Participation evaluates your active contribution to class discussion. Attendance has no positive influence on the participation grade, but can have a negative influence since, when absent, you are not there to participate.

 

Good participation follows the following guidelines:

​

• It starts with choosing a quote from the reading and pointing to it in class.

• It connects the ideas in the quote to one of the following:

  • Text to argument: how the quote relates to other parts of the text.

  • Text to text: how the quote relates to other assigned readings.

  • Text to world: how the quote relates to the real world.

  • Text to self: how the quote relates to personal experience.

• Repeat at will.

​

Also helpful for participation…

​

• Respond to comments by other students and ask relevant questions.

​

A

Regular participation (almost every class period) with frequent references to the texts in comments and questions. Questions regarding the text start with a short summary of the relevant part in the reading. Participation shows familiarity with the text.

B

Occasional participation that follows the indications above or regular participation that shows limited familiarity with the text.

C

Rare participation or participation that shows poor or no familiarity with the text. Participates only when prompted.

F

Participation limited to occasional comments with little or no reference to the text. Does not have any meaningful comments even when prompted.

​

At the instructor’s discretion, complete lack of participation can reduce the grade to zero.