The class format will be a seminar, with lots of discussion and some lecture. Your job is not to walk into the classroom as a blank slate, ready to write down everything I say so that you can spit it back in an exam. Rather, you will be asked to develop the capacity to present and defend your own original thoughts about the assigned readings.

That being the case, it goes without saying that students are expected to keep up with the readings, to reflect on them before coming to class, and to contribute actively to an active, positive learning environment.

Please keep copies of rough drafts of papers. You may be asked to meet with the instructor for an informal conversation before a grade for an assignment is recorded.

I will often send out bulk e-mails to the address on file for you in the J-Web system. If you check a different address more regularly, please use SHU's e-mail forwarding service so that you don't miss important updates.

Students in both sections will have some online assignments due by 4pm Monday, and noon Wednesday. These assignments are designed to reward those students who finish the readings and reflect on them before class starts.

The most important requirement is that you carefully read the assigned texts. Writing the required papers will be much more difficult if you aren't familiar enough with the texts to come up with something interesting to say about them.