Class Participation (25%)

I will base your class participation grade on the frequency and quality of your contribution to classroom discussion. Positive contributions consist not merely of answering the professor's questions. They also include:

• Asking questions concerning the reading, the discussion, or the themes of the course in general
  
• Challenging what either the professor or your peers have said
  
• Making pertinent observations of all sorts
  
• Visiting me during office hours
  
• Displaying a positive attitude toward learning and the course
  

Furthermore, if you are a student, your job consists of learning. I expect you to come to class prepared to learn.

• Come to class having completed the readings assigned for that day (including the textbook readings).
  
• If we are scheduled to discuss a book or an excerpt from Blackboard, bring the reading to class so that you can refer to it.
  
• Also, please arrive on time if not a little early. If you must leave class early, let me know in advance.
  

Remember, if you are not attending class, you are not participating and your grade will suffer accordingly.

My Attendance Policy

It is in your interest to attend class. If you do not go to class, your class participation and quiz grades will suffer. You will also miss important insights into the material that both the professor and your peers will offer during discussion. Consequently, your exam grades will also suffer.

Unfortunately, some students remain unmoved by such rational considerations and do not attend class. My policy is that if you miss six class meetings for any reason, you will obtain a zero on your class participation grade. Since numerous absences will make it unlikely that you will perform well in the rest of the class, a zero in class participation will probably constitute a crippling blow to your overall grade and lead to failure in the course.

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Copyrighted by Hugh Dubrulle, 2006.