GREAT VOYAGES: SYLLABUS

Web site and electronic conversations

There is a World Wide Web (WWW) site for this class and an e-mail class list. We are going to make as much use of these electronic resources as we can. This will involve periodic exercises making use of the resources of the web site with its new QuestWriter tools (which you will use to take quizes and other graded electronic activities). You access the web site by using a web browser such as Netscape, Mosaic. or Internet Explorer. You can find computers with web browsers in a variety of locations on campus, including Kerr Library and the Computer Science Public Computing Lab on the first floor of Hovland Hall. If your home computer has a web browser on it you can access this material from home.

You must also have an e-mail address. If you do not have a UCS e-mail address you must get one. I expect you to have a UCS account and subscribe yourself to the class mailing list by the end of the first week you are in the class.

It is worth noting that, while the web site is now being used for the second year, the QuestWriter tools are being used in this class for the first time this quarter. There are likely going to be some difficulties and frustrations for all of us in learning to use these tools and because of bugs and quirks in the tools themselves. Please bear with me, our difficulties and attendant frustrations are in a good cause.

There is a World Wide Web (WWW) site for this class and an e-mail class list. We are going to make as much use of these electronic resources as we can. This will involve periodic exercises making use ofthe resources of the web site. You access the web site by using a web browser such as Netscape, Mosaic. or Internet Explorer You can find computers with web browsers in a variety of locations on campus, including Kerr Library and the Computer Science Public Computing Lab on the first floor of Hovland Hall. If your home computer has a web browser on it you can access this material from home.

For a C grade

Questions and Exercises: There will be a series of reading guides for many (though likely not all) of the texts we are readings. Some of these will be true/false questions, some multiple choice and some will involve short answers. While all of the reading guides will be handed out in class, I plan to try to get you to answer as many of these question sets electronically as I can. Those which you do not answer electronically will be turned in in class. There will also be exercises, some done in class, some at home or on the computer, or a combination of these. Some of these will be ungraded, others graded. There will be a significant amount of extra credit points (perhaps as much as 20% of the total points for questions and exercises) for engaging in e-mail interactions about the texts we are reading. You will get instructions about this early in the quarter.

Midterm and Final: There will be a midterm and a final. These will be essay exams. For in class exams I pass out study questions a week before the exam. The questions on the exam come out of the study questions.

How your course grade (C--F) is calculated. The midterm will count %40 of your grade, the final %60. For a grade of C one must take the exams and average a grade of at least a C. One must also get at least half of the available points on class exercises and reading guide questions.

For a grade of B or A

For a grade of B or A one must meet the Exercise requirement noted above, that is, get at least half of the available points. (Your (A-B) grade on the Exercises will depend on how many points you get beyond half of the available points.) One must take the exams and average a B or A grade on the Exercises, the exams and the paper. In the calculation of your (A-B) course grade, the Exercises will count as 20% of your grade, the midterm will count 20%, the final 30%, and the paper 30% of the total.

Research Paper The paper is a 10 to 12 page research paper. (This means a title page and a minimum of 10 full pages of text.) I will supply you with a variety of possible topics. The web site has also been designed to provide you with a good deal of information which will help you in deciding on a paper topic and writing your paper. One of the required books for the class is a packet: "Writing Philosophy Papers: A Student Guide" This will also provide you with help in writing your paper, the essay exams for the course, and likely enough some of the exercises.

Since discussion in class as well as in the electronic media we are using is very important to this class, everyone should note that while class participation is not given a formal place in the grading scheme, I often reward people who participate actively in class discussion by raising their grade when they are on a borderline.

This is a four unit course

This is a four unit class which meets three hours a week. The fourth hour you will be working on exercises on the Great Voyages web site, e-mail conversations or at home or doing research for your term paper. Incidentally, while I do not count attendance directly in your grade, failure to attend class over an extended period (more than two weeks absence without written medical documentation) will result in your course grade being lowered one full letter grade.

OFFICE HOURS

Philosophy Dept. Office Hours: 8:00 - 12:00 1:00 - 5:00 Monday through Friday
Philosophy Dept phone: 737-2955
Dr. Uzgalis' Office Hours: M. 10:30--11.20, W. 4--5 and by appointment

I am always happy to see students during office hours. You are welcome to come by and talk about the material or other topics of interest to you. I expect you to come in and talk to me if you are having difficulties with the material or if you are having problems which might interfere with your work. I also expect you to come in regularly to talk about your progress with the term paper project. I will try to schedule times throughout the term for this purpose.

Office Location: Hovland Hall 205
Office Phone Number: 737-5650
E-mail address: uzgalisw@ucs.orst.edu

You can leave messages for me on my phone or e-mail me at any time of day.