RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN Spring 2010
YES WE CAN
American Idealism in Politics and Art
Course Number: HPSS S101, Section 18
Professor: Tom Roberts
Class Schedule: Tuesday 11:20 A.M. - 12:50 P.M. DC 212
Tuesday 7:00 P.M. - 10:00 P.M. DC 212
Thursday 11:20 A.M. - 12:50 P.M. DC 212
Office: Carr House, Room 202
Telephone: 454-6587 (TR office) or 454-6570 (Liberal Arts office)
E Mail: troberts@risd.edu
Office Hours: Tuesday 5:30 P.M. - 6:30 P.M.
Thursday 10:45 A.M. - 11:15 A.M.
Requirements: Basic:
Attendance at class sessions and film screenings
Completion of assigned reading
Active participation in class discussions
Specific:
1. five short papers (1 to 2 pages each) addressing specific thematic topics that are listed in the Writing Assignments section of the course blog and at the end of the printed syllabus; paper are due March 4th, March 16th, March 23rd, April 22nd and May 4th
2. a paper tracing your family's first arrival or your own arrival on the North American continent, (3 to 5 pages) due March 11th
3. a midterm exam in two parts, with take-home essay questions distributed April 8th and due April 13th, and objective questions based on readings, lectures and screenings administered in class, also on April 13th
4. a final exam with take-home essay questions distributed May 13th and due May 20th
OR
a term project on an approved topic; written project proposal due April 20th, with the completed project due no later than May 20th
5. a final quiz with objective questions based on readings, lectures and screenings administered in class on May 20th
Reading Two published texts will be used repeatedly throughout the semester:
Assignments: ▸ Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville, edited by Richard D. Heffner
▸ Blue Highways by William Least Heat Moon
All other assigned readings on the syllabus are available on the course blog risdyeswecan@blogspot.com .
Internet Research The Internet can be a very convenient tool. It can also get you into a lot of trouble. Some websites contain unreliable or plagiarized information. And beware the perilous temptation to cut and paste from Internet sites without placing the lifted words in quotation marks and citing your sources. The blog has links to helpful websites on how to reference your sources properly.
Far too many students have difficulty (intentionally or unintentionally) using the Internet responsibly when preparing papers and other academic assignments. Remember that if you can find a passage online, anyone can find it, even your professor. Copying work from any source – Internet, book, article, friend – without attributing the source is plagiarism and will result in failure for the assignment or the entire course.
Still, there are a lot of useful websites that can help you with research, writing, studying, finding answers to common questions and simply satisfying your curiosity. Use them wisely.
Term project: Students may conceive and execute an original term project that portrays or analyzes some aspect of the themes defined and discussed during the course. The project may take the form of a written essay; an illustrated lecture to the class; an original, annotated work of art (that is, any non-verbal term project must be accompanied by a written commentary); a performance; or it may assume virtually any other approved format. The selection of a term project topic must be approved in advance by Tom Roberts. Project proposals must be in writing, submitted no later than April 20th.
Grading: Grades will be determined according to the following formula:
Class participation 20%
Immigration paper 10%
Response papers 25%
Midterm exam 20%
Final quiz 5%
Final exam/Term project 20%
Punctuality: Deadlines are an inescapable and inflexible part of professional life. This class will be no exception to that rule. Malfunctioning computers and/or printers are never an acceptable excuse for a late assignment. Late papers will be downgraded one level for every day they are late. For example, a paper which merits a B+ handed in two days late will receive a grade of B-. Late papers should be delivered to Tom Roberts's mailbox at the Liberal Arts Office, CB 501, and they should be initialed and dated by a Liberal Arts Division secretary.
Special Needs: If you have a learning or language obstacle, a physical impairment, or any other situation that might affect your performance in this course, please discuss this with Tom Roberts before the end of the first week of class so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
