REQUIREMENTS

• Careful reading of all assignments
• Regular attendance at class meetings and four or five evening films
• Active (and informed) participation in class discussion
• Quiz on the geography of France and on the major governmental regimes
• Occasional in-class quizzes on the reading
• Four or five short writing assignments (1-2 pp.)
• Two short presentations (comment on a film or reading, presentation of research paper)
• Research proposal (2 pp.) and research paper (10-12 pp.)
• Two short exams
• Final examination

GRADING

Your grade will measure your effort, the level of your thinking and writing, as well as the progress you make across the semester.  The following is offered as a rough guide and I reserve the right to modify it.  It assumes a good faith effort on all assignments.

• 5% map and regime quiz
• 5% occasional in-class quizzes
• 5% presentations
• 21% short writing assignments
• 21% short exams
• 21% research proposal and short research paper
• 22% final examination
• Class participation (coming to class well prepared, contributing to discussion) can raise or lower your final grade by as much as three percentage points

I will grade presentations and short writing assignments on a check/check plus/check minus scale, in which a check equals 5 of 6 points, a check plus equals 6 of 6 points, and a check minus equals 4 of 6 points.

We follow the College of Wooster guidelines for grading. A grade in the “A” range indicates excellent work, the “B” range indicates good work, the “C” range indicates adequate work, the “D” range indicates a minimal performance. A grade of “F” indicates unsatisfactory work or the failure to complete all course work.

A few extra credit opportunities will be given during the semester. Grade penalties will be applied for poor attendance and/or distractions.