18-Summer 1015 HIST 103 sect 20375 Syllabus.pdf

History 103 – Political and Social United States since 1877

Summer 2018
Section #20375
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, 10:15 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.
Social Sciences 310

Prof. George Jarrett
Cerritos College 

Instructor Contact Information

Email: gjarrett@cerritos.edu
Course website: http://cerritos.instructure.com/
Office hours: Tuesdays, 9:30 – 10:00 a.m.
Thursdays, 9:30 – 10:00 a.m.
Office: Social Sciences 31 (basement)
Office phone: (562) 860-2451 x2740

Prerequisite

Satisfactory completion of the English placement process or ENGL 52 or equivalent with a grade of Credit or "C" or higher. As the course requires you to read and comprehend a large amount of complex material, we also recommend satisfactory completion of the Reading placement process or READ 54.

Course Content

This course covers the development of American institutions and society from Reconstruction to the present. In that time, the United States grew from a rural and disconnected nation with little influence in world affairs, to an integrated and urban nation that dominated the world. Along the way, daily life changed dramatically for all Americans.

We will also stress the ways that history is an argument about the meaning of the past. We will join that argument through discussions and our own interpretations of primary sources. We will develop our abilities to express ourselves clearly and persuasively, in speech and writing.

Required Texts

Daily reading assignments are noted in the course schedule.

• Edwards et al., America’s History, Volume 2: Since 1865, Value Edition. 9 ed. (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2018), + LaunchPad Access for 6 months, ISBN 978-1-319-19681-3.
• Victoria Bissell Brown and Timothy J. Shannon, Going to the Source: The Bedford Reader in American History, vol. 2: Since 1865. 4 ed. (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2016) ISBN-13: 978-1-319-02750-6.
• Document readings distributed in class or at http://cerritos.instructure.com/

Required Materials

• Pen or pencil, for exams.
• 2 exam blue books, for interpretive exams.

Assignments

Interpretive Exams (blue book) (2)	260
Objective Exams (Scantron) (6)	240
Term Paper	180
Group Discussion Outline	50
Group Discussion Leadership	50
Primary Source Analysis	50
Reader Response Paragraphs	30
Discussion Participation	20
LearningCurve Online Quizzes	120
Total	1000
Extra Credit no more than	30 points additional

 Objective Exams (6 at 40 points/each, 240 points total)

Objective: Develop understanding of significant events in American history.

Format: In class, Scantron multiple-choice questions, from textbook readings. LearningCurve quizzes will serve as study guides for each exam. The last Objective Exam counts as part of the final examination for the class. Students will be supplied with answer sheets for the objective exams. The sixth objective exam counts as part of the final examination for the class.

Interpretive Exams (2 at 130 points/each, 260 points total)

Objective: Demonstrate your ability to interpret and judge broad changes and major turning points in American history.

Format: In-class essay of about five paragraphs, your own synthesis of lecture content and textbook material. Study questions given in advance. You must provide a blank blue book for each exam. The second Interpretive Exam counts as part of the final examination for the class.

Term Paper (180 points)

Objective: Develop your ability to make valid claims based on historical evidence, express yourself clearly in writing, and handle scholarly sources.

Format: 3-5 page paper that makes a historical argument based on the material in the "Capstone" chapter of Brown and Shannon, Going to the Source. You will be guided to analyze the sources, frame your argument, and handle the sources in writing. Papers will be evaluated for quality of analysis, clarity of writing, and accuracy of quotations and citations.

Group Discussion Outline (50 points) and Discussion Leadership (50 points)

Objective: Develop ability to interpret historical primary sources; develop ability to communicate and collaborate in a scholarly fashion.

Format: You will be assigned to a group of students that will prepare an outline of discussion questions, then lead the class in discussion of the primary sources in one chapter of Brown. Evaluation will be based on the accuracy and thoroughness of your preparation, and on the group's ability to guide meaningful discussion on the sources.

Primary Source Analysis (50 points)

Objective: Understand how historians interpret sources to make historical arguments.

Format: For one chapter in Brown (assigned based on the discussion schedule), fill out the "source analysis table" based on the primary sources (25 points). Then, list ten open-ended discussion questions to enhance understanding of the source (25 points). This assignment will be based on the same chapter you will present to the class for the discussion leadership assignment (see above).

Response Paragraphs (30 points) and Discussion Participation (20 points)

On days when student-led discussions are held, you will be expected to: (1) read the chapter in advance;
(2) write a one-paragraph response to a question about the reading (posted on Canvas); and
3) say thoughtful and relevant things during the discussion.
The paragraph must be submitted on paper, and will only be accepted before the discussion; late paragraphs will not be accepted. There are 9 paragraphs assigned; the 3 lowest scores/zeroes will be dropped.

LearningCurve Online Quizzes (120 points)

For each assigned reading from Edwards, America’s History, there will be an online LearningCurve assignment to help you review and learn the material. You either get all the class points, or none, for each LearningCurve exercise.

Within each LearningCurve exercise, you score points in LearningCurve by answering questions, and you complete the activity (and earn the class points) by reaching a designated target score. Harder questions are worth more points than easier questions. You earn fewer points on a given question when you take hints or make incorrect guesses before answering the question correctly. You never lose points. Feel free to guess at questions, take hints, and even give up on a question if you really don't know the answer. Doing so just means that you'll need to answer at least one more question to get to the target score, but answering questions is how you learn.

Activities are graded on a pass/fail basis. If you complete the activity (i.e. you reach the target score), you will receive a grade of 100%, and thus all of the class points for that assignment, no matter how many questions it took to get there. If you don't reach the target score, your grade for the activity will be 0%. You must complete the assignment (reach the target score) before the due date to receive a grade. If you don't complete the activity before the due date, you'll receive a grade of 0%.

You are encouraged to keep answering questions (and therefore keep reviewing/learning the material) as long as you wish, even after you've reached the target score and/or after the due date has passed. You can also leave and return to the activity any time you want (use it to review before a midterm or final exam!); your current status is saved when you leave and restored when you return.

Extra Credit (Maximum 30 points additional)

There may be extra credit offered for exam review, campus events sponsored by the History Department, or other additional opportunities to learn about history. There is a maximum of 30 points extra credit for the semester.

To find out about events, "like" the History at Cerritos College Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/HistoryatCerritosCollege

Student Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete History 103 will develop knowledge of American history, including (but not limited to) understanding of:

• The role of post-Civil War Industrial Revolution and immigration on the social, economic, and political transformation of the United States
• The Great Depression and subsequent government reforms.
• The basic foreign policies of the United States, from the Spanish-American War through the Iraq War, and nation's impact on foreign countries.
• The origins, course, and impact of the Civil Rights Movement.

In addition, students will learn to distinguish between sources and interpretations, and to weigh the significance of evidence and claims.

Grading Policy

Grades are based on an absolute standard of expectation, not a curve. Each assignment will earn a letter grade (A through F) and a point value. The course grade will be calculated from the total of all points earned:

Grade	Minimum	Maximum
A	900	1,000+
B	800	899
C	700	799
D	600	699
F	0	599

A failing paper turned in on time may be rewritten for partial credit. Late papers, plagiarized papers, and other assignments cannot be rewritten for credit.

The instructor will make every effort to return all on-time assignments within two weeks of the date submitted. You can monitor your progress in the course by keeping a tally of your scores as the assignments are returned.

Secrets for Success

To pass this class:

1. Read the assigned chapters, making sure you understand them;
2. Use LearningCurve to review each chapter after you read it, and again before each exam;
3. Come to class ready to learn by engaging with the lecture, discussions, and other activities; and
4. Turn in every single assignment, on time.

iFalcon: Successful students share particular habits of mind that help them learn. Here at Cerritos College, we encourage these habits with the key terms of the iFalcon mnemonic: focus, advance, link up, comprehend, organize, and new ideas. Find out more about iFalcon on the web at http://www.cerritos.edu/ifalcon

Student Success Center: Throughout the semester, the Student Success Center offers workshops, many on topics relevant to successful study of history. Topics include skills such as note-taking, reading a textbook, and writing essay exams. You can look for events at http://www.cerritos.edu/sc

Course Website: Readings, grades, and other information will be made available at http://cerritos.instructure.com/. Please make sure that your email address on Canvas is current to ensure that you receive class announcements.

Learning Accommodations

Any student who has a learning disability or a physical disability that requires special accommodation should inform me at the beginning of the term. Please also contact the Disabled Student Programs and Services at (562) 860-2451 ext. 2335, as early as possible in the term. Use of Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS) services including testing accommodations, requires prior authorization by DSPS and compliance with approved procedures.

Additional Policies

• Per the Cerritos College Attendance Policy, students who miss 10% or more of class time (more than 2 class meetings for this summer session) are subject to drop. Students who are absent during the Add period (first two days of the class) are subject to drop.
• Written assignments due at the beginning of class on the due date. Late primary source response and term paper assignments will be penalized by a 50% reduction in grade. Exceptions will be made only in the case of medical necessity, verified by a signed note from a licensed physician. Late papers can be turned in at office hours or a subsequent class meeting. Don't wait to turn in a late paper—hand it in as soon as it is done.
• Make-ups. There can be NO make-ups for group discussion assignments and discussion participation. There will be NO make-ups forresponse paragraphs; late paragraphs will not be accepted. If you miss a deadline for a LearningCurve assignment, you can still access the questions for study, but you will NOT earn any points. Plan accordingly. For exams only, in the event of a valid, excused absence, you may schedule a make-up. If you know you will have an unavoidable commitment, such as a tournament or out of town travel, on the day of a scheduled exam, you must make arrangements in advance for a make-up.
• Plagiarism & Cheating. All assignments should be your own ideas, expressed in your own words. You may quote briefly from other works, but you MUST cite the source. Do not copy from other writers' works, whether from another student, a published book, or the internet. You also may not turn in the same paper for two different classes. Providing your work (such as a test, paper, or homework assignment) for another student to copy will be penalized as cheating. Cheating on exams will not be tolerated. Students who cheat or plagiarize will be dealt with through college-mandated procedures. At minimum, you will receive no credit for the assignment, which may result in failure of the class. Please see the college academic honesty policy: http://www.cerritos.edu/academic-affairs/academic-honesty.htm
• com. Writing assignments (the primary source analysis and term paper) will be submitted through the anti-plagiarism service, turnitin.com, through an upload link in Canvas.
• Discussion Etiquette. Feel free to ask questions and make relevant comments, and to ask for clarification. Discussion works best when we respect each other's opinions. In good discussions, disagreement is accepted, even encouraged. We will not look for the "right" answer, but for signs that you have thought about the material and listened to other students. Talk to me for tips on speaking in class.
• Interruptions for reasons other than learning history are not acceptable. Do not text or play games on a phone or other device during class. Do not read or do homework for other classes, or carry on personal conversations with other students during lecture. If you arrive late or leave early, do so quietly. Students who habitually disrupt the class in these ways (including students who prefer to pay attention to their devices rather than lecture or discussion) may be asked to leave the room, or dropped from the class.
• Safe Zone: I support the campus "Safe Zone" committee, and as an ally, promise to help make this class, and our campus, a safe and supportive environment for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) people. If you have any issues you would like to discuss, please do not hesitate to talk to me.

Course Summary:

For a convenient, printable pdf version of all reading and assignment due dates, download this 18-Summer Calendar.pdf. (The Canvas-generated list below does not include lecture topics or reading due dates. These are found only on the printed calendar.)