Important Note for Students with Disabilities: The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259, 471-4641 TTY.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
  This is a seminar course, which means you are responsible for coming to class ready to participate in the creation of knowledge (that's right--we're going to create knowledge). Here's a quick summary of how that will work: We will read five books. You will write five papers about your reaction to those books. We will meet once a week to talk. No exams.
  Your grade will be based equally on your writing and your talking. Here's the formula:
  1. five reaction papers, 10 points each:  50 points
  2. participation in class discussion:         50 points

  1. Reaction papers:
  At the beginning of the classes marked on the schedule, you will turn in a 3-5 page paper (typed, double-spaced) in which you react to the book being discussed that week. You should have read the entire book by that class period.
  By "reaction paper," I mean an essay in which you reflect on what you consider to be the main thesis or theses of the author. The goal is not simply a report; I don't want you to summarize the book. However, to write an effective reaction paper you must, obviously, understand the book and communicate that understanding. The goal is to move on to engage and evaluate the main ideas. It’s not enough to say, “I really liked the book because it was interesting.” Explain what was interesting and why. Evaluate the quality of the argument the author is making.
  So, I'm looking for a critique of the book. Critique is not a solely negative enterprise and is not synonymous with complaining, whining, or mean-spiritedness. To critique a book, thesis, or argument is to examine it to determine its nature so that we can understand its possibilities and limitations. Critique can result in criticism, which sometimes can be justifiably harsh. But critique also can reveal the strength of an argument. Critique is a thoughtful enterprise, the goal of which is to deepen our understanding of an issue or problem.
  Some of the questions you might ask yourself as you are reading and organizing your thoughts: What assumptions guide the author? What political, social, or theological systems does the author seem, directly or indirectly, to be endorsing? What evidence does the author offer in support of her/his conclusions? Is the logic of the arguments sound? What is the goal of the author? If the author has valid points, what would they mean for my life?
  To answer these questions, you will have to state your own views on relevant subjects. You may talk about yourself or your experiences. But this should not be an essay solely about you and your feelings; try to connect your experiences to the larger questions.
   In your reaction paper you may want to draw on evidence or arguments from other sources. That may be necessary if you want to refute a claim made by the author, but it is not required in every paper. If you do use information from other sources, make sure it is properly cited. For more on academic integrity and plagiarism, see http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/academicintegrity.html

   2. Class participation:
  Discussions will have two basic components. At the beginning of class, we will go around the room and give each person a chance to comment about an aspect of the book that is important to her/him. This could mean talking about what part of the book most affected you. It could mean venting your annoyance with something the author wrote. The goal is to give you a chance to get in your two cents before we start the general discussion.
  After that, I will take over as discussion leader and ask questions about the book. Some of those questions will be thrown out to the entire class. Some will be posed to specific people. I will assume that everyone has read the entire book and is prepared to respond. So, come to class prepared to speak coherently about a particular aspect of the book that is important to you and to respond to questions that are important to me.
  At the end of the semester I will judge your overall contribution to class discussion. This portion of your grade will be based on your: (a) familiarity with readings; (b) ability to hear and understand what others say; (c) ability to express yourself clearly; (d) ability to synthesize the thoughts of others to form new insights, conclusions, or questions; (e) ability to disagree constructively; and (f) cooperation in building a stimulating and supportive intellectual atmosphere in class.
  Because half your grade is based on class participation, it is obvious that attendance is crucial; you can't participate if you aren't there. I will handle folks who miss class on a case-by-case basis. If you have to miss a class and have a good excuse, let me know as soon as possible.

FS 301 SCHEDULE

Fall 2005

WEEK 1: September 5 (Labor Day--no class)

WEEK 7: October 17 -- Ozeki

WEEK 9: October 31 -- Berry

WEEK 11: November 14 -- video: "Toxic Sludge is Good for You”

WEEK 13: November 28 -- Quinn

WEEK 14: December 5 -- “Living the Good Life”

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