English 1020: Writing About Literature

ENGLISH 1020: WRITING ABOUT LITERATURE

Fall 2010Dr. Kapai

Office: Marlboro 3075 Mailbox in M 3072

Office Hours: TTh: 7:30-8 a.m; 1-2 p.m. Voicemail: 301-322-0592

Other hours by appointment E-mail:

CATALOG COURSE DESCRIPTION

Second semester composition using literature as the subject for discussion and writing.

PREREQUISITE: A passing grade (at least a C) in English 1010

EXPECTED COURSE OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to

Write analytical essays about literary texts by

Formulating restricted, unified, and precise thesis statements
Organizing essay content into introduction, body, and conclusion paragraphs
Composing restricted, unified, and precise topic sentences for paragraphs
Writing unified and coherent paragraphs that are well-developed with supporting materials drawn from the literary text
Applying grammar and usage rules correctly
Choosing appropriate diction

Writing clear, precise sentences

Apply basic literary terms in the analysis of poetry, fiction, and drama (for example, theme, imagery, rhythm, figurative language, tone, character, plot, etc.)

Write research-based essays using secondary sources to:

Demonstrate their understanding of plagiarism
Synthesize several different sources into an essay to support its thesis
Quote, summarize, and paraphrase responsibly within that paper
Document sources according to the MLA format

TEXT

Kirszner, Laurie G. and Stephen R. Mandell. Portable Literature: Reading, Reacting,

Writing. Seventh Ed. Wadsworth, 2010.

If you use any other edition, you must check if it has the assigned selections and change pages in the schedule.

Please obtain your textbook immediately to avoid falling behind.

Recommended Supplemental Sources

Hacker, Diana. Rules for Writers, Sixth Ed. or a recent edition of any other handbook.

A desk dictionary and thesaurus

OTHER SUPPLIES: A spiral notebook, standard-size loose-leaf paper, aflash drive, and pocket portfolios for filing handouts and essays

REQUIREMENTS

Reading the assigned selections before coming to class.

Attending classes regularly on time and participating in class activities.

3. Completing all assignments on time and using the MLA style for documentation.

GRADING

Final grade for the course will be computed as follows

Essays (Five):With the exception of Essay 4, each essay is worth 10% 60%

Mid-term 20%

Quizzes on reading assignments10%

Class participation, in-class writing, oral presentations, etc.10%

GRADE SCALE

Total all scores and use the following table for percentage to calculate your grade.

A / = / 90+ / B= / 80-89 / C / = / 70-79 / D= / 60-69 / F / = / Below 60

CLASS POLICIES

Attendance: You are expected to attend all classes on time. No more than threeunexcused absences are allowed in a semester. More than five absences will lower your grade by 10%.Three late arrivals (more than ten minutes) count as one absence. Please note that you are responsible for obtaining all information and assignments for any class missed and for submitting assignments on time. Missing a class always counts as an absence, even if you have an official excuse. If you miss more than 7 classes, you will fail the course.

Late work: Late papers will be accepted for a period of two weeks but will be marked down 5% for each class meeting missed after the due date. If there are any extenuating circumstances, please let me know in advance; otherwise, after two weeks, no late work will be accepted and a 0 will be recorded for the assignment. If you miss an in-class graded writing assignment, you must arrange to complete it during my office hours within the following week. No more than one such make-up is allowed in the entire semester.

Class participation: It is extremely important that you come prepared for discussion, bring your draft for editing when expected, and participate in all other activities. No make-up is possible for quizzes or miscellaneous class assignments.

No eating or drinking (except bottled water) is permitted during the class. Beepers and cellular phones must be turned off.

DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES

Students requesting academic accommodations are required to contact the Disability Support Services Office (B-124) or call (301) 322-0838 (voice) or (301) 322-0122 (TTY) to establish eligibility for services and accommodations. Students with documented disabilities should discuss the matter privately with their instructors at the beginning of the semester and provide a copy of their Student/Faculty Accommodation Form.

CODE OF CONDUCT

The Prince George's Community College Code of Conduct defines the rights and responsibilities of students and establishes a system of procedures for dealing with students charged with violations of the code and other rules and regulations of the college. A student enrolling in the college assumes an obligation to conduct himself/herself in a manner compatible with the college's function as an educational institution. Refer to the 2009-2010 Student Handbook, beginning on page 37, for a complete explanation of the Code of Conduct, including the Code of Academic Integrity and the procedure for dealing with disruptive student behavior.

CODE OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

The college is an institution of higher learning that holds academic integrity as its highest principle. In the pursuit of knowledge, the college community expects that all students, faculty, and staff will share responsibility for adhering to the values of honesty and unquestionable integrity. To support a community committed to academic achievement and scholarship, the Code of Academic Integrity advances the principle of honest representation in the work that is produced by students seeking to engage fully in the learning process. The complete text of the Code of Academic Integrity is in the 2009-2010 Student Handbook (pages 39-41) and posted on the college's website.

A Statement on Civility at Prince George’s Community College

To promote a community of scholarship and civility, everyone at Prince George’s Community College is expected to be respectful, tolerant and courteous towards others at all times, adhere to college policies and procedures, and respect college property. Creating a culture of civility both inside and outside the classroom is everyone’s responsibility.

DELAYED COLLEGE OPENINGS: When the college announces a delayed opening, all classes with at least 45 minutes of class time remaining at the time of the opening will be held. For example, in the event of a 10 a.m. opening, a 9:30-10:45 a.m. class will be held. This procedure applies to all credit classes.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Mid-termOctober 21

Last day to withdraw from classesNovember 19

Final examThursday, December 16

(8-10 a.m. for 8 a.m. class)

(11 a.m. – 1 p.m. for 11 a.m. class)

FORMAT FOR WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS

All assignments completed at home should be typed. Use Normal(not italics) 12 point font. Always double-space the text of your paper. Written work completed in class must be neat and legible.

Center the title of your paper on the first page and skip a line between the title and the first line of your text. Do not underline the title, nor enclose it in quotations.

Use white ruled, standard size, loose-leaf paper for handwritten work and plain unruled paper for typewritten work. Write on one side only for formal assignments.

Use dark blue or black ink for all assignments (no purple, red, or green etc.).

Number each page except the first one (do count it as page 1).

Each paper must providethe following information (on the first page, top left hand side of a typed draft):

Your full name

Course-Ref. Number

Instructor

Assignment No. (Clarify if it is a draft or a revision)

Date

Submit the original draft with all revisions; always place the revised draft on top.

Clip or staple all pages of your paper before submitting it. Do not expect me or your classmates to provide the stapler or paper clips.

Trivial as these format requirements may seem to you, you must follow them. After one reminder, 5 points will be deducted for each assignment that does not follow these directions.

PREPARING FOR CLASS DISCUSSION

Class discussion is an integral part of the course. Expect quizzes and short in-class writing work frequently. There is no make-up for quizzes, given at the start of the class period. Chronic late comers may want to consider another section for their class.

WORKING IN GROUPS

Participating in group discussion is not optional but required. Please come prepared to contribute meaningfully to your group.

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

Essay 1 The grade on the first draft of your first critical essay willmake you aware of the

standards expected in this course. You will have an opportunity to revise your draft, and

the scoreon the revised draft will be counted towards your final grade. Please follow the

directionsandsubmit the revision by the deadline. 10%

Essay 2This essay will use your skills in close reading of the text. Instructions will be provided in class.

10%

Essay 3You will write an argumentative essay on a selected literary work supporting your thesis. Instructions for the essay will be provided in a handout. 10%

Essay 4The focus for this essay will be on a theme/topic selected by you.You will be expected to conduct research and use both primary (literary) and secondary sources (critical essays)in a carefully documented essay.

Again a handout will be provided for guidance.

Draft 1 10%

Draft 2 10%

Essay 5 An in-class essay on the final examination day. You will be asked to write

an essay on a literary selection (not discussed in class). 10%

On Writing and Revising

Refer to these reminders as you work on your writing assignments.

It is a myth that you can write effectively without any pre-writing planning. If you believe that your no-planning, spontaneous writing has always worked for you, you will be disillusioned soon: this approach won’t work in college-level writing courses—not just in this course but, in fact, in any formal assignment in any discipline.

Outlining is an essential part of the writing process. While there are several acceptable ways of outlining, all of them share a common goal: that is, arranging ideas in some pattern and making sure that all ideas have adequate supporting details in the right place. So outline in any acceptable common form (check any recent handbook to get the most updated information for format), but don’t skip this step.

When a draft you submitted has a problem in organization or editing, don’t rationalize that it was only a draft. You are right that your initial drafts will have many problems that will need fixing. However, these drafts are not for public eye. Any time you are required to bring/submit a draft for your class mates or me, it should be the best you can produce at the time. After you receive suggestions for working on the draft, you produce another draft which may or may not be your final version.

When you submit a revision, do a re-vision, not just prepare a clean copy. If you simply correct the grammar and usage errors pointed out and change nothing else, don’t expect an improved grade. If you repeat the errors on the earlier draft, you may even see a lower grade.

If this process looks complicated and time consuming, it is. Writing well requires concentration and effort, but once you train yourself, you may find the exercise quite rewarding.

I will be glad to assist you in your planning and drafting stage; however, I can help you only if you bring the relevant raw material with you. In other words, have your thoughts collected and organized in some manner and then seek my (or someone else’s) help. Otherwise, you are not seeking help but looking for someone to do your work.

Getting a good grade requires hard work, but it is within your reach. Just read the assignments carefully, follow directions, and keep pushing yourself to think hard and edit carefully; you might surprise yourself by discovering your hidden abilities.

EGL 1020—Writing about Literature

Class Schedule Fall 2010

This is a tentative schedule, subject to change due to class pace, unexpected class cancellations and other factors.

Please note that the assigned works will be discussed in order listed below, so keep track of progress in class. Do read the

head notes for each selection.

Weeks / Class Dates / Topics / Assignments
Pages refer to the
Seventh ed. of
Portable Literature
1 / Aug. 31, Sept.2 / Overview of the course; criteria of evaluation
Planning an analytical essay. / Read pp.2-21; “A
Rose For Emily,” 115
Read “Writing Literary
Arguments,” 36-43
2 / Sept. 7, 9 / Literary arguments; elements of fiction; discussion
of “A Rose for Emily”
In-class Essay 1 on Sept 9 (If you miss it, arrange
for the makeup by Sept. 16 or you will miss the
opportunity to submit its revision) / “The Story of an
Hour,” 106; “Everyday
Use,” 312
Browse student essays,
22-36
3 / Sept. 14, 16 / Essay 1 returned
Revision of Essay 1 assigned: due Sept.23
Discussion of assigned stories: plot, characters,
setting, point of view, and theme in each work / “Big Black Good
Man,” 208; “The Cask
Of Amontillado,” 219
4 / Sept. 21, 23 / Discussion of assigned stories
Essay 1 revision due Sept. 23 / “A Worn Path,” 360;
“The Rocking Horse
Winner,” 380
5 / Sept. 28, 30 / Essay 2 assigned: due October 14
Continue discussion of assigned stories / Poems about War:
663, 664, 667, 670 and
others announced in class
6 / Oct. 5, 7 / Analyzing poems; discussion of assigned readings
Possible theses for Essay 2 / “Trifles,”787
Finalize the outline for
Essay 2
7 / Oct. 12,
Oct. 14 / Library Instruction on Oct. 12
Analyzing plays: discussion of “Trifles”
Essay 2 due: October 14
Essay 3 assigned: Due Nov. 11 / Begin“Fences,” 1124
Complete quick first
reading of the play. Then
focus on each act.
8 / Oct. 19, 21 / Documentation MLA style (Chapter 3); class discussion of
“Trifles” concluded. / Prepare a preliminary
outline for Essay 3
Oct. 26 / College Enrichment Day—No classes / Complete “Fences”
Oct. 28 / Mid-term Test on March 25 (covers alldiscussed
Selections)
10 / Nov. 2, 4 / Discussion of “Fences” / Write the draft of
Essay 3
11 / Nov. 9, 11 / Peer review of Essay 3 draft.
Continue the discussion of “Fences”
Essay 3 due November 11
Essay 4 assigned: first draft due Dec. 2
Final draftdue Dec. 13
Both drafts are graded as separate assignments)
Sign up for conferences next week / Prepare the final draft
of Essay 3
12 / Nov. 16, 18 / Individual conferences as scheduled
In class room during regular hours; others in
my office M 3075 / Start planning Essay 4
13 / Nov. 23
Nov. 25-28 / Conferences as scheduled
Thanksgiving Break / Work on Essay 4; find
relevant secondary
sources
14 / Nov. 3
Dec. 2 / Strategies for revising
Essay 4, Draft 1 due Dec. 2 / Prepare for individual
presentations. Follow the
instructions provided in
the handout
15 / Dec. 7, 9
Dec. 7, 9 / Individual presentations
Attendance required both days for
credit
Dec. 13 / Final draft of Essay 4 must be submitted by 5 p.m.
Dec. 16 / In-class Essay 5

Additional/alternate readings may be announced in class. Keep yourself informed and submit your assignments by due date.

Have a rewarding and enjoyable semester of reading, thinking, and writing!