Materials > Assignments > Overview

General Overview of Course Assignments Participation: This is a seminar class. You are expected to read your assignments carefully and to be prepared to discuss them in class. When necessary I will call on students at random. Reaction Papers: On ten occasions of your choosing, you will write a paragraph reacting to some aspect of the reading. Your paragraphs will not be graded for the formality of their prose but for the penetration of their ideas. Paragraphs will be collected at the end of each class and will be returned the following class with a grade of check plus, check, check minus, or zero. Exams: There will be three in-class exams. Dates are given in the class schedule. Exams will consist almost entirely of essay questions. Ample instruction will be given on what to expect on the exams. The final will be partly cumulative. Student Project: Near the end of the semester you will prepare a talk on some aspect of American culture. Your presentation should demonstrate some of the theories and methods we've discussed in class.