Syllabus for LS195, Sections 26 and 31

Class Information

Section 26 meets Tuesday and Thursday 8:00-9:15 in room 112, New Snell.
Section 31 meets Tuesday and Thursday 9:30-10:45 in room 112, New Snell.

Dr. Melville's office is 278 New Snell. Office hours are: Tuesday/ Thursday 11:00 - 12:00, and 1:00-4:00, or by appointment. I'm in my office most days until lunchtime -- just drop by. My office phone # is: 3966, or you can  email me

Required texts:

You are required to buy the following books and bring the appropriate text with you to class:

Required work

Please note: You may not make-up a missed exam or quiz, or turn in an assignment late unless you have cleared it with me ahead of time! Class time is primarily devoted to discussion. If you don't talk in class, you will not do well. If you do not do all the required work you will get a zero for the class. Attendance is required.

Grading

Your final grade will depend on the percentage of points you have received out of the total number of points possible. Grading is as follows: 90 and above
is an A; 80-85 is a B; 86-90 is a B+; 70-75 is a C; 76-79 is a C+; 60-65 is a D; 66-69 is a D+; F is 0-59.

Study Habits

In order to do well in this class, you will need to work regularly (at least 5 days a week) and plan on spending a fair amount of time a week on the course outside of class time. Figure out where this is going to come from in your schedule. Read assigned material a couple of times: first, skim it to get the general idea of what the topics and main points are, then go through again in more detail. Read after you have checked the assignment/study questions on our web page. Read with a pencil. Take notes. Think about what you will say in class. Think about questions others may have. Think about your responses to these questions. For most people it is probably best to do the reading on your own, and somewhere quiet with few distractions. You will often find it much easier to refine your thinking on various topics by talking to other people in the class. Most people are nervous about talking in class, and asking questions. Practice.

The class web site and assignments

All assignments will be posted on the web. I will not pass out assignments in class. You are expected to refer to our web page on a daily basis, as I will be updating it constantly. This will save a lot of paper. I encourage you to e-mail me with questions and comments. I encourage you to e-mail each other. All written assignments are to be typed/computer generated. I will not accept hand-written work.You may NOT e-mail me your written work!

Objectives

The class is designed to help you develop your skills in critical thinking, critical reading and communication skills (oral and written) -- each of which will be necessary to your success in life, regardless of what career you choose. The books I have chosen for first semester are designed to introduce you to a variety of cultures and their notions of "right action" vs. "wrong action", order vs. chaos, and the place of the individual in society. We will also endeavor to see our own society in relation to these and ourselves in relation to our society.

Plagiarism policy

Any act of plagiarism will result in a zero for the assignment, a zero for the semester class participation grade, and notification to your advisor and to the academic integrity board for recommended action.
 


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