EN 236: Literature and Culture
MWF
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Office: 301 KJS Library
Office Hours: MWF
Phone: 635-2378
E-mail: adoughty@lssu.edu
Web Address: http://www.lssu.edu/faculty/adoughty
Required Text:
Thieme, John, ed. The
Course Description and Goals:
Catalog Description: Students will examine English-language texts from a
variety of cultures, including American minorities and other underrepresented
cultures. Students will observe the way in which worldview and texts interact. Co-requisite EN111.
Translation: We're going to do a mad gallop around the world this
semester, reading modern texts from all over the globe. Our focus will be short
stories and poetry. As a class, we will talk about how the authors' culture(s)
impact their writing, but we will also examine the literature for common
threads.
Course Policies:
Attendance: Being absent is not an
excuse for missing an assignment. It is your responsibility to keep up with
your own attendance. If you know in advance that you will miss a class, see me
beforehand, or call or e-mail me. You are responsible for all course work,
whether you are present in class or not. Your daily quizzes will indicate your
attendance, and you are responsible for arranging to make up any quizzes you
miss. You will have one week to make up quizzes, and if you do not make them up
within that time frame, you will receive a zero on the quiz. If you are late to
class, you will not be allowed to make up the quiz.
Class Discussions: I firmly believe
that the best learning comes from student-generated class discussions.
Therefore, I expect you to come to class having read the materials and prepared
to discuss them. If I call on you, I expect you to have something to say about
the readings we're doing, even if it's a question about what was going on or
your objections to what we've been saying about the text. It is OK to disagree
with me and with your classmates, as long as you express your disagreement in a
courteous manner. Because this class is so small, it is important that everyone
have something to say, so leave your discussion inhibitions at the door.
Assignments: Each assignment will
count as 20% of your final grade. Please note that you must submit all 3 major
papers to pass the course, though submitting them does not guarantee you a
passing mark.
· Journal (and Quizzes): Each Friday, beginning on 12 September, you will have a journal entry due about your week's readings. There are a couple of options for your journal. You may choose a single reading and analyze it closely; you may compare a couple of readings; or you may choose some aspect of the readings that you find similar and discuss it. No matter which option you choose, you will need to bring in specific references to the texts you read to support your points. Journals should be 2 to 3 pages long and may be either typed or handwritten, but if you choose to hand write your journal entry, you must do so legibly. If I cannot read your journal, you will receive a zero for it. In addition to the reading journals, you will be responsible for taking reading quizzes about each day’s assigned reading(s).
· Presentation: For this assignment, you may work individually or with one other person. On Monday, 8 September, you will sign up to do a presentation about one of the readings on your syllabus. For this presentation, you need to research the author and the author's culture/country. You will present your findings to the class and then lead a discussion of the reading(s) that were assigned for that day. During your research, if you find a different reading(s) than those on the syllabus that you would like the class to read, you may bring me a copy of the reading and I will make sure that everyone gets a copy. If you choose to do this, get me the reading at least 1 week before you are scheduled to present. You should take some time to look over the authors before you sign up.
· 3 Papers: You will be required to write three papers during the course of the semester. I will distribute the specific assignments as they draw closer.
Assignment
Formatting: All assignments need to be prepared in MLA formatting. That
means no cover page for papers. Include a Works Cited Page for each text that
you discuss in you papers. Any good handbook will have MLA format in it. I will
be happy to help you if you have any questions about the formatting.
Grammar and Mechanics: All of you
are competent, experienced writers. As such, I expect your papers to have
correct grammar and mechanics and to be proofread. Significant errors,
especially proofreading errors, will lower your paper’s grade. For every 5
grammar and mechanical errors on your papers (including MLA formatting), you
will lose one letter grade. Take the time to edit and proofread your work.
Late Work: I will accept work no
more than one week late. All late work will lose 10%. If you know that you
won’t be able to get work in on time, see me before the due date, and we may be
able to make arrangements for an extension.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the
passing off of another's work (whether quoted, paraphrased or summarized) as
your own without proper documentation and can result in serious repercussions,
including expulsion from the university. Do your own work.
Disability Services and Accommodations
for Students: In compliance with