ENG 231
Ken Harmon
Ken HarmonSect. 1: 11:00am-1:50pm CH 365 AIM & Yahoo IM: professorkharmon
Section 15: 6:00pm-8:50pm OC216 Conferences: By appointment only
3 Credit Hours
Summer 2009
Course Description
This course will place American literary movements and authors from the colonial period to roughly 1865 within the context of history and culture. The course takes an expanded view of American literary movements, bringing in a diversity of voices and tracing the continuity among them. This course encourages an open-ended thematic approach to American literature, with an organizing principal of five Guiding Questions:
1.What is an American?
What is an American? 2.What is American Literature?
What is American Literature? 3.How do place and time shape an author's works, and our understanding of them?
How do place and time shape an author's works, and our understanding of them? 4.What characteristics of a literary work have made it influential over time?
What characteristics of a literary work have made it influential over time? 5.How are American myths created, challenged and re-imagined through this literature?
How are American myths created, challenged and re-imagined through this literature?In general, students should learn to recognize the characteristics of each literary period (including the time covered, influential figures or movements, and literature characteristic of the period) and to recognize how American Literature evolved from and within its historical contexts. Authors include Mary Rowlandson, Anne Bradstreet, Johnathan Edwards, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Phyllis Wheatley, Frederick Douglas, James Fenimore Cooper Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Walt Whitman. The limited time will allow neither in-depth explanation of each of the writers’ lives nor detailed analyses of their works. Instead, major ideas will be discussed as they arise from the works in concert with the themes.An ancillary for this course is the American Passages website which includes video programs and study guides.
This is both a reading and writing intensive class.
Required texts:
The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Vols. A & B. Paul Lauter, Ed.
Sixth ed. USA: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2009.**** Recommended: Glenn, Cheryl & Loretta Gray. The Writer's Handbook. 3rd
ed. USA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2008.
Goals
Students should:
1.Develop their ability to read creatively and critically.
Develop their ability to read creatively and critically.2.Recognized American Literature as an outgrowth of American thought.
Recognized American Literature as an outgrowth of American thought.3.Determine to what extent attitudes of writers are shaped by their environment and to what extent writers shape and perpetuate attitudes.
Determine to what extent attitudes of writers are shaped by their environment and to what extent writers shape and perpetuate attitudes.4.Become familiar with works that represent the American literary spectrum.
Become familiar with works that represent the American literary spectrum.5.Learn and apply literary devices and determine their function and value (such as symbol, imagery, irony, paradox, and others).
Learn and apply literary devices and determine their function and value (such as symbol, imagery, irony, paradox, and others).6.Develop competence in interpreting, analyzing, and evaluating literature.
Develop competence in interpreting, analyzing, and evaluating literature.7.Recognize certain qualities in literature that distinguish it as art.
Recognize certain qualities in literature that distinguish it as art.8.Form viewpoints of their own from discovering ideas found in the various works and, therefore, find meaning in literature from their own vantage point.
Form viewpoints of their own from discovering ideas found in the various works and, therefore, find meaning in literature from their own vantage point.Evaluation
You can accumulate 400 points, which are distributed as follows:
Tests (50%)
Midterm 80 (20%)
80 (20%)Final Exam 100 (25%)
100 (25%)Participation (17%)
Reader Responses90 (22.5%)
90 (22.5%)(Discussion Board)
Papers (32.5%)
Project Proposal 10 (2.5%)
10 (2.5%)Annotated Bibliography 20 (5%) Final Grades:
Final Grades:Semester Research 100 (25%) 360 - 400 A
100 (25%) 360 - 400 A 320 - 359 B 280 - 319 C 240 - 279 D 0 - 239 FSTUDENTS WILL:
1.Write reader responses of about a page or so for many of the assigned readings (one-two per week, but no more than 16 for the semester). See “Reader Response Guidelines.” These will be posted to discussion boards in Blackboard.
Write reader responses of about a page or so for many of the assigned readings (one-two per week, but no more than 16 for the semester). See “Reader Response Guidelines.” These will be posted to discussion boards in Blackboard.2.Participate actively in class discussions.
Participate actively in class discussions.3. Complete a midterm exam, which is all essay. The ideas contained in this paper should belong to you and only you. The midterm is worth 20% of your grade.
Complete a midterm exam, which is all essay. The ideas contained in this paper should belong to you and only you. The midterm is worth 20% of your grade.Extensive review of the works read is necessary to perform successfully on the exam. The ideas in this essay should belong to you and to only you. Outside sources should not be used.
4. For the final exam you will be given three essay prompts from which you will select one and write an essay discussing some of the major themes and topics covered in the course. The length of this essay should be in the range of 5-6 pages and you must discuss at least four of the works that we have studied during the term. You are required to focus on different works according to the topics you discuss; therefore, you should be well-prepared to write about all of the texts covered in the course.
The ideas contained in this paper should belong to you and only you. Outside sources should not be used. I will not accept a paper that is not accompanied by a series of rough drafts (each draft should be numbered) and invention work. This exam counts 25% of your grade for this course.
5.Write one research essay in the rage of 1200-1800 words (4-6 pages), typed, double-spaced, 12pt. font, Times New Roman, and following the Modern Language Association (MLA) style format and documentation (as necessary). See “Essay Writing Guidelines" and the handbook. All research papers must be accompanied by a Works Cited page and include in-text citations.
Write one research essay in the rage of 1200-1800 words (4-6 pages), typed, double-spaced, 12pt. font, Times New Roman, and following the Modern Language Association (MLA) style format and documentation (as necessary). See “Essay Writing Guidelines" and the handbook. All research papers must be accompanied by a Works Cited page and include in-text citations.You must pass the final exam in order to pass the course.
You must complete ALL major assignments in order to pass the course.
CLASS POLICIES
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The English Department’s home page is http://www.cpcc.edu/English_Literature_Languages/English.htm
PLAGIARISM: All course assignments ask you to write using what you have learned in the course and using your own thinking and writing skills. If you use any ideas, paraphrases, or exact wording from a source other than yourself (including the textbook), you must document the source using MLA parenthetical documentation style (see handbook or ask instructor). Any source used but not documented will be considered plagiarism, for which you will receive a failing grade for the course. You might also be placed on probation or expelled. If you have any questions about plagiarism, ask before you act.
A FEW VERY IMPORTANT WORDS ABOUT PLAGIARISM
A. Plagiarism, a SERIOUS, academic violation, which can lead to an F for the course, is the use of WORDS, IDEAS, or STRUCTURES of others (published sources, friends, relatives) without acknowledgment. There is no excuse for willful plagiarism.
B. Except where appropriate (quoting or paraphrasing from primary or secondary sources), your work is presumed to be totally your own writing (i.e. original).
C. When you QUOTE OR PARAPHRASE FROM ANY sources, you MUST cite them with appropriate specific documentation (usually author and page number in parentheses + Works Cited list at end). This includes subject matter of the essay. If you quote or paraphrase precisely from a work of literature, you must cite the author of that work.
D. If you do not understand the format for documenting sources, see me for help before turning in an essay. Refer to your handbook for further clarification.
For questions about MLA citations and for tips for avoiding plagiarism see: http://www.cpcc.edu/academic_learning/grammarhouts.htm
SAFE ASSIGN: The issue of digital plagiarism has raised concerns about ethics, student writing experiences, and academic integrity. Central Piedmont Community College subscribes to a digital plagiarism detection program called SafeAssign, which may be used to check papers submitted in this course. You may be asked to submit your papers in a digital format (email attachment, Blackboard assignment, digital drop box, or on disk) so that your writing can be checked against web content and databases of existing papers. Although you may have never engaged in intentional plagiarism, many students do inadvertetly incorporate sources without appropriate citations. By using SafeAssign, I can be alerted to your academic needs in terms of proper writing techniques and good practices.
ATTENDANCE: Students are expected to attend all classes and earn credit for complete classes and in-class assignments. You are allowed two absences (excused or unexcused) without penalty. Three absences (excused or unexcused) will result in automatic failure.
For online coursework, your attendance in class constitutes your regular postings to the discussion boards. If you do not make a post to the discussion board on an assigned date, you are counted absent for that day.
You are responsible for tracking your absences.
TARDIES: If a student is more than 10 minutes late for class or leaves more than 10 minutes before class is over, they are counted absent for the day.
CPCC WITHDRAWAL POLICY
It is the student’s responsibility to initiate procedures leading to a formal withdrawal (“W”) in order to avoid a failing (“F”) grade. To receive a W grade, a student must withdraw prior to the 35% date of the class.
ETIQUETTE: Students are expected to respect their classmates’ time and learning environment. Therefore, show up for class prepared and on time. Turn off all cell phones before entering the classroom. Each time a cell phone disrupts class, the entire class will take a pop quiz. If a student leaves the classroom to answer a call, they will be counted absent for the day.
ONLINE CONFERENCES: I’m available for online conferences. Just look for me online or set up an appointment. You may download AIM for free at www.aim.com
or yahoo instant messenger at www.yahoo.com.
LATE PAPER/ASSIGNMENT POLICY: Turn in all your assignments on their scheduled due dates. Keep a duplicate copy of all assignments you turn in. I DO NOT ACCEPT LATE ASSIGNMENTS; however, in rare instances I make exceptions. Any late assignments (if accepted by instructor) will be penalized one letter grade for each 24-hour day late. No assignments will be accepted over one week late. Missed quizzes cannot be made up. You must complete all assignments to pass the course.
PARTICIPATION: Your success in this course will largely depend on your participation. You must read all assignments and complete all but three of the postings to the discussions board. You cannot pass this course if you do not complete the readings and postings in a timely manner.
EMAIL ACCOUNTS: Students are expected to maintain an email account throughout the semester and check it daily for important information regarding upcoming assignments, etc. All CPCC students are provided with a free email account. Go to https://secure.cpcc.edu/snap/activate/ to activate your SNAP account (SINGLE NETWORK ACCESSS PASS).
Writing Lab: Located in the Ruth G. Shaw Academic Learning Center (103 Central High) , the Writing Lab is open to all CPCC students who need help with writing, whether they are taking an English course or not. The staff offers group tutoring services, as well as individualized instruction. Students are encouraged to seek assistance with essays, research projects, and related assignments. Students are asked to make an appointment with a Writing Lab staff member in order to receive prompt assistance. Drop-ins are also welcome, but individuals with appointments are taken first. For more information, call 704-330-6353 or email Deborah Rivers: [email protected]
Consultants work with students on any part of the writing process -- planning, drafting, focusing, organizing, revising, or editing, and with papers form all disciplines. Please do not hesitate to use the tutor’s assistance. Remember to bring a copy of your assignment and your drafts to any Writing Center conference. Tutoring Hours: Monday - Thursday; 8am – 6:30pm; Friday: 8am - 2pm.
ACCOMODATIONS
Students who have a documented disability or who may think they have a learning problem may contact the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities in Terrell 205 or (704) 330-6556 or visit their website at http://www.cpcc.edu/disabilities/
Instructors will provide necessary accommodations based on the office’s recommendations.
