GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
| Assignment | Guidelines | Weight |
| Mid-Term Exam | The "Mid-Term Exam" will test students' research and note-taking skills through an analysis of assigned readings and class lecture notes. The asignment is divided into two parts: 1) Questions to be answered directly from the required readings from the three course textbooks and selected readings from the Christian New Testament provided in aula (T. Bokenkotter's "A Concise History of the Catholic Church"; Norwich's "The Popes"; Duffy's "Saints and Sinners"). Students are expected to cite the page/verse number from which they are providing answers; 2) Questions to be answered from class lecture notes. "Mid-Term Exams" are to be type-written in Times New Roman 12 point font, single-spaced, fully justified margins, and are due in aula on Wednesday, 03 March 2021. Exams lacking fully justified margins will be deducted five points. Although some answers should be considerably longer and more developed than others, each of the questions is worth five points. This assignment is worth 25% of the final course grade. Student names are to appear nowhere on the written project. Rather, students will submit written exams using their JCU ID number. This process is to ensure transparency and impartiality in evaluating and grading written projects. Late, emailed, and hand-written exams will not be accepted and will result in a failing grade for the assignment. Questions and clarifications as per the prompt/instructions should be addressed in class for the benefit of all course participants. No such emailed questions or clarifications will receive a response. In case of legitimate and documented emergency situations communicated by JCU's Academic Dean's Office to the course instructor via email, late submissions will be accepted within 48 hours after the indicated due date for submission and will result in one full letter grade deduction beyond the actual grade awarded for the project. The "Mid-Term Exam" will be posted on MyJCU four weeks before the assignment is due. Remote Learning Students must adhere to the aforementioned parameters, and all students must submit their exams exclusively as PDF documents through JCU's "Moodle" platform online in the designated drop-box. | 25% |
| Research Project Presentation | Each student will be assigned randomly one topic from a list on Monday, 01 February 2021, which will be attached to the "Mid-Term Exam". Students physically on campus will present that research project in class on Monday, 26 April 2021. Presentations are to be ten minutes in duration. Presentations will address the following regarding the selected topics in question: 1) Historical and geographical contextualization of the selected topic (When and where?); 2) Biographical overview of the topic (Who?); 3) Three major issues, contributions, and/or controversies surrounding this topic (What?); 4) Reasons this topic is considered to be important during or after his or her lifetime (How?); 5) What, if any, relevance does this figure have today? (Why?) Presentations will be evaluated on the quality of the research itself as communicated in the oral presentation as well as the quality of public speaking and communication skills. Project presentations must use some form of visual/audio media (PowerPoint, etc.). Research Project Presentations may not be presented on any other day. If a student is unable to present or does not submit their project, then a grade of 00% "F" will be awarded. Remote learning students must submit an accessible, current, and viable link to their presentation through JCU's "Moodle" platform in the designated drop-box no later than Monday, 26 April 2021 at 23,59 CET (11:59 PM Rome time). | 25% |
| Final Exam | The "Final Exam" will test students' skills of analysis and synthesis with an end to a demonstration of exercising the art of critical thinking through an examination of assigned readings and class lecture notes. The exam is comprised of questions to be answered from class lecture notes and incorporating citations from the required readings from the textbooks (J.J. Norwich's "The Popes"; T. Bokenkotter's "A Concise History of the Catholic Church"; Duffy's "Saints and Sinners". Students must cite the page number from which they are providing answers. Projects are to be type-written in Times New Roman 12 point font, single-spaced, and with fully justified margins. Exams lacking fully justified margins will be deducted five points. Each of the questions is worth ten points. This project is worth 25% of the course grade. Student names are to appear nowhere on the written project. Rather, students will submit written projects using their JCU ID number. This process is to ensure transparency and impartiality in evaluating and grading written projects. Final Exams are due in aula no later than 23,59 CET (11:59 PM Rome time) on Friday, 07 May 2021. Late, emailed, and hand-written Final Exams will not be accepted and will result in a failing grade for the assignment. In case of legitimate and documented emergency situations communicated by JCU's Academic Dean's Office to the course instructor via email, late submissions will be accepted within 48 hours after the indicated due date for submission and will result in one full letter grade deduction beyond the actual grade awarded for the project. The "Final Exam" will be posted on MyJCU four weeks before the assignment is due. Remote Learning Students must adhere to the aforementioned parameters. All students must submit their exams exclusively as PDF documents through JCU's "Moodle" platform online in the designated drop-box. | 25% |
| Attendance and Participation + Outlines and Worksheets | Class attendance is strongly encouraged due to the intense amount of lecture material. Active class participation is encouraged and desired. Class attendance and participation is worth 25% of the overall course grade. One to two absences merits a grade respectively of 97.5% and 95% ("A") including legitimate documented absences. Three to four absences merits a grade respectively of 92.5% and 90% ("A-") including legitimate documented absences. Each additional absence will be deducted an additional five points per absence (5 absences = 85% "B", 6 absences = 80% "B-", etc.). "Legitimate documented absences" are those communicated directly to this course instructror from JCU's Accademic Dean's Office via email and include "permit of stay appointments". MANDATORY SITE VISIT OF THE VATICAN (Vatican Museums, St. Peter's Basilica, and the Tomb of Simon Peter, a.k.a. "the Scavi") on SATURDAY, 13 FEBRUARY 2021. Meeting time is at 09:00 AM SHARP in front of the obelisk in St. Peter's Square and the finish time is at 5:00 PM in the Vatican Museums. Round-trip travel time is an additional one hour. Failure to attend this site visit will result in FOUR absences. "Outline and Worksheet One" and "Outline and Worksheet Two" must be submitted exclusively as PDF documents in the designated drop-box on JCU's "Moodle" platform no later than 23,59 CET (11:59 PM Rome time) on Sunday, 28 February 2021. "Outline and Worksheet Three" and "Outline and Worksheet Four" must be submitted exclusively as PDF documents in the designated drop-box on JCU's "Moodle" platform no later than 23,59 CET (11:59 PM Rome time) on Friday, 30 April 2021. Failure to submit outlines and worksheets and/or incomplete submissions negatively will impact the grade for this assessment method. | 25% |
-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
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ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic
dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred.
In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment,
may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of
academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student
who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from
the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation
to the President, who will make the final decision.
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