Western Civ

The gradebook for this class is located at a separate site called Engrade, which requires a separate set password you cannot change. I will give you this password.

Go here to sign up for the gradebook for the first time.

Go here to check your grades.

Grading Policies --- please read carefully!

Grading Scheme
Student Performance Objectives
Student Learning Outcomes
Late Work: Homework, Missed Quiz
Grading Standards Rubric
Attendance Policy
Expectations
Laptops, cell phones, etc.
Cheating/Plagiarism

Grading scheme: 100 points = 100%

Course grades:

7 Quizzes (10 each) 70 90-100+ = A
Homework Portfolio 10 80-89 = B
Attendance/Participation 10 70-79 = C
Final examination 10 60-69 = D
    to 59 = F
TOTAL 100  
Homework Marking
NT = no thesis
NT- = no thesis and didn't use all terms and documents
FT = factual thesis
FT- = factual thesis but not proven
IT = interpretive thesis
IT- = interpretive thesis but not proven
AT = analytical thesis
AT- = analytical thesis but not proven

Student Performance Objectives

At the end of this course a student will be able to:
1. analyze primary documents.
2. investigate historical questions.
3. explain the contributions of western society, economy, political institutions, culture and ideas to history.
4. explain the contributions of individuals to western thought.
5. clarify the role of art, contemporary writings and historiography in studying western civilization.

Student Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, students will be able to:
1. construct a historical thesis that could be supported by selected primary sources from the era covered by the course
2. estimate the correct era from which a primary source derives
3. articulate the causal and/or consequential elements of an event from the era covered by the course
4. analyze cultural expressions as evidence of an historical theme

Late Work

Late/missed homework:

Missed quiz arrangement:

Grading Standards Rubric

Grade range Participation Quality of Work
A Almost perfect attendance, rarely late, takes excellent notes, pays attention in class, adds relevant questions/comments, leadership role in group work, participates in all online discussions with articulate posts that move the discussion forward, completes all homework in own words. Logs into website frequently. Homework uses own words and structure, contains an insightful thesis and uses the facts to support it. Shows full understanding of material at the analytical level, applying historical knowledge. Use of class sources and facts is extensive in quiz answers. Themes are arguable and useful. Examples for given theme are appropriate and well-explained.
B In class almost every session, rarely late, takes good notes, pays attention in class, adds relevant questions/comments, works well in group, participates in almost all online discussions with articulate posts indicating interpretive understanding. Logs in to website about twice a week. Homework uses own words and structure, contains an interpretive thesis and most facts support it. Shows good understanding of assigned work at the interpretive level, applying historical knowledge. Use of sources and facts is at a solid interpretive level. Can effectively use sources and facts to support a theme.
C Misses 1-1.5 weeks of class or late several times, takes an occasional note, mostly pays attention, contributes occasionally in class or makes helpful contribution but doesn't do other work, social in group work and contributes some useful content, participates in over half of the online discussions with posts indicating factual understanding. Logs in to website about once a week. Homework tends to paraphrase textbook and documents, contains a factual thesis and most facts support it. Shows understanding of factual nature of historical events, and sometimes how they connect to each other. May lack deep understanding of these events, or the themes they represent. Themes may be factual in nature, but well-supported. Or theme may be at a high level but examples are not supported with detail.
D Misses class or is late frequently, rarely takes notes, pays attention sometimes, contributes occasionally in class, may or may not contribute much to group work, may do homework but not understand it, rarely participates in group work or online discussions. Rarely logs in to website. Homework is partly plagiarized or consists of facts strung together; may be incomplete. Demonstrates a superficial or purely factual understanding of content. May show some memorization or basic familiarity with events, but no understanding of the significance of these events or how they can be seen in a context outside their own timeframe. Use of sources is superficial, or completely factual. Themes and examples are both factual, and examples may lack specific support.
Failing Chronic attendance problems and lateness, no note-taking or useful contribution to class or group either in-class or online. Never goes to website. Homework plagiarized or incomplete. Demonstrates no understanding of events from the textbook, and little name recognition of any details. There may be little use of sources or facts. Themes are not themes, or examples don't support theme.

Note: The instructor reserves the right to reduce the entire course grade due to:

Attendance policy

Students who miss more than three assignments (homework or tests) may be dropped from the class at the my discretion. If you stop attending and do not drop, you may receive an F.

Expectations

It is expected that students will:

Note: The instructor reserves the right to reduce the entire course grade due to:

Laptops, txting, mp3 players etc. in class

Go for it, just be polite, courteous to those around you.

Cheating

Academic dishonesty can lead to an F on the assignment/test, an F in the course, or expulsion from the class. Cheating includes copying phrasing or paraphrasing from the textbook, documents, or other course materials without quoting and/or citing the source. It also includes creating work together with another person. While you are welcome to study and talk together, all work you turn in (homework and tests) must be your own, since all grades are individual. See Indiana University's plagiarism self-quiz .