.
  4. If you choose to upload a late assignment on Blackboard, send me an email telling me you have uploaded it.
  1. No make-ups will be offered for participation points gained during in-class exercises.
  1. You may be exempt from taking the final if you meet all of the following criteria:
  • All assignmentscompletedsatisfactorilyand submittedon timeresulting in a course average of 95 or better
  • Perfect attendance (Excused absences are allowed at the discretion of Mrs. Cash.)
  • Having been tardy to class fewer than 3 times
  • Exhibiting a proper attitude by adhering to class rules
  1. Bonus Points:
  2. Occasionally, bonus points will be available during the semester.
  3. In the event that an assignment does not apply to any of your courses,you may discuss and propose an alternate assignment which will count as bonus points to replace the missed points from the given assignment you did not do. The alternative assignment must be pre-approved by Mrs. Cash in order to get credit.
  4. If you have neglected to turn in assignments and did not propose and/or receive approval for alternative assignments before the due date of the assignment you did not do, you are not eligible for replacement bonus points.
  5. If you neglect to keep up with assignments and later in the semester regret that you are failing the course, you may not do “bonus point” assignments to make up for your procrastination.