Senior Seminar in Philosophy
Schedule: Spring 2012
[This schedule will be in progress during the semester.]
Updated 19 Jan. 2012
 
 Day  # Topic & Assignment Notes Deadlines:  Items due at 9:40 a.m. in class or via email, unless otherwise noted





Week 1: T 10 Jan 1 Introductions; what the course is about

Th 12 Jan 2

Clockwork Muse Chs 1-2
Thesis topic due; weekly sr. thesis writing schedule for Spring 2012 (minimum of 9 hours per week in addition to class meeting)
Week 2: T 17 Jan 3 Report on bibliographical research; describe your thesis topic to seminar members + Q & A
By 3:00 p.m., Monday, 16 Jan.: an emailed paragraph describing what interests you about your thesis topic; 1st bibliography (10 cites) due
Th 19 Jan 4 Clockwork Muse Ch 3-4
By 3:00 p.m., Wedesday, 18 Jan.: an emailed paragraph describing a view on your thesis topic with which you disagree.
Week 3: T 24 Jan 5 No class [faculty retreat]
 
Th 26 Jan 6
 Dewey's Quest for Certainty
Thesis statement, initial outline, & bibliography; bring copies of an article/chapter for class discussion.
Week 4: T 31 7 Clockwork Muse Ch 5;

___'s article/chapter
 This means that we will all six read an article or chapter chosen by ___ and discuss it this day in class.  
Th 2 Feb 8

___' article/chapter and ___'s article/chapter

   [Have all articles and chapters gathered for use -- or at least to arrive by Monday, Feb. 6.]
Week 5: T 7 Feb 9
 ___'s article/chapter and ___'s article/chapter    
Th 9 Feb 10 Presentations and discussion as a class of the current formulations of your thesis statements and basic arguments.
 
Week 6: T 14 Feb 11 Conferences In each case on this schedule, "Conferences" means that I will spend 20 minutes with each of you one-on-one.
 
Th 16 Feb 12 Conferences   [Complete research for first draft by this date or earlier.]
Week 7: T 21 Feb 13 Conferences    
Th 23 Feb 14 Conferences   [Complete first draft of 2500 word version.]
Week 8: T 28 Feb
 15
 Conferences    
Th 1 Mar
No class
   Submit 2500 word version (electronic copy as email attachment).
Week 9: T 6 Mar
Spring Break

Th 8 Mar
Spring Break

Week 10: T 13 Mar 16 Conferences    
Th 15 Mar
No class
   Revised draft due to each seminar member via email attachment.
Week 11: T 20 Mar 17
 Discuss ___'s & ___'s drafts: thesis, argument, suggestions

Th 22 Mar 18
 Discuss ___'s & ___'s drafts: thesis, argument, suggestions    
Week 12: T 27 Mar 19
 Discuss ___'s draft: thesis, argument, suggestions    
Th 29 Mar
 20 Conferences    
Week 13: T 2 Apr 21 Conferences    
Th 5 Apr 22 Conferences    

   "Good Friday"    
Week 14: T 10 Apr 23 Conferences    
Th 12 Apr 24
 Conferences   5000 word draft due
Week 15: T 17 Apr 25 Conferences    
Th 19 Apr 26
 Discuss "conference paper" versions and presentations at colloquium   Conference paper version due (2500 words)
Week 16: Sunday 22 Apr 27
 2:00-5:00 p.m.
Formal, public presentation of Sr. Theses
    
T 24 Apr 28
 Conferences as needed    
Th 26 Apr 29
 Conferences as needed    

30 Conferences as needed    
Week 17: T 1 May 31 Conferences as needed

Th 3 May 32
 Conferences as needed   Final draft due (7500ish words)

 
 
 

 Final Course Grade:

ATTENDANCE POLICY:

Your grade will depend on your record of class attendance.  After three unexcused absences, points will be deducted from your final 100 points at an increasing rate per absence (1 pt. for the first absence over three, plus 2 pts. for the second absence, plus 3 pts. for the third absence, and so on).  Any absence that is not cleared with the prof. prior to the absence itself will be considered unexcused, unless a written excuse from an authority the prof. accepts is provided (e.g., a physician's note about your hospitalization; a note from Witt's Health Center is not normally sufficient).  The three unexcused absences are for illness and/or official university activities; they are not free skips.  Athletic competitions, other Wittenberg performances, and illnesses that do not require hospitalization are already taken into account by allowing three unexcused absences.  If for some reason you have to miss one of the five tests, that will be the one you drop.