OFFICE HOURSMy office hours for the semester are Tuesdays 2:30 - 4:00 and Wednesdays 10:30 - 12:00 in POT 1319 (7-6985). I'm also happy to make appointments if necessary. The best way to reach me outside of class or office hours is by email: mgk@pop.uky.edu.
TEXTSThe following texts are all required. They should be available for purchase from the UK, Wildcat, and Kennedy bookstores. You should also feel free to acquire these texts from online vendors. Used copies are fine, but please pay careful attention to the edition you buy. For example, not just any copy of Blake's poetry will do; make sure it is the one listed below.
GRADING AND ASSIGNMENTSYou will write three papers during the semester, each about 5 (five) pages in length (see the course calendar for due dates). Details about the specific assignments will be provided closer to each individual due date, but these papers will not involve extensive research. In addition, there will be a final exam at the day and time scheduled by the Registrar.The three papers will count for 20% each, but collectively they will count for only 50% of your final course grade (because I will weigh the weakest one at 10% and not 20%). The final exam will count for 30% of your course grade. The remaining 20% of your course grade will be determined by my assessment of your participation, both in class and on the electronic discussion list (see below). One additional note about the papers: given the ease with which new media lend themselves to visual expression, I would welcome Web-based "papers" that are designed to be read electronically instead of conventional printed documents. If you'd like to submit digital work for any one of the assignments, simply mention it to me beforehand so we can agree on the guidelines.
Email contributions will be assessed as part of your participation grade (see above). Those who are consistently vocal and active, and whose electronic contributions regularly advance our collective insight will be rewarded; by contrast, those who are rarely if ever active in the electronic discussion will be penalized for their lack of engagement. At least one response a week is a good rule of thumb.
ABSENCES AND LATE WORKI will take attendance every class. You will be allowed two unexcused absences for the semester -- no questions asked. (For a list of excused absences, see the handbook of Student Rights and Responsibilities, section 5.2.4.2, pages 45-6.) More than two unexcused absences will remove any benefit of the doubt I may have been inclined to give you when determining final course grades; for example, if a student with more than two unexcused absences was wavering between an A and B, I would not hesitate to assign the B as the final course grade. Students with five or more unexcused absences (the first two, plus three or more additional unexcused absences) will be asked to withdraw from the course. Habitual lateness to class will also be treated as an absence. It is your responsibility to catch up on the material and assignments from classes that you miss.All papers will be due at the beginning of class meetings. If you are absent your work is still due on its assigned date. Late assignments will be docked a full letter grade for each day -- not each class meeting -- that they are overdue. If turned in late on the same day as their assigned due date they will still be docked one full letter grade. Exceptions will be granted only for those who can demonstrate an urgent need for an extension and who have made prior arrangements with me. |
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