Rules of Engagment

    •    Attendance

Students are expected to show up on time for class. Not a half hour after class has started; not five minutes after class has started. Every late student will be dunned 10 points per tardy attendance. Repeated tardiness will quickly add up, depressing a student's grade. Only two unexcused absences will be permitted - and only with advance notice by the day of the class. Ten points will be de-ducted from a student’s grade beginning with the third unexcused absence. Tardiness and absences will be tracked on blackboard.

•    Cellphones & backpacks

Students must leave cellphones, PDAs, iPods and all other electronic communication devices in their backpacks and those backpacks must be placed in the corner of the classroom away from themselves. Any student caught three or more times with a ringing cellphone, receiving or sending a text message may suffer up to a full one-point loss in his or her final grade.

    •    Deadlines                                                                                
Every assignment is due at the time of class.  No emailed assignment will be accepted unless you also show up in class on the day that it is due. In the rare instance that hard copies are requested of an assignment, don't expect to print papers in class or just before. No late assignments will be accepted, except by advance approval by the professor.  A zero or failing grade will be given for any late assignments. For stories that require two or more drafts, a first draft MUST be submitted - otherwise a zero will be given on the entire assignment or the final grade will be marked down by one full grade, depending on the professor's discretion.

    •    Accuracy & Plagiarism

Accuracy is the Holy Grail of all good journalism. You’ll be held to a high standard in this class. Misspelling a name or place on the first reference will automatically cost you 10 points. Any student caught copying the work of another, whether off the internet or from a colleague or book, will receive a failing grade on an assignment. Nor may students cite or quote a source from another publication. Students cannot use any source that they did not interview themselves for a story. 

In addition, using sources for stories or assignments that are known to the student. Journalism students must not use friends, family members, roommates, classmates or business associates – anyone they know – as subjects. If you believe an exemption is warranted, you must receive prior approval from your instructor

 In addition, any incidents of incorporating the work of others in your own may be reported to the Dean of the Journalism School.

    •    Computer use

Using the computer class during class is NOT permitted except to do in-class assignments.

    •    Blackboard

There is a Blackboard account for this course. Check daily for an-nouncements at http://blackboard.stonybrook.edu/. Students who have used Stony Brook's Blackboard system will find their login information (username and password) unchanged.  Students who have not used the system should be aware that usernames for Blackboard are identical to Sparky usernames.  Initial password is your SOLAR ID number.  For help, call 631-632-9602, or see: www.sinc.sunysb.edu—bbstudent.php.

    •    Guidelines for submitting story assignments

All assignments, except as specified by professor, must be emailed as a PDF file to this address: haddad210@gmail.com. In addition, the stories must be formatted in the format detailed below: 

• Typed & large font, 14 pt or larger
• Double-spaced
• In the top upper left hand corner student name, name of the assignment and date of the assignment
• In a footer a page number