The requirements for this class fall into three categories: Attendance, Preparation and Participation, and Written Work.
o
Listserv Posts
--
Throughout the semester, I will announce a topic or question in certain
weeks to be discussed on the class discussion board prior to the next class
meeting. You will then be responsible for posting responses of no more than
300 words to the class discussion board by 5PM the evening before the next
class meeting. These are not meant to be formal or finished essays, of course,
but they should be coherent and grammatical; please proofread and edit them
before posting to the group.
o
Peer Evaluations -- At times you will be asked to evaluate and comment on
another student's work. Your comments should be carefully written in the form
of a one- or two-paragraph essay that captures the main strengths and weaknesses
of the paper. I will look briefly at these evaluations, but I will not be
grading them.
o
In-Class Performance
--
Since playwrights write their material for performance by live actors,
understanding how one would perform a play is crucial to interpretation and
criticism. Throughout the course
of the semester, you will each participate in a group that will act out a
brief scene (10-15 minutes) from one of the plays we will read.
You need not have any prior acting or performance experience
to succeed in this requirement.
o
Essays -- The formal essays for this class will be analytic and argumentative
essays. You must revise each essay once or more (with continued guidance and
feedback from me) before submitting them (along with the original) in your
final portfolio. Your final grade for an essay will be the average of your
grades on the original version and the revised version(s).
o
Reading/Writing Journal
--
In this class, you will keep a writing journal as a means to record and
explore your ideas about the plays we read.
I will look at these periodically and without warning, so it
would be unwise (and pointless) to neglect your journal entries.
o
Portfolio -- At the end of the semester you will submit 15-20 pages of writing
that you think best represents the work youÕve done over the course
of the semester. You can improve your final grade by working hard on your
portfolio, revising your papers to make them as fine as possible by the end
of the term. Keep in mind, however
that your portfolio is only a portion of your total grade, it should not be
seen as an invitation to do shoddy work throughout the term and then work
frantically in the final days or weeks.
o
Short Assignments
--
I will give you periodic short (one page) writing assignments that call
on you to practice a skill we have discussed in class.
I will grade these with a check, check minus, check plus
system.
Grading Your final grade will be based on the following percentages:
25% for preparation and
participation, including listserv posts, peer review assignments, and in-class
performance.
75% for written work,
distributed as follows:
- Essay 1 15%
- Essay 2 20%
- Essay 3 25%
- Writing Journal and Portfolio 30%
- Short Assignments 10%
***Please note
that if you do not complete or otherwise receive a failing grade on any one
of these assignments, you will receive a failing grade for the course.