ASSIGNMENTS

As the due date for each EXAM draws near, detailed question sheets will be distributed in class (and on this course website), outlining the nature of the assignment, sources, methods, goals, etc.

Click on the highlighted link to open the assignment sheet, in PDF format, in a new window.

The list of assignments, and their respective proportion of the overall grade, are as follows:

ASSIGNMENTS	GRADE
1. Class Participation: evaluation of your presence and input in class discussions.	15%
2. Mid-term Exam (take home) Question(s) distributed in class on Weds., 31 January Click here to download and print a copy of the exam, in PDF format Due Weds., 07 February, in class, at the start of class. No exams will be accepted once the class is in progress.	15%
3. Producer Biography Click here to download and print a copy of the assignment sheet, in PDF format. Due Weds., 28 February, in class, at the start of class.	25%
4. Concept Essay Click here to download and print a copy of the assignment sheet, in PDF format Due Weds., 14 March, in class, at the start of class.	15%
5. Final Exam (take home essay questions) Questions distributed in class on Weds., 04 April Click here to download and print a copy of the exam, in PDF format Due Fri., 20 April, by e-mail to mforte@alcor.concordia.ca by 5:00pm (only Word, TXT, and PDF accepted)	30%
Total	100%

Please Note:

Extensions, Lateness and Penalties:

 No exams will be accepted late, without medical documentation that clearly indicates that the period covered by the exam was the period in which the student was seriously ill. In the case of a death in one's immediate family, an obituary or similar notice must be submitted. In these two cases, the appropriate extension will be negotiated. In all other cases, a late exam is automatically assigned a grade of zero. A late take-home exam is treated the same as a student not showing up to sit an exam.

 When submitting your final exam by email, it is of critical importance that you receive an acknowledgement, by e-mail, from the instructor. The lack of such acknowledgement means your exam was not received. Please do not submit a final exam by email in any format other than those specified.

 Extensions for work other than exams may be negotiated, given very compelling reasons, only in advance of the due date for an assignment. After the due date has passed, no extensions are possible. Where extensions for assignments are not negotiated in advance (“my hard drive was wiped clean,” “my computer is in for repairs,” “I had problems printing,” “my boyfriend/girlfriend left me,” are examples of unacceptable reasons), only medical certification will be accepted as a valid reason for delayed submission of assignments. In the case of late work, a penalty of 5% of the points for that assignment is levied for every 24 hour period following the due date and time, including weekends and holidays. After 10 days have elapsed, the late assignment will be assigned a grade of zero and will no longer be accepted. These policies are strictly enforced with regard to all students in the course, please do not expect any personal exemption.

 Arrangements for Late Completion should be negotiated and arranged with the instructor before final grades are due. Only the most compelling reasons, with convincing documentation, can be considered. Please keep in mind that the instructor will most likely not accept requests for late completion.

 There will be no supplemental work.

 Please do not call the main office for course-related inquiries.
 

Grading

For all work done in this course you will receive a numerical grade which will be converted to a letter grade when final grades are processed. To translate numbers into letter grades, please consult the following chart, which is copied from a faculty handbook in the Department of Sociology & Anthropology. It is vital that you understand that the characterizations below (i.e., “excellent”) are central in guiding the instructor’s evaluation of the quality of a paper. In other words, students who feel they deserve an “A” are burdened with explaining why they think their work is “excellent.”

A paper that covers all of the basics, in a reasonably competent fashion, without major flaws, is deemed “satisfactory.” One that has few flaws, and shows an advanced understanding, writing and analytical ability is deemed “very good.” A paper that leaves virtually no room for improvement, demonstrating that the student has taken considerable initiative, showing sophisticated understanding and ability, is deemed “excellent.”

A+	90-100
A	85- 89
A-	80- 84
B+	77- 79
B	73- 76
B-	70- 72
C+	67- 69
C	63- 66
C-	60- 62
D+	57- 59
D	53- 56
D-	50- 52
F or FNS	40 (30-49)
R	20 ( 0-29)

In general, student work is assessed in the following manner. Student assignments are evaluated in comparison with each other, normally done by the instructor assembling a random sample and highlighting the best elements of each paper, which then forms the template by which papers are judged. The paper(s) that come(s) closest to achieving the highest standards for student work will receive the highest grades. Students are evaluated on the extent and depth to which they have utilized assigned readings (when applicable). Students are also evaluated on their ability to successfully apply key course concepts to their own writing. Analytical and conceptual clarity (the argument does not contradict itself repeatedly, the writer stays focused, any concepts used are defined, concepts are related to one another when applicable, pros and cons are considered, assertions are supported with evidence or logic), are vital elements of a paper deemed to be “very good” or better. Structure, logical organization, and effective writing are of substantial importance. In the case of research papers, students that demonstrate having taken initiative by covering a reasonably wide and diverse range of sources will be appropriately rewarded.
 

Academic Regulations

Section 16 (Academic Information: Definitions and Regulations) of the Undergraduate Calendar will be strictly administered – particularly on deadlines, Failing Grades, Administrative Notations, Late Completions=‘INCompletes’ (Grade/INC), ‘Failed No Supplementals’ (FNS), ‘Did Not Writes’ (Grade/DNW). Make sure you get a copy of the undergraduate calendar, also available online at http://registrar.concordia.ca/calendar/calendar.html, and read that material.

PLEASE NOTE THAT PLAGIARISM is an offence that will not be tolerated. In instances where plagiarism is detected, the instructor is obligated by Concordia’s Academic Code to report this to the Dean’s office. You must visit the course website for precise details on what constitutes plagiarism and the penalties this can incur. Alternatively, you may type in the following URLs into the address bar of your Internet browser:
 

http://secretariat.concordia.ca/policies/academic/en/Code%20of%20Conduct-Academic.pdf = Concordia Code of Academic Conduct in PDF format

http://cdev.concordia.ca/CnD/studentlearn/Help/handouts/WritingHO/
AvoidingPlagiarism.html = Concordia University Library document to help you Avoid Plagiarism

 

Announcements, E-mail Use:

In the event of an unscheduled cancellation of a class, the appropriate notice is posted by the University on its website. See the “Class Cancellations” link on www.concordia.ca. In addition, digital billboards on campus will announce the cancellation. There will be no additional notices posted in any other form, therefore please consult these sources before you attend class.

In other cases, news for the class will be posted on the course website.

The course director cannot guarantee that email will be answered during this semester. Should you have any questions, please see the course director during office hours.

Please review and use the following resources which will be of benefit to your work:

1. Dictionaries, Encyclopedias & Almanacs

2. How to Write an Essay, see also The Sundance Reader.

3. Concordia Code of Academic Conduct (PDF)--keep in mind that since these policy documents are being made available, you will not be able to plead ignorance of the regulations.

4. AVOIDING PLAGIARISM--please read this.

5. For the purposes of our course, we will use the following citation guide:
http://www.library.mcgill.ca/human/SUBGUIDE/pdf/turab.pdf

(make sure that you follow the “parenthetical references with a reference list at the end of the paper” option as outlined in the document above. Do not use footnotes or endnotes in your paper, for any purpose)