• Discussion Topics: Before Every Class that has a reading assignment, while you are doing the reading, identify a topic area that interests you and formulate a thesis or opinion or claim about it with some evidence for that thesis or opinion or claim. Bring a printed-out copy to class. Both the topic area and the thesis/opinion/claim should be the sort of thing that it is worth devoting significant class time to. The thesis/opinion/claim should take a stand about some significant issue. Length: up to you. Assignments only accepted in class on due date.
  
• Daily Comment: Write a comment on the same sheet as your Discussion Topic assignment at the end of class and hand it in. If you forget your Discussion Topic, write your Daily Comment on a blank sheet and you will get 1/2 credit.
  Length: up to you, but the comment should be a full sentence and substantive. If you wonder if it's appropriate, think of something else you know is appropriate.
  
• Monthly Written Assignment: write an essay to an intelligent fellow first year student (or a relative, teacher, or friend) who is not taking this class one particular figure, idea, or topic that the class has covered. You may include some, but probably not all of the following: examination of the figure/idea/topic's basic arguments, what you think about it, why it is important or interesting, why your fellow student should care about it, historical background, how the figure or idea fared in later thought, literary analysis, spectacular mistakes the figure made, etc. Length: 1500 words (plus or minus 50), excluding quotations and extensive paraphrase (which I discourage).
• This essay should have a clear organization. It should begin at a sensible place, develop a coherent and clear set of inner paragraphs, and conclude in a way that is clearly the end: in other words, it should be like any good story or argument. When the reader begins, she should be informed of what the essay is about and what sort of things to expect in it, then there should be a few paragraphs that do just what the reader expects, and then there should be a paragraph that the reader knows is the end and finds satisfactory as an ending. There are an infinite number of ways to do this.
  
• I place tremendous value on using a few words to say a lot. Spend time revising so that you can fit more in.
  
• Preparatory Notes: The class session before the Monthly Written Assignment is due, bring to class and hand in a copy of a couple pages or more of notes and preparatory material for the assignment. This may include a rough draft, an outline, an "issue tree," or whatever other writing you engage in prior to actually writing the assignment. This will not be graded in time for comments to help you with the assignment. It must show appropriate effort and care: if you wonder if you have done enough or find yourself wanting to get it done quickly, do a little more than that.

A note about lateness:

• Discussion Topics and Daily Comments may only be handed in in class the day they are due. In case of illness or a death in the family, we will come to a mutually agreed upon arrangement: probably that the missed days will not count.
• Monthly Written Assignments and their Preparatory Notes: if you arrange it beforehand, it is sometimes possible to get an extension. No extensions on or after the due date. The only exception is if I get a note from the Arts and Science Dean's office that you are in trouble and after discussing it with them, I agree to an extension. Prepare.
• Final: no makeups are possible. The only exception is if I get a note from the Dean's office and after discussing it with them agree to a makeup.

Trouble in Paradise:

• If you get into some sort of trouble, academic or otherwise, and find yourself slipping behind in classes, go to the office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences as soon as possible and discuss what can be done.
• If you or someone you know in our community is in serious trouble (suicide, drugs, rape, illness, etc.) and you would like to know who on campus can help, ask the Dean's office or me for advice. There are resources and people on campus who want to help.