Participation
Participation in discussions and attendance in class will count for a total of 15 points towards the final grade. Attendance will be taken regularly, with each lecture counting for 1/3 of a point towards the final grade, up to a total of 5 points. For each discussion class, 1 point will be given for attendance and 1 point for contributing substantively to the discussion, up to a total of 10 points.
Quizzes
Each of the five quizzes will include multiple choice and identification questions. The multiple choice questions will test material covered in the readings and also in lecture. For each lecture, there will be 3-5 starred terms; the identification questions will be drawn from these terms.
For each term you should be prepared to write a brief paragraph or three or more bullet points, giving three points of identification and showing that you understand clearly why this term is significant in the context of the material covered in this course as a whole. Draw upon information presented in the lectures and in the reading. Good identification questions usually answer at least some of the following questions (as relevant): what? who? where? when?
Each student may make up one quiz without a written excuse and one more quiz with a written excuse documenting an emergency (serious illness, etc.).
Quiz make-up assignment
To make up a quiz you missed, submit a 5 page paper in which you summarize, in one paragraph per reading assignment, the main issues covered by the readings tested in that quiz, by the first class meeting after the quiz. Your paper should make clear that you have done the reading carefully. You may submit only one make-up paper without written documentation of an emergency that prevented you from taking the quiz.
Terms for the quizzes
Quiz 1 olive line |
Quiz 2 papyrus |
Quiz 3 bishop |
Quiz 4 Theodosius I |
Quiz 5 Theodoric the Great |
Wikipedia Entry
This assignment will have three graded components: an inital assignment, an outline and bibliography, and the Wikipedia entry itself.
Initial assignment (5% of final grade)
Create a user name, become familiar with Wikipedia conventions, choose an entry and contribute to the discussion page for the heading you have chosen. Turn in an e-mail including your username (which you will use for the rest of the semester) and a link to the page that includes your discussion contribution.
List of entries to choose from
Outline and annotated bibliography (15% of final grade)
Research your topic in PEER REVIEWED sources and create a detailed outline and list of references (10-20 PEER REVIEWED sources plus relevant primary texts you plan to quote) for your Wikipedia entry; turn in the outline and list of references, annotated briefly to explain what each reference is and why you think it is relevant, IN HARD COPY in class.
Outline and annotated bibliography assignment handout
Wikipedia entry (40% of final grade)
Include at least 2500 words of original text, a revised outline, complete citations, revised list of references, “see also” links and external links (only to PEER REVIEWED materials); turn in by BOTH e-mailing me a link to the finished revised entry AND printing it out and submitting in HARD COPY.
Wikipedia entry assignment handout
Assignments for graduate students
Graduate students will be required to complete the same in-class assignments as undergraduate students; writing assignments for graduate students will total 5000+ words and must include some work based on original research using primary sources.