English 130: Introduction
to Literature
Section: 1DL Instructor:
Geneva Chao
Room:
clark.blackboard.com
Office:
Foster Hall 105
Meeting Times: online,
M-F
E-mail: gchao@clark.edu
Office Hours: by
appointment or see http://web.clark.edu/gchao
for drop-in times
Course
Description:
This class is an
introductory three-credit literature course that aims to give you a broad-based
understanding of poetry, fiction, and drama both as genres and as they
contribute to and intersect with your everyday life.
We will hone our skills in
Critical Thinking, Communication, and Lifelong Learning in this course.
Course
Requirements:
There are three main
requirements for this course:
Requirement: Why
we do it:
|
Weekly
readings using active reading (note-taking/question-answering) techniques,
documented by hand in the Active Reading Notebook. Specific requirements for the
Active Reading Notebook are in the Assignments section of your Blackboard
course. |
Two
reasons: 1)our normal interaction with literature is as a reader, not writer
or critic; this requirement recognizes that reading is a skill and gives you a chance to get credit for
reading. 2)“Active Reading” is a specific reading technique that helps you
start thinking critically about literature. |
|
Weekly
Discussion Board posts (based on readings). Each week there will be a set
topic for DB with a prompt. Posts are due twice weekly, on Mondays and
Wednesdays (by end of day, 11:59 p.m. at latest). |
Discussion
Board is our chance to exchange ideas and offer help and perspectives to
others. This expands our own understanding of literature and how it relates
to us both as individuals and as a community. |
|
Papers:
we will write three papers over the course of the quarter. The first paper
will be on poetry, the second on fiction, and the third will be
interdisciplinary. Details on paper requirements/topics are available in the
Assignments are of Blackboard. |
Critical
essays on literature give you an opportunity to articulate your thoughts in a
cohesive, organized way. They also help you practice and improve your
sentence, paragraph, and argument-writing skills. |
Your grade is based on the
following:
1. Thought, effort, and progress in noticing and
reading critically displayed in Active Reading Notebook. (20 pts)
2. Participation: timeliness of posts, courtesy, and peer
helping in Blackboard discussion. (20 pts)
3. Three papers:
a. Poetry paper (20 pts)
b. Fiction paper (20 pts)
c. Cross-genre or drama paper (20 pts)
TOTAL
100 pts. (standard grade scale)
For specific grading
guidelines, refer to the assignment sheet for each individual assignment.
Content Areas for the
class:
Assignments, Discussion
Board, and Readings are all due by
a specific date and time. Our weekly readings should be complete before the
start of the week; thus, they’re listed on the Calendar on Sundays. Weekly DB
posts are due Monday and Wednesday. You’re responsible for reading all DB
posts, those by your instructor and your peers, and I will assume you’re
familiar with all ideas/information contained therein.
Papers are due to
Assignments by 11:59 p.m. on the day they appear on your Calendar.
Texts:
1.
The
Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature, 7th Edition, by Michael
Meyer.
2.
Companion
website for the book, http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/meyercompact/default.asp
Other Materials:
1.
Active Reading Journal. Your Active Reading Journal must be contained within
one of the following:
-
a spiral notebook (zip-out pages recommended in case you need to use a piece of
paper for something else), or
-
loose-leaf notebook paper contained in a binder.
Your
ARJ must be kept by hand; you will hand it in at the end of the quarter, and I
will return it to you. Keep in mind that if you do not come to campus you may
mail it to me, but you are responsible for return postage.
Class Policies
Late Policy: late work receives zero credit unless you have
prearranged for an extension. The only exception is unforeseeable catastrophic
illness or accident (e.g. you were in a car accident the day something was due
and ended up in the hospital), which I sincerely hope you avoid! If you have a
situation that may cause you to need an extension on an assignment, please
discuss with me well before the due date.
Class Participation: Please participate as generously, respectfully, and
thoughtfully as you can. This is a three-credit class and is designed to be
flexible and enjoyable. Your thoughts and comments can really change someone’s
experience of the readings. By the same token, please try to keep your posts
thoughtful, dense, and informative so that your classmates don’t end up
spending hours clicking on posts, only to read things like “Thanks!” or “Great
idea!”
Plagiarism: This class is about expanding your understanding
and enjoyment of literature and practicing expressing your thoughts in an
articulate and responsible way. Plagiarism is both unnecessary and
demoralizing. It will result in a failing grade on the assignment, in the
course, or both.
Standard documentation
format for this class is MLA style. If you have a question about how to use MLA
documentation to avoid plagiarism, ask me or visit the Cannell Library pages on
plagiarism: http://www.clark.edu/Library/Plagiarism/index.html and on citing using MLA format: http://www.clark.edu/Library/Instruction/citing_sources.html.
Emergency Information (included in all syllabi per college policy):
In
emergencies, students should do the following:
Go to www.clark.edu or call 360-992-2000 as your
first means of getting information.
The College does send notices to radio and television stations, but the
College’s web site and switchboard are the official platforms for the most
accurate information.
To receive immediate notice on emergencies, you can
register your cell phone number to receive text pages and your email address to
receive email messages. To do
this, go to www.flashalert.net . Select “Subscribe” on the left, and follow the instructions.
Mass communication will also be sent to all college employee phones and
computers.
Evacuate the building through closest exit; evacuation
maps are located in the hallways. Take personal belongings only if it is safe
to do so. Remain at least 50 feet
from the building. Notify others
of evacuation. Do not re-enter
building until instructed to do so.
New parking lot identifiers using colors and numbers have
been assigned to all Clark parking lots.
To help emergency or security personnel locate you, please refer to
these identifying features.
Security Officers are available for escorts; please call
360-992-2133.
Course Calendar: The Course Calendar is included in the Course
Information folder and lists all due dates. Please print out a copy and keep it
in your Active Reading Journal.
Course
Calendar:
Introduction to Literature: Assignments Readings Discussion
Board Reg.
Deadlines Other
Note: All dates listed are dates by which
readings/assignments must be complete, not when they are assigned.
|
Wk/Mo. |
Sunday |
Monday
|
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
|
1 April |
6 Introduction, pp. 1-7: “Reading Poetry,” pp. 563-571, 582-584 |
7 First day of classes |
8 Last day to register online |
9 DB: guidelines for posting and introductions Learning Contract due; no-show drops processed |
10 |
11 DB: paraphrase Billy Collins Last day to drop online/Last day for 100% refund |
12 |
|
2 |
13 “Poetry in Popular Forms,” 593-595; “Images,” pp. 644-651 |
14 DB: response to Williams, Solway, Arnold, or Baca |
15 |
16 DB: response to poets (tone). |
17 |
18 Last day to drop without a “W” |
19 |
|
3 |
20 “A Study of Emily Dickinson,” 803-829 |
21 DB: “I like a look of Agony” |
22 |
23 DB: “I dwell in Possibility” |
24 |
25 Last day to drop for 50% refund |
26 |
|
4 April/May |
27 “A Study of Robert Frost,” 844-875 |
28 DB: “Mending Wall” |
29 |
30 DB: “The Gift Outright” |
May 1 |
2 Poetry Paper Due |
3 |
|
5 |
4 “Reading Fiction,” 13-19 and 23-45 |
5 DB: Compare and Contrast: “Secret Sorrow” and “Sorrowful Woman” |
6 |
7 DB: Response to Jefferson (45) |
8 |
9 |
10 |
|
6 |
11 Hemingway/Weldon, 154-167 |
12 DB: Setting and Place |
13 |
14 DB: B.S. detector (per Hemingway) |
15 |
16 |
17 |
|
7 |
18 Moore/ O’Brien, 466-482 |
19 DB: Advice on Storytelling |
20 |
21 DB: What is a “true” story? Where is the “truth” in fiction? |
22 |
23 Last day to withdraw for the quarter Fiction Paper Due |
24 |
|
8 |
25 “Reading Drama,/Trifles” 997-1018 |
26 DB: Elements of Drama |
27 |
28 DB: Elements of Drama |
29 |
30 |
31 |
|
9 June |
June 1 The Reprimand, 1528-30 |
2 DB: Dialogue in Drama |
3 |
4 DB: Relationship in Drama: Trifles/Reprimand |
5 |
6 Last day to change to P/NP option |
7 |
|
10 |
8 “Seinfeld”/ ”Will
and Grace,” 1018-1035 |
9 DB: Characterization |
10 |
11 DB: Jack/George Active Reading Notebook Due to my office, FHL 222 |
12 |
13 Last Day of
Classes Final Paper Due |
14 |
|
11 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
|
|
Further
notes: per the legend at the top of this page, all Calendar items are
color-coded according to content area.
All due dates end at 11:59 p.m. on the day listed; after that, a
requirement is late and earns zero points.
Readings are in Blue. For each reading,
you are expected to have one Active Reading Journal entry (~1 page) in your Active
Reading Journal when you hand it in on or before June 11.
Assignments are in red. Assignments handouts
are posted in the Assignments area of Blackboard and are handed in there by
uploading a .doc or .rtf. Note that no other file types (no Works or .docx, the
new Word, files) are accepted.
Discussion Board posts are in green. These
are listed on the days they are due. The DB forum for each week will be posted
by Thursday of the previous week (including detailed instructions on what/how
to post) in the Discussion Board area of Blackboard.