Course Description: Introduction to Women's Studies looks at women's roles from a number of different perspectives in order to examine and question the role women play in society. Connections will be made across cultures, ethnicities, classes, religions, regions. As with all Women's Studies classes, the focus is women, their lives, conditions, and the reasons for their inequality historically and in the present.

Texts: Women's Realities, Women's Choices, 2nd edition, by the Hunter College Women's Collective

Other Materials:
A good dictionary
A folder in which all writing assignments are to be placed, along with drafts.
A very cheap folder, with a pocket, for Reading Response Papers entries

Assignments:
Oral Report on Self-Affirming Action 5 POINTS
Reading Response papers 30 POINTS
Midterm Exam 15 POINTS
Generations Paper 15 POINTS
Resource Guide 20 POINTS
Participation Statement 15 POINTS

Reading Response Papers 30 POINTS The Reading Response Papers will be a minimum of 500 words , double-spaced, computer-generated per week. You won't get credit for significantly fewer words, large font, wide margins, etc. Give us an honest page each time. You may submit these before the class period they are due but not after. The Reading Response Paper serves a number of purposes:
1. It gives you an opportunity to figure out what you understand, what you don't, and what you want to question. We're as interested in the questions you ask as the answers you give in your Reading Response Papers. Think of this writing as a safe place to explore. You're allowed to fumble around. Your writing does not have to be perfect. Relax!
2. Your Reading Response Papers lets us see what we need to spend more time on in class.
3. Your writing will often act as a springboard for class discussion.
4. Your Reading Response Papers shows us that you've done the assigned reading for homework. This is part of your responsibility as a community of learners and an opportunity to help spark class discussion.

Your grade will be based on how many full pages you hand in. There's a maximum of 12 Reading Response Papers this semester (12 weeks of Reading Response Papers.)

Grading for Reading Response Papers. Numbers indicate papers meeting the minimum word count and appropriate content description.

12 A
11 A-
10 B+
9 B and so on.

Please note!
30POINTS of your grade goes to the Reading Response Papers. That's a lot. The grade weight tells you that we think this is a central part of the class. It's easy to get an A for that 30 POINTS-- All you have to do is hand in the minimum required words each week on the topics assigned. However, it's also easy to get a failing grade for the Reading Response Papers and the class if you don't do all of them all the time. If you miss one you are already down to an A- grade. You may hand in a paper ahead of the class for which it is due, but not after. The grading system reflects the importance of regular Reading Response Paper writing to your success in the class, so please do at least the minimum every week.
You should do the assigned Reading Response Papers writing before the class discussion. If you don't have the work completed, or you don't write the minimum each time, you won't get credit.

Each page should begin in the following way:
Reading Response Paper number:
Name:
Date:
Topic:
Please computer generate your Reading Response Papers entries. We won't accept handwritten pages.

Exam : Midterm: In-class portion 15 POINTS
The exam will consist of an essay described below and an in-class section involving some combination of the following: short answer questions, matching, multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank.

Generations paper 15 POINTS
For the essay: interview one woman from a different generation and then compare and contrast her experiences and world views with your own in a 2-3 page paper.
Paper due:

Resource Guide. 20 POINTS
(typed, double-spaced, 10-12 pica size; free of spelling and gross grammatical errors)

Title (subject of the Guide)
Your Name
Date

The Introduction
Length: 2-3 pages

Content:

1. a narrative summary of the subject matter which clearly explains the scope of the resources listed in the bibliography.
2. tips to the reader on conducting research on this topic--suggesting effective search vocabulary, clarifying particular aspects of the subject matter; identifying particular indexes (print and electronic) that contain references to sources pertinent to the topic. This narrative should be about your research strategies.

The Annotated Bibliography
Length: 3-5 pages

Content:

1. 10-15 annotated citations which refer your reader to a mix of scholarly information sources (books, journals, newspapers, video, web sites, etc.) The citation must be in the format proper for the source as specified in the Turabian (Chicago Style Manual) style manual.
2. The annotation must be evaluative of the source's authority as well as descriptive of the source's content. These should indicate these sources as the best (most informative, useful, scholarly) sources you were able to find this semester on this topic.

Information on finding and citing sources is available from Stewart Library: http://library.weber.edu/libinstruct/list.htm

An excellent Turabian style guide is available from: http://www.lib.usm.edu/~instruct/guides/turabian.html

Oral Report on self affirming action 5 POINTS
Prepare a ten minute oral report for the rest of the class. Details will be provided
Sign up for

Participation Statement 15 POINTS
A written statement in which you show by concrete, specific examples how you have earned the following points:

5 = regular attendance in class

5 = regularly ready for class--have done the readings; participated in class discussions, been supportive of colleagues as they ask and answer questions, served as a guide for readings, etc.

5 = how you have used this class outside the classroom--conversations, news reports, related it to other classes, etc.
Total = 15 points

Assignment due 1/22 Read pp 23-54; Also, find one ad each in a women's magazine (for example, Glamor), a newsmagazine (Eg. U. S. News), and a TV show. How are women depicted? What assumptions are made about their bodies? Type a response to each ad.