This syllabus is subject to change based on specific class needs, especially the schedule. Significant deviations will be discussed in class. Individual exceptions to the policies and schedule are granted only in cases of true emergency. Please make arrangements with me if an emergency arises.
Inquiry & Identity is a transition into the Monmouth College learning community which values the spirit of inquiry in pursuit of academic excellence. I&I sections are taught by faculty from departments across campus, and I&I instructors also serve as academic advisers for first-year students.
I&I courses invite first-year students to delve into questions of human values and purposes. These are the central values of the liberal arts. Through them and through our work with common texts, convocations and other activities, we consider the meaning and significance of complex issues.
In addition to exploring a liberal arts educational philosophy and supporting students’ transition to college, discussions and activities in this course draw on concepts in the course’s title: Inquiry, which is an active process of engaging fully in the process of learning, and Identity, which is an exploration of the diverse, intersectional and multifaceted qualities of self-hood and belonging.
This year FYII will be assessed on learning objective #6.
The following texts are required:
Sanders, Matthew L. 2012. Becoming a Learner: Realizing the Opportunity of Education. Institute for Communication and Leadership. (given at summer orientation or mailed to you)
Other sources will be posted on this webpage as needed.
The weekly workload for this course will vary by student and by week but should be about 12.5 hours per week on average. The following table provides a rough estimate of the distribution of time over different course components for a 16 week semester, as well as detailing the type, amount, and relative value of all assignments.
| Category | Final Grade Weight | Time/Week (Hours) |
|---|---|---|
| Class/Convocation | 20% (Participation) | 3.5 |
| Exams/Exam Prep | 15% | 1 |
| Reading Assignments/Class Prep | 45% | 6 |
| Experience-based Writing | 20% | 2 |
| 12.5 |
Your final grade is based on a weighted average of particular assignment categories. You can estimate your current grade based on your scores and these weights. You may always visit the instructor outside of class to discuss your current standing. Assignments and final grades use a standard grading scale shown below and will not be curved except in rare cases when deemed necessary by the instructor.
No extra credit will be given on an individual basis.
This is reading-focused course, so every day there will be reading assignment and a quiz, homework question(s), or writing assignment based on the reading. Examples include close-reading, annotation, or weekly mini-essay assignments.
Your lowest 4 reading-based assessment scores will be dropped.
As opposed to the reading-Based writing that connects directly to the readings of the course, experience-based writings respond to other required components of the course such as convocations and outside events.
You will be assigned a written response for each convocation, unless otherwise specified. More information can be found in the convocation assignment sheet.
Over the course of the semester you must attend and participate in three “outside events” during the semester. “Outside” means “not a regular part of class,” not “outdoors” or “off campus.” You’ll be expected to write a short reflection about the event and relate it to the themes of the class. More information can be found in the assignment sheet.
At the end of the semester there will be an open-notes comprehensive exam, worth 15% of your grade.
This is a discussion-based class, so it is essential that you come prepared to actively participate. This can take many forms, including: regular class attendance, carefully reading and annotating the assigned texts, sharing your thoughts, opinions, and insights during discussions, considering and raising opposing viewpoints, engaging in respectful dialogue with others, listening attentively to others’ perspectives, and following the discussion policies listed in the policies section.
At various points I may make use of the Socrative app, so you’ll need to install this on your phone. Participating in Socrative questions and with in-class group activities is required for a decent participation grade.
This courses uses a standard grading scale. Assignments and final grades will not be curved except in rare cases when its deemed necessary by the instructor. Percentage grades translate to letter grades as follows:
| Score | Grade |
|---|---|
| 94–100 | A |
| 90–93 | A- |
| 88–89 | B+ |
| 82–87 | B |
| 80–81 | B- |
| 78–79 | C+ |
| 72–77 | C |
| 70–71 | C- |
| 68–69 | D+ |
| 62–67 | D |
| 60–61 | D- |
| 0–59 | F |
You are always welcome to challenge a grade that you feel is unfair or calculated incorrectly. Mistakes made in your favor will never be corrected to lower your grade. Mistakes made not in your favor will be corrected. Basically, after the initial grading your score can only go up as the result of a challenge*.
TLDR: I expect you to (1) be respectful of others, and (2) take responsibility for your own learning. You are here to learn, so work hard and be professional.
Attendance: You are allotted a total of 4 unexcused absences (from class or Tuesday convocations/mentoring sessions) without direct penalty to your grade. On your fifth absense, you will fail the course. College-sanctioned events may be excused from this policy, but a reduction of the final grade may be an outcome of too many excused absences.. If you feel you may miss more class than this, contact Student Affairs who may then act on your behalf.
Late assignments: In general, late assignments will not be accepted. Exceptions may be made only for situations beyond your control. If you feel your reason is justified, schedule a meeting with the instructor to plead your case.
Discussions: The goal of a discussion is to understand and learn from the perspectives of others in order to better understand our own beliefs and the world around us. Your participation is vital both for your own learning experience and for those of your classmates. Thus participation will be grade not only on quantity, but on quality. You should respect individual differences and viewpoints – you are allowed and encouraged to disagree with other students, the professor, or the texts, but disagreement should always be expressed in a respectful manner inside and outside of the classroom (whether virtual or not).
Academic dishonesty: Monmouth College’s official policy on academic dishonesty can be found here. You are responsible for reading and complying with that policy.
In this course, any violation of the academic honesty policy will have varying consequences depending on the severity of the infraction as judged by the instructor. Minimally, a violation will result in an “F” or 0 points on the assignment in question. Additionally, the student’s course grade may be lowered by one letter grade. In severe cases, the student will be assigned a course grade of “F” and dismissed from the class. All cases of academic dishonesty must be reported to the Associate Dean who may decide to recommend further action to the Admissions and Academic Status Committee, including suspension or dismissal. It is assumed that students will educate themselves regarding what is considered to be academic dishonesty, so excuses or claims of ignorance will not mitigate the consequences of any violations
Citations: When writing, make it clear what text you are discussing. This information can be included in the first sentence of your written response, at the top of the page, or as part of your response to a specific question. ALWAYS INCLUDE A PAGE NUMBER with any information that is not yours. Signal when any information comes from a specific page of a text rather than being your original idea or personal observation/interpretation, whether that comes in the form of a direct quote, paraphrase, or summary.
Electronic devices: Do not use your phone or other devices in class except where necessary. Any computer or tablet usage should be related to the course. If a device is not being used for Zoom or Socrative it should be put away and turned on silent. Other usage is rude and distracting to others.
The following tentative calendar should give you a feel for how work is distributed throughout the semester. Assignments and events are listed in the week they are due or when they occur. This calendar is subject to change based on the circumstances of the course.
Note: All readings should be done before the class period in which they are listed below.
| Date | Topic | Assignment and Readings |
|---|---|---|
| Mon 08/21 (Week 1) | Logistics, Summer Reading | “Becoming a Learner” |
| Tue 08/22 | (Scot Start) | |
| Wed 08/23 | Summer Reading, “Only Connect”, Annotations | Only Connect |
| Fri 08/25 | Convocations, “How to Get the Most Out of College” | Reading |
| Mon 08/28 (Week 2) | “How to Read a Book” | Reading |
| Tue 08/29 | Convocation: Mark Wilhardt | |
| Wed 08/30 | Too Much Wisdom | HH intro, 1-1 appt. sched. |
| Fri 09/01 | (Success Coach: Time Management) | HH ch. 1 hwk |
| (Mon 09/04) (Week 3) | (Labor Day – no classes) | |
| Tue 09/05 | FYM Session: How to Be Successful | |
| Wed 09/06 | Elephant vs. Rider, Close Reading Tools/Strategies | HH ch. 1 |
| Fri 09/08 | The Glass Castle, Close Reading | GC 3-31 |
| Mon 09/11 (Week 4) | Meditation vs. Medication | HH ch. 2 |
| Tue 09/12 | Convocation: Sidney Greenwalt | |
| Wed 09/13 | Convocation Discussion/Meditation, GC Discussion | GC 32-61 |
| Fri 09/15 | Close Reading Examples, HH Discussion | HH ch. 3, Close Reading #1 Due |
| Mon 09/18 (Week 5) | GC 62-90 | |
| Tue 09/19 | FYM Session: Campus Involvement | |
| Wed 09/20 | HH ch. 4 | |
| Fri 09/22 | (No class) | |
| Mon 09/25 (Week 6) | Strategies for Reading Scholarly Sources | Reading Scholarly Sources |
| Tue 09/26 | Convocation: Tim Mousseau | |
| Wed 09/27 | GC 91-125 | |
| Fri 09/29 | HH ch. 5 | |
| Mon 10/02 (Week 7) | GC 129-154 | |
| Tue 10/03 | (No meeting – convocation moved to Thursday) | |
| Wed 10/04 | HH ch. 6, Mentor Office Hour | |
| Thu 10/05 | Convocation: Alumni Panel | |
| Fri 10/06 | GC 155-174, Close Reading #2 Due | |
| Mon 10/09 (Week 8) | HH ch. 7, VIA Survey | |
| Tue 10/10 | FYM Session: Stress Management | |
| Wed 10/11 | GC 175-213 | |
| (Fri 10/13) | (Fall Break) | |
| Mon 10/16 (Week 9) | HH ch. 8, Close Reading #3 Due | |
| Tue 10/17 | Convocation: Kristi Millar | Mentoring Day |
| Wed 10/18 | GC 214-241 | |
| Fri 10/20 | HH ch. 9 | |
| Mon 10/23 (Week 10) | GC 245-268, 1-1 appt. sched. | |
| Tue 10/24 | Convocation: Jesse Howard | |
| Wed 10/25 | HH ch. 10-11 | |
| Fri 10/27 | GC 269-288, Close Reading #4 Due | |
| Mon 10/30 (Week 11) | (No class) | |
| Tue 10/31 | FYM Session: Halloween Activities | |
| Wed 11/01 | (No class) | |
| Fri 11/03 | JM intro + ch. 1 | |
| Mon 11/06 (Week 12) | JM ch. 2 | |
| Tue 11/07 | Convocation: TBD | |
| Wed 11/08 | JM ch. 3 | |
| Fri 11/10 | JM ch. 4 | |
| Mon 11/13 (Week 13) | JM ch. 5-6 | |
| Tue 11/14 | Convocation: Kate Cross | |
| Wed 11/15 | JM ch. 7-8 | |
| Fri 11/17 | JM ch. 9 | |
| Mon 11/20 (Week 14) | JM ch. 10-11 | |
| Tue 11/21 | (No class) | |
| (Wed 11/22) | (Thanksgiving Break) | |
| (Fri 11/24) | (Thanksgiving Break) | |
| Mon 11/27 (Week 15) | JM ch. 12-13 | |
| Tue 11/28 | FYM Session: Semester Wrap-up | |
| Wed 11/29 | JM ch. 14-16, Epilogue, Postscript | |
| Fri 12/01 | Library Activity | |
| Mon 12/04 (Week 16) | (Class Cancelled) | |
| Tue 12/05 | Movie | |
| Wed 12/06 | Movie | |
| Tue 12/12 11:30 AM | Final Exam |
The Academic Support and Accessibility Services Office offers FREE resources to assist Monmouth College students with their academic success. Programs include supplemental instruction for difficult classes, drop-in and appointment tutoring, and individual academic coaching. The office is here to help students excel academically, since everyone can work toward better grades, practice stronger study skills, and mange their time better. Please email academicsupport@monmouthcollege.edu for assistance.
If you need course adaptions or accommodations because of a disability please make an appointment with me and/or with the Accessibility Services Office (ASO) (access@monmouthcollege.edu 309-457-2257) as soon as possible. The accessibility of this course for every learner is important to me. If at any time you experience a barrier to learning, please bring it to my attention and I will do my best to address it. At any point in the semester, if you encounter difficulty with the course or feel you could be performing at a higher level, consult with me.
Wellness on Campus: The College wants to support all aspects of your life on campus, including mental and physical health. We offer a health clinic in the lower level of McMichael Residence Hall (open M-F, 9am-1pm): healthcenter@monmouthcollege.edu, 309-536-6055. Mental healthcare will be available from anywhere through online provider TimelyCare, starting no later than October 1 of this year. Services include emergency “Talk Now,” counseling sessions, health coaching, medical services, psychiatry, prescriptions, digital self-care, and a peer community. More information on TimelyCare will be forthcoming soon. Until October 1st, students seeking mental health support are encouraged to contact Cindy Beadles, on campus counselor, August 24th – September 28th , Tuesday-Thursday, 1-5pm at cindybeadles@monmouthcollege.edu or call Heather Fisher at 309-457-2115. If you would like to be connected to additional local resources, please contact Dean Michelle Merritt at mmerritt@monmouthcollge.edu.
Always, students facing a crisis should contact Campus Safety at 309-457-3456 or the Police at 911. Suicide resources are The National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK, and the local Bridgeway Crisis Hotline at 800-322-7143.
Writing Tutoring: The Writing Center offers unlimited, free peer tutoring sessions for MC students. Peer writing tutors are trained to work with writers from any major, of any writing ability, on any type of writing assignment, and at any stage of the writing process, from planning to drafting to revising to editing. The Writing Center is located on the main floor of the Hewes library. No appointment is necessary!
Visit https://www.monmouthcollege.edu/offices/writing-center/ for the latest information on hours of operation and writing center workshops.