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I am having trouble with Ball Point or have suggestions for improvements. Who can I contact?
Please fill out this survey if you are having any issues with this textbook or email us at bsuwp@bsu.edu.
Why are writing classes required at Ball State?
The university community believes that achieving excellence in writing and reading serves you in five ways:
* Professionally, by forwarding your career goals and aspirations,
* Academically, by giving you practice in some of the genres and conventions of academic writing and research,
* Democratically, by enhancing your citizenship and participation in the public sphere,
* Critically, by fostering your development as thoughtful and reflective consumers/ producers of cultural products (both text-based and image-based), and
* Personally, by nurturing insights into the connections among self, others, and environment essential for self-actualization and aware everyday living.
Your experiences in Writing Program classes are designed to forward those goals, providing you with the learning necessary for you to succeed in your chosen career, involve yourself in the civic sphere (from neighborhood to national politics), assess and evaluate cultural pressures and products, and deepen your sense of yourself and your connection to the physical and social world around you.
Why is participation so important in this class?
Some things we may be able to learn by listening to someone talk about them, but many skills require that we actually take a hand at doing the skills, repeatedly, before we can achieve a level of proficiency. Part of the learning process involves making mistakes and getting feedback on those mistakes so we can do better the next time. Writing is a skill that we can hone by continual practice and feedback. Large group discussions and small group work allow students to build skills essential to writing. Peer feedback groups or partners give students specific feedback on their own work in order to continue to develop as a writer. Importantly, the acts of giving and receiving feedback, of contributing and listening in large group discussions, all help students become better at communicating.
Can I switch sections?
There is a small window for changing sections called the change-of-course period during the first five days of the semester. During that time, you may drop your current section and add the other section only if there are spots available. Instructors may not add or drop you; this is something you must do yourself. Instructions are available online or you may contact your advisor for help.
How do I find the Writing Program office? Who works in the Writing Program office?
The Writing Program office is on the second floor of Robert Bell in RB 295. You can call the office at 765-285-8370. In that office, you’ll find:
* Dr. Jennifer Grouling, Director of the Writing Program, View Email Address
* Mary Clark-Flynn, Associate Director of the Writing Program, View Email Address
* Janaè Thatch, Administrative Assistant
* Zachary Dwyer, Graduate Assistant Director
* Keith Jackson, Graduate Assistant Director
Also on the team, but more often in her own office, RB 263:
* Laura Romano, Assistant Director for Outreach and Curriculum, View Email Address
What are office hours? How do I find my instructor’s office?
Each writing program instructor has scheduled set hours each week to meet with students to answer questions. These are called “office hours” and you can expect to find your instructor in his or her office. Your instructor should list his or her office number and office hours on the course syllabus. If you cannot find the office, you can stop in the English Department office (Robert Bell 297) to ask for the office number. During office hours, your instructor may also be able to take phone calls or chat online with you. Check with your instructor if this is a possibility.
I’m having a family emergency. What do I do?
Notify your instructor as soon as possible about how the emergency will affect your attendance and work in the class. Note that your absences will not necessarily be excused (see below) by the instructor, nor is the instructor required to accept late work from you.
What are excused absences? If I tell my instructor I will be gone, is my absence excused?
The university student code allows excused absences in the case of the death of an immediate family member (see Student Code, Appendix M) and instructors may excuse you in the case of course field trips or related activities (see guideline here). As a student, you are responsible for providing documentation and for making up missed work. In all other cases (doctors’ appointments, illness, ill family members, car trouble, etc.), you may inform your instructor about having to miss a class, but you will not be “excused.”
How do I find out my current grade in this course?
At any point in the semester, you can ask your instructor to meet to discuss your grade. Some instructors will also post course grades on Canvas or BlackBoard. Ask your instructor if he or she will use one of these. Ultimately, however, it is your responsibility to keep track of your grades.
How do I withdraw from my course? When is the last day to withdraw?
During the course withdrawal period, you can withdraw from a course with by withdrawing through Self-Service Banner. A W will appear on your record for the course. You do not need your instructor’s permission to withdraw, but it may may be a good idea to consult with your instructor before taking this step. Also, we strongly recommend you consult with your advisor before withdrawing.
Should you need to withdraw from all classes after the semester begins, you must report to the Office of Retention and Graduation, SC L20, 765-285-3312. Staff members in this office will meet personally with students to assist them with all aspects of their withdrawal decision, including understanding how withdrawal affects grades, the refund of tuition/fees, adjustments to financial aid, a university housing contract, and plans for possible future re-enrollment.
A “W” will appear on your transcript for any class that you withdraw from, but it does not affect your GPA. (More information can be found here).
I’m having a difficult time in my writing class because of another student, a policy, an assignment, or because of my instructor. What do I do?
First step: talk to your instructor. Ask your instructor before or after class if there is a time you could meet to discuss your concerns. At the meeting, tell your instructor what your concerns are. Your instructor will listen and take appropriate action. If you have met with your instructor and you still have concerns, you may make an appointment to talk with the director of the Writing Program (Dr. Grouling: 765-285-8370 or View Email Address).
I’m not happy with my final grade. What can I do?
Ball State has a clear policy for appealing your final grade in the Student Code (section 6.7). To initiate the grade appeal process, you must contact your instructor in writing within 10 days of grade posting. The University Grade Appeal Committee will only address those appeals for which a procedural or fairness issue is in question. The criteria for a grade appeal are:
1. An obvious error in the calculation of the grade.
2. The assignment of a grade to a particular student by application of more exacting or demanding standards than were applied to other students in the course.
3. The assignment of a grade to a particular student on some basis other than performance in the course.
4. The assignment of a grade by a substantial departure from the instructor’s previously announced standards.
Please contact the Writing Program Director ((Dr. Grouling: 765-285-8370 or View Email Address) with questions on this process.
How do I get my final project or portfolio back from my instructor?
Your instructor will tell you when your project will be available for pick-up. Instructors are asked to keep projects or portfolios for the first month of the following semester; do not expect your instructor to save your project beyond this point.
I feel like I have experienced discrimination or harassment in the course. Where can I turn?
Ball State considers a biased incident to be: any behavior or act verbal, written or physical which is personally directed against or targets an individual or group based on perceived or actual characteristics such as race, color, religious belief, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, disability, veteran status, or age. Insensitivity or the expression of an idea some may find offensive are not necessarily bias-related incidents nor is your instructor disagreeing with your point of view.
If you wish to report and incident or are unsure if what you have witnessed or experienced is a bias incident, please email reportbias@bsu.edu or call 765-285-1344.
If you have experience sexual harassment or assault, you can talk to either confidential resources or nonconfidential resources. Please note that your instructor is a nonconfidential resources. If you confide in your instructor, they will need to contact the Title IX Office who will contact you with a list of resources you may or may not choose to take advantage of. The Title IX office (Ms. Katie Slabaugh, Associate Dean of Students/Title IX Coordinator, 765-285-5162) is a nonconfidential resource that handles formal cases of sexual harassment or discrimination based on sex or gender. Confidential resources include the Office of Victim Services, the Counseling Center, and the Health Center.
The Writing Program Director is also available to consult with you and direct you to appropriate resources related to discrimination or harassment. (Dr. Grouling: 765-285-8370 or View Email Address)
My instructor was awesome. Who should I tell?
Be sure to complete your end of the course evaluation. Evaluations are read carefully by your instructor and others in the department. You also could write a short note to your instructor letting him or her know how the class was valuable to you. Please consider sending your comments to the Director of the Writing Program, too.
My writing class was my favorite class this semester. What other classes would I like?
There are many classes where reading and writing are the focus in the English Department and probably in your major or minor. Ask your advisor to recommend some classes for you. If you enjoy the study of rhetoric and writing in multiple modes, you might consider coursework in the Rhetoric and Writing major or Professional Writing minor, like ENG 213: Introduction to Digital Literacies or ENG 231: Professional Writing. If you like discussing readings, you might like courses in Literature, like ENG 206: Reading Literature or ENG 230: Reading and Writing about Literature. Should you like to think about how languages work, you might like a course in Linguistics, such as ENG 220: Language and Society. Or, if you’d like to get more experience with creative genres, try ENG 285: Introduction to Creative Writing.
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