Participation, Preparation and Attendance

Class meetings will include lectures and discussions—usually small group discussions that result in some writing and a final, reflective discussion by the class as a whole.  Your participation in these discussions is important not only for your own learning process but equally so for how others learn from you.  By “participation,” I do not mean simply showing up to class, the occasional comment made in class, or talk for the sake of talking.   Rather, I’ll view your participation as an indication of your level of engagement with the course.  Here are 2 ways you should be able to demonstrate that engagement:

• Informed participation on a regular basis:  i.e., your contributions to discussion reflect thoughtful preparation of the assigned reading and writing assignments and demonstrate that you are paying attention to the trajectory of that day’s conversation; you speak up often enough to be a presence in the class and on the blog; your contributions to discussion make it possible for others to participate and to learn.

• Evidence of sustained critical thinking about issues, questions or concepts discussed in class regularly demonstrated in your writing:  Although I expect everyone to participate on a regular basis, I realize that some of you will be more comfortable (or have more experience) than others with discussion-based classes.  For that reason, in addition to your in-class participation, I will also look at what your writing demonstrates about your learning. This includes your writing on the class blog.  If you want to be eligible for an A for participation/preparation, you need to be a regular contributor to the blog.

Of course it goes without saying that when you don’t come to class, you can’t be part of the discussion, you won’t understand the relevance of the reading and writing assignments, and you will fall behind.  Thus, uneven attendance will affect every other aspect of this course on which you are evaluated.  Because I often begin class by asking for responses in writing to a particular question or passage from the assigned reading, you will have the same difficulties if you arrive late.

Because our class includes both discussion as well as lecture, I will not be able to hand you notes or an outline or easily recap what you missed if you are absent.  The way discussions work as venues for learning is that they create opportunities for participants (individually, and as part of a larger group) to talk through complicated issues and ideas—to pose questions, struggle over difficulties, and explore tangents.   When you miss class you miss out on the opportunity to participate in this process.  You also diminish opportunities for others to do the same.

Although missing class because of religious holidays is not an absence, you still need to notify me ahead of time so that you will not fall behind.  Missing more than three class  periods, for any reason, will adversely affect your grade.  This does not mean you are “allowed” to miss three.  It means that missing more than three, the equivalent of a week’s worth of class, will likely make it difficult for you to catch up.

Late or Missed Assignments

You will be doing a lot of writing this semester, and it’s important that you not fall behind.  Many of the writing assignments are preparing you for the work of a particular day’s class, so missing an assignment will mean you’re not prepared for class.  Consequently, I will not normally accept late work.  If you anticipate a problem meeting a deadline, tell me about it sooner not later, and if possible, we will work something out.

Collaboration and Intellectual Honesty

Writing and reading are social and socializing activities, and more often than not in this course, you will be responding to and building on the ideas of others.  I encourage you to discuss the reading and writing assignments with anyone in or outside the class.  In addition, I will frequently ask you to read and respond to one another’s work.  Should you find yourself drawing on any of these discussions in your written work, you should include an acknowledgement statement.  E.g., I would like to thank my classmate Pheobe Jones for her feedback on an earlier draft of this essay.  Or, My idea for this blog post originated in a discussion I had yesterday with my roommate Mike Miller.

If you have any questions about how to use or cite sources (we’ll be following  MLA rules), consult your St. Martin’s Handbook or the Purdue OWL or ask me.

Instances of plagiarism, representing without attribution the ideas of others, will be dealt with according to the procedure outlined in the most recent version of your student handbook.  You are responsible for reading and adhering to the College’s “Principles of  Intellectual Honesty” explained there.

Requests for Academic Accommodation

In compliance with Lafayette College policy and equal access laws, I am available to discuss appropriate academic accommodations that you require as a student with a disability.  Except in unusual circumstances, requests for academic accommodations need to be made during the first two weeks of the semester so that arrangements can be made.  Students must register with the Office of the Dean of the College for verification and for determination of reasonable academic accommodations.

Federal Course Requirement

The student work in this course is in full compliance with the federal definition of a four credit hour course. Please see the Registrar’s Office web site for the full policy and practice statement.