Key Pages
Joukowsky Institute Classroom |Changes [Nov 25, 2008]
Student Postings
Class Participation – 15%
Essay #1 – 20%
Essay #2 – 30%
Essay #3 – 35%
Class participation (15% of your final grade) will be assessed in terms of both the volume of your participation in discussions and the quality and thoughtfulness of that contribution. This is invariably a subjective measure, but it is important that you come to class with questions about the readings, and particular passages that you think deserve greater attention that comes from group discussion. What I particularly want to see is that students demonstrate close reading skills by drawing on the texts themselves and offering analysis of an author’s argument. We will strive to be balanced between both critiques of the readings and highlighting their valuable insights about the relationship between societies and the environments they construct and inhabit. Contributions to the discussion might come in the form of a debate over whether the archaeological evidence supports the substantive claims of an article, or to ask for clarification of technical terms or theoretical concepts.
Included in the participation grade will be the short presentations of the readings which each student will undertake beginning Week 3.
Attendance is absolutely mandatory. After the first two weeks of shopping period you will have two days of unexcused absences (use them wisely). Each additional unexcused absence will result in 1 point subtracted from your final total out of 100. Absences due to illness, personal/family emergency will be excused given sufficient verification. Excessive tardiness (10 minutes or more after the start of class) will result in ½ point subtracted from your final grade. You will learn very little from this class if you do not show up
There will be three written assignments for this course, each of approximately 2000-2500 words (6-8 pages). The first two essays will be responses to questions which I will provide and are intended to tackle themes and issues raised in the readings and course discussions. These will not require any additional reading, or if they do that reading will be provided as part of the essay question. The third paper will give you more freedom to explore a landscape of your own choosing in which you will do a limited amount of outside research. This might involve reading an archaeological site report, the examination of Islamic cartographical representations, reading sections of a Muslim geographer, or research on a particular city or monument.
The major goals of these writing assignments are:
Further details of these assignments will be provided as the semester progresses.
Note: While it goes without saying, plagiarism will not be tolerated. Any incidents of dishonest work will be reported to your academic advisor and the appropriate dean. These are serious matters. If you feel that you are headed in this direction, see me immediately and we can solve this together, before it leads down the road of disciplinary action.
