By signing you are agreeing: Last Name: _____________  First Name: _____________  Date: __/__/____
Personal Responsibility Form for 5 Good Habits for Evidence 
Texas has a new standard for history teachers—and others—to use to help college students: personal responsibility. Following the 5 Good Habits for Evidence is a matter of personal responsibility, especially since not following some of these 5 Good Habits for Evidence can be a form of cheating. You may or may not already know these 5 habits, but you are the only one who can make this happen in your writing. By submitting this form, you are confirming that you recognize this responsibility. If you need help, contact your instructor. (I will be glad to help you.) 

Identifying Your Responsibilities in Writing and in Receiving Feedback from Your Instructor 
It can be difficult to communicate to students about Good Habits for Evidence, including factual accuracy or “half-copy” plagiarism or “patchwriting.” These errors can be dangerous to your future, but are preventable by choosing and developing habits that aid decision making and are requirements of most jobs that pay well.

These steps have been the best method to solve the communication problem:
1.	If you need help with the 5 Good Habits for Evidence, then it is your responsibility to ask.

2.	When I grade, I provide feedback using a rubric and with marks on your paper. Before I enter the grade for that feedback, you confirm you understood by signing the rubric or—if you do not understand—by your signing out the paper so you can compare my marks with the source(s). (Caution: if you do not return the paper and rubric, you receive 0 points.) If you also want to talk about any issues, that is absolutely fine. Also, if am wrong (and life happens) and the evidence shows that, I will gladly change the grade.  
I do not enter the points until you reply on the form. You must act within one week unless we agree in writing by email. (For other reasons for a delay, see the syllabus section on what qualifies for something being late.)

As long as you continue to follow all 5 Good Habits for Evidence, you keep the 30 extra credit points that you receive for submitting this form. 

If the feedback is that you did not follow all of the 5 Good Habits for Evidence with a written assignment, then there are additional actions you need to do. 
3.	You will have to do the tasks that are written with your rubric. The tasks are ones that have helped students realize the specific Good Habits for Evidence they missed. If you don’t understand, ask. When you do what is written on the rubric and you ask questions as much as you need, you sign the feedback saying you understand your responsibilities to follow the Good Habits for Evidence on the next writing, I enter these things:
•	The actual grade for the content for the assignment 
•	1.11 for the grade for its 5 Good Habits for Evidence 
Tip: On the next writing assignment that you do, if you follow the 5 Good Habits for Evidence, then you remind me by email to change this grade to the full points for this assignment.
•	A 1.11 for the 30-point extra credit for this form (Caution:  You do a Unit 1 and a Unit 2 Writing Exam in class, but the Analysis of Primary Sources and its Proposal are done using Turnitin. This 30 points determine whether you can see any Turnitin assignment. Get the Good Habits for Evidence straight early in the course.)
Tip: On the next writing assignment that you do, if you follow the 5 Good Habits for Evidence, then you remind me by email to change this grade to 30. You then keep the 30 points as long as you follow all 5 Good Habits for Evidence.

You must act within one week unless we agree in writing by email. (For other reasons for a delay, see the syllabus section on what qualifies for something being late.)

General Tip: The tutorial 5 Good Habits for Evidence – The Keys to Critical Thinking also has links with examples on how to follow those habits. Ask if you need help.