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English 1302: Composition II
Spring 2010
The Interactive Course Syllabus

Surf the Syllabus by Choosing a Quick Link from Either Drop Down Box:


Instructor:
John Stevens
Temple College
English Department
207-B Berry Hall
2600 South First Street
Temple, Texas 76504-7435
Phone: 254.298.8399
[email protected]
Office Hours:
Mondays: 9:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Tuesdays: 9:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Wednesdays: 9:45 a.m. to 12:45 a.m.
Required Texts:
Nicholas Delbanco and Alan Cheuse. Literature: Craft & Voice. Vol. 1: Fiction. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.
Nicholas Delbanco and Alan Cheuse. Literature: Craft & Voice. Vol. 2: Poetry. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.
Nicholas Delbanco and Alan Cheuse. Literature: Craft & Voice. Vol. 3: Drama. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.
Joseph Gibaldi. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers 7th ed., 2010.

(*Must purchase code for access to required online program. There is a card that comes with the purchase of your Literature: Craft & Voice books. Do not lose this card, for you will need it to register your account with the Literature: Craft & Voice companion website, ConnectLit, so that you can do the ConnectLit assignment. Waste no time in registering your account. If you experience problems, the tech support phone number to the external website is 1- 800-593-1851, and the link to contact their support staff is  http://sealworks.wufoo.com/forms/support-form/, where you can fill out a brief support ticket.)
How to do well in this course:
  • Come to class.
  • Do all the course work, which means do not skip any of the assignments and take a grade of zero on them.
  • Try hard. Just give your genuine best effort.
  • Turn in all work on time, and use only the correct file types: DOC, DOCX, or RTF.
  • Be prepared for class, which means peer revisions and any other scheduled activities.
  • It is critically important that you follow this simple rule: if the words are not your own, put them inside quotation marks. See the subject heading Citing Sources Properly
    • Other Required Materials:

  • Small stapler
  • 1 pocket folder
  • 1 box of small paper clamps
  • Flash drive: keep copies of all completed work and work in progress (see more under "Flash Drives" below).
    •
    Flash Drives:
    It is a course requirement that you have a flash drive. Still, do not use this as your sole device for storing work, for it should be treated as a backup device. If you work in computer labs, save to your flash drive, and then email that final draft to yourself as an email attachment. When you access your email at your personal computer, make sure to also save the draft to its hard drive. Work intelligently, by which I mean do not set up a situation where work can be lost. Flash drives are convenient and mobile, which means they are easy to lose. Moreover, like any device, flash drives can fail. Keep multiple electronic copies of all completed work and work in progress, and keep paper copies too. Never leave a lab or finish a draft at home without printing a paper copy and keeping it in a safe place. In the worst of all situations, work can be recreated from a paper copy.
    What You Should do to Get Started:
    The first thing you should do is go to the D2L website and log in at https://templejc.desire2learn.com/ and print this syllabus. Next, review the first two lectures entitled "Opening Remarks," and "Read This Before Turning in Any Work." If you turn in any work before reviewing these lectures carefully, I can guarantee that you will not do well on your assignments. Afterwards, return to this syllabus, and read it in its entirety. The final section of this syllabus is the Weekly Reading Schedule, and there you will find the first assignment.
    Being prepared for class:
    Many of the assignments for this class necessitate the use of D2L, and other websites as well. We are all aware that websites experience technical difficulties and become temporarily unavailable from time to time. I strongly suggest that you read ahead on your syllabus, access all upcoming materials and print them at least a week or two in advance. Computer or website-related problems are not a valid excuse for the late turn-in of an assignment, nor is it a valid excuse for being unprepared for class.

    If the D2L site is down or you experience other problems, email the assignment to me as an attachment that will act as a temporary submission; even so, understand that I will not grade the emailed submission. It is your responsibility to turn in the electronic version to D2L within 48 hours of the assignment's due date, or it will accrue a late penalty starting from its original due date.

    In effect, because all course materials needed for the entirety of the semester are available from the first day of the semester, and because they remain available 24/7 for the entirety of the semester, nothing prevents students from visiting a computer lab and printing everything associated with this course on day one.

    It is solely your responsibility to make certain that all work is turned in on time and you are prepared for class.
    How to Turn in Assignments:
    All assignments must be turned in to the D2L drop box by 7:50 a.m. on the due date. If the drop box records a 7:51 a.m. submission, the paper is one calendar day late. Expect to lose 10% for each calendar day late, which includes weekends, holidays, breaks, and so on. If you are on campus, I will accept paper copies in the event that you experience a technology-related problem, but I will not grade paper copies. You must find a way to turn in the electronic version to D2L within 48 hours of the assignment's due date, or it will accrue a late penalty starting from its original due date. Moreover, the paper copy and the electronic copy must be an exact match; in other words, once the paper copy is turned in, no further revisions at all are allowed to the project. If revisions are made to the electronic copy, the turn-in date of the paper copy is null and void, and I will grade the electronic copy as per the date and time it was turned in, with late penalties applied. Excessive turn-ins of paper copies may cause a reduction to the course participation grade. The D2L dropbox uses TurnItIn.com plagiarism-detection software. If this proves problematic, I may require students to turn in a second copy of assignments directly to the TurnItIn.com site. In such cases, the TurnItIn.com submission will have the same due-date requirements as the D2L dropbox copy, and the assignment will be considered late until both copies, D2L dropbox and TurnItIn.com, are turned in.
    VERY IMPORTANT:
    If you use Microsoft Works, as opposed to Microsoft Word, do not turn in your work as WPS files, which is the default file type for Microsoft Works. Instead, save your files as RTF (Rich Text Format) file types. If you are unsure how to handle this, speak to me and I will help you. Users of Microsoft Word should not concern themselves with RTF files.

    I will accept only the following file types as valid turn-ins of course work: DOC, DOCX, RTF. If an incorrect file type is uploaded to the drop box, I will not consider it to be a valid turn-in, and in effect, the assignment will be late. It will continue to accrue the standard late penalty, per late work policies on this syllabus, until the proper file type is uploaded.

    Turn-ins of incorrect file types will cause a reduction in the participation grade.

    Here is a great link from Loyola University Chicago that will explain how to save your work as RTF file types. The link is to a PDF file, which opens in Acrobat Reader; most computers already have Acrobat Reader installed, but if your computer does not, you can download it for free at http://get.adobe.com/reader/?promoid=BUIGO

    Tech Support:
    If you experience any D2L technical problems with your assignment turn-ins, or any other issue with D2L, call the IT Helpdesk at 254-298-8450. They are often busy, and the call will flip to voicemail. I strongly suggest that you leave a voicemail message, for they are good about returning calls. Their hours are as follows:

    Monday through Thursday
    8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
    Friday 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.
    You can also email them @ [email protected]


    The D2L dropbox is rather easy to work with, and we have the IT Helpdesk (254-298-8450) available to assist us, so I will not accept dropbox problems as an excuse for lateness. The assignment is either turned in, or it is not turned in, and standard late penalties will apply, per late work policies on this syllabus.

    Importantly, however, the IT Helpdesk does not assist with TurnItIn.com problems, for which you would have to use the "Helpdesk" link at the bottom of the TurnItIn.com homepage.

    Course Description:

    This introductory literature course focuses on three genres: fiction, poetry, and drama. Composition II includes American and British literary selections. Catalog Description:

    Emphasis is placed on the careful reading of, critical and analytical writing about, selected literary genre. Research writing is required. Prerequisite is 1301: Composition I.
    1) Evaluation System:

    a) Evaluation of Students
    b) Evaluation of Course
    i) Pre/Post test: Writing sample to test writing skills and objective test to assess background knowledge of literary concepts
    ii) Course evaluation by students
    iii) Instructor evaluation of students
    2) Specific Objectives for Course Topics:

    c) Through a thematic or genre approach, students will:

    Class Guidelines:
  • Assignment prompts are guides to reading and assignment due dates. Each student is responsible for keeping up with assignments.
  • All written work must conform to the standards of good, formal composition.
  • Do not submit work for any assignment which has been torn out of a composition book. Expect to lose points if you choose to do so.
  • All assignments must conform to MLA style. Refer to your MLA Handbook for details on items such as headings, pagination, titles, and spacing.
  • Review the Temple College Student Handbook for Scholastic Integrity Policy.
  • The final paper is not returned, nor is the final examination.
  • If you are taking this class somewhere other than the TC campus, understand that a significant amount of research is required. Either you must have a stable Internet connection available to you, or you can work on the TC campus. In either event, an unreliable Internet connection is not a valid excuse for missed work, late work, or lack of preparation for class. Access all course materials at least one week or more in advance, and print whatever is needed, so as to avoid technology-related problems. Much work with D2L is also required.
  • Do not use subject headings in your course work, for it will have a negative impact on the grades papers can receive.
    •
    Receiving Feedback on Your Work:
    Once I have graded your assignment I will do two things:

  • I will add the grade of your assignment to the D2L "grades" area.
  • I will send back to your dropbox a new version of your graded assignment, complete with my margin note comments and end comments. Do not read only the comments available through the "Feedback" link in your dropbox. You must download and save the new version of your essay that I send back to you, immediately.


    • Understand that my expectation is that you will not only download the work I return to you and read my comments, but that you will STUDY my comments on your papers. For example, if I have noted a problem with the location of your thesis statement, or compound modifiers, or comma splices, then I expect you to engage the course materials and demonstrate progress by reducing the frequency of these errors. My comments are a set of guidelines for your next essay, so proofread, edit, and revise your work with a sharp eye for reducing errors that occurred in previous course work. Following this procedure will lead to better grades.

    Feedback is not given on quizzes, The Research Paper, and the Final Examination.

    Also, read the lectures again and again, otherwise you are setting yourself up for lost points that could be easily avoided.
    Important Note Regarding This Syllabus:

    It is your best resource, so refer to it early and often throughout the semester. I expect you to read this syllabus on your own, more than once, in its entirety, and ask me a ny/all pertinent questions and points of concern. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with all the policies noted herein and effectively negotiate them. Still, I want to make clear that I am available to help you with everything related to this course. If you have questions or concerns, I want you to speak with me.
    TC Web Resources: A link to Smarthinking is accessible from the D2L home page, which does not mean the homepage of our course, but rather, the page you first land on after initially logging into D2L. Choose the link for "Account Creation," and you will be able to use the Smarthinking service, which will allow you to have your papers reviewed by a professional. This is not a course requirement, but an option for those of you who would like some extra feedback on your papers before turning them in for grading.
    TC In-Person Resources: The Writing Center is located in Building 31-A, between Berry Hall and the Campus Police Office. Consultants will assist you with the current draft of your essay. Appointments can be made by calling 254-298-8393. Walk-ins are also accepted.

    If you feel that you need some extra assistance I am available, for I am always happy to read a work in progress. You may schedule an appointment during my office hours, or you may walk in without an appointment. I will not review electronic drafts submitted by email or to the D2L dropbox.
    Grading System:
    90 - 100 A; 80 - 89 B; 70 - 79 C; 60 - 69 D; Below 60 F
    Specifics of Course Evaluation
    (9%): Fiction Paper
    (9%): First Unit Test: Short Story Test
    (10%): Literature Review/Annotated Bibliography
    (9%): Second Unit Test: Poetry Test
    (9%): Third Unit Test: Drama Test/Final Exam
    (20%): Research Paper
    (20%): Reading Quizzes and Grammar Quizzes. Quizzes will be over the reading(s) to be discussed that day, or over grammar, or both. There will be 20 quizzes. For more important information, see the following two sections below: Attendance/Late Work/Make-up Work Policies and Quizzes.
    (10%): Participation
    (1%): Pre-Assessment Test on literary terminology. The test will be taken on D2L at the end of week 3. Consult the "Weekly Reading Schedule" section of this syllabus for the window of time available to take this test. Failure to take the Pre-test will result in a 1% reduction to the final average. This test cannot be made-up or rescheduled.
    (1%): Post-Assessment Test on literary terminology. The test will be taken on D2L at the end of week 13. Consult the "Weekly Reading Schedule" section of this syllabus for the window of time available to take this test. Failure to take the Post-test will result in a 1% reduction to the final average. This test cannot be made-up or rescheduled.
    (2%): ConnectLit Assignment: three pre-diagnostic quizzes on editing skills: apostrophes, commas, semicolons. Consult the "Weekly Reading Schedule" section of this syllabus for the window of time available to take this test. Failure to take it will result in a 1% reduction to the final average. This test cannot be made-up or rescheduled.
    All three unit tests must be taken, and the Fiction Paper, Poetry Paper, and Research Paper must be turned in, or students cannot pass this course. In effect, failure to negotiate this guideline successfully would result in automatic failure of this course.
    Pre-Assessment and Post-Assessment; ConnectLit Assignment:
  • By completing these assignments, students not only earn the grades on them but avoid a 1% reduction per assignment to the final course grade. Miss one and the reduction will be 1%; miss two tests and the reduction will be 2%, and so on. There would also be a reduction to the participation grade. Complete these assignments, for it would be costly to miss them.
  • The Pre-Assessment Test takes place on D2L during week 3. No make-ups, no retakes, no rescheduling is possible.
  • The Post-Assessment Test takes place on D2l during week 13. No make-ups, no retakes, no rescheduling is possible.
  • The ConnectLit Assignment takes place on D2L during week 4. Consult the instructions on the D2L content tree. No make-ups, no retakes, no rescheduling is possible.
    •
    A Further Word on the ConnectLit Assignment:

    The assignment takes place on an external website, which is hosted by the publisher of our course books. It is possible that technological problems, or other types of problems may hinder the successful negotiation of the ConnectLit assignment. I reserve the right to reschedule or cancel the assignment at my discretion. If this is the case, I will assign another assignment or assignments to replace the 2% of this course that is allocated to the ConnectLit assignment; there will also be penalties, to be determined by me, for failure to complete the replacement assignments.
    Quizzes:
  • The two types of quizzes are reading quizzes and grammar quizzes.
  • Quizzes will take place at the beginning of class, and they will be over the reading(s) to be discussed that day, or over grammar. On some days, there will be a reading test and a grammar test. Consult the Weekly Reading Schedule at the end of this syllabus for dates of quizzes, and the materials over which you will be quizzed. Quizzes cannot be made up, and in cases of missed quizzes, a zero will be recorded.
  • If you arrive once a quiz has begun, you cannot take it, and a grade of zero will be recorded.
  • If you are absent from class, quizzes cannot be rescheduled, and a grade of zero will be recorded.
  • As and if time allows, we will go over the graded quizzes. I may temporarily return them to you, and we will review the correct answers, but they are not yours to keep. I will immediately collect them and keep them on file. I reserve the right to amend this policy as need be.
  • Failure to return a graded quiz or quizzes will result in a reduction to the participation grade, perhaps to the point of zero in that component of the course.
  • The Weekly Reading Schedule will tell you the days when we will have quizzes. Although I will try to hold closely to this quiz-schedule, I may need to depart from it. Essentially, you should be prepared every class for a quiz on grammar and the current reading assignment. If there is no quiz scheduled for a given day and you miss class, there is no guarantee that you will not miss a quiz.
  • There will be no make-up test of any sort for missed quizzes; however, at my discretion, I may offer students the opportunity to submit a make-up paper. Generally speaking, students would have had to miss more than two quizzes, and incurred less than five absences. Moreover, I will review students' performances with regard to their successful negotiation of this course, and then render a decision as to whether or not the opportunity to submit a make-up paper will be offered. If so, the paper would be argumentative, have a 500 word minimum, and it would be over a text of my choosing. To set-up the possibility of a make-up paper, students must make a request by email, and I will respond in kind with a decision. If I approve the make-up paper, the email will include an email attachment with the assignment's requirements, and the due date. If the due date is missed, even by a few minutes, the paper will not be accepted for credit. In any event, the possibility of turning in a make-up paper ends on the final class meeting of week nine of the semester. Students are eligible for one opportunity for a make-up paper, and it can make up for no more than two quiz grades. Again, these guidelines are general, and I reserve the right to amend or rescind this policy at my discretion.
  • Again, quizzes cannot be rescheduled or made-up for any reason.

    •
    Provisional Syllabus:

    As the semester evolves, it is possible that I may need to make changes to this syllabus. One reason this might occur would be due to the fact that some assignments require the use of external websites. In such cases, I may have to revise or change an assignment. Moreover, even if we have departed from syllabus-scheduled activities at times, there is no reason for you to assume that any scheduled work has been cancelled or changed if I have made no such announcement.
    Attendance/Late Work/Make-up Work Policies:

    According to Temple College policy, each instructor is expected to have an absentee, late work, and make-up policy. The following policies are designed to encourage the submission of assignments on the dates they are due. Furthermore, these policies are designed to enhance the learning environment of the class and to encourage students to fulfill the responsibility of being contributing members of a learning community. *According to the 2009-2010 Temple College Student Handbook: "Be advised that faculty members may elect to drop students from courses when students miss the equivalent of two weeks of class" (12). *See complete guidelines in "Attendance" attachment.
    Attendance Policy:

    This course requires an extensive amount of reading and writing in preparation for each class period. You should plan to spend about 3 hours preparing for each class meeting. Therefore, the attendance policy for this course will be as follows:

  • No distinction is made between "excused" and "unexcused" absences, although I appreciate you telling me why you were "absent."
  • My expectation, and the expectation of the English Department, is that you will be present every day our class meets. Still, I have what I consider to be a rather liberal absence policy: Four absences will result in no direct penalty. Beginning with the fifth absence and with each absence thereafter, two points will be deducted from your final average for each absence.
  • If at any time you realize that you cannot complete the course, it is your responsibility to drop the course.
  • The last day to drop a course is Friday, April 9, 2009. Otherwise, you will receive a failing grade.
  • Three late arrivals equal one absence.
  • Arrival to class five minutes or more late is treated as an absence.
  • Leaving class early is treated as an absence.
  • Moreover, if you inform me of a past or future absence I will merely acknowledge that you have communicated with me on the matter. Such acknowledgements on my part do not excuse the absence. You are either present in class or not, and I make an attendance record of the situation you create.
  • For students taking this class off campus at BHS, you must arrive to class with a late slip to avoid a late arrival being recorded. I will not accept the late slip beyond your initial arrival to class. Hand me the slip as you come in the door, even if I am in the midst of a lecture or any other activity, or I will not accept the slip, and a late arrival will be recorded.
    •
    E-mail Guidelines:
    I do teach a number of classes, so I always appreciate it when students close their emails with their first and last names, and the section number of this class. Moreover, I expect you to check your TC email account on a daily basis, for it is the account through which I will communicate with you.
    Missing the first day of class:

    If you were part of my original class roster, in other words if you were enrolled in this class from the first day of the semester or earlier, but simply did not attend the first day of class, then all missed work is already considered late. Review the policy on late work. Moreover, if you join class so late that some quizzes have already been taken, then you cannot take those quizzes, and a grade of zero will be recorded. It is your responsibility to speak to me about missed work, so that I can communicate to you exactly what work you must turn in, and what work cannot be made up. You should factor these policies into your decision to remain in this class.
    Transfer students:

    If you transfer into this class and some quizzes have already been taken, then you cannot take those quizzes, and a grade of zero will be recorded. It is your responsibility to speak to me about missed work, so that I can communicate to you exactly what work you must turn in, and what work cannot be made up. You should factor these policies into your decision to remain in this class.
    Late registration students:

    All missed work must be made up, and is due on the next class, after which it cannot be turned in, and grades of zeroes will be recorded. Moreover, if you join class so late that some quizzes have already been taken, then you cannot take those quizzes, and a grade of zero will be recorded. It is your responsibility to speak to me about missed work, so that I can communicate to you exactly what work you must turn in, and what work cannot be made up. You should factor these policies into your decision to remain in this class.
    Late Work/Make-Up Policy:
  • If for some reason you miss a Major Test, you will report to the Temple College Testing Center during the week of April 26-28, or I may schedule it sooner, at my discretion. You are responsible for taking the make-up by the given deadline.
  • THE FINAL MAJOR PROJECT, WHICH IS THE RESEARCH PAPER, IS SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING POLICY: it must be submitted on the day it is due, by 7:50 a.m., sharp. Expect to lose 10% for each calendar day the paper is turned in late. If you believe this may be a problem, submit it sooner. For example, because the paper is due at 7:50 a.m., if the drop box records a 7:51 a.m. submission, the paper is one calendar day late. Expect to lose 10% for each calendar day the paper is turned in late. After 48 hours late (to the minute), the paper will not be accepted, and under the policy below, you will have failed this course. Research papers are not returned.
  • Again, all course work is due by 7:50 a.m. on the due date, so at 7:51 a.m. it is late, and will incur a 10% per calendar day late penalty, which includes weekends, holidays, breaks, and so on. The Major Projects are as follows: Fiction Paper, the Literature Review/Annotated Bibliography, and the Research Paper (although the Research Paper is subject to the late penalty described in point # 2 above). You cannot pass the course unless all major projects are turned in, and all three unit tests are taken. Moreover, all major projects must satisfy the criteria for that project, established by this syllabus, individual assignment prompts, lectures, emails, and so on. I reserve the right to reject a given turn-in of a major project if any one or more of these criteria are not met.
  • If the Fiction Paper is two weeks late, it cannot be turned in, and you will be withdrawn from the course. If the Literature Review Annotated Bibliography is not turned in by 4/7/2010, by 7:50 a.m.--not 7:51 a.m., it cannot be turned in, and you will be withdrawn from the course.

    •  A final word about late and missing work: Late or missing work of any kind will have an effect on your Participation grade, perhaps to the point of zero in that component of the course. When you fail to turn in assignments on time, fail to take quizzes, or create other negative situations, not only do you lose credit for that particular assignment, but you will lose points in your participation grade as well. If you are not uploading written assignments on time, or keeping up with the course work, I assume you are not doing the assigned reading, or at least you are not adequately analyzing the reading; if your analysis is inadequate then you are not participating in the course. Do the coursework as it is assigned, do it to the best of your abilities, and turn it in on time if you expect to pass this course.
    Academic Integrity:
    Please review the Temple College Scholastic Integrity Policy in the handbook. It is my responsibility to ensure that scholastic integrity is maintained in all my classes; therefore, please note that no form of cheating or plagiarism is tolerated. See the subject heading Citing Sources Properly

    Cheating is sometimes a problem because students think it is acceptable to share answers and/or complete each other's homework. Often, siblings, spouses, best friends take this class together. It is NOT acceptable to do another person's assignment, whether a weekly assignment or a research paper. I may ask you to work in small discussion groups, and while I encourage you to collaborate on discussion of assigned readings, your homework answers should not appear too similar.

    Of course, using cheat notes on exams and sharing test information with others is cheating! Please do not assume that I am not reading your homework; some students have made that mistake in the past.

    *Scholastic Dishonestly, cheating of any kind, may result in any and/or all of the following:

    1. a failing grade on the assignment
    2. a failing grade in the course
    3. removal of the student from the course
    4. removal of the student from the college
    *See the complete "Academic Integrity Policy" attachment.
    Disruptive Behavior Policy (See Student Handbook: http://www.templejc.edu/student_info/pdf/sthb08-09.pdf

    Disruptive Behavior:
    Disruption and violence have no place in education. It is imperative that the College provide an atmosphere conducive to learning, which enables the faculty to teach and permits students to engage in advancement of knowledge, free from external pressure, interferences, and disturbances. Sleeping in class, belligerent attitude, ignoring instructor's directions, (e.g. not participating in class group activities), talking at inappropriate times may be considered disruptive behavior and could result in the instructor's requesting the student's removal from the class roll.

    Therefore, any student or non-student who creates an interruption of the normal function of the College, either in or out of the classroom, may be asked to leave the area and shall be subject to disciplinary action. Failure to comply with such a request may be reported to the Vice President of Educational Services. Failure to comply can result in an instructor's requesting that the Vice President of Educational Services remove the student from the class roll. The instructor, in a conference with the student will explain the situation and may give the student a second chance to remain in the class. If the student agrees to the conditions outlined by the instructor, a conference form detailing the conditions will be sent to the student and to the department chair. If the student violates the conditions stated on the form, the instructor can request that the Vice President of Educational Services remove the student from the class roll. Further, any conduct jeopardizing the health, safety, State, Federal or local criminal statutes or civil rights of others on campus shall be grounds for possible disciplinary action and/ or arrest by local law enforcement officers.
    Cell Phone Policy (See Student Handbook: http://www.templejc.edu/student_info/pdf/sthb08-09.pdf) (Student ) Cell Phone and Pager Usage:

    Cell phone and pager usage must be conducted outside Temple College's classrooms, laboratories, testing areas, and library services public areas.
    Laptop Computers:

    I do not allow the use of laptop computers during class.
    Temple College Writing Center:

    The Temple College Writing Center (TCWC), located in Portable Building 31 Rm. 31A (next to Berry Hall), offers help to writers at any stage of the writing process including brainstorming, researching, drafting, documenting, revising, and more; no writing concern is too large or too small. If you visit the TCWC, with you a copy of your writing assignment, a hard copy of your draft or any notes you may have, as well as any material you need help with. To find out more about UWC services or to schedule an appointment, call 298-8393, or stop by in person.
    Penalty:

    In the D2L "Grades" section, there is a column labeled penalty. It is used to reduce the final course grade in the event that students fail to turn in a major project, or take the Pre-Assessment and/or Post-Assessment. Really, this should be no source of concern to students who plan to manage their time wisely and turn in the work.
    Extensions:

    Please do not ask for extensions on assignment due dates. While I understand that personal and family emergencies sometimes arise, due dates are not flexible. In such cases, you would have to turn in the work late and take the late penalty.
    Participation Grading:
    Your Participation grade is determined by the following factors: the degree to which you participate in discussions, and the careful thinking demonstrated by your remarks. There are also other variables involved that will negatively affect your grade, which include the following: late work; missing work; unsatisfactory in-class work; lack of preparation, which means failure to be prepared for peer revision workshops and/or other activities; unprofessional conduct; and your failure to meet any other requirements of this syllabus. Moreover, I expect you to participate in every class by significantly adding to class discussions, which means group discussions, as well as the discussions led by me. I expect your reading, writing, analyses, and discussion to reflect careful thought and preparation. Considering these policies, even if you have a perfect attendance record, but you create a situation that negatively affects your grade, you will receive a grade that is lower than 100%, perhaps to the point of zero in this component of the course. Expect to lose 50% of the participation grade if the Fiction Paper, Annotated Bibliography/Literature Review, or the Research Paper is turned in the least bit late. Further, if you expect to sit in class and seldom or never participate, or if you participate only when called on by me, or give very short answers, then do not be surprised when you receive a zero in participation. It is your responsibility to add to every class discussion.

     There is also the aspect of "effective participation." As the semester progresses, students must demonstrate that they are effective at negotiating previously taught skills. If, for example, we are some weeks into the course and a student is still failing to successfully negotiate skills that should have already been mastered, then participation with regard to learning said skills can only be judged as inadequate. Additionally, when I comment on your papers, yet subsequent assignment demonstrate a repeat of the same problem(s), I can only assume that you are not reading my comments, or you have chosen to ignore them. In such cases, the participation grade will be reduced. Also, if I have reason to believe that an assignment was written at the last minute, as opposed to its being drafted and revised over time, then it is a case where that student has effectively been absent from participating in the writing process. In such cases the participation grade will be reduced, perhaps to the point of zero is this component of the course. As a further example, an Annotated Bibliography/Literature Review that demonstrates a very low skill level would be enough to have a severe negative impact on the participation grade, perhaps to the point of zero in this component of the course.

    In addition to the above criteria, generally (what follows here is at my discretion), a 10% reduction of the participation grade will be applied for each missed quiz and each missed peer revision. A late major project will cost a minimum 50% reduction in the participation grade, as will a missed unit test. These policies are general, and adherence to or departure from them is at my discretion. Their inclusion is an effort to give students a general idea as to how I calculate the participation grade.
    Computer Labs: It is likely that sometime this semester your computer or Internet connection may experience downtime. All students have access to computer labs on campus. The lab in 205 Berry Hall is at your disposal, for it is exclusively for students enrolled in English classes. The TC library also has computer terminals at your disposal. Be aware of other lab locations. Make contingency plans for situations that may make the use of these labs necessary on short notice.
    Formatting of All Course Work:
    1. All course work must be word-processed.
    2. If you turn in handwritten work it will be calculated as a zero.
    3. All course work must be in a 12 point Times New Roman font. Other fonts are unacceptable, and such papers will receive a lower grade.
    4. Margins are to be either 1 inch or 1¼ inches.
    5. Always double space.
    6. Do not turn in any typewritten single spaced work or I will reduce the grade by a minimum of one full letter grade.
    7. Every major project must have a two-part title, separated by a colon.
    8. Never use subject headings in your writings. I will reduce the grade of any assignment by 5 points per subject heading used.
    9. If any of the above problems persist, I will grade the assignment as a zero.
    10. Review lecture 2 very carefully.
    Peer revision workshops:

    Peer Revision Workshops are crucial to the draft and revise writing process taught in this course, and you are expected to participate in all of them. I will reduce the final grade of an assignment by 10% if a peer review workshop is missed for any reason, including absence from class. There is no way to make up these lost points. Moreover, each time you miss a peer revision workshop, your participation grade will be reduced. Also, if your paper falls even slightly short of the minimum page count, even a line or two of text, or fails to meet some other requirement that generally has to do with length or the amount of work required for that activity, you will not receive credit for participation in that workshop. Electronic turn-ins of papers do not qualify for peer-revision credit. You must attend class, with the correct number of copies of your draft, and you must actually take part in the peer revision workshop to receive credit.
    Relaxed Prose versus Academic Prose:

    It is my expectation that your essays will be written in formal academic prose. For the particulars of what constitutes the difference in these two prose styles, review lecture 2 carefully. It is difficult to imagine that a student could do well without paying very close attention to lecture 2. On each assignment prompt for your three essays, there is also a section titled "Grading Criteria for Your Prose Style." Follow these guidelines

    Formatting: Again, review lecture 2. It contains much crucial information.
    Page/Word Count Requirements for: Major Projects; Peer Revision Workshop Drafts; All Course Work: My instructions for page or word count requirements are unmistakably clear; on any given assignment I tell you the minimum full page or word count required to the maximum full page or word count required. Assignments that do not meet these requirements receive a lower grade.
    Avoiding the Use of Gender-specific Language:

    Do not use discriminatory wording, such as man and mankind. Use non-gender-specific language like humankind, humanity, and people. For each instance of gender-specific language in your writings two percentage points will be deducted from that assignment's grade. Further, do not use discriminatory language of any type. For each instance of discriminatory language in your writings two percentage points will be deducted from that assignment's grade.
    Proofreading and editing:

    Students are expected to hand in work that is not riddled with sentence-level errors. Papers show a lack of proofreading and editing when they contain a preponderance of errors: fragments, run-ons, comma splices, extra words, missing words, poor punctuation, spelling errors, the incorrect use of the singular or plural, possessives, slang, colloquialisms, improper or insufficient use of paragraphs, and improper MLA citation style. Such papers will receive a lower grade.
    Recycling Papers:

    Never use a paper written for a previous course, even if it was for the same course you are now repeating, for recycling papers amounts to academic dishonesty, and such papers will receive a zero. It is possible that more serious action could also be warranted.
    MLA Style Guidelines:
    On the D2L content tree, I have provided you with a series of links to MLA Style Guidelines, and you are expected to engage them to the point where your in-text citations, works cited page citations, and other fundamentals follow MLA Style. Work with these links, and especially "Paraphrase: Write it in Your Own Words" and "Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing." Papers that negotiate MLA skills poorly will receive lower grades.
    Citing Sources Properly:

    Remember, if the words are not your own, put them inside quotation marks, for to do otherwise is plagiarism.
    THE WEEKLY READING SCHEDULE:


    The Assignments Calendar provides the due dates for your assignments. However, there is a separate prompt for each assignment.

    The date on which an assignment appears below is its due date. Beyond 7:50 a.m., even by one minute, it is late.

    The literature listed on each day means that you must have already read that material BY THAT DATE, so you are prepared for imminent quizzes.


    WEEK ONE
    M 1-11 Introduction to course and syllabus. Spend time reading the entire syllabus, and then engage the lectures, especially the first four. Be familiar with all course policies.
    W 1-13
  • Have the following stories already read for today: "A Jury of Her Peers" on D2L; "The Yellow Wallpaper" pp. 221-28.
  • In case you do not yet have your course books, use the following link to access  "The Yellow Wallpaper" e-text from the Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library.
  • Spend time working with lecture 5, "About Grammar." The external links in that lecture will lead you to grammar handouts on the Web, which will help you to do well on the grammar quizzes.
  • Review the "Participation Grading" section of this syllabus.
  • Continue to review the syllabus. Be familiar with all course policies, for I will hold to the syllabus exactly.
    		•


    WEEK TWO
    M 1-18 Martin Luther King Day-No Class.

    Grammar quizzes begin soon, so work with lecture 5. Remember too that your major projects--The Fiction Paper, The Literature Review/Annotated Bibliography and The Research Paper, as well as the Unit Tests, will be graded, in part, on grammar.
    W 1-20
  • Have the following stories already read for today's class: the section on Symbol pp. 324-27; "Young Goodman Brown" pp. 328-34; "The Things They Carried" pp. 315-23.
  • Quiz # 1 today on "A Jury of Her Peers" and "The Yellow Wallpaper." No make-ups or retakes.
  • I will review the correct approach to your major papers, so go to D2L, and bring to class a copy of the prompt for the Fiction Paper, and a copy of lecture 2.
  • We will also cover the proper way to format and document papers, and we will go over grammar, so bring copies of the following handouts to class:
  •  Independent and Dependent Clauses
  •  Run-Ons, Comma Splices, Fused Sentences
    .


    • WEEK THREE
    M 1-25
  • Have the following materials already read for today's class: the section on Setting pp. 142-43, and 150-53. "A Rose for Emily" pp. 415-19.
  • Today I will demonstrate how to do research through the TC Library database.
  • Quiz # 2 today on "Young Goodman Brown" and "The Things They Carried." No make-ups or retakes.
  • Quiz # 3 today over independent and dependent clauses. No make-ups or retakes.
  • For next class (so this assignment is tonight's homework): Access the "Research Exercise" on the D2L content tree, and complete this exercise. Basically, there are materials you will print and have with you next class. This assignment is strongly taken into consideration when calculating your course participation grade.
    • W 1-27
  • Peer revision workshop for Fiction Paper. One full page minimum. Bring four copies.
  • Have the following materials already read for today's class: the section on Narration and Point of View, pp. 195-99; "A Good Man is Hard to Find" p. 429-37.
  • Quiz # 4 today over "A Rose for Emily," and Quiz # 5 today over run-on sentences. No make-ups or retakes.
  • The Pre-Assessment Test on Literary Terminology becomes available at 5:00 p.m. today and must be completed by Sunday at 5:00 p.m. The test will be taken on D2L. From our D2L course homepage, click on "Quizzes" to access the test. Once you click on "Start Quiz," the 45 minute timer will begin to run, and it is your one and only opportunity to take the test. At 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, the link to the test will become inactive, and it will not be reactivated for any reason. There are no make-ups or retakes of this test.
  • Make certain to have the the Research Exercise completed and the required materials with you for today's class.
    •


    WEEK FOUR
    M 2-1
  • Peer revision workshop for Fiction Paper. Two full pages minimum. Bring four copies.
  • Have the following material read for today's class: "The Open Boat" pp. 275-86.
  • Quiz # 6 today over "A Good Man is Hard to Find," and Quiz # 7 in class today over comma splices. No make-ups or retakes.
  • Focus on The Fiction Paper. It is due soon. Finish it early, so as to leave time to proofread and edit for errors in punctuation and grammar. Remember that a paper that is drafted and revised over time invariably receives a better grade than a paper written hurriedly.
    •
    W 2-3
  • Peer revision workshop for Fiction Paper's works cited page; you must have 3 citations, as follows:
    • 1. The short story you are writing about.
    2. Your two scholarly articles.
    3. Bring four copies of your works cited page with the 3 citations.
  • Have the following material already read for today's class: "Greasy Lake" pp.77-81; "Araby" pp. 86-89.
  • Quiz # 8 today over "The Open Boat." No make-ups or retakes.
  • ConnectLit Assignment becomes available at 5:00 p.m. today and must be completed by Sunday at 5:00 p.m. The test will be taken on an external website. Access the assignment prompt on D2L for instructions on how to take this test. At 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, the link to the test will become inactive, and it will not be reactivated for any reason. There are no make-ups or retakes of this test.
    •


    WEEK FIVE
    M 2-8
  • Peer revision workshop for Fiction Paper. Two full pages minimum. Bring four copies. We will also review grammar, so bring the following handouts to class:
  •  The Sentence Fragments Handout
  •  Sentence Fragments Exercises # 1
    •
  • Have the following material already read for today's class: "Sonny's Blues" pp. 501-16.
  • Quiz # 9 today over "Greasy Lake" and "Araby." Quiz # 10 today over run-on sentences. No make-ups or retakes.
    •
    W 2-10
  • Peer revision workshop for Fiction Paper. Complete draft required, including the works cited page. Bring four copies.
  • Have the following material already read for today's class: "Optimists" pp. 33-40; "Why I Live at the P.O." pp. 164-70; "An Ounce of Cure" pp. 16-22.
  • Quiz # 11 today over "Sonny's Blues." Quiz # 12 today over sentence fragments. No make-ups or retakes.
    		•


    WEEK SIX
    M 2-15 Teacher Inservice/Student Holiday: No Class.

    Continue working on The Fiction Paper.
    W 2-17
  • Fiction paper is due by 7:50 a.m. SHARP, in the D2L drop box, today. If the drop box records a 7:51 a.m. submission, the paper is one calendar day late. Expect to lose 10% for each calendar day the paper is turned in late.


  • Although we will continue with the First Unit of this course, fiction, today I will focus on poetry, and we begin with the poetry of meditation.
  • We will go over the next major project, which is the Literature Review/Annotated Bibliography, so bring the assignment prompt to class.
  • Quiz # 13 today over "Optimists." Quiz # 14 today over sentence fragments. Quiz # 15 today over "Why I Live at the P.O.," and "An Ounce of Cure." No make-ups or retakes.
    •


    WEEK SEVEN
    M 2-22 First Unit Test: Short Story Test. TODAY WE DO NOT MEET IN OUR REGULAR CLASSROOM. REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE TIGER COMPUTER LAB.

    You should be getting as fast a start on The Literature Review/Annotated Bibliography as possible. Spring Break will come around quickly. Moreover, the one constant truth about engaging in the literary research process is that it always takes more time than one initially believes it will. Manage your time wisely.
    W 2-24 Today marks the beginning of the poetry section of this course.

    Have the following materials already read for today:

    1. Robert Frost: "Design," p. 417
    2. Eden Phillpotts: "The Learned." On D2L
    3. Emily Dickenson: "My Life Had Stood - a Loaded Gun," On D2L.
    4. Ben Jonson: "Epitaph on Elizabeth, L.H." On D2L
    5. Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess," pp. 35-36
    6. Lady Mary Wortley Montagu: "Written the First Year I Was Marry'd." On D2L
    7. Marge Piercy: "What's That Smell in the Kitchen?" On D2L
    8. Paulette Jiles: "Paper Matches." On D2L
    9. Elizabeth I: "When I Was Fair and Young." On D2L
    10. Marilyn Hacker: "Who Would Divorce her Lover" On D2L
    11. Amy Lowell: "The Lonely Wife." On D2L
    12. Liz Rosenberg: "The Silence of Women." On D2L

    This weekend would be a great time to make significant progress on The Literature Review/Annotated Bibliography.


    WEEK EIGHT
    M 3-1
  • Peer revision workshop for Literature Review/Annotated Bibliography. You must have 3 entries completed, which means both the citation and annotation, minimum of 50 words per annotation, which does not include the words in the citation; remember that in for the final turn-in the annotations must be longer; bring four copies.


    • Have the following poems already read for today's class:

    1. E.E. Cummings: "l(a" p. 425
    2. E.E. Cummings: "Buffalo Bills" p. 426
    3. Stevie Smith: "The Jungle Husband" On D2L
    4. George Herbert: "Easter Wings" p. 309
    5. Roger McGough: "Here I Am" On D2L
    6. David Ferry: "Evening News" On D2L
    7. "Western Wind" p. 331
    8. Robert Herrick: "Upon Julia's Clothes" p. 432
    9. W.H. Auden: "Musee des Beaux Arts" pp. 159-60
    10. George Herbert: "The Collar" On D2L

  • Quiz # 16 today over any of the following: Eden Phillpotts: "The Learned." On D2L; Emily Dickenson: "My Life Had Stood - a Loaded Gun," On D2L; Ben Jonson: "Epitaph on Elizabeth, L.H." On D2L; Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess," pp. 35-36; Lady Mary Wortley Montagu: "Written the First Year I Was Marry'd." On D2L; Marge Piercy: "What's That Smell in the Kitchen?" On D2L; Paulette Jiles: "Paper Matches." On D2L; Elizabeth I: "When I Was Fair and Young." On D2L; Amy Lowell: "The Lonely Wife." On D2L. No make-ups or retakes.
    •
    W 3-3
  • Have the following material already read for today's class: "Paradise Lost" Book 1, on D2L.
  • Quiz # 17 today over any of the following: E.E. Cummings: "l(a" p. 425; E.E. Cummings: "Buffalo Bills" p. 426; Stevie Smith: "The Jungle Husband" On D2L; George Herbert: "Easter Wings" p. 309; Roger McGough: "Here I Am" On D2L; David Ferry: "Evening News" On D2L; "Western Wind" p. 331; Robert Herrick: "Upon Julia's Clothes" p. 432; W.H. Auden: "Musee des Beaux Arts" pp. 159-60; George Herbert: "The Collar" On D2L. No make-ups or retakes.


  • Continue working on the Literature Review/Annotated Bibliography.
    •


    WEEK NINE
    M 3-8
  • Peer revision workshop for Literature Review/Annotated Bibliography. You must have 6 entries completed, which means both the citation and annotation, minimum of 50 words per annotation, which does not include the words in the citation; remember that in for the final turn-in the annotations must be longer; bring four copies.
  • Today we will watch the first part of the video: Paradise Lost: The Life and Times of John Milton.
  • Quiz # 18 today over Paradise Lost. No make-ups or retakes.
  • Continue working on the Literature Review/Annotated Bibliography.
    		•
    W 3-10 Today we will watch the remainder of the video: Paradise Lost: The Life and Times of John Milton.


    SPRING BREAK WEEK
    M 3-15 Spring break is March 15 to March 19.
    W 3-17 Spring break is March 15 to March 19.




    WEEK TEN
    M 3-22 Today marks the beginning of the drama section of this course.

  • We watch the first part of the film Hamlet
  • Continue working on the Literature Review/Annotated Bibliography.
    		•
    W 3-24 Today we watch the remainder of the film Hamlet.

    Continue working on the Literature Review/Annotated Bibliography.


    WEEK ELEVEN
    M 3-29
  • The Literature Review/Annotated Bibliography is due by 7:50 a.m. SHARP, in the D2L drop box, today. If the drop box records a 7:51 a.m. submission, the paper is one calendar day late. Expect to lose 10% for each calendar day the paper is turned in late.


  • Be prepared for a class discussion of Hamlet.
    •
    W 3-31 Second Unit Test: Poetry Test.

  • TODAY WE DO NOT MEET IN OUR REGULAR CLASSROOM. REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE TIGER COMPUTER LAB.
    •


    WEEK TWELVE
    M 4-5 Have the play A Doll's House read for today.
    W 4-7 We watch the first part of the film A Doll's House.

  • Quiz # 19 today over A Doll's House. No make-ups or retakes.
  • You should already have a significant amount written on your Research Paper.
    •


    WEEK THIRTEEN
    M 4-12 We watch the remainder of the film A Doll's House.
    W 4-14 Have the play Death of a Salesman read for today.

    The Post-Assessment Test on Literary Terminology becomes available at 5:00 p.m. today and must be completed by Sunday at 5:00 p.m. The test will be taken on D2L. From our D2L course homepage, click on "Quizzes" to access the test. Once you click on "Start Quiz," the 45 minute timer will begin to run, and it is your one and only opportunity to take the test. At 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, the link to the test will become inactive, and it will not be reactivated for any reason. There are no make-ups or retakes of this test.


    WEEK FOURTEEN
    M 4-19 We watch the first part of the film, Death of a Salesman.

  • Quiz # 20 today on Death of a Salesman. No make-ups or retakes.
  • We review for the Drama Test/Final Examination.
    •
    W 4-21 We watch the remainder of the film Death of a Salesman.


    WEEK FIFTEEN
    M 4-26 Third Unit Test: Drama Test/Final Exam.

    TODAY WE DO NOT MEET IN OUR REGULAR CLASSROOM. REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE TIGER COMPUTER LAB.
    W 4-28
  • The Research Paper is due by 7:50 a.m. SHARP, in the D2L drop box, today. If the drop box records a 7:51 a.m. submission, the paper is one calendar day late. Expect to lose 10% for each calendar day the paper is turned in late.


  • After 48 hours late (to the minute), the paper will not be accepted, and under the "Late Work/Make-up Policy" section of this syllabus, you will have failed this course. Must be turned in as a MS Word doc, docx, or rtf file. The Research Paper is not returned.
    		•


    WEEK SIXTEEN
    M 5-3 Final Exams Week. The Drama Test functions as the final exam, so you have already taken the final exam. In effect, this course had concluded with the turn-in of your Research Paper.

    For Belton High School Students, check with Beverly Stephens, for she will undoubtedly arrange your schedule to account for where you should report this week during our regular class time.


    Web discoveries