Magda Teter :: Professor of History

HIST 301: Jews in Christian and Muslim Lands in the Middle Ages

All work in the course is done under the Honor Code. Cases will be brought to the Honor Board, should questions concerning potential or actual violation of the Honor Code arise

One bibliographic assignment.
One short paper based on a primary source (5-6pp.)
One 15-page research paper.
Regular response papers on class readings (missing more than 3 will result in grade penalty).
Class attendance (3 unexcused absences allowed, 4+ will entail grade penalty)
Excessive lateness (more than 15 minutes) counts as absence.
Class participation: the success of this class depends on our mutual involvement and therefore your participation in class discussions is crucial. There will be a grade bonus for class participation.

Students' Rights:

To express their ideas freely, while being respectful to others.
To meet with me during office hours to discuss issues related to the course or students? performance in the classroom.
To make an appointment outside office hours (via email).
To know their grade at any give time during the semester.
To give me feedback throughout the duration of the semester (in fact, you are encouraged to do so).

Written assignments:

There is a writing fellow available for the class, you can approach him/her on your own, or you may be referred to him/her, should the need arise.
All written assignments are due on the day noted in the syllabus, via email or blackboard No extensions will be given. There will be a grade penalty for lateness (1 grade per day).
Papers are graded based on: clarity of writing; evidence provided to support the claim; insight; argument; spelling and punctuation; proper use of sources (footnotes, proper acknowledgment of ideas and sources).
Footnoting should follow the formats given in Mary Rampolla's book Mary Lynn Rampolla A Pocket Guide to Writing in History (Boston, New York: Bedford/St. Martin's Press, 1998), which is required for this class. You can also follow this guideline: How to Cite Sources. Improper footnoting will result in grade penalty and/or referring the case to the Honor Board.
Plagiarism is one of the most serious academic offenses a student can commit at Wesleyan.
Instances of plagiarism:

submitting essays or portions of essays written by other people as one's own;
failing to acknowledge, through footnotes and bibliographical entries, the source of ideas that are essentially not one's own;
failing to indicate paraphrases or ideas or verbatim expressions not one's own through proper use of quotations and footnotes;

submitting an essay written for one course to a second course without having sought prior permission from both instructors (self-plagiarism).

Grading:

One bibliographic assignment. (20%)

One short paper (20%)

One 15-page research paper. (60%: outline 20%, draft 20% and final paper 20%)

Bonus: class participation, 100% rate of attendance.

Penalties: missing more than 3 classes and/or 3 response papers, missing the assignment deadline.