Grading

Grading in this course draws in practices of specifications grading and labor-based grading, approaches that provide a transparent pathway to earning the grade you want to earn. This page explains the grading policy in detail and is the authoritative version of the policies. This PDF provides a simplified overview of the policies.

The Three Components of Grades in the Course

Basics: Attendance and Participation

Passing the course requires regular participation in the intellectual life of the class community.

• A passing grade requires completion of all of the major assignments and attending at least 75% of in-person class sessions.
• Earning a course grade of B or higher requires being consistently on time and prepared for class, as well as missing no more than two weeks of class sessions.
• Earning a course grade of A requires being consistently on time and prepared for class, as well as missing no more than one week of class sessions.

Much of the work of this course involves classroom work and discussion. Earning a course grade of B or higher indicates that you are regularly participating in that work--doing the in-class activities, listening to your classmates carefully and sharing ideas with them, and so forth.

Smaller assignments (40% of course grade)

The class has many smaller assignments that involve submitting a short piece of writing in advance of class sessions.

Earning a B for this component of the class involves the following:

• Missing no more than three smaller assignments of any kind.
• Including missing assignments, submitting no more than six smaller assignments late. (Every deadline has a 15-minute grace period for being on time. An assignment can be complete but late if submitted at least two hours before the next class period begins. After that point, the assignment counts as missing.)

Earning an A for this component of the class involves the following:

• Missing no more than one smaller assignment of any kind.
• Including missing assignments, submitting no more than two smaller assignments late. (Every deadline has a 15-minute grace period for being on time. An assignment can be complete but late if submitted at least two hours before the next class period begins. After that point, the assignment counts as missing.)

Note: If the first submitted version of any assignment is not complete, I'll let you know, and you'll have a week from receiving the feedback to add whatever is missing.

Larger assignments (60% of course grade)

The class has three larger assignments: two papers and a bibliography.

Earning a B for this component of the class involves the following:

• Fully completing the first version of all three larger assignments, including the submission sheet for each of them. (If the first submitted version of any assignment is not complete, I'll let you know, and you'll have a week to add whatever is missing.)

Earning an A for this component of the class involves fully completing the extra versions of the bibliography and final assignments. The necessary components are explained on each assignment's page in the Assignments section.

Lateness and Extensions on Larger Assignments

Larger assignments that are complete but late will lose one grade step (such as A to A-) for every day or partial day they are late. Every deadline has a 15-minute grace period for being on time. An assignment can be complete but late if submitted at least two hours before the next class period begins--or, for assignments due during finals week, at 3:00 on the Friday of finals week. After that point, the assignment counts as missing.

Once during the semester, at least 24 hours in advance of the assignment deadline, you can request an extension of one of the larger assignments. The extension will be up to 48 hours, except in the case of finals week, when the absolute deadline cannot extend beyond 3:00 on Friday. (By College policy, I am not allowed to accept work after five on Friday, and I don't want to take your work right up to the edge of that deadline.)