As composition theorist Peter Elbow has written in several places, grades rarely measure learning accurately or foster a productive learning environment. Compositionist Asao B. Inoue has argued many times that a writing course that bases its assessments on labor rather than on subjective judgments of final products is a course that acknowledges the diverse literacies of students and that emphasizes the fact that writing is a process. Simply put, grades reduce complex ideas and practices to a single letter, obscuring the differences between, say, proofreading skills and the ability to support an argument.So, our class is going to take Elbow’s and Inoue’s advice. To shift our attention from grading toward thoughtful assessment, I’m going to make you a deal. If you fulfill all the terms of the contract below, I will guarantee you a grade no lower than a B. If you consistently exceed the standards in each category below, your grade will improve. If you can’t complete all of the terms of the contract, your grade will go down. Fear not: You will still receive assessments that will guide you throughout the course; and you will still be able to calculate your total grade for the course throughout the semester. Each “above standard” in an overall category will raise your grade by ½ a letter, and each “below standard” will lower your grade by ½ a letter. The difference between how we will work through this course and how other grading paradigms function is that the expectations for a B are based on concrete, observable behaviors, not subjective judgments of quality. This course focuses on your developing a working knowledge of queer theory and analytical reading skills as a way of encouraging you to thoughtfully interrogate power structures as they relate to gender and sexuality in the world around you as a future professional in your field and as a human being in society. As a result, I have emphasized the processes needed to succeed as a writer, critical thinker, and critical reader. Moreover, because this contract emphasizes effective writing and analyzing processes, instead of producing specific products, you can focus on a few manageable goals at a time, rather than feeling pressure to master everything at once. I hope you take this as an opportunity to experiment, to take risks in your writing and thinking about queer theory, and to trust that you will learn something in the process: even if you try something new and fail, you can (in the words of Samuel Beckett) “fail better” next time, without being penalized.
Please read this all the way through at least one time before you sign it.
I. To earn a B for this course
- Attend at least 90% of our class periods. As per Centenary’s guidelines, you are allowed three absences, for whatever reason. You are expected to arrive on time. Three late arrivals equal one absence. I begin marking people late five minutes after the class has started. If you are more than 15 minutes late, I will mark you absent. If you miss more than three classes total, your grade in this category will fall to a “below standard.” After that, every class that you miss will count against you by ½ a grade letter (so, you’ll go from a B to a B- to a C+ to a C, etc.). You will use classroom time productively. Always keep in mind that attendance means more than mere physical presence. Be consistently prepared for class: read and respond to the required materials, and bring any required texts or drafts to class, actively comment on Google Docs during peer review and other activities. Since our course involves very little lecture, you will not be able to recover lost time simply by reading the materials.Please also note that I don’t distinguish between excused and unexcused absences. First, such policies usually require arbitrary decisions. Second, often your reasons for missing class are none of my business, so I won’t put you on the spot to share them – although I invite you to discuss your specific circumstances with me, if you so choose, so that I can help you figure out how to best approach the challenges of college. Finally, your reason for missing class, no matter how good, does not change the fact that you missed work and contact time. If you need to miss class, be sure to email me and make up the work.If you have, or expect to have, problems with absences or latenesses, speak to me as soon as possible. I’m very flexible as long as you contact me and make up your work quickly and consistently.
- Participate during every class period, peer review session, annotation assignment, etc. In the classroom, take the work we do seriously, and actively collaborate with your fellow students during group activities online. In your peer review comments and annotations, push yourself to provide your classmates with consistently thorough, thoughtful, helpful feedback. Taking their work seriously enough to think hard about how it can be improved is crucial for your success, and theirs, in this course. Note that this is not just about praise or criticism: ask questions, make connections, explore possibilities. At the end of the semester, I will read through your peer review comments and annotations, and will mark them as “above,” “at,” or “below” the B-level expectations of the class. Failing to submit a draft to your peer review group, coming to class without a draft for peer review, or failing to offer comments on your peers’ drafts on time will result in a “below standard” for peer review. Similarly, failure to participate in assigned collaborative annotation assignments this semester will also result in a “below standard.”
- For every assignment, produce a substantial, thoughtful piece of writing that follows all guidelines in the prompt. To earn a B, you must complete all drafts of each major assignment on time. The quality of your final product will help you earn a grade better than a B, but only if you’ve completed the required drafts throughout the semester and followed the guidelines in the assignment descriptions. Research is an important part of critical reading, as it impacts our thinking and arguments. Our final project this semester is based in primary analytical research as well as secondary scholarly research, but you’ll also have the opportunity to present your analysis and research in creative ways. Your grade for this project will be based on your completion of a full writing process, including completing pre-writing assignments collaboratively in class, attending conferences with me to develop your ideas further, working with peer tutors in the Writing Collaboratory, writing a proposal, researching and developing a working bibliography, going through the drafting and peer reviewing process, revising, and finally editing your final piece. A draft or process component is late when it is turned in 1-5 days after the deadline indicated on the course schedule. I will not accept assignments that are more than 5 days late; drafts that are 8 days late and beyond are considered a missed assignment. I will provide an explanation of the requirements for each draft or writing process component as it arrives. Your final drafts will be marked as “above,” “at,” or “below” standard (or B-level) expectations for the assignment, according to the guidelines posted on our course website.
- Complete all semi-weekly assignments, including readings, annotations, in-class exercises, and Moodle discussion board posts, and actively comment on and extend other people’s contributions through class discussion. The readings, annotations, and class discussions will make up the bulk of our class content this semester. If no one is able to complete the assigned readings before class, our class time together will be… lackluster, to say the least. You should complete the readings before class (not during), and be prepared to contribute to the conversation with the rest of the class. Your responses in Moodle discussion board posts are opportunities to make connections between the theoretical aspects of the course, our primary readings, your every day life, and work you may be doing in your major field of study.
- Complete the theoretical presentation requirement effectively. While public speaking is rarely a favorite past time, it’s a useful skill. I also find that synthesizing complex information for other people helps me digest it myself, which is why I’m asking you to do that with this assignment. With this in mind, in order to receive a standard for this part of our contract, you will need to effectively explain the theorist you choose to present upon to your peers, highlighting the most important ideas, terms, and questions you gathered from their reading. As you present, I’ll be looking for you to help lead the discussion of the reading, if not as an “expert” on the theorist, as the person with the clearest idea of what might be confusing most people.
- Show respect for your classmates and your instructor, and practice mindful uses of technology while in class. This includes taking each other’s ideas seriously, listening to each other during presentations and discussions, refraining from distracting behaviors (falling asleep, reading or watching something online, doing work for other classes, focusing on something other than the task at hand during group work), and being courteous and kind in the language that you use when responding to ideas, formal, and informal assignments. This doesn’t mean that you only have to say nice things about everyone’s writing, but it does mean that you should take into account how it would feel to receive the kind of criticism that you’re giving. We’ll talk about some strategies for giving constructive feedback when we discuss peer review.Being responsible in your use of technology does not mean “DO NOT USE TECHNOLOGY EVER” or “HIDE YOUR PHONE FROM ME WHEN YOU SEE ME COMING OVER.” In fact, I encourage the use of technology in our class (and, also, everyone in the class knows when you’re texting or using SnapChat.) So, if you have a laptop or a tablet, bring it. If you access course readings through your phone, great. Half of our class basically takes place online, and you’ll be sharing drafts and links and posts with each other, so banning computers and phones would be counterproductive. But this means that I expect you to use your technology to do class-related stuff and that I’ll sometimes ask you to put away your tech gear to focus on something else. If you can’t (or won’t) do that, don’t bring it, because it will jeopardize your grade in this category.
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If you fulfill all of these expectations, you are guaranteed a grade of at least a B overall. I will do my best to keep you informed and afloat with regard to your successful participation. If you’re ever in doubt about your contractual status, feel free to email me or drop by my office hours.
II. Grades Below a B:
Failure to complete the contract will result in a proportional reduction in your final grade below a B. Common ways for students’ grades to go down include:
- Missing more than three classes.
- Missing a draft of your final project.
- Not participating during an assigned Perusall annotation.
- Consistently checking out in class: sleeping, using your phone, not participating in group work / free writing / pair work / etc.
- Failing to revise your work, or insufficiently revising your work.
- Not turning in an exercise from an asynchronous Thursday class.
- Turning in late drafts or other assignments.
- Not following the guidelines for all assignments.
More substantial deviations from the contract, such as missing a major assignment, or consistently missing informal writing assignments, may result in more serious penalties. On the other hand, I’m usually open to your making up work if you contact me to discuss it. Moreover, I’m much more open to accommodations if you speak to me in advance. In other words, when in doubt, always speak to me.
III. How do I earn above my contract grade?
As mentioned above, grades up to and including B are based purely on behaviors, which is to say on process; for grades above a B, by the end of the semester, your Google Drive folder should be full of work that demonstrates exemplary creativity, precision, and drive in your work. I admit that these terms are, unavoidably, rather fuzzy, but we will spend time in class discussing expectations for each assignment. I also value your opinion about the quality of your work. Additionally, I’ve indicated behaviors that will bump your grade higher throughout the contract. I’ll indicate throughout the semester if your work is exceeding or not yet meeting the B standard. Students may conference with me about their grades at any time by making an appointment.
The following rubric, taken from our Grading Contract above, shows how each standard is determined in your final course grade.
|
Category |
Above Standard (Above “B” work) |
At Standard (“B” work) |
Below Standard (Below “B” work) |
|
Attendance and Participation |
– attends every class – is always on time for class – always extends / contributes to the discussions of readings and course concepts in the classroom |
– misses no more than 4 classes – rarely late – sometimes extends / contributes to the discussions of readings and course concepts in the classroom |
– misses more than 4 classes – frequently late – infrequently or never extends / contributes to the discussions of readings and course concepts in the classroom |
|
Reading Annotations and Peer Review |
– completes every assigned reading in Perusall by leaving more than the required 5 comments/questions throughout the reading – always exhibits preparedness during class discussions based on the readings – always participates in assigned peer review activities in class and outside of class throughout the semester |
– completes 90% of assigned readings in Perusall by leaving at least the required 5 comments/questions throughout the reading – often exhibits preparedness during class discussions based on the readings – often participates in assigned peer review activities in class and outside of class throughout the semester |
– completes less than 90% of assigned readings in Perusall and/or leaves less than the required 5 comments/questions throughout the readings – rarely exhibits preparedness during class discussions based on the readings – rarely or never participates in assigned peer review activities in class and outside of class throughout the semester |
|
Final Project Drafts |
– meets and exceeds all requirements for final project assignment as described in the guidelines – completes all required drafts on time – seeks out extra writing and research support via optional conferences, office hour attendance, Writing Collaboratory sessions, library consultations, etc. |
– meets all requirements for final project assignment as described in the guidelines – completes all required drafts on time |
– meets some, but not all, requirements for final project assignment as described in the guidelines – misses some required drafts or does not complete drafts on time |
|
Semi-Weekly Asynchronous Writing Assignments |
– responds to all prompts thoroughly and directly, meeting any specific requirements mentioned – when appropriate, contributes to class discussion by commenting thoughtfully on classmates’ responses – often brings in outside sources or references in order to expand the conversation beyond the text at hand |
– responds to all prompts directly, meeting any specific requirements mentioned – when appropriate, contributes to class discussion by commenting on classmates’ responses |
– misses some or most weekly response assignments – does not respond to prompts directly or avoids responding to the question entirely, or does not meet other specific requirements – does not comment on classmates’ responses when required |
|
Theorist Presentation |
– thoroughly researched theorist and synthesized important information – organized presentation in a logical way to help classmates better understand the theorist’s work – demonstrates a good understanding of the theorists main ideas as it relates to the readings for the class – makes connections to other ideas discussed in the course and extends the conversation of the theorist’s work – offers thoughtful discussion questions for class conversation |
– thoroughly researched theorist and synthesized important information – organized presentation in a logical way to help classmates better understand the theorist’s work – demonstrates a basic understanding of the theorists main ideas as it relates to the readings for the class – makes connections to other theorists – offers discussion questions for class conversation |
– researched theorist without synthesizing important information for presentation – presentation was disorganized and difficult to follow – does not demonstrate any understanding of the theorist’s ideas – makes no connections to other theorists |
|
Respect + Tech |
– not only participates, but listens to other people’s contributions and extends / furthers the conversation – always prepared for class (has materials, readings, drafts, etc.) – tech is never a distraction |
– contributes and listens to other people’s contributions – prepared for class the majority of the time (has materials, readings, drafts, etc.) – rarely distracted by tech |
– rarely contributes (this doesn’t mean you have to talk a lot — it can also mean that you’re just “checked out” in other ways: texting, doing other work on your laptop, sleeping, etc.) – doesn’t listen to other people’s contributions / dominates conversation – frequently unprepared (doesn’t print / bring articles, doesn’t bring drafts, doesn’t complete assigned readings, etc.) |
