Essays and Submissions
All essays will be submitted through Canvas as Microsoft Word (.doc/.docx) or PDF files. Work submitted in an incompatible file format will be subject to late work penalties. If exporting from Google Docs, double-check that your submission imported correctly, including formatting.
Requirement: All three major essays must be submitted to pass the course.
Major Essays
Personal Evaluation/Critical Self Evaluation Essay (20%)
A reflective essay exploring your connection to food and drink—why and how you eat, and your personal impact on the surrounding food culture.
Critical Analysis (20%)
An analysis focused on a cultural topic of food within a larger context, supported by formal research and sources.
Research Paper (30%)
A researched argument addressing a contemporary food issue. Includes context, analysis of primary sources, and integration/analysis of secondary sources.
Additional Graded Work
- Discussions: 15%
- Critical Responses: 15%
Discussion Participation (for grading)
To earn full credit for a week’s discussion: make 1 substantive original post during the initial discussion window (Monday–Tuesday, 11:59 pm MST; aim for at least 100 words), and make a minimum of 3 substantive replies to classmates spread across the remainder of the week. “Likes” are enabled and can signal you’ve seen a post, but they do not replace a comment.
Effective discussions require regular check-ins for back-and-forth conversation. Avoid posting only at the start and end of the window. Set Canvas notifications so you know when someone replies to your post, and respond accordingly.
Critical Responses
Personal responses to readings, prompts, and rhetorical learning activities. Length varies by assignment (typically about 2 pages, double-spaced). Upload completed responses to Canvas.
Grading Scale
A | A- | B+ | B | B- | C+ | C | D | F |
93–100 | 90–92 | 87–89 | 83–86 | 80–82 | 77–79 | 70–76 | 60–69 | <60 |