Class meeting times: TR 12:30-1:45 PM, Stein 423
Office Hours (Fall 2012): TR 11:00 AM-12:00 PM & W 1:00-2:00 PM or by appointment, Stein 459

Course Information

• Attend regularly and on time
• Check periodically for supplementary information posted on the course website at http://college.holycross.edu/faculty/cstone/mont110g/main.htm
• Come to class prepared, having completed the assigned materials and brainstormed questions and/or comments for class discussion
• Submit assignments on time or make arrangements beforehand with the professor and/or the appropriate class dean
• Contribute positively to class dynamics: asking questions when confused, listening actively and engaging with others, respecting the rights of all to develop their initial impressions and opinions into systematic, evidence-based arguments
• Familiarize yourself with the rules regarding plagiarism, use of quotations and acknowledgement of sources (see ch. 7 of A Short Guide to Writing About Film for a concise overview of these issues). A helpful web product for organizing bibliographic information, RefWorks, is available through Dinand Library
• Seek assistance from the Writer's Workshop or during office hours as needed. It is always appropriate (indeed, encouraged) to discuss your questions, claims, evidence and arguments with others outside of class. Asking for help with the more technical aspects of the writing process is also encouraged. But this help will only be of lasting utility if you are engaged in the self-correction process. In other words, do not rely on others to do your work for you
• Conscientously revise your first drafts to address common stylistic and structural errors (see They Say, I Say and A Short Guide to Writing About Film for tips on effective writing)
• All scheduled screening will be in Stein 314. Arrange to view films in the MultiMedia Resource Center (MRC) if you are unable to attend one or more scheduled screenings. Ask at the front desk to check the reserve shelf under Prof. Stone for the assigned films. The MRC has both individual viewing stations and small rooms for group viewings. Please do not remove films from the MRC

Assignments/Evaluation

• Participation & attendance: 10% of the final grade. Active, insightful participation in class, in the Moodle discussion forum, and at Global Society common events will raise this grade above average, while tardiness and unexcused absences will negatively affect it, as will sporadic or laxluster participation
• Exam on key film terms: 15% of the final grade (October 2). Students will be tested on their understanding of cinematic elements such as story, plot, characters, point of view, cinematography, mise-en-scène, editing, sound.
• Screening Reports: 15% of the final grade (to be discussed orally in class on October 16, with written versions due on Moodle by midnight). Approximately 3 pages (750 words) incorporating three dimensions: 1. Scene Details (identification of the scene chosen for analysis and description, using appropriate film terms, of major aspects of the scene); 2. Scene Summary (a recasting of the scene details in terms of a guiding concept that provides a rationale for the cinematic choices involved); 3. Scene analysis (connects particular scene chosen to course themes and objectives)
• Film Reviews: 20% of the final grade (due on Moodle by midnight on November 20). Approximately 5-6 pages (1350 words) in which to establish and discuss a set of criteria for evaluating the selected film, taking into consideration the context of production, cinematic genre/s, description and evaluation of selected elements (not an exhaustive summary of every aspect of the film), recommendations for those potentially interested in viewing the film
• Final Essays: 30% of the final grade (due on Moodle by midnight on December 13). Approximately 8 pages (2000 words) in which to capture the interest of the reader, identify the approach or method you plan to use, structure a persuasive argument with vivid and varied evidence, insert your voice in larger debates related to Latino images in US film and demonstrate familiarity with the relevant bibliography. The ultimate goal of the critical essay is to add to the informed reader's understanding of the film/s under consideration and the major concepts of the course

Grade equivalencies: 94-100 = A; 90-93.9 = A-; 87-89.9 = B+; 84-86.9 = B; 80-83.9 = B-; 77-79.9 = C+; 74-76.9 = C; 70-73.9 = C-; 67-69.9 = D+; 60-66.9 = D; 0-59.9 = F