Assessment for this course is divided into five components:
1. Reading Responses (15%)
You will submit a response to one of the readings for each Friday class (except the days of our class debates, November 3 and December 8). That's 12 responses in total.
The response should be submitted to our Google Group by 8am the day of class.
Important: If someone has already posted a response for the upcoming class, please post your response as a reply to that person's, so that we can see all responses for a single class in a single thread.
Your response (approx. 2 short paragraphs) should include answers to the following questions:
1. Which passage most leapt out at you in the reading for this class?
2. What does the passage say (briefly)?
3. Why is it interesting to you?
4. What question(s) or concerns do you have about it?
Responses displaying puzzlement, lack of comprehension, irritation etc. are encouraged.
You are welcome--indeed urged!--to respond to other students' responses in addition to posting your own, but you're not required to.
Note: I'll be asking you to submit all your responses to me compiled in a Word doc at the end of the quarter. It'll be easier for you to do this if you compile them as you go along.
2. Debate Reflection (15%)
There will be two in-class debates. For each of these, before class you will meet up with your “debate prep partner” to go over the best arguments for and against the debate prompt, in preparation for the debate.
After the first debate, on November 3, you will submit a reflection (approx. 800 words) that: 1) presents what you consider to be the single strongest argument given on each side, and 2) concludes with your own stand on the issue and a justification for that stand. (Note: You don’t have to continue to support the side that you argued for in class).
The reflection will be due on November 12.
3. Paper 1 (25%)
A list of topics drawn from units A and B will be distributed in class on Septemner 26, and the paper (approx. 1500 words) will be due, 3.5 weeks later, on October 20.
4. Paper 2 (30%)
A list of topics drawn from units C and D will be distributed in class on November 17.
You will share your draft with your editing partner 2 weeks later, on December 3.
They will give you comments on or before December 6 and you will revise the paper as needed.
The paper (approx. 2000 words) will be due on December 10.
5. In-class Participation (15%)
Participation grades will be assigned as follows, tracking your average level of in-class engagement across the course of the quarter:
Excellent (A-range): you consistently showed command of the assigned reading(s) and originality and enthusiasm in discussing them, and your arguments for your own point of view were clear and persuasive.
Good to very good (B-range): you generally developed a point of view that was competent, interesting, and well-articulated, even though you may not have fully digested the material.
Fair to good (C-range): you didn't develop a point of view based on reasoned analysis of the assigned material and/or your comments were inaccurate, unclear or inconsistent.
Poor (D-range): it was clear you hadn't done the reading and/or your attendance was erratic (without justification).