SOME GROUND RULES FOR THIS COURSE

(Or: “What Every Undergraduate Should Know About University Professors”) 

 

CLASSROOM.

American Politics is usually in a large lecture hall with lots of your fellow students. Certain behavior can be annoying and downright obnoxious to me and others, and maybe disruptive to the class. While I personally don't mind you chewing gum, wearing baseball caps and even some (quiet) snacking, it could be annoying to others ... and at the very least, if you do any snacking, you should abide by the cardinal rule of backpacking: pack out everything you bring (well, throw it in the wastebasket).

Certain behavior is forbidden once class gets started: reading newspapers, books or anything other than the course textbook or your notes; doing homework for other classes (or, for that matter, this class: at the risk of being obvious, homework is best done at home); excessive talking, laughing, signaling, grunting, etc. Coming in class late or leaving early can be disruptive … doing it consistently is very annoying. While you may have to do this unavoidably one or two times, if you have to every day, see me and let me know what is going on.

I like to have a certain level of interaction with you in class and welcome your comments and opinions during lectures; however, remember that there are many others in class and our time is limited … try to keep comments brief and to the point.

 

ABSENCES.  IF you have to be absent from class:

·        Bring me a copy of a note from doctor, or some kind of proof for an excusable absence, to the next class. Give me the copy for my records.

o       Note: an “excusable” absence does NOT include wanting to go home early for a long weekend … or other similar activities in which you could sacrifice a little for your education by attending the class you have signed up for.

·        Get notes from a friend who attended the class.

o       Do you have a friend in class? Please say hello to the person next to you next time in the lecture hall … and then if you have to miss a class, nicely ask to borrow his/her notes and copy them. (Please do the same for him/her when the reverse is true.)

o       A word to the wise: develop a study group with several from the class … then you can integrate your notes with theirs … and study together for exams … with a group you might be able to better discuss important points in readings and lectures and what may be more or less pertinent information for exams.

·        Check my lecture notes on my website.

o       NOTE: these are only outlines and notes of the lectures and so do not include all that may be on exams. They do not really substitute for coming to class, actually hearing the lecture and questions/answers, and/or getting notes from a friend. Nor do they substitute for reading the text. But they can help.

·        Please NEVER ask me:

    • “Did anything important happen in class?”
      • EVERY professor thinks that what is said in class is important – why else would we spend so much time and effort in making lectures?
      • And how can I answer that question anyway? I spend 50 minutes lecturing, answering questions, discussing issues … what’s important in all that? And important for whom? And if I miss telling you something important in one email, does that mean you can blame me for missing that item of information if it is on the next exam?
    • “Can you tell me what happened in the class I missed?”
      • See above for how to get important information that you missed in class.
    • “Can you please send me a syllabus (or lecture notes, etc.)?”
      • Syllabus, lecture notes and any other supplementary material important for the class can be found on my website.

 

EMAILING ME.

I like to get emails, but only IF it is a good, substantive email with a specific question that is troubling you about the information you have heard or read from the course. REMINDER: I teach two large courses, do administrative work for the Washington program and do research … this is a large lecture class … if any of you emailed me on a fairly regular basis, I would have no time to do anything else but answer questions. That is the purpose of messages such as this one.

It may also be appropriate to come to my office hour (check the syllabus for days and times) and ask me in person. This option is, unfortunately, one of the most under-utilized strategies by undergraduates to improve their grades.