Navigating GCU Resources & Writing Expectations Assignment

Topic 1 Assignment: Navigating GCU Resources & Writing Expectations Be sure to address all 18 questions in Part 1 & 2 and complete the matching in Part 3. When you have finished, save the document. While in the assignment drop box: 1) click BROWSE FROM MY COMPUTER, 2) upload your saved document, 3) SUBMIT to FINAL SUBMISSION. Purpose of Assignment: To become familiar with the GCU learning management system we refer to as the LoudCloud classroom, explore important GCU student resources, and become familiar with GCU’s collegiate level writing expectations. Grading Criteria: The assignment will be graded with an instructor answer key. Assignment Due Date: End of Topic 1 Part 1: Navigating the Loud Cloud LMS and GCU Website Directions: Type directly into this document. Please locate the correct response(s) to each of the questions below, and then provide your answer found, in one to two sentences, or short answer format. (The spacing will be adjusted as you type your responses. Please DO NOT forget to SAVE once you begin to answer the questions, so you do not lose any information.) The following questions are directed towards Loud Cloud: 1. Click on the DASHBOARD tab in the Loud Cloud classroom. Describe the following tabs (table will expand as needed): Path Planner Student Resources Gradebook Connect Messages Preferences It provides access to course material/topics/DQ and tasks Includes current class information, assignment dates and status Provides information on library, student success center, classroom policies, learning support and technical support Displays information of grades, comments, submission comments, score etc Provides access to forums, class wall and roster. Notification and announcements are shown here Allows to change default login landing page and other preferences 2. From the DASHBOARD in Loud Cloud, explain the steps to find your grades and instructor feedback. Click on Gradebook from dashboard to find grades and instructor feedback. 2 3. Under the DASHBOARD tab in LoudCloud, click on the STUDENT RESOURCES link and locate the STUDENT SUCCESS CENTER. Search for RESOURCES and locate THE WRITING CENTER. From there click on STYLE GUIDE AND TEMPLATES and locate GCU Style Guide and Template documents. (Right click and save these to your computer for future reference). Once you have read the Style Guide, why do you think academic writing requires such strict formatting? It is very important to maintain standard and consistency and strict formatting helps student uphold that standard. Another important thing is citation. Using citations to give credit to others whose ideas or words that are used is an essential requirement to avoid issues of plagiarism. Also reference list provides the information necessary for a reader to locate and retrieve any source that is cited in the body of the paper. 4. Inside the Student Success Center, type “Tutorials & Webinars” in the search bar. List three tutorials or webinars that will help you most as you begin this course. For each, explain how you feel they will help. GCU library -> Provides access to library and other journals. Time management -> Provides guidance on various techniques of time management and note taking skills. Student portal -> Student portal gives information course registration, requesting transcript etc. 5. From the Course Home page in Loud Cloud, click on the DASHBOARD tab and then click on CONNECT link and then FORUMS. Locate (at the top of the page) and explain the purpose of the Discussion Question Forum, Private Forum, and Questions to Instructor Forum. Discussion questions forums is to submit assignments and respond to peer discussions and this list of public. Private forum is for any question between staff/peer student and self. This is a private list and only intended recipient and sender can see the message and respond. This list is visible to all staff of the class 3 Question to instructor forums is to ask any question to staff and this is visible to all staff member of the class and other student as well. 6. Click on the DASHBOARD tab in the Loud Cloud classroom and select PATH. List the three headings across the top of the page and list their content. Path -> Contains course material and task details. Content -> Contains resources and assessment. Objectives -> Objectives to be achieved for successfully completing the course.. 7. Go to the DASHBOARD tab and click on STUDENT RESOURCES and then LIBRARY. Under About Us click on the Frequently Asked Questions link. Describe how to get help from the librarian. 8. Use the DASHBOARD tab, click on CONNECT, and then ROSTER. Review your instructor’s profile, provide his/her contact information, including office hours. 4 Preferred Time Zone: (UTC-07:00) Arizona 9. There are two different locations to review the ANNOUNCEMENTS. Locate and share the steps to find the Announcements through the DASHBOARD tab. In addition, where else on the homepage can you go directly to the Announcements (hint: it is an icon)? Dashboard->Messages->announcements. Right top corner. There is an announcement icon on the home page 10. Once logged into the LoudCloud classroom, within the DASHBOARD, locate the GCU TECHNICAL SUPPORT tab. List three ways in which you can contact them, and also provide their email address and phone number (hint: look for the “need help” Tab)? 11. On the Home page, hover over Academics and click the Major and Programs tab. Locate your Major and list one core (Major) course that looks most interesting to you? Why? Include course name, number and description along with your explanation. 5 12. On the Home Page, locate and click Student Life, then locate and click Spiritual Life. Describe which sections of this page interest you. Why? I liked the life leader values section because it teaches how to prioritize personal and devotion time, helping community, stewardship and keeping commitments and follow through. 13. On the Home page, locate and click Student Resources. Locate and click Learning Resources then locate and click Learning Lounge. What can you expect during your tutoring session with a learning advocate (LEAD)? The one on one session with LEAD will help me succeed in the most challenging classes and earn the grades I want. Part 2: LoudCloud Quick Quiz Directions: Please highlight the correct response for the following questions. 14. What would you do if you wanted to ask your instructor a question in which you felt your classmates could benefit from the answer as well? a) Send him or her a personal email b) Post the question in the Discussion Question Forum c) Post the question in the Private Forum d) Post the question in the Questions to Instructor Forum 15. Where is the syllabus found in Loud Cloud? a) Student Resources tab b) Classroom Policies tab c) In the Forums d) Within the Path tab 16. Where is the planner found? a) The Syllabus b) Dashboard c) Main Forum d) Library 6 17. Where do you find the "Announcements" tab for a course in LoudCloud? a) Messages tab b) c) The instructor emails them to you at the start of each week. d) Both A and B 18. LoudCloud gives you the ability to personalize your “Planner”? a) True b) False PART 3: GCU Writing Expectations The purpose of this section is to help you understand some of the academic writing expectations at GCU and in higher education. Included is a comprehensive list of writing expectations or guidelines you will want to adhere to during your academic career as well as ways to overcome common errors in college-level writing. After reviewing the Developing Academic Skills Guide and the Academic Writing Guidelines Resource located under Resources and the accompanying links, complete the sections below. In addition to this, you are welcome to use external resources such as the GCU Library, Google Scholar, or similar search engines to understand these guidelines and common errors more fully. Instructions: Place the correct guideline (the capital letters), next to the correct description of that guideline. A B C D E Guidelines: Contractions Writing in 3rd person Times New Roman 12pt Font Double Space Align Left K Guideline Descriptions: Microsoft Word has a sophisticated "checker" to identify most spelling, grammar, & consistency errors. Remove all before F 1st Lines of Paragraphs indent 0.5” G Conciseness H Run-on Sentences I Fragmented Sentences J Idioms K L M N O Spell Check Margins Text/Slang language Capitalization Essay Formatting 7 N F L O J A E M C H I D G B submission. An extra line between sentences accomplished by using the “Line and Paragraphing Spacing” option in Microsoft Word & selecting 2.0 Spacing The TAB key often makes a perfect 0.5-inch indentation by default. All four sides of each page in your document must default to 1.0” for the top, bottom, left, and right sides. Separates creative writing from formal academic writing including APA, MLA, & GCU Style. Strict adherence is required. Clichés slang or figurative language should be avoided. Instead, write out or use the definition instead of the cliché. Avoid the shortened forms of one or two words combined. Spell out both words. Be sure to use this appropriately for the first word in every sentence, proper nouns, and Netiquette. LOL is an example of a term that should not be used in academic writing. Most common standardized lettering and size in college level writing. Microsoft Word will underline these errors with a blue line. Rewrite the sentence until the blue line disappears. Paragraphs should be aligned to the left at the zero or null point on the Microsoft Word ruler. Avoid extraordinarily long sentences. The word "and" can often be a place to split up a Run-on. Avoid wordiness by deleting needless words and using Microsoft Word thesaurus for word ideas, synonyms, and antonyms. One would, A person could, They should, She, He, It are examples of writing in this point of view