We are dedicated to the learning, engagement, and success of our students.
First-year composition students at the University of Oklahoma arrive in our classrooms from all over the world and with varied backgrounds and experiences, creating a unique, collaborative learning environment. We know firsthand how motivated, capable, and compassionate you all are. It's a pleasure to have you in our courses.
This section is intended for you, our students, and covers what you can expect from your instructors, our policies, frequently asked questions, a description of our courses, and links to other resources you may find helpful.
As a student in our courses, you are reponsible for knowing and following our policies, which are articulated below:
The University of Oklahoma (OU) is committed to the goal of achieving equal educational opportunity and full educational participation for students with disabilities. If you have already established reasonable accommodations with the Accessibility and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), please submit your semester accommodation request through the ADRC as soon as possible and contact me privately, so that we have adequate time to arrange your approved academic accommodations.
If you have not yet established services through ADRC, but have a documented disability and require accommodations, please complete ADRC’s pre-registration form to begin the registration process. ADRC facilitates the interactive process that establishes reasonable accommodations for students at OU. For more information on ADRC registration procedures, please review their Register with the ADRC web page. You may also contact them at (405)325-3852 or adrc@ou.edu, or visit www.ou.edu/adrc for more information.
Note: disabilities may include, but are not limited to, mental health, chronic health, physical, vision, hearing, learning and attention disabilities, pregnancy-related. ADRC can also support students experiencing temporary medical conditions.
You may accrue 3 unexcused absences for a MWF schedule or 2 unexcused absences for a TR schedule, but your final course grade will be reduced by 2% for a MWF schedule or 3% for a TR schedule for each unexcused absence thereafter. For example, if you have an 80% in the class but have 4 unexcused absences (for a MWF class), your final course grade will be a 78%.
To receive an excused absence, you must provide official documentation; if for a sponsored University activity (such as intercollegiate athletics), documentation must be provided in advance. Otherwise, you must provide documentation within 2 weeks of the date of the absence for it to be excused.
Accommodations and excused absences may be granted in such situations on a case-by-case basis.
Revision is central to the development of your projects in each unit. You will regularly workshop your ideas and projects with others in class and you will revise your arguments and designs throughout the course. You will also receive feedback from your instructor on your rough drafts.
Final essays that do not meet minimum word count requirements will receive a percentage deduction (for example, an essay that includes only 75 percent of the required word count will start with a maximum grade of 75 instead of 100). If I provide word counts for homework assignments, incomplete work will also receive deductions based on completion percentage.
If a final essay does not meet the minimum length requirement and you have not used your one time, two-calendar day late work extension, you may use your extension on this essay. However, the two-calendar day extension begins on the original due date, meaning that in order for your essay to be accepted and graded, you must turn in a complete draft within two days of the original due date. This counts as your one-time extension and you will not be able to use it more than once. To be clear, your Works Cited does not count toward the word count.
Daily homework assignments are critical for developing research and writing skills and used for in-class activities, so daily work cannot be made up unless student has accrued an excused absence or has made arrangements with me to complete missing work in advance and the type of assignment is appropriate for make-up work (meaning, assignments that are required for in-class peer work cannot be made up). No daily assignments from previous units may be made up, as assignments work toward specific unit goals. Because essay drafts are used for peer review, no late drafts will be accepted.
Each student has one two-calendar day extension for major essay assignments. In order to use this extension, you must notify me by email, and that notification must be submitted to me by the assignment’s original due date. You cannot use this extension for your final project (Unit 4), because there is not time at the end of the semester to accommodate extensions.
OU’s Academic Integrity website provides the definitions of academic integrity, academic misconduct, plagiarism, collaboration, and cheating that are used by all instructors, in all courses at the University of Oklahoma. You are individually responsible for accessing, reading, and understanding these definitions, and for seeking assistance if you don’t fully understand any terms or concepts before you submit any work for a grade.
The most common violation of academic integrity in First-Year Composition courses is plagiarism; according to the Office of Academic Integrity, the following rules apply to these cases:
Violations of academic integrity carry penalties up to and including suspension or expulsion from the university.
Important note regarding contestation of misconduct: In the event of plagiarism, instructors have the ability to assign either an admonition or a violation. Any student who receives an admonition or violation can contest it. To do so, the student must request an investigation by contacting Lexi Walton at acwalton@ou.edu. Any student who receives a charge of academic misconduct can deny the charge through an appeals process.
Should you need modifications or adjustments to your course requirements because of documented pregnancy-related or childbirth-related issues, please contact your professor or the Accessibility and Disability Resource Center at 405-325-3852 as soon as possible. Also, see the Institutional Equity Office FAQ on Pregnant and Parenting Students’ Rights for answers to commonly asked questions.
The University of Oklahoma faculty are committed to creating a safe learning environment for all members of our community, free from gender and sex-based discrimination, including sexual harassment, domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, in accordance with Title IX. There are resources available to those impacted, including: speaking with someone confidentially about your options, medical attention, counseling, reporting, academic support, and safety plans. If you have (or someone you know has) experienced any form of sex or gender-based discrimination or violence and wish to speak with someone confidentially, please contact OU Advocates (available 24/7 at 405-615-0013) or University Counseling Center (M-F 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 405-325-2911)
Because the University of Oklahoma is committed to the safety of you and other students, and because of our Title IX obligations, I, as well as other faculty, Graduate Assistants, and Teaching Assistants, are mandatory reporters. This means that we are obligated to report gender-based violence that has been disclosed to us to the Institutional Equity Office. This includes disclosures that occur in: class discussion, writing assignments, discussion boards, emails and during Student/Office Hours. You may also choose to report directly to the Institutional Equity Office. After a report is filed, the Title IX Coordinator will reach out to provide resources, support, and information and the reported information will remain private. For more information regarding the University’s Title IX Grievance procedures, reporting, or support measures, please contact the Institutional Equity Office at 405-325-3546.
The English Department requires instructors to collect all graded major writing assignments by the end of each semester, and keep them until the grade challenge period for that semester has passed.
FYC Grade Challenge Policy
Academic Appeals at the University of Oklahoma and the Department of English follow a three-step process:
Office of First Year Composition Grade Review Process
When a student has questions about essay grades or the final course grade, the first step is to meet with their instructor face-to-face to discuss the grade. Normally a student’s instructor can explain how grades are assigned as well as answer questions about student performance and evaluation. If issues related to the assigned grade remain unresolved even after the student meets with her or his instructor, the student may file a grade appeal with the Office of First Year Composition. The nature of the grievance must meet the criteria stated in this policy. Disliking a teacher or a teacher’s style is not reason enough for a grade change. Instances when a student feels a teacher is too harsh or strict in evaluation or when a student believes a teacher is ineffective are normally not grounds for filing a grade appeal.
You may appeal the assigned grade if the instructor has violated published policies and procedures, if the instructor has demonstrated prejudiced or capricious evaluation, or if the instructor has shown a consistent inability to communicate with students in ways necessary to their success.
Students may submit an essay during the semester or after the semester concludes up until the grade appeal deadline. If the student decides to appeal a grade during the semester, s/he must first meet with her/his instructor within 15 business days of receiving the grade. If the student and the instructor are unable to reach an understanding, the student may submit the essay in question, along with the completed grading rubric, to the Office of First Year Composition. Students appealing a grade must also submit a written request via email. This request should explain the student’s reasons for disputing the grade and should also indicate how the conversation with the instructor was unable to produce resolution or clarity.
The instructor must submit a letter of explanation, the original graded essay(s), assignment sheet(s) and grading criteria/rubric(s), and any other relevant material. All materials will be reviewed holistically by at least two members of FYC staff. Each reviewer will determine if the instructor’s assessment practices are consistent with published policies and procedures and avoid prejudice or capriciousness. Once two members of FYC staff have reviewed all materials (collected from both teacher and student), they will each put their assessment in writing and submit all materials to the Director of First Year Composition. The Director(s) will make the final assessment. Once the decision has been made, both instructor and student will be notified immediately.
If the student is unsatisfied with FYC decision, they must meet with the Director of The Office of First Year Composition. After this meeting, the student may appeal to CAS within 10 business days.
The deadline to file a grade dispute for a fall course is February 15th. The deadline to file a grade dispute for a spring course is September 15th.
ENGL 1013 is English for Exchange Students.
Currently, we do not offer any test for receiving full credit for ENGL 1113 and 1213. For more information, please contact our office: fyc@ou.edu.
ENGL 1113 and ENGL 1213 use our custom textbook The Engaged Citizen: Writing and Speaking at the University of Oklahoma.
All sections of ENGL 1113 have been selected for an Inclusive Access program which provides less expensive digital course materials, easier purchase, and direct delivery through Canvas. All Inclusive Access digital course materials are provided to enrolled students by the first day of class through Canvas. The Inclusive Access materials are listed at Soonerbooks.com, but no further action is needed to purchase them. The student’s OU Bursar account will be billed directly for these digital materials at a significant discount.
There are a variety of reasons you might have a prerequisite hold when trying to enroll. Start by making sure you have the prerequisite(s) listed in the course catalog. If you are still unable to determine why you have the hold, contact the FYC Office for more information at (405) 325-5927 or fyc@ou.edu.
There are a variety of reasons you might have a prerequisite hold when trying to enroll. Start by making sure you have the prerequisite(s) listed in the course catalog. If you are still unable to determine why you have the hold, contact the FYC Office for more information at (405) 325-5927 or fyc@ou.edu.
Students may change sections of ENGL 1113 and 1213 during the first week of the semester as long as the class they are changing to has seats available. ENGL 1113 and 1213 classes both have a hard cap at 19 students by the University, so students should make sure that the section they are switching to has seats available before withdrawing from their current section. The cap of 19 students is not flexible under any circumstances, regardless of the teacher’s willingness.
After the first week of the semester has passed, students need to get the permission of the instructor of the section they are moving to before attempting the change. If permission is granted, the student will provide proof of the instructor’s permission to the FYC office, at which time the FYC staff will grant the change.
After the second week of classes, section changes must go through the dean’s office of the student’s home college.
The building that houses the Department of English, Cate Center 2, has three computer-mediated classrooms equipped with Macs for each student. The only way to know during your course selection process which sections are held in CMCs is to check the classroom number and building. Our CMCs are in CC2, rooms 110, 116, and 136.
All online sections are labeled “WEB” on Banner.
Contact the FYC office at (405) 325-5927 or fyc@ou.edu.
First check with Admissions in Buchanan Hall to determine if the courses you hope to transfer meet standard equivalency. If your coursework isn’t automatically counted as equivalent by Admissions, have your adviser send a syllabus from the coursework in question with an explanation of what course you want credit for to fyc@ou.edu for review. The FYC office will assess the syllabi and determine if the course may count as transfer equivalency for ENGL1113 or 1213 (depending on the student’s request) and report our decision to Admissions and to you.
The syllabus must include a description of the course and the major assignments, along with the grade breakdown of the course (how much each assignment is worth).
Email fyc@ou.edu with the following: which course you took, the semester and year you took the course, and the name of the instructor or the section of the course. We will determine if the syllabus remains in our records.
Academic Appeals at the University of Oklahoma and the Department of English follow a three-step process.
For more information, please visit the Academic Integrity homepage.
In most cases, the best first step is to visit your instructor’s office hours and or make an appointment to speak with them. If speaking with your instructor does not resolve the issue to your satisfaction, we encourage you to come speak with the FYC staff.
In a suspected case of plagiarism, the instructor may charge the student with either an admonition or an academic misconduct charge. Any student who receives an admonition can contest it. To do so, the student must contact the Student Conduct Office within 15 regular class days after receiving the admonition. Any student who receives the charge can deny it through an appeals process. For more information on this process, please visit integrity.ou.edu.
Typically, a D is considered passing. However, some majors (like Engineering for example) require a C or higher to be considered passing.
Regardless of writing ability or experience, the OU Writing Center is a vital tool to invention and revision. Because FYC emphasizes the import of revision, we strongly encourage all students to utilize our phenomenal writing center’s resources. The tutors and faculty members at the writing center help students at any stage of the writing process, from outlining in the initial stages to polishing late drafts. They can also provide additional assistance for students struggling with specific writing skills.
You can make an appointment online or by phone at (405) 325-2936, and you can drop in whenever they are open.
Goddard Health Services offers physical and mental health consultations, testing, and treatment. To speak with a representative or to schedule an appointment, please call
The University of Oklahoma provides individualized support services to help students achieve success on our campus. The Accessibility and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) provides a variety of support services to encourage full participation for students with various needs. The center strives to ensure equal educational opportunity and to alleviate often overlooked obstacles in the classroom.
You may reach the ADRC by dialing (405) 325-3852 or by emailing adrc@ou.edu.
The Compass Network is a Provost's initiative assisting undergraduate students facing a multiplicity of issues that could impact their success or degree completion. Our team works collaboratively with University partners to ensure care and support for our students.
If you are working with a student in need of assistance beyond what you feel you can provide as a faculty/staff member, contact us for a consultation or submit a referral at Compass Network.
Tutoring is available in multiples subjects and in multiple locations throughout campus. Please visit the tutoring website for more information.
Since academic advising is the key component to helping students graduate, the goal of academic advising is to help you succeed academically so that you can fulfill your dreams and meet your potential.
The mission of Student Life is to guide students in realizing academic, professional and personal goals as they progress toward graduation and beyond.
The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue is a great place to search for all your grammar, citation, and composition questions—and it’s available 24 hours a day, unlike your composition instructor.
The University of Oklahoma Libraries has made researching countless subjects available at the click of a button. With hundreds of databases available, students are able to do in-depth research from anywhere they have access to a computer and internet connection. The library has created a “Resources by Subject” section to help direct student research in particular areas of study and provide tools for researching their subject.
Along with online databases, the library also includes access to research guides and inter-library loans.
