Course Rules
Please note that if any of these rules is worded differently in your syllabus, that version takes precedence over this general version on my web site (which offers general policies for all of my courses, but some courses or semesters may have more specific needs).
- (1) Classroom: All students must treat the instructor, the other students, and the classroom setting with respect. This includes arriving on time and staying for the entire class (or notifying the instructor in advance if this will not be possible), turning off cell phones and similar devices during class, and refraining from reading, passing notes, talking with friends, and any other potentially disruptive activities. This also means showing respect for alternative opinions and points of view, listening when either the instructor or a fellow student is speaking to the class, and refraining from insulting language and gestures.
Following departmental policy, any student engaging in unacceptable behavior may be directed to leave the classroom. Additionally, the instructor may refer the student to the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities to consider whether the student's conduct violated UNT's Code of Student Conduct (which may be found at https://deanofstudents.unt.edu/conduct). - (2) PowerPoint: The instructor's lecture notes and PowerPoint slides will not be posted online or otherwise handed out to students, except under special circumstances (such as the primarily online/remote or hybrid courses that were offered during the early years of the Covid-19 pandemic). If you think you might be unable to attend one or more class meetings, make arrangements with another student to borrow or copy their notes.
Also be aware that any PowerPoint slides presented to the class will not contain all material that will be necessary for an "A" grade on course exams. The instructor's verbal lecture will also include important information that is not presented directly on the slides, so students should be careful to take notes on verbal lecture material as well as the brief overviews presented on the slides. - (3) Online Resources: Any class recordings, videos, PowerPoint slides, or other similar course materials are reserved for use only by students in this class for educational purposes. The materials should not be shared outside the class in any form. Failing to follow this restriction is a violation of the UNT Code of Student Conduct and could lead to disciplinary action.
- (4) Keep Backups: For any assignments that are turned in physically during the semester, students must keep an extra copy of each assignment until the instructor has returned the graded copy of that assignment. Students must also keep graded, returned copies of all such assignments. Failure to do so will invalidate any potential question or protest about grades.
Also, students are responsible for maintaining backups of any written work for this course, preferably in a location away from the main computer that is being used (such as online backup through Dropbox, Google Drive, or Microsoft OneDrive). No extensions will be granted for work that is not turned in on time because of computer, hard drive, or printer failure, theft, power surge, or similar causes. - (5) Makeup Exams: Makeup exams, whether for full credit or not, will take place only on UNT's designated "Reading Day" at the end of the last week of classes. Only one time slot on Reading Day will be offered for all makeup exams in any of the instructor's courses; students seeking to take a makeup exam in this time slot must contact the instructor no later than 5 PM on Tuesday of the last week of classes. Makeup exams in classes that usually use multiple choice tests will be offered as short answer/essay examinations (regardless of the type of exam that is being made up) over the same material that would have been covered by the original exam.
Full-credit makeup examinations are given only with prior instructor approval (if at all possible) and with appropriate documentation. Note that the documentation must indicate why you could not be in class at the time of the originally scheduled test. If appropriate documentation is not provided, the makeup examination can still be taken, but will face a grade penalty of five letter grades (50%). Makeup exams (whether full or reduced credit) are only available for students who missed the original exam; this is not an option for trying to retake an exam to get a higher score. - (6) End of the Course: The scheduled final exam time represents the conclusion of the course. No late assignments or documentation will be accepted after the conclusion of this two-hour period, and no makeup exams will be offered after this time. If you may need to miss the scheduled final exam time, you must contact Dr. Hensel as soon as you know about the potential conflict/issue, to arrange an early exam before the regularly scheduled exam.
- (7) Academic Integrity, Plagiarism, and Generative AI/Chatbots: All work turned in for this course must be your own original work. Such actions as plagiarizing by using a source without giving it appropriate credit, or using material written by somebody else or by generative AI/chatbots like ChatGPT and presenting it as your own, represent violations of academic integrity. Please note that penalties will apply even if you did not knowingly intend to plagiarize or cheat – you must be familiar with the rules of academic integrity and doing your own original work, whether this is at UNT or later in your career, and ignorance is no excuse.
Academic integrity is defined in the UNT Policy on Student Standards for Academic Integrity: https://policy.unt.edu/policy/06-003. This covers such issues as cheating (including use of unauthorized materials or other assistance on course assignments or examinations), plagiarism (whether intentional or negligent), forgery, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, and sabotage. Any suspected case of academic dishonesty will be handled in accordance with current University policy and procedures, as described at https://vpaa.unt.edu/ss/integrity. If this is your first academic integrity violation, you can expect a failing grade on the assignment, and you will be reported to the university’s Academic Integrity office; repeat violations in one or more courses will lead to stronger sanctions up to and including expulsion from UNT. - (8) Covid-19/Community Health Issues: Based on the current health situation in Denton County, UNT is open for business as usual. Our class will meet face-to-face on the schedule listed in the syllabus, with each class meeting including both lecturing by the instructor and class discussion of the assigned topics. Please note that unless circumstances change, I will not record the class meetings for posting online, nor will I conduct class meetings in a hybrid format that is broadcast through Canvas. I recommend making arrangements with one or more other students in the course to share copies of notes in case you might have to miss class.
I have set up this course to ensure that there is no grade penalty for missing class due to suspected or confirmed Covid (or any other future community health issue). The only in-person grade component is the examinations, which may be made up on Reading Day at the end of the semester; all other class assignments are turned in through Canvas. - (9) Exceptions: Any exceptions to these policies are given at the instructor's discretion -- only with prior approval where possible, and only with appropriate documentation. Before asking for an exception, be aware that I will not grant exceptions that might be perceived as giving one student an unfair advantage or an opportunity that was not available to the remaining students who followed the rules correctly, turned in their work on time, and so on.
- (10) Other Teaching Policies: The instructor's teaching-related policies and expectations are described in more detail at https://www.paulhensel.org/teachgrade.html. Failure to visit that web site does not constitute a valid excuse for ignorance of these policies.
In particular, note that I do not "round up" grades -- an 89.9 counts as a B rather than an A -- and the only extra credit opportunity, if any, will be offered in class during the last class meeting before Thanksgiving (for fall semesters) or spring break (for spring semesters). - (11) Discussing Grades: Consistent with UNT rules, instructors (whether professors, teaching fellows, or teaching assistants) may not discuss student grades over email, telephone, or in any other setting that is not face-to-face due to privacy and security concerns. If you have questions about your grades, you may meet with me during office hours, or I will be glad to make an appointment at a more convenient time.
- (12) Canceling Class: I will never cancel class on my own for weather-related reasons; unless you hear official word through UNT's Eagle Alert service, class will be held at the regular time and place. Students who are unable to make it to class due to weather are still responsible for any material covered in lecture that day. If class is canceled, the next class meeting after school resumes will cover the material that would have been covered in the canceled class meeting, and a revised syllabus will be posted as soon as practical to adjust the schedule of remaining class meetings. More detail on the instructor's weather-related policies is provided at https://www.paulhensel.org/teaching.html.
Note that if class is canceled (and especially if the entire university is closed due to weather or other concerns), I will attempt to send class emails through Canvas to explain any relevant changes in the class schedule and/or syllabus. If you do not receive any such emails, please log in to Canvas directly (https://unt.instructure.com) and check the Announcements tab; in the February 2021 power blackout many students reported not receiving Canvas emails, but the announcements were all available on Canvas for students to see if they logged in to it directly. If the entire Canvas site is also not functioning, I will attempt to post these announcements to the online syllabus page for this course on my web site (https://www.paulhensel.org/).
Grading Policies
More detail on my grading policies is provided in the Course Rules section of this page, which is also included in all of my syllabi.
Grading Scale and Explanation
UNT does not use plus/minus grading, so there are only five possible grades for somebody who has completed a course. I always grade on a straight scale, with no rounding, as follows:
- A: 90.0+
- B: 80.0 - 89.9
- C: 70.0 - 79.9
- D: 60.0 - 69.9
- F: Less then 60.0
Grades are recorded in my grade book as percentages, reflecting the overall quality and depth of the student's knowledge and understanding of the assigned material. The actual point totals of any given assignment do not matter; a grade of 9 points out of 10 works out to be identical to 18 out of 20, 27 out of 30, 45 out of 50, or 90 out of 100, as each of these comes out as .900 or 90.0 percent. The following discussion is meant to offer general guidelines for the differences between different grade levels:
A Range (90.0-100): Excellent
An "A" grade reflects superior knowledge and understanding of the material in question. To receive this grade you must go beyond simply repeating material covered in lecture; there is usually quite a difference between "repetition" and "understanding." It must be noted that grades of 100 percent are very rare, and reflect perfection -- that is, such an answer could not be improved in any way; there are no factual errors in the answer, nothing important has been left out, and the student has done an incredible job of demonstrating an understanding of the material and its relationship to other important concepts or theories. A grade of 90, 93, or 95 percent is still a full "A" and reflects superior understanding above and beyond the repetition of lecture notes or readings. It is also worth noting that UNT does not award "A+" grades, so there is no practical difference between a final course grade of 90.0 and 100.0 percent.
B Range (80.0-89.9): Good
A "B" grade reflects work that is good and above average, but that is not good enough to reach the "A" range. Typical reasons include important omissions in the answer (leaving out concepts or ideas that really need to be there) or factual errors, perhaps from following the "shotgun approach" (write down everything you think you know about the subject, in the hope that the instructor will find what he/she is looking for). Remember, even if your answer includes the correct material the instructor is looking for, also including incorrect or inappropriate material indicates that you do not understand the material at the "A" level.
C Range (70.0-79.9): Average
A "C" grade reflects work that is average at best. Such a grade typically indicates a paper or exam answer that reflects a basic understanding of many of the concepts involved in the assignment, but does not address or integrate these concepts in a very satisfactory manner. "C" answers often contain important errors of fact and/or important omissions from the answer, and are generally not very well organized or written.
D Range (60.0-69.9): Below Average
A "D" grade reflects work that is below average. In the eyes of UNT, such a grade reflects performance that is not worthy of credit toward graduation with a political science degree. Such an answer does not demonstrate the student's understanding of the assigned material, and often reflects a very poorly organized and written argument. In addition to common errors of fact and frequent omissions of relevant material, such an answer rarely reflects much independent thought by the student beyond simply trying to repeat (often incorrectly) material from the lecture or readings.
F (below 60.0): Unacceptable
An "F" grade reflects work that is completely unacceptable. Such work usually shows little resemblance to the assignment, whether because the student left out large parts of the assignment, didn't bother to complete the assignment (preferring some other assignment without the professor's knowledge), or acquired the paper from some other source that was written for a different assignment.
Do I grade on spelling, grammar, organization, etc.?
No, I don't actually deduct a set number of points for each typo, misspelled word, or improperly organized sentence in your paper (although this is something that I have strongly considered doing in the past). On the other hand, a paper that is full of such mistakes is not likely to be effective at any level -- whether in an upper-division undergraduate course at UNT, in law/graduate/business school, or in a report or proposal for your eventual job after graduation. As a result, I will not go out of my way to try to figure out what a student is trying to say if it is not obvious, any more than will a professor in law school when evaluating your work or the CEO of your company when evaluating your reports. If poor writing or organization make it difficult for the reader (in this case me) to follow your line of argument in a paper, you should never expect a professor or supervisor to struggle through your work and try to figure it out, and you should expect to receive a lower grade than a better-organized paper would receive.
Do I award Incomplete (I) grades?
I almost never award I grades, except in the most unusual and well-documented circumstances. Such grades generally involve the awarding of an unfair advantage to a student, as all of his or her classmates were able to attend all examinations and turn in all assigned coursework on time. Remember, any student could do a better job with an additional month or semester to write the paper or study for an exam, so I am very careful about allowing one student an opportunity that all of his or her classmates have not had.
Policy on Letters of Recommendation
I am always willing to write letters of recommendation for students who have taken my classes. Before asking me to write you a letter, though, I should warn you that my letters are always honest and will reflect your actual performance in my course(s) -- including written work, comprehension of the material, and participation in class discussion. In other words, an "A" student who attended class regularly, participated actively in class discussion, read and understood all of the course material, and demonstrated this understanding in his or her written work and class discussion will receive a letter that reflects these accomplishments. Conversely, students who skipped class regularly, did not participate in class discussion, rarely read the material, or wrote poorly will receive letters that reflect these shortcomings. (I should also emphasize that I will cover each of these topics in writing your letter. Before you ask me to overlook one of these areas, you should realize that -- even if I agreed to your request, which I won't -- most grad schools or law schools will notice the omission, and will very likely interpret it as indicating poor performance in that area.)
If you are still interested in receiving a letter of recommendation for me after reading the above paragraph, I will need several items before I can write a good letter.
- 1. A personal statement about your goals or purposes (this should be part of your application; this will help me to tie in your accomplishments in my course with your career goals or your purposes in grad school)
- 2. A copy of your written work from my course, with my original comments (this will allow me to use specific examples from your work in making my points, rather than simply saying "his/her written work was good")
- 3. A list of the schools or businesses to which you plan to apply (because a letter that will be helpful for certain types of graduate schools may not help you much in other types of schools or in the business world; if I know where you are applying I can write a letter that focuses on the skills or experiences that are most relevant for your chosen career path)
- 4. A current copy of your resume or curriculum vitae (not required, but this will help me to place your work from my course in the context of your other experiences and interests)
- 5. A recent transcript (not required, but this will help me to place your work from my course in the context of your other college-level work)
These items allow me to write a more detailed letter with specific examples, which will be much more useful to a potential grad school or law school admissions office than an impersonal form letter. Similarly, I can write a more accurate and more detailed letter if you sit down and talk with me about what you plan to do (e.g., why you are planning to go to law school, which grad schools interest you and why, or what part of your background gives you a special edge for this career path).
Policy on Directed Research and Capstone Courses
Many students approach me to inquire about directed research courses, such as directed independent studies (DIS) courses or the research project version of UNT's capstone requirement for graduation. I have a number of requirements that must be met before I will agree to direct a DIS course for any undergraduate:
- 1. Any student asking me to direct a DIS must have already taken one of my courses, preferably an upper-division course. My DIS courses are much more personalized and intensive than traditional undergraduate courses, and while I am sure many students I have never met are up to the challenge, I generally find that it works much better to limit DIS courses to students who have already encountered my teaching and working style. Also, upper-division courses work much better than introductory courses for introducing students to serious research in political science and for demonstrating students' ability to do serious work.
- 2. Any student asking about a DIS must have done very well in the earlier course with me, which means receiving an A or A- grade (B+ students may be accepted under extraordinary circumstances, but only rarely). The reason for this is that a DIS is much more personalized and much more intensive than even a typical upper-division undergraduate course, and a student who did not perform well in one of my traditional courses will face an even harder time succeeding in a directed independent study or research capstone with me.
- 3. Any student asking about a DIS must be interested in working on a topic that interests me (and that I am generally familiar with). If the student wishes to work on a topic that is outside of my expertise, then I will be unable to direct a reasonable research project, and the student would be much better off finding one of our other faculty members who is more familiar with the proposed topic of study.
- 4. Following up on requirement #3, the student must have a proposed outline of the course, with a proposed reading list (which may refer to types of books or articles in general terms, rather than listing all of the specific books or readings that will be read). Writing a meaningful course syllabus takes a great deal of time, and my standard teaching and other obligations do not generally leave me with enough time to come up with a full syllabus or reading list for every student who wishes to do a DIS with me. I do reserve the right to modify the proposed syllabus and/or reading list, though, in order to ensure that it covers the appropriate content adequately and that its workload is the equivalent of a standard 3-credit course (contrary to what some students perceive, a DIS should never involve less work or "easier" work than a standard undergraduate course -- and in fact, a good DIS may involve more work than many other courses; I generally require at least a 30-page original research paper for a DIS).
- 5. Any DIS that I direct will require regular meetings between the director (me) and the student. These meetings may be weekly, biweekly, or something roughly equivalent, but they are a vital part of any DIS. The meetings allow the student to ask questions about problems that may arise, allow the director to measure the student's progress, and generally ensure that the entire DIS experience will be a good one. Past situations where these meetings did not occur regularly have almost invariably ended in a disaster, with the student not doing much research until the last minute and then wondering why he or she received a B- or C grade (or worse) for the DIS. As a result, these regular meetings will constitute an important part of the final grade for the course, along with the final research paper.
Although these requirements may appear to be restrictive, they are vital to ensuring that the DIS experience will be a good one. Similar policies helped me to undertake two very successful DIS-type courses while I was an undergraduate, and -- when these policies have been followed -- have helped produce very successful DIS courses for students of mine. It is also worth noting that every single bad DIS experience that I have seen could have been avoided by following these rules more rigorously.
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Last updated: 9 December 2025
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