Spring 2003
Course Policies
I realize that most of you are taking several classes and are probably working as well. However, enrolling in this course means that you and I have a contractual obligation to one another: I am obligated to teach to the best of my ability, to be available during office hours, and to answer your questions whenever possible; you are obligated to attend class, to complete the readings and writing assignments in a timely manner, and to participate actively in the process of learning. The course policies were designed with this in mind, and include:
Attendance:
Attendance in this course is absolutely critical. Your understanding of the material will depend not only on your critical reading of the books, but also on the scholarly dialogue upon which you will embark each week. For this reason, I will only allow one officially documented absence. Every absence after that will result in a half letter grade reduction of your final course grade.
Participation:
Your participation is necessary to the success of this course. Therefore, you are expected to ‘chip in’ as much as possible. Participation counts for 20% of your final grade. Note, coming to class is NOT enough. You must have read and critically thought about the material, and must be willing to participate in class discussion. Shyness is not an excuse; learning to share your ideas is part of the exercise! Note: if you are not prepared for class (i.e. if you have not done the readings or thought critically about them), you will be asked to leave the room - and this will count as an absence!
Assignments:
The remaining 80% of your course grade will be based on three papers and Discussion Facilitation.
You will have to write three 7-8 page papers. These will be comparative critical analyses of two of the books in each of
the topical course subdivisions. Each paper will account for 20% of your final grade.
You will also be responsible for facilitating (that is, leading) discussion on one of the assigned books. This means that you
must prepare leading questions to start up discussion, and be prepared to answer questions on both the factual material and
the scholar's methodology. Consulting scholarly reviews on your selected book will help you better prepare for this
assignment. Your Discussion Facilitation will account for 20% of your final grade.
Late papers:
Papers must be submitted on time. I will accept late assignments, but will deduct a full letter grade for each day they are late.
Only a serious and unavoidable cause, such as a documented medical condition or family emergency, will be accepted as an excuse for failing to turn in an assignment on time. In these cases, a new due-date will be assigned.
Office hours:
I will be available for consultation during regular office hours, as listed above. Take advantage of this opportunity to ask questions, ask for clarifications, or just to chat: using office hours will allow you to get a better feel for the class and will give you the opportunity to make sure what I expect from you and what you understand I expect from you are the same thing! Note, however, that I do not repeat lectures or give out notes, nor do I duplicate handouts you have lost. For duplicates, you should refer to this website.
University Policies:
This class will follow University guidelines as described in the University Catalog.
Academic honesty:
Cheating and plagiarism are serious offenses that could have extremely serious consequences such as probation, suspension, or expulsion from the University. At the very least, cheating in this class will result in an immediate F for the assignment, and such cases will be reported to the appropriate authorities.
As defined in University’s Policies webpage (http://www-catalog.admin.csufresno.edu/current/policies.html), “cheating is the actual or attempted practice of fraudulent or deceptive acts for the purpose of improving a grade or obtaining course credit. Typically, such acts occur in relation to examinations. It is the intent of this definition that the term cheating not be limited to examinations situations only, but that it include any and all actions by a student that are intended to gain an unearned academic advantage by fraudulent or deceptive means.” Cheating includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism. This is “a specific form of cheating that consists of the misuse of the published and/or unpublished works of others by misrepresenting the material so used as one's own work.” That means that if you take more than three words from a source*, and do not put them in quotes and cite the source, you are cheating. Close paraphrasing without citation is also plagiarism.
*This includes downloading information from the Internet and presenting it as your own, as well as getting someone else to write a paper or assignment for you.
Students with Disabilities:
Upon identifying themselves to me and to the university, students with disabilities will receive reasonable accommodation for learning and evaluation. For more information, contact Services to Students with Disabilities in Madden Library 1049 (278-2811).
Disruptive Behavior:
You are expected to be respectful of the professor and your classmates. Pagers, cellular phones, and personal stereo systems must be turned off and put away prior to the beginning of class. Talking to your classmates while I and your colleagues are trying to discuss is unacceptable. Reading the newspaper or any material not related to class is also unacceptable. The use of any tobacco products is prohibited by law, and smoking or chewing tobacco are not allowed in the classroom. If you do not comply with the regulations above, you will be asked to leave the room and will be held responsible for any material you might have missed. For further information on what is considered disruptive behavior in the classroom, see the University Policy on Disruptive Classroom Behavior (APM 419).