HI361F Alexander the Great

REQUIREMENTS

Class Participation: 10%

Seminars depend upon regular, stimulating and provocative contributions from all participants. You are expected to participate actively and regularly in classroom discussions, and that participation must be grounded in a thorough understanding of the sources for each class meeting. Participation includes

regular attendance: you cannot participate if you are not in class
in-class contributions: there is no place to hide in a seminar. Your participation grade depends upon frequent and substantive contributions to the class discussion.
completion of reading assignments: a seminar has high expectations, including a minimum of approximately 75pp. of reading per class meeting. Your comments in class will reflect whether you have done the reading thoroughly and carefully.
attending three co-curricular events - two films (one in two parts) and one lecture:
- Lecture by Rachel Hadas, Thursday, February 20, 8pm, Emerson Auditorium, on translating Greek and Roman literature
- Film, Wednesday, February 19 & 26, 7pm, TLC202: "Alexander's Epic March" (1998, narr. Michael Wood), for PBS (running time: 2 hrs. each)
- Film, Monday, March 24, 7pm, TLC202: "The Man Who Would Be King" (1975, dir. John Huston), starring Sean Connery and Michael Caine (running time: 2 hrs.)

Methodology: 10%

This first assignment asks you to acquire basic methodological skills, apply them in a brief research investigation, and then individually write up the results. We will devote one class meeting - January 30 - to basic research methodologies; the written work will be due three class meeetings later (Feb. 11). The class session will focus on research methodologies and specific tools relevant to the study of Alexander; the written component will consist of an annotated bibliography due in-class on Feb. 11 which will illustrate the degree of success you had in identifying and understanding sources for the study of Alexander's earliest years.

Panel discussions: 20%

You will be assigned to two different panels for the period of February 4 - March 13. Each panel will consist of 2 (or occasionally 3) students who will bear the responsibility of leading the rest of the class in a discussion of a specific topic. Panelists will need to be fully familiar with the primary sources and Green's interpretation of the issues in question, and are also encouraged to provide print or electronic supporting materials to help guide discussions.

Research project: 40%

Over the course of the semester you will focus on a research project that bears directly on the life and times of Alexander. As the main focus of your research and written work in this course, this project will consist of a variety of components - benchmarks of the progress towards successful completion of the research:

Topic statement: a one-paragraph summary of the issue(s) addressed in the research paper, due March 6.
Thesis statement and Annotated Bibliography: The Skidmore Guide to Writing (p. 3) explicates succinctly the content of a thesis statement. This one-paragraph (not one-sentence) statement and accompanying annotated bibliography are both due March 27th, the Thursday after Spring Break. We will review the variety of theses under examination on April 1st and 3rd.
Research project paper: 20-page annotated paper due noon, May 2.

Project report: 20%

Over the course of four class meetings in April (April 15-24) each of you will present one 15-minute report on your research project (for which see above). You are required to provide the other members of the class with relevant readings and focus questions at least one class meeting prior to the presentation. You are also encouraged to use multimedia (presentation software such as webpages or Powerpoint) and/or handouts to illustrate these presentations.