Assignments

Your grade in this class is based on the following assignments.

1. Essays. I will post essay topics and questions to the class blog. There will be three preliminary essays and a final. You are required to write on one (1) of the three (3) preliminary essays, but may choose to write on two (2). I will count your highest score towards your final grade. Everyone will write on the final essay, which will be posted on week 10 and due during finals week. Essays will be submitted electronically. Details provided here and on individual assignments. The preliminary essays are worth twenty (20) points, and the final is worth thirty (30) points. Consult the Calendar for specific assignment dates.
2. Reading preparation. For each class session with reading attached, you will be assigned a reading or readings for which you will be required to complete the following sentences. Individual assignments will be posted to the class weblog:
   • "The most important point in this reading was ..."
   • "The most confusing point in this reading was ..."
   • "The most interesting thing I learned from this reading was ..."
   • "One question I have for discussion is ..."

   You should neatly handwrite, type, or wordprocess your responses. Note that you will still be responsible for all of the reading on the essays and on other assignments. Each week's reading preparation is worth two (2) points. The assignment is worth eighteen (18) points.

   If you are not in class to turn in your reading preparation assignment, you will have until 11:59 pm that same day to submit or arrange an extension for full credit. You may do this in person or via e-mail (hustons@wou.edu). If you miss that deadline, I may not accept your work or may accept it for partial credit.

3. Blogging. I have established a blog on Typepad for this class. This assignment is worth ten (10) points.
4. Supplemental viewing. On the course calendar, I have identified supplemental films, and in many cases, related reading, for certain weeks. You will need to choose three (3) of these supplemental films to view outside of scheduled class time and answer a selected question about those films on the class blog. All of these films are available on library reserve, but feel free to look for alternative ways to view as well.

   Supplemental viewing, both watching the film and responding to the question on the blog, should be completed by the end of the day (11:59 pm) on the W before the next class session. So, for example, if you were to choose one of the week 2 films to watch, you should have that done, and your questions response posted, by W of week 3. The end of the day on W is also the deadline to request an extension for full credit for that week's viewing. Each viewing is worth four (4) points for a total of twelve (12). See note about changes to the deadlines for this assignment on the blog.

5. In-class writing. Each week I will ask you to complete some combination of Learning Assessment and Freewriting in class. Learning Assessments are short tasks or questions that I will generally present at the end of each week. Their purpose is to help me gauge what you're learning. Freewriting is open-ended writing about the course and related material, usually within a given time period. I may use Freewriting at any point during a period, particularly as a way to generate discussion. This assignment is worth one (1) point per week, or ten (10) in total.

   Generally, this assignment cannot be made up. However, if circumstances require you to miss multiple weeks of in-class writing, I recommend that you come talk to me about how that may affect your grade.

Final grades will be assessed on a standard 100 point scale (93+ is an A; 90-92 is an A-; 87-89 is a B+; 83-86 is a B; 80-82 is a B-; 77-79 is a C+; 73-76 is a C; 70-72 is a C-; 67-69 is a D+; 63-66 is a D; 60-62 is a D-. Lower than 60 is an F).