World Civilizations: Katherine Gumbert

Course Overview:

World Civilizations is a survey of four regions of the world: the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The study of each area begins with a general overview of current events followed by a look back at the region's history and culture. Emphasis will be placed on the significant developments of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. The goal of this course is to provide the cultural and historical background needed to understand the events shaping our world today.

Books and Materials

Readers containing articles gathered from a variety of sources will be distributed in class at the beginning of each new unit.

World Geography Atlas, Rand McNally (ISBN: 0073661163)

Course Requirements and Grading

Homework and Class Participation

(approximately 10%)


Students are expected to come to class each day having thoughtfully completed their homework. Daily assignments involve substantial reading and the answering of pointed study questions. The answer to these study questions should be neatly written out. Each day’s assignment should be on a separate sheet of paper. Make sure to write you name, your period, the date and a title on each assignment. Assignments will be periodically collected and graded. Late assignments will not be accepted for credit.

All homework assignments are posted online.

Class participation is a very important aspect of this course. Thoughtful class participation includes listening to and supporting your peers as well as asking questions and offering your own observations of the material under discussion. Your final grade may be raised or lowered based upon the quality of your participation in class.



All homework assignments can be found at the class work space on First Class.

Tests and Quizzes

(approximately 45%)


Each unit lasts approximately one quarter of the year. There will be several tests, short quizzes, and map quizzes in each unit.

Mid-term Exam/ Final Exam

(approximately 20%)


At the end of each semester there will be a comprehensive exam on the material covered that semester.


Projects

(approximately 25% of the fall semester)


In the fall semester there will be two research-based oral presentations. The first is a 5-7 minute speech on a current issue in the Middle East. The second is a group project on Africa. This project is done in conjunction with the Freshman Foundations class and will involve a significant technology component.



Term Paper

(approximately 25% of the spring semester)


In the spring semester students are trained how to write a formal, footnoted research paper.

Lateness Policy


Homework is due in class on the date assigned. Late homework will not be accepted for credit.

All major projects are broken down into smaller assignments, such as outlines and rough drafts.

Unexcused lateness on the final project or any of its preceding parts will result in a 1/3 of a letter grade deduction for each day late.

Plagiarism


The goal of this course to help students develop into thoughtful and responsible historians, therefore plagiarism is an issue that will be dealt with sternly. Students are expected to fully document all of their work. Under no circumstances are students permitted to pass off the work of another as their own. This includes the copying of another student’s homework.

All term papers and formal essays will be submitted Turnitin.com for an originality check. Work which is found to have been plagiarized or to contain sections which have been plagiarized will at a minimum receive zero credit with no option for making up the assignment. These cases may also be turned over to the Dean of Students for further action.


Sources must be cited if you do any of the following:


1) quote a passage verbatim


2) paraphrase a passage 


3) summarize a passage (i.e. to the extent that you co-opt the author’s structure and organization)


4) include information not in common knowledge 


5) use statistics gathered by someone other than yourself


6) borrow someone else’s opinions, conclusions, verbal imagery, graphics, visual images

My free periods are 3rd, 4th and 5th.

Other Section Resources:

Student Work

Examples of student work prepared for this course.

Images

 

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