What's expected from you?
I ask that you read each textbook and short article assigned before you come to class. This will
give you the vocabulary and background to begin to think about each problem area. I hope you will participate in class
discussion, because each of us brings a different point of view to bear on these problems. Your unique way of seeing things
will help everyone in the class understand how many sides both a problem and its solution have.
I will assign topics or questions for you to address in short essays. I expect you to think about
the question, and write a thoughtful paragraph or two about that topic. These collected essays provide a large portion of
your grade.
You will be required to do research for two debates in class, as part of a team, focusing
in on one narrow subject in depth. Think of it as becoming a "mini-expert" on one aspect of any social problem, and use it
to explore a topic that interests YOU. Your background of facts in the debate should show me that you've
learned how to tackle college-level social science in a systematic way.
There will be a final, take-home exam, which will be an essay question addressing a large area that
we cover in class. My intention in this assignment is to help you wrap up the big ideas from the course, and most students
have found the final exam thought-provoking and useful, rather than stressful.
Pretty easy, right?
