English 102L: Literature and Composition CRN:2089

Summer, 2009 – MxCC

Instructor: Dale Griffith                  Email: dgriffith@mxcc.commnet.edu

Office: Snow, room 520   phone: 860 343-5801 (voice mail)

Office Hours: Flexible – almost anytime by appointment

Before you do anything else, review the entire syllabus and study the website. Read everything twice.

Required Text

McMahan, Day, Funk. Literature and the Writing Process. 8^th edition.

Suggested: Current Reference Guide – MLA guide strongly recommended.

Course Description

Students will learn how to develop valid interpretations of literature through thoughtful reading of fiction, poetry, drama, and the essay.  They will be introduced to literary terminology and the standard critical approaches. They will learn how to use various levels of source materials and also how to express clearly their views about literature in expository writing, including essays with formal research documentation.

Prerequisite: grade C or better in English 101.

Students must also take the READI Self-Assessment test to discover whether or not learning in online is an appropriate setting for success.

General Course Objectives

Students will learn the fundamental elements of poetry, drama, fiction, and the literary essay; they will learn fundamentals of literary criticism as a means of approaching literary texts; they will learn how to incorporate both source materials and their own ideas in properly documented essays. Overall, they will increase their appreciation of literature, their skill in reading it, and their ability to convey ideas about it.

Specific Objectives/Outcomes

The student will

Reading Matter

• Read works of recognized merit in poetry, drama, fiction, and the essay, the readings to be drawn from a variety of historical eras;
• Read works of literary criticism, both primary and secondary sources;

Discovery

• Learn about the historical, social, cultural, and creative contexts that influence the writing of literature from period to period;
• Learn about the relationship between the literature and the lives of the writers;

Analysis

• Learn to interpret literature on the basis of textual evidence;
• Learn to recognize and understand the value of standard literary elements and devices within literary works;
• Learn to recognize conventional themes within and among literary works;
• Learn to distinguish between generally held and private interpretations and to accept that there may be more than one valid interpretation of a given work;

Writing

• Write formal documented essays combining personal analysis with professional analysis gathered from critical texts;
• Write examinations in acceptable prose, demonstrating a grasp of the elements listed about.

Attendance

• Discussions and assignments that do not meet the deadlines are given a zero. Zeros seriously affect your final grades.
• Students who wish to withdraw (receive a “W”) must submit the appropriate college form to me for my signature. Contact Records for more information. Those who simply stop attending, without filling out the paperwork, will receive an “F.”

Behavioral Decorum

The online classroom is a place of learning. To maximize learning, please do the following:

• Treat each other with respect and consideration.
• Keep up with the course work.
• Use appropriate tone and language in emails, essays, discussions, and other work. Emails, discussions, and/or essays that do not use appropriate college-level language will result in a zero for the assignment, discussion, in question. Your name will also be forwarded to the dean. In other words, no swearing, slang, or deviations from the course’s focus – these behaviors undermine your credibility as a participant and invalidate your work.

Assignments

All work is due on the dates indicated on the syllabus or announced by the professor. Each student is responsible for the material assigned – no excuses, please.  Those who miss deadlines will receive a zero, which will seriously harm your grade.

Assignment Format 

• Assignments must be typewritten (Word, Times New Roman, 12 pt. font), double spaced with margins, as defined by the MLA style (Modern Language Association). Assignments must also contain Work(s) Cited and in-text citations (quotations with page/line references). For more information on the MLA format, refer to a writing handbook or your textbook.
• Papers must be formatted in RICH or doc. I will not accept other formats.
• Your name, the instructor’s name, class, and date will be placed in the upper left corner of page one of essays. Page numbers will be placed in the upper right corner.

Plagiarism and Academic Honesty

• Please submit work that is original to our class and in which you are the sole author.  Document your work with the MLA format. Work that violates college policy will result in an automatic zero. As stated in the catalog, “Both plagiarism and cheating are grounds for a student’s immediate dismissal from the college.”
• It is far better to cite too much than not enough. Material that is summarized or paraphrased must be cited; even ideas from an outside source (rewritten in your own words) must be cited. When in doubt, CITE the source.

Board of Trustees’ Policy 5.2.1

“At Middlesex Community College, we expect the highest standards of academic honesty. Academic dishonesty is prohibited in accordance with the Board of Trustees’ proscribed Conduct Policy in Section 5.2.1 of the Board of Trustees’ Policy Manual. This policy prohibits cheating on examinations, plagiarism, and other proscribed activities. Plagiarism is defined as the use of another’s idea(s) or phrase(s) and representing that/those idea(s) as your own, either intentionally or unintentionally.”

Final Grades:

Assessment percentages are subject to change; you’ll be notified of modifications.  Short story, poetry, and drama will consist of graded discussions and a thesis-driven research paper. For the novel, you’ll write three 2-3-page reflection papers (see essay assignment icon for details), and you’re expected to respond to weekly discussion questions and to your peers’ posts (see details in the schedule).

10%                        Essay #1 – Short Story

30%                        Essay #2 --Poetry

30%                        Essay #3 – Drama

30%                        Discussion Posts and Peer Responses

General Criteria for Essays

• A=95+; A-= 90-94; B+=87-89; B=84-86; B-=80-83; C+=77-79;C=74-76; C-= 70-73; D+= 67-69; D= 64-66; D-=60-63; below 60 = F.
• Remember, with numerical grading a zero is lethal. Receiving a 40 on a paper is much better for your final grade than receiving a 0. Do the math: 85 + 40 = 125, which divided by two equal 62 (a poor grade, but it’s passing). 85 + 0 = 42.5 (F).
• A and B papers are well above average in critical analysis, development, style, mechanics, and support with evidence. They include accurate use of the MLA format for Works Cited, quotation integration, and page/line referencing. These papers are framed in third-person point of view. The introduction ends with a succinct opinion-based thesis. Topics sentences contain transitions and directly advance the thesis. Paragraph discussion is thoughtful, organized, unified, and coherent. Discussion is also backed with credible, accurately documented evidence and employs literary terminology to frame the discussion as a critical analysis. Lastly, these papers follow the directions to the assignment fully and also apply the writing strategy tips documented in the lecture notes
• C papers contain issues with grammar, organization, development, and/or support. The essay may also be more summary than critical analysis. Problems may exist with adequate support and accurate MLA documentation.
• D or F papers are those that do not meet the assignment, contain numerous errors, lack logical organization, and/or focus on generalities rather than development. These essays may also be predominately summary and do not contain adequate evidence as support.

Withdrawals

Students who wish to initiate a “W” (withdrawal) must submit the appropriate form to Records. The final date to withdraw without academic penalty is September 28, 2007. For more information on this procedure, refer to the catalog, the college calendar, and/or consult with your advisor and/or the Financial Aid Office (if applicable). 

Students with Disabilities (catalog)

“Students with disabilities who may require special accommodations should contact the Office of Disability Support Services (D.S.S.) at 860-343-5879. Students are also encouraged to disclose their disability to the Learning Specialist upon notification of admission to the college. Instructors are under no obligation to provide accommodations unless the student has disclosed the nature of the disability to the designated service provider on campus. The college reserves the right to determine the nature and extent of the accommodations provided.” For more complete information, refer to the catalog.

ENG102

This course is important because you will strengthen your ability to analyze and write about literature. Additionally, English 102 meets all general education core competencies but one: Mathematical Reasoning.

• Communication:

The interactive process through which there is an exchange of verbal and/or nonverbal information.

• Cultural Awareness:

Acknowledgement that society is diverse with groups of individuals possessing differing beliefs, values, attitudes, and customs that are shared from one generation to the next.

• Social and Civic Responsibility:

Behavior that demonstrates adherence to legal/ethical standards established by society.

• Critical Thinking:

Modes of reasoning including analyzing data, evaluating alternatives, setting priorities, and predicting outcomes.

• Mathematical Reasoning:

Determination of approach, materials, and strategies necessary to solve a problem.

• Technology Utilization:

Use tools of the trade to achieve a specific outcome.

These core competencies are important personally, academically, and professionally.

The outcomes, as stated in the syllabus, are covered in this course. This course may be used to meet program requirement in General Studies and other select programs.

Course Schedule and General Information

• Weeks run from Monday to Sunday; we begin on Monday, June 22 and end on Sunday, August 9 @ 12:00 p.m.
•  All postings and essays are due on Sundays by noon. See discussion board and essay assignment sheets for exact dates.
• Discussions are open from Monday to Sunday of each week. You are required to post responses to all questions each week and respond to at least two other students’ reflection.
• Explicit instructions for discussions are explained in the Course Content folder.
• Essay assignments and procedures are in the Essay Assignment folder.

· Study each chapter carefully. You are responsible for knowing literary terms and using them in your reflective notes and in your formal essays.

· This is a tentative schedule, which will change according the class’s needs. Plan ahead – as you’ll see, some weeks are far more demanding than others. If you have questions of any kind about a written assignment or a reading, please email me.

· Seeing me at least once face-to-face is highly recommended.

Unit 1 Short Story

Week #1 – June 22-28: Read: Chapters 1- 4: “Eveline” and study MLA format; refer to MxCC library website for further information, plus readings about James Joyce and “Eveline.” Post reflections on the discussion board, and introduce yourself to the class in a separate posting. Assign paper #1 – see details in essay assignment section.

Week #2 – June 29-July 5:  Read: Chapters 5-6, plus “The Story of an Hour,” p. 227, “Desiree’s Baby,” p. 223, and readings about Chopin and her stories.  Post reflections about Tim O’Brien’s piece.

Week #3 – July 6- 12: Essay #1 Due. Read: Chapters 7 - 10, plus readings about “The Lottery,” “Everyday Use,” “Hunters in the Snow” and “Good Country People.” Post reflections. Assign Essay #2.

Unit 1 Poetry

Week #4: July 13 – 19: Chapters 11-14. Read: all of Langston Hughes (555), all poems plus readings about Langston Hughes. Review rules for quoting poetry in essays (p. 511).  . Post reflections on chapters 11 and 12 (including the poems).

Week #5 – July 20 – 26: Read “Those Winter Sundays” on page 700 and the essay on p. 552. Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson (see index for page numbers). Essay #2 Due. Assign Essay #3.

Week #6: July 27 – August 2: Read: Chapters 15-18, plus, Fences, and readings about the play. View Othello – the version with Lawrence Fishburne.

Week #7:  August 3-9: Essay #3 due. Post film review.