Week 0: Course Orientation
Week of Mon, Aug 17 · week closes Sun, Aug 23
This week's items
- Course syllabus reviewpoints in Canvas
- Canvas navigation & join codepoints in Canvas
- Introductions discussion postpoints in Canvas
Exact due times are in Canvas.
Read this week
Know these cold
- Read the full course syllabus in Canvas before the first class.
- Note the two speech due dates — Informative and Persuasive — and mark them on your calendar now.
- Complete the Canvas Introductions post (5 pts) in the first week.
- Bookmark the LibreTexts OER: it's free and covers every topic on exams.
- Understand the grading scale: 90–100% = A, 80–89% = B, 70–79% = C, 60–69% = D, <60% = F.
- The mastery gate for each week is 85% on your first attempt — read the notes before you quiz.
- Set up your topic ideas folder now — you'll need a topic for your Informative Speech on the arts.
- Review the 9 course outcomes — every quiz and exam tests these directly.
Baseline Exam — your starting point
Week 0 has no gate quiz. Your one-time Baseline Exam is what opens Week 1. It measures where you start — it is not a grade.
Stuck?
Raise your hand. Mr. James gets a message right away and can help you remotely. Nothing else is stored — just your last name, grade, and where you're stuck.
Dinner Table Question
Ask at home: What do you hope to improve most about your communication skills this semester — and in what part of your life will that improvement matter most?
En español: ¿Qué aspecto de tu comunicación quieres mejorar más este semestre — y en qué área de tu vida marcará más la diferencia?