Grading and Requirements
Point System
Updated:
September 4, 2008
| 14 Online Discussions, 10 pts. each |
140 pts. |
See Discussion Rubric for
requirements.
Each discussion should be 500-700 words long. There are 16 total discussions. You may omit 2 without penalty. If you complete more than 14, I will drop the lowest grades for the extra discussions. |
| 9 open-book/open note quizzes |
90 pts. |
10 pts/10 question per quiz-- 2 hour time limit-- one attempt--questions cannot be revisited. There are 10 quizzes. You may omit one quiz without penalty. If you do all 10, I'll drop the lowest quiz grade. |
| 1 Final discussion |
50 pts. |
Final discussion requires at least 12 different sources, 1100-1400 words long. This assignment CANNOT be omitted. |
| Total Points Possible |
280 pts. |
Read carefully details of assignments, late policy, missed assignments, etc. below. |
I will convert your total points to a percentage. Your final grade
is based on the following:
F or failing grade applies to totals of less than 60%
| A+ 97% |
A 93 |
A- 90 |
| B+ 87 |
B 83 |
B- 80 |
| C+ 77 |
C 73 |
C- 70 |
| D+ 67 |
D 63 |
D- 60 |
Assignment Descriptions
See your how to page for specific assignment requirements.
I use a no-fault system for submitting assignments.
You may omit up a few assignments (see table above) without penalty. You do not have to provide excuses or paperwork, so use those omissions when illness or other problems arise. However, penalties arise thereafter, and, again, no excuses are accepted for excess missed assignments. Missing four total assignments lowers your final grade by a letter grade. Missing five or more total assignments fails you in the course. No exceptions or excuses.
Late assignments are not accepted. Be certain that you have the time, time management skills, and commitment to stick with this course. Online discussions may not be posted late, because the purpose of the exercise is to interact with your fellow students
You may submit assignments earlier if you wish.
Be Honest.
First, it's the right thing to do. Be a moral being; live with integrity. Second, I have
every word ever written by anyone who ever took this class. Using a speedy text search tool, I can check current discussion postings against all prior versions of the course in seconds. I also have extensive electronic tools through Vista and other software to monitor your activities. So just do your own work. For a fuller discussion of the issue, see the the governing
board of the Organization of American Historians (OAH) statement,
the
OAH Resolution on Honesty and Integrity, April 11, 2002.
Obey the University Honor Pledge:
"I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this test or assignment." Honesty is not
an archaic concept; it is an essential trait of a decent, productive human being. I expect complete honesty of all students. I assume
that you have lived up to the honor code in all assignments. Plagiarism on research projects [using the ideas or words of
others without proper attribution] will result in a failing grade. Quote only primary sources (those from the historical
time and place under study.) Never "appropriate" the words or ideas of others. Always cite your sources, acknowledging where
you get an idea or a phrase. It is very easy, using powerful search algorithms, to uncover plagiarism, especially of
online or other electronic sources.
Study and follow assignment rubrics
I use "Rubrics" --very
explicit, detailed criteria-- to evaluate your work in this course.
Yes, it's ed jargon, but rubrics give students a very clear idea
of assignments requirements. Go to the
Why Rubrics Page for an
explanation of what they are and why they're a good idea for
both learners and teachers. Also read detailed explanations of assignments on the "How to" page.
Make certain that you have the necessary computer skills.
This
is a history course, not a computing course. It is your job
to learn and hone the essential course computing skills: saving
and mailing attachments, navigating Vista, locating online web
pages, etc. If you have technical difficulties, let me know.
I can probably answer your question, direct you to some help,
or give you a tutorial. If you're near campus, take advantage
of the expertise in our various computing labs.
Special Needs??
I will make reasonable adjustments in course assignments to accommodate students with physical or learning disabilities documented by the NCSU Disability Services Office . I follow University guidelines regarding Disabled students. NC State is subject to the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare regulations implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 504 provides that: "No otherwise qualified handicapped individual in the United States. . . shall, solely by reason of his handicap be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance." Please have the Disability Services Office contact me before the semester begins so that we can make appropriate arrangements.
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