English 269

American Literature

Thursday evening, 5:30-8:20 pm

Hanna Hall 103

Ray Korpi

Office: Anna Pechanec Hall 104

Office Hour:  Th. 4:30-5:15 and by appt.  Exceptions:  Oct 1, 29, and Dec 2

Phone:  360-992-2932

E-mail: rkorpi@clark.edu

Website: thor.clark.edu/korprt

Course Description

Survey of American writing from the Civil War through World War I. Literature is read within its historical and cultural setting. Eligibility for ENGL 101 recommended. [HA, SE]

Course Prerequisite

English 101 eligibility is recommended for ENGL 269.  Students will be expected to be able to write thesis-based essays that show good command of standard edited American English and an understanding of the essay and paragraph forms as would be expected of a student entering English 101.

Required Materials

1.       The Norton Anthology of American Literature, Volume C, 7^th edition.  If you can find the assigned readings in other venues, then that is fine.

2.       A blue book (large size) for the final examination.

3.       Any films that we view are a required part of the syllabus.  You are expected to view these.  In Week 1, we will be viewing John Ford’s The Searchers, starring John Wayne. 

4.       Access to a typewriter, a word processor, or a computer (preferred) for paper preparation

5.       The student should save all graded papers until a final grade is received—failure to do this will cause grade review to be impossible should there be an issue or error beyond math.

Humanities Outcomes

The work in this course is aimed at helping you to fulfill these humanities outcomes:

• Demonstrate how a discipline in the humanities influences or reflects cultures
• Produce, create, interpret or critique works from a discipline in the humanities
• Explain why the humanities are important to cultures, communities or individuals

The assignments, discussions, and response activities will be designed to help you achieve these.

Course Components—Please note that any assignment sheet given is an extension of this document. Note:  passages in bold were changed after my illness in Week 3

1. Thought responses—You will asked to do weekly responses (distributed weeks 2 through 9, due weeks 3 through 10, midterm week excepted) to the readings that are given.  Responses will be available via electronic means (web and Blackboard) and may be handed in electronically or on paper (typed please—handwritten responses are not accepted).   Your overall grade on responses will be the best 4 of 6 responses; you may choose not to submit two of these responses without penalty, but you must submit 4 to pass the class. 

Late submissions have a maximum grade of B; responses more than one week late are not graded but will be accepted for class eligibility.

Your highest graded submission is worth 25 percent; each of the other four graded submissions is worth 10 percent (separately calculated for the final grade).

2. In-class Midterm Exam—A midterm to be given in Week 6 in class; make-ups allowed for those who contact me. 15 percent.
3. Final Examination—A comprehensive final with two parts:  passage identification and an essay question.  The final must be taken to receive a passing grade (make-ups are only allowed in documented emergent situations).  15 percent.
4. Participation and Attendance—Active participation while having regular attendance.  A student who misses more than 30 percent of class periods will not be eligible for a passing grade in the class unless an emergent situation is documented (classes I cancel due to illness, etc., are not counted against students).  Students are expected to keep up with the reading and to contribute to discussions in a positive way (which some days may simply be respectful listening).  Any evil reading quizzes or in-class group work assigned because of slack participation will factor in here. 15 percent.

Course Grading

I assign points to grades in the following way:

A          15         A—      14         B+       13         B          12         B—      11        

C+       10         C          9          D         5          F          1

No submission/Class Elig. Submit         Zero (except where allowed)

I then multiply the point value of the letter grade and the percentage value of the assignment and assign the final grade based upon the following scale:

A          1425-1500         A—      1350-1424         B+       1250-1349         B          1150-1249

B—      1050-1149         C+       950-1049           C          800-949                        D         400-799

F          Below 399, failure to submit either major paper, failure to take the final, or failure to meet the attendance minimum

I do reserve the right to boost a grade up if a student is within 15 points of the next threshold and has perfect attendance, perfect paper submission (including all 7 thought responses), and positive participation.

Plagiarism

Students are expected to follow MLA guidelines on the submission of their major papers and responses with the following exceptions:  no parenthetical citation is required from assigned readings or lecture notes.  However, use of materials from the forewords, introductions, and ancillary materials from our textbook, or use of any outside sources must be accompanied by full and reasonably correct MLA citation and documentation.  Discovery of the use of outside materials without documentation will be considered plagiarism and will cause course failure; blatant cases will be reported to the Student Conduct Officer. 

W’s and I’s

Students have the right to withdraw from the course according to the deadlines found in the time schedule.  All withdrawals are handled via the registration office in the Welcome Center in the basement of the PUB.  Students may withdraw until November 13, 2009, the final day of the 8^th week of the quarter.  Late withdrawal appeals for this course will be handled by SOFA Dean Miles Jackson (Foster 205).

            Incompletes will only be given if a great majority of the work is done and if the student has some compelling need to have a little more time to finish; students must meet the eligibility requirement for an incomplete.  Documentation is generally required for incompletes.

Attendance, Tardiness, and Emergencies

Please be to class on time.  Tardiness will be noted as fractional absenteeism if this becomes an individual issue.  Students who are absent and who contact me will be helped as I am able and as is fair to all students.  Please note that I do reserve the right to work with students in emergency situations to complete the course as long as I determine an equitable situation still exists for all.  All emergency situations, as with all grades in the class, are handled individually, confidentially, and discreetly.

Rules for Decorum

1. Please silence your cell phones when you come into class.  If you need to leave it on because of life responsibility issues, please be courteous.  If you have an emergent call situation where you need to leave the phone on, please let me know prior to the class period.
2. Please do not text message during class—this is distracting to those around you, and I have found that it is especially distracting to me (actually it makes me very, very cranky).
3. Please be respectful of the viewpoints of your fellow classmates.  Literature is a subject where the answers are not cut and dry, and having healthy and respectful discussions where more than one viewpoint comes out is actually a wonderful thing.  In life, ambiguity is bad everywhere except in a literature classroom.
4. Students whose behavior becomes a distraction may be asked to leave the classroom and may be referred to Edie Blakely, the Student Conduct Officer.  In these situations, I will try to approach folks before taking more drastic steps.

Concerns

If you have concerns about the class, you have the responsibility to come to me first about these.  If we get to a point where we cannot work out the issue, your next step is to Sandy Woodward, English Division Chair.  In an academic appeal, the dean who will hear the Step 3 appeal is Miles Jackson (my hearing an appeal of my grading is a conflict of interest to be sure).

ADA Accommodations

If you have emergency medical information which should be shared; or if you require assistance in case the building should be evacuated; please make an appointment to see me as soon as possible during the office hours indicated in this syllabus.

Any student with a disability who may require some consideration or assistance in order to fully participate in this class should contact the Disability Support Services Office at (360) 992-2314 or (360) 992-2835 (TTY) or stop by PUB 006.

Clark Emergency Instructions

In emergencies, students should do the following:

Inclement weather or emergency information

• Go to www.clark.edu or call 360-992-2000 as your first means of getting information.  The College does send notices to radio and television stations, but the College’s web site and switchboard are the official platforms for the most accurate information.

Immediate emergency communication alert

• To receive immediate notice on emergencies, you can register your cell phone number to receive text pages and your email address to receive email messages.  To do this, go to www.flashalert.net .  Select “Subscribe” on the left, and follow the instructions. Mass communication will also be sent to all college employee phones and computers.

Fire Alarm

• Evacuate the building through closest exit; evacuation maps are located in the hallways. Take personal belongings only if it is safe to do so.  Remain at least 50 feet from the building.  Notify others of evacuation.  Do not re-enter building until instructed to do so.

Parking Lot Identifiers

• New parking lot identifiers using colors and numbers have been assigned to all Clark parking lots.  To help emergency or security personnel locate you, please refer to these identifying features.

Security Escort

• Security Officers are available for escorts please call 360-992-2133.

Academic Early Warning

·         Your instructor may use the Academic Early Warning (AEW) system in this course to let you know if s/he has concerns about your academic performance early enough to give you time to improve.  If your instructor uses AEW to let you know what you need to work on, a letter will be sent to your home along with a list of free campus services that can assist you.  As not all instructors will use AEW, it is your responsibility to be aware of how you are progressing in your classes.