Introduction

This manual is created in order to guide students through courses handled by Mathai Baker Fenn. Though the manual is self-explanatory, it will be discussed in the first contact session and any issues may be clarified during the same.

Communication/Contact

E-mail: mathai@fenn.net (Or any other email id you have been given)

E-mail is the preferred way to contact me, as I check mail at least once a day (often more than once). The e-mail address to use is mathai@fenn.net . If you do not get a response within a reasonable time, please re-send the mail to mathaifenn@gmail.com , as 1 have experienced loss in transmission of e-mail. I prefer e-mail as non-formatted text, since different e-mail client programs handle formatted text differently. Most of the time, I only accept hard copy submissions. In exceptional cases where I may accept online submissions, it is your responsibility to see that submissions are free of computer viruses. If you require to send formatted documents, I encourage you to use html. This can be easily achieved by typing the document in word and then using the "save as" function to save as html. If your submission has a virus, I cannot open it and you will be scored as if you haven't submitted the same to me.

In addition, you may be required to join a mailing list which would be used for distributing all assignments and other class materials. You are required to give your preferred mail address while registering (Please fill in all fields).

Telephone

If you have difficulty contacting me, do get in touch with my assistant or on my mobile: +91 9980051414 (within india)

The information give here is the default information. You may be given additional information in the class.

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Personal Meetings

Apart from the regular contact within the classroom, specific time slots may be allocated for one to one academic interaction. This time is intended for those who would like to clear any doubts or raise any concerns regarding the course. (It would be a good idea to call up and check before you actually come and meet me.) If time slots are not allocated for your course, please call me and check if I am available.

You are encouraged to do some thinking/work before you meet me on a topic. For example, if you are required to work on a project, please complete some work by yourself, pass on the document to me, so I can take a look at it, and then schedule a meeting. For a group project, I request the entire group or a designated team representative to meet me, as I don't want to repeat myself to each member of the group.

You are also encouraged to visit my family and me at our residence whenever you are in the vicinity. Again remember to give me a call before you drop in.

Submissions

Time Frames

You are required to submit take home assignments within a specified time frame, Delay beyond that time frame will result in forfeit of marks as per the schedule given below. It is important to remember that with all submissions beyond the deadline, you are required to give an explanation for the delay in writing.

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Delay in submission will result in forfeit as per the schedule below

Delay (hours) Marks Forfeited Deadline to 3 hours 10% 3 Hours to 24 hours 20% Beyond 24 hours 50%

(The above table may or may not apply in your particular case, please clarify at the beginning of the course or at the time the assignment is given to you)

The above criteria will be strictly adhered to, no matter how genuine the excuse. This procedure allows the student can make the necessary choice in situations beyond his or her control.

In some cases it may be that the student lost her formatting or is physically unable to submit an assignment completed as per schedule. Under such circumstances, I will accept an electronic submission (with all the content). But I will evaluate only the hard copy and hence submission of the hard copy within 24 hours of the deadline is essential.

Content

It is important to bear in mind that a take-home assignment is different from a classroom assignment. Here are some pointers to assist you in preparing one.

You are required to use sources (properly acknowledged) but integrate them in your own words. If I find two answers to resemble each other closely, they will both receive zero on the assignment/quiz. This does not necessarily imply that they have copied from each other. (It could be because they have both followed the same source material too closely).
Formal analysis is required even if the question sounds informal. What is tested is your ability to use the concepts and skills learnt as a result of the course, hence you are required to demonstrate this through the use of appropriate analytical framework. But please make sure that the analytical framework is best suited for the problem at hand.
Unless otherwise mentioned, each submission has a limit of three sides of A4 size paper. Use single space and font size of 10 or above. This limit is exclusive of references, facing sheet and appendices (if any). Every assignment should have a facing sheet, which clearly states the students name, roll no. and class/batch. It should also contain the date and the deadline (time of submission, in case of delayed submissions.. to be signed in the presence of the person accepting the assignment) (The template for the same will be distributed to you). You are also required to attach a copy (or the original) of the question paper. If it is e-mail, please take a print out of the same. (This step has become necessary, since I have found that some students do not answer to the question.. perhaps including a copy would bring about a better focus).
It is absolutely important to formally acknowledge all sources used for the assignment. A standard format (AMJ, APA, etc.) is to be used with both "in text" and references citations. A good method would be to select a good article from a reputed journal and keep a copy of the article with you for reference on how citations are to be made. Check out the MLAGEN page for a software that could help you do this. Check this link to see how the American Psychological Association requires you to give references. It may look complicated at first, but its a skill worth having. A skill that will stand you in good stead in all academic endeavours.

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of all submitted material until the grades are finally released. You may keep them as hard copies or soft. Go to the top of the page
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Feedback:

For purposes of feedback, a detailed mail will be sent to the class within 7 days of submitting the completed assignment. The mail will discuss the overall performance, with specific comments on how performance can be improved. This is intended to take the place of more detailed one to one discussion on the paper, and is based on a sampling of the submitted papers. However individual students are always welcome to discuss their paper, when they are returned. Discussions can be scheduled as per the norm given above (see personal meetings).

Submissions and Grading

Submissions

All submissions are to be made to my secretary, or other channel, on the appointed date. Those who are not able to meet the deadline will credits as per guidelines given elsewhere. You are required to keep a soft copy or photocopy of all submissions until the grades of the course are announced.

Hand-written copies will be acceptable for deadline purposes. However, I will require a hard copy (computer printout or typewritten copy) within 24 hours (this time limit may be changed for submissions that are sent in from off-campus locations).

Note On Virus: Please refer to the note on computer viruses earlier on in this document.

Grading Scheme:

This section on grading may NOT apply to all classes/courses. The specific pattern for your grades will be discussed in the classroom
Grades will be allotted individually and over all, using the following scheme. Criteria for each component will be decided individually. Your score can change by one grade point when computing the overall score. For example, if you have a B score in the individual components, your overall grade can be a B+ or a B-, This takes into the account that the sum of the parts don't make up the whole. This score will depend on the "overall impression".

The scheme is indicative and marks may be awarded on a continuous scale, rather than on a discrete scale that the scheme might appear to imply. There are of course other factors. For example a particular response may be poor in terms of comprehensiveness, but good in structured presentation or in creativity. Such factors will be considered and added to the scale mentioned.

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IMPORTANT NOTE ON PLAGARISM

If there are two papers which looks identical or even suspiciously similar, yet haven't given references to show that they selected sections from the same source, they will both receive Zero on that component of the evaluation (the whole quiz, submission, etc. not the particular question). So please be careful when you share knowledge and remember to give proper references.

Grading Scheme

Grade	Explanation	Percentage Points
A+	Has a "plus" some new insight or other value addition (e.g. publication)?	100
A	Good	75
B+	Well arranged and formatted	65
B	Includes all the essential content	50
B-	Hasn't covered essential content	40
C	Poor	35
D	Not even attempted properly	0

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Mathai Baker Fenn Ph.D. , Apt 12., 14/4, 8th Cross, 1st Main, SG Palya, Bangalore 560029
Mobile +91 9980051414 Telephone +91 (0)80 421 221 46
Personal Website www.fenn.net Personal Email: m a t h a i @ f e n n . n e t