This course uses “contract grading.” This means that you choose in advance the work you will do, and receive a grade accordingly so long as you fulfil that contract. You will know throughout the semester exactly what your final grade will be, provided you do not break your contract.
It is quite possible to get a high grade in this course, and to have that grade guaranteed. It will take work–specifically, a lot of reading–but it is quite attainable, and will involve no surprises.
On the other hand, if you prefer to do the minimum (or somewhere in between the minimum and the maximum), you will still learn something, and nobody will be chasing you to ensure you do any more than you have contracted.
Make sure you set yourself a realistic contract, based on your own time, motivation, interest, and other demands upon your life this semester. This can be a relatively easy, low-intensity course, if you want it to be and contract for a lower grade. But it can also demand a lot of your time and attention, if you decide to contract for a higher grade. The choice is yours, make it wisely. But you do have one chance to change your mind.
The four texts you have to read in order to pass this class are those by Proust, Bombal, Rodoreda, and Piglia. If you do not read these four, you will not pass the class. If you do, you will pass.
All the other texts are optional, but your grade will rise the more that you read.
How do you show that you have read them? You write and publish a blog post, of around 400-500 words (or with an embedded video blog of 5-10 minutes), and comment briefly on two blog posts written by your classmates and peers. (More details here. Note also the importance of academic integrity, which means among other things, no AI.) Plus there will be a very short quiz every class on the texts and lectures, which you must pass.
You will also write an introductory blog post (in week one), and a concluding blog post (in week 13), reflecting on what you have learned.
The more books that you read (and so blog posts and comments that you write), the higher your grade will be, as follows:
| Number of texts read / blog posts written | Percentage Grade | Final Letter Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (Proust, Bombal, Rodoreda, and Piglia) / 6 | 64-67 | C+ |
| 5 (the basic four plus one) / 7 | 68-71 | B- |
| 6 (the basic four plus two) / 8 | 72-75 | B |
| 8 (the basic four plus four) / 10 | 76-79 | B+ |
| 9 (the basic four plus five) / 11 | 80-84 | A- |
| 10 (the basic four plus six) / 12 | 85-89 | A |
| 12 (the basic four plus seven) / 14 | 90-100 | A+ |
Note that there is an incremental jump between a B and a B+, and between an A and an A+.
You can choose which books you read and write on (after the basic four). For every optional week, you have two choices to pick between. There is a guide to help you choose your own adventure here.
You tell me in advance how many and which books you plan to read. This is your contract. In return, if you fulfil that contract, I guarantee you the appropriate grade. Fill out your contract here (PDF).
Over the course of the semester, you are allowed to make one, and only one, revision of your contract (changing the choice of books, or the number of books, to get a higher or a lower grade). No changes are permitted after week six (February 13).
You also need to attend class for at least as many weeks as the number of books you are reading, as well as the first (introductory) and final (concluding) weeks. So for instance, if you choose to read six books (for a B), you will need to attend class for eight weeks, including the introductory and concluding weeks. Attendance in the weeks you have contracted is compulsory. If you do not attend, you break your contract. The only exception is for students who are contracting for an A+: they are allowed one week’s free absence.
Please note this course’s policy on classroom etiquette: you are to participate actively, with respectful disagreement and minimal use of electronics.
(You are expected to attend both times during the first week, but I recognize that some people join the class a few days into the semester, so this is not a requirement of the contract. If you join later, please be in touch with me directly.)
But after the introductory week, you only have to attend one class session per week. You are strongly encouraged to come twice on weeks when we have two sessions on the same text (when we are reading one of the basic four: Proust, Bombal, Rodoreda, and Piglia; each session we will approach these books in different ways), but you do not have to do so. Therefore, for instance, if you have contracted for a B, in effect you only have to come to class eight times over the whole semester.
You need to watch the online video lecture (and any conversation video) before you come to class. Again, there will be a short quiz in every class to ensure that you have done so.
You are also very much encouraged to write a short comment on the YouTube pages of the videos, and even to “like” them (if you do like them…).
There will be a short midterm and final exam. These will be used, however, merely to help determine your final grade within the parameters determined by the number of texts you have read. I.e. for instance what exact grade you receive between 80 and 84 (if you read nine books, and so contract to get an A-) or between 72 and 75 (if you read six books, and so contract for a B), and so on. I also recommend you take the midterm (in particular) if you wish to have further feedback on your work and ideas. But your letter grade will not change, whatever your performance on the exams, so long as you keep to your contract over the semester.
The midterm and final exam will also be used to help determine your grade if you fail to fulfil your contract.
