Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

   Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 

The following is a list of Frequently Asked Questions or (FAQs) about my online classes. It can save you a lot of time if you review this list carefully. It is best used after you have first reviewed my website thoroughly. 

1. Textbook Issue - Q: “Just for clarification. I have the Sexual Themes & Variations edition that notes at the bottom of the cover: ‘2nd Edition of ‘Field Test’ draft book.’ Is this the correct textbook to have?” ANS: Yes, this is the correct edition to have.  

2. Discussion Board Issues - Q: “Forgive me if this has been covered elsewhere, but could somebody clarify for me when our responses to the “Thought Provoking Questions or Readings” are to be posted? Can we post them anytime during the course, or do they need to be posted during that module?” ANS: There is some leeway here, but posting comments as close to an assignment’s deadline makes the most sense. If student interaction is to be robust and meaningful, then responses in the course need to be timely.  

3. Word Count Issues - Q: “I’m a little confused about word count for the message board vs. word count for the actual homework assignments we submit. Can you elaborate?” ANS: The “Thought-Provoking Question or Reading” that students post their responses to on the message board need only be minimal length ---- 100 words or more. However, if the question /reading is part of one of the 2 fully completed module assignments you are submitting, it must be more to meet the various word count/length needed for A, B, or C. That is why for example, within the module assignments you see wording such as: "remember a minimum response of one to two pages, single- spaced, is required for each message board question." Such length is only needed if the HW assignment in question is actually being submitted as part of the four assignments you are submitting.  

4. Textbook Issue - Q: “I may be loosing my mind...but does anybody else's textbook start with Chapter 3? Thanks for the help.” ANS: No you are not losing your minds. The main textbook starts with Chapter 3. About two semesters ago, I was shocked at how expensive books were at the SRJC bookstore and simply took the most important of the 21 chapters in my book and made a briefer version of only ten chapters. I believe I was able to save each student about 80 bucks each. The publisher, who owns my rights, allowed me to do this only with my college, though not in the rest of the nation where my book sells as hard copy. So that's the reason it starts with Chapter 3.  

5. Workbook Issues - [Psych 56 only]. Q: “In the Course Basics, it states that we must complete any 16 activities or readings that we wish. However, in the “Calendar and Homework” webpage, specific workbook pages are referenced. This is a little confusing”. ANS: It is a little confusing. In the actual homework assignments you choose to complete from the four required, there are recommended GDHD pages referenced that you should at least read; but they in not way are required. You only have to submit the 16 as described elsewhere. AND you get to choose whichever ones you wish. See the link in "Course Basics" which addresses this. I also posted a message about the workbook assignments requirement early in the course. Be sure to look for that.  

6. Word Count - Q: “In each of the required homework assignments there is a word count requirement. Is the word count for each task or for the overall assignment?” ANS: The word count is for the total assignment overall, NOT for each task.  

7. Timestamp - Q: “What does ‘Timestamp’ mean”? ANS: A Timestamp refers to exams. You have any 2-hour block on exam day (24 hours) to open and take your exam and submit within two hours. This is the timestamp. Everything after that two hour period that arrives is late and may be marked down considering how late it arrived.  

8. Practice Exams - Q: “Dr. Mannino where can I find the practice exams?” ANS: Practice exams on at the "Exams" icon in the Navigational Toolbar. You should have reviewed that page by the second day of the course. You will see both practice exams and the actual exams are located there Read carefully first. You may take the practice exams as many times as you wish. The actual exams, which open on the day of the exam, usually a Saturday, may only be opened and closed once --- during that two-hour block of time you have chosen to take the exam.  

9. HW Deadlines - Q: “Are we allowed to turn in assignments before the due date? For example: I wanted to turn in one that is not due until next month. Do I have to wait until the deadline or is it OK to submit an assignments early?” ANS: Assignments may be submitted early, but never late, or they will not be opened, reviewed, or graded. Remember each HW assignment has a deadline. Every course I teach I generally have one student who understands four assignments are due, but then thinks incorrectly that they may submit them anytime they wish. Wrong! Each homework assignment has a deadline. Any homework assignment submitted after its deadline is not opened, reviewed, or graded. “Is your assignment “Online and Ontime?”  

10. Workbook Issues - Q: “In your course basics, you specify 250 words for the workbook reaction papers. I'm assuming this is different from the homework assignments, where you encourage us to write more than the minimum required to get a higher grade. You stress not to do more than 16 reaction papers from the workbook but you don't mention whether the 250 words minimum or maximum. Could you please clarify whether you'd prefer us to stick to around 250 or whether more is also in this case better?” ANS: Good question. There is no advantage to writing more than the minimum/maximum requirement [250 words] for the workbook reactions papers. They are just pass-fail. However, remember there must be a reaction paper attached for EACH of the 16 submissions.  

11. Homework Assignments and Deadlines - Q: “I’m a little confused about the four homework assignments that must be submitted, as listed at the “Calendar & Homework” icon. Can you clarify this?” ANS: Students must submit any four homework assignments they wish. There are 15 to choose from. However each has a deadline. Make sure to submit them in a timely fashion. Late assignments are not even opened, let alone read. For example, if a student wants to submit HW #2 as one of their four, they may, but it must be either before the deadline or on the deadline day [midnight]. The reason for these strict deadlines is if I allowed students to submit their four HW assignments any time they wished, I could end up having to read 800 of them during the last week of the course. Not practical. The way I have it set up, I can expect a reasonable amount throughout the course AND students can expect some unrushed comments.  

12. Practice Exams & Online Exams - Q: “Can we open and close and take practice exams more than once?” ANS: You may take practice exams as often as you wish You may even find some additional questions in them. There is, however, no advantage to taking a practice exam more than three times ---in terms of finding new questions. However be careful not to open the actual online exams more than once on exam day. Opening them prior to exam day, will only show you a notice that the exam does not open until a certain date. Again never open the actual online exam more than once on exam day. The computer notes this data carefully and you will be considered “attempting to cheat.”  

13. Thought Provoking Questions or Readings - Q: “Can you explain in a little more detail the ‘Thought Provoking Questions or Readings’ responses we must submit?” ANS: Students must respond to all 15 “Thought Provoking Questions or Readings.” While I do not police this closely, it could make a difference if at the end of the course you are closer to a higher grade. Student responses are to be posted on the message board only and should be between 250 and 350 words. The exception is for the 4 homework assignments, where you also need to post your response in the homework assignment as well. What I am looking for in your responses to the “Thought Provoking Questions or Readings” is a gut reactions and/or what you learned response. Also responses should be posted around the time each homework assignment they derive from is assigned. This will prove helpful for meaningful student interaction.  

14. Workbook Submissions - Q: “I know you said to “snail mail” [U. S. Postal Service] the 16 workbook submissions, but can students also hand-deliver them to your office?” ANS: Yes, you may hand deliver them to my office. You may slide them under my office door (do not burden staff). My office is 1544 in Emeritus Hall. This is on the lower floor. You may deliver them to either Lori or Dinna, who will then put them in my office mailbox. If you are going to hand delivered them, sliding them under my office door is the best way. I do not share my office, so it is only me who enters my office.  

15. Extra-Credit Submissions - Q: “I know you said to “snail mail” workbook submissions, but can students also hand deliver extra-credit work to your office?” ANS: Yes, you may mail and/or hand-deliver extra-credit work to my office too. You may slide them under my office door (do not burden staff). My office is 1544 in Emeritus Hall. This is on the lower floor.  If you are going to hand delivered them, sliding them under my office door is the best way. I do not share my office, so it is only me who enters my office. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU MARK IN BIG LETTERS “EXTRA-CREDIT” ON THE ENVELOPE ANY SUCH WORK YOU MAY BE SUBMITTING. Mixing extra credit up with workbook submissions is not a good idea. So be clear. We get hundreds of submissions during the last few days of the course.  

16. Dropped From Class – Attendance - Q: “Dr. Mannino, what are the rules for being dropped from the class upon enrollment?” ANS: As with an “in-person” class, an online class also has attendance requirements. Students are considered a “no-show” [that is, no longer enrolled in my class], if some combination of the following occurs. A student fails to attend the mandatory in-person orientation class and do not have a "waiver" from me [Class 1], fails to “check-in” at the website prior to the close of check-in [Class 2], and/or fails to submit the assignment intake form entitled: “Getting To Know You” by the assigned deadline [Class 3]. These tasks comprise three classes and are in keeping with college policy concerning the dropping of students from class.  

17. Exams - Q: "Could you explain your process of throwing questions out in an exam?" ANS: When I throw a question out, it is because 75% of students got it wrong for whatever reason. It may have nothing to do with being defective, from the wrong chapter, etc., It is just 75% missed it for better or worse. Again, throwing out questions has noting to do with whether or not you understand why you got it wrong or got it right, or whether or not it was defective or not. I just throw out questions that 75% of the class miss. My process is a math formulated issue and sometimes hard for students to wrap their heads around. And further, what students often don't realize is that each exam is unique in some way or another through a process of randomization. That is, for example, on one exam, a question about "Day of the Dead" might be question number #1 and choice A, whereas on another exam it might be question 42 and choice C. The only way I have found to make sure students get a fair shake is to look at how many students missed the actual question about "Day of the Dead" and when the threshold hits 75%, I just give all students credit for it. Could you imagine how long it would take for me to go through each student's randomized exam [I sometimes have as many as 600 students] looking for the question about Dia de lost Murtos and then checking to see if they got it right or wrong? I'd be at risk for suicide! Sometimes students make out like bandits and other times they lose out a tad. But experience and math algorithm experts tell me that in the final rinse all is fair in the "Land of Mannino."  

I understand the frustration level of some students who really never know which questions I throw out, why, and/or my reasoning. The way most professors handle randomized exams is by simply using a curve. I just find exam curves so unfair. For example, in a class of nursing students, non-nursing students are penalized for not knowing more about medical care of the dying. Thus in such a class the nursing students perform so well that the curve requires ONLY missing one question to achieve a grade of A. Whereas in a regular class an A might have been obtainable by missing as many as three or four questions. That's why I don't like curves, they favor students with special talents. So what I do is level the playing field by throwing out questions that 75% of the class misses regardless of, as I like to say: "rhyme or reason." It is a long-winded answer, but it is the best I can do. I hope you get most of it.  

18. Workbook Use - Q: "Can you firm up what is expected from the workbook for this course?" ANS: It pretty simple. You are expected to review and use the workbook,but nothing is expected to be handed in except the 16 assignments all students must complete. See link #12 in "Course Basics" for that info.  

19. Submitting Extra Online HW Assignments - Q: "Can a student submit more than the required online homework assignments, so as to get some extra credit?" ANS: No. The computer will disallow any submissions beyond the required (2). It is just a workload issue for your professor. Keep in mind, I often have as many as 600 students.  

Have a Question You Don’t See Answered? - Post it on the message board asking for hel and either a student or I will try and answer it as time allows.  

Revised: Dr. J. Davis Mannino, November 27, 2015