MINIMA CARTA*
(*SYLLABUS) FOR
AMERICAN UNDERSTANDING (HUM 2450)
*The "Magna Carta" was "the Great Chart," so this syllabus is called "The Minima Carta," or the "Small Chart" for the course. However, you will also notice that this small chart is probably longer than the Great Chart.
Instructor: W. H. Denson
Office: B309 (on the bridge)
Telephone: 766-6559 (hit # to skip message and leave yours)
E-Mail: hdenson@fccj.org
Textbook:
American
Art
(Optional) Hodges'
Handouts
The Moose Guide to
Writing
The Densonary
for HUM 2450
Art Exercise
Samples
Welcome to a college class focusing on the culture of the world's most important country and on its art, literature, etc. Other countries have had great cultural impacts on the arts (ancient Greece and Rome; Renaissance Italy, France, England; etc.); however, the 20th Century has been America's hour, just as the 19th Century belonged to Great Britain and the 21st Century may be dominated by such Pacific powers as Japan and China.
What will you study in American Humanities? For a course outline, the instructor recommends that you examine the table of contents of your textbook. Take the chapter headings and the subheadings for the proper divisions.
Therefore, we will study such items as the following:
--What was here before everyone from
--A little about the culture that various groups brought with them from their native lands: Check out an outline for HUM 2211 (The Foundations), HUM 2236 (The Mainstream, Renaissance to Romantics), etc.
--Where would you look for "the 100 percent American?"
--For visual arts, your textbook will be a good guide to the historical development.
--For literature
and philosophy, your instructor will provide transparencies and handouts.
PROCEDURES FOR THE COURSE
1. Turn in each assignment in a 9x13- or 10x14-inch manila envelope. The instructor will not be responsible for any loose papers. If papers or exercises are in a manila envelope, they are hard for the instructor to lose. On the front of the envelope, put your mailing address, and, in the upper left corner, put the instructor's name and address:
W.H.Denson
FCCJ North Campus
Please do not close your envelope with the metal clasps on the back. They just break off. Also, on the back of the envelope, write the time that the class meets: e.g., 2TZ
At the end of the course, you will surrender all of your written work.
2. ATTENDANCE AND SIGN-IN SHEETS: The instructor calls roll by circulating a sign-in sheet each class meeting. Sign your own name on the roll, since strange signatures will count as absences. You may not sign the roll and leave the class. When such transgressions occur, the instructor either scratches out your name or tears up the roll sheet and circulates another.
If you must have your own attendance sheet signed for financial aid or for your coach, leave the sheet with the instructor at the beginning of the class. When time permits, he will check the attendance roll to make certain he is accurate in what he puts on your sheet.
The instructor does not want to nag you about attendance, especially since you may have valid reasons for occasionally missing class. However, test material will come out of the class discussions, so it will be beneficial if you are present.
Rather than test on everything, the instructor gives an attendance grade to cover the material discussed, but not actually tested on. Each regular MWF class is 1 hr; each TZ class, 1.5 hrs; each night class, 3 hrs; short-term class, 1.6 hr in day; s-t night class, 3.2 hrs.
One hour of absence = 570 pts; 2 hrs, 540; 3 hrs, 510; 4 hrs, 480; 5 hrs, 450; 6 hrs, 420; 7 hrs., 360; 8 hrs, 300; 9 hrs, 240; 10 hrs, 180; 11 hrs, 90 pts, and 12 hrs, 0. (A sliding produces a zero at the 12th hour of absence.)
As you see, after the
absences are subtracted from 100, the grade is then multiplied by six.
This grade can have a GREAT BIG impact on your final grade: e.g., a perfect
attendance score of 100x6 produces 60 extra points to apply elsewhere. By the
same token, if you have a zero multiplied by six, you have a zero in a grade
area where you need at least 70 x 6 = 420
points for a C.
3. E-MAIL ADDRESS: FCCJ automatically provides you with an e-mail address, so you will need to activate it immediately. You will receive 100 points for keeping your e-mail address active throughout the course, with declining points for days/weeks when the address wasn't available or working. If you already have an e-mail address that you wish to use IN ADDITION to the FCCJ address, then send a message to the instructor and type in something like the following:
"I'm in your ------- class at 9mwf [or 10mwf, 12mwf, 9:30tth,
11tth, or Tues night]. My mailing address is John Jones,
Here are the steps for activating your FCCJ e-mail address:
· Go to the website http://exchange.students.fccj.org/exchange/logon.asp.
· In the middle of the top of the screen for www.fccj.edu, there is a list of four green hyperlinks. Click on the one that says Student Resources.
· This will bring you to a list of links for different services the college offers. Toward the bottom of the list is one that says Request an E-Mail
· Account. Click on this.
· At the top of the screen, it should say STUDENT COMPUTING RESOURCES. Here you will find links on the left side of the page. Click on the link marked Student Web E-mail.
· Your User Name and password should be the same as your Blackboard account.
Although
the instructor will insist that you have an active FCCJ account, you may do
most of your communicating on your regular e-mail account. However, the Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL, Comcast,
etc. accounts have pitfalls:
· You or someone in your family may have put in a block on multiple messages to avoid “spam,” and our class e-mails may never reach you.
· Your account may “max” out.
· Your old account may go inactive.
4. BLACKBOARD: Now that you have your e-mail account, you want to go into Blackboard, which will be located at http://bb6.fccj.org
If you already have an FCCJ e-mail account, simply log in to Artemis with your student user ID. If you don't remember your password, you will be able to reset it.
Once you have a student user ID and password, you will be able to log on to Artemis (where you will find links to Blackboard as well as links to your e-mail account) using this student user ID. If you go directly to Blackboard at
you will still log in with this Artemis student ID.
If you are a new student, then the above won't be a problem. On the other hand, if you are an old student, you may want to use your former system and you run into trouble. The new system means that you will no longer need to contact your instructor to get into your course. . .or you won't have to wait until the instructor laboriously types in the names of you and your classmates. It also means your instructor can’t change your password if you’ve drawn a total blank or run into some other problems.
Blackboard will be used as your online gradebook. It will also be where you will take any quizzes for the course.
5. FINAL GRADES: The instructor does not give Incompletes (IFs) except in extremely rare circumstances. He also will not treat NP grades as Incompletes. Push yourself to finish the course. You can do it.
6. POINTS FOR PAPERS, TESTS, AND EXERCISES: The 1,000-word papers will be graded on a 100-point scale and then the points will be recorded twice. Tests will use a 100-point scale. On papers and tests, 90's are A; 80's, B; 70's, C; 60's, D; etc. Any 40- or 50-point exercises will use percentages: A- is 90% of 40, or 36 points; etc.
7. TESTS: You will make up any tests in
the
If you fail any objective test, you may either do extra credit assignments to bring up the grade or you may repeat the test for a high grade of 70.
On a test day (for objective tests), bring a No. 2 pencil. The instructor does not return answer sheets for objective tests because he likes to double-check the results a week or so later (the grading machine acts up occasionally) and because he permits you to repeat these tests for high grades of 70. If you want him to go over a test with you, however, make an appointment with him, and he will be glad to go over the correct responses with you.
Especially show up on time on a test day. Tests will not be given to those who wander in very late. They will have to go to the test make-up center later. Any pop quizzes missed at the start of the class may not be made up.
8. LATE WORK: Late work will lose about a letter grade for each school day of lateness.
9. COLLEGE-LEVEL WRITING AND TYPED PAPERS:
YOUR PAPERS MUST BE TYPED AND DOUBLESPACED. If you do not own a typewriter, North Campus has well-maintained machines for you in the "A" Building. You may also consider writing your paper using WordPerfect 5.1 or the Bank Street Writer word processing program in the Writing Lab (3rd floor, next to the library). This program is so simple that it has been used successfully by grade-schoolers.
You will not be given a passing grade in the course unless you meet the 4,500-word requirement. When you turn in your typed paper, also turn in the (handwritten?) first draft.
When papers are returned to you, you may notice various arabic numbers on your paper. These generally refer to parts of Harbrace College Handbook. Copies of all major composition handbooks are on reserve in the library or can be found in the Writing Lab.
One point may be taken off for each spelling error or major grammatical error. (This is just enough to make things sporting.) To save points, you may wish to have your papers reviewed by the tutors in the Writing Lab.
Here is a sample of a silly paper to show you what the instructor may look for:
Hoogoose D. Moose
HUM 2450 8-MWF
April 1, 199-SPECIALL EXHIBITS FOR MOOSES
The museums of the First Coast of Florida is not doing enough to stress the classicism of the meese who have live in the area. a moose believes in order and stability, but the museums do'nt get exhibits that reflect this interest. However, I found several works that appeeled to me as a moose.
I. Hoopoka da Polecatta's The Smell of Success was a large canvas (4 feet by 6 feet) done in mixed media, primarily oil and pencil. The painting had a button that you could press in order to have a scent sprayed in your face. The scent was of skunk. I made the mistake of pressing the button immediately and spent the rest of the time wearing a gasmask. Through the mask, however, I was able to tell that the painting featured a large black swath that swept diagonally across the work from the upper right to the lower left. Apparently the swath represents skunkism since it had a white streak through the middle. The background consisted of red streaks, each about four inches long, and perhaps symbolizing the redness that comes to your eyes.
II. Another painting by Hoopoka da Polecatta was entitled The Smell of Failure. It was identical in size to the above work, and it also had a button for the art lover to press. I did not press this button. This time, the diagonal black swath went from upper left to lower right, again with a white streak down the middle and again with similar red streaks in the background. The artist seemed to be making a statement about the relationship of success and failure, but, as I discovered when I got a little boy to press the failure button, I really believe she was more interested in spraying that foul stuff over everyone stupid enough to press her buttons. . . .
WHAT ARE THE QUALITIES OF A GOOD PAPER?
If you wonder what makes one paper good and another
only average, you may find the answer in these essay ratings from the
State of
BEST PAPER: Writer purposely and effectively develops a thesis. Writer uses relevant details, including concrete examples, that clearly support generalizations. Paragraphs carefully follow an organizational plan and are fully developed and tightly controlled. A wide variety of sentences occur, indicating that the writer has facility in the use of language and that the diction is distinctive. Appropriate transitional words and phrases or other techniques make the essay coherent. Few errors in syntax, mechanics, and spelling occur.
ABOVE AVERAGE PAPER: Writer develops a thesis but may occasionally lose sight of purpose. Writer uses some relevant and specific details that adequately support generalizations. Paragraphs generally follow an organizational pattern and are usually unified and developed. Sentences are often varied, and diction is usually appropriate. Some transitions are used, and parts are usually related to each other in an orderly manner. Syntactical, mechanical, and usage errors may occur but usually do not affect clarity.
AVERAGE PAPER: Writer develops a thesis, but the essay shows little, if any, sense of purpose. Writer uses a limited number of details, but they often do not support generalizations. Paragraphs may relate to the thesis but often will be vague, underdeveloped, or both. Sentences lack variety and are often illogical, poorly constructed, or both. Diction is pedestrian. Transitions are used infrequently, mechanically, and erratically. Numerous errors may occur in syntax, mechanics, and usage and frequently distract from clarity.
BELOW AVERAGE OR POOR PAPER: Writer's thesis and
organization are seldom apparent, but, if present, they are unclear, weak, or
both. Writer uses generalizations for support, and details, when
included, are usually ineffective. Undeveloped, ineffective paragraphs do
not support the thesis. Sentences are usually illogical, poorly
constructed, or both. They usually consist of a series of subjects and
verbs with an occasional complement. Diction is simplistic and frequently
not idiomatic. Transitions and coherence devices, when discernible, are
usually inappropriate. Syntactical, mechanical, and usage errors abound
and impede communication.
9. NEEDED TOOLS: Besides your
textbook, you will need these:
- an inexpensive set of watercolors
- some watercolor paper
- the usual material needed in any college class
10. CLASSROOM DECORUM: If you
are a mature human (or a well-mannered moose), you may be insulted by this
part. Please do not take offense. (It is meant for that loony
sitting next to you.) The instructor did not like high school with its
hall passes, detention, rules against chewing gum, etc., so he does not like to
have a Harry High School environment in his college class. When separate
conversations are going on about Loretta ("She thinks she's so smart")
and Leroy ("He's going to get himself kilt in that car"), the
instructor has the option of stopping the class and assigning an immediate
in-class essay or pop quiz on whatever is being discussed. Everyone
should feel free to argue about whatever is the topic of the day, however--even
if three or four arguments are going on.
If radios or headsets are brought to class, they will NOT be turned on. Headsets will not be worn, whether turned on or not.
Beepers: If you have someone in the hospital and need emergency beeping, let the instructor know beforehand. On the other hand, if you simply like the beeping lifestyle, cut it off or set it for vibrate. If you leave class simply to chit-chat, you are absent for that hour.
Also read about decorum in your student catalog.
11. PLAGIARISM: Do your own writing. If you are using information from some source, give credit to that source in the text of your paper. (Besides, when you give credit in the paper, you make your paper longer.) If you do not know what plagiarism is, read the appropriate section of any handbook.
The penalties for plagiarism range from an "F" on an assignment to (unless the U.S. Supreme Court rules that it is cruel and unusual punishment) having to listen to old records of Nelson Eddy singing "Mammy's Li'l Baby Loves Shortin' Bread."
Also, don't be like the unfortunate students of a couple terms ago. One did a paper about a visit to a museum on a word processor; the other took copied the paper, changed the first paragraph, used three different art works, but had 70% of the paper identical to the other. Neither paper was accepted.
The internet has encouraged many bad habits (e.g.,
highlighting and copying text and then pasting it into a "new"
document). Material must go through your head and be given your special
and unique perspective. If you succumb to bad habits, the instructor will
change the grade even if the course is over with.
If you need a refresher class in what constitutes
plagiarism, then you may wish to watch the video, Plagiarism: It’s a Crime
(PN 167.P53).
THE WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
You must write at least three of the following papers. You may do any remaining topics for extra credit.
THE JACKSONVILLE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART (1,000 words minimum) (200-point scale)
The Jacksonville Art Museum features a current exhibit of some nature, plus its permanent exhibit, the Koger Collection of porcelain, pottery, etc. Write a paper in which you focus on the following: any ten artworks. If possible, focus on the art of the Americas.
Have an introductory paragraph in which you say something sensible about the museum and its exhibit. Devote a separate paragraph to each art object. Have a concluding paragraph.
Type the paper, of course, and put the total number of
words at the end.
The JMCA is located at 4160 Boulevard Center Drive. You approach it either from Beach Boulevard or Atlantic Boulevard. On Beach, go to the cemetery past St. Nicholas Center and turn to your left when you see the JAM sign. On Atlantic, go to Beach Road Chicken, turn right and follow the road about a mile until you see the JAM on your right. It's a yellow brick building.
THE CUMMER MUSEUM (1,000 words minimum;
400-point scale)
MANDATORY PAPER: The Cummer Museum (829 Riverside Ave.) features several permanent exhibits, with separate rooms to devoted to each era in art; it also has a current exhibit. Write a paper in which you focus on ten art works by Americans. Identify each piece by title, by the creator's name (if known).
Have an introductory paragraph in which you say something sensible about the museum and its exhibit. Devote a separate paragraph to each art object. Have a concluding paragraph.
Type the paper, of course, and put the total number of
words at the end.
To reach the Cummer, go toward the Fuller Warren Bridge and turn off at the Margaret Street exit (which will take you to Five Points, where you turn left onto Post). On I-95 going toward the bridge, you may use the last exit, turn right and go to the traffic light; there's a parking lot across from the Cummer.
FIRST COAST ART MUSEUM (1,000 words minimum;
200-point scale)
You are to assemble a collection of American art for the First Coast Museum of the Americas. (Do not look for the museum in a directory. It is imaginary.) Using the same structure as you have used on the Cummer paper, you are to select ten pieces of American art from your textbook, from pictures on the wall of the classroom, from films, or from library books. (These must not include any works discussed in the above Cummer or Jacksonville Art Museum papers.) Identify each piece by title, by the creator's name (if known).
Type the paper, and put the total number of words at the end.
EXTRA CREDIT OR SUBSTITUTION TOPICS
Here are extra credit or substitution papers. You may do as many extra papers as you wish. However, you may only do one Western movie paper. These papers may be for 500 or 1,000 words, depending on the amount of points you want.
1. Go to a video rental store, the Haydon Burns AV department, or the audio-visual area of our library and watch a videotape of one of the classic Westerns: Shane, High Noon, etc. Write a paper based on one of the following topics:
The Good Life as Reflected in [the Film]
The Faults and Virtues of Male Characters in [Film]
The Relationship between [the film] and Western Art
To repeat, you may only do one paper on a Western.
2. Go to the audio-visual area of our library
and watch a videotape based on children and the problems of children.
These may need to be shipped in from another campus, or you may find it easier
to go to the other campus if you live or work close by. The films: Silent
Snow, Secret Show, My Old Man, Ugly Little Boy.
Write a paper based on one of the following topics:
The Problems of Growing Up as Reflected in [the Videos/Film(s)]
Mental Illness vs. Everyday Problems in [Film(s)]
Parent and Child in [Film(s)]
3. After reading William Faulkner's "Red Leaves" and "A Justice," write a comparison-contrast theme, perhaps focusing on Faulkner's depiction of Indians, whites, blacks, etc. (Locate a collection of Faulkner short stories.)
4. Select one of the following's equivalent in Jacksonville or the First Coast and compare it with a famous national counterpart:
The Empire State Building or another skyscraper
The Golden Gate Bridge or another bridge
The Washington Cathedral (or another)
4. An artistic event (for the performing arts) that takes place during this term: a play, a special exhibit, a concert, a ballet, etc. (The event may not be something like a graduation, court appearance, traffic accident, etc.)
ARTISTIC
EXERCISES
I.-IV. You will analyze four different paintings. One must come from Colonial to 1800; one from era of nationalism (1800-1850); one from era of Romantic Naturalism (1850-1875); one from Romantic Impressionists (1875-1900); or one from the Moderns (1900-present). and one from 1800's.
You will find paintings in your textbook, but you may refer to other books or art prints. If a painting is reproduced in a book in black and white, you will need to find a color version of it in another book or on a slide.
On each set, you must include the following information:
1. Your name (of course).
2. Artist's name (if known to historians; if not known, then include whatever information is given).
3. The area and time of the artwork.
Each artistic exercise will consist of four items, with each item being on a separate sheet of paper.
1. MAJOR AND MINOR LINES and BALANCE AND COMPOSITION: Use thin paper to trace the major and minor lines. You may wish to render an ink drawing of the art work. You may wish to focus on the dominate lines by making them darker than the lesser lines. You may wish to use a "coloring book" approach to finding lines (i.e., drawing the art work) or you may utilize an abstract approach. (Examples of both will be shown in class.)
For Balance and Composition (on the same page as Major and Minor Lines), you are to make a horizontal and vertical line in the center of the painting (i.e., divide it into quadrants). Using arrows and labels, demonstrate how the artist has balanced lines in one quadrant with items in another quadrant and how the artist has avoided eye-fatigue. Label at least four pairs of items that balance.
2. FORMS: On another sheet, draw the geometrical forms that you would find in the painting. These forms consist of boxes, spheres, cones, cylinders, pyramids, etc. If they are not exact spheres or other forms, you may wish to label them "distorted sphere," "modified box," or the equivalent. Review the "Forms in Art" page that is probably in this handout. However, if you are doing certain early works, you may not find any solid forms. If something in a design looks like ##@@**#@, we cannot label it as any solid thing: the figures may be intended to have flatness. Adjust your labels accordingly.
3. COLOR: Use watercolor and watercolor paper to color the major and minor areas of color. You will probably find it best simply to render into watercolor whatever painting you are analyzing. If you cannot duplicate a color exactly, then add a clarifying label in the margin: "rusty brown," etc. If you have oil or acrylic paints at home, you may use those.
4. DEPTH AND PERSPECTIVE: Your selection is probably representational or realistic, so you will need to show how the painter attempts to show depth. If you find them, label "Foreground," "Middleground," and "Background." Does the painting have any overlapping? If so, label the objects that are closest to the viewer, with 1 being the closest; 2, second closest; 3, third closest; etc. If you can locate a vanishing point, put a large dot there and draw straight lines on the architectural straight lines that guide you to the vanishing point. (We will have a class presentation on this, so do not panic.)
V. YOUR OWN SHORT STORY (40 points): Select a painting by an American and write a short story about whatever appears to be taking place. Write an original short story. If the story is especially long and impressive, you may receive additional points.
VI. YOUR OWN SCENE OR PLAY (40 points): Similarly, select a second painting (or statue) by an American and write a short play about whatever appears to be occurring. Your production may simply be a long scene if you think a full-treatment would require a complete three- to five-act play. Again, if the play/scene is impressive, etc., you may receive additional points.
VII. A SONG (40 points): Select a
different American painting and, if you have musical interests and ability,
write an original song about whatever appears to be occurring. Turn in a
copy of the lyrics, along with a cassette of you (or someone) singing the song.
REQUIRED POINTS
|
ASSIGNMENTS |
"A" |
"B" |
"C" |
"D" |
"F" |
|
2 papers, if Cummer topic done; 3, if not |
540-600 |
480-539 |
420-479 |
360-419 |
0-359 |
|
Since this course |
is covered by |
FCCJ'sGordon |
Rule, you |
must turn in |
the above. |
|
Four art exercises |
144-160 |
112-143 |
80-111 |
48-79 |
0-47 |
|
2 Creative Exercises |
72-80 |
56-71 |
40-55 |
24-39 |
0-23 |
|
Attendance |
540-600 |
480-539 |
420-479. |
360-419 |
0-359 |
|
Average of Quizzes, Tests x2 |
180-200 |
160-179 |
140-159 |
120-139 |
0-119 |
|
Final Exam |
90-100 |
80-89 |
70-79 |
60-69 |
0-59 |
|
TOTAL REQUIRED PTS. |
1566-1740 |
1392-1565 |
1218-1391 |
1044-1217 |
0-1043 |
*You may do two extra art assignments for extra credit, but the art x.c. is capped at 320 points.
Notice that the tests during the regular part of the term are averaged and then multiplied by 2. The final exam is figured on a hundred point scale.
An example:
Test
1
90
Test
2
80
Test
3
90
Test
4
80
Subtotal
170 (340 div. by 4 = 85 x 2)
Final
Exam 85
TOTAL TEST POINTS 255
Push yourself to finish the course. You can do it.
At the end of the course, you will turn in all of your
written work in an envelope. You may keep your art exercises and show
them to your grandchildren one day. However, during the course, do not
throw away anything. If the instructor spills coffee on the gradebook
page that your class is on, he'll want the old pages to re-create the pages.
(This has never happened, but--)
SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS
The reading assignments from the textbook or handouts will be announced as the course progresses.
Tests will also be announced at least a week in advance.
ASSIGNMENT
CLASS HOUR DUE
|
1st Artistic Exercise |
9th hr |
|
1st 1,000-word paper |
12 hr |
|
2nd Artistic Exercise |
15th hr |
|
3rd Artistic Exercise |
18th hr |
|
2nd 1,000-word paper |
21st hr |
|
4th Artistic Exercise |
24th hr |
|
1st 40-point Creative Exercise |
27th hr |
|
3rd 1,000-word paper (if needed) |
30th hr |
|
2nd 40-point Creative Exercise |
33rd hr |
|
Extra Credit Papers/Exercises |
42nd |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Last regular class |
|
|
Final Exam Activity |
|
LATE PENALTIES: Papers and exercises will lose 10% to 40% for various degrees of lateness.
Frequently Asked Questions
"Omigawd, I'm not an artist! I didn't expect to do art exercises! I should just stay away from the course, right?"
Relax. It will not require any art ability for you to do the art exercises. If you can only draw a stick figure that looks like it was made by a first-grader, then you can do just fine. You will mainly be tracing things. In addition, you will be given the benefit of some doubts when you're analyzing paintings and sculptures.
* * *
"When is the first paper due?"
Notice that the syllabus refers to Hours 9 and 12 -- which, when you check the link to "Hours for MWF/T-Th/etc. classes," will be in the 2nd and 3rd week of class respectively.
* * *
"If I'm looking at a painting or sculpture, how will I know what you'll want me to say?"
The only restriction is that you stay on topic. If you are looking at a piece and analyzing how it reflects, say, costumes, then don't write about a landscape that doesn't have any people in it. Other than that restriction, you are to write about whatever reaction you may have. If you hate a piece, that's all right. However, instead of saying, "This painting is a piece of crap," jump the diction up a couple of notches and say something like, "This painting looks like it was made by an untalented child". . .or "This painting revolted this viewer with its subject matter," etc. Then TELL why the work made you feel that way. It's easiest to write about what we hate and what we admire; you'll find it difficult to write about works that seem so-so.
* * *
"Are you really nasty if a paper is late?"
You need to pace yourself. Generally something is due every week or every two weeks, depending on where we are in the course. If a paper is due and you had unexpected emergencies, then turn in an art exercise that week instead. The instructor turns nasty for anyone who waits till the last weeks to turn in papers.
* * *
"How nasty?"
Well, you're not going to be that late, are you? But let's look at what can happen. Normally you could turn in a paper and receive, say, a 92, perhaps multiplied by 4 (for the Cummer paper). You have a whopping 368 points. Perhaps you went longer on your paper and would have received an additional 46 points (458 points). Now, let's see what happens to a really late paper: 30 or 40 points is subtracted from the 100 to yield 70 or 60 points; then the instructor finds 8 points of stuff to quibble about, so the paper has 62 or 52 points, perhaps times 4 for 248 or 208 points. Why throw away that many points?
If you are a severe procrastinator, you may want to read this sentence: Former student Fred Fillbob fobbed off five papers, finally finishing fiddling with them, and found he made an ____. (Clue: What letter occurs most often as the first letter of each word in that sentence?)
* * *
"If I'm working at my own pace, would I be able to finish early, as I did in your English class?"
In humanities, we will have many items that are only addressed in class, so, at present, it doesn't lend itself to completing a course a month early. However, you can work ahead on your assignments and be able to coast.
* * *
"You don't know it, but I've got these really nice papers on the Cummer and other neat stuff. I'm recycling them in your class. Clever, eh?"
Here's your problem: The topics of the papers change each term, so you may have an old Cummer paper about "Aardvarks in Art at the Cummer" (totally uselesss this term). Papers have to relate to a topic from this term.
* * *
"If I can't come out to campus when a paper is due, why can't I just e-mail them or fax them?"
You need to mail them for several reasons. (1) Faculty often run into compatibility problems when, say, a dozen students are using a dozen variations of word-processing programs. (2) A faculty member puts his or her day on hold to become a copy-center as hundreds of pages end up being printed out. (3) Ink-jet printers are s-l-o-w. (4) Sometimes you may be doing exercises or special stuff that faxes, etc. won't send adequately.
* * *
"How many papers will we have to do?"
If you are do the Cummer paper (which counts as two), you will do two 1,000-word papers, If you don't do the Cummer 400-point paper, you will do three papers that would be graded on a 200-point scale. In effect, the 1,000-word papers will count as SIX 500-word papers.
* * *
"What if I write a paper and it's only 500 words?"
Then that will be graded on a 100-point scale.
* * *
"What if I write a paper, and it's, say, 850 words long?"
Since it's only 85% of the required length (for a 1,000-word paper), it will have 15% of points taken off just for length.
* * *
"Once I've turned in a paper and gotten, say, an 85 or 85 times two, can I resubmit it to get higher credit?"
No, but you may do extra credit. You receive extra credit when papers wind up being longer, when you do extra papers or art exercises.
* * *
"Can extra credit papers be on any topics?"
No, just on the topics given in the syllabus. If you turn in a paper on, say, "The Life of Johann Sebastian Bach" or "Shakespeare and England" (neither one of the topics), then you won't receive ANY credit for it. If you tie a subject to one of the topics in the syllabus and follow the directions, then you will receive credit.
* * *
"How many extra credit art exercises may be done?"
You will be capped at eight artistic/creative exercises. . .or at 320 points in this category.
* * *
"How many extra credit papers can I do?"
As many as you want to. Again, make sure you are following the instructions for approved topics, etc.
* * *
"What's the point of 'approved topics' and so on?"
To eliminate cutting and pasting and other forms of plagiarism.
* * *
"What kind of tests do you do?"
They are objective tests: multiple guess, true-false, and perhaps some matching. Again, you will take the tests on Blackboard.
* * *
"Will we have an in-class review?"
No, the tests are, in effect, open book tests, so you will simply need to know the material and where the answers are to be found. The instructor does have three or four audio-tapes on reserve in the library for HUM 2236 and may be developing a set for HUM 2211. HUM 2236 students should take three or four blank tapes (30 minutes each side) for copies to be made.
* * *
"What do we need to bring for tests?"
If everything works out as planned, the tests will be online, and you won't need to bring anything.
* * *
"Since I've had you before and am recycling to get a passing grade, may I go ahead and take the tests now?"
Your instructor is having to re-enter all of the tests into the college version of Blackboard. Formerly, he was using the free version of the program, so give him a couple or three weeks to get the tests in.
* * *
"May I take tests over for a higher grade?"
Generally not. If you had a real bad attempt (say, a 23 out of 100 points perhaps because of computer problems), then the instructor can erase the score. However, if you make, say, a 58, it's easier to do some extra credit art exercises or written work.
* * *
"What kind of students do best in your class?"
The self-starters do best. They may procrastinate a little, but they decide to get the assignments out of the way on a regular basis. If they have a set-back, they say, "What the heck," and keep doing work. Woody Allen says that success is showing up 80% of the time. If you show up and do work regularly, you should succeed.
* * *
"What kind of students don't do well?"
The procrastinators paralyze themselves. They make an effort to sign up and say to themselves that they are really going to buckle down. . .tomorrow. . .or maybe the day after tomorrow. They never do. They are like cooks who have only four burners on a stove. They've got a pot of Work bubbling in one, Family in another, Play in a third one, and TV in another. The Pot of School Work isn't even on the stove.
* * *
"This e-mail business--I don't have a computer at home" or "I have a computer at home, but we can't afford e-mail, so--"
You don't need a computer at home, and you don't need to pay for e-mail. Free e-mail accounts are available from the college and several firms. When you are on campus, you can check your e-mail on the computers available in the labs and library. You may be able to check your e-mail in the public libraries.
You may be simply resisting using computers and the internet. If so, ask yourself, "When I'm on the job, will I be ready and prepared to use all my skills?" If you are 18, you may be working until you retire at, say, age 67. That will take you to 2051. Will computers be used MORE or LESS in the upcoming years? More, you say? Then prepare yourself for YOUR future.
* * *
"How will I know my grades?"
You will know them on the papers that are returned, of course, and Blackboard will test you your test scores. Your instructor will also communicate grade status by e-mail and your grade page. (A special e-mailing will give specific directions about accessing your grade page.)
Final grades from the college will only be available electronically.
* * *
"But can't I just get my grades directly, by talking to you or getting them on the telephone?"
Your instructor will not communicate grades by telephone. He will not communicate grades by chit-chat. He will not communicate grades by fax. He will not communicate grades by semaphore. He will not communicate grades by Morse code. He will not communicate grades by Goodyear blimps. He will not communicate grades by billboard signs. He will not communicate grades by smoke-signals. He will not communicate grades by TV infomercials. He will not communicate grades by anything other than your grade page and e-mail. He won't.
* * *
"Were you a straight 'A' student when you were a freshman, and is that the reason the course is structured so precisely?"
Alas, your instructor generally wasn't interested in grades when he was a student at Pensacola Junior College or Florida State University. He waited until the night before an assignment to do before starting to write it. This was before computers and white-out. He had a manual typewriter and sometimes erasable paper. He also had "club-itis" and was more interested in the student newspaper than most of his classes. If an instructor assigned Chapter 1 to everyone to read, your stubborn instructor might read, say, Chapter 15. And so on.
However, your instructor had three virtues that are valuable on college campuses: (1) He turned in 99 % of the assignments (such as they were) when they were due, (2) he loved to read, except when he was told to read something, and (3) he loved to write.
Ah, but those were simpler days. Back then, students only had to worry about pimples, the draft, and nuclear annihilation.
* * *
"I've been confused in classes before and have waited to work up the nerve or whatever to ask about something that's confusing. Any question is a good question, right?"
Right, but ask your questions promptly. If you are confused about something on a Monday, ask the instructor about the matter at the next class session. . .or e-mail him.
* * *
"Why do we have to learn this artsy crap about painting, literature, and what-not?"
If Johnny Carson, Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, and other comics get together and talk about their craft, they may mention their exposure to various gags, musical numbers, slap-stick, etc. Their adage is, "Eventually you use everything you know."
You may be telling yourself, "I only need to know such-and-such in order to get and hold a job." However, on the job, your may be looking at, say, a brochure or a store window and asking yourself, "Does this look right?" You start calling upon your knowledge of composition and design. You may even have a tedious job and find yourself wondering, "Why am I here? Is this all there is to life?"
Humanities will help you explore what it's
like to be a human.
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