Energy Law
Fall 2009
Grading Policy
Presentations. Each student does will be required to make a half-hour presentation on PowerPoint or similar software on an energy topic of your choice. You can see examples by earlier students at http://www.kentlaw.edu/faculty/fbosselman/classes/. We will need to confirm your topic by late September and the presentations will be delivered during the period from Nov 30 to Dec 2 at mutually convenient times. Your presentation grade will be made available to you on December 3 and will constitute 25% of your final grade.
Modular tests. The class will be divided into 7 modules of four classes each. A test on each module will be given after completion of the module. These tests will be open book but will consist of relatively few questions. You will need to be in class to take the test and will be given only a short time to answer. The answers will be graded anonymously. Students will learn their own score plus the average of the class scores shortly after the test is taken.
Optional final exam. At the end of the semester, each student will have a choice to make. If you are satisfied with your numerical score on these tests and on your presentation, you can skip the final exam. In that case, these tests will constitute 70% of your grade, your presentation 25%, and your attendance record and class participation will constitute the remaining 5% of your grade.
If you choose to take the exam, your score on the exam and your score on the tests will each make up 35% of your grade, your presentation 25%, and your attendance record and class participation will constitute the remaining 5% of your grade. The numerical scores of those who take the exam and those who don’t will be put into a single anonymous pool for grading purposes.
The final exam will be open book and will consist of three essay questions. If students don’t have serious conflicts with the exam schedule, it will be a 24 hour take home exam. Otherwise, it will be a four-hour exam at the assigned time.
Class website. There is a class webpage (see address above) on which I will be posting the syllabus, readings, assignments and changes thereto. Given the continuing activity of Congress and the regulatory agencies regarding energy, it is not unlikely that there will be some change of the material covered as the semester progresses.
Twitter account. You will need to open a Twitter account using your Kentlaw e-mail address. You will be using this account to access the class Twitter account on which you can make comments, ask questions, discuss points with other members of the class, or suggest reference material. I will also use the class Twitter account to raise or answer questions from time to time. It is a private account open only to us. Information on accessing this private account will be provided on Thursday, but please open your own Twitter account before then. Twitter accounts are free.