• This syllabus mostly addresses procedures, expectations, and so on. For an overview of the focus and approach of the course, see the Home, Overview page. For due dates and similar of assignments, Assignments.

Expectations

General

BY ENROLLING IN THIS COURSE, you agree to abide by expectations set forth in this syllabus and in other course-related documents.

Expectations include:

• Adherence to the the University's standards and regulations regarding academic honesty
• Respectful and courteous treatment of others participating in this class, both while class is in session and between meetings. That means:
  • No distractive, discourteous, disrespectful, or offensive (racially, sexually, etc.) action or speech, as per the Code of Student Conduct.
  • No distractive or otherwise inappropriate use of electronic devices.
  • Similarly, no unnecessarily disruptive comings or goings in/out of class. (When nature calls, that's one thing. When a roommate calls about plans that evening, kindly leave it till after class.)
  • No activity not related to class.

Failure to abide by these expectations could result in dismissal from the course or disciplinary action.

Academic Honesty

• What follows covers a wide variety of cases, some of which may not apply to this particular class.

What is academic honesty? It's the ability to say that:

• Your work really is yours
• You've pointed out how you've relied on the work (words, ideas, research, etc.) of others
• You have done nothing to interfere with others' work

As for academic dishonesty, that includes:

• Plagiarism, i.e., presenting as if one's own the ideas, research, writing, etc. that one has got from other sources, human or otherwise; also, the failure to acknowledge properly your reliance on other's research, writing, and so on. "Other's research, writing, and so on" includes artificial intelligence (AI). Improper use of AI will be treated as academic dishonesty
  • Permissible use of AI is confined only to top-level Google searches or similar, that is, to search strings like: "What is the date of the Declaration of Independence?" "What was the Areopagus?" "What is backwards outlining?" — basic stuff. Asking Google, ChatGPT, or other AI engines to come up with ideas (brainstorming), to research ideas (research), to organize ideas (outlining), to express ideas in words (writing), to do anything like that will be treated as academic dishonesty
    • Papers and oral presentations (not quizzes, blue-book exams, etc.) must be accompanied by a separate written statement affirming adherence to academic honesty requirements and explaining use or non-use of AI in creating the the paper or presentation in question. If you didn't use AI, say so ("I did not use AI for this paper/presentation"). If you made any use of it, say so and explain how you used it. Falsified statements will be treated as academic dishonesty.
  • AI research is hazardous in other ways as well, as it is rarely documents its sources properly. In other words, AI plagiarizes, and in using it, you run the risk of plagiarizing, too
    • Is it academic dishonesty to ask AI to come up with bibliography? Possibly not, but AI notoriously does a poor job researching, as it too often comes up with secondary sources that are too general, too old, too whatever. I tell you not to use Wikipedia because it is deficient in all sorts of ways. AI relies on Wikipedia
• Cheating, i.e., giving or receiving unauthorized help for an exam, test, quiz, or other assessment
• Multiple submission, i.e., submitting substantial portions of the same work for credit more than once
• "Recycling" of papers (submitting one paper to more than one class)
• Unauthorized collaboration on assignments, etc.
• Intentional fabrication/misrepresentation of evidence, sources, etc.
• Forgery (of signatures, of paper-authorship, etc.)
• Sabotage (undermining efforts of other students)
• Bribery (inducements to affect grade)
• Fabrication of excuses concerning (i.e., lying about) absence, need for make-ups, etc.
• Unauthorized note-taking, i.e., arranging to have someone not enrolled in the class attend to take notes*
  • * If SSD approves your use of a note-taker, I need to be informed.
• Unauthorized distribution of notes
  • For this last I don't mean the occasional sharing of notes with friends unable to make a given class meeting — not forbidden, but don't make a habit of it. I mean note-sharing as a service or a regular practice.

One thing that enrollment in this course entails is compliance with University Academic Policies. That includes consenting, as appropriate, to submit written work to Turnitin.com or to other websites/databases likewise designed to confirm originality.

Note that any instance of academic dishonesty, even an SWA generated by AI, will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action — a failing course grade, referral of the case to the Academic Honesty Committee — at the instructor's discretion. For more information, please consult the University Academic Policies page.

In-Class Use of Laptops, Other Electronic Devices

Use of laptops and similar devices in class is encouraged, but under the following restrictions:

• Laptops, smart phones, other electronic devices are to be used ONLY for your note-taking, other class-related use — nothing else!
  • By enrolling, you implicitly consent to my monitoring of device use during class, i.e., don't be surprised if I look over your shoulder, so. . .
  • No googling, no gaming, no online shopping, no social-media checking, no emailing, no anything unrelated to class
  • No audio recording in class without my permission, and only for your personal use
  • No video recording at all
• All such devices to be turned OFF and placed OUT OF SIGHT during quizzes, in-class writing, or similar. See further the Academic Honesty section of this syllabus.

Those who fail to abide by the above conditions will lose the privilege of using such devices, even for valid purposes, in class.

Students with Special Needs

Students with special needs are strongly encouraged to contact the office for Services for Students with Disabilities here on campus. I am more than happy to talk with them as well. Should a student need an accommodation, they should arrange for that with Services for Students with Disabilities.

Updating of Course Pages

Course-related materials maintained by the instructor will be added to as needed but otherwise will remain substantially unchanged throughout the semester. It may, though, become necessary to update or modify them from time to time. The instructor (me!) therefore reserves the right to do so.

E-mail Contact

Every student taking this course will need to check BU E-mail addresses (username@binghamton.edu) on a regular basis, as that will be the principal medium for instructor-student communication outside class.

My E-mail is ascholtz@binghamton.edu. For my office hours, schedule, etc., visit the Contact, Schedule page.

Attendance, Absence, Tardiness

Attendance is required, as is prompt arrival at class; learning cannot happen if we are not there on time and participating. Attendance will be taken and will figure into the participation grade. Students with more than 7 unexcused absences (see just below) risk not receiving a passing grade. A pattern of unexcused tardiness can and will count as absence at the discretion of the instructor.

For regular class meetings, to leave class early unexcused will count as unexcused absence. No graded exercise scheduled for that meeting will be accepted. The same does not apply to midterm or final exams. If you finish those early you may leave early.

Students will have the opportunity to make up graded exercises (including exams) only in the event of excused absence.

Excusable Absence

IF YOU ARE ILL, or otherwise cannot make class for VALID REASONS (religious observance, job interview, important family function, etc.), please contact me AS SOON AS POSSIBLE via E-mail. Without timely E-mail notification, I will not credit missed classes. Note that excused absence does not figure into the total mentioned just above, 7 unexcused absences.

Excusable Absence/Lateness

• Illness
• A medical appointment
• Circumstances relating to a documented and agreed-to SSD accommodation
• Unforeseeable transport issue — vehicle breakdown, etc. — without alternative transport
• Unavoidable court date
• Job interviews, important family events, religious observances, etc.
• Disasters, traumatic events of various sorts

Inexcusable Absence/Lateness

• "I missed my bus" (get to the bus stop on time)
• "My parents made the vacation reservations without telling me" (tell them that's not a valid excuse)
• "I overslept" (set your alarm)
• Scheduling conflicts of any sort with other classes (please speak the other instructor or have them speak to me — they can't do that)

Make-Ups

In the event of excused absence on days when a graded exercise happens in class (quiz, midterm, that kind of thing), it is the student's responsibility to arrange for timely make-ups. By "timely," I mean IMMEDIATE. I do not reschedule merely to accommodate "busy" schedules, as that would be deeply unfair to others just as busy.

Think of it this way: Excusably absent from class Thursday, makeup Friday or Monday. Tuesday ordinarily too late.

Required Absence Due to Illness

If you are clearly and obviously sick enough that it interferes with your learning, obviously, stay home and get better; maybe see a doctor. Do not come to class. That is for your sake but it is also to prevent you from infecting others.

For more on attendance, see the University Bulletin.

Learning Objectives

GenEd (General Education) Student Learning Outcomes

O - Oral Communication

Students will:

• Demonstrate coherent college-level communication (oral) that informs, persuades, or otherwise engages with an audience;
• Evaluate communication for substance, bias, and intended effect; and
• Demonstrate the ability to revise and improve oral communication

T - Critical Thinking and Reasoning

Students will: 

• Clearly articulate an issue or problem;
• Identify, analyze, and evaluate ideas, data, and arguments as they occur in their own or others’ work;
• Acknowledge limitations such as perspective and bias; and
• Develop well-reasoned (logical) arguments to form judgments and/or draw conclusions

H - Humanities

Students will:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the conventions and methods of at least one of the humanities; and
• Recognize and analyze nuance and complexity of meaning through critical reflections on text, visual images, or artifacts

I - Information Literacy

Students will:

• Locate information effectively using tools appropriate to their need and discipline;
• Evaluate information with an awareness of authority, validity, and bias; and
• Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical dimensions of information use, creation, and dissemination

Harpur Writing "W" Courses

• Provide considerable experience in and feedback on writing as a tool of college-level teaching and learning
• Typically consist of a minimum of 10 pages of writing
• Written assignments constitute 30 to 100 percent of the basis for the grade in the course

Subject Matter-Specific Goals

To explore:

• Ancient Greek (especially Athenian) ideas about, and attitudes to, persuasion, and to do so through politics, literature, art, and culture generally
• The role played by persuasion and speech in the development of democracy at Athens
• Continuities and fissures between ancient and modern ways of viewing persuasion
• To gain "hands-on" familiarity with our subject matter through discussing, oral presentation, writing

Required Texts

• REGARDING REQUIRED TEXTS, it is recommended that we all work from the same editions, as we shall be dealing mostly with translations, which can vary widely. In class, I'll be be referring to required texts by editions listed or accessed as described listed below.

Texts for Purchase

Aeschylus. The Oresteia. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Books, 1984. Print. ISBN 9780140443332. Get from:

• Campus Bookstore
• Amazon (Kindle eBook always OK!)

Aristophanes. Acharnians; Lysistrata; Clouds. Trans. Jeffrey Henderson. Focus Classical Library. Newburyport, Mass.: Focus Pub./R Pullins, 1997. Print. ISBN 9780941051583. Get from:

• Campus Bookstore
• Amazon (Kindle eBook always OK!)

Plutarch. The Rise and Fall of Athens. Trans. Ian Scott-Kilvert. Marmondsworth, Middlesex and New York: Penguin Books, 1960. Print. ISBN 9780140441024. Get from:

• Campus Bookstore
• Amazon (Kindle eBook always OK!)

Online Readings Accessed via:

• Brightspace
• This "Bingdev" site

Online Access, Dual Web Sites

Speaking of online access, this course employs two separate web sites:

1. The "Bingdev" web site (where this syllabus resides), and,
2. The Brightspace course site.

The "Bingdev" web site will provide access to course-related information and materials of a non-secure, mostly static character, including:

• The Syllabus (i.e., this document)
• The Assignment schedule (separate from the Syllabus)
• Study guides
• Lectures / instructor's PowerPoints
• Various other informational pages, readings, and so on

The Brightspace course site (Brightspace > Spring 2017 - Persuasion in Ancient Greece) is mostly for materials and links OF A SECURE NATURE, things that should NOT be accessible to the general public via internet or Google: Journals, Turnitin links, etc.

E-mail Contact

You will need to check your University email on a regular basis, as that will be my primary way of contacting you. When you email me, kindly address your messages as follows: "Dear Prof. Scholtz" — I will not respond to "Hey," "Yo," or other inappropriately informal salutation.

My E-mail is ascholtz@binghamton.edu. For my office hours, schedule, etc., visit the "Contact" page.

Attendance, Absence, Tardiness

Attendance is required, as is prompt arrival at class; learning cannot happen if we are not there on time and participating. Attendance will be taken and will figure into the participation grade. Students missing 7 or more classes without valid excuse (see following) will not be permitted to pass the course. A pattern of tardiness can and will count as absence(s) at my discretion.

To leave class early unexcused will count as absence; any graded exercise due that day in class will count as zero. (Don't leave after quizzes!)

IF YOU ARE ILL or otherwise cannot make class, or expect not to be able to make a given class or classes, for VALID REASONS (religious observance, job interview, important family function, University functions as per Rules Governing Academic Life), please contact me AS SOON AS POSSIBLE via E-mail to receive credit for any missed class and to reschedule any missed in-class assessments. Otherwise, I won't be able to assign credit either for attendance or for the assessment or assignment.

• Think of it this way: Excusably absent from class Thursday, makeup Friday or Monday. Tuesday ordinarily too late.

Non-Excusable Absence includes:

• Oversleeping / alarm-clock malfunction
• Absentmindedness (keep track of class- and assignment-schedules)
• Car problems and the like (reliable transportation is your responsibility)
• Long-weekends, vacation "extenders," travel reservations
• Unexcused early departure from class-meeting (counts as absence)

For the University's class attendance policies, see the University Academic Policies.

Assessment of Student Work (grading)

participation	15% (includes in-class discussion)
SWAs	15%
quizzes	10%
Gorgias paper pitch	10% (includes your feedback for others)
Gorgias paper	10%
epideixis	20% (includes your feedback for others)
Final paper	20%

Participation, Reading, Preparation, etc.

General

Assignments must be done, and on time, which is to say, by the time indicated on the assignment schedule. Readings must be completed by the class period for which they're due.

I am not planning any online discussion forums. Rather, in-class discussion will be partly structured, partly unstructured. This participatory part of the grade will count a full 15%. Discussion will mostly center on issues and topics listed on the schedule of assignments and on study guides.

• INSTRUCTOR'S CALLING ON STUDENTS
  • Don't be surprised when I call on you in class. I do this a lot; it actually works well
    • My in-class questions rarely put you on the spot
    • Open-ended, the questions solicit response, reaction, engagement
    • They often seek response to the comments of your fellow students — they seek to generate dialogue
• RESPECT FOR ONE'S OWN AND OTHERS' THOUGHTS
  • Our communication in class has to be class-related, orderly, and respectful
  • At the same time, it must happen. We're engaging in dialogue, not showing off. Participation "A"s aren't about genius thoughts; they're about being part of the process of brainstorming and vetting ideas

Study Guides

You should understand that study guides are assigned reading.

• Designed to be user friendly, especially for those new to ancient Greece, study guides introduce readings and related material, including background (historical, etc.) crucial to make sense of it all
• Study guides clue you in to important topics for discussion in class and for SWAs

Study guides can be accessed via the "Assignments" page next to each reading assignment. Plus, there is a section devoted to them on the Site Index.

Short Critical-Thinking Writing Assignments (SWAs)

To get you thinking, reading, writing, and generally preparing for class, you will be assigned short, critical-thinking writing assignments (SWAs) keyed into reading assignments. These will be due prior to class on the same day that a given reading is due.

What are SWAs? Think of them as lying somewhere between low- and high-stakes writing. On the one hand, they have you engage, probably for the first time, with texts and/or artifacts and associated issues. Nothing definitive or brilliant is expected. Neither, though, should students blow off these assignments. The basic expectation is a good-faith effort at critical thinking and decent writing, not the last word brilliantly expressed on a topic.

If done right, these exercises will prepare you for paper writing.

SWAs will be graded as follows:

100 points. Entry clearly makes a good-faith effort to meet or exceed expectations

66 points. Entry exists but falls short of expectations

0 points. Entry doesn't exist or is nowhere near being adequate, or violates academic-honesty requirements (academic-honesty violations entail penalties as per above)

Meets/exceeds expectations means that you:

• Do the reading and show that you have
• Write no fewer than 150 and no more than 250 words
• Write on point, i.e., not something unrelated to the SWA prompt
• Exhibit critical-thinking in action by
  • Stating your position on the prompt supplied on study guides
  • Acknowledging opposing viewpoints, actual or possible
    • Think of this as preparing for a debate. If you can't address or anticipate arguments contrary to yours, you can't defend yours, either.
  • Backing up arguments with appropriate evidence, especially that drawn from readings
• Use clear, grammatical language, proper punctuation, and proper usage of vocabulary as per Purdue Owl

Quizzes

There will be TWO FACT-BASED QUIZZES (no exams!) — multiple choice IDs dealing with readings and lecture / discussion: titles of readings, authors' names, relevant terms. The purpose of these will be to encourage you to keep up with the material. No essays, no interpretation.

Note that, in addition to the readings themselves, the terms page should be of use here, along with lectures and study guides, not to mention your notes.

These quizzes are important, a full letter's-worth of grade (10%). Take good notes, pay attention in class, keep track of basic text facts as appropriate — authors, titles, approximate dates, situations, subject matter, main characters, etc. I do not quiz for obscure details, precise dates, or the like.

For the timely making up of quizzes missed with valid excuse, please click here.

Oral Presentations

In fulfillment of the requirements for O-"Oral" GenEd courses, there will be two solo oral presentations:

Gorgias paper pitch. A five-minute preview, with explanation and PowerPoint, of a topic of your choice, but relating to Plato's Gorgias and to issues addressed in class.

Ten-minute epideixis, that is, a speech demonstrating your skill with oral argument; no PowerPoint. Like the Gorgias paper pitch, this will relate to your paper writing, in this case, the final paper on the question, "Was classical Athens (508-323 BCE) a democracy?"

For details on both presentations, see the dedicated Oral Presentations page.

Papers

In fulfillment of the Harpur Writing "W" requirement, there will be two papers:

• A three-page researched paper on the same topic as that announced in your Gorgias paper pitch
• A six-page research paper relating to the topic, "Was classical Athens (508-323 BCE) a democracy?"

For details on both papers — expectations, topics, grading, etc. — see the dedicated Papers page.