Following the suggestions contained in the three lists on this page will put you on solid ground in my classes.

Five Simple Things You Can Do to Succeed in this Course

1. Do the readings. We won’t have time to discus every aspect of the readings in class, but that doesn’t mean they’re not important. Your ability to succeed on the major assignments will be greatly improved if you take the time to thoroughly review and comprehend the assigned readings.
2. Raise your hand. Participating in class discussions is a quick way to earn some easy points, not to mention the fact that lively discussions make class more enjoyable for everyone.
3. Find a friend. When you miss a class and need to find out what we did, your classmates should be your first resource. Find someone you can trust and exchange contact information so you can help one another when the need arises.
4. Play nice. A portion of your grade in this course will be determined by your work on collaborative assignments. You don’t need to be best friends with the other students in your group, but your success (and your grade) will be enhanced if you treat your classmates with kindness and respect.
5. Come see me. I am available for individual meetings on Mondays and Wednesdays during my office hours, and I can meet at other times as needed. When a minor issue arises, see me before it becomes a major problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How should I contact my instructor?
   The best way to contact me is by email (email hidden; JavaScript is required). I do my best to respond within twelve hours of receiving email. To meet with me in person, come to my office hours or email me to set up an appointment.
2. What should I do if I can’t make it to class?
   There are no excused absences (see my attendance policy), so you don’t need to explain to me why you won’t be in class. It is your responsibility to contact one of your classmates to find out what you missed.
3. What is my course grade so far?
   I believe you should always know where you stand with respect to your grades. I will enter all grades on the Blackboard site for this course, and you can monitor your progress at any time by signing in to Blackboard.
4. Will spelling, grammar, and punctuation affect my grade?
   This is an English class, so you will be expected to adhere to the conventions of standard written English. However, I hope you will come to see that little things like spelling and punctuation can have a big impact on how your writing is perceived in any setting, not just in the classroom.
5. Do you have a stapler?
   No.

Five Things You Can Do to Annoy Dr. Warnick

1. Let your cell phone ring in class. When you come to class, turn off your phone. If you are expecting an emergency call, let me know in advance and set your phone to vibrate.
2. Send me an incomplete email message. I have no idea who email hidden; JavaScript is required is. When you email me, make sure to sign your name and put the numbers “2329″ in the subject line.
3. Ignore directions. I will give you as much freedom as I can on the major assignments in this course, but when I ask you to do something a certain way, it’s for a reason. Ignoring directions, even small ones, signals to me that you don’t take your work seriously.
4. Fail to proofread. Every modern word-processing program has a built-in spell-checker. Use it. Then check your work for mistakes the software program didn’t catch. Repeat as needed.
5. Ask me “Did we do anything important in class on Tuesday?” No matter what we did, the answer will always be the same: Yes, what we did was important, and yes, you’re digging your grave every time you ask me that.