Assignments

Quizzes and Participation (10%)

Blog Posts (30%)

Skill Assignments (40%)

Final Exhibit and Reflection (20%)

Quizzes and Participation (10%)

I may give a short, in-class quiz any day when reading is assigned. If non-textual media is assigned (digital exhibits, podcasts, etc.), the quiz may also ask about the form of the media and how it impacts the argument. Any handwritten notes can be used during the quiz; digital devices will not be permitted until the quiz is over. I will drop the two lowest quiz grades at the end of the semester.

There will also be occasional participation assignments that will be worth 5% of your total grade.

Blog Posts (30%)

You will be expected to complete ten blog posts throughout the semester. Sometimes they will ask you to respond to, synthesize, or engage with the historical and digital content in your readings and class discussions. Other times, they will be more focused on outlining your process as you work through each skill assignment. Each blog post should be 350-500 words, and will be graded based on the blog post guidelines. More detailed criteria and deadlines for each post will be available in the course schedule and in class.

Skill Assignments (40%)

Throughout the semester you will asked to demonstrate your understanding of a number of digital skills to ask historical questions and make historical arguments. The 8 skills are: (1) metadata, (2) place-based storytelling, (3) image analysis, (4) timelines, (5) text analysis, (6) mapping, (7) sound analysis, (8) graphic arguments. Each assignment will be graded based on the skill assignment guidelines. More detailed criteria and deadlines for each assignment will be available in the course schedule and in class.

Final Project (20%)

Your final assignment will be to build an Omeka exhibit that demonstrates a working knowledge of the New Deal and the possibilities for digital history. This will include reusing items you produced throughout the semester as well as creating and integrating new ones. In addition to the exhibit you will write a blog post that describes your process and the major themes and skills you learned over the semester. This will be slightly longer than the other blog posts, 750-1000 words. A proposal for your exhibit will be the last week of class and make up 5% of your final grade. The remaining 15% will be split between the exhibit and blog post. More details will be available in the course schedule.

Late Assignment Policy

Each student will be given 5 late days to be used for any assignment (excluding the final project) as long as you have informed me AT LEAST TWENTY FOUR HOURS ahead of the due date and let me know how many days you are using. You can use them all at once, or space them out over the semester (for example, you can give yourself an extra day for five projects or five extra days for one project). Use these wisely. Once you are out of late days, late work will drop a point each day and will be given no credit after three days. 

*Clarifications: "Assignments" above means only skill assignments and blog posts. If the skill and blog are linked, one late day can be used for both assignments. If there are two assignments due on the same day you must specify which assignment you are using your day for. 

Extra Credit Policy

I will assign at least two extra credit blog posts throughout the semester. There also may be additional extra credit opportunities for attending lectures or workshops in the area. Please take advantage of these opportunities as they come up, and please do not ask for extra credit outside of these assignments as it is unlikely your request will be granted. 

Grading Scale