ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY BACHELOR of SCIENCE in NURSING RN-BSN Program NUR 4310 NURSING RESEARCH: AN EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH SUMMER 2014

ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY BACHELOR of SCIENCE in NURSING RN-BSN Program NUR 4310 NURSING RESEARCH: AN EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH SUMMER 2014 CAROLYN COHEN LEWIS, PhD, RN,CNE ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY Department of Nursing & Rehabilitation Sciences

COURSE NUMBER NUR 4310 COURSE TITLE Nursing Research: An Evidence-Based Approach CREDITS Three Semester Credit Hours (3-0-0) Online Class: Meets completely online using Blackboard PREREQUISITE COURSES Not applicable CO-REQUISITES Not applicable PRE-REQUISITE SKILLS Accessing internet web sites, use of ASU Library resources, and proficiency with Microsoft Word and/or PowerPoint are an expectation of on-line course delivery. Computer access requirements are further delineated in the Undergraduate Handbook. Tutorials for ASU Library and for Blackboard are available through RamPort. The ASU Undergraduate Nursing Handbook should be reviewed before taking this course. http://www.angelo.edu/dept/nursing/handbook/index.html COURSE DELIVERY This is an online course offering. http://blackboard.angelo.edu BROWSER COMPATIBILITY CHECK It is the student s responsibility to ensure that the browser used to access course material on his/her computer is compatible with ASU s Blackboard Learning System. The faculty reserves the right to deny additional access to course assignments lost due to compatibility issues. Students are responsible for reviewing the guidelines posted in this course regarding accessing Blackboard assignments. Problems in this area need to be discussed with faculty at the time of occurrence, either via a phone call (preferred) during posted acceptable hours for calling, or via email notification during times outside those posted for calls. Be sure to perform a browser test. Select the Support tab from the Blackboard homepage (http://www.blackboard.angelo.edu) Select Test your Browser option. Please see technical requirements for BSN classes at this link: http://www.angelo.edu/dept/nursing/rn-bsn_program.php

FACULTY Carolyn Cohen Lewis, PhD, RN, CNE Office: VIN 281 Phone: (325) 486-450 Fax: (325) 942-2236 carolyn.lewis@angelo.edu OFFICE HOURS Thursdays 1:30 4:30 p.m.; or by appointment COURSE DESCRIPTION This course provides an evidence-based analytical approach to decision-making and problem solving incorporating principles of leadership, collaboration, theory, research and professional practice. Students are provided the opportunity to evaluate research studies and apply the basic steps of the research process in the evaluation of evidence to advance the practice of nursing. Prerequisite: RN Licensure. COURSE OVERVIEW This course stresses the role of the BSN nurse in promoting evidence-based practice in the clinical setting. Students will distinguish the difference between quantitative and qualitative research, write PICO questions, search literature for best evidence, practice rapid critical appraisal, synthesize evidence and make recommendations for practice changes. Skills necessary to critically read and evaluate nursing research and to use the results of research in practice are developed in this course. This course also focuses on the evaluation and utilization of research and other sources of knowledge necessary to address patient needs and provide quality care. Course content also covers methods, appraisal, and utilization of research findings toward the goal of implementing best practices. Barriers to the use of evidence-based practice as well as facilitating innovations within the workplace are addressed. Weekly activities take the students through a step by step approach to completion of an evidence-based literature search. Students will make best practice recommendations in a final power point presentation; and reflect on how evidencebase practice really does promote patient safety and quality.

BSN PROGRAM OUTCOMES Upon program completion, the graduate will be prepared to: BSN PROGRAM OBJECTIVES 1. Integrate nursing and related theories into the planning and/or delivery of safe nursing care. 2. Engage leadership concepts, skills, and decision-making in the planning and/or implementation of patient safety and quality improvement initiatives. 3. Identify and appraise best research evidence to improve and promote quality patient outcomes. 4. Utilize technology to access information; evaluate patient data, and/or document care. 5. Participate in political/legislative processes to influence healthcare policy. 6. Engage in effective collaboration and communication within interdisciplinary teams. 7. Design and/or implement health promotion & disease prevention strategies for culturally competent care. 8. Demonstrate standards of professional, ethical, and legal conduct. 9. Practice and/or coordinate, at the level of the baccalaureate prepared nurse to plan, and/or implement patient centered care. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES Student Learning Outcome By completing all course requirements, students will be able to: 1. Explore the concept, purpose, importance and process of evidence-based practice and the role of the registered nurse. 2. Compare and contrast research methods for building the scientific base for nursing practice. Assessment(s) or activity(ies) validating outcome achievement: Blackboard Discussion #2 Self Reflection #1 Compare and Contrast Research Methods Table Quiz 2: Research Methods Quiz 3: Sampling, Data Collection & Analysis Mapping to BSN Program Outcomes 3, 6 Mapping to BSN Essentials 3.1, 6.2, 6.4 Mapping to QSEN EBP 3, 4 3.2 EBP

Student Learning Outcome By completing all course requirements, students will be able to: Assessment(s) or activity(ies) validating outcome achievement: Quiz 1: ASU Library Literacy Course Assessment Mapping to BSN Program Outcomes Mapping to BSN Essentials Mapping to QSEN 3. Perform database searches to retrieve various types of clinically relevant, appropriate evidence to answer research questions. Compare and Contrast Research Methods Table Evidence-Based Practice Group Project: Part 1: Literature search 1, 3, 4, 6 1.3, 1.7, 3.5, 4.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5 EBP, I, TC 4. Generate various types of PICOT questions related to personal clinical practice to promote patient-centered care and quality outcomes. PICOT Question Individual Assignment 1, 2, 3 1.3, 2.6. 2.9, 3.6 EBP, QI, PCC 5. Utilize a systematic evidencebased approach to critically appraise the nature, extent and quality of research findings to answer a clinical question. 6. Synthesize research findings to identify the best evidence for clinical practice. 7. Share a final presentation of synthesized best practices with classmates/peers. 8. Engage in thoughtful and constructive self reflection and peer evaluation to facilitate learning. 9. Demonstrate teamwork and communication skills while implementing evidence based practice strategies for quality improvement. Evidence-Based Practice Group Project: Part 2: Rapid critical appraisal Part 3: Evaluation table Evidence-Based Practice Group Project: Part 4: Synthesis Tables Evidence-Based Practice Group Project: Part 5: Powerpoint presentation Evidence-Based Practice Group Project: Part 6: Peer evaluation Evidence-Based Practice Self Reflection #1 & #2 Blackboard Discussion #1 Evidence-Based Practice Group project 3, 4, 6 2, 3, 6 1, 3, 4, 6, 9 1, 2, 6, 8 2, 6 3.4, 3.5, 4.6, 6.2, 6.4, 6.5 2.1, 3.5, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5 1.4, 3.6, 3.7, 4.5, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 8.4, 9.11 1.4, 1.9, 2.1, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 8.2, 8.4, 8.13, 8.14 2.2, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5 EBP, TC EBP, TC EBP, TC, TC TC, QI

REQUIRED TEXTS AND MATERIALS Information Literacy 1. Melnyk, B.M., Fineout-Overholt, E., Stillwell, S.B., & Williamson, K.M. (2010). Evidencebased practice step by step: Igniting a spirit of inquiry: An essential foundation for evidence-based practice. American Journal of Nursing, 109, 49-52. 2. Melnyk, B.M., Fineout-Overholt, E., Stillwell, S.B., & Williamson, K.M. (2010). Evidencebased practice step by step: The seven steps of evidence-based practice. American Journal of Nursing, 110, 51-3. Research Methods: 3. Meadows, K. A. (2003). So you want to do research? 1: An overview of the research process. British Journal of Community Nursing, 8, 369-375. 4. Meadows, K. A. (2003). So you want to do research? 2: Developing the research question. British Journal of Community Nursing, 8, 397-403. 5. Meadows, K. A. (2003). So you want to do research? 3: An introduction to qualitative methods. British Journal of Community Nursing, 8, 464-469. 6. Meadows, K. A. (2003). So you want to do research? 4: An introduction to quantitative methods. British Journal of Community Nursing, 8, 519 526. Evidence-Based Practice: 7. Stillwell, S.B., Fineout-Overholt, E., Melnyk, B.M., & Williamson, K.M. (2010). Evidencebased practice, step by step: asking the clinical question: a key step in evidence-based practice. American Journal of Nursing, 110, 58-61. 8. Stillwell, S.B., Fineout-Overholt, E., Melnyk, B.M., & Williamson, K.M. (2010). Evidencebased practice, step by step: Searching for the evidence. American Journal of Nursing, 110, 41-7. 9. Fineout-Overholt, E., Melnyk, B.M., Stillwell, S.B., & Williamson, K.M. (2010). Critical appraisal of the evidence: Part 1. American Journal of Nursing, 110(7), 47-52. 10. Fineout-Overholt, E., Melnyk, B.M., Stillwell, S.B., & Williamson, K.M. (2010). Critical appraisal of the evidence: Part 2. American Journal of Nursing, 110(9), 41-8. 11. Fineout-Overholt, E., Melnyk, B.M., Stillwell, S.B., & Williamson, K.M. (2010). Critical appraisal of the evidence: Part 3. American Journal of Nursing, 110 (11), 43-51. OTHER REQUIRED MATERIALS Computer with MAC or Windows Operating System High Speed Internet Access Webcam (Logitech highly recommended) Logitech USB microphone headset Refer to Angelo State University s Distance Education website for further technology requirements: http://www.angelo.edu/distance_education/

RECOMMENDED TEXTS Schmidt, N. A. & Brown, J. M. (2011). Evidence based practice for nurses. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett. TOPIC OUTLINE Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice Definition, purpose, importance Role of registered nurse BSN Essentials demands EBP skills Key Terminology: Nursing process Nursing research Research utilization Quality improvement Evidence-based practice Making Sense of Research Designs & Levels of Evidence Overview of Research Process Research question Review of Literature Methodology Collection of data Data analysis Reporting results Qualitative /Quantitative Methods: Purpose/indication Types of research questions or hypothesis /Drives the design Independent and dependent variables / levels of measurement Data collection/analysis techniques Validity/reliability Causality Understanding Sampling, Data Collection /Analysis Methods Statistical Analysis Central tendency: Mean, median, mode, Variance / Standard deviation Effect size Power analysis Measurement error: Type I/Type II Level of statistical significance (p) / Alpha Clinical Significance Confidence Intervals Pearson Product Moment Correlation (r)

Chi-Square (X 2 ) t-test (t) Anova (F) Factor analysis Regression PICOT Question Development Intervention Etiology Diagnosis or diagnostic test Prognosis or prediction Meaning Searching the Literature for Evidence Library literacy Databases/search terms Rapid Critical Appraisal Systematic review/meta-analysis Randomized control trial Cohort OR case-controlled study Clinical practice guidelines Synthesizing and Making Best Practice Recommendations Evaluation table Synthesis table Evidence-based practice recommendations Presentation of findings to improve patient outcomes GRADING SYSTEM Course grades will be dependent upon completing course requirements and meeting the student learning outcomes. The following grading scale is in use for this course: A = 90-100 points B = 80-89 points C = 70-79 points D = 60-69 points F = 0-59 points (Grades are not rounded up)

EVALUATION AND GRADES Graded activities and percent of the overall course grade: Graded Activity Percent of Course Grade Blackboard Discussion 5% #1: Self Introduction #2: Exploring EBP Quizzes 21% Quiz 1: ASU Library Literacy Quiz 2: Research Methods Quiz 3: Sampling, Data Collection & Analysis Self Reflection 8% #1: EBP and BSN Essentials #2: EBP A Lifelong Pursuit Compare & Contrast Research Methods Table 7% PICOT Question Development 9% Evidence-Based Practice Group Project Part 1: Review of Literature Part 2: Rapid Critical Appraisal Part 3: Evaluation Table Part 4: Synthesis Tables 1 and 2 Part 5: Powerpoint Presentation Part 6: Peer Evaluation 50% TEACHING STRATEGIES Discussion board Recorded lectures Assigned textbooks and article readings Quizzes Compare and contrast table Development of PICOT questions Review of literature Rapid critical appraisal Powerpoint presentation Self reflections Group work

Concept application activities Students are expected to be active learners. It is a basic assumption of the instructor that students will be involved (beyond the materials and lectures presented in the course) discovering, processing, and applying the course information using peer-review journal articles, researching additional information and examples on the Internet, and discussing course material and clinical experiences with their peers. ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTIONS *Please note: Rubrics for all assessments are located at the end of this syllabus. Discussion Board (5% of Grade) There are two Discussion Board postings assigned for the course, and both occur during the first week. The discussion board provides an avenue for class interaction and synthesis of material / information. Discussion #1: Self Introduction (Students introduce themselves to the class). Discussion #2: Exploring Evidence-Based Practice (Students discuss concepts of EBP in small groups). Self-Reflection (8% of Grade) Self reflection is a useful way to help you begin the interesting and often difficult process of exploring how you learn and evaluating / critiquing yourself. You will be given specific questions in your assigned self reflections, and you are expected to reach deep inside and be truly honest, to answer with thought and feelings. Quality writing is also expected Please take time to thoughtfully write your self-reflection logs, as they are assigned on the course calendar. Use a word document for this log. Save each reflection as: yournamehere SR# NUR4310 year month day. (Example: Carolyn Lewis SR1 NUR4310 2014 06 07) Please type your name, reflection # and title and topic/assignment at the top of the page. This assignment can be as formal as you like. Please write in a scholarly fashion You will be expected to attach your document in Blackboard in the Assignments tab. This reflection is NOT to be placed in the Discussion Board. This is an individual assignment. #1: EBP and BSN Essentials (Students complete a table and then answer 3 questions). #2: EBP A Lifelong Pursuit (Students explore how EBP can be done daily and lifelong). Quizzes (21% of Grade) There are three quizzes during the first part of the summer term. The quizzes test student foundational knowledge. Quizzes will be multiple choice, and will be given in Blackblack Board. Quizzes are administered via Respondus Lockdown Monitor. They are open note/open book, but will be timed. Dr. Lewis will also provide application exercises and a quiz review to assist you in preparing for quizzes 2 and 3.

Quiz 1: ASU Library Literacy. Students have been enrolled in the ASU Library Literacy course. Students are to access this Blackboard course and complete all of the modules and take the quizzes at the end of the modules. You may take the quizzes as many times as you would like. You must score an 80% on each quiz to receive credit. The estimated time to complete these modules/quizzes is 40 minutes. All of the modules/quizzes counts as one Quiz 1 grade, and is worth 100 points. Quiz 2: Research Methods. Understanding of basic research methods is essential for you before you can begin to appraise evidence to determine whether you will use it to make a practice change or not. Quiz 2 will test the concepts of quantitative and qualitative research methods. Students need to know the different types of research designs within each of these research methods, understand how data is collected and the purposes of each design. Quiz 2 items will be multiple choice, and will be based on content from the Dr. Lewis recordings, the Compare and Contrast Research Methods Table assignment and the assigned readings. Quiz 3: Sampling, Data Collection & Analysis. Understanding how researches get samples/subjects to participate in their research, how they know how many subjects they will need for the research, how the data is collected and how it is analyzed (statistics etc), is important for students as they begin to appraise research for quality and clinical relevance. These concepts will be taught via assigned readings, Dr. Lewis recordings, application exercises. The foundational concepts must be mastered before students can begin asking EBP questions, searching for and appraising the evidence. Compare and Contrast Research Methods Table (7% of Grade) During week 2, students complete readings about quantitative and qualitative research methods, and watch short Dr. Lewis recordings explaining the concepts, methods and key terminology. Then, they complete a table that compares both types of methods. PICOT Questions (9% of Grade) Students read about how to write PICOT questions, be given examples of different types of PICOT questions; and then are asked to think of some clinical situations from their work setting, and generate 5 types of PICOT questions using a PICOT template provided. Each type of PICOT question has a special template, and students fill in the appropriate content into the template. 1. Intervention 2. Etiology 3. Diagnosis or diagnostic test 4. Prognosis or prediction 5. Meaning This assignment will be a single MS Word document with student name and the 5 types of PCIOT questions. Each question needs to be clearly identified as to which type it is. Each PICOT question is worth 20 points. Students are given an opportunity to submit a draft by Wednesday of Week 4. Dr.

Lewis will provide feedback by Thursday of /week 4. Students can then revise/edit their PICOT questions and submit a final draft by Saturday of Week 4. This assignment is worth 100 points. Evidence-Based Practice Group Project (50% of Grade) Part 1: Searching the Literature for Evidence (215 points) Goal: Provide evidence of skills and knowledge to search and locate literature. Working in assigned small groups, students will select one intervention PICOT question for those submitted during Week 4, and search for 4 articles. The entire group will work with the one selected question and search for and locate one of each type of evidence: a. Systematic review or meta-analysis (Cochrane systematic reviews) b. Randomized control trial c. Cohort OR case-controlled study d. Clinical practice guideline (Hint: www.guidelines.gov) The assignment will be one single MS Word document with: 1) List of students in the group (5 points) 2) Selected PICOT question (10 points) 3) Citation for each of the 4 types of evidence listed above in APA format. (25 points each for selecting the correct type of article, and 25 points each for APA format of the article) 4) All group members will receive the same grade, so be sure to work together to submit a quality product that is free of APA formatting errors. (1 point deducted for each APA formatting error). 5) Students have the opportunity to submit a draft of the assignment by Wednesday of Week 5. Dr. Lewis will provide feedback on the assignment by Thursday of Week 5. Students will submit a final draft of the assignment by Saturday of Week 5. Part 2: Rapid Critical Appraisals of 4 Articles (200 points) Goal: Provide evidence of skills and knowledge to appraise literature found for Part I: Review of the Literature, and generate an evidence table. During Week 6, students will learn about how to perform rapid critical appraisal. There will be assigned readings and a Dr. Lewis recording explaining the process. Working in the same small groups as for Part I, students will use the located evidence for each of the 4 types of evidence submitted in Part I and conduct a critical appraisal on each using the appropriate Rapid Critical Appraisal forms provided. Submit the 4 completed forms, one for each of the four articles. Each RCA will be worth 50 points. Part 3: Evaluation Table of 4 Articles (200 points) Also during Week 6, student groups will complete an Evaluation Table using their 4 articles. The evaluation table template is provided, and students complete the table with information from their

articles. There are 10 cells to be completed for each article. Each cell in the table is worth 5 points. Each article is worth 50 points and the entire table is worth 200 points. Part 4: Synthesis Tables of 4 Articles (140 points) During Week 7, students continue learning article appraisal and synthesis skills. They complete two synthesis tables provided by the faculty. The first table shows the level of evidence of each of their 4 articles. The second synthesis table has the students level the evidence by patient outcomes. Dr. Lewis recordings explain how to complete the two tables. Table 1 is worth 40 points. Table 2 is worth 50 points per article. The entire assignment is 140 points. Part 5: Powerpoint Presentation to Share Best Practice Recommendations (100 points) The purpose of the PPT Presentation is to provide an avenue to share your Evidence-Based Practice Project findings and recommendations with your student colleagues and instructor; and, if desired, with key stakeholders/other individuals in the healthcare organization who would be interested in your findings and help you initiate change in your organization. Presentations will be prepared following specific guidelines provided. Students will have the opportunity to rehearse their presentation in the online Blackboard Collaborate classroom. Each member of the group is responsible for participating in the presentation. Presentations will be 15 minutes with 5 minutes for questions from the audience. Presentation will give background of the organization, explain the practice issue and give data to document the problem, Present the PICOT question, the search strategies (databases and terms used) to find the evidence, results from the rapid critical appraisals, synthesis and summary of the evidence and best practice recommendations based on best evidence. References should be cited on each slide and also provided in a reference list at the end of the presentation in APA format. Part 6: Peer Evaluation (300 points) Students will evaluate the participation of their peers during the group project. Each evaluation criteria are time contribution to the project, quality contribution to the product and collaboration abilities. Students will rate their peers on a 10 100 Likert scale for each category. Each student evaluation will be worth 300 points. The average of the peer evaluations will be posted as the final grade for peer evaluation in Blackboard.

GENERAL POLICIES RELATED TO THIS COURSE All students are required to follow the policies and procedures presented in the following documents: Angelo State 2012-2013 Student Handbook located on the ASU website http://www.angelo.edu/cstudent/documents/pdf/student_handbook.pdf, ASU Undergraduate Catalog located on the ASU website https://www.angelo.edu/content/files/16795-201213-undergraduate-catalog University Undergraduate Nursing Handbook, located on the Nursing website http://www.angelo.edu/dept/nursing/handbook/index.html IMPORTANT UNIVERSITY DATES June 2 First Day of Class June 30 July 5 Holiday July 16 Last day to drop the class or withdraw from the summer session August 8 Summer term ends SUDENT RESPONSIBILITY & ATTENDANCE This class is asynchronous, meaning you do not have to be on-line at a certain time, except for the final presentations scheduled for Monday August 4, 2014 from 0900-1100. There are readings which you will have to complete to be able to adequately participate in individual and group assessments. In order to complete this course successfully, you do have to participate in all course activities i.e. discussion board, course projects, self reflections, etc. Students are expected to engage in course activities and submit work by due dates and times. The hope is that students will make substantive contributions which reflect integration of assigned materials as well as any outside readings as appropriate. Scholarly contribution is an expectation. For planning purposes, this class will probably require a minimum of 6-9 study hours per week on average. COMMUNICATION Faculty will respond to email and/or telephone messages within 24 hours during working hours Monday through Friday. Weekend messages may not be returned until Monday. Written communication via Blackboard: It is an expectation of this class that you use formal writing skills giving appropriate credit to the source for your ideas. Follow APA (2010) 6 th edition (2 nd Printing or higher only) guidelines for referencing. Written communication via email: All private communication will be done exclusively through your ASU email address. Check frequently for announcements and policy changes. Virtual communication: Office hours and/or advising may be done with the assistance of the telephone, Skype, Join.me, Google Hangouts, etc.

Use Good "Netiquette": Check the discussion frequently and respond appropriately and on subject. Focus on one subject per message and use pertinent subject titles. Capitalize words only to highlight a point or for titles. Otherwise, capitalizing is generally viewed as SHOUTING! Be professional and careful with your online interaction. Proper address for faculty is by formal title such as Dr. or Ms. /Mr. Jones unless invited by faculty to use a less formal approach. Cite all quotes, references, and sources. When posting a long message, it is generally considered courteous to warn readers at the beginning of the message that it is a lengthy post. It is extremely rude to forward someone else's messages without their permission. It is fine to use humor, but use it carefully. The absence of face-to-face cues can cause humor to be misinterpreted as criticism or flaming (angry, antagonistic criticism). Feel free to use emoticons such as J or :) to let others know you are being humorous. (The "netiquette" guidelines were adapted from Arlene H. Rinald's article, The Net User Guidelines and Netiquette, Florida Atlantic University, 1994, available from Netcom) ASSESSMENT SUBMISSION In this class, all assessments need to be submitted through the Assessments link in the Blackboard course site. This is for grading purposes. Issues with technology use arise from time to time. If a technology issue does occur regarding an assessment submission, email me at carolyn.lewis@angelo.edu and attach a copy of what you are trying to submit. This lets your faculty know you completed the assessment on time and are just having problems with the online submission feature in Blackboard. Once the problem is resolved, submit your assessment through the appropriate link. This process will document the problem and establish a timeline. Be sure to keep a backup of all work. LATE WORK OR MISSED ASSESSMENTS POLICY The course is set up on weekly modules. The week begins on Monday and ends on Sunday. Assignment due dates are shown on the calendar/schedule or posted within Blackboard. Late assignments are not accepted without prior approval of faculty. Faculty reserve the right to deduct points for late assignments that are accepted past the original due date. ACADEMIC HONESTY Academic honesty is expected on all work. Students are expected to maintain complete honesty and integrity in their online experiences. Any student found guilty of any form of dishonesty in academic work is subject of disciplinary action and possible expulsion from ASU. The Nursing Department adheres to the academic honesty statement as set forth in the Angelo State University Student Handbook (2011-2012) http://www.angelo.edu/content/files/17358- university-honor-code. The University "faculty expects all students to engage in all academic pursuits in a manner that is above reproach and to maintain complete honesty and integrity in

the academic experience both in and out of the classroom setting and may initiate disciplinary proceedings against a student accused of any form of academic dishonesty, including but not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic work, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials." PLAGIARISM Plagiarism at ASU is a serious topic. The Angelo State University s Honor Code gives specific details on plagiarism and what it encompasses. Plagiarism is the action or practice of taking someone else's work, idea, etc., and passing it off as one's own. Plagiarism is literary theft. In your discussions and/or your papers, it is unacceptable to copy word for word without quotation marks and the source of the quotation. We use the APA Style Manual of the American Psychological Association as a guide for all writing assignments. Quotes should be used sparingly. It is expected that you will summarize or paraphrase ideas giving appropriate credit to the source both in the body of your paper and the reference list. Papers are subject to be evaluated for originality via Bb Safe Assignment or Turnitin. Resources to help you understand this policy better are available at the ASU Writing Center http://www.angelo.edu/dept/writing_center/academic_honesty.php. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES 1. Angelo State University is committed to the principle that no qualified individual with a disability shall, on the basis of disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of the university, or be subjected to discrimination by the university, as provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), and subsequent legislation. 2. Student Contact: The Student Life Office is the designated campus department charged with the responsibility of reviewing and authorizing requests for reasonable accommodations based on a disability, and it is the student s responsibility to initiate such a request by contacting the Student Life Office, Room 112 University Center, at (325) 942-2191 or (325) 942-2126 (TDD/FAX) or by email at Student.Life@angelo.edu to begin the process. Reasonable accommodations will be made for students determined to be disabled or who have documented disabilities. INCOMPLETE GRADE POLICY (OP 10.11 Grading Procedures) It is policy that incomplete grades be reserved for student illness or personal misfortune. Please contact faculty if you have serious illness or a personal misfortune that would keep you from completing course work. Documentation may be required. STUDENT ABSENCE FOR OBSERVANCE OF RELIGIOUS HOLY DAYS A student who intends to observe a religious holy day should make that intention known in writing to the instructor prior to the absence. Please see ASU Operating Policy 10.19.