Social and Economic Aspects of Human Fertility

Course Requirements

Attendance is mandatory and participation in class discussion is expected to be high. It counts for 20 points toward the final grade. The criteria for grading this aspect of student performance is NOT the specific ideas or questions students raise (this is a safe space to express ignorance, confusion, irritation at authors, and tentative, ill-formed ideas), but rather how participation reflects preparedness for class and careful consideration of ALL the assigned readings.

1. Each student will facilitate a discussion at least once, alone or in partnership with other students. This counts for 10 points toward the final grade.
2. Each student will be expected to keep a journal on some of the class readings. The class will be divided into three "assignment groups," each of which has a list of 14 readings that group members will be expected to keep a journal about. Submitted journal entries must be turned in before class on the day the reading is discussed in class. Journal entries submitted late will be penalized 1 point for each day or part thereof after they are due. Each journal entry submitted counts for 5 points toward the final grade (70 points). The format for the reading journal is as follows:

• Students should begin the journal entry for a given reading with the full reference.
• Students should identify the aims of the author(s), for example, to critically review particular literature, or to answer a research question or to test a hypothesis.
• Students should identify the data used in the reading if any.
• Students should identify the methods used in the reading if any. Details of statistical analysis are not necessary. For example, it is sufficient to write "regression analysis" or "in-depth interviews" without further comment.
• Students should list, in bullet form, no more than five main "take-home messages" of the reading.
• Students should list, in bullet form, the major strengths of the reading.
• Students should list, in bullet form, the major limitations of the reading.
• Students should write no more than five sentences on how this reading relates the general issues under discussion in the class overall.
• Students should write no more than five sentences on how this reading relates to at least one other reading in the current unit.