REPORT ON RECERTIFICATION OF C COURSE: AGSM 440
 
CERTIFICATION PERIOD: 1/1/23 to 1/1/27
 
We recommend that AGSM 440 Management of Agricultural Systems II be certified as a Communication (C) course. We have reviewed a representative syllabus and have determined that the course meets or exceeds the following criteria: (1) 64% of the final grade is based on writing and speaking quality; (2) the total number of words is 2500 for individuals; (3) the total minutes of performance is 13 for individuals; (4) the instructor to student ratio is 1:20; and (5) the assigned writing and speaking are appropriate to the major.
 
This course is grandfathered for collaborative writing and speaking. Students present five progress reports in groups of three, with each speaking five minutes. They also collaboratively present a final project report, with each speaking ten minutes and present a poster (individual minutes vary). They collaborate on writing a project definition and final report, and they individually write a section of the final report (for 2000 words). This individual section is submitted in draft form for instructor feedback before it is added to the final report. The feedback for speaking occurs with on each of the progress reports as it is given, to prepare them for the next one. The first two are left ungraded, as practice for the last three. For each of the writing assignments, a draft is submitted for instructor feedback. Instruction includes three lectures on writing/speaking in the discipline, a workshop on oral presentation presented by the University Writing Center, review of common errors, and use of examples.