Rules

At some points in this class, we will make use of Blackboard8, a web classroom.  Announcements, beyond the basic course information, will be posted there, and we will likely engage in some conversations using its Discussion Board feature, in particular to articulate and resolve problems (analytical, operational) you may have at one point or another.  When you enroll in this course, once you have activated your digital ID, you are automatically registered for its Blackboard8 component.  On occasion, I may post announcements or some materials with which I want you to be familiar for the next class.  You are responsible for being aware of any postings I make to Blackboard at least twenty four hours prior to class.  This means you should check Blackboard sometime between 11 am Sunday (Tuesday) for the Monday (Wednesday) class.

Grades will be based on several different demonstrations of your developing knowledge of course material.

• Two examinations featuring a combination of short answer and essay questions, one at midsemester worth 20% of your course grade, and a final examination (yes, comprehensive) worth 25% of your course grade; I reserve the right to divide one or both examinations to provide for both in-class and out-of-class testing (students missing the first exam may make it up between 9 and 2 on 6 December)
• An unknown number of "reading checks," graded on a 100 point scale on your demonstration of a good job of doing the assigned reading, worth 15% of your final course grade
• A research paper on a topic of your choice but a topic that has been approved by the instructor, worth up to 20% of your final course grade
• Progress toward development of the research paper as measured by a draft paper, worth 10% of your final course grade
• The quality of class participation, worth up to 10% of your final course grade

To summarize:

Students are expected to submit work no later than the specified due date. Work submitted late will be accepted at the instructor's discretion and may well result in penalties.

The grading scale is the normal one: 90 or better = A, 80 to 89 = B, 70-79 = C, 60-69 = D, and below 60 = F.

Documentation:  In your research project, in your essays, and in Blackboard exchanges and at all other times, you will have many occasions to reference information.  Giving credit to sources is important, not only as a matter of academic responsibility (recall the department’s plagiarism policy), but also to allow others to assure themselves of the meaning and accuracy of assertions.  The rule is, too much documentation is better than too little, and this includes information pulled from textbooks as well as from sources you unearth.  Documentation is especially important in the case of information drawn from the web, where there are an unimaginable number of pages, a wealth of riches but potentially also of counterfeit.  Students in this class may use whatever citation protocol they like so long as they do so consistently and at appropriate detail (this means, for specific information, specific page numbers); because webpages are so malleable, one should indicate the date information was accessed.

FYI, I post on my goodies page a variety of sites that you might find useful.  As I find new sites, I update the page. In addition, there is a special page devoted to "good and not so good news," materials of particular reference to religion and politics.

Disability services

Inclement Weather Policy: Information on campus closure can be found on the ASU web page, KASU, and local radio and television stations.  If inclement weather prevents you from being able to come to class and campus is not closed, please call me at 870.972.2147..

Former Werth Appliance Center, now First Baptist Church of Hammond, State Street, Hammond, Ind., 2000 by Camilo Jose Vergara, from Storefront Churches: Photographs by Camilo Jose Vergara on exhibit at the National Building Museum, 20 June - 29 November 2009; Online slide show.