ATTENDANCE

Regular attendance is required. More than two unexcused absences will adversely affect your grade. Consistent attendance is important to both your own progress in this class and the effective functioning of the class overall. Note: you must go to the office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies to obtain an official excuse for an absence. Otherwise, the absence will be considered unexcused.

LATE PAPER

Late papers submitted without an extension will be penalized 1/3 grade per day (e.g., a B paper submitted two days late will receive a C+). Students are required to submit the final paper in order to receive credit for the course.

The essay is a thesis-driven, analytical paper that addresses a given topic, provided by me. For guidance, you may consult The McGraw-Hill Film Viewer’s Guide by David Bordwell. A copy is available on reserve at the College Library. Also on reserve is Timothy Corrigan’s A Short Guide to Writing about Film. In addition, I provide a handout, “Writing About Film,” which will assist you as you write your analytical film paper. Exact requirements and guidelines for the paper will be outlined in the writing assignment topic sheet, which will be handed out approximately 2 weeks before the paper’s due date.

EXAMS

Except under extraordinary circumstances, there no make-up days allowed for the midterm, and no rescheduling of the final exam.

PLAGIARISM

According to the College of Charleston’s Student Handbook, plagiarism is defined as:

• The verbatim repetition, without acknowledgement, of the writings of another author. All significant phrases, clauses, or passages, taken directly from source material must be enclosed in quotation marks and acknowledged either in the text itself or in footnotes/endnotes.
• Borrowing without acknowledging the source.
• Paraphrasing the thoughts of another writer without acknowledgement.
• Allowing any other person or organization to prepare work which one then submits as his/her own.

The minimum penalty for plagiarism: you will receive an F on the paper and will be required to rewrite the assignment. More egregious cases of plagiarism will result in more serious penalties, ranging from an F for the course to permanent dismissal from the College. For more information, visit this page:

Student handbook

GRADING POLICIES

• Characteristics of an F paper: Plagiarism; complete failure to address given topics; minimal attempt to meet paper length requirements—a paper that meets any of these criteria will receive an F even if it exhibits other characteristics of higher grade levels.
• a D paper: Some attempt to address given topics; fragmentary writing; failure to meet paper length requirements (no more than three pages below minimum paper length requirements); widespread sentence level errors or carelessness.
• a D+ paper: Some attempt to address given topics; fragmentary writing; failure to meet paper length requirements (no more than two pages below minimum paper length requirements); widespread sentence level errors or carelessness.
• a C- paper: Addresses given topics but lacks an argument; too much descriptive plot summary; poor organization; no more than one page below minimum paper length requirements; many sentence level errors or carelessness.
• a C paper: Some attempt at an argument but no clear thesis; too much descriptive plot summary; poor organization; no more than one page below minimum paper length requirements; many sentence level errors or carelessness
• a C+ paper: Argument discernable but dominated by descriptive plot summary; inadequately supported with close analysis of scenes, shots, and/or sequences of shots; lack of clear, argumentative thesis; choppy paragraphing and organization; meets minimum paper length requirements; many sentence level errors or carelessness
• a B- paper: Argument and thesis clear but not cogent; some descriptive plot summary; minimally supported with close analysis of scenes, shots, and/or sequences of shots; some breakdowns in organization; failure to address opposing points of view; some sentence level errors or carelessness.
• a B paper: Argument and thesis clear but insufficiently developed; some descriptive plot summary; supported with close analysis of scenes, shots, and/or sequences of shots; generally clear organization; failure to address opposing points of view; some sentence level errors or carelessness.
• a B+ paper: Generally strong analysis but not completely developed; some descriptive plot summary; well supported with close analysis of scenes, shots, and/or sequences of shots; some attempt to address opposing points of view; some sentence level errors or carelessness.
• an A- paper: Strong, original analysis that pushes past the surface; a minimum of descriptive plot summary; exceptionally well supported with c lose analysis of scenes, shots, and/or sequences of shots; clear argumentative thesis and organization; engagement with opposing points of view; minor sentence level errors or carelessness.
• an A paper: Striking, original analysis that pushes past the surface; a minimum of descriptive plot summary; exceptionally well supported with close analysis of scenes, shots, and/or sequences of shots; clear argumentative thesis and organization; effective engagement with opposing points of view; no surface level errors or carelessness.