Entrepreneurship and Independent Press Publishing

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

Undergraduate Students

• Copyedit manuscripts according to selected references and communicate queries to authors and editors
• Conceive and execute designs for print layouts in InDesign
• Identify and discuss systemic issues in small press literary publishing

Graduate Students

• Compare and contrast editorial approaches as part of an adaptive editor-author relationship
• Critique effects of design on text, in the context of form and format
• Develop and propose approaches to systemic issues in small press literary publishing

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure	Percentage/Points
Written assignments	10%
Manuscript queries	20%
Manual sewing activity	10%
Participation	10%
Presentations	15%
Design assignments	35%

Grading Scale

Percentage	Letter Grade
93.0 and above	A
90.0 – 92.9	A-
87.0 – 89.9	B+
83.0 – 86.9	B
80.0 – 82.9	B-
77.0 – 79.9	C+
73.0 – 76.9	C
70.0 – 72.9	C-
67.0 – 69.9	D+
63.0 – 66.9	D
60.0 – 62.9	D-
Below 60.0	F

Attendance/Participation:

Students are allowed a maximum of 3 absences without penalty. Each absence over 3 results in a deduction from your participation grade. After a student’s 6th absence, the instructor will hold a mandatory attendance meeting with the student to establish an intervention plan. Students who do not attend the meeting or who do not follow the intervention plan risk failing the course. A student with 7 absences will receive a grade of F for the course.

Students must attend every class, arrive on time with the necessary assignments and course materials, and stay for the duration of the class. This attendance policy does not differentiate between “excused” and “unexcused” absences; it is your responsibility to reserve your absences for unavoidable occurrences, such as illness, work-related events, advising sessions, childcare concerns, car trouble, minor emergencies, etc.

State law requires that students be allowed two absences due to religious holidays; please notify me at least 48 hours prior to your anticipated absence. Intercollegiate athletes should provide official documentation of anticipated absences early in the semester. Absences for religious holidays and documented athletic events will not count toward the maximums described above.

If you have extenuating circumstances such as serious illness, chronic illness, an injury requiring prolonged medical treatment, prolonged psychological issues, etc., you should make your instructor aware of these circumstances as soon as possible and keep your instructor informed until you are able to return to class. You should also contact the Dean of Students Office, which can review documentation and notify multiple instructors on your behalf, especially if hospitalization or distress prevent you from doing so yourself. You should be aware, however, that the Dean of Students Office will not override any individual instructor’s attendance policy and that decisions about whether and how to accommodate students in distress are made by individual instructors. The Dean of Students office is located at 210 Elliott University Center and can be reached at 336-334-5514 or deanofstudentsoffice@uncg.edu.

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

Students will need to access and use Adobe InDesign CC for the final month of class. Although the software is available on university lab computers, it will be necessary to access and use this software during class sessions. Students should purchase a one-month subscription. Because Adobe configures its subscription options to maximize revenue through hidden fees, the instructor will provide in-class guidance about how to sign up for the lowest-cost option, which is $34.99 for one month. Do not subscribe to Adobe InDesign CC before November 2026.