Each course in the Program in Writing and Rhetoric has specific policies determined by the instructor. In addition to those specific policies, there are several policies that apply to all courses and all sections in the Program in Writing and Rhetoric.
Grade of "2.0"
A grade of "2.0" or better must be received in all Program in Writing and Rhetoric Courses for those courses to count toward the University's "C" credit.
Overloads and Auditors
Because of the importance of maintaining writing courses as small communities of writers, there are no overloads or auditors in 100-level Program in Writing and Rhetoric courses.
Instructors cannot issue add-codes for 100-level Program in Writing and Rhetoric courses; all students must register on-line. Any student not officially registered by the end of the first week of classes will not be allowed into a class even if other students drop the course during week two.
Drops
Students can withdraw from courses during the first two weeks without an entry being made on the transcript. After that time, fees ensue. See the University's withdrawal policy for more information and dates.
Incompletes
Receiving a grade of "I" for Incomplete is extremely rare in the Program in Writing and Rhetoric, as instructors are discouraged from issuing Incompletes. To receive an Incomplete, a special request must be made to the instructor and approved by the department. In addition:
- All student work must be complete through the eighth week of the quarter
- There must be a documented illness or extraordinary situation
- The advance permission of the Director of the Program in Writing and Rhetoric must be granted
- A written contract, stipulating when course work will be completed, must be arrived at between instructor and student
- Failure to complete the course by the end of the following quarter (summer term excepted) will result in a failing grade of 0.0
If a student leaves a class at any time during the the quarter without explanation, an Incomplete grade will not be considered. In such cases, grades are determined based on work submitted.
Amount of Writing
Courses in the Program in Writing and Rhetoric are graded classes. Students are expected to compose frequently, both in and out of class. The minimum writing requirement for our "C" classes is 7,500 words submitted, of which at least 3,600 must be graded. Students should thus expect to be turning in an average of 3-4 pages each week.
The final grades for all students in 100-level PWR courses (111, 121, 131, and 182) are determined by submission of a complete portfolio of student work; students must turn in a portfolio to receive credit for the course.
Academic Honesty
Instructors in the Program in Writing and Rhetoric adhere to the University of Washington's strict policy on academic honesty. It is the policy of the PWR to report all students suspected of plagiarism to the Office of Student Affairs for review.
Plagiarism in the Program in Writing and Rhetoric includes:
- failing to accurately cite sources
- representing someone else's work as your own
- undocumented paraphrasing
- the resubmission of work completed for another course or purpose
- undocumented collaboration
Student Conduct
All students in PWR courses are required to follow the University's Student Conduct Code.
Reaching Out
If you have any concerns about a course or instructor in the Program in Writing and Rhetoric please see the instructor about these concerns as soon as possible. If you are not comfortable talking with the instructor or not satisfied with the response that you receive, you may contact the PWR Director. Please see the PWR People Page for current staff offices, phone numbers, and email addresses. If, after speaking with the PWR Director you are still not satisfied with the response you receive, you may contact Anis Bawarshi, English Department Chair, in Padelford A-101, at (206) 543-2690.