Classics 273: Studies in Roman Civilization Imperial Women Beth Severy-Hoven Fall 2006 Macalester College

Goals, Expectations and Evaluation

• understand the nature of academic scholarship, including its forms and content, how it is created, evaluated and published, and
• become able to execute their own large-scale research projects in the field of Classics, including knowing how to evaluate historical sources critically and to share their interpretations with others in conventional forms.

I hope over the course of the semester that students will come to appreciate that academic research is collaborative even when papers are authored by individual scholars. Active participation in class discussions, presentations and peer-review sessions therefore forms an integral part of the course work. Keep in mind that you cannot adequately participate if you are regularly absent or un-prepared. Excessive absences (more than two weeks of class) will cause you to fail the course. Two-thirds of the course is devoted to large scale research projects developed by students. A series of preliminary assignments are designed to help you familiarize yourself with the relevant secondary scholarship as well as primary sources before we begin the extensive process of writing and revision. We will not meet as a group for all class periods during this time, and one-on-one sessions with me will be added to the schedule occasionally. The due dates for all assignments are noted on the course outline and in the research project assignment. Late paper policy: for every day an assignment is late, one letter grade will be deducted from that otherwise earned. Please speak to me in advance if you have difficulties with the date of any assignment. If you have any disabilities which necessitate special assignment circumstances or other considerations, consult with me as soon as possible.

Final grades will be calculated based on the following formula: