KnowledgeBase: Syllabus Archive

KnowledgeBase:Syllabus Archive

English 241

American Literature I

C.B. Stewart

Spring 2004

MWF

ENGLISH 241: American Literature I
Spring 2004, West Virginia University
MWF 1:30-~:20, Stansbury Room 48

C. B. Stewart, Ph.D. Office Hours
Stansbury 354 2:20-3:20 Tuesdays
(304) 293-3107 ext. 424 12:30-1:20 Wednesdays (and by appointment)
Christopher.Stewart@mail.wvu.edu

Reauired Text
Baym, Nina, et al. The Norton Anthology of American Literature, vols. A & B. 6th Edition. New York: Norton, 2003.

You will also be required to have internet access and an active WVU email account.

Course Descrintion and Goals
This class is a survey of American literature from the period of European colonization to the American Civil War. This literature includes many genres–description, history, argument, correspondence, auto/biography, sermon, poetry and fiction. For the most part, we will approach our material chronologically and will place emphasis on some core cultural features of the texts we read (for example: discovery and first encounters, religious worldviews, national identities, notions of political power, social struggle, and the quest for meaning, beauty and/or intellectual gratification in and through the written word). Students will emerge from the course with a stronger knowledge of the origins of American literature and its place in our cultural history.

Written Reauirements and Grading
Your grade will be based on unannounced reading quizzes (at least one per week), three short papers (3-5 pages each) and a final exam. Missed quizzes cannot be made-up; late papers will not be accepted. Grades will be computed on a standard scale (91-100=A, 81-90=B, 71-80=C, 61-70=D)

Quizzes 20%
3 Short Papers 60%
Final Exam 20%

Formatting
All your papers should be typed in MLA format; except for block quotations, the body must be double-spaced. The papers should be titled and all quotations should be documented with in-text citations (and, if from a source other than the assigned textbook, should also include "Works Cited" entries at the end). Acceptable fonts are 12 pt. Times, Times New Roman, Courier and Courier New. See the web links below for more information about formatting.

Preferred sites for information about formatting your papers:
1.) http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/humanities/manuscript.html
2.) http://www.wright.edu/%7Emartin.maner/rptemp.htm (template)

Preferred sites for MLA documentation:
1.) http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/humanities/overview.html
(Use the menu on the upper right-hand side of the page to follow links for "Finding Sources" and "Documenting Sources")
2.) http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html

Supplemental MLA documentation Links:
1.) http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html
(Several links to good MLA documentation resources are at the bottom of this page).

Grammar and Style:
1.) http://www.english.uinc.edu/cws/wworkshop/grammar_handbook.htm
2.) http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/
3.) http://www.tc.umn.edu/~jewelOO 1 /grammar.htm

Universily Policy Statements
Absences: More than three absences from a MWF class will compromise your grade; six or more absences from a MWF class will normally result in a failing grade. These "allowed" absences include all athletic and health-related absences. Here's the reasoning behind the attendance policy: Without attending class, you cannot perform your job as a student involved in learning, planning, drafting, discussing samples, or practicing strategies. Situations may arise that, on a rare occasion, make it impossible for you to be in class. Remember, however, that's permitted absences are limited; please reserve these for an emergency. If you do have to miss class, you are responsible for obtaining any handouts or assignments you may miss. If you are worried about meeting a deadline or missing a class, make sure you talk with me in advance whenever possible.

Participation: Participation includes coming to class prepared and on time, taking part in class discussions, asking questions, contributing your knowledge and insights in whatever form is suitable, and striving to make all your contributions excellent. It also includes doing the required reading and writing for each class. Note: Please come to class on time. Lateness will hurt your grade because it is an unnecessary interruption and because latecomers are likely to miss valuable information.

Late Work: Late work is unacceptable. If you ever have a problem with an assignment, talk to me ahead of the deadline and we may be able to negotiate some special arrangement. Deadlines are not negotiable after you've missed them.

Special Needs. If you have a learning disability, hearing or vision problems, or any other special need that might affect your performance or participation in class, please be sure to talk to me. Also, please be aware of the support services available to you through Disability Services, located in room G 30 of the Mountainlair (phone 293-6700).

Social Justice. I support WVU's commitment to social justice. (Please see p. iv in Connections for the full University statement.) The classroom community will work to create a positive learning environment based on open communication and mutual respect. Suggestions for furthering the goal of social justice in the classroom will be appreciated and given serious consideration.

Intellectual Property and Academic Honesty. The academic discourse community assumes your honesty. So we're clear on what is considered cheating and plagiarism, the following definitions are from the West Virginia University Undergraduate Catalog. Please see the section on Academic Integrity/Dishonesty for the full definition and discussion of procedures.

Plagiarism: material that has been knowingly obtained or copied in whole or in part, from the work of others..., including (but not limited to) another individual's academic composition.

Cheating: doing academic work for another student, or providing one's own work for another student to copy and submit as his/ her own.

Scholastic dishonesty involves misrepresenting as your own work any part of work done by another; submitting the same paper or substantially similar papers to meet the requirements of more than one course without the written approval and consent of all instructors concerned; depriving another student of necessary course materials; interfering with another's work.

Plagiarism and cheating are serious offenses. Clear cases will result in an unforgivable F for the course and appropriate academic discipline. If you have any question about when and how to document sources, or any other question that will help you avoid ~mintentional plagiarism, please talk to me.