History 110: Early World History Fall Session 2015 Dr Linda Kerr

Transcription

1 History 110: Early World History Fall Session 2015 Dr Linda Kerr Office: Tory outer door then 2-105C Website: (do not use www in the address) THIS MOODLE IS NOT e- class or accessed through the UofA. Office hours MWF 2:00-3:00 or see me after class Academic resources The Academic Support centre 2nd floor SUB The Centre for Writers, 1-42 Assiniboia Hall Textbook You can use any early world history textbook that you wish as background to the lectures and the online material on moodle. World history textbooks are very expensive and we only use a small part of any such textbooks so i believe it is not necessary to buy any particular one. exams will be based on material covered in class and on The History Hut (youtube) and also on any assigned material. There are basic lectures online along with a bibliography for some key topics, useful articles, and web links to interesting sites at my moodle address. Lecture outlines are available online. These are sometimes pretty close to the "in class" lectures but at times the online lectures only provide the basics and I will be discussing other specific topics in class. These online notes are to help you not to replace classroom attendance. You can access the online notes right away. You also have access to all of the lectures on youtube - look for The History Hut Once you go to just look for History on the left panel and follow it to Hist 110. It will ask for a user name and password but just Enter as a Guest. There are lots of good websites specifically for this course at the online site. You should make use of these online notes but remember to attend all classes. You are encouraged to read as much as you can on all of the subjects that we cover. I do though suggest that you attend all classes and make use of the online notes. There are bibliographies for many subjects on the moodle site. Don t be that student that still has to ask how to get onto the site the night before the first exam and claims to have been trying on UofA but that it just won t work of course it won t work you have not read the instructions properly.

2 History Hut I have made a series of minute videos which also go through much of the material that we cover in class. There are about 30 videos. These can be accessed through youtube and there are also links to the videos on my moodle site. Students from last year say that they are very helpful. COURSE OBJECTIVES: Our course will cover the major political, cultural, religious and social changes in the non- European and a little on the European world from after the fall of the Roman Empire to the eve of the Voyages of Discovery. Our focus though is on the Non European world. COURSE REQUIREMENTS: First of all - - There will be an EXAM on 13th October. I will give you 2 hours to complete the exam. It will not be true/false nor will it be multiple choice. I will ask you to identify and give the historical significance of a series of terms covered in class and at least one major essay question. The exam is worth 35% of your course grade If you are ill then you must provide me with a medical declaration form filled in by your faculty (by the next class).this is not a sick note form your doctor. You will have to write an alternate exam. You cannot transfer the weight from this to the final exam. If you develop a chronic illness please remember that you can withdraw from the course. Secondly It is important that you learn to express yourselves clearly on paper and it does not matter if you are in Engineering - Bioscience or Arts. All of your future careers will involve having to discuss concepts in English and part of the duty of a University is to make sure that its graduates are literate. For that reason and also because it will help you study for the final exam - you are going to learn to write a coherent paper for this course. If your work is not up to accepted standards then it will receive a low grade. I will give you a failing grade of 0% if I catch you plagiarizing or buying a paper and I will hand your case over to the Dean. The paper is due 3rd November in class. The paper must be 2000 words (no less and only 10% more) You must footnote properly using Chicago style and have at least 15 footnotes. A paper with no footnotes or footnotes with no page numbers will receive an automatic fail. You must consult 4 sources (books or academic articles)

3 You must clear your topic with me by 6th October. You can do this through and I will keep track of what you said you would be writing about. Your paper is worth 30% of your final grade. Papers MUST be handed in ON TIME or a penalty of 5% per day will be levied. Papers must be handed in during class time and an version be sent to me by midnight of the due date. Follow the Guideline to Writing Historical papers available at the Dept of History and Classics or online at the Department s site. You must use Chicago style footnotes or endnotes. Footnotes must have page numbers or be subject to the charge of plagiarism. Please consult the UofA guidelines on plagiarism and misrepresentation of student work. I have also posted material on how to write a good paper on my moodle site. Lastly There is a Final Exam which is scheduled in all night classes for the last week of class. In our case that means the final exam is on Dec 1st from 6-8pm.. The final exam is worth 35%. I will discuss the format of the final closer to the time. Anyone who misses this examination is bound by the rules of the Faculty of Arts for missed and deferred exams. I will hold deferred exams in the first week of classes in January Illness and Deferrals Students are no longer required to present medical documentation for absence due to illness. Students DO have to present a Medical Declaration form in lieu (available online). In the case of deferred final exams the student must report to the faculty in which they are registered. The University rules state that, A grade of (IN) may be assigned when an undergraduate student is prevented from submitting an assignment by the end of term by illness, or other extreme circumstances. After the grade of IN is assigned the student is required to submit the assignment within 10 days after the end of the final examination period for the term in which the course is taught. Deferred examinations (if needed) will be held the first week of classes in January. You will write a different but equally challenging exam. Dates for the Exams and paper The first exam is 13th October in class The final exam is 1st December in class The essay is due in class on 3rd November with an version by midnight

4 Attendance: Plan to attend all classes. The University of Alberta makes the following official statement in the calendar in reference to attendance in classes: Since presence at lectures and the completion of assignments are important components of most courses, students will serve their interests best by regular attendance. Those who choose not to attend must assume whatever risks are involved. Recording lectures "Recording is permitted only with the prior written consent of the professor or if recording is part of an approved accommodation plan." Academic Honesty and Student Behaviour The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of StudentBehaviour (online at and avoid any behaviour which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University. (GFC 29 SEP 2003) Students should read the Code of Student Behaviour which is published in the Calendar (pages ) since ignorance is not acceptable as a defence in cases of academic offences. When cheating and/or plagiarism occurs, a number of sanctions can be imposed, such as lowering a grade or expulsion from the University (outlined in Section of the Code). Plagiarism and cheating No student shall represent another s substantial editorial or compositional assistance on an assignment as their own. GRADES All components of the course must be completed or a failing grade will be assigned. All work will be marked in percentages. The instructor is required to rank the performance of all students therefore marks may not always follow the marking grid set out below.

5 Under the letter grading system, even though a mathematical distribution of weight between term work and final exam is required, the instructor is free to make a subjective assessment of the total worth of a student s work that rises above mathematics. The Faculty of Arts requires that a class average of B- be reached by the instructors for all 100 level courses and this will factor into your final grade. MARKING GRID Grade Grade Point Comments A+ 4.0 Outstanding A 4.0 Excellent A- 3.7 B+ 3.3 Good B 3.0 B- 2.7 C+ 2.3 Satisfactory C 2.0 C- 1.7 D+ 1.3 Poor D 1.0 F 0.0 Failure A A A B B B C C C D D F 0-48

6 LECTURE TOPICS IN ORDER One session China (Sui to the Yuan Dynasty) Ghengis Khan, Golden Horde and Ilkhanate Marco Polo and Kublai Khan Muhammed, Medina and the Umma Mu'awiya - Abbasids: expansion and collapse One session Gupta India : Chandra Gupta to Akbar Olmec, Maya and Aztec life Charlemagne and Successors Carolingian society & Viking attacks This means that my plan is to cover China - the Mongols and The Rise of Islam before the midterm. It is important that you set aside a few hours each week to do your readings and then the lectures will not seem overwhelming.