What's Required?

A primary emphasis in Great Ideas is discussion of texts and ideas, so much of the course's success depends on your preparation for class and willingness to advance and defend your own analysis of the assigned works. You should come to class ready to take part in (and occasionally lead) our exchange of ideas.

Since it is impossible to participate effectively if you are not here, attendance is required. You are entitled to two cuts without penalty, but further absence will lower your grade. If you miss a class, you are still responsible for assigned readings and materials discussed in class.

You need to consult the course web page before preparing for each day's class; it will contain informational updates, homework assignments, and discussion questions for the assigned readings. It's a good idea to print out the reading questions, in fact, since we will be using them to start the day's discussion.

Beyond those three general rules, these are the specific course requirements:

1. Six essays will be assigned as homework through the course of the semester. These will vary in length and complexity, and they will be assigned on the daily course preparation pages online. There will be both individual and collaborative assignments, but all essays are to be word processed, spell checked, carefully proofread, and printed on a legible printer in 12-pitch type. Papers are to be handed in on the date specified unless you have received permission in advance to submit a late paper. Each paper must also be uploaded in electronic form to turnitin.com, a site that will check your paper for duplication in its database. Rewriting is an option, but the rewrite must be submitted (along with a copy of the original paper) within two weeks of the return of the original paper. Together these papers account for 50% of your final grade.
2. Five scheduled quizzes appear on the detailed syllabus, contributing 40% to your course grade.
3. Thoughtful class preparation and participation (willingness to enter the group discussion and participation in group activities) will form the basis for the grade in this category, which will be 10% of your final course grade.

The grading scale for LS 195 is as follows:

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is representing as one's own the words and/or ideas of another, whether the author is a classmate, a professional writer or an anonymous source on the Web. If you plagiarize a paper, you will fail the course. If you are in doubt about plagiarism, ask. That's what office hours and e-mail are for. Remember, ignorance is not a valid excuse for dishonesty.

Return to Home Page.