Class Requirements
1) Articulate, well-informed, enthusiastic preparation for class, contribution to in-class and GoucherLearn forum discussion: 35%
2) Five "working with" essays (out of eight attempts--the lowest three are dropped): 50% Click here for evaluation criteria and advice. Note that you have to attempt all eight papers to have the lowest three dropped. Any papers that are not turned in must be counted among the five, and will count as a "zero." I want you to at least try to describe and use the theories.
NB: No late "working with" essays will be accepted unless you have an excuse of the types outlined in the Student Handbook (e.g., documented serious illness or death). These essays are too short to be a source of grave intellectual distress, and everyone deserves prompt return of the essays, which I can achieve only if all of them are turned in on time. Every missing essay will be counted as one of the five above--I will drop only low scores on real attempts to do the assignment. The take-home final will count for 150% of a "Working With" assignment to indicate its greater importance to its author as a statement of critical principles, but it is not so heavily weighted that (if you have been diligent during the semester) you can hurt yourself badly with this single assignment at the end of the year.
GoucherLearn Forum Postings as Class Participation:
I realize not everyone will post frequently to the GoucherLearn forum after the first required posting of your reading protocol, but I hope you all will read what is posted to the folder. If you do not post to GoucherLearn , I will be paying special attention to your in-class discussion as a measure of your preparation. If for any reason you are temperamentally ill-suited to both in-class and GoucherLearn contributions to our conversation, please contact me periodically in person by phone or in the office to talk about critical methods.
The following criteria will be used to calculate the class participation portion of the English 215 grade.
1) Frequency, quantity, and relevance: the discussions or postings reflect a reliable and durable relationship between the author and the class, and clearly relate to the specific content of the class readings, or to material from other sources which is clearly made relevant.
2) Collegial response to postings/previous discussions: the discussions or postings connect with and develop, by any logical strategy, the line of argument initiated by another student (or by the instructor).
3) Insight, refinement, and new initiatives: the discussions or postings open unexpectedly useful lines of discussion, increase the precision of the discussion, or take the class's conversation into new or newly related topics which can be made relevant to the course readings, the previous class conversation, or events taking place in other courses, etc.
For required readings, see the syllabus and "Required Texts and How to Acquire Them."