Course Requirements and Assignments

• Paper #1 - 15%
  • 1200-word paper on Faxian, Xuanzang, and the Han Narrative Histories.
  • DETAILS
  • Due Monday, Feb. 19
• Midterm Exam - 20%
  • Essay and identification questions. In-class exam. One side of an 8.5 by 11 sheet of paper allowed as notes.
  • On Friday, March 1
• Paper #2 - 20%
  • 1200-word paper on S. Whitfield's book Life on the Silk Road and its utility in understanding the Silk Road. More details to be handed out when the due date is closer.
  • Due Monday, April 9
• Final Exam - 30%
  • Date and Time TBA
  • One side of an 8.5 by 11 sheet of paper allowed as notes.
  • At least one essay question will ask you to think about all the contents of the course, and the rest will be on material post-March 1.
• Participation and Attendance - 15%
  • Participation is more than just showing up, but it starts with just showing up. You cannot participate if you are not here. I will take attendance every day. Unexcused absences will weigh heavily against your participation grade.
    • Excused absences - severe illness with doctor's note, death in the family, acts of God, or legitimate Macalester activities (i.e. official sporting or musical events) will obviously not incur any direct penalty. You need to let me know ahead of time (for events) and the burden is on you to make up the missed work. You are responsible for catching up on material missed by consulting both me and your peers.
  • But participation is about more than just showing up. It's about doing the reading, being prepared to talk about it, volunteering your input, being involved in group work, preparing for discussions, and generally being an asset to the class as a whole. We will have a variety of ways in which you can participate, but none matter more than being an active member in our small-group and full-class discussions.
  • Part of the participation grade will be drawn from many informal activities assigned throughout the semester. These will be graded pass/fail, if at all, but will be taken as a sign of your preparedness and out-of-class effort.
  • If I suspect that the class is not doing the reading, I may assign additional writing assignments, pop-quizzes, or other modes of examination as necessary. Let's all hope it isn't!
  • Your participation is a large percent of your grade. You will need to earn it. Take initiative. Do not expect to speak only when directly called upon and ace this section of the class.
  • Finally, being late consistently may be counted as being absent. It will certainly lower your participation grade.