The cartoons on this page, and other pages on Dr. Nilsson's CyberOffice, are included to challenge the students to take their college education seriously and to make students understand that diminishing academic standards and increasing problems with grade inflation are major problems in the United States today. If you are a serious student read the cartoons and smile, if you are not a serious student read the cartoons and think...
The cartoon is used for educational purposes by Dr. Nilsson, South Texas College, scanned, from The Monitor, McAllen.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR HOW TO TURN IN YOUR ASSIGMENT WORKSHEETS
(plus a bit of educational philosophy for worksheets)
Depending on the class, education articles for various projects and critical thinking are posted on-line; some may also be given to you in class. Under normal circumstances the instructor will not accept worksheets NOT following these instructions.
 These instructions are posted because before these rules were spelled out students often submitted poor work -- often ripped, coffee stained junk with less than half of the questions/blanks answered/filled in. If you want a good grade quality is important when you turn in assignments. The instructions are rather lengthy in order to try to cover all angles some students may use to avoid doing the project properly, avoid turning in project worksheets properly, or even avoid doing the project at all....
 However, simply put, for most of these projects you read something, you fill in a worksheet to "prove" that you read some of the assigned text, and you turn in the worksheet with a professional looking quality in a professional looking document container, a plastic sheet protector (described below). It is really quite simple, but some students appear not to understand -- hence this long document.
Read and follow the instructions below carefully -- especially if you are not a very neat and orderly student! Neat and orderly students will probably turn in their work neatly and orderly without having to read these instructions, but maybe you should read this page anyway -- just in case... Underlined words are links you may want to click on to educational articles related to the subject of this page
Remember the following: You EARN your grades in college. QUALITY COUNTS AND IS AN EASY WAY TO EARN HIGHER GRADES! (And lack of quality is an easy way to earn lower grades... (Tough?)
Alternative project: For reasons of accountability the worksheet a student turn in, including the document container (plastic sheet protector), will be retained as a permanent record at the end of the semester. If for some reason a student does not like the assigned readings or the assignment rules, an alternative project can be assigned to an individual student. As an alternative a student can arrange with the instructor -- at the beginning of the semester after reading this page, to write a short essay on the subject. The essay must be minimum 2000 words (slightly longer than this approximately 1600 word document, or about 6 pages 1.5 spaced font size 12 typed text), referenced, must be professional looking, properly stapled, properly hole punched, and have a professional looking title page, but it does not have to be submitted in a plastic sheet protector (as described below). This essay will replace all the assignment work sheets (the number of worksheet vary with project). Students will still have to read and research the essay, but may -- if so desired, select other sources outside the assigned reading for a particular project. The essay is due in class when the last worksheet (if more than one) is due. Students must still participate on-line in the WebCT discussions on the subject -- or earn a zero on the WebCT class discussion.
Timing: You must plan your time so that you have time to read all, or at least most, articles. You must submit the worksheets on time -- see the semester calendar for deadlines. Do not cram all the articles at the end or read all the articles all at once at the beginning of the semester.
To be environmentally friendly, many of the articles cannot be printed, so you must read the articles on the computer screen. If you have a dial-in account you are paying per minutes -- use the computers at STC if you don't want to pay.
Some semesters the worksheet is modified and therefore "in progress", and you will be informed, in class or on-line, when it is finished.
The worksheet is due AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS the day of the deadline (see calendar). Immediately after a class has started is considered LATE -- forgetful or procrastinating students cannot use the lectures or labs to finish the worksheet.  Late work will NOT be accepted. (This policy was updated on March 14, 2008. The reason behind is to prevent students from working with worksheets during the class period following the deadline. If not finished by the beginning of the class period during the deadline day -- the grade points are lost. (No exceptions for any reasons, including emergencies -- students have had the whole semester to finish the worksheets.)
Grading -- report of grade: (Note to students who don't want to do their own work.) The worksheets that only have "fill in the blanks" assignments are just for the purpose of making sure students read the articles.
(Yes, I know, some students don't read the articles anyway; just fill in the blanks by copying another student's work. By all means, go ahead and do so and remain uneducated, if cheating is all you want to do with your education. And, that goes also for students who allow other students to copy their work... or students who form a group and divide up the work: "We are not here to do work and learn; we are here to get a degree as easy as possible -- cheating if necessary." Hmmm!? The movie "Dumb and Dumber" comes to mind, because it is not that hard to read the articles. But there is not much a teacher can do about this way of "getting and education", but if discovered and done wrong the whole group will earn a low grade -- possibly a zero.)
For this reason the worksheets will not be returned if students get the grade 100. (14.III.2008) Grades lower than 100 may be picked up by students for inspection, but must then be returned in the sheet protector, for permanent storage in the assignment binder. (Only sloppy work and worksheets not filled in will earn you a grade below 100.) (14.III.2008)
Grading -- filling in blanks / writing worksheet text: You are not expected to spend hours and hours on the worksheet (or your reading) -- the worksheet is only worth a small percent of your total biology grade. However, you will be graded on if you followed instructions -- or not, and sloppy work and lack of care will NOT be accepted. The worksheet often has blanks that must be filled in. Some students prefer to retype / copy and paste the worksheet; if you do that, for grading purposes the worksheet must look identical and you must keep the blanks on the paper -- clearly visible. Fill in the blanks by writing legibly by hand or use a typewriter. Your answers must be unique, however, you are allowed to work together, but you are not allowed to turn in identical worksheets. Turning in identical worksheets is plagiarism.
(14.III.2008) Note again: you are allowed to work together, but you are not allowed to turn in identical worksheets. Turning in identical worksheets is plagiarism. (14.III.2008)
Grading -- worksheet container: When you submit the worksheets it should be in a plastic sheet protector. (Again, if you don't like this simple rule -- do the 2000 word essay option described above.)
A plastic sheet protector -- a sheet protector with the opening at the top ONLY of the protector. Do NOT select a sheet protector with the opening on the side nor one with the opening on both the side and the top. The sheet protector must be professional looking, clear, colorless, and clean. Crumbled up sheet protectors or sheet protectors with food stains or mysterious "decorations" will not be accepted. Do not write anything on the sheet protector itself. Your name and other information must be on the work sheet (on all pages if more than one). Do NOT use a title page. Keep the sheet protector clean and free of clutter! You may use the same sheet protector for all the worksheets in the SAME ASSIGNMENT. (Depending on the class you are in, there may be several assignments with the same requirements for submitting the worksheets.) The sheet protector will NOT be returned to you after grading, and will be retained at the end of the semester for accountability records. The plastic sheet protectors with submitted worksheets will be kept in a ring binder provided by the instructor. Student not returning a worksheet with a grade below 100 will receive the grade zero on that worksheet (again, worksheets with the grade 100 will not be returned).
Grading -- worksheet quality: Make sure you select a sheet protector of appropriate size. Do NOT cover the work sheet with a title page, but make sure your name is visible on the front, and use a clear, colorless, new sheet protector. If you put the worksheet in a plastic sheet protector you do not have to punch holes, but if you do, make sure you use a quality hole puncher, use correct margins and do not punch the holes in the text.
Grading -- worksheet collating: The worksheets must be collated properly (stapled and in correct order if more than one page). Your name must be written, legibly, on the first page of the worksheet. If irrelevant matters are in the sheet protectors your project will not be accepted, or given the grade zero.
In Conclusion: If you are uncomfortable with the rules and instructions described above -- do the 2000 word essay option instead. (See note on top of page.) As stated above, but worth repeating again, these rules are posted because of your instructor's experience with previous work. If you do not understand the instructions, print and bring a copy of this instruction page, and ask your instructor for help. Questions will NOT be answered if you don't have a printed copy of this page. However, the instructor will not answer questions about what is "professional looking", "clean", or "new" -- if you are not sure buy a new sheet protector.
The instructor will not tell you if your work is acceptable before you turn it in. You must do quality work, use COMMON SENSE, and be confident that your work is quality. Then turn it in for grading...
However, REALLY, the only way you will NOT get a good grade on this project is if you have no idea what "quality" is (all instructions are on this page -- read it carefully if you are unsure what common sense quality is) or if you turn in incomplete and/or late work.
Quality counts and is an easy way to earn higher grades! Have a good "reading"!
Final Addendum: Again, if you don't like these instructions -- do the essay...
Your Biology Instructor
The cartoons on this page, and other pages on Dr. Nilsson's CyberOffice, are included to challenge the students to take their college education seriously and to make students understand that diminishing academic standards and increasing problems with grade inflation are major problems in the United States today. If you are a serious student read the cartoons and smile, if you are not a serious student read the cartoons and think...
The cartoon is used for educational purposes by Dr. Nilsson, South Texas College, scanned, from The Monitor, McAllen.
Web page layout, design, intellectual property, © Jan A. Nilsson, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008. Page created 15.V.2004, last updated 14.III.2006.
Photo: Lantana ala fade in the Outback, © Jan A. Nilsson, 2004.
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