Your course grade will be earned according to the distribution rubric below. The short paper and midterm are intended to serve two purposes: their obvious, superficial purpose as a paper and a midterm (i.e. opportunities for you to demonstrate your understanding of the course material and the genre in which you're writing, and your abilities as a writer. Less obviously, they are on the list of requirements so that you can get a sense of my marking and grading with the stakes comparatively low.
Class contribution: 15%
Short paper: 10%
Midterm Exam: 10%
Long paper: 40%
Final Exam: 25%