Course Content Surveys: Revolution & Constitution

I have made minor mechanical corrections without notation.

What aspect or assignment in this course has been the most difficult for you? Explain briefly.

The essays / papers. As a senior the workload is intense and I found it hard to put the time aside to research enough to write a descent [sic.] paper. It was also hard because the paper are nearly our entire grade and that put even more pressure on it.
***

The aspects or assignments have all be challenging but not entirely difficult to do.
***

The number of projects due makes the course more difficult (especially if you have a full schedule) [as it happens, I do -- MA]. Getting behind with a full work load is not an easy thing to come back from when you have three research papers in one semester.
*
MA: This last point would seem to argue against falling behind.
***

Research, research, research. Never in all my college level education have I had to do so much research. I am at this point of the semester and of my college education in general swamped with work, the last thing I need is to do hours and hours of research I cannot find the time it takes to do good valuable research for this class. Also, I'm not too familiar with doing research, especially college level research and 4th year at that.
*
Research and analysis -- used to papers that deal with strictly factual information -- not analysis, also making a significant connection [between] certain events and the Constitution.
*

MA: I'm not sure whether this a personal commentary, an indictment of the course, or a celebration of the value of the course. Perhaps it is some mixture of these. The course syllabus calls for annotated bibliographies for the first two projects each entailing not fewer than seven sources in not fewer than three media types. Depending on the topic one selected, assuming for the moment that it was not an absolutely obscure one (say, the role of Jewish immigrants in defining constitutional principles), simply finding seven sources in three media types might take an hour of careful research. Analyzing and notating the sources is another matter -- that could take days or work.

I guess my concern about the first statement ("Never in all of my college level education...") is to understand why this would be the case. Two seven-page research papers and one four-page evaluative summary -- which, as noted in the earlier comment, is virtually the entirety of the graded material for the course -- seems to me to be a reasonable load. I suppose other instructors should be encouraged to require similar assignments, as then you would have more experience with research. It becomes much easier with practice; conversely, the less experience one has, the harder research may seem.
***

What aspect or assignment has been the least difficult? Explain briefly.

In the beginning of the semester we used to discuss things and I think that was the best part. It would've help[ed] if we had a certain topic set aside for a day we could research it a little and then meet up as a class and have class discussions.
*
MA: This is a fine course content survey response. It implies a difficulty (fewer discussions) and provides an excellent suggestion for a solution.
***

comming to class [sic.]

***
The second project has been less difficult because it concerns more readily available information that deals with modern times.
***
I do somewhat enjoy doing the research, I find it to be somewhat interesting. But like I said before, I don't have the time to do good research.
***
The information being presented is relevant and easily understood. More familiar with historical events and the impact on events that followed.
***

What did you think you were going to learn that you haven't learned?

I thought the course would go more in deph with the actual context of the Constitution and how it has shaped our government and laws now -- not much discussion on what the amendments encompass (ex: 14th amendment goes further with the due process clause, equal protection... on and on).
***
More about the history of the revolution and constitution, also how they are applied today.
***
Since we have begun to look at topics from more modern times, I can't say that we have skipped anything important so far.
***
I am happy now in the second project that we are tak[ing] constitutional amendments and putting [them] to work. I wish that more analysis of our [present government] could be done, [rather] than the past, and everything quicker [paced]. The speeches were okay, but not needed, more learning of facts than ideas would be better.
***
It's hard to say because I've leanred bits and piees about everything I thought I was going to learn, but I would've liked to [have] gotten into more of the American revolution in greater depth.

What are you learning that you didn't expect to learn?

For my paper I'm writing about protest and how events like Kent State should have never happened based on the Constitution. But I chose the topic because it interested me.
***
What is being taught is fine, but more could be done.
***
We went deep into the specifics of not only the Constitution, but the Articles of [Confederation} as well as a couple more important documents dating from the start of the US It is interesting to look at specifics in these, and I found everything to be relevant to the course topic.
***
How to do the research that we have been doing and how to apply it to the course. Which I'm still not convinced about.
*
MA: Oh, I think the course exists.
***
I like the freedom to explore any aspect of the Constitution and the effects it has on our history and our present. I am familiarizing myself with rights I wasn't necessarily aware of and rights I though I had but had been misinterpreted or not necessarily guaranteed in the Constitution.
***