The purpose of this lecture will be to place the readings and discussion topics for the day into a context, often by identifying concepts or vocabulary that you have found confusing or ill-defined. The rest of the class will be devoted to discussion. We will then divide the class into two groups, an inner and an outer circle, and proceed with discussion. We will usually take a short break in the discussion. You should come prepared for class by having read the texts for the day, taken notes on your impressions and questions, written any assignments, and considered topics for discussion.
Regular attendance is required.
As such, the writing for the course emphasizes regular short assignments, a midterm essay exam, and a final collaborative written project. Even if it takes you a few weeks to start writing strong weeklies, you can still do well overall, and you can always write more of them later in the course. The weeklies will be graded on the standard letter grade system described below. In these weeklies, your task is first and foremost to show the reader how you have come to understand something important in a brief excerpt from the reading, and that requires careful attention. The paper should demonstrate how the material you've chosen makes meaning, raises certain questions, and challenges concepts crucial to the course.