Communication Requirements and Feedback Policies

Instructor’s Policy Regarding Communication and Feedback to Students:

  • Your instructor will grade and return your essays electronically within 7-8 days. Please do not email grade-related questions before six days have elapsed.
  • 24-Hour Policy on discussing grades: all students shall wait 24 hours from the time they receive a grade on a major assignment before contacting the instructor concerning the grade. This allows students time to carefully review the assignment sheet and all grading comments on the essay itself.

Email Policy:

  • M-F 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
  • I will do my best to reply to your email within 24 hours during the standard workweek. However, I do not routinely answer emails during the weekend.Therefore, I advise students to complete their work by Friday and not wait until the weekend to contact me about issues or questions they have involving completing their assignments.
  • Please review the email etiquette file and remember that your audience expects emails to conform to expectations of communication found in a professional setting. Emails sent without a subject line, salutation, or that are unprofessional will be answered with a copy of our course email etiquette file and an invitation to revise and resend your email.
  • Email: [email protected]

Student Conferences:

  • All students are encouraged to set up an online conference with your Instructor at least once during the semester, although your instructor is available for more than one.
  • All students should set up an online or in-person conference with a Writing Center tutor at least once during the semester—for extra credit. There are UM Writing Centers at the Oxford, Tupelo, and DeSoto campuses, and they offer online sessions to students at all UM campuses, including Booneville, Grenada, and the UMMC in Jackson. You must show the tutor the assignment sheet for the essay you will be reviewing together and also have a printed copy of your paper when attending in-person appointments. Note that not all tutors are equal in their skill, and if you are not satisfied with their work, you should make an appointment with a different tutor.
  • You are strongly encouraged to work with a Librarian during the Research unit, and you may have a required video session with a Research Librarian during the Researched Argument unit.