SYLLABUS
Course Information
Course title Business Law (online)
Course number BUS 241A
Course description This course satisfies the lower division law requirement for business and business-related majors transferring to Cal Poly Pomona or CSULB. If you plan on transferring to CSUF, you should enroll in 240 Legal Environment of Business. In the online course, students will study one chapter per week. For each chapter, students are required to (1) complete an online multiple choice quiz, (2) complete an online legal research assignment, and (3) contribute to a discussion forum. Students must attend an orientation meeting. The midterm and final exams must be taken on campus.
Instructor Information
Name David G. Cooper
Office location 1318-01 (north end of theatre arts building)
Office hours MW 7:30-9:00 a.m. T 3:00-4:00 p.m.
Phone 714-992-7460
Textbook West’s Business Law, 8e by Clarkson, Miller, Jentz, Cross (West Publishing)
Policies
Orientation All business division online classes have the same orientation sessions. These sessions are scheduled during the first week of class and are offered in the day, afternoon, evening, and Saturdays. Students must attend at least one of these orientation sessions. See the class schedule for times and places.
Logging on Follow the log-on procedures provided at the mandatory orientation meeting. After completing the regular log-on procedure, you will be prompted to enter the access code.
Access code The website we are using in this course was produced by Thomson Learning, the parent company of West Publishing, the publisher of our textbook. In order to access this website and log on to the course, you must purchase an access code. The textbook/access code bundle is sold in the bookstore. You may also purchase the access code online at the cvc log-on page (cvc2.org/webct). Scroll down the page until you see the link to purchase the access code online. You will only have to enter the access code the first time you log on to the course. The access code will look like this: 1234-567890-A.
Grading policy Quizzes 140 points 20% of grade
Online Research Assignments 140 points 20% of grade
Midterm 140 points 20% of grade
Final 140 points 20% of grade
Participation 140 points 20% of grade
Your final grade is based upon the percentage of points earned:
90-100 = A, 80-89 = B, 65-79 = C, 60-64 = D, Below 60 = F.
Quizzes The online quizzes usually consist of 10 multiple choice questions worth 1 point each. There is a quiz for each of the 14 chapters assigned. The quizzes are accessed by clicking “Contents,” then the appropriate chapter, then “Multiple Choice Quiz.” The quizzes may also be accessed by clicking “Quizzes.” Each chapter has a multiple choice quiz and a True/False quiz. The website has numbered the quizzes like this: Quiz 1 is the Multiple Choice quiz for Chapter 1; quiz 2 is the T/F quiz for Chapter 1; quiz 3 is the M/C quiz for Chapter 2; quiz 4 is the T/F quiz for Chapter 2; quiz 5 is the M/C quiz for Chapter 3, etc. I have hidden the T/F quizzes from your view, so you will not be able to access them. (If you want to take some practice multiple choice questions, click “Text Homepage,” then click “Test Tutor.” Do NOT email me the results; these are just practice test questions.) For quiz 1, you will have three attempts; only your best score will be recorded. For all other quizzes, you have only one attempt. The “class week” runs Monday-Sunday; the quiz must be submitted by 11:55 p.m. Sunday night. See “Calendar” for due dates. You have 15 minutes to complete each quiz, which are open book. Your answers must be submitted within the 15 minute time frame.
Online Research For each of the 14 chapters assigned, you must complete one online research
Assignments assignment worth 10 points. The assignments can be accessed by clicking “Text Homepage.” This links you to our textbook homepage at http://www.westbuslaw.com/wbl/wbl_8e/wbl8e/html. Click “Internet Applications and Online Activities” in the vertical navigation bar, then click the appropriate chapter, then click “Legal Research Exercises on the Web.” For each chapter, one or two assignments are provided. If there are two assignments, choose one. When doing the chapter assignments, please follow these directions: (1) Clearly identify the assignment (“Activity 1-1: Internet Sources of Law) (2) Answer all questions that are asked. (3) Print a hardcopy of your answers, or write out your answers by hand if you prefer. (4) Turn in the hardcopy of your assignment when you come on campus to take the midterm and final. The assignments for Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10 must be submitted at the time you take your midterm. No late work will be accepted. The assignments for Chapters 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 18 must be submitted at the time you take your final. No late work will be accepted. (5) Do not submit your assignments electronically. The assignments must be submitted when you come on campus to take your midterm and final. (6) If you are not able to complete an online research assignment for a particular chapter because of some problem (for example, the website that you need to access to complete the assignment is no longer operational), then substitute this assignment: Write a one-page critique of one of the websites listed in the “Law on the Web” section for that chapter. In your critique, you may want to answer questions such as: What are the strengths/weaknesses of this site? What did I learn by visiting this site? How could this site be improved? How did this site improve my understanding of business law? “Law on the Web” can be accessed by clicking “Resources,” then “Weblinks Resources,” then “Law on the Web.”
Midterm The midterm consists of 70 multiple choice questions worth two points each taken from Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10. These questions are taken from the computerized test bank that accompanies the book. (For sample test questions, click “Text Homepage,” then click “Test Tutor – Online Quizzes.” Do NOT type in the instructor’s email address; do NOT email your answers. These are just practice questions. You may also want to take these practice test questions before taking the online quizzes for each chapter.) The midterm must be taken on campus. See “Calendar” for the dates, times, and locations. *Photo ID is required.
Final The final consists of 70 multiple choice questions worth 2 points each taken from Chapters 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 18. These questions are taken from the computerized test bank that accompanies the book. The final must be taken on campus. See “Calendar” for dates, times, and locations. *Photo ID is required.
Participation Your participation grade is determined by the number, quality, and relevancy of your postings to the “Discussions” forum. The “Discussions” forum can be accessed by clicking the “Communicate” icon on the WebCT homepage, or in the “Contents” module. Students are required to make a minimum of one substantive posting per chapter. A substantive posting either (1) replies to a discussion question posted by the author of the textbook (Clarkson) or the instructor (David Cooper) , or (2) replies to another student’s answer to a discussion question, or (3) poses a new discussion question. “I agree,” “Right on, bro,” or “You da man” would not be substantive postings. If you do not know how to participate in the discussion forum, click “Learn WebCT” and find the section on discussions. When you enter the “Discussions” page, click on the appropriate chapter. Each chapter contains between 5 and 10 discussion questions. You do not have to answer each question.
Drop Policy Any student who has not logged on to the course by the end of the second week will be dropped from the course. Any student who fails to take a chapter quiz for 3 consecutive weeks will be dropped from the course.
Time Commitment In a typical week, plan on spending at least the following amount of time:
Read chapter outline 15 minutes
Visit web sites 30 minutes
Complete online research assignment 60 minutes
Read chapter 120 minutes
Take online quiz 15 minutes
Participate in discussion forum 60 minutes
Total: 300 minutes (5 hours per week)