Class Sessions
The course will be taught primarily through discussion in our HSSC classroom. As a student in the course, you will be responsible for doing the reading ahead of class and preparing responses to the discussion questions. Since the discussion group should be small enough to allow extensive participation, you should expect to contribute in every class session.
For purposes of facilitating class discussion, I ask that you work from hardcopies of the reading. That means no laptops. So, unless you have an accomodation, do not use a laptop in class.
Many of our discussions will touch on issues of race, class, and power differentials. These subject matters can inspire strong reactions and it is always possible that one of us may say, or seem to say, something that may be offensive. We should all try to remember that this is a learning environment and should approach each other with generosity. For the same reason, it is important for us all to refrain from the use of language that is intended to demean or offend. Our shared goal is to advance our knowledge of Latin American history.
For that reason, I ask that you not record class discussion. To facilitate honest discussion, it is important that you and your classmates know that what is said in class is not going to distributed for non-academic purposes.
Although it is highly recommended that you participate in each assigned session, it is understood that you may occasionally miss class. Two or three absences over the course of 40 sessions should not affect your grade. But if you know ahead of time that you will likely miss more than that, you may want to review the grading policy and then consult with me. Note that Grinnell College offers alternative options to complete academic work for students who observe religious holy days. Please contact me within the first three weeks of the semester if you would like to discuss a specific instance that applies to you.
Academic Resources
Grinnell’s Writing, Reading, and Speaking Center supports students working on papers, projects, presentations, and applications. Schedule a session with one of the Center’s professional instructors and get feedback as you interpret readings, talk through your ideas, analyze evidence, develop and organize arguments, craft introductions and conclusions, rewrite sentences and paragraphs, or plan presentations. Center instructors do not proofread papers, but they can show you how to edit your own work effectively. Make an appointment online: http://mywco.com/grinnell
Grinnell College makes reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Students need to provide documentation to the Coordinator for Disability Resources, Jae Baldree, who can be reached at 641-269-3089, and discuss your needs. Students should then notify me within the first few days of class so that we can discuss ways to ensure your full participation in the course and coordinate your accommodations. You can find more information here.
For your research paper, it may be a good idea to schedule a one-on-one library lab appointment early. That is done by filling out this form.
Academic Conventions to be Observed
Follow University of Chicago (17th Edition) style citations in footnotes or endnotes for all assignments in this course, unless the assignment directs you explicitly to do something else. You may consult the Chicago Manual of Style online through the Grinnell College Library catalog here (you will need to log into the Library through its proxy server): https://www-chicagomanualofstyle- org.grinnell.idm.oclc.org/book/ed17/frontmatter/toc.html. I will also post a short style guide on Blackboard for quick reference.
Grinnell College’s Academic Honesty policy is located in the online Student Handbook. It is the College’s expectation that students be aware of and meet the expectations expressed in this policy. For the purposes of this class, it is fine to help each other out of class by reading each other’s research paper assignments. In addition, in this course, it is my expectation that students may collaborate on basic preparation for class sessions and preparation for quizzes and exams, but not on the actual quizzes and exams. If you have questions about how a particular assignment relates to the College’s policy, I will gladly consult with you in advance of the assignment’s due date.