English 1102 Introduction to Literature

Course Description
This course prepares college students for lifelong reading and learning through the study of fiction, poetry, and drama. Classroom activities are designed to aid in accomplishing this, and our time will be spent in discussion, group activities, oral presentations, writing, etc. In addition, out of class activities such as reading, writing, and discussion boards will allow us to engage the works in meaningful ways. The reading is intensive, and we will not cover all of the works in class. This is intentional as some of the skills we are trying to develop are independent reading, questioning, and thinking. In this class, students will: Appreciate literary texts as sources of intellectual, emotional, empathic, and aesthetic experiences. Connect literature to other disciplines and to life. Understand how culture, ethnicity, and values influence literature. Recognize, question, and interpret ideas from diverse perspectives. Read representative examples of fiction, poetry, and drama. Understand the conventions of literature. Analyze the relationship between formal structure and theme. Use textual evidence to support literary interpretations.

Course Organization
Texts
Kennedy, X.J. and Dana Gioia. Backpack Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. McCarthy, Cormac. No Country for Old Men. McCarthy, Cormac. The Road. Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye.

Assignments
The course will be comprised of the following assignments (point totals are approximate and subject to change): Quizzes and in-class writing (approximate points) Reading/writing discussion boards I-Analysis Character analysis Setting analysis Midterm exam Discussion Group 1Page Research Projects (4) Final exam Late Assignments Not Accepted All assignments due at beginning of class Daily Quizzes 100 80 25 25 25 50 10 100 100 845

Quizzes will be given at the beginning of most classes. The purpose of these quizzes is not to trick you but to reward you with points for attending and for doing your reading carefully. In an effort to illustrate this, you are allowed to use any handwritten notes you take from your reading during the quiz. A variety of other in-class writing assignments will also occasionally count as quiz points. Also, quizzes will be replaced at times with cold-calls. This means that I will randomly select students to orally respond to a
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question from the days reading. While points will not be awarded or withdrawn for these, you can imagine that it would be in your best interest to be well prepared on such occasions. In-class quizzes and writing assignments cannot be made up under any circumstances except University excused absences.
Reflective Learning Blog

At least once a week you will reflect on the class and what you have learned in a blog set up on our blackboard page. In this you will account for: What you have learned this week How you participated this week While the blogs will not receive a letter grade, the number you complete combined with your attendance will be used to determine final grade adjustments. Please see section below on attendance.
Reading/Writing Discussion Boards

About once a week, we will have discussion board responses based upon what we read. Usually students enjoy this project because it is a forum to express your own opinion about what you have read, and it is also interesting to see what other people think. Many times we will use these responses as starting points for in-class discussions, and your writing might be selected and read aloud in class.
I-Analysis, Character Analysis, Setting Analysis

These will be your first writing assignments, and you will receive handouts on all three. In the IAnalysis, you will be required to pose an insightful question about a work and then find passages from the work that help you develop conclusions about your question. The Character Analysis and Setting Analysis will involve similar types of textual work.
Discussion Group

You will also sign up for one discussion group activity. For this assignment, you will simply come to class with written questions, prepared to discuss an assigned work with a group of four or five students. The class will form a circle around the small group and observe the conversation. The Discussion Group will then bring the class into the discussion. You will be evaluated on your level of participation.
Final Exam

We will have a final exam in our room at the date and time on the official testing schedule (see the last entry in our course outline below). This final exam will be comprehensive in the sense that it will cover all of the literary terms and works for the semester. I will give you a review sheet early on in the semester to help you keep track of everything.
Optional Assignment

You have the option of memorizing a portion of a poem or a play (you can perform in a group if you would like) and reciting it for extra credit. Each recitation you do will be worth 5 points, and you can recite no more than twice. These must be completed BEFORE midterm, no exceptions.

Policies and Procedures

UNIVERSITY AND COURSE POLICIES

Student Honesty In Appendix II is the ISU Department of English and Philosophy policy on plagiarism. This is so important for our class, so be advised plagiarism, whether accidental or intentional, can have severe academic consequences.
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Please become familiar with this document. Assessment

FEEDBACK

All major assignments will be submitted online through Moodle unless otherwise stated in class. Attend class as verbal instructions can override this general guide. Feedback will be returned to you electronically. Major assignments must be submitted in PDF format to facilitate this. If you need help with this, let me know. In giving feedback on your written work, I see myself as a coach. In this role, I try to encourage you in things that you are doing well. I also try to provide you with constructive feedback as a reader of your paper. You will notice that I react to your paper as I read, writing notes in the text and in the margins that reflect what I am thinking as I read your paper. Since audience awareness is essential in effective writing, these comments are intended to help you see and understand how someone else reacts to your written message. In addition to these comments directly on the text of your paper, I will provide you with additional, summary comments in the text of the email I send or feedback I submit on Moodle. In this class you are not in competition with each other for a grade, but you are evaluated on your mastery of the skills essential to the writing task. I will help you become familiar with each of the criteria prior to my evaluation of your work. I hope that these feedback forms will become revision guides as you move from assignment to assignment. The third form of feedback that you will receive from me is an end note at the bottom of the feedback form. I usually keep these very brief and address my comments to you personally. You will be most effective in progressing as a writer if you accept the feedback with humility and a desire to improve rather than becoming defensive about your writing. Please remember that I am on your side, and I want you to succeed.
EVALUATION

Of course, a grade will be attached to your written work as well, based upon the project as a whole. This is called holistic grading, and it means that the grade reflects the overall effectiveness of the project with all of the individual parts and skills taken into consideration. So, the feedback forms do not total the points, but give you data on how to improve. The grade will be applied in accordance with the scale provided in the table. I am always happy to discuss any graded assignment with you, but to encourage you to take responsibility for your own work, I need you to do a couple of things for me. First, wait 24 hours to schedule an appointment with me. This will give both you and I some distance from the paper and some objectivity. Second, this will also provide some time for you to think of some revision ideas for your paper. Please come to this conference with at least three ideas to improve your paper, and this will be a starting point for our discussion. Please be aware that no single paper or assignment can destroy your grade. I make an effort in the class to balance the points that come from the papers with other assignments such as quizzes and draft work. Attendance Since much of our learning will take place in class as we discuss, analyze, and write together, attendance is mandatory. You can earn an extra percentage point or two on your final grade with your perfect attendance. You are allowed two absences for whatever reason (illness, funerals, weddings, etc.), and each absence thereafter will result in a final grade reduction of one percent. Eight absences or more will be grounds for failure of the course, so if this will be a problem, talk to me at the beginning of the semester. The only excused absence must be university approved (field trips, conferences, etc. for other classes), so plan your absences accordingly. Three late arrivals will equal an absence. Absence is
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never an excuse for a late assignment, no exceptions, so talk with me before the due date if you are having problems. Also, neither quizzes nor daily homework can be made up under any circumstances except University excused absences. Class Participation You are expected to come to class daily with your reading and writing assignments accomplished and ready to discuss ideas with the class and small groups. Science shows that these are essential to learning. If you do not participate in class or are unprepared, your learning will be hindered, and your grade will be affected. Your grade can be reduced by up to 20% if, over the course of the semester, you have failed to be an active participant in the learning of the class. You will account for your participation and learning in weekly reflective learning entries on Moodle. This will be assigned and explained to you in your Moodle outline. Moodle, Gmail, G+, and the Website For this class you will be expected to monitor your Moodle class daily. The news section will be my primary means of communicating with you. Moodle is always our primary tool, and messages should normally be sent through Moodle. If you are unsure how to do that, please seek help. Gmail, G+, and Darin L. Hammond Education and Teaching are auxiliary resources, meaning that they are secondary to Moodle. They allow me to host documents permanently, provide a permanent blogging space, and specific contact forms like the First Task and the detailed Contact Form. In addition, Google + is important to our class as it provides a means of video conferencing. It is important to me that you are able to conference with me in many formats, and Google + Hangouts provide a very easy way of doing this the University does not. Feel free to make use of this format anytime I am online, and you are welcome to schedule a hangout with me to discuss the class. You might also be asked to collaborate on a project, working in a group. All of these forms of communication should help us be connected as a class, and there should not be anything preventing you from meeting with me. Conferences I always love to collaborate with you in your reading and writing. Please feel free to come by my office or chat after class, connect with me in a Google + Hangout, and chat with through Google + or on our website. Remember as we meet together that I cannot take over your work. In other words, I am here to be a sounding board and a reader for you. You cannot simply send me an email draft of your paper asking me to make it an A or to fix it for you. The paper would become mine instead of yours. So, come to our conferences with three or four areas you would like some feedback and input on. Remember that it is your paper, and I will always try to help you make it the best you can without taking it over. Also, students usually find the writing center and other student services extremely useful in revising their work. Success This is an intensive class, but you can succeed, and I want to assist you. Several things will help in meeting your goals for the semester: Regular attendance and active participation in class Thorough studying and application of readings 6 hours minimum studying and writing time outside of class per week An inquisitive and open mind with readingslooking for value rather than flaws
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 Effective application of writing process on writing projects: prewriting, drafting, rewriting, editing Willingness to use resources such as writing center, tutors, textbooks, etc. to revise and polish written work Individual initiative in generating ideas and goals for improving reading and writing skills Humility and dedication in applying feedback from past assignments to current assignments Passion and commitment in writing, reading, and learning Appropriate Classroom and Virtual Behavior I make every reasonable effort to consider your attitudes, values, beliefs, and feelings as I choose material to teach course-related concepts. I take great care in choosing the works we read. In the unlikely event that I offend you or, in your opinion, I overstep my bounds, please come talk to me about it. I promise to listen to your concern, to take it seriously, and to explain my actions, if necessary. In general, I pledge to respect you as an important, adult individual. Please remember that my intent is never to offend or force my own views upon you. Your intent should always be appropriate as well. The nature of the subjects we address and discuss call for debate and argument, but always remember that in academics these are positive exchanges. In other words, we can disagree and argue with calm and caring for all individuals. Violation of this respect for each other will never be tolerated in the classroom or in virtual environments. Inappropriate behavior can result in academic consequences. If you ever have any questions or concerns about the classroom or virtual environments, please discuss them with me at once. I will always be open, honest, and helpful. Please keep an open mind as well. Learning cannot take place without a mind that is open to it. We can resolve our issues and problems together. Electronics in Class While I realize how important texting, email, Facebook, and the like are for you, please be courteous to your classmates and instructor by refraining from their use during our class time together. Use of cell phones during class will be disruptive, and you will be marked absent as a result. Remember that attendance is important for your grade and your behavior in class does as well. Laptops for academic purposes are appropriate. Disabilities Idaho State University is committed to providing equal opportunity in education for all students. If you have a diagnosed disability or if you believe you have a disability (physical, learning, hearing, vision, psychiatric) that might require reasonable accommodation in this course, please contact the Disability Services Center, Rendezvous Building, Room 125 (282-3599) or on the web. It is the responsibility of students to contact instructors during the first week of each semester to discuss appropriate accommodations. Harassment and Discrimination Idaho State University is committed to providing a positive education for all students. The University has a legal and ethical responsibility to ensure that all students and employees can learn and work in an environment free of harassment and discrimination. It is the ISU policy to prohibit and eliminate discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability. This policy
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applies to all programs, services, and facilities, and includes, but it not limited to: recruitment, applications, admissions, access to programs and services and employment. For additional information and specific contact information, see: http://www.isu.edu/aaction/.

Tentative Course Outline

Week 1 Introduction to the course Always refer to Moodle for more detailed instructions Syllabus First task assignment Backpack Literature Chapter 1 Week 2 Backpack Literature Chapters 2, 3, 4 Character Analysis Due Week 3 Backpack Literature Chapters 5, 6 Setting Analysis Due Week 4 Backpack Literature 7 Theme and Symbol Analysis Due Week 5 The Road 1-150 Cormac McCarthy Research Project Due Week 6 The Road 150- the end Diagram, Quote, Symbol, Theme Analysis Due Week 7 The Bluest Eye 1-150 Toni Morrison Research Project Due Week 8 The Bluest Eye 150 - the end Midterm Review Midterm Exam Week 9 Backpack Literature 8, 9,10 Poetry Terms Review Due Week 10 No Country for Old Men 1-150 Darin L. Hammond LA 258 - F 208.282.2478 hammdari@isu.edu

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Week 11 No Country for Old Men 150 - end No Country for Old Men Essay Due Week 12 Backpack Literature selected plays Week 13 Thanksgiving Break Week 14 Back Pack Literature selected plays Week 15 Backpack Literature selected plays Week 16 Final Exam Review Week 17 Final Exam

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Appendix I
Learning Objectives: Students will develop thesis and support claims while engaging in a variety of rhetorical strategies for a range of audiences and purposes, chiefly for persuasion and argument. Students will learn research methods and how to evaluate the reliability of source material. Students will effectively synthesize and integrate disparate source material through paraphrase, summary and direct quotation. Students will learn proper documentation employing MLA and/or APA. Students will evaluate the ideological and rhetorical perspectives of prose written for various purposes and audiences. Students will engage effectively in collaborative activities, including peer editing groups and studentteacher conferences. Means of Evaluation: Students will produce at least 5,000 words of finished and documented academic prose, focusing on argumentative thesis development and support through appropriate rhetorical strategies. Students will perform appropriate research and evaluate source reliability as part of their writing process. Students will demonstrate synthesis and integration of source material through appropriate paraphrase, summary and quotation skills, in exercises and/or their own writing. Students will demonstrate proper MLA and/or APA documentation within their own writing. Students will respond analytically to peer and published text to demonstrate skill in rhetorical evaluation. Students will demonstrate their ability to collaborate effectively through group process and conferences.

Appendix II
Department of English & Philosophy Students in University courses constantly engage with ideas generated by others, reading these ideas in texts, hearing them in lectures, discussing them in classes, and incorporating them into their writing. Since these ideas represent intellectual propertythe very heart of the academyit is vital that students give credit for these ideas where credit is due. When students do not clearly acknowledge and correctly cite these sources, they commit plagiarism. Idaho State University defines plagiarism as representing another persons words, ideas, data, or work as ones own. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the exact duplication of anothers work and the incorporation of a substantial or essential portion thereof. Other examples of plagiarism are the acts of appropriating the artistic or musical composition of another, or portions thereof, and presenting them as ones own. To avoid plagiarism, the guiding principle is that all work submitted must be properly credited to the original source(s) of the information. In written work, direct quotations, statements which are paraphrased, summaries of the work of another, and other information which is not considered common knowledge must be cited or acknowledged according to accepted citation guidelines (usually MLA or APA). Quotation marks or a proper form of identification shall be used to indicate direct quotations. Keep in mind, individual courses may require specific styles of documentation, and papers may be penalized for not accurately following the appropriate documentation style. The key to avoiding plagiarism is to give proper credit whenever the following are used:
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Another persons ideas, opinions, or theories Facts, statistics, graphs or other drawings or any pieces of information that are not common knowledge Quotations of anothers actual spoken or written words Paraphrases of anothers spoken or written words Organizational patterns or structures of anothers spoken or written work

Worth noting is the fact that ignorance does not excuse plagiarism. Intentional plagiarism consists of knowingly copying or using anothers work without giving proper credit. Unintentional plagiarism, on the other hand, may result from lack of familiarity with citation standards, poor research methods, or careless cutting and pasting of Internet and other electronic sources. In either case, both intentional and unintentional plagiarism constitute violations of the Universitys policy on Academic Dishonesty. Plagiarism and the Internet: Many sources of information on the Internet have no stated or obvious author, this does not mean that the information belongs to the public domain or is general knowledge and not subject to documentation. The considerations for determining how to avoid plagiarism are the same for all sources and types of informationprint, digital, and other media inclusive. If the material you use in your writing is not your own work, the source must be documented. Since much of the information available on the Internet carries no byline or specific author credit, authorship often must be assigned to the organization or individual responsible for constructing and/or maintaining the web site on which the information appears. Your instructor can provide more detailed guidance to specific questions you may have concerning how to cite Internet sources. In any case, however, using Internet source material without proper citation constitutes plagiarism. Worth noting as well is the current proliferation of Internet sites trafficking in academic papers of all kinds. Use of any papers and/or information from these sites or other Internet sources without proper citation may constitute a severe violation of University policy and will be dealt with accordingly. Avoiding Plagiarism:
Carefully check each paraphrase or summary against the original. Be sure you have not misinterpreted or distorted the meaning of the original. When you quote from the original, be sure to quote exactly and use quotation marks. Quote no significant words from the original without placing them in quotation marks. Use ellipsis marks (...) to indicate where you have omitted something from the original, and use square brackets ([ ]) to indicate changes or additions you have made in a quotation. Take pains to identify the author of any quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Credit by naming the originator or any fact or quotation you use. Make sure you indicate where another writers ideas stop and where yours begin. (You might end your paraphrase with some clear phrase or phrases of transition: __ or so Tuchman affirms. In my own view, however,....) If, all the way through, your paraphrase too closely parallels the authors sentence structure (the author asks three questions, so you ask three questions), rewrite it and vary it. If, at any place, your paraphrase looks close to the exact words of the original, carefully rewrite it in your own words. Use the documentation style (MLA, APA, or other) your professor recommends to be sure your citations are appropriate.

Penalties for Academic Dishonesty: The following is a listing of the penalties which may be imposed for academic dishonesty. Once a formal process has begun, no students shall be allowed to withdraw from the course in which the instructor
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initiated the plagiarism complaint process. The results of the process shall be entered into the students permanent university record. Potential penalties within a course: Each penalty is separate, In no way is it intended that these penalties be imposed in a sequential order. Combinations of penalties may be imposed, however. Any penalty imposed shall be in proportion to the severity of the offense. 1) Warning The faculty member indicates to the student that further academic dishonesty will result in other sanctions be imposed. 2) Resubmission of work The faculty member requires that the endeavor in question by rewritten to conform with proper academic standards and requirements or that a new project be developed. The instructor may specify additional requirements Note: Formal procedures for dealing with a plagiarism complaint begin at this point; both of the two penalties below are possible end results of the departmental complaint process. 3) Grade reduction The students grade is lowered or a grade of F assigned for a test, project, or other academic endeavor. 4) Failing A grade of F is assigned for the course. Note that penalties for plagiarism exist beyond the immediate course in which the situation occurs. Penalties at the University level include suspension from the University for a length of time specified by the University administration, depending upon the circumstances surrounding the act of academic dishonesty. The most severe penalty for academic dishonesty at the University level is expulsion, which may be imposed for extreme or multiple acts of academic dishonesty. Once expelled, the student will not be eligible for readmission to the University. Records of any act of academic dishonesty will be placed in the students permanent file. This information may be made available to prospective employers or other educational institutions. Thus, any student committing an act of academic dishonesty may be jeopardizing his or her future educational or employment opportunities.

Darin L. Hammond

LA 258 - F 208.282.2478

hammdari@isu.edu

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