Assignment and Grading scale
Business Law 125
Assignments, Quizzes and Grading Scale
CHECK THE SYLLABUS FOR DUE DATES
General Instructions
Each student is presumed to know how to navigate in a Canvas course container. If you do not, there are free tutorials on the College webpage that will bring you up to speed. Additionally, each student is presumed to have consistent and reliable access to a computer that will be available for emails, course announcements, quizzes, assignments and discussion board forums.
All assignments will open in Canvas at least 5 calendar days prior to their due date. Check the syllabus for due dates.
Please do not use fancy fonts. Courier or Times New Roman are perfectly fine to read and look professional. Word or .pdf are acceptable.
There is a tutorial in your Canvas container that shows you step by step how to submit an assignment so I can open it and grade it. If I can’t open it after several tries using different programs and computers, then I will give you a -0- with a note that says “I can’t open this”. The assignment will stay a -0-.
Spelling, grammar and syntax are a part of every grade in this class. I assume that every student has a grasp of basic grammar concepts and spelling. Spell Check and Grammar Check are only tools and they sometimes overlook errors. There is no substitute for good proof reading or asking for help. There is a free writing lab on campus for all students. Do not plagiarize as I use Safe Assign. Don’t use texting language on the discussion boards or assignments (examples of this includes OMG, BFF, etc.)
A paragraph usually consists of a minimum of 5 - 6 complete sentences.
The Discussions will have numerous forums opened throughout the course for student use; helping each other with assignments; asking questions of their peers; forming study groups; etc. These are monitored and participated in by the instructor but are not graded. The Jury assignments are the only graded Canvas discussion forums.
Sometimes a student will produce a brilliant contract report or an excellent analysis in some other written assignment. In that case, the student will be awarded a “Brownie Point” for a job well done. These are randomly awarded so please don’t ask for one.
Contract Analysis (50 points)
Each student is to produce a 4 paragraph paper analyzing a contract. In advance of the paper send, for review by the instructor, a copy of a contract used in everyday life, e.g., insurance, credit card, rental agreement, gym membership, etc. Send this by email. Be creative. It can be a blank contract. Several websites offer free form contracts. There are contracts in Canvas under the Module. The copy of the contract must be turned in with the paper unless you are using one that is in Canvas. In that case, merely reference the title of the contract in your report. A URL is not a substitute. It will count as if no contract was attached.
Please make sure any confidential data has been deleted or blacked out. A four paragraph typed summary of the contract must be attached which discusses any features of the contract that were covered in the text. This is an analysis of legal concepts and not a filled-in contract.
The first paragraph is to be a summary of the entire contract. Please note that I said a summary – which means an overview of the contract and not a detailed description. Your summary paragraph should not be much longer than the 3 other paragraphs. I’m looking for an overview of the contract and not what each section is about.
The other three paragraphs are to be used to discuss and analyze three different clauses in the contract (one per paragraph) and how they relate to the textbook and lecture. Be sure and indicate which paragraph in the contract you are discussing, e.g., #1 of the contract talks about x, y, and z.
I am looking for an analysis of how each clause relates to the class material. Little or no analysis will result in point deductions. Summarizing the clause is not an analysis. Show me that you understand how this clause functions in the “real world”. I want to see that you understand the legal consequences of each clause you are discussing and not just paraphrasing the contract wording. Hypothetical examples are an easy way of showing this.
You must also refer by page or chapter to the part(s) of the text you are using. It is not sufficient to say “according to the text” or something similar. Additionally, do not reference other textbooks. I don’t have access to them so I can’t verify the reference. If you don’t have a text, there is one on reserve in the library. I don’t mind if you use the 7th edition but say so as I waste time looking through all texts to see which one a student used. That will bring about a point(s) deduction.
What Not To Put in Your Contract Report
Discussing the formation of a contract is not acceptable. In other words, Express/Implied Contracts, Offer; Acceptance; Consideration; Bilateral; etc., are not clauses in most contracts. Do Not Talk About Offer, Acceptance and Consideration.
Don’t talk about an express contract. If you are unsure, then ask me via email. Most contracts don’t say, “This is an express contract”. If your contract is in writing IT’S AN EXPRESS CONTRACT! It is probably a bilateral contract as well. You will receive no extra points if you state this. If you use any of these concepts as the legal concept in your analysis and, the legal concept isn’t the subject of that clause, you will receive no points for that clause. Each clause is worth 12 points so that’s a huge loss of points. PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THIS. DO NOT TALK ABOUT CONTRACT FORMATION OR THE TYPE OF CONTRACT. IF YOU ARE WRONG, THERE WILL BE A POINT DEDUCTION AND THERE IS NOTHING TO BE GAINED BY INCLUDING IT.
If you are using a rental or lease agreement for real property, at least one clause must be from outside of the chapter titled “Landlord and Tenant. If all three of your clauses rely on that chapter, there will be an automatic 11 point deduction. Please email me if you are unsure of your clauses.
It is strongly advised to have your contract chosen before mid-term and reviewed by me, the instructor, shortly after that. I will also be happy to review and make any comments on your rough draft if submitted to me a minimum of 48 hours before the due date. If I review your rough draft and suggest changes, subsequent requests for review are welcomed but must include the previously suggested changes.
I take into account the difficulty of the subject matter you have attempted. It is easy to talk about “termination” of a contract. It is more complex to talk about “subrogation” or “risk of loss”.
Here is how the grading rubric breaks down:
Summary paragraph , 5 points;
Clause 1, 2 and 3, 12 points each with a further breakdown for each clause of 3 points for correctly identifying a concept, 3 points for defining it, 1 point for referencing it to the text, and 5 points for the analysis;
Contract attached if not from Canvas , 1 point; and,
8 points for spelling, grammar. and syntax.
You can see that a long summary paragraph will not make up for an inadequate analysis.
This assignment may not be turned in after its due date nor may it be re- .done. You have most of the class to work on this assignment.
Preview copies to instructor must be submitted through email. There is an example of the assignment on Canvas under the Module tab..
Quizzes (70 points)
The 7 quizzes are worth a total of 70 points. These quizzes are after the end of the unit. Questions will be drawn from all required readings, lectures and online materials up to the day they are given. The quizzes are not timed but you have only one attempt so please carefully follow the instructions. They likewise have a due date. Don't ask me to reopen if you forget the due date. There are usually 10 questions per quiz and all are either T/F or Multiple Choice.
There are no make-up exams allowed.
To preserve the integrity of the quiz, each student is entitled to review the questions they got wrong with the correct answer. The quiz will reopen with the correct answers after the last quiz has been graded. The instructor is not required to go back to any prior quizzes, only the immediate past quiz so, if interested in seeing one’s quiz, do so immediately after each quiz closes for the class.
You’re On the Jury (2 Juries for a total of 40 points)
In the semester there will be posted in the Discussions a fact scenario that relates to the material in the textbook and the lectures. A series of questions will be posted with this scenario. Each student who participates in this discussion can receive up to 15 points per scenario for the answers and 5 points for the response.
Participation is defined as posting one’s comments or answers to the questions in the assigned forum and responding another in your group. Have a discussion please.
“Yes” or “No” or “I agree” is not an answer nor is it a response. I’m looking for developed answers that include an analysis of the scenario in relationship to the content of the textbook. A response is a comment to someone so please indicate whose post you are responding to and develop your answer. I don’t know the context for your response if I don’t know who, by name, you are responding to. The statement, “I agree with you”, doesn’t tell me who as all I see is a string of names.
There must be at least one reference to chapter/page/lecture note in a student’s discussion. If a student chooses not to participate, no points will be received. Minimal participation will yield partial points.
You may find that some student(s) who posted prior to you may have covered the points you wanted to cover. Explore the material to see if there isn’t something additional to add or a new perspective. Perhaps you can explore the “opposition” side. I’m looking for analysis using the scenario facts and the materials in the text and online – there is no right or wrong answer . It is how you support your answer that is critical. There will be deductions for spelling, grammar, syntax errors or incorrect or no appropriate citation However, an incorrect application of the material, e.g., a tort concept in a breach of contract action without adequate support will result in some point deductions.
Remember, there are always different ways of looking at things – You say goodbye and I say hello. There is a certain amount of vagueness in the facts of each scenario to allow for different perspectives.
Students will be divided into randomly set groups. Please monitor Canvas’s Discussion to see which Scenario/Group you have been assigned to. All forums are deliberately kept to a maximum of 5-6 members in order to allow each member enough new material to discuss. More favorable consideration will be given to those students who respond at least 2 full days before the deadline. This encourages students to not wait until the last minute to post, and thus avoiding a reply gridlock.
All discussions will be posted on the Discussions. That is also where the Scenario will be found. If time permits, the jury discussion will be started in the class the week before they are due but each student’s analysis/discussion must also be posted on the Discussions.
DO NOT prepare your answers as an attachment. I won’t open it to grade it and I don’t expect another student to open an attachment from someone they don’t know.
There are NO MAKEUPS for this assignment if missed. You will have a minimum of 4 days in which to complete the scenario you are assigned to. No late work will be accepted. This is intended to be a group discussion and not a report to the instructor containing answers to questions.
You are required to create a thread and post something before being able to view the other students’ posts. I have observed that some students attempt to “scam” the forum by posting a sentence in their assigned forum as their initial answers. That enables them to view the other posts. Then they will be able to continue their answers with another post having the benefit of seeing what others have written. I’m on to this so don’t attempt it. If I believe you’ve done that, you’ll receive points only for the first post which is generally -0-. I can tell if you’ve done this due to the lapse of time between your “introduction” post and then the actual answers to the scenario. If you accidentally click “submit” before you are finished, then email me immediately and tell me what you’ve done so I can keep that in mind when I grade your initial post.
Final Exam (50 points)
There will be one final exam worth 50 points. It will be comprehensive.
Attendance (50 points)
Beginning February 16, each student can receive 5 points for attending class and participating in the class. The number of points awarded is discretionary with the instructor and is based on the student's preparation and on the quality of the student's participation. These points will be awarded for 10 weeks. If you don't attend class or participate, don't beg for points.