Course Policies
Preparation | Class Attendance | Assessment | Feedback | Formatting and Manuscript Style | Plagiarism
Preparation
Please note that you are expected to prepare for each class in advance. This means you need to read the text/s that will be discussed in a particular class before the start of that class, as well as work through the Worksheet for that class. Worksheets are uploaded to the Worksheets folder of the IVLE Workbin on the class day before that for which you need to prepare; thus, the Worksheet for a Thursday class will be uploaded on the preceding Monday, and that for Monday class the preceding Thursday. All readings, with the exception of Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four and some texts that will be handed out on class, are on e-reserve and available for downloading (one download per reading) from the IVLE website for this module, under Library Resources. Please always bring your copy of the class reading to our class meetings. You should regularly consult the Schedule -- divided into three units: see Unit 1, Unit 2, and Unit 3 -- as it is subject to change.
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Class Attendance
Since we meet only twice a week, and will be covering some challenging material at a rapid pace, class attendance is important. Three unexcused absences will result in your final grade being lowered by one letter.
- Please always contact me before class if you cannot make it to that particular class, except for exceptional circumstances.
- I will require documentation from you to explain any class absence (MC; letter from parent, etc.).
- In the case of any absence, excused or otherwise, remember that it is your responsibility to make up any missed work and to keep up with the reading.
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Assessment
The module will be graded on 100% continuous assessment, which comprises three papers as well as a participation grade.
- Paper 1: 20%--a brief response to a close reading of a text (2-3 pages or 500-900 words)
- Paper 2: 25%--a longer response to a close reading of two texts (4-6 pages or 1000-1800 words)
- Paper 3: 35%--a more independent writing project drawing on multiple sources (7 to 10 pages or 1750-3000 words)
- Seminar Participation: 20%, made up of 10% for Paper 3 presentation plus 10% for class participation and online discussion (IVLE Forum).
- Each paper requires a conference draft: see below, Feedback, for more detail.
- Each paper requires a final draft. Final drafts are always due by 6 PM one week after the day of your conference.
- I grade papers according to these criteria, and may use some of these symbols in my marginal comments on your draft.
- In the case of components #1-3, the word limit in each case excludes the list of Works Cited.
- In the case of component #4, note that you need to contribute to the IVLE Discussion Forum. I will set occasional tasks for your to complete, and you will have to post your responses to this Forum. The Forum is also a good place for you to test your ideas for papers, so use it for this purpose as well. Each of your contributions must be thoughtful and substantial: a short, 1 or 2-line posting is not sufficient. Please contribute at least SIX times in the course of the semester to the IVLE Forum. You must meet the minimum number of contributions prior to the last day on which we meet. More information concerning the Paper 3 presentation is available here.
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Feedback
You will be receiving a lot of feedback on your writing in the course of the semester. Much of this feedback will come from me, though you will also get feedback from classmates through peer reviews, in-class presentations, and draft workshops. Concerning feedback, please take note of the following:
- Each essay will require a conference draft. Submit your draft on time so as to give me the opportunity to work through it in preparation for my conference with you. Although these drafts are not graded, it is policy in this course that failure to include the draft along with your final paper will result in an "F" for that assignment. Late papers are not accepted, unless you have made prior arrangements with me, or in the case of an exceptional situation (death in the family, hospitalization, etc.).
- Though you will be receiving a lot of feedback, one of the main aims of this class is to equip you to become an independent writer who can think for herself or himself. You should therefore not become over-dependent on feedback from me. Bear this principle in mind if you choose to seek feedback from me additional to that provided on the occasion of each of your paper conferences: my feedback on the draft should be sufficient to help you revise.
- Nevertheless, I am of course perfectly happy to provide you with feedback over and above my comments on your conference draft and paper proposals, especially if you feel the need to follow up on particular aspects of my feedback. But do bear in mind the following rules:
- Be as specific as possible when you request additional feedback. In the interest of fairness to fellow-students, post-conference I cannot read entire drafts or even particular paragraphs. But what I can do is offer specific additional feedback, so make sure that you have specific, pertinent, concrete queries on particular aspects of your writing if you want additional feedback.
- To prevent a pointless back-and-forth email exchange, and to help enable you to become more independent as a writer, note that you are allowed a maximum of two follow-up post-conference emails per draft.
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Formatting and Manuscript Style
Please follow these guidelines to format all written work that you submit.
- Please use the MLA in-text documentation style. See Writing with Sources, Chapter 4.1b and 4.2 (Harvey 37-39; 43-60) for explanations and examples.
- All essays and writing activities should be double-spaced and printed in size 12 font.
- Always number your pages; in the case of hard copies, please staple them together.
- Use a 72 point (2.54 cm) margin on all sides, with no justification on the right.
- Please use A4 size paper (not any of the Word options such as 'letter', 'legal', or 'executive').
- For all papers and exercises, insert in a single-spaced block in the upper
left-hand corner of your first page:
Your name.
The course code and title (UWC2101H: Power, Space and Pleasure).
Your Group.
The name of your instructor (Dr Johan Geertsema).
The title of the paper or exercise.
The number and version of the paper, eg. Paper 2 Draft 1 or Paper 1 Final Draft.
The date.
- Please always provide a title for your paper. Centre your title two double spaces beneath the single-spaced block of information. (Please do not include a separate title page.) Begin your opening paragraph two double spaces beneath your title. Indent each new paragraph 5 spaces and do not put extra spaces between paragraphs.
- Your first draft should be submitted as a soft copy only (Word file).
- Whenever you submit work electronically, name the Word file in such a way that I will be able to infer you are the writer: include your name (or part of if) in the file name. Various permutations are possible.
Examples: geertsema.doc / geertsema3_final.doc / johan.doc / johanpaper1.doc. (Use your own name!)
- Always submit the conference draft of your essay when you submit the final draft. Be sure also include any separate sheets with comments I have given you (e.g. at the conference or via e-mail).
- Remember to upload a soft copy (to the IVLE Workbin) at the same time.
- Proofread your work carefully after you've checked the spelling: the
computer doesn't know that you meant to rather than too.
- Keep a back-up copy of your work.
Failure to adhere to these formatting conventions will result in a lowered
grade.
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Plagiarism
You should note that plagiarism (academic dishonesty: using someone else's ideas or words without acknowledgement) will be viewed in an extremely serious light. Please consult the University Scholars Programme Academic Code. All work submitted in this class (for grading or otherwise) is assumed to be the student's own, original work. If a student is found plagiarizing, s/he will receive an "F" for that assignment, and depending on the severity of the offense, possibly fail the course. A central aspect of this course concerns learning to use and document sources properly; if you are in doubt, please see me before submitting your paper.
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