If it becomes clear that the assigned readings are not being done conscientiously, then the instructor reserves the right to administer more quizzes than the minimum three unannounced. Students will be expected to attend class and to have prepared for lectures and for discussion sessions by having read and thought about the assigned readings. Attendance and participation is especially expected during the scheduled discussion sections for the course. This is your opportunity to delve into the material, to exchange ideas with the instructor and your colleagues, and to make connections. For a course like this one, the major concern is plagiarism, partly because it remains, alas, fairly commonplace on college campuses, partly because what constitutes plagiarism is often unclear in the minds of students.
Plagiarism runs from the rather mild to the totally flagrant.
And it can be even the unattributed borrowing of apt phrases or terminology. All of these degrees of plagiarism are equally unethical and may be penalized with failure for the assignment, or, in extreme cases, failure for the course. The webpage for this course includes links to websites that discuss plagiarism and provide suggestions for identifying and rooting it out of your written work. Students should visit this page, especially as they prepare to write their take-home exams. If you are ever in doubt as to whether your written work is plagiaristic in form, do not hesitate to consult with the professor.