COURSE STRUCTURE
    The class will meet on Tues and Thursday for 110 minutes. These meetings will consist of lectures, class and group discussions.  Attendance is required and participation is expected.  In addition students will be expected to view approximately one or two films a week.  These films will be available on reserve at Ylvasker library.

COURSE GRADING

      Final course grades will be assigned on the basis of performance in a number of areas. You will not be competing with each other for grades but working to meet an objective standard. The final grade will be based on the general categories, weighted as indicated below:

      A brief description of each category is given below.  Additional details will be announced in class. Tentative due dates are listed in the table below.

    
Papers 1 and 2:
      Two short papers will be assigned. The papers must be typed and 3-5 pages long. These papers will be used to develop skills for the final paper. Failure to hand in your paper at the beginning of class on the due date will result in a grade of F for the paper and a score of 0. 

Participation:
      A significant portion of your grade will be determined by your readiness for and participation in class. 

• You will be expected to attend class and participate in discussions.  This means that you should arrive at class having completed the assigned readings or film viewings and ready to intelligently contribute to class discussions. Your class discussion will be judged on the quality of your performance more than on its quantity, but everyone is expected to offer something of value at least once per class period.
  
  
• Attendance is required. More than three unexcused absences from class will result in a lowering of the final grade or even failure for the entire course.

Assignments:
      Throughout the course you will be assigned a variety of assignments including an annotated bibliography, an abstract and outline of your final paper as well drafts of your paper.  A significant number of these assignments will be used to evaluate your understanding of material discussed in class and prepare for your final paper. Details on the assignments will be provided in class.

Final Paper:
    The goal of the class will be for each student to produce a detailed critical essay on a science fiction film.  This final paper will be between 12 - 15 pages in length. The final paper will be developed in stages.  You will turn in abstracts, and drafts as well as participate in a peer-review process. The class will put together an edited volume of essays.  The instructor will serve as the editor and approve abstracts, work with each student to polish their essay and determine when or if the paper is accepted for inclusion in the class’s “book.” The final collection will be bound together and distributed to the class and other interested parties.

Presentations:
    Two presentations will be required. One will be a presentation where you will discuss a possible film for viewing and class discussion. The second will be a 10-12 minute presentation on the analysis in your final paper.

DATES TO REMEMBER (Subject to change)

GENERAL COURSE POLICIES
      All work turned in past the due date will receive no credit. If you know of an absence in advance, (including college-related activities), it is your responsibility to notify me and turn in all assignments by the due date. In the case of an extended illness or emergency contact me as soon as possible so arrangements can be made.
      If you are unable to complete an assignment or attend class due to illness or other appropriate and documented reason, your assignment due date will be rescheduled. However this must be discussed with me within one week of the absence or due date. If you miss an assignment for a frivolous reason, (for example: "I overslept."), you will receive zero points for the assignment. Incompletes will only be given in cases of serious illness or extended emergency and must be discussed with me as soon as possible. An incomplete will not be given as a substitute for dropping the course.
      Any request for re-grading must be made in writing within one week of the time the work was handed back. The original, unmodified, document must accompany the request. Every effort will be made to score exams and assignments fairly and consistently.
      You should remember that Concordia College is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity. Cheating in any form will not be tolerated. Any violation of the academic integrity policy will result in a failing grade for the course regardless of the importance of the assignment or exam in determining the final grade.
      Plagiarism in this course is defined as copying or using any part of another person's work without appropriate citation on any assignment that is to be turned in where the work itself is graded. For a detailed discussion of the policies of the College please read the handbook Academic Integrity at Concordia, copies of which are available in the Academic Affairs Office. If you have any questions about whether an action would be considered cheating, please discuss it with me in advance.

REQUIRED MATERIALS:
  The required book for the course is Corrigan, Timothy. A Short Guide to Writing About Film. 7th ed. The short guide series. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2009.

Additional readings will be assigned from electronic reserves on Moodle, web resources, reserve materials in the library and from class handouts.

POLICY CHANGES:
    The course policies outlined in this document are subject to change. All policy changes will be announced in class. It is your responsibility to keep track of these changes.

REQUIRED FILMS TO BE DISCUSSED/VIEWED (INCOMPLETE LIST)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
Them!(1954)
The Thing from Another World (1951)
The Thing (1982)
Gattaca (1997)
District 9 (2009)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Solaris (2002)
Alien (1979)
Bladerunner (1982)
12 Monkeys (1995)
Back to the Future (1985)
Primer (2004)