English
Comp II
Policies
Grading
Requirements
As a student, you will be expected to:
- Complete all reading and writing assignments when due.
- Read carefully and thoughtfully the essays and Internet articles on the Syllabus, and come to class ready to discuss them.
- Write two short papers and one longer paper based on the assigned readings.
- Write a Research Paper on a question raised by one of the "Obedience to Authority" topics we have studied - a paper that is not simply a report but rather an essay that develops a meaningful thesis.
- Submit seven written exercises, two on plagiarism, and the other five as parts of the Research Paper process.
- Write two in-class essays, one as a Pre-Final Exam and another as a Final Exam.
Plan to:
- Come to Class Dependably: This class emphasizes open discussion, workshop-like interactions, etc. Regular attendance is essential in a class like this.
- Keep Up with the Reading: During the first 8 or 9 weeks, while readings are being discussed, expect to have a lot of reading to do. Often you will be expected to come to class with notes, questions, or other writing based on the readings.
- Ask Questions: If anything in the course information isn’t clear to you, let me know. Feel free to ask questions on anything during class, after class, by Cruiser email, or on the course Message Board using the "Question Box." We can also schedule a conference to discuss more complicated matters at length.
- Submit Clean Papers: All the papers--the three regular Papers and the Research Paper -- should be typed, carefully edited, and proofread.
- Keep Up with Class Discussion: This is a discussion-oriented, participatory class. I won't read or grade papers submitted by students who have not kept up with the discussion.
- Avoid Late Work: Papers should be submitted when due. If you expect to be busy when work is due, make alternative arrangements with me prior to the due date. If you are having a problem with an assignment, consult with me before it becomes a real problem.
Grading Back to Top
Grading Criteria: As in all English classes, paper grades will be based on clarity, organization, use of examples and details, phrasing, liveliness, & thoughtfulness. In this course, however, papers will also be graded based on how well you understand and use the readings, your ability to analyze texts and explain ideas, and your skill in integrating quotes and paraphrase. Of course, your researching skills will affect your results in doing the Research Paper. Errors in usage, grammar, punctuation, and spelling - while not usually in themselves a basis for failure - will certainly lower the grade. In extreme cases, a paper may fail because it is nearly unreadable due to poor editing. (Also, see Plagiarism below.)Grade Computation:
First Two Short Papers (Paper #1 & Paper #2): 10% each
The Longer Paper (Paper #3): 20%
Research Paper: 20%
Course Participation: 20%.*
Final Exam (In-Class Essay): 20%Important Proviso: To get a "C" or better in the course, you must pass the Final Exam & get at least a "C" on the Research Paper.
*The Course Participation grade will be based on your written Exercises* & on how reliably you come to class well prepared to discuss the readings and to make our class learning community successful.*
Grading Exercises: Though papers will all be graded A, A-, B+, B, C, D, F (or "R" for "Rewrite it"), the Exercises will be graded using a more generalized "checkmark" system. For rough equivalents, you can consider a "Check-plus" an "A," "Check-good" a "B," "Check" a "C," "Check-minus" a "D" and "X" an "F."
Grading Class Discussion of the Readings: In general, I will evaluate your discussion of the assigned readings on your reliablility, thoroughness, & thoughtfulness. In other words, this part of your grade will be improved when you come to class having read the material and written down answers to the discussion questions &/or other relevant questions or concerns. Of course, when you come to class with no thoughts about the reading or not having done the reading (or, even worse, if you don't come to class at all), this will lower the grade. Specifically,
- To get an "A": Come to all classes ready to discuss the readings, with thoughtful questions and thorough, detailed answers to the discussion questions. (Note that what will help ensure this is writing out your answers, marking up your text so you can find specific passages to back up your points, and being eager to raise questions or pose new angles we may not have thought about. It also helps of course to be interested in and responsive to the comments and ideas of your classmates.)
- To get a "B": Come to at least 90% of the classes ready to discuss the readings, with thoughtful questions and helpful answers to the discussion questions.
Notice, though, that I am trying very hard not to evaluate the correctness or validity of your comments. This is your discussion with your classmates. Certainly, I will make every effort to avoid judging your comments on whether I agree with your thinking or your interpretations but rather on how engaged you are and how careful you've been to make sure you come to class with a thorough-going knowledge of the reading. In fact, for a good class discussion we need some people offering ideas that I or the majority of the class may not have thought of (see "Groupthink"). I will keep track primarily of whether you come to class, whether you've done the reading, whether you can point to specifics in the reading, and how involved and thoughtful your participation is. Also, if at times you can stir up some controversy, help by thoughtfully summing up the discussion and the issues for the class, or help others rethink some of their interpretations, that will certainly help your grade.
- To get a "C": Come to at least 75% of the classes ready to discuss the readings, informed enough to avoid making careless or misleading comments about the readings.
Plagiarism: Any words you've copied from a source must be placed in quotation marks. If you submit a paper that is plagiarized, even if you did not realize you were plagiarizing, you could receive an "F" in the course. (We will work on exercises intended to help you learn the difference between proper paraphrase and partial or unintentional plagiarism.) If you plagiarize and then lie about it, you may also be brought up on "Code of Student Conduct" charges and quite likely suspended from the College for at least a semester.