1. Attendance and Participation-- 300 points.
As discussed on another of our "course pages," Learning is not a spectator sport. In order to earn credit for attendance on any given day, you will need to move beyond being a seat warmer. We all need your active participation during our 45 minutes of interaction every day. So, please note that when you do not "show up" for class, it will reflect on your grade. So, please note even though the attendance roster may reflect "perfect attendance," you will not automatically be awarded the full 500 points. Group work and individual contribution will be expected during our class-time together. There is no make-up work.
2. In-Class Writes -- 100 points. (10 @ 10 points each)
This assignment will take different forms. Sometimes the "in-class write" may be a quiz, other times it may be a short summary of the reading. Another time it may be a response to a question about the reading. For example, "What does the author mean by "In a small place, people cultivate small events"? (the answer is in the following sentences in the same paragraph). Sometimes the class-writes may address your writing process. For example, Which two books are you thinking about for your final "Critical Comparative Analysis" paper? Why have you chosen those two books? The "in-class writes" will not be scheduled, and will appear at any point during the semester. They may NOT be made-up if you miss them. They will most likely happen at the beginning of the class, so it will be important to get to class on time.
3. Literary Analysis Essays (2 @ 150 points each) NO LATE PAPERS ACCEPTED
a) Critical Chapter Analysis #1 DUE: Thursday, February 8th (5-7 pages) No cover page, no bibliography or works cited page
b) Critical Chapter Analysis #2 Due: Tuesday, March 6th (5-7 pages) No cover page, no bibliography or works cited page
For these essays, you will choose one chapter from any of our course texts, and write a critical analysis of that chapter. A detailed descriptor and template will be available. Check our Handouts section in week 2 for more details. Shorter papers often times are more difficult to write. There is no room for vague references or wordy sentences that do specifically reference your ideas. Although multiple drafts are not required for this essay, the recommendation would be for you to write at least two drafts. First drafts of papers are easy to spot. They are usually extremely under-developed and often receive grades of "C- or D."
Required General Format:
- Times New Roman Font
- No Cover Page
- Format--identifying information in top left hand corner of the page:
Jane Student
English 200
Dr. Wynn
February 16, 2017
As always, it is recommended that you visit the Writing Center or the Tutoring Center for feedback on your essay before handing it in for evaluation. Also, as a reminder, even if you are absent on the due date, no late papers will be accepted. Plan ahead and get something together by the due date. If you have a documented disability, then you already have an agreement regarding negotiating this course.
b) Comparative Literary Analysis Paper 300 points DUE: Thursday, April 12th (10-12 pages) no cover page, no bibliography or works cited page
Our hope for you at this point is that you have kept up with the reading. Attending class will also be important. This assignment builds on our discussions and short in-class assignments. Now it is time for you to revisit and reconsider some of your claims and insights. What did you find most interesting? Maybe there were moments of transformation for two particular characters (in the same or different texts) that interested you. Maybe you noted the way the landscape (either geographical or emotional) set the tone for the narrative.
For example, consider how these song lyrics from Hotel California foreshadow mysterious contact with someone or something-- "On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair. Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air. Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light. My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim. I had to stop for the night." Consider your reading and think about tone, imagery, inference, point of view, metaphors, narrative style, etc. Choose two novels and then choose a point of exploration and follow the "compare/contrast" essay format, but remember that you are not just comparing and contrasting, you are ANALYZING as well. The key to a successful paper is a good, strong, clear, specific and compelling THESIS statement. Please refer to our Handouts and Bookmarks for help with developing your paper. AND again, as always make good use of the Writing Center and all of our Heritage resources.
Well before each assignment DUE date, review all of our resources related to that specific assignments. If you have remaining questions, please see me either before or after class, or if more time is needed, then see me during my office hours.