Attendance and Participation: 20%

Because this class is a seminar, participation is of paramount importance; it is the best way to demonstrate what you have learned from the materials and to explore your own ideas in dialogue with your classmates. This means regular and prompt attendance, coming to class having done the work, speaking when you have something to say, and listening respectfully when you don’t. An excess of three absences over the course of the semester will negatively impact your grade.

Mid-term paper: 20%

You will be responsible for one mid-term paper, due February 25th. It should not pose a problem for any student who regularly reads the assigned work and participates in class discussions.

Online Participation

Final Paper and Presentation: 35%

For this project you’ll write a longer paper (3000-4000 words) further exploring one of the topics we’ve covered or discussed in class, and you’ll present your work to the class at the end of the semester. On April 6th you’ll submit to me a brief treatment of the topic (approximately 700 words) you’re interested in, some potential sources and the issues you see that it raises; we will discuss each students’ topic briefly in that day’s class. You’ll present between April 20th and April 27th, and turn in the final paper on April 29th. Part of your presentation grade is the active participation (questions, respectful listening, attendance) in the presentations of others.

Written Work

All submitted papers must be typed, double-spaced, and paginated in 12-point Times New Roman font with 1″ margins, with footnotes rather than endnotes. Email them to me as attachments in Microsoft Word, OpenOffice, or PDF format. Your name, date, and essay title should appear on the first page, and pages should be numbered. Consult the Chicago Manual of Style for the details of proper citation and quotation formatting.

Encyclopedic sources such as Wikipedia are excellent starting points for your research. They offer a valuable overview of specific subjects, and link to vital primary and secondary sources for your work. However, you are not permitted to quote or cite such articles themselves as references in your work.

Free writing help is available through the Writing Center, 269 Mercer Street, 2nd Floor.  The telephone number is: (212) 998-8866.

Plagiarism
Regardless of your views on copyright liability, academic plagiarism is a serious offense under the regulations of this University. If you do it, in any form, you will fail the entire course. Just to be clear, this includes every unacknowledged use of materials written by others (even sentences or obvious paraphrases without quotes). Please see the University’s guidelines for further information on this matter.

Late Assignments
Late assignments will be marked down one letter grade for every day they are overdue. If you think you are going to be late with an assignment, you must notify me before the assignment is due (and this does not mean an email an hour before class). Please respect your time and mine.

Students With Disabilities
Any student attending NYU who needs an accommodation due to a chronic, psychological, visual, mobility and/or learning disability, or is Deaf or Hard of Hearing should register with the Moses Center for Students with Disabilities at 212 998-4980, 240 Greene Street.

Evaluation

A = Excellent
Outstanding work in all respects.  This work demonstrates comprehensive and solid understanding of course material, and presents thoughtful interpretations, well-focused and original insights, and well-reasoned commentary and analysis.  Includes skillful use of source materials, illuminating examples and illustrations, fluent expression, and no grammar/typing errors.

B = Good
This work demonstrates a complete and accurate understanding of course material, presents a reasonable degree of insight and broad levels of analysis.  Work reflects competence, but stays at a general or predictable level of understanding.  Source materials, examples, illustrations, are used appropriately and articulation/writing is clear.  Paper has been carefully proofread.

C = Adequate/Fair
This work demonstrates understanding that hits in the ballpark, but which remains superficial, incomplete, or expresses some significant errors or weaknesses.  Source materials may be used inadequately or inappropriately, and arguments lack concrete, specific examples and illustrations.  Writing/articulation may appear vague, hard to follow, or loaded with typos and other technical errors.

D = Unsatisfactory
This work demonstrates a serious lack or error in understanding, and fails to express the most rudimentary aspects of the course.  Sources may be used entirely inappropriately or not at all, and writing/articulation appears deficient.

F = Failed
Work not submitted or attempted.

Plus (+) or minus (-) grades indicate your range within the aforementioned grades. In other words, B+ means very good.

A = 94-100
A- = 90-93
B+ = 87-89
B = 84-86
B- = 80-83
C+= 77-79
C = 74-76
C- = 70-73
D+ = 67-69
F < 66