Research Papers (70% of your final grade)
There will be three graded papers. For each paper, turning in a rough draft is required and will count for part of your grade. The first paper will be worth 20% of your final grade, and the second & third will be worth 25% each. More details will be given in class.

In-Class Essays (20% of your final grade)
You will often be asked to do timed writing at the beginning of class. These exercises are designed to get you to think about some of the topics of discussion before class begins. Some of these written essays will be collected and graded. You will be notified before you begin to write if this is the case. You will be allowed to use any handwritten notes that you have made about the class discussion or assigned reading during these exercises. (Of course, my secondary motivation in assigning these exercises is to ensure that students who keep up with the class reading are rewarded, and there are strong consequences for not keeping up!)

Oral Presentation (10% of your final grade)
You will give two oral presentations in class. The first will be very short (5-10 minutes), and will deal with some aspect of your chosen topic for Paper 1. This presentation will be ungraded; the purpose is to give you a chance to practice your presentation skills in a low-pressure atmosphere before the "real thing". The second presentation will be longer (10-15 minutes) and more formal, and will deal with the topic you chose for Paper 2.

Participation (discretionary)
In order for this class to be interesting and engaging for everybody, it is absolutely essential that you attend and participate in class discussions. To encourage participation, I reserve the right to adjust your grade by one grade step at the end of the semester. For example, if you have regularly contributed significantly to the class discussion, and your "pre-participation" grade is a B, it could become a B+. If, however, you have not contributed much on a regular basis, a B could become a B-. Please note that the quantity of your in-class contributions and comments is not a substitute for quality!

Extra Credit
There will be no extra-credit available.

Getting Help
If you are unhappy with your progress in the class, please come discuss the problem with me. I'd be very happy to help in any way I can. My regular schedule is posted on my office door.