Item	% of grade	Due date
Participation	20%	Ongoing
Philosophical Journals	20%	In-class writing assignment dates found under Schedule and Readings
Unit Essays (4X15% each)	60%	Class 8, 16, 22, and 30
TOTAL	100%

ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTIONS

Class Participation

Class participation has two components: timely attendance and verbal participation. Students begin the semester with approximately 70% of this grade. They can lose points for being late or absent and gain points by engaging in verbal discussion.

Verbal discussion—such as taking and defending positions and asking or answering critical questions—is a vital part of the practice of philosophy. Consequently, the final grade for this class reflects this. Professor MacDougall takes note of student participation after class every day. Students must be present to participate, but for full credit must actively and verbally participate by asking critical questions, answering questions posed to the class, or volunteering ideas and thoughts relevant to class topics. Participation points can additionally be earned by contacting Dr. MacDougall by email or by arranging meetings during office hours. However, there is no way to get full credit for this segment of the class without active verbal participation. Exceptions may be granted in unusual circumstances by Dr. MacDougall if it is discussed at the beginning of the semester.

Philosophical Journal

Philosophical Journals consist of a standard blue book (or books, in the case a student fills more than one book) containing a student’s cumulative in-class writing. Students have an in-class writing assignment every 2nd or 3rd class session (writing days are indicated in the Schedule). Students are expected to come to class having carefully read and analyzed assigned readings. The Schedule indicates what type of entry will be required that day: Personal Reflection, Conceptual Analysis, or Analytical Outline. Students will be given the precise prompt for the day’s writing after class starts. 

Students then spend 30-45 minutes (at the Professor’s discretion) responding to the prompt. Students have opportunity to correct or add notes in their Philosophical Journals during the subsequent in-class discussion.

Each student returns their Philosophical Journal to the professor at the end of the period. Students have access to their journals during the Unit Essay but do not take them out of the classroom at any point.

Personal Reflection Entries are graded based on effort and completion (but not content) at the end of each unit. Conceptual Analysis and Analytical Outline entries are graded based on the criteria discussed on the Conceptual Analysis Entries and Analytical Outline Entries pages, respectively.  

Unit Essays (Exams)

Unit Essays are in-class essays that develop a student’s previous research, journals, and class notes into a coherent essay. The essay responds to a question students receive one class period ahead of the exam. Essays completed in response to the question will need to draw on readings and lectures as well as the student’s own previous thoughts and outlines contained in their philosophical journals.  The rubric for this assignment is found on the Unit Essay page. 

Students have access to some materials during the Unit Essay. Students will have access to their Philosophical Journal from that unit. In addition, students may bring a single standard (3”X5”) size notecard with handwritten notes. All student materials brought into class must be checked by the professor prior to beginning the essay.