Women's Studies 231.011
Women in Perspective
Heather Kelley, Instructor
Fall 2000—Towson University
Fridays, 12:30–3:15, LI 115
Syllabus Paper Assignments Quizzes
Grading Final Exam Terms & Concepts
Questions to Help You Links Study Guide


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Syllabus

Women's Studies 231: Women in Perspective
Section 011: Fridays, 12:30–3:15, LI 115

Instructor: Heather Kelley
Fall 2000—Towson University
E-mail: hak4@georgetown.edu (best way to reach me)
Phone: (410) 830-3874 (office) (NB–I only check this voice-mail on Fridays during office hours)
Office Hours: Fridays 11:30–12:30 and by appointment, 219L Linthicum Hall (NB—please call first as I may have other appointments that keep me from my office hours)

New information will be inserted in red

Purpose of this course:

This course presents an introduction to Women's Studies and feminism. Through a variety of media, we will investigate women's lives, women's movements for equality, and society's attitudes towards women, past and present. We will be developing modes of critical thinking, methods of analysis, writing skills, and co-operative learning skills.

Class policies:

Academic Dishonesty—of any kind will not be tolerated, and will result in failure of the assignment in question and may lead to failure of the course; please consult me or the undergraduate catalog for more guidance, as ignorance is not an acceptable excuse.

Assignments—final grades will be based on your test scores (50%) and your paper grades (50%). There will be four quizzes (non-cumulative), one final exam (cumulative), and three five-page papers. Late papers will lose one letter grade for every class session that they are late, until the last day of classes when all missing assignments will receive grades of 0. Quizzes may not be made up for any reason–if you must miss a day on which a quiz is given, your final exam grade will substitute for all missed quiz grades. The final exam may only be made-up due to an extreme, documented emergency.

Attendance—you are expected to be in class, on time, and for the duration of the session. We will usually take a 10 minute break around the half-way point. I strongly recommend that you bring your texts with you to class. If you must miss a class, get the notes and announcements from a classmate—you are still responsible for all announcements and material covered during that session. Consistent, attentive and knowledgeable (but not overbearing) class participation may raise your final grade. More than two absences may lower your final grade.

Films—will be shown during class; if you miss class that day, be sure to see the film on your own and/or get the notes from a classmate.

Grading—see my grading criteria; please read through them carefully so you know what I am looking for. If you are dissatisfied with a grade, submit a written explanation of what grade you think the assignment deserves and why along with the original graded assignment by the first class session after the assignment was first handed back. After that time, all grades become final without exception. I use both plusses and minuses in your final grades; this includes the grade of C-. Please note that according to TU, "because the C- grade has a numerical equivalent of 1.67 it is not a "C" grade and cannot be applied toward fulfillment of major or minor course requirements." If your final grade is not at the 2.00 level, you cannot receive a grade of "C" in this class. Similarly, if you take this class on a "pass-fail" basis, you must have earned a "C" or better in order for the university to convert that grade into a "P" on your transcript.

Miscellaneous—if you have any special considerations (documented disabilities, absences for team sports or religious observance, etc.) you must notify me at the beginning of the semester so we may make appropriate arrangements. If you must be absent on a day when a paper is due, it is still your responsibility to ensure that I receive your paper before you leave. When all else fails, send your assignment to me at the TU WMST Department via the US mail system, making sure that the postmark shows it was mailed on the assignment's due date.

Readings—will be discussed in class on the date that they appear on the syllabus. It is to your definite advantage to have read the assignments before coming to class, so that you may ask any questions you may have, and so that you can make meaningful contributions to the class discussion.

Repeating a course—you may not attempt a course more than once without permission of the Academic Standards Committee.

Textbooks:
FTMC—Feminist Theory from Margin to Center, 2nd Edition. bell hooks (2000)
FT—Feminist Theory. Wendy Kolmar & Frances Bartkowski (2000)
MIB—Movement in Black, Expanded Edition. Pat Parker (1999)
WIAS—Women in American Society, 4th Edition. Virginia Sapiro (1999)

I also recommend the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers

Please note that this syllabus is subject to change; it is the student's responsibility to keep up with any changes.

Schedule of Class Meetings

Sept 1Beginnings
Sept 8Introductions
WIAS 1, FTMC Intros & 1, and FT pp 2-51
Sept 15How Society Deals with Women's Issues
WIAS 2, FTMC 2, and FT pp 54-55 and selections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12
Sept 22How Individuals Deal with Women's Issues
WIAS 3, FTMC 3, and FT selections 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20
***Quiz #1
Sept 29Dealing with Difference
WIAS 4, FTMC 4, and FT pp 116-117 and selections 24, 26, 28, 29, 30, and 31
***Paper #1 due
Oct 6Education
WIAS 5, FTMC 8, and FT pp 162-163 and selections 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, and 42
Oct 13Health
WIAS 6, FTMC 9, and FT selections 43, 44, 45, 49, and 50
***Quiz #2
Oct 20Government
WIAS 9, FTMC 6, and FT pp 246-247 and selections (SKIP 51), 52, 54, 57, and 58
Oct 27Communication
WIAS 8 & 10, FTMC 5, and FT selections 60, 62, 64, 65, and 67
In-class film: STILL KILLING US SOFTLY 3
***Paper #2 due
Nov 3Intimacy
WIAS 11, FTMC 11, and FT pp 360-361 and selections 69, (SKIP 70 and 71), and 72
***Quiz #3
Nov 10Reproduction
WIAS 12, FTMC 10, and FT selections 73, (SKIP 74), 75, (SKIP 76), and 77
Nov 17Work
WIAS 13, FTMC 7, and FT selections 78, (SKIP 79), 80, and (SKIP 81)
In-class film: ROSIE THE RIVETER
Nov 24NO CLASS -- THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Dec 1Conclusions
WIAS 14, FTMC 12, and FT selections 82, 83, 84, (SKIP 85 and 86), and 87
***Quiz #4
Dec 8The Poetry of Pat Parker
MIB
***Paper #3 due
Dec 15***FINAL EXAM, 12:30-2:30


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Grading Criteria

Here are my general guidelines when determining grades for assignments:

Please note that "texts" can refer to things other than paper books, including media, social movements, etc.

AAn "A" paper produces a sustained, extensive, and rich analysis of the primary texts and supports a unified, complex, and original argument about the texts. Textual detail is abundant and varied, and interpretations of that detail are original, insightful, intriguing, even adventurous, and always well-supported. The paper is well organized, easy to read, and grammatically correct. In-text citations follow MLA guidelines and are used correctly and appropriately.
"excellent"
"outstanding"
BA "B" paper embarks on a unified and clearly defined argument, but its argument is perhaps somewhat simplistic or limited. The paper is built around a detailed discussion of the primary texts, and its analysis has not simply been taken from in-class discussions. Although some of its interpretations may be problematic, or its analysis one-dimensional, it is generally coherent, readable, and free of organizational and grammatical problems.
"good"
CA "C" paper has a fairly consistent argument, but fails to define its argument clearly. Its argument does not develop a sustained analysis of the texts, and it lacks supporting evidence and/or extended discussion of the primary texts. Its interpretations may be problematic or contradictory. Overabundant summary may leave little room for interpretation, or the paper may rely too heavily on class discussion. While generally coherent and readable, the paper may contain organizational and grammatical problems.
"acceptable"
"usual"
DA "D" paper, while making some good points, does not focus on a consistent argument. It may contradict itself, provide little evidence to support its thesis, or even lack a thesis and analysis entirely. It may contain organizational or grammatical problems that significantly hamper its message.
"borderline"
"marginal"
FAn "F" paper may contain any or all of the following criteria: It may show almost no acquaintance with its primary texts. Its thesis may involve a significant misinterpretation of the texts, and it may show signs that the student has not read, viewed, or understood the texts at all. It may contain such severe organizational or grammatical problems that it is very difficult to read. It may fall seriously short of, or seriously and without good cause overshoot, length requirements. It may plagiarize, or it may fail to distinguish the student's words from the words of the primary or secondary texts, or from other sources. It may be off target for the assignment.
"failure"
"unsatisfactory"

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Paper Assignments

Paper #1
Due: September 29, 2000

Paper #2
Due: October 27, 2000

Paper #3
Due: December 8, 2000
please note that this is a firm deadline; no extensions will be granted, and late papers will receive a grade of "0"

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Quizzes

Quizzes will be given, in class, on the following dates:

  1. September 22, 2000
  2. October 13, 2000
  3. November 3, 2000
  4. December 1, 2000
Remember that if you miss a quiz, make-ups are not possible; instead, your final exam grade will substitute for any missing quiz grades. While it is theoretically possible for you to purposefully skip the quizzes entirely, and just take the final exam, I emphatically do not recommend this. You will learn better, with less pain, if you keep up with the readings as we go along, and come to class prepared with questions and theories about the readings. Taking a quiz every month will enable you to show me that you have been doing this. Waiting until the final, and probably staying up all night desperately trying to read everything you didn't get to during the semester, will make you angry, upset, and very tired. Do you really want to gamble 50% of your final grade on a 2 hour, cumulative exam in this condition when you have no idea what to expect?

Quizzes will be non-cumulative. Material to be covered on quizzes includes all material since the last quiz, including the material that is due on the day the quiz is given. This means that material to be covered for the first quiz, for example, includes all material from the beginning of class up through and including the material assigned for September 22. Yes, this means that we will not have had a class discussion on a portion of the material to be quizzed—your teacher is interested in how well you are capable of grasping some material on your own. "Material" includes assigned reading, class discussion, films shown in class, and other supplemental material as explained in class.

Quiz format will be varied. Types of questions that will NOT be on the quizzes include: Types of questions that are LIKELY to be on the quizzes include: Return to the top

Terms & Concepts

October 27th will be the last day that terms and concepts from the readings will be posted here. Instead, there is a new section of the web site, the Quiz Study Guide, which provides the main points of the texts. This should make it easier and quicker for you to study for the quizzes. Question formats will continue to be similar to previous quizzes.

If class discussion and/or your own reading of the texts did not sufficiently clarify your understanding of a term or concept, do some research (on the web is probably the easiest and fastest place to get access, espeically on places like xrefer.com). If you're still stuck, bring your questions to class.

To make it easier for you to look back through your notes and the readings for definitions of these terms and concepts, they will no longer be grouped all together alphabetically. Instead, starting with the readings for September 22, they will be listed by date. Be sure that you understand these terms and concepts as they are used in that particular day's readings. Context, as usual, is the key.

September 8 & 15

September 22

September 29

October 6

October 13

October 20

October 27

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Questions to Help You

October 27th will be the last day that questions on the readings will be posted here (unless we decide together in class that they should return). Instead, there is a new section of the web site, the Quiz Study Guide, which provides the main points of the texts. This should make it easier and quicker for you to study for the quizzes. Question formats will continue to be similar to previous quizzes.

Please note that oftentimes the wording of these questions is taken directly from our texts. This is in an effort to help you find the relevant passages quickly. Sorry about the lack of quote marks -- there would just be too many.

The following questions, similar to what you may expect on the quizzes, are given here in an effort to help you to better understand the material in this class. They can be useful as a study guide for your preparation for the quizzes and/or the final, and as a means to assist you in understanding the main points of the reading selections. As always, if you cannot figure out the answers to a question, brainstorm with your classmates, go over the readings again, and bring your questions to class.

September 8

September 15

September 22

September 29

October 6

October 13

October 20

October 27

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Links

Following are some links that you may find helpful. As always, click at your own risk!

For info on the positions of Candidates Bush and Gore, try these sites:

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