Title: Assignments and Grading
Course: The American West: Power, Place, and Memory > Section: Start Here: Fall 2026 Course Orientation

THE AMERICAN WEST

Assignments and Grading

These Fall 2026 dates are built into the Canvas package. The listed deadline is Friday at 11:59 p.m. Central; Canvas remains open through the no-penalty Sunday grace period.

Assessment map

Assessment | Category | Points | Due
Mapping the West: Boundary Argument and Defense | Mapping the West | 100 | Friday, September 18, 2026, 11:59 pm Central
Source Reasoning Lab 1: Treaty, Sovereignty, and Translation | Source Reasoning Labs | 25 | Friday, September 25, 2026, 11:59 pm Central
Source Reasoning Lab 2: Mobility, Risk, and Environment | Source Reasoning Labs | 25 | Friday, October 2, 2026, 11:59 pm Central
Source Reasoning Lab 3: Newspaper, Race, and Public Narrative | Source Reasoning Labs | 25 | Friday, October 30, 2026, 11:59 pm Central
Source Reasoning Lab 4: Oral History, Memory, and Silences | Source Reasoning Labs | 25 | Friday, November 13, 2026, 11:59 pm Central
Historiographical Judgment Portfolio | Historiographical Judgment Portfolio | 100 | Friday, October 16, 2026, 11:59 pm Central
Public History Capstone: Question and Scope Conference | Public History Capstone | 10 | Friday, October 9, 2026, 11:59 pm Central
Public History Capstone: Source Dossier and Defense | Public History Capstone | 20 | Friday, November 6, 2026, 11:59 pm Central
Public History Capstone: Interpretive Artifact and Decision Log | Public History Capstone | 35 | Friday, November 20, 2026, 11:59 pm Central
Public History Capstone: Showcase and Oral Defense | Public History Capstone | 35 | Friday, December 4, 2026, 11:59 pm Central
Seminar Practice and Reflection Portfolio | Seminar Practice & Reflection | 100 | Friday, December 4, 2026, 11:59 pm Central

Reading checks

Ten five-question Classic Quizzes combine three retrieval questions with two short reasoning prompts. Each check allows one attempt in the package; the instructor may change attempts, feedback timing, or migrate to New Quizzes after import.

How work is evaluated

Major assignments use four performance levels: Exemplary, Proficient, Developing, Beginning. Criteria are included inside each assignment. Detailed scoring guides will be available with the assignment.

Submission window

Assignments are generally due Friday at 11:59 p.m. Central. A no-penalty, no-permission-needed grace period extends through Sunday at 11:59 p.m. Work is not accepted after Sunday unless the instructor approved an extension in advance or extenuating circumstances apply.