English 4348 and 5348 – Cross-listed Class
Spring 2018
American Renaissance (Ralph Waldo Emerson & Frederick Douglass)
Dr. Ann Beebe Office Hours:
BUS 250 MWF 8:00-10:00am & by appointment
Office: 903-565-5827 Email:
Cell # Given on the First Day
Welcome to English 4348 / 5348 (Ralph Waldo Emerson & Frederick Douglass). I am looking forward to studying the lives, works, and critical reception of Emerson & Douglass over the next 15 weeks with you.
I work hard to put together my classes, and I expect a great deal from my students. I expect all reading to be completed by the assigned date. I expect your reading to be active. Mark up your books and take notes as you read. I expect everyone to participate substantially in Canvas discussions and listen respectfully to classmates. And lastly, if you have any questions about class policies, assignments, or readings, I expect you to ask them. You may always ask questions in class, call or email me, or drop by my office.
In return there are certain things you can expect from me. I will complete all the readings and plan lessons by the assigned date. I will give all assignments in writing and sufficiently in advance. I will grade and return all assignments in a timely manner. I will answer questions about assignments in class or in my office. If I cannot answer a question when you ask it, I will have the answer by the next class period.
Required Texts:
ENGL 4348.001 (4 books)
Emerson: Essays & Lectures (Ed. Joel Porte) ISBN: 9780940450158, Library of America
Frederick Douglass: Selected Speeches & Writings (Ed. Philip S. Foner) ISBN: 9781556523526
Emerson (Lawrence Buell) ISBN-13: 978-0674011397
The Lives of Frederick Douglass (Robert S. Levine) ISBN-13: 978-0674055810
ENGL 5348.001 (6 books)
Emerson: Essays & Lectures (Ed. Joel Porte) ISBN: 9780940450158, Library of America
Frederick Douglass: Selected Speeches & Writings (Ed. Philip S. Foner) ISBN: 9781556523526
Emerson (Lawrence Buell) ISBN-13: 978-0674011397
The Lives of Frederick Douglass (Robert S. Levine) ISBN-13: 978-0674055810
The Cambridge Companion to Frederick Douglass (Ed. Maurice S. Lee) ISBN: 9780521717878
Emerson and the History of Rhetoric (Roger Thompson) ISBN-13: 978-0809336128
Daily Schedule:
[This schedule includes all major readings and assignments. Small additions or changes
may be made. I will make any such changes in writing.]
Week 2 (January 22): Emerson
Classes start Tuesday, January 16th. I will email the syllabus to all enrolled students twice before the 22nd.
There are readings for you to prepare for class on January 22nd -- Week 2 of the semester.
All handouts can be found on Canvas under Pages – View All Pages.
If you have not done so, please set up your Canvas notifications to forward all announcements to your
Patriots email.
The readings will alternate between Emerson and Douglass in a conversational format.
4348 & 5348:
Read Buell, Introduction & Chapter 1 (1-58)
Read Emerson, “The American Scholar” (51-71, Library of America edition - LofA)
Week 2 Discussion Board Postings are due by midnight of the following Sunday (1/28)
I will close the discussion boards for new comments on the following Monday (1/29)
4348 only:
Turn in Week 2 Questions for Discussion (5-10 questions, typed) at the beginning of class [See assignment
explanation below]
Turn in Student Information Sheets [Email to
5348 only:
Read Thompson, Intro & Chapter 1 (1-33)
Post professional / personal bios on Canvas [If you do not wish to share personal information, only include
your professional credentials and goals.]
Week 3 (January 29): Douglass
4348 & 5348:
Read Levine, Introduction (1-30)
Read Douglass, “Farewell Speech” (54-75, in the Foner edition)
Week 3 Discussion Board Postings are due by midnight of the following Sunday (2/4)
I will close the discussion boards for new comments on the following Monday (2/5)
4348 only:
Turn in Week 3 Questions for Discussion at the beginning of class (5-10 questions, typed)
5348 only:
Read in Cambridge, Stauffer (13-30)
Sign up for Article Summary / Evaluation Articles (2 articles per student) and Presentation Times
Week 4 (February 5): Emerson
4348 & 5348:
Read Buell, Chapter 2 (59-106)
Read Emerson, “The Method of Nature” (113-132, LofA)
Read Emerson, “Man the Reformer” (135-150, LofA)
Week 4 Discussion Board Postings are due by midnight of the following Sunday (2/11)
I will close the discussion boards for new comments on the following Monday (2/12)
4348 only:
Turn in Week 4 Questions for Discussion at the beginning of class (5-10 questions, typed)
5348 only:
Read Thompson, Chapters 2 & 3 (34-68)
Week 5 (February 12): Douglass
4348 & 5348:
Read Levine, Chapter 1 (31-74)
Read Douglass, “The Meaning of July Fourth” (188-206, Foner)
Week 5 Discussion Board Postings are due by midnight of the following Sunday (2/18)
I will close the discussion boards for new comments on the following Monday (2/19)
The Midterm Exam Study Guides will be posted to Canvas this week.
4348 only:
Turn in Week 5 Questions for Discussion at the beginning of class (5-10 questions, typed)
5348 only:
Read in Cambridge, Meer (46-59)
Week 6 (February 19): Emerson
4348 & 5348:
Read Buell, Chapters 3 & 4 (107-198)
Read Emerson, “The Young American” (213-230, LofA)
Read Emerson, “Self-Reliance” (257-282, LofA)
Week 6 Discussion Board Postings are due by midnight of the following Sunday (2/25)
I will close the discussion boards for new comments on the following Monday (2/26)
4348 only:
Turn in Week 6 Questions for Discussion at the beginning of class (5-10 questions, typed)
5348 only:
Presentations for Article Summary & Evaluation Essays 1 [See sign-up sheet for schedule]
Turn in your ASE Essay before class [email to as a simple Word document – no
OneDrive, no PDF, no Google Docs
Week 7 (February 26): Douglass
4348 & 5348:
Read Levine, Chapter 2 (75-118)
Read Douglass, “Present Condition” (250-259, Foner)
Read Douglass, “The Claims” (282-298, Foner)
Week 7 Discussion Board Postings are due by midnight of the following Sunday (3/4)
I will close the discussion boards for new comments on the following Monday (3/5)
4348 only:
Turn in Week 7 Questions for Discussion at the beginning of class (5-10 questions, typed)
5348 only:
Presentations for Article Summary & Evaluation Essays 1 [See sign-up sheet for schedule]
Turn in your ASE Essay before class [email to as a simple Word document – no
OneDrive, no PDF, no Google Docs
Week 8 (March 5):
4348 & 5348:
Midterm Exam
No class meeting. Your midterm exams will open on Canvas on Friday, March 2nd. It is due by Monday, March 5th at midnight.
The midterm exam study guides will be posted on Canvas by Week 5.
Participation / Performance Grades for Weeks 1-8 posted by March 9th. Participation / Performance for
Weeks 1-8 = 10% of course grade.
SPRING BREAK
Week 9 (March 19): Emerson
4348 & 5348:
Read Buell, Chapter 5 (199-241)
Read Emerson, “Spiritual Laws” (303-323, LofA)
Read Emerson, “Heroism” (369-381, LofA)
Turn in Paper Topic Proposals (1-paragraph: research question, working thesis, texts, so-what / relevancy
statement)
Week 9 Discussion Board Postings are due by midnight of the following Sunday (3/25)
I will close the discussion boards for new comments on the following Monday (3/26)
4348 only:
Turn in Week 9 Questions for Discussion at the beginning of class (5-10 questions, typed)
5348 only:
Read Thompson, Chapter 4 (69-90)
Week 10 (March 26): Douglass
4348 & 5348:
Read Levine, Chapter 3 (119-178)
Read Douglass, “The Presidential Campaign” (401-413, Foner)
Read Douglass, “The Future” (474-486, Foner)
Week 10 Discussion Board Postings are due by midnight of the following Sunday (4/1)
I will close the discussion boards for new comments on the following Monday (4/2)
4348 only:
Turn in Week 10 Questions for Discussion at the beginning of class (5-10 questions, typed)
5348 only:
Read in Cambridge, Wallace (73-88)
Week 11 (April 2): Emerson
4348 & 5348:
Read Buell, Chapter 6 (242-287)
Read Emerson, “Circles” (401-414, LofA)
Read Emerson, “Experience” (469-492, LofA)
Week 11 Discussion Board Postings are due by midnight of the following Sunday (4/8)
I will close the discussion boards for new comments on the following Monday (4/9)
4348 only:
Turn in Week 11 Questions for Discussion at the beginning of class (5-10 questions, typed)
5348 only:
Presentations for Article Summary & Evaluation Essays 2 [See sign-up sheet for schedule]
Turn in your ASE Essay before class [email to as a simple Word document – no
OneDrive, no PDF, no Google Docs
Week 12 (April 9): Douglass
4348 & 5348:
Read Levine, Chapter 4 (179-239)
Read Douglass, “John Brown” (633-648, Foner)
Read Douglass, “Address” (669-685, Foner)
Suggestion: Arrange for peer review of your draft seminar paper with a classmate
Week 12 Discussion Board Postings are due by midnight of the following Sunday (4/15)
I will close the discussion boards for new comments on the following Monday (4/16)
4348 only:
Turn in Week 12 Questions for Discussion at the beginning of class (5-10 questions, typed)
5348 only:
Presentations for Article Summary & Evaluation Essays 2 [See sign-up sheet for schedule] [con’t]
Turn in your ASE Essay before class [email to as a simple Word document – no
OneDrive, no PDF, no Google Docs
Week 13 (April 16): Emerson
4348 & 5348:
Read Buell, Chapter 7 (288-334)
Read Emerson, “Politics” (557-571, LofA)
Read Emerson, “New England Reformers” (589-609, LofA)
Suggestion: Arrange for peer review of your draft seminar paper with a classmate
I will close the discussion boards for new comments on the following Monday (4/23)
4348 only:
Turn in Week 13 Questions for Discussion at the beginning of class (5-10 questions, typed)
5348 only:
Read Thompson, Chapter 5 & Conclusion (91-130)
Week 14 (April 23): Douglass
4348 & 5348:
Read Levine, Chapter 5 & Epilogue (240-306)
Read Douglass, “The Nation’s Problem” (725-740, Foner)
Read Douglass, “Why is” (750-776, Foner)
Suggestion: Arrange for peer review of your draft seminar paper with a classmate
Week 14 Discussion Board Postings are due by midnight of the following Sunday (4/29)
I will close the discussion boards for new comments on the following Monday (4/30)
4348 only:
Turn in Week 14 Questions for Discussion at the beginning of class (5-10 questions, typed)
5348 only:
Read in Cambridge, Crane (89-102)
Week 15 (April 30): Finals Week
4348 & 5348:
Course / Seminar Papers due by midnight on April 30th
Email a copy to me () as a simple Word document – no OneDrive, no PDF, no Google
Docs
Upload a copy to TurnItIn on Canvas. I will not grade essays without a TurnItIn score.
Course Policies
Grading:
4348:
Midterm Exam 20%
Seminar Paper (10-12 pages, with academic research) 30%
Questions for Discussion (12) 30%
No grades are dropped
Weeks 1-8 Participation / Performance 10%
Weeks 9-14 Participation / Performance 10%
5348:
Midterm Exam 20%
Seminar Paper (15-20 pages, with academic research) 25%
Article Summary Evaluation Essay 1 15%
Article Summary Evaluation Essay 2 20%
Weeks 1-8 Participation / Performance 10%
Weeks 9-14 Participation / Performance 10%
The Census Date for this semester is January 29th.
Registration for Summer 2018 starts on February 1st.
The last day to file for Spring 2018 graduation is March 1st.
Registration for the Fall 2018 starts on April 2nd.
The last day to withdraw from a Spring class is April 2nd.
CAS Graduation should be Friday, May 4th.
Time Management:
You should expect to spend 2 hours outside class for every 1 hour in class. Translation: You should study 6 hours a week (minimum) outside of class for each 3-credit course.
[12 credit hours + 24 hours outside of class = 36 hours per week for a full-time student.]
Student Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
· Appreciate this especially rich period of nineteenth-century American literary tradition (genres, topics, themes, stylistic innovations, geography, class, race, and gender) and the importance of Emerson and Douglass this literary period
· Recognize how historical, political, and social events shape our analysis and appreciation of the speeches and essays of Emerson and Douglass
· Argue independent interpretations of assigned texts
· Use the terms related to literary study and literary theory appropriately in discussion and in writing
· Write persuasive exam essays, summary evaluation essays, and discussion questions on assigned texts
· Research and write an original essay on some aspect of the speeches and essays of Emerson or Douglass
Attendance:
You will be expected to attend every class and be on time. Please keep track of your absences. The attendance policy for a Monday class is as follows:
3 excused & unexcused absences = Final letter grade drops by one grade
4 excused & unexcused absences = Final letter grade drops by two grades
6 excused & unexcused absences = Failure of course
Fifteen minutes after class has started, I ask that no late students enter the class. You can see me after class and get notes from a classmate. Missed work due to an unexcused absence or tardiness will not be accepted. In the case of excused absences, it is the student’s responsibility to arrange for an alternative due date upon return to the class. Missed work must be submitted within two weeks. [Remember, you have my email address and cell number. Contact me if you anticipate an absence.]
Exam: (4348 & 5348)
The midterm exam should represent your individual work. Students are not allowed to consult or collaborate with anyone – classmates, family, friends, sources, etc. Cheating or plagiarizing on the exam will result in failure of the exam and an academic dishonesty report. The student will also be encouraged strongly to drop the course.
Course Paper: (4348)
Your course paper (10-12 pages) should offer a unique contribution to the study of the speeches and essays of Emerson and / or Douglass. The paper should include significant scholarly research from current credible books and journals (1990-2018) cited in MLA format. I am not checking to see if you have read the works in question. I want to understand your thoughts on the readings and have you present a well-reasoned and carefully written argument. You must make a claim (thesis), give reasons, offer evidence, show awareness of other points of view, etc. The essay should be 90% your ideas / words and 10% secondary source quotes. Do not overquote.