English 2202 Syllabus

Anoka Ramsey Community College -- Coon Rapids Campus
English 2202: Introduction to Literature
Summer 2004 / Section 55

Professor: Scott Stankey
Office: Humanities 131
Phone: (763) 422-3556
Fax: (763) 422-3341
Email: scott.stankey@anokaramsey.edu
Website: www.ar.cc.mn.us/stankey/Eng2202

Office Hours:

1/2 hour before and after class and by appointment

Class Meetings:

July 6 - August 12 / Tuesdays & Thursdays / 6:00 - 9:30 p.m. / H 122

Textbooks and Materials:

Gardner, Janet E., et al. Literature: A Portable Anthology. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004.
Hassler, Jon. Staggerford. New York: Ballantine, 1977.
A class notebook or loose-leaf paper and a two-pocket folder
A college-level dictionary

Course Description:

This course introduces students to major forms of literature – novels, short stories, poetry, plays, and creative non-fiction. In this compressed summer session course, we will spend four evenings on poetry, four evenings on short fiction, two evenings on a play, and two evenings on a novel. Our focus will be on critical reading and discussion, on the elements of literature, and on the analysis, interpretation, and evaluation of the selected literature.

Course Objectives:

Read, discuss, analyze, interpret, and evaluate excellent literature—poetry, fiction, drama, and creative non-fiction.
Expand our literary repertoires by reading and responding (in class discussions and written assignments) to selected works of poetry, fiction, drama, and creative non-fiction.
Describe and use process-oriented reading and writing models—i.e. we will treat reading and writing about literature texts as cognitive acts deeply influenced by personal experience, literary experience, and broader cultural forces.
Use literary terminology to describe the technical elements of poetry, fiction, drama, and creative non-fiction.
Select and apply a critical approach to interpret, analyze, and evaluate selected works of poetry, fiction, drama, and creative non-fiction.
Present—through activities such as group discussions, journals, response papers, critical essays, reviews, and examinations—a personal interpretation and evaluation of selected works of poetry, fiction, drama, and creative non-fiction.

Course Requirements:

Preparation for all class meetings, primarily by completing all assigned readings before each class. The reading load will vary depending on the literary genre, but a general guideline might be 10-15 poems, three short stories, one full-length play (56 pages), or one full-length novel (294 pages) for a particular class session. Finally, bring your text and notebook with you to every class.
Attendance at all class sessions. Each class session will be primarily devoted to discussing the assigned literature. If you do not attend, you cannot participate in and learn from the class discussions. If you miss more than two (2) class meetings, the participation portion of your final grade will be an "F." If you miss more than three (3) class meetings, I will advise you to withdraw from the course.
Participation in all class discussions. This is not a lecture course; instead, we will use small groups and class discussions during each class meeting. In addition, the class will be more meaningful and enjoyable if we all participate in discussions. Participation does include active listening and note taking, but it also means contributing to group work and class discussions. Be prepared and willing to share your ideas, opinions, and questions with the rest of us. Both quantity and quality of your participation will be considered.
Completion of nightly reading quizzes and other informal exercises. Quizzes will normally include identification and/or short-answer questions; half of each quiz will cover the previous night's work and the other half will cover the current night's work. Informal exercises may include in-class writings and small-group projects, and they will be assigned in class. Quizzes and in-class exercises cannot be made up if you are absent or arrive late; in addition, you may not come to class, take a quiz, and then leave early. I will drop your lowest (or missing) quiz score before computing final grades.
Completion of six (6) short papers -- one due each Tuesday (7/13, 7/20, 7/27, 8/3, and 8/10) and one written in class on the final evening (8/12). The papers will be 1.0 page long, word-processed and double-spaced. More details will be provided on the assignment handouts, and sample papers will be provided on the course website.

Course Evaluation:

Participation = 20-30%
Quizzes and Informal Responses = 35-40%
Short Papers and Final In-Class Essay = 35-40%

A.R.C.C. Grading System:

A = Superior achievement
B = Above average achievement
C = Average achievement
D = Below average achievement
F = Inadequate achievement

Grading Scale for Quizzes and Exams:

A = 100% - 90%
B = 89% - 80%
C = 79% - 70%
D = 69% - 60%
F = 59% and below

Participation Grading Criteria:

A	Person is obviously prepared for each class discussion, has carefully read all material prior to class, offers thoughtful and insightful comments and questions, encourages class discussion, and does not dominate class discussion.
B	Person is obviously prepared for each class discussion, has carefully read all material prior to class, and offers appropriate comments and questions.
C	Person is prepared for each class discussion, has read all material prior to class, and offers only an occasional comment relating to discussion or responds only when called upon.
D	Person is occasionally unprepared for class discussion, has not read all material prior to class, doesn't enter class discussion, or sometimes disrupts or discourages discussion/activities.
F	Person is rarely prepared for class discussion, offers nothing, breathes air, is often disruptive or discourages discussion/activities.

Other Policies and Information

Attendance: Note that more than two (2) absences will adversely affect your final grade. Even though I don't differentiate between "excused" and "unexcused" absences, please notify me immediately if you must miss a class due to a medical emergency or a family crisis; we can then keep you current with the class or determine if an incomplete is warranted. If you must miss a class where an quiz is scheduled or a paper is due, please notify me before class if possible, otherwise as soon after class as possible -- documentation will be required in such circumstances to avoid a reduction in your grade.

Incompletes: Incompletes will only be granted to students who have a documented medical or family emergency during the last two (2) evenings of the summer session. These students must have completed all the other work for the course with an average grade of “C” or better, must not have more than two (2) absences, and must demonstrate the ability and willingness to complete the work before the third week of the following semester.

Class Disruptions: Any disruptive behavior -- including arriving late, packing up or leaving early, having private conversations, eating, sleeping, receiving cell phone calls, etc. -- adversely affects the teaching and learning in this class and will be handled first on an individual basis; if the disruptive behavior continues or if it is very serious, I will contact the Dean of Educational Services -- see the Code of Student Conduct in the Student Handbook.

Plagiarism: Knowingly presenting another person’s ideas or writing as your own without clear, accurate, and complete citation and documentation will result in an “F” for that assignment and notification of the Dean of Educational Services -- see the Code of Student Conduct in the Student Handbook.

Late Work: Due dates for the short papers are listed on the course schedule. The grade for late papers will be lowered one letter; if the paper is not received by the next class period, the grade will be an “F.” However, all six short papers must be completed to pass the course. No late work will be accepted on the final evening of class.

Record Keeping: Please make back-up copies of all your work, and keep all quizzes, responses, and papers returned to you. If questions about grades arise, you will need to produce the original documents. In addition, keep track of all your notes and other materials for each paper; if questions about plagiarism arise, you will need to prove you did your own writing.

Conferences: Please see me during my office hours or schedule an appointment with me if you have questions or problems at any time during the summer session.

Academic Support Center: The Academic Support Center (ASC), located on the second floor of the College Services (CS) building, offers free, trained writing tutors who work with student writers at any stage in the writing process to improve their writing. Please meet with a writing tutor early in the term so that you can discover how helpful the tutors can be to you.

Note: The course syllabus and schedule are subject to change, and changes will be announced in class. You are responsible for any changes in deadlines or assignments announced during any class you miss.