{"id":2201,"date":"2026-07-31T18:11:41","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T18:11:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.hsc.edu\/drjclassics\/classics-courses-syllabi\/sample-syllabus\/"},"modified":"2026-07-31T18:11:41","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T18:11:41","slug":"sample-syllabus","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.hsc.edu\/drjclassics\/classics-courses-syllabi\/sample-syllabus\/","title":{"rendered":"Sample Syllabus"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Dr. Janice Siegel
\nIH 51 Section 032
\nTTh 11:40-1:00
\nTuttleman 301<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Office: 219 Anderson
\n Office Hours: TTh 1:30-2:30 and by appt.
\n(I am in my office most days, so stop by, too)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Best Bets: jsiegel@nimbus.temple.edu\nor drj@temple.edu
\n Department Website: http:\/\/courses.temple.edu\/ih<\/a>\n
\n My website: http:\/\/www.drjclassics.com<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Required Texts<\/a>\n| Course Calendar<\/a> | \n Course Prerequisite<\/a> | Course Description<\/a>\n| Course Requirements<\/a> |\u00a0 Paper\nPolicies<\/a> | Evaluation of Writing<\/a> | Writing Help<\/a>\n| Classroom Policies<\/a> |\u00a0 Attendance Policy<\/a>\n| Commitment<\/a> | Academic Honesty<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Required Texts:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Student\n Guide to IH, Marra and Zelnick, edd. (new edition)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Sophocles,\n Three Theban Plays, tr. Fagles (Penguin)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Plato,\n Last Days of Socrates, tr.\n Treddenick (Penguin)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Holy\n Bible (New Revised Standard Version)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Koran,\n tr. Dawood (Penguin)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Sundiata:\n An Epic of Old Mali, tr. Niane (Longman)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Galileo,\n Discoveries and Opinions, tr. Drake (Doubleday)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Machiavelli,\n The Prince, tr. Wootton\n (Hackett)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Shakespeare,\n Othello<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Course\n Calendar<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Course Prerequisite: a C- or better in Comp 50 or its equivalent.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Course Description: Intellectual\n Heritage 051 seeks to introduce you to some of the groundbreaking texts and ideas of the\n Western Cultural tradition, the tradition that has shaped the shapers of our world. This\n course offers you an opportunity to engage this tradition – to discover, re-think,\n criticize, dispute, defend and understand – by the simple means of reading, discussing,\n re-reading, and writing. IH051 is designed to improve your reading, writing and critical\n skills by asking you to wrestle with the same basic issues that generations of men before\n you have: the basis of law, the rights and duties of citizenship, the existence of God,\n the conflict between predestination and free will, the benefits of community, the nature\n of the material world and the relationship between religion and science, the limits of\n reason, free will, guilt innocence and ultimately, the meaning of life. Whew.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Course Requirements:
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\n\n Exams<\/b>: a midterm (20%) and final examination (20%).
\n Quizzes<\/b> (10%): After the midterm, you will have a series of quizzes (see syllabus)\n on assigned reading, given the day the assignment is due. These are pre-discussion,\n plot-level quizzes designed to keep you on top of your work. The final exam will be essay\n only. You must pass the Final\n Examination in order to pass the course. You must have an overall passing quiz\/exam\n average in order to pass this course.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Papers<\/b>: a series of short, one-two page papers, and three polished essays, 3-4 pages in length (grading works on improvement, not an\n average; writing grade accounts for 50% of final grade). Your\n writing must be C level by the time this course ends in order to pass\nthe course, no matter how well you do on the quizzes and exams.
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\n<\/a>Paper Policies:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Papers must be generated on a computer\/word processor.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Papers must be handed in electronically unless\n I specifically request a hard copy. If you don’t know how to send an\n attachment, please go to the Computer Services Center in the basement of\n Wachman Hall and have someone show you, or ask me. If you are using a\n program other than Word, or if you are using a Mac, please try\n sending the document in rtf format.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Format your papers this way: single-spaced with one-inch margins and no less\n than 11 point type (double-spaced if you are printing it out).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Papers with an inordinate amount of\n composition\/punctuation\/typographical errors will receive a failing grade. If you know you\n have writing difficulties of this nature, please seek out help from the Writing Center\n FROM THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASS!!!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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I reserve the right not to accept late papers.\n You must speak to me BEFORE the due date to request an extension. Papers are due IN CLASS on the\n day specified. If you do make arrangements to hand in a paper late, NEVER push it under my\n door. ALWAYS place it in my mailbox in Anderson 214, or better yet, submit\n it electronically.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Topics will be linked from the on-line\n syllabus for each essay assigned.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Evaluation of Writing:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Evaluation of early essays is generally a\n shock to students. Remember that your course grade is based on improvement –\n early essays generally fail on various levels. Don’t fret about that, but\n learn from it and improve. Don’t take bad grades personally. And remember – the grade you receive\n reflects the quality of the work you hand in, not necessarily the best you can do. Your\n job is to “wow” me; do not hand in something that you know does not adequately\n reflect what you are capable of doing. Take the time to put in your best\n effort. The last thing I want to hear is that you just threw\n something together at the last minute. Writing is a process, and unless you\n engage in that process willingly and with abandon, you will never\n improve. Learning to write is hard. It is also glorious when it all comes\n together. Let yourself reach that point.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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I plan to initiate you into the mysteries of\n how I grade essays. Watch this space for more info soon.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Writing Help: please use\n the resources that are available to you:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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My own writing guides (and me in person)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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“Points of\n Style” for tips on what to do and what not to do<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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try “Writing\n Analogies” for explanations of what the process of writing is all about.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Essay\n Writing Techniques and Assignment Guidelines answers many students’\n questions about the details of putting together an essay:\n how to use quotations, the difference between plot summary and analysis, plotting a\n progression of ideas in an essay.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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IH\n webpages: (click on “writing\n help”). More writing guides coming soon, but for now, check out “Dr.\n Karras’ Bad Essay and How to Dodge This Bullet!”<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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University Writing Center<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Classroom Policies:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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First and\n foremost is the mutual respect and common courtesy that will allow students to feel\n confident when voicing their opinions.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Please arrive on time and do not leave in the\n middle of class unless it is absolutely necessary. I much prefer that you arrive late rather than not at all,\n but if you must enter the class after it has begun, please respect the class and settle in\n as quickly and as quietly as possible. If you need to leave early, please\n let me know ahead of time and try to sit near the door.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Feel free to bring a drink to class,\n but please – NO food or gum.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Come prepared to class having read the assignment for that\n day. Not only will it help your grade, but it will also make our time together that much\n more profitable and enjoyable.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Participate! This is a sure-fire way to\n engage the texts and wrestle with the ideas in them. Ask questions, spark\n discussion, offer answers.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Attendance Policy:\nAttendance is mandatory. Repeated absenteeism will adversely affect\n your grade and more than the equivalent of two weeks of class (4 meetings for MW or TR\n classes, 6 meetings for MWF classes) demands failure of the course. You are considered late if you enter the\n room after I have finished taking attendance. 2 lates equal 1 absence. Please come often and on time. Good attendance always\n translates into better midterm and final examination grades. Also, we will spend\n considerable class-time going over helpful hints for better essay writing. Of course, the\n best part of this class is the discussion – don’t miss it!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Commitment:\u00a0 I pledge my attention, time, effort\n and expertise to you as you develop your critical reading, writing and thinking skills. I\n expect you to exert an equivalent effort. This is a demanding course. If there are\n complications of child-care responsibilities, employment schedules, transportation\n difficulties or personal issues that will cause you to miss class on a regular basis, hand\n in papers late, unfinished, or badly in need of editing, or miss quizzes and tests, then please\n take this course at another time. My job is to support students, not to indulge\n them. If you have too much on your plate (including too many courses, or any writing\n intensive course in addition to this one), you are setting yourself up to fail IH. Please\n help me to help you get the most possible out of the course. Put forth your best effort.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Academic Honesty: This is the official IH\nPolicy on Plagiarism and Academic Cheating:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Intellectual Heritage Program aims to acquaint you with important\noriginal texts from antiquity to the present day and, equally importantly, to\nhelp you understand and use other challenging texts throughout college and\nafterward.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Because writing papers is an essential part of this development,\u00a0 we\ntake your writing very seriously in IH 51 and 52.\u00a0 Two basic elements of\nthis writing process are\u00a0 “the development of independent thought and\na respect for the thoughts of others”\u00a0 referred to in the University\nBulletin statement on Plagiarism and Academic Cheating,\u00a0 http:\/\/www.temple.edu\/bulletin\/ugradbulletin\/policies_part2.htm#pac<\/a>.\nAs the Bulletin goes on to say, “The prohibition against plagiarism\nand cheating is intended to foster this independence and respect.”<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Program expects all students to follow University policy on this\nmatter:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of another person’s labor, another\n person’s ideas, another person’s words, another person’s assistance. Normally,\n all work done for courses ? papers, examinations, homework exercises,\n laboratory reports, oral presentations — is expected to be the individual\n effort of the student presenting the work. Any assistance must be reported to\n the instructor. If the work has entailed consulting other resources —\n journals, books, or other media — these resources must be cited in a manner\n appropriate to the course. It is the instructor’s responsibility to indicate\n the appropriate manner of citation. Everything used from other sources —\n suggestions for organization of ideas, ideas themselves, or actual language —\n must be cited. Failure to cite borrowed material constitutes plagiarism.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Your Intellectual Heritage instructor is responsible for assigning\npenalties for plagiarism.\u00a0 Penalties usually range from failure on a\nparticular assignment to failure in the course.\u00a0 In some cases, the penalty\ncan be suspension or expulsion from the University.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Be aware that I am vigilant against plagiarism and that I push for the\n harshest appropriate punishment in each case. Please do not waste my time. Or your future.\n If you are unclear about whether something may or may not be considered plagiarism, ASK!\n Ignorance of the law is no excuse in these cases, although intentional plagiarism is\n certainly dealt with more harshly.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":2167,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2201","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.hsc.edu\/drjclassics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2201","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.hsc.edu\/drjclassics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.hsc.edu\/drjclassics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.hsc.edu\/drjclassics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.hsc.edu\/drjclassics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2201"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.hsc.edu\/drjclassics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2201\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.hsc.edu\/drjclassics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2167"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.hsc.edu\/drjclassics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2201"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}