English 931:  English Authors after 1800       

                 Fall 2010

William Wordsworth

 

Stephen C. Behrendt
319 Andrews; 472-1806
office: 10-12 TR, and by appointment

Email Stephen Behrendt

Some Information on My Grading Policy

Seminars are, by definition, conversational in nature. They are not lecture oriented, although various of us (including me) may on occasion offer brief ad hoc mini-lectures to fill in background information as expeditiously as possible. But under no circumstances should you expect our meetings to be lecture-oriented.

Indeed, this is precisely why I prefer the term “symposium” or “study group” to “seminar,” because “symposium” implies a paradigm that is grounded in conversational give-and-take. This conversation need not be contentious – and certainly it should never be discourteous – but it should be both general and animated, fired on occasion by strong feelings and deep convictions. I expect everyone to participate both regularly and meaningfully in our weekly conversations, and to do so without excessive prompting from me.

I also expect each of you to contribute to our work through reports of one sort or another. These may be brief precis of particularly relevant books (or even articles), or they may be brief presentations of works listed among the “background readings” for our weekly sessions, or they may take other forms that you (and/or we) may devise as we proceed. Like your contributions to our weekly conversations, I expect these contributions to be voluntary, but you should choose a topic (and date) that best suits your schedule and your interests. Please let me know when you decide on any presentation topic so that I can reserve it for you on our schedule and let everyone else know your choice.

About discussion, then. I am always surprised at the reticence that plagues so many people in graduate seminars at UNL. Whether this peculiar “reserve” stems from personal insecurity, or from some misguided fear that one might somehow dominate or (God forbid!) offend anyone, or from a belief that one can only “say something” when one is an authority of some sort, it is not a healthy thing. Worse, it creates the very false impression that disengagement is the norm for graduate seminars in English departments generally. I assure you – this is not the case at all. I have seen the competition.

In my undergraduate classes I explain to my students that my grade model is simple: everyone starts with a zero. Zero points. Nothing. Nada. Ziltch. But – everyone is free to earn as many points as they care to earn. I do not “give” grades – my students earn them. I do not subscribe to the “Ebenezer Scrooge’ model in which everyone starts with 100 points and my job (as bad cop) is to take points away. Here’s how I see a graduate symposium:

To receive a C:  attend all sessions, submit a competent (but not outstanding) course project, do well with the other in-class work, but speak only when spoken to – that is, virtually never voluntarily.

To receive a B:  attend all sessions, submit a very good course project, do well with all the other in-class work, but do not contribute actively, regularly, and meaningfully to the discussions but participate only occasionally, sporadically, and superficially.

To receive an A:  attend all sessions, submit a very good course project indeed, do well with all the other in-class work, and take an active, leadership role in discussions at every session without being prompted during the sessions to do so.

To “fail,” be asked to drop the symposium, or whatever:  Use your laptop to read your emails, pay your bills on-line, monitor your Facebook account, play games, and generally become a distraction. I’m serious.

Engagement and commitment are everything – just as they should be in this profession.