How your final grade is calculated

Class participation	20%
Four pairs of reading essays	60%
Research agenda essay	20%

 

Attendance and participation

This is an extraordinary and uncertain time for everyone, and many of us are dealing with issues and burdens that weigh on the educational process this semester. It's my sincere conviction that this moment in history is a singular "teaching moment" -- a time to recognize and respond to the mutual needs, systemic oppressions, and collective responsibilities that tie us to one another -- and that this class can be a tool in that process for students and teacher alike. For that reason, I have made class attendance optional but class participation mandatory.

Class attendance refers specifically to joining me and others in the classroom or on Zoom at the regularly scheduled time assigned for this course: Tuesdays and Thursdays 9-10:15. For a variety of reasons, not everyone will be able to attend class all the time. Especially in light of the college's community care standards, no one should put others at risk if they think they may have been exposed elsewhere to the coronavirus -- which requiring attendance may inadvertently encourage students to do. Therefore, I have a no-questions-asked policy about attendance, and I'll do as much as I reasonably can to help students catch up with class activities they have missed.

Class participation refers to taking part in the many activities and exercises that this course involves. There are discussions to join remotely or in person, in real time as well on asychronously on Moodle forums. Students can ask questions and share concerns various ways: during class time, in the Sandbox I've set up on Moodle, during my office hours on Zoom. Small groups will respond to weekly prompts on Moodle in ways that will require all members' input, while letting them divide up the work among themselves as they want.

None of these participation activities gets directly counted in other graded assignments -- indeed, they're an appropriate setting to work out ideas (e.g., make mistakes) -- but all are essential to the collective learning this class depends on. I look forward to everyone's good-faith effort to participate, regularly if selectively, in these various activities as they are able to and comfortable with. Cumulatively, they're worth 20% of your final grade.

A note about using technology in this course: I'm happy to let you use laptops and iPads to do the electronic readings and to take notes on days we're in the classroom. (Obviously, these technologies are necessary for days we meet via Zoom!) Please be conscientious when using these devices. If you find your reading comprehension suffers because you don't have a hard copy to write notes in, then print the electronic readings out. (Let me know if you have run out of printing credit.) And please limit your use of laptops and iPads in the classroom to note-taking and internet browing of course materials only. If use of these technologies distracts yourself, other students or me, you'll be asked to turn off your wi-fi or your device.

 

Reading essays

On four dates over the semester (see the schedule), you'll turn in essays of 2-3 pages each that ask you to use, explain, and interpret the readings in this course. These essays are organized in pairs; typically, I make the two essay prompts available one to two weeks before they’re due, so that you start on at least one at your earliest convenience. Each pair of essays (4-6 pages total) receives a combined grade worth 15% of your final grade.

 

Research agenda essay

On the last day of the study period, you'll turn in an essay of 3-4 pages that describes, develops, and theoretically frames a topic of particular interest to you. The essay doesn't require research in the conventional sense (for instance, you don't need to describe the state of sociological research on your topic) so much as ask you to explain how you use your sociological imagination to think about this. In other words, you present your own "research agenda" for this topic. The essay will also ask you to make connections to relevant theories and debates from the course.

At one or two points earlier in the semester, I'll ask you to do some preliminary writing on your essay, so that you have the opportunity to develop your ideas and receive my feedback prior to the final due-date. This assignment is worth 20% of your final grade.

 

Additional notes