3.16.7 General curriculum and subcodes
corinthum
kakearney at comcast.net
Mon Mar 14 05:36:20 UTC 2005
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3.16.7 (Hogwarts General Curriculum and class subcodes) Review
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Finally! Okay, this section turned out to be much less
straightforward than I originally expected. Many more posts than
expected (about 720 total) and much much more ambiguity than
expected.
I was actually extremely lenient in keeping repetitive posts
(especially regarding DADA-Snape). Although you'll notice a large
decrease in posts in several codes, in reality only a handful were
thrown out (as Adds Nothing New). Some lost the class code for
normal review reasons (peripheral mention). Many more were relocated
to a new home; I marked these for review if they intruded on someone
else's section.
Basically, for each class subcode, the only posts that belong are
those discussing either the class itself (details of who, where,
when, how often, etc) or the subject matter studied in the class.
What doesn't belong varied with the subject. The problem was that
the class subject matter often related closely to other categories in
the catalogue. Since certain classes presented more problems than
others, I'm going to go through each individually (please don't go,
it's painless, really). I'm including the before and after post
numbers, examples of topics that DO belong in the category
(obviously, the category isn't limited to these, but each category's
discussions centered on two to four main ideas), and examples of
topics that DON'T belong (and where they should be relocated).
Also, before I start, I'll note that three of the classes listed
under 3.16.7 aren't actual Hogwarts classes: astrology, geomancy, and
numerology. And, as you'll see below, the existance of these
categories is unnecessary and only leads to confusion. I've emptied
all three, and I suggest they be scrapped.
Okay, here goes...
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3.16.7.1 Arithmancy
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Originally: 50 posts
Now: 44 posts
GOOD:
- What the frick is it? (as one poster so eloquently wrote)
- Arithmancy versus Divination, and Hermione's contradictory opinions
of the two
BAD:
- No big problems here
3.16.7.2 Astrology
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Originally: 22 posts
Now: 0 posts
GOOD:
- well, nothing. Astrology isn't a class, and therefore all
discussion of it was in reality discussing one of the following...
BAD:
- Use of star charts, etc. for either Astronomy or Divination class
Code to either 3.16.7.3 Astronomy or 3.16.7.7 Divination as
appropriate
- Centaurs' use of astrology. Code to 2.14.2 Centaurs and, if
appropriate, 1.2.13.10 Astrology
- astrological symbolism. This was the bulk of the problem...people
trying to determine the meaning of various omens using real-life
astrology. Posts discussing astrological symbolism, e.g. the possible
meaning of the "Mars is bright tonight" quote, predictions and
characterizations based on planets and stars, etc. went to the
Symbolism subcategory 1.2.13.10 Astrology.
3.16.7.3 Astronomy
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Originally: 23 posts
Now: 23 posts
GOOD:
- What is its relationship to magic? What exactly do they study, and
why?
- Astronomy's use in various forms of divination
BAD:
- nice little category, no problems
3.16.7.4 Charms
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Originally: 16 posts
Now: 14 posts
GOOD:
- What defines a charm?
- When should they be used as opposed to potions, transfiguration,
etc.?
BAD:
- Just a note, I saw some overlap between this category and 3.8.4
Spells, potions, and incantations when discussions turned to
differences between charms, spells, jinxes, curses, etc. I didn't
look too closely though, since I deemed this a suitable topic for the
Charms category.
3.16.7.5 Care of Magical Creatures
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Originally: 27 posts
Now: 23 posts
GOOD:
- Hagrid's teaching, curriculum, and qualifications
- DADA creatures vs CoMC creatures
- Elective or requirement?
- General knowledge of creatures in the WW
BAD:
- no problems, another well-behaved category
3.16.7.6 DADA
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Originally: 140 posts
Now: 115 posts
GOOD:
- Snape's desire for the job, or lack thereof
- Why hasn't Dumbledore hired Snape, given the atrocious record with
DADA professors?
- Who's next?
- Quality and content of lessons under various professors
BAD:
- If I have to read another post asking whether Snape really wants
the DADA post, I'll scream. So unless it really presents some
original ideas, send it to Adds Nothing New.
3.16.7.7 Divination
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Originally: 144 posts
Now: 71 posts
GOOD:
- How common is this gift? Can it be taught? Should the students
study it?
- A lot of Trelawney discussion was here, and I left it (cross-coded
to her, of course) since the basis of these discussions were often
the first point (i.e. is Divination real and learnable).
- Arithmancy versus Divination, and Hermione's contradictory opinions
of the two
BAD:
- specific, [Insert name here] as Seer arguments. Note that the new
category, 1.1.3.2 Seers now has 63 posts, all previously located
here. However, discussions of whether one can learn to be a Seer or
must be born one stayed here (sometimes cross-coded to Seers).
- prophecy discussions; these belong in 1.1.3.1 Prophecy discussions
- specific discussions of Harry's dreams; use 2.5.1.2 Harry's dreams
for this.
- discussions of Arithmancy. Yes, it's often defined as a type of
divination, but in the Potterverse, it is a separate subject and has
its own category (3.16.7.1). Only include comparisons here.
3.16.7. Geomancy
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Originally: 2 posts
Now: 0 posts
GOOD:
- nothing. Not a class, not even mentioned in canon as far as I
know.
BAD:
- The two posts here discussed geomantic symbolism in the names Albus
and Rubeus. I moved them both to 1.2.13 Symbolism.
3.16.7.9 Herbology
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Originally: ~5 posts*
Now: 3 posts
GOOD:
- Neville as future professor (sort of a stretch, but I felt bad for
this poor neglected category)
- Use of herbology in other forms of magic
BAD:
- just peripheral mentions, nothing big
3.16.7.10 History of Magic
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Originally: ~8 posts*
Now: 6 posts
GOOD:
- Why don't they study Voldemort War I?
- "A History of Magic" textbook author discrepancy in PoA
BAD:
- no problems
3.16.7.11 Muggle Studies
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Originally: ~8 posts*
Now: 5 posts
GOOD:
- Do they study non-magical (Muggle) subjects here?
- other odds and ends
BAD:
- no problems
3.16.7.12 Transfiguration
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Originally: 64 posts
Now: 56 posts
GOOD:
- Logistics and ethics of tranfiguring living creatures into
inanimate objects, and vice versa
- Animal transfiguration vs. animagus transformation
- Details of tranfiguration process (follow/violate physics,
permanent or not, etc.)
BAD:
- no problems
3.16.7.13 Numerology
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Originally: 5 posts
Now: 0 posts
GOOD:
- nada, again not an actual Hogwarts class
BAD:
- The posts here are all related to figuring out the exact topic of
study in Arithmancy class, based on Hermione's textbook, "Numerology
& Gramatica". Therefore, I moved these posts to 3.16.7.1 Arithmancy.
3.16.7.14 Potions
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Originally: 45 posts
Now: 30 posts
GOOD:
- Does Potion-brewing require magical talent, or even magic?
- Potions class as plot device
- Utility of potions vs spells
BAD:
- Snape's teaching methods; put these in 3.16.6.1 Teaching methods
3.16.7.15 Ancient Runes
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Originally: 7 posts
Now: 5 posts
GOOD:
- What do they study? The symbols themselves? Norse, Celtic, insert
-your-favorite-runic-system? Divination?
- None yet, but when the Harry's-scar-is-a-rune thread starts, I
think this should be cross-coded to Harry's scar and this category.
BAD:
- no problems
3.16.7.16 Riding broomsticks
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Originally: 10 posts
Now: 7 posts
Side comment... Can this category be renamed to Flying class, or
something similar? It's how most people refer to the class, and a
little clearer in my mind.
GOOD:
- First year only, or is it continued but unmentioned in later years?
- Flying techniques
BAD:
- Magical properties of broomsticks, or discussions of whether one
needs magic to fly a broomstick. Put these under 3.10.3 broomsticks.
Possibly also 3.8.1 Magical ability?
- Quidditch. There are plenty of Quidditch codes; use them.
3.16.7.17 Non-magical classes
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Originally: 32 posts
Now: 23 posts
GOOD:
- Where do they learn the basic writing, math, etc. skills needed for
their magical classes? Pure non-magic, unseen courses? Integrated
into the magic classes? School before Hogwarts (Cross-coded to
3.17.1 Other wizarding schools)? Or do they not need these skills?
- The arts in wizarding education
- Magic/real world subject parallels
BAD:
- school before Hogwarts discussions, code to 3.17.1 Other wizarding
schools
- sex ed discussions, code to 3.4.2 Family planning and sex education
- library etiquette (I feel like I shouldn't have to specify this
one, but, well, they were there...)
3.16.7 General curriculum & timetables
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Originally: 109 posts
Now: 96 posts
GOOD:
- Who has classes with whom (House-wise)?
- Schedule discussions (How many classes are there? Which are
electives? How many does each student take? When? How about teachers?
How long is the school year?)
- Hypothetical classes
- Discussion of many classes at once (how they compare, difficulty,
curriculum, etc)
BAD:
- exam discussion (either year-end/final exams or OWLS and NEWTS)
unless it's being used to support or refute a number-of-classes
argument. code to 3.16.6.3 Exams
- Non-magical class discussion. Use 3.16.7.17
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Well, that's it. Unless there's another category you'd like reviewed,
I'll go back to cataloguing.
-Kelly
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