Sectional Syllabus – Core 3 C,
D
The Roots of Western
Civilization
Semester 081
Lectures: T
R 10 a.m. CEC 102
Discussion section meetings: W F
CEC 109 Section C 10 a.m. Section D 11 a.m.
Section director: P.F.
Gilbert
Office: McHale
303 ext. 6180
Office Hours T-Th 2 p.m. and by appointment
Course
Description (from
the catalog): A study of
the Hebrew, Greek and Roman civilizations in their roles as roots of Western
Civilization. Core 3 stresses the
intellectual, artistic, religious, and social contributions of these
civilizations to our modern Western Civilization. Required of all sophomores.
Examinations: Three major exams will be given
throughout the semester. The third will be during the College’s Exam Week. The other two will be assigned at appropriate
times. Quizzes will be given on an irregular, but frequent, basis throughout
the semester.
Writing
and oral assignments:
Writing
assignments will form a sizable portion of the work to be done by the student.
At least one of the papers will require a minimum of seven (7) pages.
Three
or four shorter assignments will also be made in their proper time requiring
from 2 to 5 pages. These papers will vary in kind such as an annotated
bibliography, a summary, a position paper, or what happens to be pertinent for
the topic at hand.
Generally
speaking, by collegial agreement of the Core 3 faculty, this writing program
will consist of a total of at least 20 pages.
One of these papers must be either a rhetorical argument or a brief
tragic drama. Accompanying this
argument or drama, each student must make a short oral presentation, or (with a
selected team as a cast) perform the tragedy.
The
assignments will be made more specific at the appropriate time during the
semester. At those times, guidelines and
dates will be given for submitting preliminary drafts, outlines,
bibliographies, or whatever.
Writing Folder:
Each
student is required to write approximately one and a half pages in a “writing
folder” for each discussion class. A writing folder is not a journal or a diary
but a place in which you can respond to the readings of Core 3. For each
discussion class, you are to write two short related entries in your folder: 1)
one that summarizes the reading and tries to paraphrase the reading’s main
idea, central focus or thesis; 2) another in which you choose any single
element of the reading and react to it. Ideas for doing this reaction include:
Choose
an image, a paragraph, a dominant idea, central theme, a plot element, or the
like. Analyze, discuss, or react to this choice. In any decision, try to gain a
sense of that particular element’s place in the whole work.
Oral
presentations pertaining
to the writing folder: You can be asked during any class to give a brief
(approximately 3-4 minute) oral presentation about what you have written in
your writing notebook for the day.
Grading:
You
will be graded on each of your exams, written or oral assignments, quizzes,
writing folders and participation in the discussions
Exams
will count 30% of the semester grade; written/oral assignments, 40%; quizzes,
10%; the writing folders and participation in class discussion 20%.
Grading
scale for all work, including final grade:
93-100 90 – 92
87- 89 83 - 86 80-82 77
- 79
73 – 76 70 – 72 67 - 69 60-66 0 - 59
A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D F
Class participation/attendance and "excused" absences as well
as late assignments:
We all acknowledge that there are
times when attendance at class might be preempted by more pressing duties. The obligation of turning in all assignments
on time remains, however. The student is responsible for all work done in class
and for all material treated in the readings and the lectures.
The student is to notify the
instructor ahead of time, if possible, of an impending absence. The instructor
is the judge of the propriety of the excuse for the absence.
An assignment turned in
late will result in loss of points for the lateness. An in-class quiz or an examination that is
missed may only be made up if the absence was "excused" and
unavoidable. The request to make up a
quiz must be made on or before the first day the student returns to class.
Special
needs:
If
you are a student with a disability, please meet with the instructor within the
first three weeks of the semester to discuss any accommodations you will need
during class activity, examinations, and out of class assignments in order to
participate fully and demonstrate your abilities.
Plagiarism:
The
student is expected to do his/her own work.
Attempted plagiarism will not only be handled by your instructor, they
will be reported to the office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Due process will be initiated, if
warranted. See the "Academic
Honesty" section of the college catalog, pp. 53-4.