English 314    Technical Communication 
Classroom Courtesy
Proper classroom behavior should be self-explanatory; if you have questions, ask me. One aspect of courtesy I will mention here would be to respect your classmates' ideas. You do not have to agree with what anyone (including me) says or think every idea offered in class discussion is ingenious; however, to establish a safe and productive learning environment, ideas should be allowed to flow without negative criticism or ridicule.

While we do need to demonstrate professionalism in class, a professional atmosphere does not necessarily have to be an overly-formal atmosphere. Personally, I appreciate a more relaxed classroom atmosphere where I don't have to worry about formalities or wear a tie. However, we still need to get our work done.

Cellular Phones
All cellular phones, pagers, watch alarms, and any other similar devices that would cause a disturbance to class are to be turned off or left home. Failure to demonstrate this professional courtesy will have an extremely adverse effect on your grade. Using cell phones in class—even if it rings and you don't answer it—will get you kicked out of class for the day and count as you having skipped class. Turn these off.

If a family emergency or other situation of similar nature arises that requires you to keep in contact via phone, inform me at the beginning of class and keep your phone on silent ring. If you receive a call, leave class prior to answering the call.

E-mail Correspondence
Many people feel that e-mail is an informal form of communication, thus feeling as though it's appropriate to send an e-mail such as below to an instructor:

Subject: flunkin out
dude,
what's my grade? lemme know cuz i need to figure out if i should drop you're class or not... i'm not doin so hot, so i might just bail instead of getting a crap grade. later.
robmeister
--
robmeister@iastate.edu
"I only came here to do two things: drink some beer and kick some ass... looks like we're almost out of beer." - Dazed and Confused

As with the classroom atmosphere, e-mails as well do not have to be "stuffy," but they should at the very least be professional, grammatically-correct, and spell-checked:

Subject: Current English 314 Grade
Greg,
The last day to drop classes is next Friday, and I'm a little concerned about my grade in English 314. Could you send me my grade on our latest class assignment when you get that graded so I can calculate my current grade in your class and know whether I should possibly retake the course next semester? Thanks.
Rob
--
Robert Smith
rob@iastate.edu
Mechanical Engineering Student
Iowa State University

  
Course Information | Policy Sheet | Assignments | Class Activities | Class Notes | Resources