Assignments & Grading Policy

Contrary to popular (and false) belief, I consider that an excellent final grade should be the result of excellent performance both at the Testing Center and in the classroom.  An "A" should not be given simply because someone is "nice" (whatever that means) or has a testimony of the gospel. That high grade should be reserved for those who read all the assignments, attend class regularly, participate in classroom discussion frequently, and study for the exams diligently.  This is the breakdown of the total points possible in this class:

            The final grades will be assigned according to the following scale:

A     585-600	B-   525-539	D+  460-474
A-    570-584	C+  505-524	D    445-459
B+   555-569	C     490-504	D-  430-444
B     540-554	C-   475-489	F    001-429

Final grades will not be determined by percentages shown on the Canvas system.  But you will be able to estimate your final grade by observing this grading scale.

Weekly Attendance and Online Quizzes Attendance and participation in the classroom are required, according to current university policies that reflect recommendations from federal and state health authorities. The weekly quizzes are meant to help you prepare for both the midterm and final exams. These quizzes will contain the Questions for Review from the reading assignments' web pagesLinks to an external site. Don't worry about your score in each quiz. They will not count towards your final grade in this class. But your score in each quiz will tell you how well you are preparing for the exams. That should give you a very good chance to obtain excellent scores in both exams--unless you don't want to. Unlike the two exams, the weekly quizzes will be open-book, open-notes, but "closed neighbor".  You are bound by your honor to answer those questions without the assistance of others--except in cases of officially recognized physical disabilities, in which a reasonable accommodation will have to be approved by the teacher in advance. Exams There will be one midterm and one comprehensive final exam, both administered through the Canvas system.  A study guide for each exam is incorporated in the reading assignments' web pages (click on "Course Schedule" hyperlink above).  In the event of exams taken late due to non-extenuating circumstances (see "House Rules" below), a penalty of 15 points may be imposed.  Extenuating circumstances that could waive this penalty should be reported immediately. For more information about the official university schedule for final exams, go to https://registrar.byuh.edu/registrar/final-exam-schedule Response Paper Option #1 Choose one of the reading assignments out of the Doctrine and Covenants (not the Bible; nor the Book of Mormon).  Develop a few impressions about some of the topics of the specific revelation.  It may be something relative to your life, or to an article or book you have read, or to a movie, a play, etc.   How does the revelation relate to your experience?  Does it help you understand the world better?  Did you gain any new insights? Alternatively, you may start with a topic of your choice--something very relevant to you at this time--and then discuss how revelations recorded in the Doctrine & Covenants help you better understand that topic of your choice. Option #2 Compare the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple (Doctrine & Covenants section 109) with the dedicatory prayer of the temple closest to your home.  Discuss the commonalities and differences between the two prayers. (For a complete list of temples and their respective dedicatory prayers, go to: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/temples/list?lang=eng) Feel free to consult with me on how to develop the paper.  I am your "number 1" resource.  Come to my office, "chat" with me via e-mail, call me on the phone, etc.  But please, avoid "half-baked," simplistic, childish, "fluffy" nonsense.  Make sure you read my handout "A Few Ideas for Outstanding Academic Papers" The paper should be no longer than 3 pages (double-spaced, using a 12-point font, and 1 inch margins). For more information about the response paper, watch my YouTube video: Instructions for the Response Paper The paper is due on Friday, November 17 New: Papers submitted late without a reasonable explanation may be penalized with a 10-point loss per work day. Do not print the paper; just upload it using the Canvas system.  Use formats ".doc" or ".docx" (Microsoft Word), or ".pdf" (Adobe Acrobat). Once again, I encourage you to read my handout "A Few Ideas for Outstanding Academic Papers" A Word about AI (Artificial Intelligence) Text Generators As a former systems analyst in the IT industry (decades ago), and now as a social scientist I have seen that demonizing a technology or art form--rather than the improper use of a technology or art form--only makes leaders and naysayers look foolish as time goes by. For example, television, the internet, jazz, IVF-in vitro fertilization, rock-and-roll … all have been at one time or another been decried as "the devil’s tool" by neo-Luddites. Since I refuse to act like a 21st century Luddite, here is how I would envision a proper use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) text generators in academia: •    Idea Generators - students occasionally may face “writer’s block” when starting to write a paper, especially papers in classes not closely related to the students’ majors. But even beyond that, an AI text generator could provide students and even seasoned scholars with potentially mind-blowing associations of ideas that might lead to some of the most creative writings of their careers. I could envision people going beyond the traditional "I'm-writing-about-repentance-because-I-want-to-understand-more-about-it". Like I wrote in a post on social media in early 2023, “Go Beyond” sameness and obviousness. •    Paper rough drafts – An AI text generator could provide students with a first rough draft that could serve as a springboard for a final draft with more of the students’ thoughts and conclusions. However, students would then have to submit both the first and the final drafts, so I can evaluate how much of the paper was generated by AI and how much was by “SI” (student intelligence). So far, no technology can surpass human intelligence, creativity and much less human feeling and "spirit". Some of the best academic writing happens when all these elements combine to produce quality essays, papers, articles and book manuscripts that have the potential to change lives--including the writers' own lives.

 

	Additional Information
	Official Communications Class announcements will be made via e-mail.  You are responsible to check your e-mail "inbox" regularly.  E-mail messages sent to BYU Hawaii e-mail addresses are considered official notification of course policies and procedures.
	Disabilities & Special Circumstances If you have a diagnosed disability or believe that you have a disability that may require reasonable accommodation, let me know right at the beginning of the semester. My role and function as a teacher are to assist you in achieving spiritually enriching, rewarding, and intellectually stimulating experiences in and out of the classroom. Your concerns and suggestions--whenever you have them--will always be appreciated. For more information, go to https://disability.byuh.edu/	Mental Health Resources As a college student, there may be times when personal stressors interfere with your academic performance and/or negatively impact your daily life. If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health challenges at BYUH, please contact Counseling Services at (808) 675-3518. Services are free and confidential. For more information, visit https://counseling.byuh.edu/. Free mental health self-help resources are available through TAO Connect. To access them, simply go to https://us.taoconnect.org/register and sign in using your BYUH email address. In a crisis situation, or after hours, please contact BYUH Campus Safety at (808) 675-3911 or call 911 if you are off campus. You can also call the 24-hour crisis hotline at 1-800-753-6879 or contact the Crisis Text Line at 741-741.
	Additional Information for In-Person Classes
	House Rules I like to use BYU-H's Honor Code to our advantage. This Honor Code is based on mutual trust. That implies a commitment to be "... honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous ..." (The 13th Article of Faith). In practice, that requires us to give credit to others' ideas, to speak the truth and accept full responsibility for our actions--or for the lack of them. That commitment also requires us to respect and to develop love for each other as children of the Most High and heirs of eternal kingdoms, independent of our differences in ideas, beliefs, gender, race, or national origin. As a consequence of the commitment to accept full responsibility for our actions, there will be no make-up exams, and no assignments for extra credit. The exercises (or exams, if you prefer) will not be given on dates different than the ones mentioned here, except in cases of extenuating circumstances. Extenuating circumstances do not include the following: forgetfulness, early travel arrangements, homesickness, your best friend's wedding, a mid-semester family vacation, the death of your family's dog, a great surfing day, the discovery of your eternal companion, assignments for other classes, pizza parties, and other similarly unholy and impure excuses. Cases of conflicting final exam schedules, serious infirmities, or other truly extenuating circumstances, should be reported immediately and not postponed until the day before an exam. If you are planning to get married within the next 4 months, please, try to schedule your ceremony for a non-conflicting date. (This request does not apply to births, of course ...) Classroom Etiquette I believe that the university's dress and grooming standards reflect the standard that any educated and civil person should adopt anywhere in the world.  As a professor as well as a Church high priest I adhere to that standard and expect all my students to do the same. Since our classes are held in a sacred building, we must display the proper reverence and demeanor suitable to a house of worship.  I ask that you refrain from wearing hats, shorts, "grubby attire," beachwear,  and from enjoying foods and drinks in the classroom. Falling asleep occasionally is forgivable, but chatting during lectures is not. To avoid distractions to you and others, while in class, please turn off cell phone ringers--and do not take calls or messages while in class.  If you are expecting an emergency call, it might be better for you to miss class and take care of the emergency.  Just be sure to send me an e-mail explaining the nature of that emergency.  By the way, talking to an old friend, or to your sweetheart in Bangkok, Beijing, or Boston does not constitute an "emergency"--unless he/she is about to undergo brain surgery. Laptops and Cell Phones in Class For those among you who are "techno buffs": you are welcome to download the readings to your laptop or access them online in class. Feel free to share online your ideas, opinions, questions, or short accounts of non-confidential experiences in response to any of the assigned readings or to an idea shared during classroom discussion.  In fact, you are welcome to include your Facebook friends in our discussions--but your interactions must be about the topics being discussed in class, not unrelated matters.  I count on you to honor this requirement! You are welcome to share with the class the comments and questions your online friends may send you.  All such communications must be intelligent, respectful of others, and real contributions to our education. Other than the interaction described above, be sure that during class you will use your computer or cell phone to explore that day's reading assignment, not for mindless social networking, e-mail, games, or work for other classes. Those who use their cellular phones to browse the web are welcome to access the readings in class that way, but the ringer must be silent during class. No phone calls or text messaging are allowed!  Any exceptions to this must be due to a (real) emergency and cleared with me before each class. I will not constantly monitor what you do with your electronic devices in class, but if I catch you indulging in stuff unrelated to class, well ... "Houston, we'll have a problem ..."	Participation Class participation will be judged on both the amount and the quality of your questions, comments and contributions to the progress of your peers. The breakdown for those 100 precious points is the following:  Attendance     up to 50 points A lot of money and resources are spent in your maintenance in college. So, the least one can do is to attend classes and try to gain the most from them. Occasionally, circumstances may lead you to miss one class period.  Absences due to illness (with a doctor's note), job interview, field trip in another class, or due to university performance groups, will be waived, but you need to inform me immediately.  In all other cases there will be a penalty of minus 15 points for each absence. If you need to leave class early, please let me know at the beginning of class.  But if you leave class less than 25 minutes after the roll call, or if you sneak out, you will be considered absent on that day, and will lose 15 points.  Arriving in class more than 15 minutes late--without a reasonable explanation--will also be considered an absence. Comments in Class      up to 50 points Our objective with this exercise is to learn from the inspired insights we will gain while studying the readings. Please, avoid "half-baked" remarks (i.e. overly simplistic or unrelated to the assigned chapters) or mere quotations from general authorities. As a college student you must develop analytical skills and find the practical implications of your readings. Our class periods should be seen as opportunities for mutual enlightenment. I encourage and expect many exchanges of ideas and experiences from your service in the Church. If you consider yourself shy, I recommend that you put your shyness in a box and mail it to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean (the Pacific isn't far enough). While in college, take advantage of the resources available to you and "re-engineer" yourself, thus becoming an active participant in a society. Semester-long silence will be rewarded with 0 (zero) points. Frequent "parallel conversations" (i.e. chatting with classmates often about matters unrelated to the class) may be penalized with a 5-point discount. What If English Is Not Your Native Language? Once again, no problem.  You are welcome to pray in class in your own language ... provided that there is someone available to translate your words into English--for the benefit of all those present.  Take a look at the Apostle Paul's words on the subject: "For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.  ... [When] thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room ... say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?"  (1 Corinthians 14:14, 16) What If You Belong to Another Faith? No problem at all. I am a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I respect whatever religious background you come from. I will never be my intention to offend you or hurt your feelings. I will teach you according to my beliefs in the hope that if you do not accept the restored gospel, at least you will understand the core beliefs of the Latter-day Saints, and help dispel many of the myths and misconceptions about those beliefs. We still would like you to be a good friend of the Church.

Copyright © 2000-2023 - Marcus H. Martins