Post on 19-Feb-2021
HISTORY 4560 SYLLABUS
WOMEN IN ISLAM
Dr. Debra Baldwin
Required Student Texts:
Women and Gender in Islam, Leila Ahmed, Yale University Press, (1993)
Women in Islam and the Middle East, Ruth Roded, Tauris Publishing, (2008)
Instructor contact info: Please email me within the class on Canvas.
INSTRUCTOR INTRODUCTION__________________________________________
Ahlan wa Sahlan! Many greetings to you all out there in computer online-land! By way
of introduction, let me tell you a little bit about myself. I have taught at the university
level since 1982 in a variety of venues both in and out of the USA. My last job prior to
working at USU was as a US State Department educational consultant to the Philippine
Ministry of Education, setting up Muslim programs for integration into mainstream
educational channels. Before that, I spent over a dozen years living and working in many
Middle Eastern countries (Yemen, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Turkey & United Arab
Emirates). I speak Arabic fluently (well, did speak it fluently, but not too much practice
in Utah makes me a little rusty). I was married to a Palestinian Muslim for 9 years prior
to returning to the USA to live permanently in Idaho. I now enjoy living in the Bear
River Valley area with my menagerie of chickens & rooster, geese, and a Siamese cat.
Things can be a little confusing at times, but we all get along in the end I hope you
will enjoy what I have to add to your educational experience from all my travels and
experiences in the Middle East. It is a fascinating area of our world and deserves time
and acquaintance to help build our own understanding of world issues today. So sit back,
grab a bag of popcorn and enjoy the tour!
COURSE INTRODUCTION
Welcome to a study of Women in Islam! From the time of the Prophet Muhammad until
today, women’s issues in the Islamic world provide an intriguing opportunity to explore
such diverse topics as gender and social roles, women’s rights, veiling and dress, female
circumcision, arranged marriages and expectations, employment opportunities, education,
parenting, honor killings, politics, and feminist movements, all within the context of a
religious historical framework. This course will provide a background and broadened
perspective of these facets through readings, audio lectures, handouts, slideshows, and
other visual media. We will also discuss the religious and historical attitudes and
attributes in light of modern cultural applications in different countries in an effort to
understand what it means to be a woman in Islam today. By way of disclaimer, please be
aware that portions of this course are very graphic and highly sensitive. Hopefully, they
are presented totally in an academic light, but if you feel that any of the topics mentioned
above will not be suitable for you to study due to your own personal preferences, please
do not take this class!
COURSE OBJECTIVES AND LEARNING OUTCOMES ________________
Developing informed awareness of Islamic religious concepts, culture and thought as it relates to women in Islam.
Becoming conversant with the vocabulary of Islam in the Arabic language as it pertains to women’s issues and religious applications.
Expanding personal knowledge and opinion of Islamic women’s lifestyle choices in the light of Islamic cultural understanding, while exploring multiple sides of
any issue.
Gaining an awareness of the historical, religious, anthropological, sociological and gender related issues that shape Islamic women’s lifestyles today.
Increasing personal motivation to study Islamic women’s issues beyond the scope of this course as they relate to present and future events in the world.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND INFORMATION
You will be expected to follow the syllabus schedule and do all components, readings, viewings, listenings, handouts and turn in all assignments and take all
scheduled quizzes and exams on time.
There are two types of assignments in the course- basic outline question/answer type and more complex summary/essay/writing type. On the basic outlines, you
will simply read the chapter or view the DVD and parrot back the information
given. These types of question/answer assignments are there as a study guide to
help you pull out vital information from an otherwise long chapter or movie full
of little bits and pieces. These assignments are self-corrected and you are given
full points for just having completed them, which means answering ALL the
questions. Your summary assignments require more thought and personal
expression and will be subject to additional content grading criteria rather than
just completion (e.g., how well you have followed the instructions, how much you
have written and what content you have expressed). These assignments often
have specific length requirements and are usually worth a substantial amount of
points compared to the basic outline assignments (you can check the grade book
to see how many points each assignment is worth).
Answer Key Access: When you submit your completed assignments and you receive a grade, you will then be given access to any answer keys for you to self-
correct your work. Summary assignments generally do not have answer keys as
you are asked to read multiple articles or chapters and synthesize information or
give a personal reaction. Most of our textbook chapters do have answer keys,
however, so please be sure to check the answer key page regularly (access is from
the modules page at the end of a section). Also, I often will include lecture-type
information, examples and insights from my own experiences of having lived in
the Middle East for a dozen years. So, be sure to READ the answers to the
questions on the answer keys as there will be information supplied to you there
that will not be included anywhere else in the course (and on which you may be
tested)! Please make sure you submit a complete assignment, not leaving any
blanks, and follow submission directions accurately so I can read them or they
will be returned to edit. Please also note that answer keys are not released until
all assignments in a module are completed and have been graded. Outline
correction is your responsibility and I will not check to see that you do it, but
know that there is information in the answer keys that you will not find anywhere
else in the course and from which test questions will be drawn. If there is a
problem with your submission of any kind, a zero will be given and a note posted
on the assignment of what needs to be fixed so that it can be resubmitted and
receive a grade (the zero signifies a no-grade mark until you resubmit the revised
assignment.)
Basically, the outlines and summaries provide you with a study guide for taking the midterm and for use on your final paper. The questions (and expected
answers) will be drawn from the outline answer keys & chapter readings,
slideshows, DVD’s, handouts and lectures for which you do not need to complete
outlines but should probably take notes. Please note that for tests, if you use the
internet to answer a question rather than the course materials, you may be marked
wrong even though the information may be considered right, as the internet is
NOT in our course of study Many times, the internet has incomplete or
different interpretations of events than are listed in your book or the lectures, so
PLEASE stick with what is given you on the course unless otherwise instructed.
Your midterm exam will be an objective test (T/F, matching, etc.) with some short answer and longer essay questions. It is more of a summary of what you have
learned than an actual test where you have to parrot memorized material back.
Consequently, it is available for a full week to work on and open-book, so you
may use your outlines and notes to answer questions and take your time to
formulate your answers. Because it is open-book, you may find the test a bit
more challenging, especially in trying to remember where you can find the
information for the answer. So, don’t wait until the last minute to think you can
find all the answers without reviewing or studying before you take the test as it
will take you several hours to actually complete the exam. There is no time limit
once you open the test, so you can save your answers and come back into it on
another day before the deadline submission time at the week’s end. Please make
sure to answer the essay questions FULLY (an essay is not just one sentence or
abbreviated group of words). You must write at least 8 sentences to qualify for
full points on each question. Deductions will be given for not writing enough on
that portion of the test. You will be asked to synthesize some answers based on
information you have been given. It is a thinking tests, not just regurgitating back
simple information. I believe a test should be something that teaches you more
and helps you to summarize and apply what you have learned. So try to ENJOY
them as a further learning experience
Regarding the midterm availability dates: YOU MUST TAKE THE MIDTERM DURING MIDTERM WEEK ONLY!!!! IT WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE
FOR ONE WEEK DURING THE SEMESTER AND IF YOU MISS IT, THERE
IS NO MAKE-UP!!!! Please check the due date calendar to see when the last
date is that you can take the test! There are NO exceptions to this policy!!!
There is a final essay paper in lieu of a final exam for the course. It may ONLY be turned in AFTER the last day of class UP TO the final exam date during finals
week. Please see the Final Paper assignment page in module 6 as well as the
Final Essay Paper Guidelines and Sample and Paper Grading Rubric at the
end of this syllabus for further details and paper requirements.
Everyone in the class will be required to post on the discussion board on a variety of topics as a collaborative assignment with your classmates. The topics listed
under each section coordinate with our handouts, assigned readings and section
materials. Please see the Discussion Board Assignment in module 1 for further
instructions and details on how to do the assignment. Also, be sure to submit the
Discussion Board Assignment Form at the end of the semester in order to
receive credit. If you do not submit the form, no credit can be given.
There is an Islamic Geography map assignment where you do research on your own to find out locations of important cities and countries. This will help orient
you to the places your book is talking about historically.
You are expected to fulfill all components of the sections listed in your syllabus, in the order they are listed as the assignments and test come from the previous
readings, listenings and viewings. There are 6 sections, each with multiple parts.
With the semester being 15 weeks long minus holidays, you will be able to
comfortably get through one section every two and a half weeks or so. Your three
credit hours will be the same amount of work as you would expect if you took the
class face-to-face on campus. It is not shortened in any respect simply because it
is online. Therefore, expect to spend 9 hours/week on this class throughout the
semester (150 hours total). You cannot get an incomplete if you run out of time!
Please read the incomplete policy carefully at the end of this syllabus- there are
NO exceptions to it. So, PLEASE jump in from the start and go for it with all
engines running!
The assignments will have due dates listed on the due date calendar on the modules page & in your syllabus. However, you will notice that the individual
assignment pages do not have a due date listed. That is because the assignment is
not locked after a specific date since there is no penalty for late submissions past
the due dates listed on the due date calendar. In actuality, you are free to submit
any work without penalty up to the last day of the class for this semester (Dec 6,
2013). IF YOU SUBMIT LATE WORK FROM THE LAST DAY OF CLASS
UNTIL THE FINAL EXAM DAY (Dec 7 – Dec 11, 2012) YOU CAN ONLY
GET UP TO HALF CREDIT FOR ANY COMPLETED ASSIGNMENT.
ADDITIONALLY, PLEASE NOTE THAT 11:59 PM ON DEC 11th IS THE
LAST DAY THAT ANY WORK CAN BE SUBMITTED FOR ANY KIND OF
CREDIT, INCLUDING THE FINAL PAPER OR RESUBMISSIONS OF
ASSIGNMENTS RETURNED FOR EDITING! ANY WORK SUBMITTED
PAST THAT TIME WILL RECEIVE A GRADE OF ZERO AND NOT BE
COUNTED! YOU ARE THEREFORE EXPECTED TO FOLLOW THE DUE-
DATE CALENDAR AND SUBMIT ALL WORK ON TIME WHEN IT IS
DUE! PLEASE NOTE ALSO THAT ALL TIMES/DATES/DEADLINES ARE
ACCORDING TO MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME ZONE (here in Utah). Just
because you are not penalized for late work up to the last day of class does not
mean that you are not required to keep up with the workload or submit
assignments on time! The expectation is still there- just the penalty is relaxed as
this class is in an online flex-format and you have access to the material at any
time rather than only one day on campus when it is given in lecture (except the
exams as noted above). So, the final word of warning here is- DO NOT
PROCRASTINATE!!!! YOU CANNOT GET AN INCOMPLETE IF YOU GET
BEHIND!!!!
A note on editing and returned assignments: Oft times, assignments will be returned to you for redos because of formatting problems, incompleteness or
because you did not follow the assignment instructions correctly. There will not
be a penalty for resubmitting it at a later date after you correct it up to the last day
of class. It will show a zero in the grade book which means it was returned to you
to fix something. However, please note that if you wait until the end of the
semester to resubmit work, and it still has a problem, you will NOT have time to
fix it again before the deadline and will essentially get a permanent zero for that
assignment (no assignments are returned for further edits during the last 48 hours
of class). So, PLEASE submit assignments on time and resubmit any assignments
returned for editing as soon as possible to avoid getting stuck in the end.
Grading: The grading point breakdown is detailed below including the University percentage conversion for letter grades. Please note that I usually grade each
section’s assignments once a week (though sometimes if I am traveling or grading
midterms, it may be a tad later). If you do not see an assignment graded within
two weeks, please send me an email and ask about it as sometimes Canvas does
not notify me that a new assignment has been submitted.
In order to read the book and not be hung up by every Arabic name and word that comes your way, I have included an Arabic alphabet pronunciation guide to help
you know how to pronounce things. Arabic is a phonetic language, so once you
know what the sounds are, you can pretty much figure out how to say the words.
Keep in mind that the language uses a different script than English, so any
English spellings are done phonetically and may vary from chapter to chapter (for
example, it can be Muhammad or Mohammed, Quran or Koran, etc.) Going
through the guide is one of the first things you will do on the course, so it should
help you with the Arabic words you encounter.
You will be expected to become conversant with about 50 words from the Arabic language that are necessary to know for any study of Islam. They are used
frequently throughout the book and in any discussion of aspects of Islam, so
please take note when they appear on your outlines. There will also be sections
that incorporate those words on the midterm, so please familiarize yourself with
them as well as their definitions and applications.
Extra credit: There is an extra credit assignment which is worth 40 points. If for some reason you miss the midterm or do poorly on it, this is the only way to make
up points. Please refer to the actual assignment in Section 6 on the modules page
for instructions. You are free to submit it any time up to the last day of class for
full credit. If you submit it after the last day until the final deadline date, it will be
half credit like any other late work submissions.
Office Hours: As this is an online course, there really isn’t an office per se. I will return emails within 48 hours, usually within 24 hours, and you can post any
questions on the discussion board if you need some immediate help from some of
your classmates who may know the answer! The discussion board can be a fun
tool- I hope you post on it frequently. If you ever see me online, you are welcome
to chat with me also- that is, if the chat applet is working
Sorry if this syllabus is a rather lengthy dissertation of details and warnings, but everything said above is necessary for you to know to succeed in getting a good
grade! So, heigh-ho & off to work we go! I wish you a great adventure, an open
mind with lots of light bulbs going off as you voyage through the 1400 years of
Islamic Civilization! I think you will find it somewhat challenging, time
consuming, but very educational and well worth the investment of time and
money in the final accounting!
POLICIES AND TECH SUPPORT HELP___________________________________
INCOMPLETE POLICY: There are TWO requirements for receiving an incomplete grade in this class. The first is stated in the university incomplete
policy in the form of a list of acceptable ‘extenuating circumstances’. These are:
accident or illness resulting in hospitalization, death in the immediate family, jury
duty, and military service. With an online class being totally at your own
discretion schedule-wise, I will NOT accept changes in work schedule, or
alteration of schedule to seek new employment. We do not have classes at a set
time, therefore, you would not be missing class activities to which these
extenuations refer. Secondly, in order to qualify for an incomplete, you MUST
have been keeping up with the due date schedule throughout the semester and
have been receiving a passing grade prior to the exception of time loss you are
seeking. This means that if you have not worked consistently and actively
throughout the class (submitting your required assignments on time and in order
as listed in your schedule and completed more than 70% of the workload) or have
not received better than 70% on all assignments submitted up until when the
extenuating circumstance happens, YOU WILL NOT BE GRANTED AN
INCOMPLETE. In other words, if you procrastinate at any point in the semester
and repeatedly turn in things late, and then run out of time to complete the work
on the last day or week of class, you will NOT be given extra time or an
incomplete to finish the course, even if you qualify for it on grounds of the first
requirement of circumstance. You will have to accept whatever grade you have
earned and then repeat the class to resubmit completed work and finish the
missing assignments. PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL ME THE LAST DAY OF
CLASS ASKING FOR TIME EXTENSIONS OR INCOMPLETES
BECAUSE YOU RAN OUT OF TIME! Again, even if you have an emergency
at the end of the semester, you MUST have qualified for the incomplete by
having turned your work in on time up until that point! If you are a procrastinator
by nature or have a problem with keeping deadlines, this class is NOT for you!!!!!
CLASS DROP PETITIONS: If for some reason you have an extenuating circumstance within the first part of the semester that will affect your performance
or ability to do assignments for the majority of the course, you can petition the
registrar’s office for Distance Education to drop the class and receive refund of
tuition. This allowance is only for EXTREME cases of unforeseen lengthy
problems where you are not able to complete the majority of the workload, but it
is after the normal add/drop period has ended. Please note that you should not
just wait until the end of the class in this situation and then try for an incomplete.
You can not get an incomplete unless you have completed 70% of the course at
least. The deadline for dropping a course with this kind of petition is usually
around midterm- please check with the registrar’s office for details.
TECHNICAL PROBLEM SUPPORT: You will notice a phone number for the help desk on the bottom of the course intro page. If you have any technical
problems in viewing or downloading files or DVD’s and slideshows, submitting
assignments, or any other technical kinds of issues, please contact them directly
rather than sending me an email. I cannot do anything from my satellite location
to help you! The techs on the help desk can walk you through things verbally,
step by step or they can also refer you to an onsite technician if necessary to help
you with your problems. Sometimes, the problem will be because you have not
updated your java or used a different browser that it not so compatible- Google
Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are recommended as the best for this class to avoid
problems. If you have problems, you can also try Internet Explorer as well. The
browser check at the beginning of your log-in should help you determine any
problems with your browser and offer possible solutions.
COURSE GRADING POINT BREAKDOWN:
Final Essay paper = 100 points
DVD outline/summary assignments (25 pts each x 8) = 125 points
Chapter outline/summary assignments (25 pts each) = 350 points
Hijab Summary Assignment = 40 points
Roded chapter 7 & 8 Assignments (40 pts each) = 80 points
Roded Intro = 20 points
Famous Feminists Assignment = 60 points
Discussion Board Posts = 50 points
Geography Map Assignment = 15 points
Syllabus Quiz = 10 points
Midterm Exam = 150 points
TOTAL: 1000 points
Letter grades are given by strict percentage as follows:
Percent Point Total Letter Grade
94 – 100% 940-1000 A
90 – 93% 900-939 A-
87 – 89% 870-899 B+
83 – 86% 830-869 B
80 – 82% 800-829 B-
77 – 79% 770-799 C+
73 – 76% 730-769 C
70 – 72% 700-729 C-
67 – 69% 670-699 D+
60 – 66% 600-669 D
Under 60% 0-599 F
COURSE CONTENT AND DUE DATES FALL 2013
1. Islam: A Historical Overview (Aug 26 – Sep 10)
Syllabus Quiz DUE DATE: AUG 27
Audio/Handout: Arabic Pronunciation Guide
Islamic Lands Geography Map Assignment DUE DATE: AUG 29
Slideshow lecture: Visual Tour of the Middle East
DVD Outline Assignment: Inside Islam DUE DATE: SEP 3
Chapter Outline Assignments: Roded Introduction, 1, Ahmed 1, 2 DUE DATE: SEP 10
Audio Lecture on Islamic Culture vs. Religion
Discussion Topics: The Origin of Islam, Pre-Islamic Women’s Status and Restrictions, Influences: Hammurabi & Assyrian Codes
2. Islam and Women’s Rights (Sep 11 – Sep 27)
DVD Assignment: Women’s Rights and Roles in Islam DUE DATE: SEP 13
DVD Assignment: The Prophet’s Empowerment of Women: Understanding the Seerah
DUE DATE: SEP 17
Chapter Outline Assignments: Ahmed 3, 4 Roded 2, 3 DUE DATE: SEP 27
Additional readings: -Khadijah’s Cadre: The Wives of the Prophet Muhammad, Ruqaya Nassar
(in Voices Behind the Veil, ed. Ergun Craner)
-The Prophet’s Women, Geraldine Brooks (in Nine Parts of Desire)
-Gender Equity in Islam, Jamal Badawi
-Women and Islam, Nawal El Saadawi (in The Nawal El Saadawi Reader)
-Liberation Theology: Islam and the Feminist Agenda in the Qu’ran,
Omar Naseef
Discussion Topics: Is There Really Gender Equity in Islam?, The Prophet’s Wives as Role Models, What the Holy Quran & Hadith say
about Women’s Status and Rights, Important Women in Early Islam
3. Veiling and Social Codes: Expression or Oppression? (Sep 28 – Oct 17)
Slideshow lecture: Women’s Dress in Islam
Slideshow lecture: Islamic Lifestyles
Chapter Outline Assignments: Ahmed 5, 6, 8 DUE DATE: OCT 7
DVD summary assignment: Cut from a Different Cloth: Burqas and Belief and Hijab: An Act of Faith (includes Ahmed 11 and readings)
DUE DATE: OCT 10
Midterm Exam (available for one week only) DUE DATE: 11:59 PM Utah Time OCT 17 (will be uploaded OCT 10)
Additional Reading Selections:
-I Just Want to Be Me, Pamela Taylor (in The Veil: Women Writers on Its
History, Lore and Politics, ed. Jennifer Heath)
-The Veil of Masculinity, Fadwa El Guindi (in Veil: Modesty, Privacy and
Resistance)
-An Alternative Theory of the Veil, Katherine Bullock (in Rethinking
Muslim Women and the Veil)
-Dress Code and Mores, Aisha Lee Fox Shaheed (in The Veil: Women
Writers on Its History, Lore and Politics, ed. Jennifer Heath)
-Internet Veiling Articles
Discussion Topics: Veiling: Expression versus Oppression, Regional Differences and Cultural Dress, To Veil or not to Veil: Custom versus
Religion, Modesty and Honor in Islam
4. Marriage, Sexuality and Culture (Oct 18 – Oct 29)
DVD Summary Assignment: Ideal Muslim Husband DUE DATE: OCT 22
Chapter Outline and Summary Assignments: Roded 7, 8 & 15 DUE DATE: OCT 29
Additional Reading selections from: -Internet Circumcision Articles
-A Handbook on Marriage, The Muslim’s Student Association
-Liberation Theology: Islam and the Feminist Agenda in the Qu’ran,
Omar Naseef
-Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women, Geraldine
Brooks
-Husband and Wife, Fatima Mernissi (in Beyond the Veil: Male-Female
Dynamics in a Modern Muslim Society)
-The Muslim Woman’s Handbook, Huda Khattab
-The Hidden Face of Eve: Women in the Arab World, Nawal El Saadawi
Discussion Topics: Circumcision: Brutality or Purity?, How to Select an Islamic Spouse, Islamic Expectations in Marriage, Husband and Wife
Roles and Responsibilities
5. Boundaries: Feminism and Honor (Oct 30 – Nov 14)
Famous Feminist Summary Assignment DUE DATE: NOV 6
DVD Outline Assignment: Crimes of Honour DUE DATE: NOV 11
Honor Readings Summary Assignment DUE DATE: NOV 14
Additional reading selections from: -Arab Pioneers of Women’s Liberation, Nawal El Saadawi (in The Hidden
Face of Eve: Women in the Arab World)
-Women in Islam: “The Mother of All Battles”, Yvonne Haddad and Jane
Smith/ Feminism Comes of Age in Islam, Radwa El Guindi (in Arab
Women: Between Defiance and Restraint, Suha Sabbagh, ed.)
-The Very Fine Membrane Called ‘Honour’, Nawal El Saadawi (in The
Hidden Face of Eve)
-Internet Honor Articles
Discussion Topics: Islamic Feminism: an Oxymoron?, Honour Killings and Justice, The Islamic Definition of Freedom for Women, Family and
Honor in Islamic Culture
6. Modernity: Education, Employment, Politics and the Future (Nov 15 – Dec 6)
Introductory DVD: Women In Islam Please view prior to doing the 3 assignments in this section.
Islamic Women and Politics Summary Assignment DUE DATE: NOV 19
Islamic Women and Work Summary Assignment DUE DATE: NOV 22
Islamic Women and Education Summary Assignment DUE DATE: DEC 5
Ahmed Conclusion (Extra Credit Assignment Only) DUE DATE: TURN IN ANY TIME UP TO DEC 6
PLEASE NOTE: FINAL DUE DATE FOR ALL COURSEWORK IS DEC 6TH
ANY LATE WORK SUBMITTED DEC 7 – DEC 11 = 1/2 POINTS MAXIMUM
Final Paper (in lieu of final exam) DUE DATE: 11:59 PM (Utah time) DEC 11
NO WORK (INCLUDING THE FINAL PAPER) WILL BE
ACCEPTED AFTER 11:59 PM ON DEC 11.
Additional reading selections from: -Arab Women and Politics, Nawal El Saadawi (in The Nawal El Sadaawi
Reader)
- Women and Politics in the Middle East, Sarah Graham-Brown (in Arab
Women: Between Defiance and Restraint, Suha Subbagh, ed.)
- Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women, Geraldine
Brooks
- Work and Women, Nawal El Saadawi (in The Hidden Face of Eve)
Discussion Topics: Women Leaders in an Islamic Society, Hadith on the Necessity of Education; Women in the Workplace: A Conflict of Roles?,
Islamic Women in the Future
FINAL ESSAY PAPER GUIDELINES AND SAMPLE:
________________________________________________________________________
Debra Baldwin A0099999999
SAMPLE PAPER FORMAT (TITLE GOES HERE IN BOLDED CAPS)
In order to get full points, you will need to be aware of several things. First, you
will need an introductory sentence that leads into your writing, like above. Also, please
notice the use of the tab bar to indent the first line of a paragraph. You should have at
least three paragraph indents per page. Make sure to use caps at the beginning of all your
sentences. This is standard 12 point size font in New Roman Times. Please use it on
your papers (it is usually the default setting on Microsoft Word.) Please notice that the
lines are double-spaced. If you are using a template (at the computer lab) that does more
than double space, especially between paragraphs, you will need to write an additional
half page in length to make up for the spacing deficit.
Please, also use your spell check, grammar check and most importantly of all,
proofread your paper when you are done. The computer does not catch wrong word use
or missing words most of thyme. The emphasis on this paper is for you to express your
own opinions in summarizing and comparing information, rather than just quoting things
or giving facts. Therefore, in answering the opinion questions, you should use first
person to do so. The rest of the paper, however, should be in standard academic third
person tone and style.
Be sure to make your paper the appropriate page length (which means going to
the bottoms of the pages). You can spill over onto another page if you need more room
to summarize or end your writing, but do NOT end shorter than the minimum
requirement. In order to be concise, you should not exceed the maximum page limit as
directed.
All your assignments ask you to compare/refer to the text somehow. In order to
get full points, you will need to DIRECTLY QUOTE the text or other source material,
not just paraphrase it. This should be done using standard citations, such as endnotes or
in-line referencing, which give exact page numbers or location where the quote is found.
Use quote marks for “other people’s words” (Baldwin, p. 10) and then give the references
afterwards, either by footnote/endnote with a number after the “close quote mark, like
this” 1 or by using parentheses with the actual citation information like above. Make sure
you have a reference of some kind following ALL close quote marks in your paper. If
you paraphrase, you would give credit at the ends of sentences or paragraphs like this.
(Baldwin, p.10)
The whole purpose of a reference is to make it possible for your reader to find the
exact material in the original source that you have used. If you do not give page
numbers, it will be impossible to find. Please refer to a writing style guide, such as MLA
or Chicago for further examples and information on how to cite.
You should also have another page added after your writing on which you give
your sources (a formal bibliography), listing the book and author, date and publisher in a
standard referencing format or proper internet citations for websites if instructed to use
the internet for your research (which include general website info plus full URL’s of all
internet references used). If you are using a kindle version of the text, you will also find
proper style referencing examples in any online style guides to use (just Google it). If
you have any further questions about referencing, please look at the ‘research help’ link
on the top of the Canvas course homepage, or go to the USU writing center. (You can
also make an appointment for an online tutor if necessary. Please see the RCDE website
for further details.)
Grading is roughly done in thirds- 30% for format and mechanics, 35% for
following instructions exactly and fulfilling the assignment specs as required, and the
1 Baldwin, Debra. Paper Guidelines, in “3410 Syllabus”, Utah State University, 2012, p. 10.
www.usu.edu/3410/syllabus/htm (or whatever citation format you choose to follow here, so long as all the
pertinent information is given).
http://www.usu.edu/3410/syllabus/htm
final 35% for your content and research skills. Please refer to the paper grading rubric
below for more detailed information.
So, now you see by this little example exactly what your entry should look like
visually when you finish it. Please be sure to use commas as they will feel badly if you
ignore them and your teacher will have cross-eyes when she is done reading your paper
from trying to figure out what your sentence means from having long run-on sentences
like this or sentence fragments when you do not finish your . Good luck and have
fun writing!
SOURCES CITED
Baldwin, Debra. Paper Guidelines, in “3030 Syllabus”, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, 2013.
www.usu.edu/3030/syllabus/htm (if online, you need to include the full URL in addition to the general
www.website address- again, please access a style guide for proper referencing style in a bibliography
section).
Online History 4560
Paper Grading Rubric
Dr. Debra Baldwin
LEARNING
OUTCOME
Excellent
Mastery 90 – 100% A
Proficient
Mastery 80 – 89% B
Satisfactory
Mastery 70 – 79% C
Insufficient
Mastery
60 – 69% D
No
Mastery Under 60% F
Historical
Knowledge
(Content,
research,
topic
exploration)
35% of grade
-Full presentation
of historical
context of topic including
comparative practices of
divergent Islamic
cultures -Full treatment
and inclusion of
historical causation; the
influence of any
contributing political
ideologies,
economic structures, social
organization,
cultural perceptions and
-Sound
presentation of
historical context of topic including
comparative practices of
divergent Islamic
cultures -Omits minor
elements in any of
the following: treatment of
historical
causation; the influence of any
contributing
political ideologies,
economic
structures, social organization,
-Adequate
presentation of
historical context of topic including
comparative practices of
divergent Islamic
cultures; -Omits minor
elements in any of
the following: treatment of
historical causation;
the influence of any contributing
political ideologies,
economic structures, social organization,
cultural perceptions
and practices, and natural
-Insufficient
presentation of
historical context of topic
-Omits major elements in any of
the following:
treatment of historical causation;
the influence of any
contributing political ideologies,
economic
structures, social organization,
cultural perceptions
and practices, and natural
environments on
the historical events shaping the topic
-Absent
presentation of
historical context of topic
-Omits major elements in any of
the following:
treatment of historical
causation; the
influence of any contributing
political
ideologies, economic
structures, social
organization, cultural
perceptions and
practices, and natural
http://www.usu.edu/3030/syllabus/htmhttp://www.website/
practices, and
natural environments on
the historical
events shaping the topic
-Full exploration
of primary and secondary source
material regarding
topic using text, additional readings
and online sources
as directed -Uses multiple
direct quotes
from text and from online
sources as directed
cultural
perceptions and practices, and
natural
environments on the historical
events shaping the
topic, exploration of primary and
secondary source
material regarding topic using text,
additional readings
and online sources as directed
-Uses multiple
direct quotes
from text and
from online
sources as directed
environments on the
historical events shaping the topic
-Omits minor
portions of
primary and
secondary source
material regarding
topic using text,
additional readings
and online sources as directed
-Uses multiple
direct quotes from text and from online
sources as directed
-Omits minor or
major portions of
primary and
secondary source
material regarding
topic using text,
additional readings
and online sources as directed
-Insufficient use of
multiple direct
quotes from text
and from online
sources as directed
environments on
the historical events shaping the
topic
-Omits major
portions of
primary and
secondary source
material
regarding topic
using text, additional
readings and
online sources as directed
-Omits multiple
direct quotes
from text and
from online
sources as
directed
-Does not follow
assignment
instructions or
steps as directed
regarding
content Point Value 31 – 35 Pts 28 – 30 Pts 25 – 27 Pts 21- 24 Pts 0 – 20 Pts
Historical
Thinking
(Critical
approach,
evaluation &
argument,
assignment
criteria)
35% of grade
-Fully addresses
questions posed or
topic argument using validated
sources, research
material or other acceptable support
& evidence
-Total exclusion of personal bias or
comparative
judgments unless instructed
-Strong presence
of clarity and logic in formulating
critical analysis
and giving insightful
response
-Demonstration of intellectual
maturity of response in paper
tone and academic
language, including full use
of Arabic
language
terminology where
appropriate
-Adequately
addresses
questions posed or topic argument
using validated
sources, research material or other
acceptable support
& evidence -Total exclusion
of personal bias or
comparative judgments unless
instructed
-Good presence of clarity and logic
in formulating
critical analysis and giving
insightful
response -Demonstration
of intellectual maturity of
response in paper
tone and academic language,
including full use
of Arabic
language
terminology where
appropriate
-Minimally
addresses questions
posed or topic argument using
validated sources,
research material or other acceptable
support & evidence
-Total exclusion of personal bias or
comparative
judgments unless instructed
-Minor problems
in clarity and logic in formulating
critical analysis and
giving insightful response
-Demonstration of
intellectual maturity of response in paper
tone and academic language, including
minimal use of
Arabic language terminology where
appropriate
-Insufficiently
addresses
questions posed or topic argument
and/or lack of
validated sources, research material or
other acceptable
support & evidence -May contain
inappropriate personal bias or comparative
judgments unless
instructed -May contain
major problems in
clarity and logic in formulating critical
analysis and giving
insightful response -Insufficient
intellectual maturity of
response in paper
tone and academic language and/or
insufficient use of Arabic language
terminology where
appropriate
-Omission in
addressing
questions posed or topic argument
and/or lack of
validated sources, research material
or other
acceptable support &
evidence
-Contains
inappropriate personal bias or
comparative judgments unless
instructed
-Major problems in clarity and
logic in
formulating critical analysis
and giving insightful
response
-Insufficient intellectual
maturity of
response in paper
tone and
academic
language and/or
insufficient use of Arabic
language terminology
where appropriate
-Does not follow
assignment
instructions or
steps as directed
regarding
evaluation,
argument or
assignment
criteria Point Value 31 – 35 Pts 28 – 30 Pts 25 – 27 Pts 21- 24 Pts 0 – 20 Pts
Historical
Skills
(Mechanics,
Organization,
Format,
Citations)
30% of grade
-Fully
demonstrates excellent
organizational written skills in
presentation of
background information,
analyses and/or
arguments -Appropriate
style use in source
citation containing
minimal errors
-Proper paper
format and
layout according
to assignment
instructions (use of proper font,
size, paragraph
indents, spacing, etc.)
-No errors in
spelling, grammar, word choice,
syntax,
punctuation, capitalization or
other writing
mechanics
-Adequately
demonstrates good
organizational written skills in
presentation of
background information,
analyses and/or
arguments -Appropriate
style use in source
citation containing
minimal errors
-Proper paper
format and
layout according
to assignment
instructions (use of proper font,
size, paragraph
indents, spacing, etc.)
-No errors in
spelling, grammar, word choice,
syntax,
punctuation, capitalization or
other writing
mechanics
-Minimally
demonstrates satisfactory
organizational written skills in
presentation of
background information,
analyses and/or
arguments -Appropriate style
use in source
citation containing
minimal errors
-Proper paper
format and layout according to
assignment
instructions (use of proper font, size,
paragraph indents,
spacing, etc.) -Minimal errors in
spelling, grammar,
word choice, syntax, punctuation,
capitalization or
other writing mechanics
-Insufficiently
demonstrates satisfactory
organizational written skills in
presentation of
background information,
analyses and/or
arguments -Inappropriate
style use in source
citation containing
major errors
-Proper paper
format and layout according to
assignment
instructions (use of proper font, size,
paragraph indents,
spacing, etc.) -Minimal Errors
in spelling,
grammar, word choice, syntax,
punctuation,
capitalization or other writing
mechanics
-Lack of satisfactory
organizational
written skills in presentation of
background
information, analyses and/or
arguments
-Inappropriate style use in
source citation
containing major
errors or missing
citations and/or
sources entirely -Improper paper
format and/or
layout according to assignment
instructions (use
of proper font, size, paragraph
indents, spacing,
etc.) -Major Errors in
spelling,
grammar, word choice, syntax,
punctuation,
capitalization or other writing
mechanics
-Does not follow
assignment
instructions or
steps as directed
regarding
organization,
format, citations
or proofreading Point Value 27 – 30 Pts 24 – 26 Pts 21 – 23 Pts 18- 20 Pts 0 – 17 Pts
Please scroll down
Learning Outcomes, undergraduate program
Historical Knowledge
Develop a wide range of historical information
‐ identify the key events which express/define change over time in a particular place or region
‐ identify how change occurs over time ‐ explain historical continuity and change ‐ describe the influence of political ideologies, economic structures, social organization, cultural perceptions, and natural environments on historical events
‐ discuss the ways in which factors such as race, gender, class, ethnicity, region and religion influence historical narratives
Historical Thinking
Recognize the past‐ness of the past ‐ explain how people have existed, acted and thought in particular historical periods ‐ explain what influence the past has on the present
Emphasize the complex nature of past experiences
‐ interpret the complexity and diversity of situations, events and past mentalities ‐ compare eras and regions in order to define enduring issues
Emphasize the complex and problematic nature of the historical record
‐ recognize a range of viewpoints ‐ compare competing historical narratives ‐ challenge arguments of historical inevitability ‐ analyze cause‐and‐effect relationships and multiple causation
Historical Skills
Develop skills in critical thinking and reading
‐ evaluate debates among historians ‐ differentiate between historical facts and historical interpretations ‐ assess the credibility of primary and secondary sources
Develop research skills
‐ formulate historical questions ‐ obtain historical data from a variety of sources ‐ identify gaps in available records
Develop the ability to construct reasonable historical arguments
‐ write a well‐organized historical argument ‐ support an interpretation with historical evidence from a variety of primary and secondary sources
Department of History Learning Outcomes for Hist 4560 HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE
1. Range of historical information: Students will examine a broad range of Islamic experiential perspectives through rigorous analyses of historical contexts, social structures and comparative practices of divergent Islamic civilizations throughout the Middle East. Through these analyses, students will observe and understand how change occurs over time; the complex issue of historical causation; the influence of political ideologies, economic structures, social organization, cultural perceptions and practices, and natural environments on the historical events that have shaped these Islamic civilizations, especially as it applies to women’s roles and gender-related issues. HISTORICAL THINKING 2. Recognize the past-ness of the past: Students will increase in their ability to understand how various Muslim women have existed, acted, and thought within the contexts of specified cultural pasts and historical settings. Through examining historical perspectives other than their own, students will gain an understanding of unfamiliar structures, cultures and belief systems while suspending personal bias or comparative judgments as they relate these perspectives and influences to current trends. 3. Emphasize the complex nature of past experience: Students will foster intellectual maturity by appreciating the complexity and diversity of situations, events and past mentalities that have shaped behavioral, religious, social, and cultural adaptations of Muslim women in both past and present societies. 4. Emphasize the complex and problematic nature of the historical record: Students will gain an understanding of the problems inherent when examining Islamic historical records and documents: awareness of a range of viewpoints; appreciation of the range of problems involved in the interpretation of complex, ambiguous, conflicting and often incomplete material; a feeling for the limitations of knowledge and the dangers of simplistic explanations. HISTORICAL SKILLS 5. Develop skills in critical thinking and reading: Students will cultivate intellectual integrity, maturity and critical thinking aptitudes through the analysis of Islamic texts and other primary sources for validity, evidence, and other critical evaluation criteria while addressing questions of genre, content, perspective and purpose. Students will be able to recognize that statements are not all of equal validity, that there are ways of testing them, and that historians operate by rules of evidence which, though themselves subject to critical evaluation, are also a component of intellectual integrity and maturity. 6. Develop research skills: Students will foster intellectual independence by setting tasks and solving problems relative to course assignments. This will include but is not limited to: bibliographic skills; the ability to gather, sift, select, organize and synthesize large quantities of evidence; the ability to formulate appropriate questions and to provide answers to them using valid and relevant evidence and argument. 7. Develop the ability to construct reasonable historical arguments: Students will draw on the above skills in constructing written summaries and papers on selected Islamic topics that contain reasonable historical arguments. Such arguments should show competence in creating structure and relevancy in a concise manner. In the
case of written argument it should be expressed in clear, lucid and coherent prose. Through discussion board posting, students should draw on these skills to sustain a reasoned line of argument in the face of others, to listen, to engage in sustained debate, and amend views as necessary in the light of evidence and argument.