Course Policies
Grading
•When you receive an individual assignment, it will describe the criteria that I'll use to grade it.
•I don't grade on a curve.
•I grade for accomplishment, not effort.
•These are my standards for grading, which correspond closely to the History Department's general guidelines:
A: Work that distinguishes itself through its sophisticated grasp of the material and unusual accomplishment, in addition to being well executed and reasonably free of errors.
B: Work that satisfies main criteria of the assignment but lacks the element of distinction that carries the work into the realm of excellence.
C: Work that demonstrates a rudimentary grasp of the material and satisfies at least some of the assigned criteria reasonably well.
D: Work that demonstrates a poor grasp of the material and/or is executed with little regard for college standards, but which exhibits some engagement with the material.
F: Work that is weak in every aspect; satisfies none of the assigned criteria.
Late work
Please understand that these policies are in the interest of fairness to your fellow students.
1. Papers submitted late will be penalized. (But it is always worth submitting work, even if it is late.)
2. Makeup exams can be given only in case of a certified medical or personal emergency.
3. Early final exams will not be given under any circumstances. Please make your plans for the end of the term accordingly.
Academic honesty
All work that you submit for this course, including papers and exams, must be your own. Your work must have been produced for this course--no reusing old papers. Please be sure that you're familiar with the University’s policies regarding academic honesty. When you submit work for the course, you are certifying that you've complied with these guidelines.
Be sure you don't inadvertently commit plagiarism. It's your responsibility to inform yourself about this issue.
The UO Library's website has a helpful guide to understanding and avoiding plagiarism:
http://libweb.uoregon.edu/guides/plagiarism/students/
Electronic devices in the classroom
Laptop computers and similar devices are permitted for purposes of taking notes. This is the only permissible use of laptops during lecture. To begin with, I won't restrict the use of laptops to any particular section of the lecture room. Please respect the rights of your fellow students; don't create distractions by using computers to surf the web or do other business. If I find that this policy isn't working out, I'll change it during the term. The use of cellular phones, smartphones, and mp3 devices is prohibited at all times. Texting is out of bounds.