Consistent Attendance and Active Engagement (10% of final grade): Please plan to attend class regularly and come prepared, as much of our learning happens through discussion and shared analysis. One or two absences over the semester are understandable; however, more than two absences may affect your participation grade unless they are excused with documentation from the Dean’s Office or comparable academic authority. 

Online Discussion of Assigned Primary and Secondary Sources (15% of final grade): You must post to the online discussion at least six separate times over the course of the semester. Each post should contain roughly 2-3 paragraphs. At least three of these posts should be made by March 18.  When posting, you need answer only one of the discussion questions. Responses must be posted at least 60 minutes before the class period in which the relevant materials are discussed.

Analytical Essay (approximately 1000 words) focusing on one or more primary sources. The essay is due Friday, March 6. Guidelines can be found here. You may choose your own primary source(s). If you’d like guidance, you can find suggested options here. (20% of final grade)

Collaborative Digital Timeline Project (20% of final grade):  Working in groups of 4–5, you will create a digital timeline using Sutori on a topic related to our course material. Rather than simply listing events, your timeline should construct a critical narrative supported by primary and secondary sources. You will sign up for a timeline topic and presentation date during the first two weeks of class. In addition, each student will submit a 500-word reflective essay, due one week after the group presentation, discussing their individual contributions and the insights gained from the project. (Sutori timeline: 10%; individual reflection: 10%.)

Group Presentation on a Revisionist Western Film + Short Analytical Response (15% of Grade): In small groups, you will watch a revisionist Western film produced after 1970 and analyze how it challenges or reinterprets conventions of the classic Western genre. This assignment takes place over two class meetings:

  • Day 1 (4/20): Meet with your group to discuss what makes your chosen film distinctive and how it revises traditional Western tropes.
  • Day 2 (4/22): Present your analysis to the class.

In addition to the group presentation, each student will submit a 200-word analytical response, due Friday, May 1. Your response should briefly address:

    • one specific way the film revises or critiques the classic Western, and
    • why this revision matters (historically, culturally, or politically).

This short response is intended to assess individual engagement with the film and its themes.

Take-home Final due May 19 (20% of grade): For this assignment, you have two options: traditional and creative.  Please follow the links to learn more about each option.

COURSE POLICIES

LAPTOP POLICY: To foster a more focused learning environment, laptops and other devices should be used only for course-related activities, such as note-taking or accessing assigned readings. Using your laptop for unrelated activities like browsing or messaging during class will result in a grade reduction.

GENERATIVE AI POLICY: You may use AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Bard) to help generate ideas and brainstorm, but only on assignments for which I have given permission to use AI tools. Outputs generated by these programs may be inaccurate, incomplete, or otherwise problematic. I will hold you accountable for the accuracy of your work. Be aware that use of AI may also limit your own independent thinking and creativity. Do not submit any work generated by an AI tool as your own. If you include material generated by an AI tool, it should be cited like any other reference material (e.g., MLA style citation). Any uncited or inappropriate use of AI tools will be treated as a violation of Middlebury’s Honor Code.

LATE SUBMISSION OF WORK: Work is due on the date given on the class webpage. Unless an extension has been granted prior to the due date, a late penalty of 10% will be applied for work received within one week of the original deadline, with an additional 10% being deducted for each additional week that an assignment is overdue.

HONOR CODE: I take Middlebury’s Honor Code very seriously. Please sign your name to the Academic Honesty Statement when submitting your written work. You may also refer to the following statement, “On Academic Honesty.” If you have questions about proper citation, I am happy to help.

ACCESSIBILITY: Any student who feels they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me to discuss your specific needs.  Please also contact the Disability Resource Center to coordinate reasonable accommodations in this course.