English: Syllabus

Here are some key things to know:

• our semester is 14 weeks long
• our first class day is January 26
• our last class day is May 12
• the week of March 10 is Lehigh's spring break
• (if your break is different, we will make reasonable accommodations)
• there are four units to the course
• the units are three weeks long
• each unit concentrates on a "round" of the Vietnam Wall controversy
• there are four major essay assignments
• that's one major essay for each unit
• each unit also has several written homework assignments
• there is one week of introduction and one of conclusion

Now, here's an overview of the syllabus in more detail:

• The first week is orientation -- getting familiar with the Blackboard course web site, the Vietnam Wall Controversy web site, and Centra, which is the program through which we can talk to each other. For instance, during this first week, you will practice using such parts of Blackboard as the discussion board (where you will post your homework messages), the chat, the drop box (through which you will submit your essays), and the Course Documents file (where you will find some of your reading assignments). You will practice how to find reading assignments in the databases linked to the Vietnam Wall Controversy web site. And we will hold some conversations on Centra.
  
• After the orientation come the four units. The twelve weeks from weeks two to thirteen will consist of four three-week units. The normal pattern will be that the first two weeks of each unit will consist of reading, writing, and discussing in preparation for the major essay assignment. In each two-week preparation phase, there will be homework assignments due at various times. And then the third week of each unit will be devoted to drafting, revising, and completing the essay assignment.
  
• At the end of the four units, we've left a week for any catch-up and wrap-up that we need to do.