Diversity in Criticism and Analysis of the Arts (PHIL 461-I*)
California State University, Long Beach - Summer 2008
9:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. -- Monday - Thursday -- LA4-108
Monday, July 14 - Thursday, July 31, 2008
Julie Van Camp, Professor of Philosophy
OFFICE: MHB-703 FACULTY MAILBOX: Department of Philosophy MHB-917
TELEPHONE: office/voice mail: (562) 985-5854
fax: (562) 985-7135
E-MAIL: jvancamp@csulb.edu URL:http://www.csulb.edu/~jvancamp/461/
OFFICE HOURS: 9:00-9:30 before class in our classroom
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING
University General Education requirements for IC (Interdisciplinary) courses include
"substantial writing" throughout the semester, with the first writing assignment no later than the
fifth week of the semester (one-third of the course). We are required to compare and contrast
two methodologies throughout the semester, which will be criticism of art and philosophy of art.
University General Education requirements for HD (Human Diversity) courses require
consideration of at least two of these groups: African-American, Asian-American, Latino, Native
American, with a consideration of gender throughout. The course requirements and syllabus are
designed to meet these University requirements.
The semester grade will be based on two essay papers; an open-book essay final exam taken
in class; written discussion questions on the assigned readings; and class attendance, for a total
of up to 100 points plus up to 4 bonus points for outstanding in-class participation.
SHORT PAPER: DUE: Monday, July 21 (9:30 a.m.) (24 points) (Beachboard Turnitin)
You will write a 4-5 page essay (minimum: 1000 words) from a choice of questions available on
Beachboard Thursday, July 17, at 8:00 a.m. The focus of the assignment will be discussing
whether or not a certain object should count as "art." Papers must be submitted in wordprocessing form (Word, Wordperfect, or RTF) to the Beachboard Turnitin no later than 9:30
a.m., 7/21. Late papers will only be accepted for a mandated University attendance excuse,
such as serious illness documented with a physician's note.
MIDTERM PAPER: DUE: Monday, July 28 (9:30 a.m.) (24 points) (Beachboard Turnitin)
You will select one work of art from any discipline which you use as a "case study" for this
assignment. You will be required to find two examples of published critical writing about the
work, at least one and preferably two by a writer who is female, African-American, LatinoAmerican, Asian-American, and/or Native American. Examples of criticism may come from daily
newspapers, collections of criticism in books, art journals, etc. You are encouraged to use the
CSULB Electronic Databases of newspapers (such as Lexis/Academic Universe) to identify the
criticism. You will write a 6-8 page essay (minimum: 1600 words) comparing and contrasting the
criticism, considering the description, interpretation, and evaluation of the work. You will then
discuss whether and how gender and/or race seems to affect the criticism by the two critics.
Papers must be submitted in word-processing form (Word, Wordperfect, or RTF) to the
Beachboard Turnitin no later than 9:30 a.m., 7/28. Xeroxes of the two examples of criticism
must be submitted at class no later than Monday, July 28. (Digitized forms of the criticism may
be submitted instead to the Turnitin, if you have them.) You are encouraged to consult with the
instructor about the choice of works and criticism prior to the deadline. Late papers will only be
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accepted for a mandated University attendance excuse, such as serious illness documented
with a physician's note. Do not use any of the artworks or examples of criticism considered in
the class readings or class meetings.
FINAL EXAM: Thursday, July 31: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon (24 points)
You will have a two-hour in-class open-book essay exam at the last session of class. Bring at
least one bluebook to write in and your textbooks and notes from the course. You will be
presented with a work of art and will write (a) your own criticism of the work, including
description, interpretation, and evaluation, and (b) an analytical discussion imagining one thing
different about your own identity (either gender or race) and discussing whether and how your
criticism would be different. Make-up exams will be permitted only for University mandated
attendance excuses, such as serious illness documented with a physician's note.
You may also write on a laptop and submit your essay on a CD-rom or electronically if you can
get a wifi signal in the classroom. You are responsible for all technological requirements if you
choose this option.
Grading: 24 point assignments
Grade
Points
Grade
Points
Grade
Points
Grade
Points
A+
23-24
B+
17-18
C+
11-12
D+
5-6
A
21-22
B
15-16
C
9-10
D
3-4
A-
19-20
B-
13-14
C-
7-8
D-
1-2
REGULAR ATTENDANCE (10 points)
Classroom attendance is expected of all students. To encourage regular attendance, additional
points will be available for the course grade total. Attendance will be taken 10 times, on July 15,
16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30. (These are marked on the reading list.) You will receive 1
point for each class you attend. In order to receive a point for an "excused" absence, you must
document a University-mandated attendance excuse, such as serious illness documented with
a physician's note. Students will receive attendance points only for classes which they attend
substantially in full. Students who arrive late to sign the attendance sheet and leave shortly
thereafter will not receive any attendance credit. Attendance might be taken at any time during
the class, sometimes with a sign-in sheet and sometimes with written questions submitted to the
instructor. Signing the name of another student on the sheet constitutes cheating in this course
and is grounds for failing the entire course. If a friend/acquaintance asks you to sign for her/him,
tell them "no," as you don't want to risk being failed for the course.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (18 points)
For each of the eleven (11) assigned readings marked with a (D) in Units 3 and 4, you may
prepare a discussion question which you post on the Beachboard Discussion Board (the
threaded board - NOT the e-mail list-serv and NOT the virtual classroom chatroom). You can
earn up to 2 points for questions for each reading assignment marked with a D, for a maximum
of 18 points (9 of the 11 readings). Do not submit questions which can be answered with a
simple "yes" or "no" or which call merely for reporting or summarizing content in the article.
Questions should be framed so they might be used to lead a discussion with a class and/or
assigned as an essay question on the reading and should be at least 100 words each. Readings
for a single class from Barrett count as one reading assignment (maximum of 2 points).
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Deadlines: Discussion Questions
The deadline is 8:00 a.m. on the day we will be discussing that reading. You may post your
questions early, especially in the preceeding weekend, to meet the deadline. (We will not have
any required on-line discussion this semester, but you are encouraged to read the other
questions posted by students to help you frame the issues in the readings.)
TOTAL WEEKLY COMMITMENT OF TIME TO THIS COURSE: Ordinarily, in a college-level
course, for each one hour of class, students should spend two hours of time in preparation.
FINAL LETTER GRADES for the course will be assigned as follows:
Grade
Points
A
77-100
B
53-76
C
31-52
D
9-30
How the Course grade cut-offs are calculated: You can accumulate points in any way to
achieve a course grade. This shows what a hypothetical student would do to earn each grade.
assignments maximum
A
B
C
D
short paper
24
19
13
7
1
midterm
24
19
13
7
1
final exam
24
19
13
7
1
attend
10
8
7
6
4
discussion
18
12
7
4
2
TOTALS
100
77
53
31
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Credit/No Credit students must submit at least one of the two required papers, must take the
final exam, and must accumulate sufficient points for a "C" for the course total (31).
Cheating and Plagiarism: The CSULB policy on Cheating and Plagiarism will be followed
strictly. Students who have any questions or uncertainty whatsoever about this policy are
responsible for meeting individually with the instructor to discuss the policy. Using the exact
words of another person without use of quote marks and explicit attribution constitutes
plagiarism. Students found to be cheating on any course element (including all written work,
attendance, and discussion questions) will be FAILED for the COURSE and will be reported to
the Office of Judicial Affairs for possible probation, suspension, or expulsion.
Last updated: July 5, 2008 - subject to change until the start of class July 14, 2008
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