American Romanticism Syllabus Element

Class participation: The quality of your reading for the course is partly tested by your participation in class discussions of reading assignments led by the selection readers and instructor. If you do not participate in or “track” these discussions, the instructor will assume you have not prepared for class, and your participation & overall grade will suffer.

• At least occasionally each student should participate in discussion by specifically referring to contents or specific pages of the reading assignment.
   

• Students should give visible evidence of reading by “tracking” the discussion. If students appear unusually bored or clueless, they usually blame it on the content, but it’s often a fair sign that they haven’t done their reading and so are incapable of following the discussion.
   

• Students’ participation is judged less on quantity than on appropriateness to the topic under discussion and the point being pursued.  When you are called upon to speak, you should try to make one point per turn.  Avoid having a list of remarks on several topics—that tends to confuse your instructor’s or classmates’ response.  Choose the most important thing to say at the given moment.
   

• If sometimes I don’t follow up your individual comments, this doesn’t indicate a negative reaction.  I used to follow up every student’s comment, but the class had trouble discerning when I really had something to say from when I was simply making a point of politeness.  Unless I have something potentially valuable to add, I let a student’s comment “speak for itself” rather than forcing further comment when none may be necessary. You’re welcome to blame any awkwardness on my lack of mental resources rather than any lack of interest in your remarks.