How the Class Works

I wanted to begin the course by giving you an overview of how this class works, so here goes:

• First off, you should begin each day by accessing our class website here and checking to see if I have posted anything new. This should always be your starting point for our class each day.
• The Syllabus will give you an overview of the Assignments for each Week. You should review it at the beginning of every week, so you can judge how you will need to budget your time.
• This is NOT a self-paced course. As you can see by the syllabus, there are specific due dates and times when assignments are due. Generally, the deadline for assignments will be 11:59 p.m. Arizona time on the date listed, unless otherwise specified.
• As you can see by the Grading Breakdown (click on the Grading link), Discussion is the most heavily weighted factor (40%) in calculating your final grade. That is because Discussion is the primary learning activity you will be engaged in on a regular basis throughout the semester. I cannot emphasize enough how important Discussion is in this class. This is where you synthesize the knowledge you've gained from the readings and watching the films. Semester after semester I have found that the students who do the best job of truly engaging in the Discussions learn the most, enjoy the course the most, score highest on the exams, and are the ones who earn A's for the course.
  
  Generally, you will have a Discussion due each week and I'll want you to post at least once before midnight Wednesday and at least once again before midnight Saturday. The purpose underlying the two times for posting is that I want you to read what your classmates have posted and to respond to each other. Do not be a hit-and-run poster who only makes their own posts but does not truly engage in the Discussion. Hit-and-run posters learn the least and miss out on the fun of the discussion.
  
  
  Be sure to read the overview on Discussion (click on the Discussion link) which explains the requirements and mechanics of the Discussion in far greater detail as well as how Discussions are graded.
• The Critical Analysis is worth 30% of your final grade. Click on the Critical Analysis link above for an explanation of the assignment.
• The Final Exam is also worth 30% of your final grade and will be cumulative. You take the Final on LearningStudio. The exams will include True/False, Multiple Answer, Multiple Choice, Fill-in-the-blank(s), and Matching questions. The exam covers the readings as well as the assigned films.
• You must also know the assigned films well. I recommend that you watch each assigned film at least twice—the first time simply for pleasure and the second time in a more analytical manner. Some of the exam questions simply test whether or not you actually watched the film closely. For example, in another version of the Studies in International Film course, we watch Renoir's The Rules of the Game. In this film, Octave (a major character) dresses up as a bear during a party. In the past, I've asked students a fill-in-the-blank question asking what costume Octave wears at one point during the party scene. Anyone who watched the film should be able to answer this question easily. When someone cannot, it sends up a red flag for me. Other questions regarding the films are much more analytical and serious in nature. For example, you should know why the cinematography in films like Breathless were considered revolutionary.
  
  
  The Final is an open book/open note exam; however, there will be a time limit which means you will not have much time to look for answers. What I am saying is that you need to study for the exam to do well. I know it seems silly to have to say that, but for some reason each semester there are some students who think that because this is a film class the exams will be easy. Trust me, that is NOT the case.
• Email –yours and mine. The best way to reach me is via email. I check it several times a day and will almost always get back to you within 24 hours at the latest during the week and 48 hours on weekends. My emails to you will use your ASU email address. It is up to you to check your ASU email (or have it forwarded to the email server you use most). But again, I want to emphasize that my emails will go to your ASU email. Do not ask me to send it to another account.
• Late work. I do not accept late assignments unless they are cleared with me ahead of time.
• Getting the films. As noted in the Films link, it is up to you to acquire the films for the course. If you are using a rental service, as I recommend you do, be sure to plan ahead so that you have the films when you need them. Refer to the Syllabus to see when we will be studying each film.
  
  Hopefully, this overview has given you a general idea of what to expect from the course. As always, should you have any questions, please email me. And again, welcome to the class.