This page is about work, and about grades.   It describes the assignments you'll be expected to complete and the ways in which your final grade will be determined.

The course is designed to be flexible but predictable: You'll have some choices about projects and papers, but you'll also know exactly what you'll need to do to perform well, day to day:

30 percent   Discussion and Class Participation:   It's essential that you come to class, that you come ready to offer your evaluation of and reaction to the readings assigned for the week, and that you participate fully and actively in the course.  In particular:

• This course looks at all kinds of really bizarre events and ideas.  Who the heck is Matt Drudge, for example, and why does he wear that funny hat? If I pretend I'm a man in cyberspace, am I a fraud -- or just exercising my right to gender swap?  Are speech codes on college campuses an effective way to create a safe and comfortable living environment for all students -- or an infringement on your right to say whatever you want to say?  Should companies be able to collect detailed dossiers of information about you without your permission; did you know that they're already doing it?  The course is designed to be a conversation among us, not a presentation by me.   It's important that you come to class prepared to participate.

• I take attendance. Unexcused absences will have a noticeable impact on your participation grade.  More than two unexcused absences will cost you a full letter grade in the course (from an A to a B, from a B to a C).  Leaving me a voicemail message does not excuse you; a message from the associate dean's office (which has received a message from Health Services) does. 

• You will be asked to write brief synopses of a series of important cases this semester.  These will be succinct, specific summaries, as described on the Papers, Projects page.  You will also be asked to take responsibility for writing a synopsis of one additional case and for making 30 copies of that case synopsis for distribution to the class.  Some of you will be asked (at random) to presenting your case to the class, so you should come to class prepared to do so. The cases from which you will choose are listed here.

• There are hundreds of legal resources on the Web.  Among the best are the Legal Information Institute, which offers lots of great information about the Supreme Court, including the text of hundreds of court decisions; FedWorld; and the Findlaw database.   You should find everything you need at one of those three sites.

• Here's a list of the cases and other legal documents  for which you'll all be expected to produce short synopses.

• We will hold our exam reviews online, and I will hold my office hours online as well, hours to be determined during our first class period.  More on that on the Chat page.

15 percent      Examination I, Tuesday, Feb. 22. The first exam will cover the history and theory of the American legal system and the First Amendment; the structure of the court system; the new challenges -- legal and ethical -- in online newsrooms prior restraint, libel and privacy.  It will consist of multiple choice and short answer questions, and a choice of short essays.

20 percent      Examination II, Tuesday, April 11.  The second exam will cover the student press, intellectual property, free press-fair trial issues, newsgathering and freedom of information, obscenity and censorship, and media conglomeration.   It will follow the same general format as the first exam.

10 percent       Research Paper/Moot Court.  Papers are due Thursday, April 20  in class. Moot court presentations will occur on Tuesday, April 25, and Thursday, April 27. No late papers or presentations  will be accepted for any reason (short of documented illness or family crisis). The purpose of this project is to give you the opportunity to explore a subject area that you find interesting or compelling.  That means you have flexibility -- not only in terms of what you explore but in how you present what you find.   

25 percent       Final exam:   Essay and Multiple Choice.  Your final exam will take place at 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 4.  This is the first day of finals.  No early/alternative exams will be given (it's unfair and therefore unethical), so please plan your summer travels, rides home, and other obligations accordingly.  The exam will consist of two parts:  an objective, multiple choice section (worth 50 points), and an essay section (also worth 50 points).  You will be expected to demonstrate the cumulative knowledge you've gained over the semester, as well as articulate your understandings of the legal and ethical issues we've covered. 

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