Janis T. Patterson

Language Division

ENG 2233 COURSE SYLLABUS

DESCRIPTION:

American Literature II covers representative prose and poetry of the United States from Walt Whitman to the mid Nineteenth Century (Prerequisites: ENG 1113 and 1123).

OBJECTIVES:

1. Read selected literary texts with understanding and a degree of appreciation, at least for the artistic value, if not for the content.
   
2. Identify major authors of the designated period according to distinguishing stylistic traits of major selections and literary movements of which they have been a part.
   
3. Explain basic literary terms and concepts.
   
4. Draw parallels between literary works he or she reads and real-life situations.
   
5. Participate in class discussions and activities in order to demonstrate confidence in ones reactions and conclusions about a literary work. 
   
6. Discuss similarities in human ideas and philosophy throughout history.
   
7. Write about literature effectively, incorporating passages from the literary text itself to support original ideas and documenting appropriately using the MLA documentation style.

CLASS POLICY:

• Assignments must be submitted on time. Five points per class day will be deducted for late assignments. If there is a plausible reason the assignment is late, submit that reason in writing and clip it to the late assignment; otherwise, points will be deducted. However, journal notebooks are 5 pts/day when submitted late.
  
• Pop quizzes may be given up to mid-term. A pop quiz cannot be made up in the case of tardiness or an absence, but at least one quiz or classwork grade will be dropped in the determination of the mid-term grade. However, major test grades will not be dropped.
  
• Major tests must be taken on the assigned dates. If you have a conflict with one of the test dates, you should see me prior to the exam to schedule a make-up. If you have an unexpected absence due to an emergency, see me before the next class meeting or at the time that you return to campus.
  
• If you fail to take a scheduled make-up, you could be given a “0” for that exam.
  
• You are responsible for any material covered during your absence from class. You are also required to stay the full length of class; therefore, do not gather your belongings or conclude your work before you are dismissed from class.
  

• DISCIPLINE PROCEDURE:

  The use of profanity, physical violence, or blatant disrespect for the instructor or fellow classmates will not be tolerated and will result in immediate dismissal from class. Class disruptions such as talking or even nonverbal behavior such as sleeping will not be condoned. Cell phones must be concealed within a purse, book bag, or back pack and silenced.  Also, students are not allowed to bring food and drinks within the classroom; however, water in a clear, covered container is allowed. For any infraction, the student will be given a verbal warning the first time, but if the behavior continues, he/she will receive a written warning and reprimand which will explain that another occurrence will result in a referral to the Dean of Instruction.

ASSIGNMENTS:

GRADING:

The mid-term grade will be determined by pop quizzes, in-class work, and unit tests. Eighty percent of the final grade will be determined by unit tests, the group presentation, journal notebook, and the formal paper; and the remaining twenty percent will be the final exam.

The following grade scale will be used:

A __ 90-100
B __ 80-89
C __ 70-79
D __ 60-69
F_ Below 60 or an unofficial withdrawal from course

GROUP PRESENTATION:

The class will be divided into groups. Each group will present information on one of the three to four units covered in class. Each person within the group must assume an active role in the presentation. The group presentation should be from twelve to fifteen minutes. The group will present information about a particular time period through a panel discussion and/or debate. Although each group member will receive a separate grade from the instructor, the group will be rated overall by the class.

JOURNAL NOTEBOOK

Each student is required to keep a journal notebook in which reactions and responses to assigned prose, as well as analyses of poetry, are kept in the form of journal entries. Each journal entry must be numbered, dated, and titled by each selected writer’s last name. Also, entries must be written in blue/black ink on loose leaf paper and kept in a three ringed notebook.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRESENTATIONS AND FORMAL ESSAYS:

Panel Discussions/Forum

• The group should choose a theme or format for which to base its discussion of the writers of a particular period.
  
• Then the group should select a person to serve as the moderator. The moderator will present the background information and introduce the other group members who will present. Since this spokesperson will also be responsible for drawing the discussion to a close, he/she does not have to present on the panel.
  
• Each person should keep his/her discussion between two to three minutes long.
  
• The discussion should not just be an encyclopedic report of a particular writer or, in some cases, writing but should be a discussion of the writer’s style; achievements; background, as is applicable to his/her writing; and criticisms.
  
• Each group should entertain questions from the audience at the conclusion of its presentation.
  
• Panel members should provide questions & the answers so that the moderator will be able to ask the group questions, in case the audience chooses not to do so.

Debate

• The group must first determine if there was a controversial topic prevalent during this period.
  
• Once the controversial point has been established, the group can subdivide (three/four on each side) and argue each side.
  
• As in argumentative writing, there must be a mediator who introduces the topic for debate, as well as the debate team. There should be at least three points made by individual members in defense of their argumentative point/side. The mediator will also assign each side a five to six minutes time limit to present its points before the opposing side is allowed time to refute them.
  
• After each side has presented its points and refuted the points made by the opposing side, the mediator will draw the argument to a close by reemphasizing the major points made by each side, and he/she may ask members from the audience to determine which side was more convincing. The information can readily be attained through feedback from the audience, as part of the conclusion.

Formal Papers

• The information used in the panel discussion and debate should be documented within formal essays. Although each panel member will focus on a specific writer, the moderator or mediator should emphasize the background or give an overview of that particular period.
  
• The paper must utilize the MLA format for writing research papers. The format includes documentation within the paper, as well as a works cited page. Also,the papers must be typed. (Refer to a MLA handbook for writing research papers; one is located in the library)
  
• The student who chooses a panel discussion must write a literary analysis of two or more sources
  
• The student who chooses to write an argumentative essay must use the classical structure for writing argumentative papers in research (hand-out) and use three or more sources. *Papers are due at the end of the group’s presentation.

CALENDAR

EMAIL