It is critical that you
attend classes regularly. You can miss one class without being penalized. After
that, any unexcused absence will cost you one percent of your total grade. More
than five unexcused absences can lead to failure in the course. In order for
absences to be excused, you have to have a legitimate reason, such as medical
or family emergencies, and appropriate documentation. If you have any questions
about what constitutes "legitimate", contact me. As a class based on
discussion, the quality of the class depends on your participation.
To enable you to participate
productively, it is necessary that you read the assignments carefully before
the class period in which they will be discussed.
I will evaluate participation
on the basis of:
·
Correctly
answering factual questions
·
Attempting to
answer conceptual questions
·
Challenging
(respectfully) the opinions of others in the class (including the instructor)
·
Providing
critical insights
Everyone will be responsible
for generating discussion questions for one class. This will be a team
exercise, and you are expected to have discussed with your team before you are
presenting them to the class. The discussion questions are based on the
readings assigned for that day. Please send me an electronic copy of your
discussion questions, including a 100 to 300 word answer to each of the
questions. There should be about 5 to 10 generated per team. A good set of
discussion questions consists of comprehension questions and questions that
critique the text or try to tease out the implications of the readings. The
questions are due one class before they are to be presented, and I will pick
the ones that I think are most appropriate for class discussion. This exercise
is due 10 percent of your class grade.
There will be a minimum of 6
quizzes. They will be based on the readings assigned that day. Quizzes can include
a variety of things, including in-class writing and teamwork. There are no make-up quizzes. But I will drop
the lowest grade.
A final will be given, but no
midterm. The final is due during finals week and will consist of matching,
identification, short essays and one longer essay. The final is non-cumulative.
A paper of 5 to 8 pages is
required for this course. The paper will have to build on some of the topics
discussed in class. It might be a good idea to use your in-class presentation
as a starting point for your paper, and also to browse through the assigned
books to look for topics that interest you. Please start working early on your
paper, and show me drafts as you progress.
There will be a total of 10
journals required for class. Journals are comments on the readings, or spin
offs of what we have discussed and read. They will be graded on a check, plus,
or minus scale. They should be about 300 words, or one page.
If you are not in class at
the time I am taking roll, you will get a T for Tardy. Two tardies
count as one absence. If I have to wake you up in class because you fell
asleep, it will cost you a tardy too.
Some videos or video clips
will be shown in class. The majority however will be shown outside of class.
You will be able to watch those videos through Clarkson TV if you are living on
campus, or at any of some specifically designated lounges. Details will be
provided in class.
In order to assure fairness
to all students, the deadlines for the given assignments are binding. If not
stated otherwise, the papers have to be turned in at the beginning of the class
period for the day that they are due. Turning an assignment in late will lower
your respective score by 10% for each day it is late, unless accompanied by a
valid excuse and verifying documentation.
Plagiarism is on the
increase. It is a serious offense with far-reaching repercussions. Plagiarizing
is defined as appropriating or imitating the language, ideas and thoughts of
another author and representation of them as one's original work. To make sure
that you don't plagiarize unknowingly, familiarize yourself with the
conventions of how to use proper quotes and citations in a scholarly paper.
Documentation will be made available throughout the course. Any student who
has been found to be plagiarizing or found to be abetting someone in the act of
plagiarism will face disciplinary proceedings. In mild cases it might result in
an F in the class, in more serious cases it can lead to the expulsion from the
University. There will be no warnings!
Writing Support: The
If you need any help because
of a disability, please let me know so that we can ensure that you get the
assistance you need.
Grading Criteria
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Grading Scale
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Course Syllabus |
Course Objectives |