DEVS 504 GRADING POLICY 2011

2. DEVS 504 GRADING POLICY 2011:


DEVELOPMENT 504 GRADING POLICY 2011/ART


1. Attendance (15 weeks, 15 classes) = 10% of Total Grade
2. Team Seminars on Unit 2,3,4 @ 5%/each = 15%
3. Team Practicums @ 10%/each, Lab & Field = 20%
4. Individual Works
a. Short Analytical Paper, 10 pg = 15%
b. Long Term Paper, 25 pg = 25%
c. Term Paper Seminar = 15%
TOTAL = 100%

EXPLANATION:

1. Each student is expected to attend all the classes. Since each class is 3 hour, missing one is missing a big chunk. Missing lab and field classes also means losing grade credit of 20% without the option for makeup! The maximum leeway for lateness is 15 min after the instructor arrives, take a taxi if needed!

2. Team Seminars are opportunities for lateral and vertical learning from your friends and the instructor. Each 3 hour class will be divided into the first half for the instructor and second half for seminars. The second half of 90 min will be divided into 6, 15 min sections for each Team to present and lead discussions on the assigned topic and questions for the Unit under discussion. Each Team will have 3 members, and they are expected to prepare a short slide presentation and 2 page summary document for distribution in hard and soft copy to entire class! Each team is expected to rotate speakers, research, slide presentation etc among themselves so each member gets to present and discuss. When the discussion is stalled, the instructor will step in with questions and comments. ALL STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO READ AND BE PREPARED FOR ALL DISCUSSIONS IN SEMINARS. A thumb rule is 150 pages of reading per week for 3 hour teacher and seminar discussion. The seminar will be graded letter grade: liberally at first to allow for variation in comprehension and presentation skills but with specific instructions and feedback the grading will be ratcheted up in each session!
3. There will be 2 practicum to expose students to skills of integrating the categories of Population, Development and Natural Resources. The first practicum will be a hands-on exercise in Google Earth and GIS basics to demonstrate SPATIAL LINKAGES of the above categories using technological tools in computer. While we will try to use the college resources, personal laptops with internet access is highly desirable. Those who miss this class will lose 10% of the grade. Second, there will be a field trip to a site where there is good data base and experience on linking Population, Development, and Natural Resources for a full day. All are expected to be present for an extra 10% of the grade and great learning experience with social, environmental landscape and people interpretation in Jhikhu Khola.

4. Papers: There will be 2 individual papers expected. The first is a short paper about 10 pages long on any topics covered in the class relating to Population, Development and Natural Resources. The Instructor will assign specific topics, papers, or issues with mutual consent and will give detailed instructions on the expectations. These expectations deal with both the mechanics of paper writing (organization, composition and reference citation, paging, spell checking etc) and content analysis with the setting of argument and supporting with evidence and leading to a conclusion. There is NO Right Answer, only well argued ones. The short paper will be worth 15% of your total grades and are expected to be submitted on time, with penalty for delay, including total rejection.

5. Long Paper: This is the end of the term paper that should showcase what you learned from the course in term of content, analytical and synthesizing skills with examples from readings, lab and field. A range of scholarly books, articles, policy documents, landmark reviews will be assigned to the students with mutual consent. The actual document is worth 25% and detailed instructions on the content and organization will be given.

6. Additionally, each student is expected to present his/her long paper in slides and submit both hard and soft copies to the teachers and students. Since this is the end of term presentation, the evaluation will be rigorous and all students are expected to adhere to feedbacks rendered to them earlier in class. For instance, reading from laptop, sloppy dressing, non-standard reference citations and spelling lapses will be penalized while the demonstration of a wide and deep reading of the assigned materials will be abundantly credited.