Syllabus: HSTY2034

LEARNING SITUATIONS

• Lectures: two one hour lectures a week
• Tutorials: a one-hour tutorial each week

LEARNER PREPARATION

Prerequisites

This unit of study presumes no prior knowledge of American history.   Students seeking a broad overview of this period should consult Bernard Bailyn et. al, The Great Republic: A History of the American People, 2d ed. (2 vols.) or Bruce Levine, et. al., Who Built America?: Working People and the Nation's Economy, Politics, Culture and Society (2 vols.)

Computer Access

(To access on-line readings for tutorials and assignments).   There are Access Centres at the following locations on campus:

• Fisher Library, level 2 (40 terminals, busy)
• Education Building, Room 232 (40 terminals, often not busy)
• Engineering Lab, in Link Building, Room 222 (50 terminals, often not busy)
• Carslaw Building, Room 201 (60 terminals, busy)
• Arts Labs, Griffith Taylor (2 x 15 terminals; sometimes used for classes)

PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is the theft of intellectual property.

The Academic Board of the University of Sydney has defined plagiarism as 'presenting another person's ideas, findings or work as one's own by copying or reproducing the work without due acknowledgment of the source.' The most common form of plagiarism is presenting written work that contains sentences, paragraphs or longer sections from published work without acknowledgment.   In other cases, students reproduce portions of the work of another student and present it as their own. Using the structure of another's argument is a form of plagiarism, even if the wording is changed.

The History Department encourages students to think for themselves. In assessing your work we look for evidence of your understanding and capacity for independent thought, so we are always disappointed to discover plagiarism. Our disappointment is only mitigated by the delight of successful detection: academics have very sensitive antennae and derivative phrasing will swiftly alert our suspicions.   Plagiarism from the internet, in particular, is absurdly easy to detect.

The Department's first responsibility is educative, and where plagiarism seems to arise from poor referencing practices or lack of confidence, we will alert you to the problem and suggest strategies for improvement. Regardless of the reasons for it, plagiarised work is never acceptable, and may fail because it does not meet the requirements of academic merit.

Where dishonest intent is apparent, the Department may proceed to disciplinary measures. In the most serious cases, university procedures relating to student misconduct may be invoked and can lead to expulsion.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

The Department of History requires satisfactory class attendance as part of participation in a unit of study. Attendance below 80% of the tutorials without written evidence of illness or misadventure will be penalised with loss of marks; attendance at less than 50% of the tutorials, regardless of the reasons for the absences , will result in the student being deemed not to have participated in the unit of study.  

APPEALS

If you are unhappy with a grade, you should first speak to the person who marked your work. Appeals against academic judgements or grading decisions can be made either to the unit of study coordinator or to the Chair of Department. Appeals may be made informally or in writing. An appeal against a grading decision or a request that work be remarked must be made within six months of the release of the results for the unit of study, except in exceptional circumstances.

ASSESSMENT

Late Penalty: If Illness or a family emergency prevents you from handing in an assignment, you can contact me to arrange an extension, preferably before the assignment is due.   Assignments handed in after the due date will incur a penalty of 2% for each day they are late.