Class Policies and Requirements
- Class meets twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:40 to 10:55. Since the success of the class depends on your input, attendance is required. You are allowed two absences without excuse; after that I’ll drop your final grade by three points for each additional unexcused absence. If you expect to have a problem with lateness or absence on a particular day, please let me know as early as possible. Only very serious or very imaginative excuses will be considered legitimate. We will spend most of each class discussing a set of readings, so please come to class prepared.
- Texts are available at the bookstore; most of them are also on overnight reserve in Hodges library. Items marked (R) are on reserve at the Library; you should download or photocopy these for your own reading. Items available online are linked to the syllabus.
- Each week one or two students will be designated as discussion leaders; they will be responsible for presenting the material, asking and answering questions, and keeping the class discussion going in a productive direction.
- Your final grade will be based on your participation in the class (25%), your performance as a discussion leader (25%), and a research paper (10-15 pages) due at the end of the semester (50%), which we will discuss before you begin research and while you are writing it. The paper must follow a standard format (MLA, Chicago Manual of Style, APA, etc.) in all matters of presentation and citation of references; The library has links to online sites giving examples of various styles of citation and general guides to grammar and style. Another fine source on research and documentation can be found here.
- My office hours are 9 am - noon Mondays and Wednesdays, and by appointment at almost any other time. Please email me at rliuzza@utk.edu for an appointment, or call 974-6970 with any questions or comments you might have about any aspect of the class or assignments.
- It should go without saying that rigorous standards of academic honesty are expected from all students at all times. As students of the University of Tennessee you have made a personal commitment to honor and integrity; this includes a pledge that you will “will neither knowingly give nor receive any inappropriate assistance in academic work” (see the student handbook Hilltopics here). All work submitted must be your own, and any instances of plagiarism or copying will receive a grade of zero; further penalties can include failure in the course or suspension from the university. If you are at all uncertain about this topic, please see me before you turn in your paper. The library has links to online resources for understanding and avoiding plagiarism here.
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