Policies

Online Materials

Some of the material we will discuss in this course will be available online; the links are all included on our syllabus. Movies will be on reserve in the Instructional Development in Kerr Hall.

Academic Honesty

As you work on the assignments for this course, you should be particularly mindful of plagiarism and copyright violation. Every external source that you use must be appropriately cited in your work. For web sources, a link to the original site is the bare minimum for citation; you should also note the author and name of the website. If you are in doubt about whether or not you need citations, you might consult a CLAS tutor or this online guide. Note that UCSB has explicit policies about academic integrity.

Assigned Readings

While I have selected some intellectually demanding texts, you should use any difficulties as an opportunity to ask questions in class, in office hours, and as potential topics for your required blog posts. You should read the texts or view the movies before we are scheduled to discuss them in lecture. If a text or movie spans multiple days, you should assume you need to read of all it before the first lecture in which we discuss it, except for those cases when I specified in advance (either in class or on the syllabus) which sections or chapters to read for each lecture. You should also acquire the all the required materials as close to the beginning of the term as possible, so that you can plan your reading or viewing schedule and avoid a rush to find the texts or movies at the last moment.

Grading Policy

I will grade your paper on the clarity and cogency of its argument (i.e., thesis). Proper grammar, syntax, and punctation are important aspects of such clarity, as is following a consistent formatting and citation style. While I do not require that use a specific style (e.g., MLA or Chicago), I do ask that you remain consistent throughout the essay. All grades are final. I also will not discuss a graded paper until at least one day has passed since you received the grade.

• All assignments for this course must be completed on time.
• Failure to complete any one assignment will result in a failing grade.
• Late papers will not be accepted; there will be no extensions except in emergency situations (e.g., hospitalization).
• No student will receive an incomplete.
• There will be no rewrites or extra credit.