FIGS Seminar 101 (CRN 41985): Words & Music
Instructor: Gary McKinney
Tuesday & Thursday, 2:00 to 2:50 in AW 205
Old Main 120 | 650-3409 | gary.mckinney@wwu.edu
Office Hours: M-F 10-11 or by appointment

Course Description

This two-credit seminar is linked, loosely, to Music 105 (Music in the Western World) and English 214 (Introduction to Shakespeare). The seminar focuses on close reading and listening and provides multiple strategies for critical analyses.

Course Intention

To help you think like a college student. Through critically analyze texts, music, and combinations of both, you will develop critical thinking skills that will enhance your entire academic career. The seminar is not a credited study group. Study groups are good, and the seminar should facilitate your ability to form such groups, but the seminar itself is not a study group.

Assessment

There will be no tests in this seminar. There will be two assignments, a group presentation, and a group portfolio. Furthermore, your evaluation will include class attendance, completing the assigned readings, and quality of your assignments. Assignments that do not meet the criteria for acceptance can be resubmitted, if done so by teacher approval and within one week. All assignments are due on the date specified on the class schedule. Late assignments will not be accepted unless you have made arrangements beforehand.

Decorum

There will be a lot of in-class discussion, and I expect us to act as respectful adults, listening to the ideas and viewpoints of others with an open mind. We will listen to music as a basis for critical analysis, but nothing with offensive content. (As far as what is considered offensive, I will be the final arbiter. Sorry, this aspect of the class is not up to debate or discussion.)

Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act:

To request disability accommodation or assistance related to required course procedures, please contact the Office of Student Life, x3844. Reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities may be arranged through the Office of Student Life, x 3844. Western is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination in all programs and activities. Requests for accommodation or assistance should be directed to the Office of Student Life, x3844.

Plagiarism Defined (at WWU)

Plagiarism is presenting as one’s own in whole or in part the argument, language, creations, conclusions, or scientific data of another without  explicit acknowledgement. Examples include but are not limited to:

• Using another persons written or spoken words.
• Using information from a World Wide Web site, CD-ROM or other electronic sources. 
• Using statistics, graphs, charts and facts without acknowledging the source of the ideas.
• Submitting a paper purchased from a term-paper service. 
• Paraphrasing, which is using someone else’s argument without acknowledging the source by imitating the argument using other words. 
• Claiming credit for someone else’s artistic work, such as a musical composition or arrangement, drawing, or script.
• Using someone else’s lab report as a source of data of results.
• Using one’s own or substantially similar work, produced in connection with one course, to fulfill a requirement in another course without prior permission.
• A student may use the same or substantially the same work for assignments in two or more courses only with written permission from the instructors of all classes involved.

*Note that the only difference between an A and a B grade is that the portfolio of an A student exceeds the criteria for acceptance. Only portfolios that demonstrate significant revision will be deemed as “exceeding criteria” for acceptance.

**Assignments are not considered to have been submitted if they do not show at least a minimal effort at meeting the criteria for acceptance.