COURSE REQUIREMENTS & OBJECTIVES
(The schedule of activities, readings, and specific instructions for each major written assignment will be distributed in class.)
- Quizzes: 10% of final grade
(quizzes based on the readings and lectures will assess timely readings, engagement with course material, and understanding of terms/concepts/figures crucial to the course content)
- Journal Quote & Question [JQQ]: 15% of final grade
(students will write brief, approx., 100-word responses to the readings, excl., the quotation; the JQQ will be framed as a thoughtful question and will train students to identify and quote significant passages from the texts, to deploy close reading by analyzing these quotes, and to use critical thinking skills to formulate a thoughtful question grounded in the texts; the task is designed to stimulate reflective questioning that can later be the basis for developing essay topics and participating in class discussions; paraphrasing and commenting on these quotes will also train students to incorporate quotes effectively into larger essay assignments.)
- Mini Research Essay* (5-6pp, excluding abstract, outline, works cited pg., bib.) 15% of course grade
(essay focusing on issues raised by the texts so far will assess skills of critical thinking, questioning, reading, and writing; students will also use this essay as a venue to develop earlier JQQs into an argument based on research of external, scholarly sources, incorporating self-evaluation & peer review; students will also practice formulating an abstract, outline, and annotated bibliography)
- Critical Research Essay* (10-12pp, excluding abstract, outline, works cited pg.,) 25% of course grade
(in lieu of a final exam, students will compose a critical, research-based essay; students will select at least one text read before Week 9 and at least one text read after Week 9 to formulate their own research project, incorporating external, scholarly sources to support their argument; essay will assess students ability to present a strong, well-supported argument; final drafts of the abstract, outline, works cited page, and annotated bibliography will also be included in the grade)
- Formal Annotated Bibliography for Critical Research Essay (with a minimum of seven appropriate sources) 10% of course grade
- Participation (regular attendance & active engagement in class): 20% of final grade
(students will be required to participate in class discussions and Canvas discussions by contributing thoughtful questions and comments and informal sharing of written work; these are designed to train students to demonstrate their engagement with the course material and classmates' ideas; the JQQ assignment is designed to assist students with this requirement; peer reviews and in-class presentations of the Critical Research Essay will be included in participation)
- Question for Class: 5% of final grade
(students will sign up for a day to share a thoughtful quote & question grounded in the text for the day)
*Specific guidelines for each essay will be distributed in class throughout the semester.