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Introduction to Latin
Latin
105, fall 2007
COURSE WEB PAGES: http://http://instruct1.cit.cornell.edu/courses/class105/
Section 1 MTRF 0905-0955am Rockefeller B15, Aaron Pelttari (adp38@cornell.edu)
Section 2 MTRF 1115-1205P Lincoln 117 (MF), Stimson 105 (T), Goldwin Smith 122 (R), Todd Clary (tcc24@cornell.edu)
Section 3 MTRF 1220-0110P Uris Hall 382 Michael Fletcher (mtf26@cornell.edu)
(Course Supervisor: Dr. Antonia Ruppel, Dept. of Classics, ar366@cornell.edu)
TEXTBOOK
Keller, Andrew, and Stephanie Russell, Learn to read Latin: Text and Workbook,
New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004.
GOALS OF THE SEQUENCE LATIN 105 (FALL) AND 106 (SPRING):
Latin 105 is an introduction to Latin grammar and vocabulary; it has no pre-requisites.
--To master the vocabulary, morphology and syntax of classical Latin (ca. 100
BCE-100 CE).
--To read extensive passages of major classical prose writers (Cicero, Sallust,
Caesar) and poets (Vergil, Ovid).
--To prepare to read authors of intermediate difficulty either in Cornell courses
(Classics 109, 205) or independently.
For Cornell students of the class of 2007 and later, the language is requirement
is completed either by passing Latin 205, or by taking 11 credits in Latin at
Cornell (usually Latin 105 + 106 + 109. For more detailed information on the
language requirement consult this web page:
http://cuinfo.cornell.edu/Academic/Courses/AS.php
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
--Regular attendance and participation in class.
--Careful reading of the assigned grammar sections in Learn to read Latin.
--Completion of daily written assignments from the Workbook.
--Completion of chapter tests, prelim and final examination.
DAILY ASSIGNMENTS:
See the separate assignment pages
GRADING
The course is not graded on a curve, but on Cornell's usual standard:
A/A-, Excellent to very good (comprehensive knowledge and understanding of basic
Latin)
B+/B/B- Good (moderately broad knowledge and understanding)
C+/C/C- Satisfactory (reasonable knowledge and understanding)
D+/D/D- Marginal (minimum of knowledge and understanding)
F Failing (unacceptably low level of knowledge and understanding)
(Note that, like other beginning language courses at Cornell, Classics 105 may
NOT be taken pass-fail)
Performance is measured with the following components (a report of your current
status in all three categories will be given to you at regular intervals):
ATTENDANCE AND CLASS PARTICIPATION (25% OF TOTAL FINAL GRADE)
Each class will include additional drills, supplementary explanations of the
book's chapters, practice in sight-reading and unannounced short quizzes.
Regular attendance and participation in classroom practice is key to success
in the course, and is a crucial part of your final grade; this is NOT the sort
of course where one can substitute out-of-class study for classroom attendance
and participation. Some absences may be unavoidable, but to avoid being penalized
for them your instructor must be notified in advance by email or phone message;
unanticipated medical absences must be documented by your doctor. If you know
from the outset that you will have to miss a substantial number of classes (e.
g., more than one per week) for any reason (work, travel, medical), it is best
not to take the course. An overall participation grade of lower than 70% (e.
g., as many as 4 unexcused absences) will not pass the course.
HOMEWORK FROM WORKBOOK (20%)
Nearly every class will require you to prepare and bring to class hand selected
drills from the LTRL Workbook. Sometimes these will be corrected in class, sometimes
handed in and returned the next class. Make sure you write your name on each
sheet as you hand it in, and purchase a folder in which to save all your written
work for the semester. Note that in Participation and Homework grades (unlike
quizzes) perfection is not the main standard: a reasonable number of mistakes
is not a negative, so declining to participate in class (or asking someone else
for a homework answer that you do not understand) is not a good strategy.
You are certainly encouraged to consult each other with questions and even study
together if you wish, but do NOT prepare your homeworks together; there is enough
variation in possible homework answers that copying from another is often easy
to detect, and has to be treated as an honor code violation (see below)!
SCHEDULED CHAPTER TESTS (15%), PRELIM (15%) AND FINAL EXAMINATION (25%)
4 Chapter tests are scheduled for in class: These will include Latin-to-English
and English-to-Latin translations and identification of forms, assuming knowledge
of all vocabulary up to that point, but with emphasis on the topics of the most
recent chapters. A preliminary exam outside of class is scheduled for Tuesday,
October 2, 7:30-9:30pm; a final examination is scheduled for Saturday, December
8, 9-11:30am.
All grades are expressed as a percentage of 100 (e. g. a quiz or homework or weekly participation grade might be 86%); this does NOT however mean that the final grade is a fixed percentage (e. g. 88 = B+), because the difficulty of tests and examinations may fluctuate.
STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Classics 105 will require strict adherence to Cornell's code of academic integrity,
detailed at this website:
http://cuinfo.cornell.edu/Academic/AIC.html
It is especially emphasized that all coursework must be the original work of
the student in question; handing in another's work, preparing written assignments
in common, as well as copying of answers or other code violations will be considered
a serious offence.
This page last modified 8-23-06