Student Syllabus Cover
Sheet Revised June, 2006
Semester and Year
- Fall 2012 |
CRN (Course Reference
Number), Course Prefix, Number and Title
– CRN 10886- HIST 1302-403 |
Course Meeting Days, Times and Location (Campus, Building, and Room number) – MWF, 11:00 am - 11:50 am, FBTC 135 |
Instructor’s Name
- C.J. Bibus, Ed.D. |
Instructor’s Telephone number(s) – 281.239.1577 (This phone is located in my office at
Fort Bend Tech Center, not Sugarland)
– Checked once a day as early as possible. Instructor’s email address – bibusc@wcjc.edu - Checked once a day as early as possible. Instructor’s webpage for 1302 – http://facultyweb.wcjc.edu/cbibus/i_1302_main.htm
- Provides handouts you may view
online or copy to your computer or flash drive. |
Instructor’s Office
Hours and Office Location – Office Hours at FBTC: 9:30-11:00 (MWF), 12:50-1:50
(M), 12:50-2:50 (W). Office Hours at SUGUH: 8:55-9:25 (TTR); 12:05-1:05 (T);
12:05-12:35 (TR) - Or by appointment. |
Course Catalog
Description – Continuation of HIST 1301, covering the
period from the close of Reconstruction to the present, with emphasis upon
the United States in the contemporary world. |
Instructor’s Grading
System – Student grade will be determined by reading
quizzes (to help you determine what you
need to read), preparation for class (reading before class and readiness to take notes in class), a short essay on content essential to understanding
how history changes, and objective exams ending each of the three major time
periods, or Units, covered in the course. Students also write the essay exams
ending Unit 1, Unit 2, and Unit 3. Alternatively, for their third written
assignment, students may choose to write a more challenging writing
assignment, a comparison. All written assignments are graded using the
Evidence Rubric/Checklist for the course. See syllabus for course policies,
exam dates, grading policies, and points for each type of assignment. |
Instructor’s Attendance
Policy – Attendance
will be taken daily at the beginning of the class. |
Last day to “Drop”
course with grade of “W” – 11/16/2012 |
* Any student
with a disability or other special circumstance requiring academic
accommodations or other consideration in order to successfully complete the
requirements of this course should identify himself or herself individually to
the instructor to discuss the matter in a private and confidential manner.
** Misconduct for which discipline may be administered
at WCJC includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly
furnishing false information to the college (plagiarism and cheating refer to
the use of unauthorized books, notes, or otherwise securing help in a test,
copying tests, assignments, reports, or term papers).
American History 1302
Syllabus –
Fall 2012
Instructor: C.J. Bibus,
Ed.D. |
U.S.
History from 1877 |
Wharton County Junior
College |
Course
Website: http://facultyweb.wcjc.edu/cbibus/i_1302_main.htm
|
Office Phone:
281.239.1577–Checked once a day as early as possible. |
Email:
bibusc@wcjc.edu–Checked once a day as
early as possible. |
Office: Fort Bend Tech
Center 240-G (MWF) |
Location
at Sugar Land: SUGUH 234, faculty area (TTR) |
Office Hours at FBTC:
9:30-11:00 (MWF), 12:50-1:50 (M), 12:50-2:50 (W). Office Hours at SUGUH:
8:55-9:25 (TTR); 12:05-1:05 (T); 12:05-12:35 (TR) - Or by appointment. |
Prerequisite: THEA reading and writing
requirements met. HIST 1301 recommended, but not required.
Course Description: Continuation of HIST 1301,
covering the period from the close of Reconstruction to the present, with
emphasis upon the
Course Objectives:
1)
to develop critical thinking skills which would include the knowledge,
comprehension, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of the significant events of
2)
to enable the student to understand the primary elements of cultural
heritage and the cultural diversity of the
3)
to foster in the student an understanding of the uses of historical
knowledge, to show how the past helps to explain the present, and to assist the
student in developing an historical perspective in and for one’s personal life
4)
to provide students with a base of historical knowledge and the tools to
further their studies in other disciplines and as transfer students to other
colleges
Academic and Personal Integrity: Consequences of plagiarism
and cheating during examinations include referral to administrators without any
opportunity for making redress, a failing grade for the course, disciplinary
probation, or suspension (dismissal). Plagiarism and cheating include use of
unauthorized books or notes, securing help in a test, or copying tests or
assignments; they will result in a failing grade for the assignment. If any
portion of a writing assignment is copied from the Internet or another source,
the result will be an F (0) on the
assignment.
Attendance Policy: Attendance will be taken
daily at the beginning of the class. I will consider active attendance throughout the course favorably when computing
final grades that are borderline (needing 2 points to become the higher grade).
Active attendance means 1) using quizzes to determine what you need to read, 2)
reading carefully and determining what you need help on before class, and 3) using that
preparation before class to
participate positively in problem solving in
class.
Classroom Civility: Disruptive behavior that is
a consistent problem will result in the student’s dismissal from this course.
The term “classroom disruption” means behavior a reasonable person would view
as substantially or repeatedly interfering with the conduct, instruction, and
education of a class. Examples include resorting to physical threats or personal
insults, coming to class under the influence of alcohol or a controlled
substance other than prescriptions, or abusing students or instructors with
offensive remarks. They also include repeatedly leaving and entering the
classroom without authorization, making loud or distracting noises, persisting
in speaking without being recognized, using cellular phones and/or similar
devices during class. (If needed, an empty desk near the door will be available
for them.)
Due Dates and Your
Responsibilities: It
is your responsibility to talk to me if you do not know what to do or need
help. The earlier we talk, the better your chances. With due dates for Unit Exams (essay or objective
parts) and the History Changes Essay, there are no extensions unless it is appropriate
to make an extension available to all of you. You have these responsibilities:
1.
If your planning at
the beginning of the term shows you cannot do these assignments on time, such
as having previously scheduled a trip, tell me immediately and suggest an earlier date for you do the assignment.
2.
If something
happens that you cannot plan for, such as suddenly becoming very ill (doctor’s
note required) or having a death in the family, call and email me immediately
and provide a valid, written excuse. With a valid, written excuse, these rules apply.
- If you miss any objective exam, your make-up exam is all essay and is taken
on the date of the Final Exam.
- If you miss the History Changes Essay or an essay exam, you receive an
extension, set by me, with no penalty.
This course provides online resources from my faculty website. These
resources can save you time and match how you prefer to learn. You
can view, print, or save these resources to your computer or a flash drive. If
you need help in learning how to do this, please ask, including if you want the
benefit of online resources even though:
§
you have limited Internet access
§
you have limited computer access
If you have neither, see me for alternatives for assignment instructions
and for the one resource you cannot get from class.
Tip: I do not recommend printing anything except resources that can help you take notes efficiently in class.
The course consists of
three Units or major time periods that reveal shifts in our history:
§
Unit 1: Creating a New America - How America Changed from
the 1860s to 1900
§
Unit 2: Moving to the World Stage - America from 1900 to
1940
§
Unit 3: Transformations – America from 1940 to the 21st
Century
Your Course Website
provides content for the three Units. Each Unit is organized in the same way:
1.
Each Unit begins with a
list of all possible essay questions you might be asked in the essay
part of the exam that ends the Unit.
2.
Each Unit has three subdivisions, about
one-third of the content, to make learning more manageable.
Each of the subdivisions within a Unit is organized
in the same way. Each has: §
A link listing all of the approximately 40
questions in a Reading Quiz §
Aids, including for self-testing, to help
you save time and to make it easier to take notes in class When we complete the content, you take a paper quiz
of 10 questions chosen from the 40. Practical realities of paper quizzes in class mean
that quizzes happen one time only with no
make-up permitted. |
3.
Each ends with a section, Bringing It All
Together, to help you bring together content from the beginning to the end of
the Unit so you can see where the major shifts are occurring. To help your
understanding, use these aids as you
work through the Unit.
There are no surprises in
the two parts of the exams:
§
For the essay part of the exam, you know all
possible essay questions from the list that began the Unit (# 1 above).
§
For the objective part of the exam, you know all
possible objective questions (about 120) from the combination of the three
Reading Quizzes (# 2 above).
Although there are no surprises
to students in the two parts of the exam, each student sees a different essay
and objective exam:
§
From that list of all essay questions (# 1
above), there are a minimum of four paper versions of the essay exam, each with
a few choices for the two essays
§
From the 120 objective questions (# 2 above),
there are four paper versions of the exam each with 40 questions
The
grading system adds points to determine your grade. You can—and
should—determine your current total as you earn points and save any returned
papers until the end of the course. If you need help in estimating your average
during the course, just ask. Your Total at the end of the course determines
your letter grade. An A is 900+ points; a B, 800+ points; a C, 700+ points; a
D, 600+ points, and an F, 594 or fewer points. If your final average is .5 or
higher, the grade is rounded up. For example, if you have:
§
An average of 89.5% (895 points earned ÷ 1000 points possible), you have an A
§
An average of 89.4% (894 points earned ÷ 1000 points possible), you have a B
Consider in your planning for success the small
extra credits provided in the course to encourage habits that help you do
better work and therefore earn a higher grade. You identify the extra credits
that you plan to do at the beginning of the course.
The table shows the percentage of the total grade
for types of assignments, their points, and a description.
Percent |
Points |
Description of
Each Course Assignment |
20% |
200 |
40 points: Preparation (reading before class, taking notes in class) – 16 points for Unit 1, 12
for Unit 2, 12 for Unit 3. 10 points:
History Changes Essay. 150 points, 2 essays at 25 points at the end of
Units 1, 2, and 3 (each 50 points). |
10% |
100 |
10 objective Reading Quizzes done in class at 10
points each – There are 9 quizzes (3 for each of 3 Units) to help you
determine what you need to read and
a 10th quiz to help you refresh your memory for the Final Exam. |
20% |
200 |
Unit 1’s Exam Objective (200 points, 40 questions
at 5 points each). |
20% |
200 |
Unit 2’s Exam Objective (200 points, 40 questions
at 5 points each). |
20% |
200 |
Unit 3’s Exam Objective (200 points, 40 questions
at 5 points each). |
10% |
100 |
Final Exam, objective – The History Department’s
exam covers the entire course. If not
taken, an F for the Course. |
100% |
1000 |
Total Points for the Course – This means that I divide your Total by 1000 to determine your
average. |
Reading Quizzes Within Unit 1, 2, and 3: Use these quizzes before you read to identify key content
to notice when you read. You
can use the saved or printed link as a place to record such things as where you
found the answer in the textbook.
Objective Part of the Exams That End Unit 1, 2, and
3: The
content in this exam is in the Basic Organization of the Course.
Final Examination That Ends the Course: The
Final Exam was written by the History Department.
It is multiple choice and covers the entire course. Students who do not
take the Final Exam receive an F for the course (not just the exam itself).
The
course provides a paper quiz, Quiz J (for 10 points), to help you refresh your
memory of approximately 100 questions from Quizzes A through I. You can see a
link to all of the questions in Quiz J.
History Changes Essay:
A lab for a chemistry
or biology class is equivalent to what writing
about history is for history. Chemistry or biology instructors may do an
introductory lab so students know what to do in a lab and how grading works.
For this history course, the History Changes Essay is the introductory lab so
everyone must do it. After the date in the Course Schedule, when you click on
the History Changes Essay at the Course Website, you see all possible
questions, a table comparing the content (also provided as a handout), the
specific parts of the textbook for that content, and resources to help you.
You take the History Changes Essay in
class, and you may use your textbook during the class. You each receive a
half-sheet of paper with one question from the list of possible
questions. You must answer the question that you receive. You write briefly
(and not on the back) according to the Evidence Checklist/Rubric and the
Goal for Written Assignments (both on the next page).
Essay Part of the Exams That End Unit 1, 2, and 3
(Each at 50 Points): The content in an essay exam is covered in the Basic Organization of
the Course. Alternatively, for your third written assignment,
you may choose to write a more challenging writing assignment, a comparison. If you want more information
on this alternative, contact me.
The term checklist/rubric
indicates this is both a checklist for success with evidence and a way to give
feedback. The items in the checklist, abbreviated as CL 1
through CL 5, are common standards in academics and for jobs that depend on
evidence, but they are written very informally and specifically to what you
need to do in this course.
CL 1 |
For your source of facts,
you use only the textbook chosen
by the History Department and the sources provided
at our Course Website. Do not use
Internet websites, another textbook, or any other source—including your own
memory. |
CL 2 |
You may write facts in your
own words or you may use exact words from the textbook as long as you use
quotation marks according to the specific rules in The Bedford Handbook. For example, you cannot copy an author’s
phrases without quotation marks or just replace a few words in an author’s
sentence. This is what The Bedford
Handbook calls “half-copy” plagiarism (page 692). |
CL 3 |
If you use another’s words,
you must be sure either not to change them or—if you change them—to follow
the specific rules in The Bedford
Handbook to reveal any changes you made to those words. |
CL 4 |
You must use the source to
verify what you write. If you cannot verify the fact, do not write it and do
not assume that the source agrees with you. If you are certain something is
true and you cannot find it clearly in our sources, ask me for help. - If a question is about
something specific (such as a time, type of person, or region), verify that
the source is about that specific thing. - If the source covers facts
about two or more sides or positions, do not include only one side as though
the other did not occur. |
CL 5 |
With most writing work, if asked, you must be able to state exactly where (a specific page)
in the source that each fact came
from—whether you wrote the words or the author did. With the alternative
third assignment, you must cite according to the instructions. |
§
Keeping up increases odds for success. If you
score 9 or 10 on the paper Reading Quiz given in class, you earn 2 extra credit
points.
§
The History Changes Essay shows you a) how you work and b) how
your instructor grades using the Evidence Checklist/Rubric. If you make a low
grade and if you do not change how
you work, you will probably make a low grade on the other essays. You
can however figure out how you
work—and earn 10 extra credit points by following the instructions you
receive with your graded History Changes Essay. If you want simple ways to be
stronger, I am glad to help you.
Required Textbook: Edward Ayers,
Lewis Gould, David Oshinsky, and Jean Soderlund. American Passages: A
History of the United States. 2nd or 3rd or 4th
Edition, including those called a Compact Edition. If the book has 32 chapters,
it will work.
Caution: You cannot use the BRIEF, 4th edition which has 2 fewer chapters than the other editions, including the other 4th
editions. If you need details on how to recognize this book, just ask.
The
table shows the major dates and what you bring to class, what you do, the
section of the Course Website to use, and when content is visible. Units end in
a two-part exam—essays and objective. The Final Exam does not have an essay.
Date |
What You Do on
These Major Dates |
Section of
Course Website |
Content Visible |
8/27 |
Orientation – Syllabus, Course Website, and Your Course
Plan |
— |
— |
8/29S |
Departmental Pre-test |
— |
— |
|
Start Unit 1@ - In the
first days, you only see Reading Quiz A and its content. |
Click on Unit 1 |
8/29 |
9/01 |
No class (Labor Day Holiday) |
— |
— |
|
Write History Changes Essay – in ink, open book, last 30
minutes |
Click on History Changes Essay |
9/10 |
and 10/12N |
Take Unit 1’s Exam Objective (10/08) and Essays (10/12 last 25 min.) ON 10/10 Wednesday you must bring your
textbook. You will compare it with your writing (with my feedback on it) in
the last part of class and resolve the extra credit as well on the spot. |
— |
— |
Start Unit 2@ |
Click Unit 2 |
10/03 |
|
|
Take Unit 2’s Exam Objective (11/07) and
Essays (11/09-last ˝ hour) |
— |
— |
11/09N |
Start Unit 3@ |
Click
Unit 3 |
11/02 |
11/16 |
Last day you can drop a course (Our Department does not drop
students.) |
— |
— |
11/22-23 |
No class (Thanksgiving Holiday) |
— |
— |
12/07S &N |
Take Unit 3’s Exam Objective and Essays Options for Exam 3
Essays: For most of you writing the brief (but true) answers within the class
period after you finish the objective test will not be a problem, but you
also have these other options but you must tell me your plan by 12/05 with a
sheet I will send around in class. Your options for doing the essays at a
different time are: §
Make a mutually-agreed appointment to come on Wednesday
12/5 (FBTC) or Thursday 12/06 (Sugarland) §
Come from 9:30 to 11:00 on 12/07 to do the essays §
Come from 1:00 to 2:00 on 12/07 to do the essays |
— |
— |
|
Start to refresh for the Departmental Final
Exam with Quiz J. |
Click Final Exam - Quiz J |
12/07 |
12/12S Wed. |
10:15-12:15 - Take Quiz J and the Final Exam (1 Scan-tron for both.) |
— |
— |
@ Lectures follow the order of visuals in the
Unit. Reading Quizzes occur in class on the day we finish the content covered
by that quiz.
S Bring 1 Scan-Tron and a #2
lead pencil N Bring notebook paper and an ink pen.
Unit |
Content
Visible |
Chapters to
Use |
Part of the
Unit to Use for the Resources and the Reading Quizzes |
Reading Quiz |
Unit Ends |
|
Unit 1 |
8/29 |
16, 17 |
Reconstruction Abandoned; Beginning
of the Gilded Age |
Quiz A |
10/03 |
|
|
17, 18 |
Gilded Age Transformations |
Quiz B |
|
|
|
|
19 |
Turmoil and Expansion |
Quiz C |
|
|
|
Unit 2 |
10/03 |
20, 21 |
Progressivism: Roosevelt to Wilson |
Quiz D |
11/02 |
|
|
22, 23 |
World War I and Its Transformations Including Mass
Culture |
Quiz E |
|
|
|
|
24, 25 |
Great Depression, Seeds of the
New Deal, and The New Deal and New Challenges |
Quiz F |
|
|
|
Unit 3 |
11/02 |
26, 27 |
World War II; the Post-War |
Quiz G |
12/07 |
|
|
28, 29 |
1950s Transformations; The
Turbulent Years (The 1960s) |
Quiz H |
|
|
|
|
30, 31, 32 |
The Crisis of Confidence
(1969-1992 Era); Reagan to Clinton to Bush (1992-2000+) |
Quiz I |
|
|
I reserve the right to
modify the syllabus and the schedule during the semester.
This is the same table that you use to record your course plan. I suggest
strongly that you copy your choices here so you know what you said you planned
to do, and you can also record your grades as you earn them. That way you can
keep track of your own grade. You can determine your own average by dividing
your current total where you see each broad
line.
Possible Assignment or Extra Credit Available to You in This Course |
Possible Points for Assignment |
Possible Extra Credit |
X If You Plan to Do This |
Points You Actually Earned |
Divide Total by |
Reading Quiz A – quiz
in class |
10 |
0 |
|
|
|
Made 9 or 10 on the quiz in class |
0 |
2 |
|
|
|
History Changes Essay
– in class |
10 |
0 |
|
|
|
History Changes Essay extra credit |
0 |
10 |
|
|
|
Reading Quiz B – quiz
in class |
10 |
0 |
|
|
|
Made 9 or 10 on the quiz in class |
0 |
2 |
|
|
|
Reading Quiz C – quiz
in class |
10 |
0 |
|
|
|
Made 9 or 10 on the quiz in class |
0 |
2 |
|
|
|
Unit 1’s Preparation
for class% |
16 |
0 |
|
|
|
Unit 1’s Objective
Exam |
200 |
0 |
|
|
|
Unit 1’s Essay Exam (2
essays, 25 each) |
50 |
0 |
|
|
|
Your Current Total |
- |
- |
- |
|
306 |
Reading Quiz D – quiz
in class |
10 |
0 |
|
|
|
Made 9 or 10 on the quiz in class |
0 |
2 |
|
|
|
Reading Quiz E – quiz
in class |
10 |
0 |
|
|
|
Made 9 or 10 on the quiz in class |
0 |
2 |
|
|
|
Reading Quiz F – quiz
in class |
10 |
0 |
|
|
|
Made 9 or 10 on the quiz in class |
0 |
2 |
|
|
|
Unit 2’s Preparation
for class% |
12 |
0 |
|
|
|
Unit 2’s Objective
Exam |
200 |
0 |
|
|
|
Unit 2’s Essay Exam (2
essays, 25 each) |
50 |
0 |
|
|
|
Your Current Total |
- |
- |
- |
|
598 |
Reading Quiz G – quiz
in class |
10 |
0 |
|
|
|
Made 9 or 10 on the quiz in class |
0 |
2 |
|
|
|
Reading Quiz H – quiz
in class |
10 |
0 |
|
|
|
Made 9 or 10 on the quiz in class |
0 |
2 |
|
|
|
Reading Quiz I – quiz
in class |
10 |
0 |
|
|
|
Made 9 or 10 on the quiz in class |
0 |
2 |
|
|
|
Unit 3’s Preparation
for class% |
12 |
0 |
|
|
|
Unit 3’s Objective
Exam |
200 |
0 |
|
|
|
Unit 3’s Essay Exam (2
essays, 25 each) |
50 |
0 |
|
|
|
Your Current Total |
- |
- |
- |
|
890 |
Quiz J as a refresher
for the Final Exam |
10 |
0 |
|
|
|
Final Exam – If not taken, an F for the entire COURSE (not just the exam) |
100 |
0 |
X |
|
|
Your Current Total |
(1000 possible) |
(28 possible) |
- |
|
1000 |
% How I measure
Preparation: When I mark the seating chart (or change it if needed); when I
give 10-minute short essay questions in class.
WCJC Department: |
History – Dr. Bibus |
Contact Information: |
281.239.1577 or bibusc@wcjc.edu |
Last Updated: |
|
WCJC Home: |