CLAS210 Ancient Literature:
Images of Masculinity
Department of Classics
Monmouth College
Summary of Goals and Requirements
Your final grade will be determined in the following way:
I. Unit Quizzes 40%
II. Individualized Project 30%
III. Group Presentation 10%
IV. Class Participation and Other Work
20%
I. Unit Quizzes
Instead of a mid-term and final exam there will be SIX (6) unit quizzes. One of
these quizzes will be a geography quiz. Another will be a map quiz which you have to pass
to pass the course.
The other four quizzes will be based upon material covered in class and in course readings. Questions may include multiple choice, true/false, fill-in the blank, and short essay questions.
There will be no make-ups for quizzes (except the map quiz), but at least on quiz grade will be dropped. The average of these quizzes will be 40% of the final grade.
II. Individualized Project
Each student will pursue a semester-long project which focuses on some special aspect of
images of masculinity in the ancient world. Preparation for this project must include
library research, analysis of historical evidence, and original work. At mid-semester you
will submit a 300-word prospectus for this project. In this prospectus you will outline
the topic and an evaluation of at least five works you have consulted on this topic.
For some suggestions on how to begin, please see Individualized
Project Guidelines.
The central product of this project can take the form of a research paper, creative writing, artwork, website or any other work which deals with material covered in course readings or discussions. the final product should somehow combine your image of masculinity with images from the ancient world.
All central products must be supplemented by a written statement (c.600 words) which contains the following information: 1.) a summary of the project; 2.) a description of its preparation; 3.) an annotated bibliography of at least ten works consulted ("annotated" means a brief explanation of how these works were used in the project); and 4.) an explanation of how the project fulfils the requirements of the assignment; 5.) a summary of the original aspects of this project. The highest possible grade for a project submitted without this statement is "B".
A prospectus for this project is due around mid-semester. The final individualized project is due at the end of the semester and will be 30% of your final grade. See the course schedule for specific due dates.
NOTE: Course books can be cited in the bibliography but only as complements to at least ten additional works. The quality of the material consulted will significantly affect the grade. It is highly recommended that a variety of resources be consulted, including books, journals, and websites. Heavy reliance on a single kind of resource (especially encyclopedia articles) is not advised.
III. Group Presentation
Working in groups of three, students will present their individualized projects
in a 10-15 minute presentation to the entire class. The first step in the preparation of
this presentation is a written c.600-word statement in which each group member evaluates
all the projects in the group and suggests ways that the project might be
effectively presented to the class. These statements
will be shared with other members of the group and with the instructor. The group will
then met to decide how each project will be presented. The projects can be
presented serially or collectively.
All presentations will take place at the time scheduled for the final exam. The presentation will be graded on oral technique, accurate presentation of the subject matter, originality, and effective use of content. Appropriate use of the personae of ancient Greeks and Romans in these presentations will automatically insure a higher grade.
Once the presentation is finished each participant will submit only to the instructor a short statement which evaluates the contributions of each member of the group to the final presentation. This statement is intended to signal to the instructor if there was any imbalance in these contributions; i.e., did each member of the group pull their own weight?. This statement must not be submitted prior to the actual presentation but no later than 24-hours after the presentation. Students will receive a group grade for the presentation and an individual grade based upon the information in the statement. The average of the group and individual grades will be 10% of the final score.
IV. Class Participation and Other
Work
While attendance is not recorded daily, class participation is considered very
important and the instructor will keep track of those individuals who participate actively
in the course by making appropriate comments and asking questions.
Quizzes, both announced and unannounced, may be given at the discretion of the
instructor. No make-ups for quizzes will be given.
All students are expected to several outside lectures during the semester and
to submit a written summary on each lecture. These summaries should
relate the lectures to the course and the topic of images of masculinity.
See the course schedule for
specific dates for these lectures. If there is a serious conflict with the
timing of an individual lecture, please notify the instructor at least one day
in advance.
In addition to the lecture papers, other short papers will occasionally be assigned,
including a Homeric persona presentation and paper, a mid-course
evaluation , the individualized project prospectus, and the evaluation of the
individualized projects. The Homeric persona presentation will also count as a
paper.
All of this work, including class participation, will count 20% of the final grade.
This material has been published on the web by Prof. Tom Sienkewicz for his students at Monmouth College. If you have any questions, you can contact him at toms@monm.edu.