HISTORY 4560 SYLLABUS

WOMEN IN ISLAM

Dr. Debra Baldwin

Required Student Texts:

Women and Gender in Islam, Leila Ahmed, Yale University Press, (1993)

Women in Islam and the Middle East, Ruth Roded, Tauris Publishing, (2008)

Instructor contact info: Please email me within the class on Canvas.

INSTRUCTOR INTRODUCTION__________________________________________

Ahlan wa Sahlan! Many greetings to you all out there in computer online-land! By way

of introduction, let me tell you a little bit about myself. I have taught at the university

level since 1982 in a variety of venues both in and out of the USA. My last job prior to

working at USU was as a US State Department educational consultant to the Philippine

Ministry of Education, setting up Muslim programs for integration into mainstream

educational channels. Before that, I spent over a dozen years living and working in many

Middle Eastern countries (Yemen, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Turkey & United Arab

Emirates). I speak Arabic fluently (well, did speak it fluently, but not too much practice

in Utah makes me a little rusty). I was married to a Palestinian Muslim for 9 years prior

to returning to the USA to live permanently in Idaho. I now enjoy living in the Bear

River Valley area with my menagerie of chickens & rooster, geese, and a Siamese cat.

Things can be a little confusing at times, but we all get along in the end I hope you

will enjoy what I have to add to your educational experience from all my travels and

experiences in the Middle East. It is a fascinating area of our world and deserves time

and acquaintance to help build our own understanding of world issues today. So sit back,

grab a bag of popcorn and enjoy the tour!

COURSE INTRODUCTION

Welcome to a study of Women in Islam! From the time of the Prophet Muhammad until

today, women’s issues in the Islamic world provide an intriguing opportunity to explore

such diverse topics as gender and social roles, women’s rights, veiling and dress, female

circumcision, arranged marriages and expectations, employment opportunities, education,

parenting, honor killings, politics, and feminist movements, all within the context of a

religious historical framework. This course will provide a background and broadened

perspective of these facets through readings, audio lectures, handouts, slideshows, and

other visual media. We will also discuss the religious and historical attitudes and

attributes in light of modern cultural applications in different countries in an effort to

understand what it means to be a woman in Islam today. By way of disclaimer, please be

aware that portions of this course are very graphic and highly sensitive. Hopefully, they

are presented totally in an academic light, but if you feel that any of the topics mentioned

above will not be suitable for you to study due to your own personal preferences, please

do not take this class!

COURSE OBJECTIVES AND LEARNING OUTCOMES ________________

Developing informed awareness of Islamic religious concepts, culture and thought

as it relates to women in Islam.

Becoming conversant with the vocabulary of Islam in the Arabic language as it

pertains to women’s issues and religious applications.

Expanding personal knowledge and opinion of Islamic women’s lifestyle choices

in the light of Islamic cultural understanding, while exploring multiple sides of

any issue.

Gaining an awareness of the historical, religious, anthropological, sociological

and gender related issues that shape Islamic women’s lifestyles today.

Increasing personal motivation to study Islamic women’s issues beyond the scope

of this course as they relate to present and future events in the world.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND INFORMATION

You will be expected to follow the syllabus schedule and do all components,

readings, viewings, listenings, handouts and turn in all assignments and take all

scheduled quizzes and exams on time.

There are two types of assignments in the course- basic outline question/answer

type and more complex summary/essay/writing type. On the basic outlines, you

will simply read the chapter or view the DVD and parrot back the information

given. These types of question/answer assignments are there as a study guide to

help you pull out vital information from an otherwise long chapter or movie full

of little bits and pieces. These assignments are self-corrected and you are given

full points for just having completed them, which means answering ALL the

questions. Your summary assignments require more thought and personal

expression and will be subject to additional content grading criteria rather than

just completion (e.g., how well you have followed the instructions, how much you

have written and what content you have expressed). These assignments often

have specific length requirements and are usually worth a substantial amount of

points compared to the basic outline assignments (you can check the grade book

to see how many points each assignment is worth).

Answer Key Access: When you submit your completed assignments and you

receive a grade, you will then be given access to any answer keys for you to self-

correct your work. Summary assignments generally do not have answer keys as

you are asked to read multiple articles or chapters and synthesize information or

give a personal reaction. Most of our textbook chapters do have answer keys,

however, so please be sure to check the answer key page regularly (access is from

the modules page at the end of a section). Also, I often will include lecture-type

information, examples and insights from my own experiences of having lived in

the Middle East for a dozen years. So, be sure to READ the answers to the

questions on the answer keys as there will be information supplied to you there

that will not be included anywhere else in the course (and on which you may be

tested)! Please make sure you submit a complete assignment, not leaving any

blanks, and follow submission directions accurately so I can read them or they

will be returned to edit. Please also note that answer keys are not released until

all assignments in a module are completed and have been graded. Outline

correction is your responsibility and I will not check to see that you do it, but

know that there is information in the answer keys that you will not find anywhere

else in the course and from which test questions will be drawn. If there is a

problem with your submission of any kind, a zero will be given and a note posted

on the assignment of what needs to be fixed so that it can be resubmitted and

receive a grade (the zero signifies a no-grade mark until you resubmit the revised

assignment.)

Basically, the outlines and summaries provide you with a study guide for taking

the midterm and for use on your final paper. The questions (and expected

answers) will be drawn from the outline answer keys & chapter readings,

slideshows, DVD’s, handouts and lectures for which you do not need to complete

outlines but should probably take notes. Please note that for tests, if you use the

internet to answer a question rather than the course materials, you may be marked

wrong even though the information may be considered right, as the internet is

NOT in our course of study Many times, the internet has incomplete or

different interpretations of events than are listed in your book or the lectures, so

PLEASE stick with what is given you on the course unless otherwise instructed.

Your midterm exam will be an objective test (T/F, matching, etc.) with some short

answer and longer essay questions. It is more of a summary of what you have

learned than an actual test where you have to parrot memorized material back.

Consequently, it is available for a full week to work on and open-book, so you

may use your outlines and notes to answer questions and take your time to

formulate your answers. Because it is open-book, you may find the test a bit

more challenging, especially in trying to remember where you can find the

information for the answer. So, don’t wait until the last minute to think you can

find all the answers without reviewing or studying before you take the test as it

will take you several hours to actually complete the exam. There is no time limit

once you open the test, so you can save your answers and come back into it on

another day before the deadline submission time at the week’s end. Please make

sure to answer the essay questions FULLY (an essay is not just one sentence or

abbreviated group of words). You must write at least 8 sentences to qualify for

full points on each question. Deductions will be given for not writing enough on

that portion of the test. You will be asked to synthesize some answers based on

information you have been given. It is a thinking tests, not just regurgitating back

simple information. I believe a test should be something that teaches you more

and helps you to summarize and apply what you have learned. So try to ENJOY

them as a further learning experience

Regarding the midterm availability dates: YOU MUST TAKE THE MIDTERM

DURING MIDTERM WEEK ONLY!!!! IT WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE

FOR ONE WEEK DURING THE SEMESTER AND IF YOU MISS IT, THERE

IS NO MAKE-UP!!!! Please check the due date calendar to see when the last

date is that you can take the test! There are NO exceptions to this policy!!!

There is a final essay paper in lieu of a final exam for the course. It may ONLY

be turned in AFTER the last day of class UP TO the final exam date during finals

week. Please see the Final Paper assignment page in module 6 as well as the

Final Essay Paper Guidelines and Sample and Paper Grading Rubric at the

end of this syllabus for further details and paper requirements.

Everyone in the class will be required to post on the discussion board on a variety

of topics as a collaborative assignment with your classmates. The topics listed

under each section coordinate with our handouts, assigned readings and section

materials. Please see the Discussion Board Assignment in module 1 for further

instructions and details on how to do the assignment. Also, be sure to submit the

Discussion Board Assignment Form at the end of the semester in order to

receive credit. If you do not submit the form, no credit can be given.

There is an Islamic Geography map assignment where you do research on your

own to find out locations of important cities and countries. This will help orient

you to the places your book is talking about historically.

You are expected to fulfill all components of the sections listed in your syllabus,

in the order they are listed as the assignments and test come from the previous

readings, listenings and viewings. There are 6 sections, each with multiple parts.

With the semester being 15 weeks long minus holidays, you will be able to

comfortably get through one section every two and a half weeks or so. Your three

credit hours will be the same amount of work as you would expect if you took the

class face-to-face on campus. It is not shortened in any respect simply because it

is online. Therefore, expect to spend 9 hours/week on this class throughout the

semester (150 hours total). You cannot get an incomplete if you run out of time!

Please read the incomplete policy carefully at the end of this syllabus- there are

NO exceptions to it. So, PLEASE jump in from the start and go for it with all

engines running!

The assignments will have due dates listed on the due date calendar on the

modules page & in your syllabus. However, you will notice that the individual

assignment pages do not have a due date listed. That is because the assignment is

not locked after a specific date since there is no penalty for late submissions past

the due dates listed on the due date calendar. In actuality, you are free to submit

any work without penalty up to the last day of the class for this semester (Dec 6,

2013). IF YOU SUBMIT LATE WORK FROM THE LAST DAY OF CLASS

UNTIL THE FINAL EXAM DAY (Dec 7 – Dec 11, 2012) YOU CAN ONLY

GET UP TO HALF CREDIT FOR ANY COMPLETED ASSIGNMENT.

ADDITIONALLY, PLEASE NOTE THAT 11:59 PM ON DEC 11th IS THE

LAST DAY THAT ANY WORK CAN BE SUBMITTED FOR ANY KIND OF

CREDIT, INCLUDING THE FINAL PAPER OR RESUBMISSIONS OF

ASSIGNMENTS RETURNED FOR EDITING! ANY WORK SUBMITTED

PAST THAT TIME WILL RECEIVE A GRADE OF ZERO AND NOT BE

COUNTED! YOU ARE THEREFORE EXPECTED TO FOLLOW THE DUE-

DATE CALENDAR AND SUBMIT ALL WORK ON TIME WHEN IT IS

DUE! PLEASE NOTE ALSO THAT ALL TIMES/DATES/DEADLINES ARE

ACCORDING TO MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME ZONE (here in Utah). Just

because you are not penalized for late work up to the last day of class does not

mean that you are not required to keep up with the workload or submit

assignments on time! The expectation is still there- just the penalty is relaxed as

this class is in an online flex-format and you have access to the material at any

time rather than only one day on campus when it is given in lecture (except the

exams as noted above). So, the final word of warning here is- DO NOT

PROCRASTINATE!!!! YOU CANNOT GET AN INCOMPLETE IF YOU GET

BEHIND!!!!

A note on editing and returned assignments: Oft times, assignments will be

returned to you for redos because of formatting problems, incompleteness or

because you did not follow the assignment instructions correctly. There will not

be a penalty for resubmitting it at a later date after you correct it up to the last day

of class. It will show a zero in the grade book which means it was returned to you

to fix something. However, please note that if you wait until the end of the

semester to resubmit work, and it still has a problem, you will NOT have time to

fix it again before the deadline and will essentially get a permanent zero for that

assignment (no assignments are returned for further edits during the last 48 hours

of class). So, PLEASE submit assignments on time and resubmit any assignments

returned for editing as soon as possible to avoid getting stuck in the end.

Grading: The grading point breakdown is detailed below including the University

percentage conversion for letter grades. Please note that I usually grade each

section’s assignments once a week (though sometimes if I am traveling or grading

midterms, it may be a tad later). If you do not see an assignment graded within

two weeks, please send me an email and ask about it as sometimes Canvas does

not notify me that a new assignment has been submitted.

In order to read the book and not be hung up by every Arabic name and word that

comes your way, I have included an Arabic alphabet pronunciation guide to help

you know how to pronounce things. Arabic is a phonetic language, so once you

know what the sounds are, you can pretty much figure out how to say the words.

Keep in mind that the language uses a different script than English, so any

English spellings are done phonetically and may vary from chapter to chapter (for

example, it can be Muhammad or Mohammed, Quran or Koran, etc.) Going

through the guide is one of the first things you will do on the course, so it should

help you with the Arabic words you encounter.

You will be expected to become conversant with about 50 words from the Arabic

language that are necessary to know for any study of Islam. They are used

frequently throughout the book and in any discussion of aspects of Islam, so

please take note when they appear on your outlines. There will also be sections

that incorporate those words on the midterm, so please familiarize yourself with

them as well as their definitions and applications.

Extra credit: There is an extra credit assignment which is worth 40 points. If for

some reason you miss the midterm or do poorly on it, this is the only way to make

up points. Please refer to the actual assignment in Section 6 on the modules page

for instructions. You are free to submit it any time up to the last day of class for

full credit. If you submit it after the last day until the final deadline date, it will be

half credit like any other late work submissions.

Office Hours: As this is an online course, there really isn’t an office per se. I will

return emails within 48 hours, usually within 24 hours, and you can post any

questions on the discussion board if you need some immediate help from some of

your classmates who may know the answer! The discussion board can be a fun

tool- I hope you post on it frequently. If you ever see me online, you are welcome

to chat with me also- that is, if the chat applet is working

Sorry if this syllabus is a rather lengthy dissertation of details and warnings, but

everything said above is necessary for you to know to succeed in getting a good

grade! So, heigh-ho & off to work we go! I wish you a great adventure, an open

mind with lots of light bulbs going off as you voyage through the 1400 years of

Islamic Civilization! I think you will find it somewhat challenging, time

consuming, but very educational and well worth the investment of time and

money in the final accounting!

POLICIES AND TECH SUPPORT HELP___________________________________

INCOMPLETE POLICY: There are TWO requirements for receiving an

incomplete grade in this class. The first is stated in the university incomplete

policy in the form of a list of acceptable ‘extenuating circumstances’. These are:

accident or illness resulting in hospitalization, death in the immediate family, jury

duty, and military service. With an online class being totally at your own

discretion schedule-wise, I will NOT accept changes in work schedule, or

alteration of schedule to seek new employment. We do not have classes at a set

time, therefore, you would not be missing class activities to which these

extenuations refer. Secondly, in order to qualify for an incomplete, you MUST

have been keeping up with the due date schedule throughout the semester and

have been receiving a passing grade prior to the exception of time loss you are

seeking. This means that if you have not worked consistently and actively

throughout the class (submitting your required assignments on time and in order

as listed in your schedule and completed more than 70% of the workload) or have

not received better than 70% on all assignments submitted up until when the

extenuating circumstance happens, YOU WILL NOT BE GRANTED AN

INCOMPLETE. In other words, if you procrastinate at any point in the semester

and repeatedly turn in things late, and then run out of time to complete the work

on the last day or week of class, you will NOT be given extra time or an

incomplete to finish the course, even if you qualify for it on grounds of the first

requirement of circumstance. You will have to accept whatever grade you have

earned and then repeat the class to resubmit completed work and finish the

missing assignments. PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL ME THE LAST DAY OF

CLASS ASKING FOR TIME EXTENSIONS OR INCOMPLETES

BECAUSE YOU RAN OUT OF TIME! Again, even if you have an emergency

at the end of the semester, you MUST have qualified for the incomplete by

having turned your work in on time up until that point! If you are a procrastinator

by nature or have a problem with keeping deadlines, this class is NOT for you!!!!!

CLASS DROP PETITIONS: If for some reason you have an extenuating

circumstance within the first part of the semester that will affect your performance

or ability to do assignments for the majority of the course, you can petition the

registrar’s office for Distance Education to drop the class and receive refund of

tuition. This allowance is only for EXTREME cases of unforeseen lengthy

problems where you are not able to complete the majority of the workload, but it

is after the normal add/drop period has ended. Please note that you should not

just wait until the end of the class in this situation and then try for an incomplete.

You can not get an incomplete unless you have completed 70% of the course at

least. The deadline for dropping a course with this kind of petition is usually

around midterm- please check with the registrar’s office for details.

TECHNICAL PROBLEM SUPPORT: You will notice a phone number for the

help desk on the bottom of the course intro page. If you have any technical

problems in viewing or downloading files or DVD’s and slideshows, submitting

assignments, or any other technical kinds of issues, please contact them directly

rather than sending me an email. I cannot do anything from my satellite location

to help you! The techs on the help desk can walk you through things verbally,

step by step or they can also refer you to an onsite technician if necessary to help

you with your problems. Sometimes, the problem will be because you have not

updated your java or used a different browser that it not so compatible- Google

Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are recommended as the best for this class to avoid

problems. If you have problems, you can also try Internet Explorer as well. The

browser check at the beginning of your log-in should help you determine any

problems with your browser and offer possible solutions.

COURSE GRADING POINT BREAKDOWN:

Final Essay paper = 100 points

DVD outline/summary assignments (25 pts each x 8) = 125 points

Chapter outline/summary assignments (25 pts each) = 350 points

Hijab Summary Assignment = 40 points

Roded chapter 7 & 8 Assignments (40 pts each) = 80 points

Roded Intro = 20 points

Famous Feminists Assignment = 60 points

Discussion Board Posts = 50 points

Geography Map Assignment = 15 points

Syllabus Quiz = 10 points

Midterm Exam = 150 points

TOTAL: 1000 points

Letter grades are given by strict percentage as follows:

Percent Point Total Letter Grade

94 – 100% 940-1000 A

90 – 93% 900-939 A-

87 – 89% 870-899 B+

83 – 86% 830-869 B

80 – 82% 800-829 B-

77 – 79% 770-799 C+

73 – 76% 730-769 C

70 – 72% 700-729 C-

67 – 69% 670-699 D+

60 – 66% 600-669 D

Under 60% 0-599 F

COURSE CONTENT AND DUE DATES FALL 2013

1. Islam: A Historical Overview (Aug 26 – Sep 10)

Syllabus Quiz

DUE DATE: AUG 27

Audio/Handout: Arabic Pronunciation Guide

Islamic Lands Geography Map Assignment

DUE DATE: AUG 29

Slideshow lecture: Visual Tour of the Middle East

DVD Outline Assignment: Inside Islam

DUE DATE: SEP 3

Chapter Outline Assignments: Roded Introduction, 1, Ahmed 1, 2

DUE DATE: SEP 10

Audio Lecture on Islamic Culture vs. Religion

Discussion Topics: The Origin of Islam, Pre-Islamic Women’s Status and

Restrictions, Influences: Hammurabi & Assyrian Codes

2. Islam and Women’s Rights (Sep 11 – Sep 27)

DVD Assignment: Women’s Rights and Roles in Islam

DUE DATE: SEP 13

DVD Assignment: The Prophet’s Empowerment of Women:

Understanding the Seerah

DUE DATE: SEP 17

Chapter Outline Assignments: Ahmed 3, 4 Roded 2, 3

DUE DATE: SEP 27

Additional readings:

-Khadijah’s Cadre: The Wives of the Prophet Muhammad, Ruqaya Nassar

(in Voices Behind the Veil, ed. Ergun Craner)

-The Prophet’s Women, Geraldine Brooks (in Nine Parts of Desire)

-Gender Equity in Islam, Jamal Badawi

-Women and Islam, Nawal El Saadawi (in The Nawal El Saadawi Reader)

-Liberation Theology: Islam and the Feminist Agenda in the Qu’ran,

Omar Naseef

Discussion Topics: Is There Really Gender Equity in Islam?, The

Prophet’s Wives as Role Models, What the Holy Quran & Hadith say

about Women’s Status and Rights, Important Women in Early Islam

3. Veiling and Social Codes: Expression or Oppression? (Sep 28 – Oct 17)

Slideshow lecture: Women’s Dress in Islam

Slideshow lecture: Islamic Lifestyles

Chapter Outline Assignments: Ahmed 5, 6, 8

DUE DATE: OCT 7

DVD summary assignment: Cut from a Different Cloth: Burqas and Belief

and Hijab: An Act of Faith (includes Ahmed 11 and readings)

DUE DATE: OCT 10

Midterm Exam (available for one week only)

DUE DATE: 11:59 PM Utah Time OCT 17 (will be uploaded OCT 10)

Additional Reading Selections:

-I Just Want to Be Me, Pamela Taylor (in The Veil: Women Writers on Its

History, Lore and Politics, ed. Jennifer Heath)

-The Veil of Masculinity, Fadwa El Guindi (in Veil: Modesty, Privacy and

Resistance)

-An Alternative Theory of the Veil, Katherine Bullock (in Rethinking

Muslim Women and the Veil)

-Dress Code and Mores, Aisha Lee Fox Shaheed (in The Veil: Women

Writers on Its History, Lore and Politics, ed. Jennifer Heath)

-Internet Veiling Articles

Discussion Topics: Veiling: Expression versus Oppression, Regional

Differences and Cultural Dress, To Veil or not to Veil: Custom versus

Religion, Modesty and Honor in Islam

4. Marriage, Sexuality and Culture (Oct 18 – Oct 29)

DVD Summary Assignment: Ideal Muslim Husband

DUE DATE: OCT 22

Chapter Outline and Summary Assignments: Roded 7, 8 & 15

DUE DATE: OCT 29

Additional Reading selections from:

-Internet Circumcision Articles

-A Handbook on Marriage, The Muslim’s Student Association

-Liberation Theology: Islam and the Feminist Agenda in the Qu’ran,

Omar Naseef

-Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women, Geraldine

Brooks

-Husband and Wife, Fatima Mernissi (in Beyond the Veil: Male-Female

Dynamics in a Modern Muslim Society)

-The Muslim Woman’s Handbook, Huda Khattab

-The Hidden Face of Eve: Women in the Arab World, Nawal El Saadawi

Discussion Topics: Circumcision: Brutality or Purity?, How to Select an

Islamic Spouse, Islamic Expectations in Marriage, Husband and Wife

Roles and Responsibilities

5. Boundaries: Feminism and Honor (Oct 30 – Nov 14)

Famous Feminist Summary Assignment

DUE DATE: NOV 6

DVD Outline Assignment: Crimes of Honour

DUE DATE: NOV 11

Honor Readings Summary Assignment

DUE DATE: NOV 14

Additional reading selections from:

-Arab Pioneers of Women’s Liberation, Nawal El Saadawi (in The Hidden

Face of Eve: Women in the Arab World)

-Women in Islam: “The Mother of All Battles”, Yvonne Haddad and Jane

Smith/ Feminism Comes of Age in Islam, Radwa El Guindi (in Arab

Women: Between Defiance and Restraint, Suha Sabbagh, ed.)

-The Very Fine Membrane Called ‘Honour’, Nawal El Saadawi (in The

Hidden Face of Eve)

-Internet Honor Articles

Discussion Topics: Islamic Feminism: an Oxymoron?, Honour Killings

and Justice, The Islamic Definition of Freedom for Women, Family and

Honor in Islamic Culture

6. Modernity: Education, Employment, Politics and the Future (Nov 15 – Dec 6)

Introductory DVD: Women In Islam

Please view prior to doing the 3 assignments in this section.

Islamic Women and Politics Summary Assignment

DUE DATE: NOV 19

Islamic Women and Work Summary Assignment

DUE DATE: NOV 22

Islamic Women and Education Summary Assignment

DUE DATE: DEC 5

Ahmed Conclusion (Extra Credit Assignment Only)

DUE DATE: TURN IN ANY TIME UP TO DEC 6

PLEASE NOTE: FINAL DUE DATE FOR ALL COURSEWORK IS DEC 6TH

ANY LATE WORK SUBMITTED DEC 7 – DEC 11 = 1/2 POINTS MAXIMUM

Final Paper (in lieu of final exam)

DUE DATE: 11:59 PM (Utah time) DEC 11

NO WORK (INCLUDING THE FINAL PAPER) WILL BE

ACCEPTED AFTER 11:59 PM ON DEC 11.

Additional reading selections from:

-Arab Women and Politics, Nawal El Saadawi (in The Nawal El Sadaawi

Reader)

- Women and Politics in the Middle East, Sarah Graham-Brown (in Arab

Women: Between Defiance and Restraint, Suha Subbagh, ed.)

- Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women, Geraldine

Brooks

- Work and Women, Nawal El Saadawi (in The Hidden Face of Eve)

Discussion Topics: Women Leaders in an Islamic Society, Hadith on the

Necessity of Education; Women in the Workplace: A Conflict of Roles?,

Islamic Women in the Future

FINAL ESSAY PAPER GUIDELINES AND SAMPLE:

________________________________________________________________________

Debra Baldwin A0099999999

SAMPLE PAPER FORMAT (TITLE GOES HERE IN BOLDED CAPS)

In order to get full points, you will need to be aware of several things. First, you

will need an introductory sentence that leads into your writing, like above. Also, please

notice the use of the tab bar to indent the first line of a paragraph. You should have at

least three paragraph indents per page. Make sure to use caps at the beginning of all your

sentences. This is standard 12 point size font in New Roman Times. Please use it on

your papers (it is usually the default setting on Microsoft Word.) Please notice that the

lines are double-spaced. If you are using a template (at the computer lab) that does more

than double space, especially between paragraphs, you will need to write an additional

half page in length to make up for the spacing deficit.

Please, also use your spell check, grammar check and most importantly of all,

proofread your paper when you are done. The computer does not catch wrong word use

or missing words most of thyme. The emphasis on this paper is for you to express your

own opinions in summarizing and comparing information, rather than just quoting things

or giving facts. Therefore, in answering the opinion questions, you should use first

person to do so. The rest of the paper, however, should be in standard academic third

person tone and style.

Be sure to make your paper the appropriate page length (which means going to

the bottoms of the pages). You can spill over onto another page if you need more room

to summarize or end your writing, but do NOT end shorter than the minimum

requirement. In order to be concise, you should not exceed the maximum page limit as

directed.

All your assignments ask you to compare/refer to the text somehow. In order to

get full points, you will need to DIRECTLY QUOTE the text or other source material,

not just paraphrase it. This should be done using standard citations, such as endnotes or

in-line referencing, which give exact page numbers or location where the quote is found.

Use quote marks for “other people’s words” (Baldwin, p. 10) and then give the references

afterwards, either by footnote/endnote with a number after the “close quote mark, like

this” 1 or by using parentheses with the actual citation information like above. Make sure

you have a reference of some kind following ALL close quote marks in your paper. If

you paraphrase, you would give credit at the ends of sentences or paragraphs like this.

(Baldwin, p.10)

The whole purpose of a reference is to make it possible for your reader to find the

exact material in the original source that you have used. If you do not give page

numbers, it will be impossible to find. Please refer to a writing style guide, such as MLA

or Chicago for further examples and information on how to cite.

You should also have another page added after your writing on which you give

your sources (a formal bibliography), listing the book and author, date and publisher in a

standard referencing format or proper internet citations for websites if instructed to use

the internet for your research (which include general website info plus full URL’s of all

internet references used). If you are using a kindle version of the text, you will also find

proper style referencing examples in any online style guides to use (just Google it). If

you have any further questions about referencing, please look at the ‘research help’ link

on the top of the Canvas course homepage, or go to the USU writing center. (You can

also make an appointment for an online tutor if necessary. Please see the RCDE website

for further details.)

Grading is roughly done in thirds- 30% for format and mechanics, 35% for

following instructions exactly and fulfilling the assignment specs as required, and the

1 Baldwin, Debra. Paper Guidelines, in “3410 Syllabus”, Utah State University, 2012, p. 10.

www.usu.edu/3410/syllabus/htm (or whatever citation format you choose to follow here, so long as all the

pertinent information is given).

final 35% for your content and research skills. Please refer to the paper grading rubric

below for more detailed information.

So, now you see by this little example exactly what your entry should look like

visually when you finish it. Please be sure to use commas as they will feel badly if you

ignore them and your teacher will have cross-eyes when she is done reading your paper

from trying to figure out what your sentence means from having long run-on sentences

like this or sentence fragments when you do not finish your . Good luck and have

fun writing!

SOURCES CITED

Baldwin, Debra. Paper Guidelines, in “3030 Syllabus”, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, 2013.

www.usu.edu/3030/syllabus/htm (if online, you need to include the full URL in addition to the general

www.website address- again, please access a style guide for proper referencing style in a bibliography

section).

Online History 4560

Paper Grading Rubric

Dr. Debra Baldwin

LEARNING

OUTCOME

Excellent

Mastery 90 – 100% A

Proficient

Mastery 80 – 89% B

Satisfactory

Mastery 70 – 79% C

Insufficient

Mastery

60 – 69% D

No

Mastery Under 60% F

Historical

Knowledge

(Content,

research,

topic

exploration)

35% of grade

-Full presentation

of historical

context of topic including

comparative practices of

divergent Islamic

cultures -Full treatment

and inclusion of

historical causation; the

influence of any

contributing political

ideologies,

economic structures, social

organization,

cultural perceptions and

-Sound

presentation of

historical context of topic including

comparative practices of

divergent Islamic

cultures -Omits minor

elements in any of

the following: treatment of

historical

causation; the influence of any

contributing

political ideologies,

economic

structures, social organization,

-Adequate

presentation of

historical context of topic including

comparative practices of

divergent Islamic

cultures; -Omits minor

elements in any of

the following: treatment of

historical causation;

the influence of any contributing

political ideologies,

economic structures, social organization,

cultural perceptions

and practices, and natural

-Insufficient

presentation of

historical context of topic

-Omits major

elements in any of

the following:

treatment of historical causation;

the influence of any

contributing political ideologies,

economic

structures, social organization,

cultural perceptions

and practices, and natural

environments on

the historical events shaping the topic

-Absent

presentation of

historical context of topic

-Omits major

elements in any of

the following:

treatment of historical

causation; the

influence of any contributing

political

ideologies, economic

structures, social

organization, cultural

perceptions and

practices, and natural

practices, and

natural environments on

the historical

events shaping the topic

-Full exploration

of primary and secondary source

material regarding

topic using text, additional readings

and online sources

as directed -Uses multiple

direct quotes

from text and from online

sources as directed

cultural

perceptions and practices, and

natural

environments on the historical

events shaping the

topic, exploration of primary and

secondary source

material regarding topic using text,

additional readings

and online sources as directed

-Uses multiple

direct quotes

from text and

from online

sources as directed

environments on the

historical events shaping the topic

-Omits minor

portions of

primary and

secondary source

material regarding

topic using text,

additional readings

and online sources as directed

-Uses multiple

direct quotes from text and from online

sources as directed

-Omits minor or

major portions of

primary and

secondary source

material regarding

topic using text,

additional readings

and online sources as directed

-Insufficient use of

multiple direct

quotes from text

and from online

sources as directed

environments on

the historical events shaping the

topic

-Omits major

portions of

primary and

secondary source

material

regarding topic

using text, additional

readings and

online sources as directed

-Omits multiple

direct quotes

from text and

from online

sources as

directed

-Does not follow

assignment

instructions or

steps as directed

regarding

content Point Value 31 – 35 Pts 28 – 30 Pts 25 – 27 Pts 21- 24 Pts 0 – 20 Pts

Historical

Thinking

(Critical

approach,

evaluation &

argument,

assignment

criteria)

35% of grade

-Fully addresses

questions posed or

topic argument using validated

sources, research

material or other acceptable support

& evidence

-Total exclusion

of personal bias or

comparative

judgments unless instructed

-Strong presence

of clarity and logic in formulating

critical analysis

and giving insightful

response

-Demonstration

of intellectual

maturity of response in paper

tone and academic

language, including full use

of Arabic

language

terminology where

appropriate

-Adequately

addresses

questions posed or topic argument

using validated

sources, research material or other

acceptable support

& evidence -Total exclusion

of personal bias or

comparative

judgments unless

instructed

-Good presence

of clarity and logic

in formulating

critical analysis and giving

insightful

response -Demonstration

of intellectual maturity of

response in paper

tone and academic language,

including full use

of Arabic

language

terminology where

appropriate

-Minimally

addresses questions

posed or topic argument using

validated sources,

research material or other acceptable

support & evidence

-Total exclusion of personal bias or

comparative

judgments unless instructed

-Minor problems

in clarity and logic in formulating

critical analysis and

giving insightful response

-Demonstration of

intellectual maturity of response in paper

tone and academic language, including

minimal use of

Arabic language terminology where

appropriate

-Insufficiently

addresses

questions posed or topic argument

and/or lack of

validated sources, research material or

other acceptable

support & evidence -May contain

inappropriate personal bias or comparative

judgments unless

instructed -May contain

major problems in

clarity and logic in formulating critical

analysis and giving

insightful response -Insufficient

intellectual maturity of

response in paper

tone and academic language and/or

insufficient use of

Arabic language

terminology where

appropriate

-Omission in

addressing

questions posed or topic argument

and/or lack of

validated sources, research material

or other

acceptable support &

evidence

-Contains

inappropriate personal bias or

comparative

judgments unless

instructed

-Major problems

in clarity and

logic in

formulating critical analysis

and giving insightful

response

-Insufficient

intellectual

maturity of

response in paper

tone and

academic

language and/or

insufficient use

of Arabic

language terminology

where appropriate

-Does not follow

assignment

instructions or

steps as directed

regarding

evaluation,

argument or

assignment

criteria Point Value 31 – 35 Pts 28 – 30 Pts 25 – 27 Pts 21- 24 Pts 0 – 20 Pts

Historical

Skills

(Mechanics,

Organization,

Format,

Citations)

30% of grade

-Fully

demonstrates excellent

organizational written skills in

presentation of

background information,

analyses and/or

arguments -Appropriate

style use in source

citation containing

minimal errors

-Proper paper

format and

layout according

to assignment

instructions (use of proper font,

size, paragraph

indents, spacing, etc.)

-No errors in

spelling, grammar, word choice,

syntax,

punctuation, capitalization or

other writing

mechanics

-Adequately

demonstrates good

organizational written skills in

presentation of

background information,

analyses and/or

arguments -Appropriate

style use in source

citation containing

minimal errors

-Proper paper

format and

layout according

to assignment

instructions (use of proper font,

size, paragraph

indents, spacing, etc.)

-No errors in

spelling, grammar, word choice,

syntax,

punctuation, capitalization or

other writing

mechanics

-Minimally

demonstrates satisfactory

organizational written skills in

presentation of

background information,

analyses and/or

arguments -Appropriate style

use in source

citation containing

minimal errors

-Proper paper

format and layout according to

assignment

instructions (use of proper font, size,

paragraph indents,

spacing, etc.) -Minimal errors in

spelling, grammar,

word choice, syntax, punctuation,

capitalization or

other writing mechanics

-Insufficiently

demonstrates satisfactory

organizational written skills in

presentation of

background information,

analyses and/or

arguments -Inappropriate

style use in source

citation containing

major errors

-Proper paper

format and layout according to

assignment

instructions (use of proper font, size,

paragraph indents,

spacing, etc.) -Minimal Errors

in spelling,

grammar, word choice, syntax,

punctuation,

capitalization or other writing

mechanics

-Lack of

satisfactory

organizational

written skills in presentation of

background

information, analyses and/or

arguments

-Inappropriate

style use in

source citation

containing major

errors or missing

citations and/or

sources entirely -Improper paper

format and/or

layout according to assignment

instructions (use

of proper font, size, paragraph

indents, spacing,

etc.) -Major Errors in

spelling,

grammar, word choice, syntax,

punctuation,

capitalization or other writing

mechanics

-Does not follow

assignment

instructions or

steps as directed

regarding

organization,

format, citations

or proofreading Point Value 27 – 30 Pts 24 – 26 Pts 21 – 23 Pts 18- 20 Pts 0 – 17 Pts

Please scroll down

Learning Outcomes, undergraduate program

Historical Knowledge

Develop a wide range of historical information

‐ identify the key events which express/define change over time in a particular place

or region

‐ identify how change occurs over time

‐ explain historical continuity and change

‐ describe the influence of political ideologies, economic structures, social

organization, cultural perceptions, and natural environments on historical events

‐ discuss the ways in which factors such as race, gender, class, ethnicity, region and

religion influence historical narratives

Historical Thinking

Recognize the past‐ness of the past

‐ explain how people have existed, acted and thought in particular historical periods

‐ explain what influence the past has on the present

Emphasize the complex nature of past experiences

‐ interpret the complexity and diversity of situations, events and past mentalities

‐ compare eras and regions in order to define enduring issues

Emphasize the complex and problematic nature of the historical record

‐ recognize a range of viewpoints

‐ compare competing historical narratives

‐ challenge arguments of historical inevitability

‐ analyze cause‐and‐effect relationships and multiple causation

Historical Skills

Develop skills in critical thinking and reading

‐ evaluate debates among historians

‐ differentiate between historical facts and historical interpretations

‐ assess the credibility of primary and secondary sources

Develop research skills

‐ formulate historical questions

‐ obtain historical data from a variety of sources

‐ identify gaps in available records

Develop the ability to construct reasonable historical arguments

‐ write a well‐organized historical argument

‐ support an interpretation with historical evidence from a variety of primary and

secondary sources

Department of History Learning Outcomes for Hist 4560 HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE

1. Range of historical information: Students will examine a broad range of Islamic experiential perspectives through rigorous analyses of historical contexts, social structures and comparative practices of divergent Islamic civilizations throughout the Middle East. Through these analyses, students will observe and understand how change occurs over time; the complex issue of historical causation; the influence of political ideologies, economic structures, social organization, cultural perceptions and practices, and natural environments on the historical events that have shaped these Islamic civilizations, especially as it applies to women’s roles and gender-related issues. HISTORICAL THINKING 2. Recognize the past-ness of the past: Students will increase in their ability to understand how various Muslim women have existed, acted, and thought within the contexts of specified cultural pasts and historical settings. Through examining historical perspectives other than their own, students will gain an understanding of unfamiliar structures, cultures and belief systems while suspending personal bias or comparative judgments as they relate these perspectives and influences to current trends. 3. Emphasize the complex nature of past experience: Students will foster intellectual maturity by appreciating the complexity and diversity of situations, events and past mentalities that have shaped behavioral, religious, social, and cultural adaptations of Muslim women in both past and present societies. 4. Emphasize the complex and problematic nature of the historical record: Students will gain an understanding of the problems inherent when examining Islamic historical records and documents: awareness of a range of viewpoints; appreciation of the range of problems involved in the interpretation of complex, ambiguous, conflicting and often incomplete material; a feeling for the limitations of knowledge and the dangers of simplistic explanations. HISTORICAL SKILLS 5. Develop skills in critical thinking and reading: Students will cultivate intellectual integrity, maturity and critical thinking aptitudes through the analysis of Islamic texts and other primary sources for validity, evidence, and other critical evaluation criteria while addressing questions of genre, content, perspective and purpose. Students will be able to recognize that statements are not all of equal validity, that there are ways of testing them, and that historians operate by rules of evidence which, though themselves subject to critical evaluation, are also a component of intellectual integrity and maturity. 6. Develop research skills: Students will foster intellectual independence by setting tasks and solving problems relative to course assignments. This will include but is not limited to: bibliographic skills; the ability to gather, sift, select, organize and synthesize large quantities of evidence; the ability to formulate appropriate questions and to provide answers to them using valid and relevant evidence and argument. 7. Develop the ability to construct reasonable historical arguments: Students will draw on the above skills in constructing written summaries and papers on selected Islamic topics that contain reasonable historical arguments. Such arguments should show competence in creating structure and relevancy in a concise manner. In the

case of written argument it should be expressed in clear, lucid and coherent prose. Through discussion board posting, students should draw on these skills to sustain a reasoned line of argument in the face of others, to listen, to engage in sustained debate, and amend views as necessary in the light of evidence and argument.