Course Requirements and Assignments

All assignments will be linked here after they are handed out in class.

• First Paper - 10%
  • This 1000 word essay (about 4 pages) will be on Eusebius' Oration in Praise of Constantine, and will take the form of a textual analysis exercise.
  • Due Monday, 9 January
• Second Paper - 20%
  • This 1500 word essay will discuss the late Roman history of Ammianus Marcellinus. Due Tuesday, 24 January
• Mid-Term Exam - 20%
  • Short answer questions and identifications. Will test completion and comprehension of the reading for the first two weeks of class. A study guide will be provided for you on the Friday before the exam. Monday, 16 January
  • Study Guide
  • Exam (posted 11:00, 1/16/06)
• Final Exam - 30%
  • An exam in two parts. The first part will examine the material from the second half of class. The second part will ask one or more essay questions on the entirety of the course.
  • Study guide
• Discussion Questions - 7%
  • On eight different days, you will be required to write three discussion questions and one paragraph answers for each question. You will be graded pass/fail (S = satisfactory, U = unsatisfactory) on whether you have completed the assignment to a sufficient degree (we will talk about it in class).
  • You need to turn in seven of these assignments for 1% of your grade, each.
  • Over the course of the semester, you will be called upon at least once to read your questions to the class and lead a brief discussion. This will count towards your class participation grade.
• Participation (and attendance) - 13%
• Participation is more than just showing up, but it starts with just showing up. You cannot participate if you are not here. I will take attendance every day. Unexcused absences will weigh heavily against your participation grade.
  • Excused absences - severe illness with doctor's note, death in the family, acts of God, or legitimate St. Olaf activities (i.e. the choir tour in the first week of class) will obviously not incur any direct penalty. However, if you aren't here, you cannot participate, so you will need to work hard to make up for any classes missed legitimately. You are responsible for catching up on material missed by consulting both me and your peers.
• But participation is about more than just showing up. It's about doing the reading, being prepared to talk about it, volunteering your input, being involved in your group work, preparing for the debates and other discussions, and generally being an asset to the class as a whole. We will have a variety of ways in which you can participate, but none matter more than being an active member in our small-group and full-class discussions.
• Your participation is a large percent of your grade. You will need to earn it. Take initiative. Do not expect to speak only when directly called upon and ace this section of the class.
• Finally, being late consistently may be counted as being absent. It will certainly lower your participation grade.