Assignment Outline
All assignments are due on Tuesdays and Saturdays. This is 8 modules in a 7 week course, so please check due dates carefully. If it is Tuesday or Saturday, you will have at least one assignment due!
Weekly Discussions
Each week, students are expected to participate fully in online discussions and activities that allow them to interact with other learners and to demonstrate their knowledge of course materials. Discussion prompts will focus on prompts from the instructor about the readings. All discussion posts are required by the assigned due date, and ALL must be completed with a passing grade to earn a final grade of 100 for this assignment. Any late or missing discussion posts will earn a grade of 0 (zero) for this portion of the final grade.
Reading Summary, Evaluation, and Discussion
Students are expected to read several articles by historians that examine the use -- and usefulness -- of biographies as a source of historical information and interpretation. Available in Canvas, all readings are required, and students will select ONE (1) of the readings to summarize, evaluate, and post as a Discussion no later than the end of Week 5. These summaries and evaluations of at least 500 words should be well-written and will be graded on a standard 100-point grading scale, with a rubric. This assignment will count toward 5% of the final grade, and any late or missing summaries will earn a grade of 0 (zero).
Critical Book Reviews
For each of the required books, students are expected to write a critical review of about 1200 words in line with criteria and guidelines explained in more detail in Canvas. These book reviews must be submitted by the assigned due date, and each should offer a thorough summary of the book's contents along with an appraisal of the book as a work of biography and historical interpretation. These book reviews will be graded on a standard 100-point grading scale, with a rubric, and any late or missing book reviews will earn a grade of 0 (zero). Each book review is worth 20% of the final grade. Grade Scheme
The following grading standards will be used in this class:
Course AssessmentsPercentagesDiscussions, Quiz, & Posts (All Required) | 15
Reading Summary, Evaluation, & Discussion | 5
Book Review 1 | 20
Book Review 2 | 20
Book Review 3 | 20
Book Review 4 | 20
Totals | 100GradeRangeA | 100 % to 93.0%
A- | < 93.0 % to 90.0%
B+ | < 90.0 % to 87.0%
B | < 87.0 % to 83.0%
B- | < 83.0 % to 80.0%
C+ | < 80.0 % to 77.0%
C | < 77.0 % to 73.0%
C- | < 73.0 % to 70.0%
D+ | < 70.0 % to 67.0%
D | < 67.0 % to 63.0%
D- | < 63.0 % to 60.0%
F | < 60.0 % to 0.0%