Policies

Grading Values for Graphic Design

The grading values listed below should help you interpret the letter grade you receive for any Graphic Design assignment.

A: Excellent: This is work that has been completed in a highly motivated manner which meets all or most of the performance criteria for the project. An exceptional demonstration of design skills.
B: Good: Work which is above average but lacks the qualities which give it the stamp of excellence. It shows better than average design sensitivity.
C: Satisfactory: A project which is handed in on time and has fulfilled some or all of the requirements but lacks strong visual interest and thoughtful and imaginative resolution. The work is merely average.
D. Minimal, below average: This work is handed in on time, but lacks many or most of the areas that show any understanding of design. A weak effort not up to the levels of the program standard.
F. Unacceptable: Work that is not handed in on time or is so despicable as to be an affront to design sensibilities.
NHI:: Not handed in. An assignment which was not received.

Grade Scale For "C" Minimum Core Courses:

Grade	Mark	Grade	Mark
A+	90-100	C+	67-69
A	85-89	C	63-66
A-	80-84	C-	60-62
B+	77-79	D+	57-59
B	73-76	D	53-56
B-	70-72	D-	50-52
		F	0-49

Late = F ( 0 - 49 ) NHI = F ( 0 )

Evaluation/Earning Credit

The following will provide evidence of your learning achievement:

In order to understand the importance of meeting deadlines in the field, students will be required to complete assignments and projects within a given period of time. Due to the nature of the Graphic Design industry, all late assignments, handed in within one hour after deadline (to be determined by instructor), will be given an F (value of 0 - 49%), depending on the quality. Any assignment handed in after these terms, not handed in (NHI) or Incomplete will be given a zero ( 0 ). For the students benefit, the work will be corrected and critiqued.

Incomplete projects are projects that do not meet all the criteria set out by the instructor for that particular project.

Marking

Quizzes, tests, assignments, projects, participation and attendance will average out to 100% and will not separately account for more than 30%. Marks given out in class, will not be discussed in class at that time. A student who wishes to discuss or appeal the marking of any project, must make an appointment with their instructor, 24 hours after getting the mark. Marks will only be reviewed and discussed with the instructor who has graded the project. Instructors not involved in the project or assignment will not discuss marking or grades with the student.

Algonquin policy dictates that the final end of semester marks will NOT be made available to the student by the professor but will appear on the printout supplied by the College Administration.

Attendance / Lateness

Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes and final grades will reflect this policy. Attendance means arriving on time AND staying for the entire class session. In order to prevent disruptions of the lecture/lesson in progress, late students will be required to wait outside the classroom until the instructor opens the door to let them in. Failure to attend classes, tardy arrivals and early departures will be reflected in the final grades as follows:

Three lates will drop the final grade by one step (B to C, C to D...)

More than Three lates will be a 5% drop in final mark for each late.

Three unexcused absences may result in a final grade of F.

Three consecutive absences may result in a final grade of F.

As a common courtesy, students unable to attend a class are asked to notify the instructor before the start of the class.

If a student misses class time, he/she is responsible for getting information missed in that class and assumes all responsibility for any miscommunication that may arise in obtaining missed information and assignments outside of class time. NO EXCEPTIONS.

NOTE:: Three absences from class could result in a final grade of F if a student has an average of C+ or below in that class. The student will have to make an appointment with the coordinator of the program to discuss this problem. Students with averages of B- and above, that have more than 3 absences will also have to make an appointment with the coordinator of the program to address this problem.

In order to succeed in your courses, your attendance and participation are essential. Participation marks are awarded for effort, willingness to contribute to class discussion, preparedness (read assigned chapters), taking part in individual and group exercises and in-class exercises. The quality of participation is more important than the quantity.

Presentation Standards

Professionalism

Each project must be presented as a professional piece.There must be no glue, smudges, pen and pencil marks or white-out on the project which will detract from the quality of the presentation.

Presentation Cover

black Mayfair (26" x 20")
folded once
no wrinkles or dented corners
must have a business card sized identifier on front

Tracing Overlay

must cover the artwork
must be mounted straight
clean
straight edges, no rips
cannot exceed the size of the cover
use black masking tape to secure
tape must be trimmed to the width of the overlay

Taping

use black masking tape
must be trimmed straight with a knife

Mounting Adhesive

Any of the following can be used as adhesive:

double-sided tape
Studio Tack
rubber cement

Identity Card

Every project must have a business card sized identifier glued to the front of the presentation cover. The card must:

be 2" high x 3-1/2" wide
be mounted in the bottom right corner 3/8" away from the edges of the cover
include your name, year and group number, class and project title
The card must be a professional design. Hand-written cards are not acceptable

Rationale Statement

When required, a rationale statement must be mounted on the left inside panel of the presentation. The statement must be "designed". It must look as if it was created by a graphic designer.

Use of Electronic Chat

Use of Electronic Chat in the Classroom: Students using Electronic Chat in class will receive a verbal warning the first time and a notation will be placed on the student's academic file. A second offence will see the student expelled from class and he/she will receive a written warning which will also be placed on the student's academic file. A third offence would cause the student to be expelled from the course.
Use of Electronic Chat during an Examination: Anyone using any Electronic Chat other than those approved by the professor during an exam or mid-term will be considered to have committed an act of academic dishonesty.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the submission of work that is in whole or in part someone else's work that you claim as your own. You should be aware of the College policy on plagiarism (a new policy will be in effect August 1, 2004). Please see the Algonquin College web site for a detailed explanation of this policy. Plagiarism will result in a disciplinary action by the School of Media/Design.

Program policy: complaints and problems

Any problems that arise about a course for whatever reason must be first taken up with the instructor of that course. An appointment must be made with that instructor outside of class time and discussed in private. An instructor must not be confronted with the problem during class time so that the class is not disrupted or confronted while the instructor is with another class. If the problem cannot be solved at that time, the student will then be given a form to fill out and when the form is completed, be taken to the Coordinator of the Graphic Design program, Chris Jones. The student must also make an appointment to meet with the coordinator and discuss the form that has been filled out. The form can be obtained from the instructor of the course.

If there is a problem or complaint about the program, the student must obtain the form discussed above and submit the filled out form to the coordinator of the Graphic Design program, after an appointment has been made.

This process has to be followed. If a student goes to the Dean of the School of Media/Design or higher, before going through the required process, the student will be asked to obtain the form and follow the correct procedure.

If this course outline, or any part is not clear, please talk to your instructor.

Professional behavior includes:

Paying attention and not talking during a lesson.
Handling frustration in an appropriate manner.
Wearing appropriate attire for class time (nothing offensive in cut or language).
Positive attitude (accepts direction and critiques).
Calling in sick is expected at work, it is expected at school.
Good communication with your professor.

Discussing your projects with your professor as they develop is critical to your success. Take the initiative with your professor. Submitted work should not be the first time your professor has seen the work. You will develop your skill much more quickly and you will get more out of your education with more communication with the professors.

If you do not understand something, ask immediately.
Good team work - it is not necessary that you like whom you work with, just that you work effectively to get the job done. It is expected that you will work out any issues amongst yourselves. You must seek guidance with your professor as a complete group with a resolution prepared.
Good organizational skills (papers organized in a binder, does not lose paperwork, submissions are complete with nothing missing and handed in on the due date)
Good time management skills. This means looking ahead and utilizing your time effectively.
Be prepared - look ahead to the next day and be ready with appropriate supplies, equipment and knowledge.
You are responsible for listening and taking note of any instructions relating to a project.
Spelling does matter and therefore will be-examined and reflected in your marks.
Participation in field trips is required.
You are responsible to meet the deadlines. It is your responsibility to keep track of your assignments and the associated deadlines.
Fellow students and professors are your network. Treat your peers with respect, as these people may be your employer one day!

Directives

Each student is responsible for:

Knowing the due dates for marked assignments and tests.
Maintain a folder of all work done in each course during the semester for validation claims in cases of disagreement with faculty.
Ensure that assignments are NOT PLAGIARIZED. Plagiarism is the submission of work that is in whole or part in someone else’s words while the student claims it as his or her own. The penalty for plagiarism will be an automatic “0” for the assignment, or a final grade of F for the course.
Full attendance in all classes.

Attendance

Graphic Design students are expected to attend all scheduled classes for which they are registered and neither the department nor the professor takes any responsibility for information or instructions missed by a student as a result of non attendance.

Attendance will be taken in every class and 75% attendance is required in order to obtain a passing grade.
Attendance means arriving on time AND staying for the entire class session/ In order to prevent disruptions of the lecture/lesson in progress, late students will be required to wait outside the classroom until the professor opens the door to let them in.
The allowance for absenteeism is three classes(15 week course and 2 classes for semester six courses. ) Three lates will result in a full grade drop. Each additional absence results in a5% grade drop.
Attendance will generally be taken approximately 10 minutes into class time and may betaken again during the class at any time. This maybe done by verbal calling of names from list, a sign-in sheet or professor recognition of studentsin attendance.

Assignments

Assignment due dates are given to the class when an assignment is handed out. Please adhere to these deadlines. If a student misses a deadline or test due to illness, a doctor’s note must be produced to be able to complete any further extensions or retake a new test. Students are expected to complete all assignments in a neat and timely manner.

Late Assignment Policy

Late assignments will NOT be accepted unless the student has the approval of the professor. As well, marks may be deducted from those assignments that are accepted late. The student is responsible for ensuring that the professor receives the late assignment as agreed upon. Assignments are due at the start of class. After the specified deadline, the value of the project drops 50%. One hour after the deadline, the value drops to zero, although feedback will still be provided.

Conflicts

Students are expected to discuss any problems with specific courses with the course professor. If the situation can not be resolved by using this method, the professor and student should meet with the coordinator to discuss the problem. For further action please see Algonquin College’s Directives either in your student handbook or on line.

Withdrawing From Courses

The last date for withdrawing from any course is printed on your timetable. It is the student’s responsibility to complete this paperwork before the date. Student may wish to consult with the coordinator before doing so as it may affect courses you wish to take in the next semester. The student is responsible to notify the professor-and completing the appropriate form for withdrawal with the College Registrar.

Classroom Etiquette

Students are required to be punctual arriving at class. Disruptive entry after a lecture has commenced is disrespectful to the professor and the other students in the class.

Food And Drinks

There are NO food or drinks permitted in the labs. Water is allowed in Lecture Classrooms only.

Algonquin College Directive E-39

The use of electronic devices (Including, but is not limited to, cell phones, pagers, beepers, palm tops, electronic day timers and text messaging) is not permitted during class time.

Students using an electronic device in class will receive a verbal warning the first time and a notation will be placed on the student's academic file.

A second offence will see the student expelled from class and he/she will receive a written warning which will also be placed on the student's academic file.

A third offence would cause the student to be expelled from the course.

Participation in Industry Projects

Students at Algonquin College often have the opportunity to participate in real-world projects in their field. These are some issues which need to be addressed with every project.

What are the terms of use of the student work?: Is the work being created for one-time use? Do the client and the students agree that the work will be used once or more? What, exactly, are the applications for the work? As an example, if the product were a graphic, can it be used in print and on the Web?
Will the client receive the native files for the students' work?: Does the client have the right to the native work product? If the project is a video production, should the client have the right to edit the work themselves? What impact could that have on the students' reputation?
Who holds copyright?: Does the client have the right to re-produce the work at will? Is anything owed to the student if the work is reproduced? Does the client need to seek permission from the student if they want to reproduce the work?
What is the scope of the project?: What is expected from the students? What are the parameters of the project?
Have the payment terms been clearly defined?: Who will earn payment if the project takes the form of a competition or contest? What form will payment take? A cheque? A gift certificate? A product?
Have the students been properly informed about the benefits and pitfalls of participating in contests? Is there an opt-out option if students have an objection to participating?: There are drawbacks to participating in speculative work. Read more here.
Has the client been properly informed about the issues above which may affect them?: All parties participating in the project need to agree on the issues listed here. Signing a short agreement may be advisable to inform and protect all parties.

Semester I

Semester II

Semester III

Semester IV

Semester V

Semester VI