Requirements
There are four components to the term work for this course:

(1) Attendance and participation. I expect you to prepare for class by completing the reading and listening assignments, to think critically about the course material, and to contribute regularly to in-class discussions and activities. Occasionally, I will also ask you to complete some participation tasks, which will involve bringing information, discussion questions, or examples to class. All students will begin with an assumption of the grade of C for being present and attentive. At the end of the term, that grade will be raised to B (+/-) for students whose participation has been good—that is, better than merely present and attentive. At the same time, students whose participation has been exceptional will have that grade raised to A (+/-). Those who are frequently disruptive or distracted in class (by web surfing, napping, or texting, for example), or who do not complete the participation tasks may have their participation grade reduced accordingly. Unannounced quizzes may also be given to test your knowledge of the reading and listening assignments.

Attendance will be taken at every class meeting. Absences will only be excused in instances of illness, official CWRU business, religious observances, or bereavement, and must be documented with a letter from a physician or an appropriate CWRU office (such as University Health Services or the Dean’s office). You will also be allowed two unexcused absences, although you will be responsible for making up any missed work on your own.

After factoring in the allowable absences described above, I will use your attendance record (expressed in a percentage) to calculate how much credit for participation you are eligible to receive toward your final course grade. For example, if you have a 90% attendance rate, you will receive 90% of the grade points that you would have otherwise earned for participation, and so on. You may ask me for your current attendance record and participation grade at any time.

(2) Reading, listening, and viewing. You should complete the assigned reading and listen to/view the assigned multimedia examples listed on the schedule before the class meeting. In addition to being responsible for this information on exams and quizzes, students may be called upon individually in class to respond to assigned material.

(3) Writing and independent research. The major writing assignment for this course will be a final research paper (8-10 pages, not including notes or bibliography) on a topic chosen by you and approved by me. Formatting requirements and a grading rubric will be distributed in class and via Blackboard well in advance of the due date, which is the last day of class.

In addition to the final paper, there will be several short (approximately 1-2 page) critical writing assignments designed to enhance your understanding of the reading and listening/viewing assignments. These are described in the schedule; additional assignments or worksheets may be given in class.

I prefer writing assignments in hard copy (no e-mailed submissions unless prior arrangements have been made with me) at the beginning of the class period. Late work will receive partial credit at the instructor’s discretion. Extensions will be granted only in cases of documented medical or family emergencies; if you must miss class on the day a writing assignment is due for any other reason, please make arrangements with me ahead of time for submission in order to ensure that you will receive full credit. Please note that technological malfunctions are never a valid excuse for late work—back up your papers and have extra ink cartridges handy.

(4) Exams and quizzes. This course will have one midterm exam and a (non-cumulative) final exam, both of which will cover concepts and information from readings, lectures, and audio/visual assignments. In addition, there will be four scheduled listening quizzes (one at the midterm, one at the final, and two during regular class meetings) evaluating your knowledge of the listening assignments as well as the listening skills developed in class.

Exams will be given only once, at the time and place stated in the syllabus. The date and time of the final are published by the University in the online course catalog. Make any end-of-term travel plans with this date in mind. Permission to take examinations at special times cannot be given except in cases of medical emergency, official CWRU business, religious observance, or bereave¬ment. Make-up exams will not be scheduled until appropriate documentation is received (see the attendance policy above)—no exceptions.

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Distribution of Credit

• Historical knowledge, 20%: (Midterm exam @ 10% and non-cumulative final exam @ 10%)
• Listening skills, 20%: (Four listening quizzes @ 5% each)
• Critical thinking & writing @20%: (Worksheets and short writing assignments, graded pass/fail and each worth an equal percentage of the grade)
• Independent research, @20%: (Final paper)
• Class attendance and participation @ 20%

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Grading Scale
The following scale will be used to translate point values into letter grades, and vice versa, for graded assignments, quizzes, and exams. It will also be used for determining final letter grades (please note: plusses and minuses are not used for final course grades at CWRU–any “A” grade is recorded as A, any “B” grade as B, etc.).

Letter	Range	Midpoint
A+	97–100	98.5
A	94–96	95
A-	90–93	91.5
B+	87–89	88
B	84–86	85
B-	80–83	81.5
C+	77–79	78
C	74–76	75
C-	70–73	71.5
D+	67–69	68
D	65–66	65.5
F	0–64	n/a

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