Communication
We will use this Voices website to distribute readings and announcements, to post questions about the reading, and to continue discussions outside of class.
I will respond to brief questions over email, but for larger conversations you should come to office hours. If you cannot make my office hours, see me after class to set up an appointment.
You’re responsible for checking your College of Wooster email once a day.
I use Moodle as a place to collect assignments, keep track of attendance, upload feedback on your work, and record your grades. Seeing my gradebook entries should let you calculate your grade at an point in the term.
Absences
Attendance is mandatory. Please be ready to begin at the beginning of the class period. Please do not be a distraction to the class or the professor. Please do not leave the room while we are in session. Please do not pack up to leave before class is finished. There will be a very significant grade penalty for missing classes. Arriving late or being a distraction to the class or the professor will count as the equivalent of half a missed class. To be counted present, you must have a legible copy of the reading in hand or a set of good notes on the reading.
There are no excused absences. If you have a good reason for missing class (such as a medical problem, or a recognized academic conflict), I will give you an additional assignment to make up for an absence.
If you do miss a class, be sure to find out what you have missed and pick up any readings or handouts that were distributed.
Late Work
All assignments are due at the date and time marked in this syllabus. Part of your college education is learning how to manage your time so as to meet the multiple demands of your academic and social commitments. Turning in late work gives you an unfair advantage over your colleagues who worked hard to meet the assigned deadline.
Late papers will only be accepted by permission of the instructor. Unless I grant a special dispensation, papers will be penalized (a full letter grade for each day they are late).
Trigger Warnings
As the list of topics suggests, some of the historical events we’re studying this semester are difficult and disturbing. I understand that this can – and indeed, should – be troubling to read and discuss. However, the practice of historical empathy and bearing witness to the lived experiences of others is key what we’re doing as historians, and thus participants in this course will not be able to avoid it. Please carefully review the syllabus, and come talk with me ASAP if you believe that the course material will be too difficult for you to work through.
THE WRITING CENTER
The Writing Center provides professional tutors who work with you to help clarify your thinking and improve the communication of your ideas. They can help at all stages of writing, from planning to drafting to revision. I encourage you all to take advantage of this wonderful, free resource for any of your writing assignments.
Location: Andrews Library, first floor
Hours: Sunday 6pm to 9pm Monday – Thursday 9 to 9 Friday 9-4 Saturday: closed
Appointments: Walk-in consultations are accepted, but you are encouraged to schedule an appointment online. Simply create an account to schedule your appointment.
THE LEARNING CENTER
All necessary accommodations will be made for students in this course with learning disabilities. Please register with Pam Rose, Director of the Learning Center (prose@wooster.edu) and let me know as soon as possible so we can discuss how to shape the class requirements to best fit your needs. All discussions will remain confidential.
Academic Integrity
While you are a student at this college, you will be treated as an adult. You are expected to know and abide by the rules of the institution as described in the Scot’s Key. Particular attention should be directed to the appropriate use of materials available on-line through the Internet. It is important that you read and understand the ethical use of information. Whether intentional or not, improper use of materials can be considered a violation of academic honesty.
Cheating in any of your academic work is a serious breach of the Wooster Ethic and the Code of Academic Integrity and is grounds for an F for the entire course. In addition, I am required to forward a record of the incident to the Dean for Curriculum and Academic Engagement. You will be held responsible for your actions. If you are unsure as to what is permissible, always consult me first.
You should be aware of the following guidelines regarding plagiarism:
- Any idea or argument taken from a work that is not your own – whether it is from a printed source, the internet, or another student – must be properly cited. You must incorporate an acknowledgment of the source of the idea in a footnote. If not, your work will be considered plagiarism.
- All quotations must be clearly marked with quotation marks in the text and the source identified in a footnote. If not, your work will be considered plagiarism.
- Any group of three or more words taken directly from a work that is not your own must appear in quotation marks and the source identified in a footnote. If not, your work will be considered plagiarism.
- The borrowing of any complete sentence, sentence fragment, or sequence of three words or more from a work that is not your own (whether taken from printed works, the internet, or the work of another student) without quotation marks and without proper citation is considered plagiarism. This includes words taken from reference works, online book reviews, or student essay posting sites
Recording Classroom Activities
No student may record or tape any classroom activity without my express written consent. If a student believes that he/she is disabled and needs to record classroom activities, he/she should contact the Office of the Secretary to request an appropriate accommodation.