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March 21, 2007
On the Precis Papers
Categories: Classes, EDUC 600
First, I want to thank all of you for your honest feedback on the precis paper assignment last night. It was very good for me to hear your perceptions and thoughts on this particular assignment and how it could be made better.
Since the semester is halfway through, I am reluctant to change the assignment in any fundamental way that would penalize folks who have written most of thier precis papers already. I don't want people to feel as if they have wasted their time writing these papers. By and large, I feel they have served their purpose, I am just looking for ways to revise things to make the assignment better.
Based on last night's feedback, I am thinking about the following revisions to the precis papers:
1. Allowing students to turn in precis papers on a given reading assignment after we've discussed that assignment in class. For example, you could turn in your precis paper on Conflict Theory next week.
2. Allowing people the option of writing "double" precis papers -- 4 page analytical pieces on a particualr reading. This would allow people to get into more depth with something they feel deserves longer treatment. These double papers would count as two papers and would be graded on a ten point scale.
Each student would still be required to turn in ten papers, with the knowledge that double papers count as two and are graded as two.
This doesn't penalize anyone who has already written their ten papers and is happy with the grades they have received.
Thoughts? We need to make a decision soon.
Also, remember to check this blog post for tips on the analysis aspect of the papers.
Posted by Nakia at March 21, 2007 09:42 AM