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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I really want to take IH this semester, but all the classes that fit my schedule are closed. Can I get a green card? The teacher said it was OK...
Q: Where and when does my class meet?
Q: What books should I buy?
Q: When and where is my final exam?
Q: How can I get in touch with my instructor?
Q: Is attending class all that important? Can I still pass the class if I do all the assignments but don’t come to class?
Q: How much time should I expect to devote to IH over the course of a semester?
Q: What is the best advice for achieving success in IH?
Q: What can I expect to get out of IH?
Q: I heard that IH is really hard. Where can I go for help in understanding the reading assignments?
Q: Writing is really hard for me. What can I do to increase my chances of success in this writing intensive course?
Q: English is not my first language. Is there special help for me?
Q: Is it true that taking IH over the summer is easier?
Q: I wasn’t able to do the work in IH this semester because of a family problem. Can I get an Incomplete?
Q: What constitutes plagiarism? How is it punished?
Q: I can find a lot of the texts we use in this class elsewhere. Why do I need to buy the book?
Q: I believe my instructor has treated me unfairly. What can I do?
Q: I know there are rules that apply to all Temple University students, but where can I find them?
Q: Are there any questions we haven't addressed?
A: You can get a green card from the IH office only if you need the course to graduate this semester . You can't sit in on a closed class and hope someone will drop. This puts you at risk for not having enough credits for the semester if it doesn't work out the way you hope, and if you have a financial aid package that demands that you carry a certain number of credits, you could put your entire semester at risk. Even if the instructor wants to help you out, s/he cannot allow you to register officially for the class if there are no spaces.
Q: Where and when does my class meet?
A: This information is listed on your registration form, but if you know your section number you can look it up on the schedule of IH courses by clicking on the Schedule link in the top menu.
A: Choice of textbooks is up to the instructor, so don’t buy your books until you’ve gone to class and the instructor has told you what you need. When you do buy books, don’t write in them until you’re sure you’re staying in that section.
Q: When and where is my final exam?
A: Your exam will be administered in the same classroom you have been coming to all semester. In order to find out the date of your exam, please either access the Spring 2007 final examination schedule on-line or look in the Schedule of Classes booklet. Faculty are expected to adhere to the schedule, and so are you! Mark the dates of your exams before you buy those plane tickets to Cancun! Your instructor has the right to refuse to reschedule your exam, although diligent students should not be afraid to discuss legitimate schedule conflicts with their professors.
Q: How can I get in touch with my instructor?
A: The IH Faculty Directory offers complete contact information for all IH-Associated faculty. Since the pages are currently being updated, if you do not find what you need there, please visit or call the IH office, 214 Anderson, 204-5625.
Q: Is attending class all that important? Can I still pass the class if I do all the assignments but don’t come to class?
A: An important part of Intellectual Heritage is the discussion of the texts. This requires you to be in class. Instructors may fail any student who misses more than the equivalent of two weeks of class: four classes in a section that meets twice a week, six classes in a section that meets three times a week. Even if you are absent for an unavoidable reason, you may have missed so much that it will not be possible for you to pass the course. Consult your instructor for advice on whether you should withdraw. Consult the university's official academic calendar before making those winter or spring break travel plans! Familiarize yourself with the university's policies (including deadlines and refunds) concerning drop/adds and withdrawals before it's too late!
Q: How much time should I expect to devote to IH over the course of a semester?
A: A general rule might be twice as much time outside of class as in class, or in other words six hours a week outside of class—more when you’re writing a paper. It is not a good idea to take another Writing-Intensive course the same semester as you are taking IH. There are only so many hours in a day, so take a serious look at your schedule to see if you can strike a reasonable balance between the courses you have chosen to take and the other life-responsibilities you need to fulfill. Make sure you do the assigned readings when they are assigned. Letting things go until the last minute is the surest path to failure in this course.
Q: What is the best advice for achieving success in IH?
A: Do the reading. Participate in class. Seek help right away when there’s something you don’t understand. Don't wait until the night before it's due to start writing that essay.
Q: What can I expect to get out of IH?
A: A sense of where the culture in which you live came from; a sense of historical perspective; an ability to read and discuss complex texts and ideas; an ability to communicate effectively in writing and speech; essential critical writing skills; an openness to different points of view on a variety of complex issues; some basic knowledge that identifies you as an educated individual. Check out what the core is all about and the university's opinion on the value of a core curriculum in general.
Q: I heard that IH is really hard. Where can I go for help in understanding the reading assignments?
A: First of all, your instructor. This IH web site can also provide you with useful background information and study guides. Tutoring is also available in the IH Lounge, 215 Anderson Hall on a drop-in basis (click here for the tutors' schedules for the fall). You can also form a study group with your friends, often a very good way to get comfortable with difficult texts.
Q: Writing is really hard for me. What can I do to increase my chances of success in this writing intensive course?
A: The best way to improve your writing is to write more frequently. Also, there is much help available. Dr. Gary Pratt is the IH Writing Coordinator for the department. He is available for one-on-one tutoring in the to assist you with your papers. Temple also has an excellent Writing Center which offers all sorts of help for all sorts of writing problems, and you can even email them your paper! Finally, share any concerns you might have about your writing with your professor the first week of class. Work with your instructor to set up a weekly meeting to work on your writing and DON'T MISS A SESSION. Check out the IH Writing Help page for your full range of writing assistance options.
Q: English is not my first language. Is there special help for me?
A: The Writing Center trains many of its tutors to assist ESL students. Take advantage of the opportunity to sign up on a regular basis!
If your difficulties with English are substantial and could prevent you from achieving academic success, check out the 14 week long Intensive English Language Program offered by the university.
Q: Is it true that taking IH over the summer is easier?
A: No, this is actually false. You have to do the same amount of reading, and the same number of writing assignments, but in a much shorter time. Especially if you expect to have trouble with the class, it can be truly overwhelming to do it during the summer. Remember that writing is a process and you need to give it time to work.
Q: I wasn’t able to do the work in IH this semester because of a family problem. Can I get an Incomplete?
A: This is up to your instructor to determine, but normally an Incomplete will be granted only if you have done the vast majority of the work for the course and have an unexpected and short-term problem near the end. If your instructor agrees, you will sign an agreement stating when you will complete the work. If you do not do so, the grade will change to an F. Unless you have a small amount to complete and you know that the problem that prevented you from doing it has been solved, you may be better off withdrawing and taking the course again in another semester.
Keep in mind that you need 24 credits a year (12 each semester) to maintain financial aid. If you're taking four courses and drop IH, you're down to nine.
Q: What constitutes plagiarism? How is it punished?
A: Click here for the Intellectual Heritage Program Avoiding Plagiarism page.
Q: I can find a lot of the texts we use in this class elsewhere. Why do I need to buy the book?
A: You may want to find out your instructor’s views on this, but in general it is a good idea to use the same text other people are using. It is much easier to follow what people are saying in class when everyone can refer to the same page numbers. In addition, many of the texts we use in IH were not originally written in English and they have been translated in many different ways. This could easily lead to confusion if you and the instructor are using different texts. For example, let's say that your text translates Matthew 22:21 as Jesus saying "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." Compare this to the translation the instructor might very well be using, which translates the same line as "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's." Would you be able to identify correctly the citation from the teacher's text on an exam if you had never seen it before? And yes, you can often find IH texts on the internet - for FREE! - but be careful. Because of copyright issues, these texts are almost always older translations that might not be as helpful as more recent translations.
Q: I believe my instructor has treated me unfairly. What can I do?
A: If possible, you should discuss the issue with your instructor first.
If you should end up filing a formal grievance, they can help you with that process. If your attempts to resolve your situation in these ways are not successful, then you may make an appointment to see the Associate Director of IH, Professor Grant Ward , or the Director, Professor Istvan Varkonyi . On Ambler, you can contact Professor Laurence Murphy, Ambler's IH Coordinator. They can help mediate between you and your instructor as well.
Q. I know there are rules that apply to all Temple University students, but where can I find them?
A. The on-line Undergraduate Bulletin can answer all your questions, including those concerning the academic policies of the university, the student code of conduct, and General University Policies (e.g., harassment, emergency class cancellation, no smoking…..).
Q: Are there any questions we haven't addressed?
A: Please tell us.