Beginning of Term - Administrivia

17 August 2015 Pleased be advised that I will not be employing my slow, unreliable, and expensive 'net service for work purposes this term. Instead, I will be using the technology provided to me - chalk. You are, however, welcome to dig through angryverbs.blogspot.com for old lessons since I recycle many of them every year. The textbook has been changed, again, and so those page references are not relevant. See you in physical space!

Lessons - to End of Term

22 April 2015 Dear Mr. Gillis: Please share this with any English 1302 students you visit with today, and ask them to share with their classmates; Angelina's BlackBoard will not load (again). Lessons, Week of 27-30 April, 4-7 May, and 11 May 2015 Taking early retirement can mean the difference between graduating in the top ten and, well, not graduating in the top ten. The business letter is meant to be a relatively easy 100; it can be an easy zero if you don’t follow the format found in your Bedford and in two different handouts. Because you are writing to yourself you may use the same address for both the heading and for the inside address. Read and study all your handouts. You will be tested over them. Keats and the Romantics – learn them, live them, love them. Last Great Celebration of Learning – Final Exam My intent is to offer to you this exciting opportunity on Wednesday and / or Thursday, 6 and 7 May. Monday, 11 May, maybe, if you are in the classroom working on your exam at 0945. 0946 is a zero. Once you have finished your final exam you are finished with English 1302 and you are then to return to Jasper High School. College is not high school – there is no mercy summer makeup or late submission of work. Your grades must be in the Angelina system early on Thursday morning, 14 May, and for that to happen I must grade your exams and review your grade entries in the days before. If you wish to know your final grade, see me on campus at class time Monday through Wednesday. For security reasons I won’t send a grade via email.

Lessons, Week of 13-16 April and 20-23 April 2015

Please pass this on to your English 1302 classmates; BlahBoard isn't loading. Lessons, Week of 13-16 April and 20-23 April 2015 Congratulations to the drama and footie teams! To assist you in meeting academic, drama, and athletic schedules I will again grant flexibility in the due-dates. My recommendation is that you turn in your two MLA projects this week as scheduled; however, you are free to make the best decision for yourself in that matter. At present this class is probably not the top item on your agenda, but don’t let it be the last. Here is a list of your handouts and projects, including two new ones: Excerpts from Ian Droescher’s William Shakespeare’s Star Wars “Why Do We Read Poetry?” “How to Read Poetry When Your Teacher Assigns It” Glossary of Poetic Terms Brief biography of John Keats Themes, Motifs, and Symbols in Keats “On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer” “Bright Star” “Ode on a Grecian Urn” “To Autumn” As of this week you also have a handout on the basics of the sonnet and a new writing assignment, a letter to yourself in ten years.

Week of 6 - 9 April 2015

6 April 2015 Poetry Unit Because many students are away on UIL one-act play and soccer competitions, please read (wherever you are) the four poetry handouts and work together on the MLA format sourcing projects. You do not yet have the Keats handout. Excerpts from Ian Droescher’s William Shakespeare’s Star Wars “Why Do We Read Poetry?” “How to Read Poetry When Your Teacher Assigns It” Glossary of Poetic Terms Brief biography of John Keats Themes, Motifs, and Symbols “On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer” “Bright Star” “Ode on a Grecian Urn” “To Autumn”

Mid-Term

17 March 2015 The calendar mid-term is the 20th. We will celebrate the occasion with a lovely exam on Thursday, 26 March. The drama exam will serve, so you need focus only on A Man for All Seasons. Bring your notes.

Week of 2-5 March 2015

Week of 2-5 March 2014 Monday / Tuesday – in-class essay on a topic from Beowulf. No notes or assistance. Wednesday / Thursday – Intro to Drama. Remember that missed in-class assignments must be made up within a week in the testing room and on the student’s time. I usually – usually – on campus a half-hour or more before class time, and you are welcome to come early; however, a missed test or in-class essay will not be worked during class time.

Tuesday, 24 February

23 February 2015 6:00 P.M. As of now, Jasper Schools (and, thus, you) are scheduled to begin at 10:00 A.M. on Tuesday. Weather conditions can change, of course, so you must make a wise decision regarding your own safety. This is not a license to skip –attendance marking is predicated on an institutional decision made by Jasper schools or by Angelina college. Check the local radio and institutional web sites upon arising. Beware the possibility of ice, and always make a safe decision. And, hey, if the roads are icy and so unsafe for travel to class, they are equally unsafe for travel to Sonic.

Lessons, Week of 16-19 February 2014

13 February 2015

 

Dear Students:

 

I am advised that the seasonal virus predation is unusually virulent this year.  Do your best about handwashing, covering your mouth when sneezing and yawning, and all the other hygienic practices you were taught as a child.  

 

We are studying an excerpt from Beowulf at present.  If you do not yet have the excerpt I photocopied for you, numerous translations are available through the Orwellian Telescreen.  You need only the bits about Grendl (a symbol of absolute evil) and Beowulf’s defeat of that monster.

 

As with “The Seafarer,” Beowulf is predicated on a warrior culture making the transition from paganism to Christianity.  Some editors have been known to remove allusions to God and to Christianity from Beowulf, so you will want – for the sake of scholarly integrity, at least - to find an edition that retains them.  And, please, avoid the stupid movie: Beowulf is a Christian warrior, a hero.

 

“Beowulf” apparently means “Slayer of the Wolf,” another indication of our hero’s courage, strength, and skill.

 

Here are some notes on the concept of the epic as a poetic form:

 

 

 

Angelina College

M. Hall

 

Beowulf

 

 

Concepts:

 

1.  The Epic

               A.  Long narrative poem / tells a story of great adventures

               B.  Elevated / formal language

               C.  Epitomizes the values of a culture

               D.  Brave, good deeds

               E.  Heroism

               F.  Lots of long speeches

               G.  Catalogues – long lists of heroes, ships, battles

 

The term epic is still used to represent a great story representing the highest values of a culture. 

 

2.  The Epic Hero

               A.  Almost superhuman strength

               B.  Brags of his accomplishments

               C.  His accomplishments are worth bragging about!

               D.  Great warrior and leader

               E.  A just man

               F.  Protects women and children

               G.  Represents the highest values of a man in his culture

               H.  Fiercely loyal

 

3.  The Villain

               A.  Absolute evil with no redeeming values

               B.  The complete antithesis of a culture’s values

 

4.  Review the Anglo-Saxon poetic techniques you learned when studying “The Seafarer,” many of which are still found in poetry and music:  kenning, caesura, alliteration, and the four-beat line.

 

Be strong!

 

Cheers,

 

Mr. H

Week of 9-12 February 2015

Week of 9-12 February 2015

 

Monday and Tuesday:

 

Mrs. D from the Jasper Public Library – the nice folks who give us remaindered books – will make a presentation about sourcing books and research materials for free through various State of Texas and university databases via your computer and smartphone.

 

This is the sort of developing technology you will use at university and in your careers, so please attend to the presentation carefully.

 

Accessing the databases is accomplished through public and university libraries. If you have a Jasper Public Library card, you have this access.  If not, and if you live in the Jasper Public Library service area, you can apply for a Jasper Public Library card for free with identification and any piece of snail-mail (such as a utility bill) that shows that you live in the service area.  The library is open both tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday.

 

Wednesday and Thursday:

 

We will continue the lessons as per the handouts you were given Wednesday and Thursday of this week.

 

My Verizon / AOL / Toshiba continuum of poor service with a circle spinning pointlessly is become less and less reliable, so should you receive this information please pass it on to your classmates.

3 February 2015: In-Class Essays

3 February 2015

 

With a very few exceptions the in-class essays were very well accomplished and were a joy to read.  Almost everyone responded to the prompt with serious thought and often with creativity. 

 

I will return your essays to you tomorrow and Thursday.

 

Those of you who missed the essay must write the makeup essay (different prompt) on your own time in the testing room in the front office.  Accomplish this before the end of next week.  I have left the prompts with the office staff.  Remember to bring a few black or blue pens, and of course remember to say “please” and “thank you” to the office staff.

 

On Thursday (tomorrow) and Friday I will give a perfectly boring useful lecture, complete with handouts.  Happily, there will no in-class writing until late next week. 

 

Week of 2-5 February 2015

2 February 2015

 

Monday – your essays are excellent.  Thank you.

 

If you missed the Monday class you are welcome to join the Tuesday class for writing your in-class essay.  After that, you must write your essay – the topic will be different - on your own time in the testing room.  Check in at the office.  Complete this within a week.

 

Tuesday class – same opportunity.

Test Grades

27 January 2015

English 1302

 

You have a write-in-complete-sentences test Wednesday / Thursday, and an in-class essay Monday / Tuesday.  No help, no notes, no nothin’ save your black or blue pen, some paper, and your superior ability. 

Directions for Essays Written in Class

 Rocks and Shoals for Essays Written in Class

 

1. The scoring matrix employed in typed papers still obtains.
2. The essay must be legible.  Print if you have to.
3. Double space in order to leave room for peer review and teacher review.  If in a moment of intellectual enthusiasm you neglect to double space once or twice, that’s okay; simply keep going.
4. Do not throw anything away.  If you have written yourself into an awkward moment, write your way out of it.  Your old teacher is looking for careful reflection (thinking, not feeling) expressed in careful writing, not a Little House on the Prairie schoolroom paper tied together with a pretty ribbon.
5. Please – no drama.  No soulful sighs, no theatrical crumpling of paper and flinging it angrily into the wastepaper basket recycling bin, no tapping the pen, no displays of artistic existential angst.  If you annoy people with any look-at-me behavior you will be required to run laps around the teacher.
6. If an assignment cannot be constructed without a first-person pronoun, minimize the use of I, me, my as best you can.  Write about the thesis you have developed, not about your feelings. 

English 1302 - Lessons for the First Two Weeks

Week of 19-22 January 2015

 

And

 

Week of 26-29 January 2015

 

1. Open your Orwellian telescreen to angryverbs.blogspot.com for your syllabus and lessons. Begin reading.  There is no down-time in this class. Don’t wait to be told to begin; passivity is your enemy.
2. Muster
3. Begin “The Seafarer” (handout).  Learn these four literary terms:

1. Kenning
2. Caesura
3. Anglo-Saxon four-beat line
4. Alliteration

1. Administrivia

1. Syllabus (in angryverbs.blogspot.com).  Discussion.  This will be brief.

1. Poetic Terms - handout)
2. Descriptive essay - handout
3. “How to Read Literature Like a College Student” -handout
4. “Let’s Build a Bonfire” - handout
5. Continue “The Seafarer.”  Who is this poem about?  Who is the eponymous seafarer?  Isn’t “eponymous” a busy word?  What does it mean? 
    

English 1302 Syllabus, Provisional

Provisional English 1302 syllabus for posting to angryverbs.blogspot.com (BlackBoard is not available until the first day of class). Your official syllabus, which will be given to you on the first class day, MAY vary.

 

8 January 2015

English 1302        

 

Mack Hall

Mhall46184@aol.com

Angryverbs.blogsplot.com

 

Note: Not all assignments or due dates are listed here. Those will be specified in on angryverbs.blogspot.com and on Blackboard via announcements, and within the class meetings.  It is the student’s responsibility to check Angry Verbs and Blackboard frequently for course updates, assignments, due dates, and so on. This is merely an overview of topics/readings that will occur this semester, and is subject to change because of weather, class progress, and other reasons applying to all students. 

 

Angelina College English 1302

I.       BASIC COURSE INFORMATION

 

A.   Course Description

Three hours credit. Principles and techniques of written, expository, and persuasive composition; analysis of literary, expository, and persuasive texts; and critical thinking. Critical analysis of literature and intensive research for a fully documented research paper; a continuation of writing skills begun in ENGL 1301. Three lecture hours each week. Prerequisite: ENGL 1301.

 

        B.   Intended Audience:

Students who have satisfied TSI writing requirements and completed ENGL 1301.

 

        C.    Instructor:

Name: Mack Hall, HSG

Office Location: 100H

Office Hours: Daily before and after class

Phone: 489-9000.  This is a central office ‘phone, not a direct access.  Really, use the email.

E-mail Address: mhall46184@aol.com.  Emails must follow the block form business letter format. 

Website: angryverbs.blogspot.com and BlackBoard.  Angryverbs is more reliable.  Take a look at this daily for fresh information.  Note that several classes will be sharing this same site.

 

II.   Intended Student Outcomes: 

 

        A.   Core Competencies – (Basic Intellectual Competencies)

1.  Reading:      Reading at the college level means the ability to analyze and interpret a variety of printed materials – books, articles, and documents. A core curriculum should offer students the opportunity to master both general methods of analyzing printed materials and specific methods for analyzing the subject matter of individual disciplines.

2.  Writing:   Competency in writing is the ability to produce clear, correct, and coherent prose adapted to purpose, occasion, and audience.  Although correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation are each a sine qua non in any composition course, they do not automatically ensure that the composition itself makes sense or that the writer has much of anything to say.  Students need to be familiar with the writing process including how to discover a topic and how to develop and organize it, how to phrase it effectively for their audience.  These abilities can be acquired only through practice and reflection.

3.  Speaking:  Competence in speaking is the ability to communicate orally in clear, coherent, and persuasive language appropriate to purpose, occasion, and audience.  Developing this competency includes acquiring poise and developing control of the language through experience in making presentations to small groups, to large groups, and through the media. 

4.  Listening:  Listening at the college level means the ability to analyze and interpret various forms of spoken communication.

5.  Critical Thinking:  Angelina College defines critical thinking as the dynamic process of questioning preconceptions and biases through the gathering and evaluation of data to reach new conclusions that consider realistic implications and consequences.

6.  Computer Literacy:  Computer literacy at the college level means the ability to use computer-based technology in communicating, solving problems, and acquiring information.  Core-educated students should have an understanding of the limits, problems, and possibilities associated with the use of technology, and should have the tools necessary to evaluate and learn new technologies as they become available.

(The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.  “Report of Subcommittee on Core Curriculum”, March 1, 1989).

 

        Exemplary Objectives deleted, as per instructions, on 2 September 2013

B.   Exemplary Objectives – (Found in the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Document.  Titled: CORE CURRICULUM:  ASSUMPTIONS AND DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS Dated:  April 1998):

1.  To understand and demonstrate writing and speaking processes through invention, organization, drafting, revision, editing and presentation.

2.  To understand the importance of specifying audience and purpose and to select appropriate communication choices.      

3.  To understand and appropriately apply modes of expression i.e., descriptive, expositive, narrative, scientific, and self-expressive, in written, visual, and oral communication.  

4.  To participate effectively in groups with emphasis on listening, critical and reflective thinking, and responding.

5.  To understand and apply basic principles of critical thinking, problem solving, and technical proficiency in the development of exposition and argument.  

6.  To develop the ability to research and write a documented paper and/or to give an oral presentation.

 

B Learning Outcomes added, as per instructions, on 2 September 2013

 

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

 

1.     Demostrate knowledge of individual and collaborative writing processes.

2.     Develop ideas with appropriate support and attribution.

3.     Write in a style appropriate to audience and purpose.

4.     Read, reflect, and respond critically to a variety of texts.

5.     Used Edited American English in academic essays.

 

        C.    Course Objectives for All Sections:

1.  To continue emphasis on composition skills begun in English 1301

2.  To teach library procedures and methods of research.

3.  To teach research paper form and development on a literary topic.

4.  To introduce the freshman student to four major genres of literature: the short story, poetry,

        drama, and the novel.

5.  To teach the student the vocabulary of literary criticism and analysis.

6.  To teach the student structural techniques to allow him or her to analyze and to understand a literary work, improving his or her critical judgment of the merits of that work.

7.  To lead the student to deeper insights into the values and life wisdom contained in literature, refining his or her appreciation of good literature

 

        D.   Course Objectives as Determined by the Instructor:

(as determined by the instructor)

1.   To learn to research on-line subscription services through the library databases.

2.   To learn to document subscription services.

 

III. Assessment Measures of Student Learning Outcomes:

 

A.   Assessments for the Core Intellectual Competencies:

1.    Reading – Competency in reading is assessed as students respond to classmates’ writing in the classroom or on-line; it also assessed through exams covering the textbook material and through discussion of and responses to written material presented in the textbook and on handouts provided by the instructor.

2.    Writing – Competency in writing is assessed through the development of writing projects which meet the evaluation criteria and which are mechanically correct. Also students’ writing assignments that fulfill the evaluation criteria will demonstrate proficiency in reading, writing, critical thinking, and computer literacy.

3.    Speaking –  Competency in speaking is assessed based on students’ demonstrated ability to respond appropriately to different communicative situations as well as to a variety of addressed purposes and audiences.  Students will interact with teacher and with classmates in the classroom and/or also via email and discussion board. 

4.    Listening – Competency in listening is assessed based on students’ demonstrated ability to respond appropriately to different communicative situations as well as to a variety of addressed purposes and audiences.  Students will interact with teacher and with classmates in the classroom and/or also via email and discussion board.

5.    Critical Thinking – Competency in critical thinking is made as students respond appropriately to assignments, to instructions, and in interactions with the instructor and classmates.

6.     Computer Literacy – Competency in computer literacy will be made based on students’ ability to submit properly prepared, researched documents, on students’ ability to access online writing and grammar  resources as well as library database, and on students' ability to communicate via email and/or discussion board. 

 

B.     Assessments for the Exemplary Objectives: 

1.  The ability to understand and demonstrate writing and speaking processes through invention, organization, drafting, revision, editing, and presentation.  These abilities are assessed through preparation and presentation of writing projects throughout the semester.

2.   The ability to understand the importance of specifying audience and purpose and the ability to select appropriate communication choices is assessed through students’ attention to the rhetorical situation of each portion of each writing assignment.

3.   The ability to understand and appropriately apply modes of expression is assessed through activities on correct usage of language and rhetorical devices and in the submission of appropriate writing projects throughout the semester.

4.   The ability to participate effectively in groups is assessed by student response to in-class or on-line group assignments.

5.   The ability to understand and apply basic principles of critical thinking, problem solving, and technical proficiency is assessed through student writing projects.

6.   The ability to research and write a documented paper is assessed by the requirement of at least one documented essay during the semester.

 

C.    Assessments for Course Objectives for All Sections:

1. The emphasis on composition skills begun in English 1301 will be asssessed by use of the English

    department policy for all essays and through other activities completed on-line or in the classroom.

2. Student ability to follow library procedures and methods of research will be assessed through the writing

    of a documented essay and through the writing of a research paper.

3. Student ability to write a research paper in proper form developed on a literary topic will be assessed

    through the criteria provided for the student for a research paper and that student's ability to meet the

    criteria.

4. Student awareness of the four major genres of literature: the short story, poetry, drama, and the novel

    will be assesed during a unit of study focused on each genre usinging in-class or on-line tests, essay

    responses, discussion, and other methods selected by the instructor.

5. Student ability to understand the vocabulary of literary criticism and analysis will be assessed through

    written and/or oral communication with inclusion of appropriate terms required.

6. Student ability to analyze and to understand a literary work, improving his or her critical judgment of the

    merits of that work through the use of structural techniques will be assessed through written or oral

    communication from the student to the instructor.

7. Student ability to gain deeper insights into the values and life wisdom contained in  literature in order to

    refine his or her appreciation of good literature will be assessed in student responses either in written or

    oral communications with the teacher or other students on-line or in the classroom.

 

D.   Assessments for the Course Objectives as Determined by the Instructor:                             

I will apply methods as described in sections III A, III B, and III C.

 

IV.  Instructional Procedures:

 

A.   Methodologies Common to All Sections:

            Methodologies that may be utilized in presenting course content include the following ways: in class or online lecture notes, paper-based or online grammar exercises, research exercises which give immediate feedback, in person or email workshops for student writings in progress, audio-visual presentations for view in class or outside of class, online discussions (synchronous or asynchronous), student presentations to groups or instructor only, and guest participants.

 

V.   Course Requirements & Policies:

 

A.     Required Textbook:

 

Don’t buy the book.

 

Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing, fifth compact edition. Edgar V. Roberts and Robert Zweig.  Try to find a used copy.  You may share books.

 

You will also need:

 

An MLA style guide—MLA Handbook, 7^th edition or your English 1301 text

 

A journal of the cheapest sort for in-class writing; a few sheets of paper stapled together will do very nicely.

                                                                                                                                          

Required Texts & Materials for each Class Meeting

§     All texts.

§     All drafts and revisions of the current writing assignment.

§     All handouts, texts, and notes for the entire semester.

§     A black or dark blue ballpoint pen for all assignments, drafts, and other work. 

§     Paper

§     Notebook

 

B.   Assignments – (Appropriate due dates, schedules, deadlines)

For the due dates for specific assignments, listen to the instructor, read the board, read angryverbs.blogspot.com, read Blackboard, and see the handouts and your class notes for directions for the specific assignments.

 

Absences are no excuses.  Communicate with your study-buddies, read angryverbs.blogspot.com, and read BlackBoard.  Passivity is not your friend.

 

 

C.    Course Policies – (This course conforms to the policies of Angelina College as stated in the Angelina College Handbook.)

 

Academic Assistance

 If you have a disability (as cited in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) that may affect your participation in this class, you should see Karen Bowser, Room 208 of the Student Center. At a post-secondary institution, you must self-identify as a person with a disability; Ms. Bowser will assist you with the necessary information to do so.

 

Angelina College (AC) admits students without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or age.  Inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies of AC should be directed to:

Dr. Patricia McKenzie, Vice President and Dean of Instruction, 3500 South First, Lufkin, TX, 75904, telephone (936)633-5201.

 

Attendance:

From the Angelina College Policy Manual:

-A true evaluation of the teaching-learning situation involves a correlation between attendance and progress.

-It is the responsibility of the student to attend all classes and a record of attendance will be kept for all classes by the instructor.

-It is the responsibility of the student to withdraw officially in the College District admissions and registrar’s office from a class the student no longer desires to attend.

-College District instructional standards allow the instructor to set the educational objectives and requirements for each course.  The student who does not meet these requirements because of excessive absences may be dropped by the instructor on a notice to the College District admissions office using either a first or second drop slip.  The position of the instructor on submitting a non-attendance drop should be stated in the course syllabus.

-Excessive absences are defined as three or more consecutive absences or four or more cumulative absences from regularly scheduled class periods.  The summer terms call for two or more consecutive, or three or more cumulative absences.  A three-hour night class counts as two class periods.

-Students will not be dropped and will be allowed to make up work for absences because of (1) College District authorized and sponsored activities, and (2) religious holy days.  It is the student’s responsibility to arrange for make-up work with the instructor and to complete it within a reasonable time.

-In accordance with the Texas Education Code, each student is allowed to be absent from a class for the observance of a religious holy day.   A “religious holy day” means a holy day observed by a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation under Section 11.20, Tax Code. The student must notify the instructor of each class of the anticipated absence not late than the 15th calendar day after the first day of the semester.  A student who is excused under this section must complete all assignments or missed examinations at the direction of the instructor.

 

The form for notification of absences is in the office of admissions and will include the following:

1. Student name and identification number;

2. Name of religious institution and tax code number;

3. Name and date of holy day(s);

4. Classes to be missed;

5. Schedule for delivery of form by student to instructor(s);

6. Conditions and deadlines for completing missed assignments;

7. Instructor’s signature and date; and

8. Student’s signature and date.

 

A student dropped because of excessive absences will be notified by mail by the College District admissions office and will be directed to obtain a readmit form and seek the approval of the instructor for admission.  All students in developmental education must obtain approval of the instructor and the vice president and the dean of instruction.

 

A student who fails to contact the College District admissions office within one week of the date the notice was mailed will be dropped permanently from class.

 

All make-up work is at the discretion of the instructor. [See make-up work policy.] (My discretionary choice is that there is no make-up work.)

 

Attendance in developmental courses is guided by the Texas Success Initiative rules and regulations and additional steps are required.

 

Academic Dishonesty, Plagiarism, and Cheating Policy

Putting other people’s ideas in your own words is plagiarism if you do not give the author credit.  Plagiarism is stealing, borrowing, even rephrasing, other people’s ideas without giving your reader information about where you obtained the information.  Plagiarism and academic dishonesty can happen even if you do not intend to be dishonest.  If either accidental or intentional academic dishonesty is evidenced in your writing, at the instructor’s discretion, you will be given an F on the assignment and for the entire course.

 

Using papers that you have written for other classes or at any other institution, including high school, will also be considered an act of academic dishonesty for this course.  On certain assignments, consulting and searching the internet and borrowing material from the internet, even by paraphrasing, will be considered academic dishonesty and will be ground for an F in the course.

 

All writing is subject to submission to an online plagiarism detection service.  If submission is requested, papers that are not submitted by the student will receive a grade of F or 0%.  In other cases when electronic submission has not been required by the instructor, a hardcopy of your writing and other work may be scanned and digitally submitted to a plagiarism detection service.  This may happen with or without notifying you. 

 

Student Conduct Policy

When you enroll in this course, you are requesting your instructor’s evaluation of your behavior as it relates to this course.  This course requires your full cooperation and participation, and your conduct is very important for the learning process.  The atmosphere of the classroom will require you to stay on task and to limit distractions for yourself and others.  Part of your instructor’s job, then, is to enhance your learning experience by maintaining the classroom environment and to evaluate your ability to complete your coursework, including all forms of participation.  By remaining in this course, you authorize your instructor to implement and enforce this conduct policy and to evaluate and respond to your behavior.

 

The College authorizes and empowers all instructors to remove you from the classroom for disrupting the learning or teaching process.  A disruption is any activity that the instructor determines detracts from the classroom learning or teaching experience.  Essentially, you are allowed to do your coursework and to participate in all coursework in a respectful way.  Anything else is deemed a disruption.  You are expected to have your materials ready at the beginning of class and to stay on task through the duration of the class period.  Any other behavior is disruptive off-task behavior subject to this policy and may lead to your dismissal from class, even being dropped from the course.  Disruptions may be major or minor and include anything that the instructor determines to be detrimental to anyone in the classroom or that the instructor determines to infringe of the rights of others in the classroom, including the right to obtain the full value of the course. This includes behavior that affects you and/or other students and/or the instructor. 

 

Collaboration Policy

All work for this class becomes available for collaborative purposes for all members of the course, now and in the future.  Your identity will remain private if your writing is used in other classes.  Your grade in the course and your personal information will always be protected by federal law.

 

VI. Course Content:

 

          A.  Required Content/ Topics – (common to all sections)

         

          Mechanics Emphasis:  Mechanics and grammar study is an ongoing one that is an integral part of the writing process.  Each student will be tested at the beginning of the semester and will be given specific assigned studies to correct any weaknesses.  Each student will be given a major test at the end of the semester to determine the student's mastery of mechanics and grammar.  Further, all essays will be evaluated closely for correct usage and spelling and for the correct use of sentence parts.  Approximately 20-25% of all class time will be given to drills on concepts.  There will be no separate unit for the study of mechanics and grammar, but it will be a part of the writing unit.

 

Essay Writing:  College level essay writing is chiefly expository writing with some occasional creative writings, if desired.  The process approach to teaching writing will be used to promote unified writing and thinking processes.  The teacher will initiate brainstorming or other heuristics to encourage free and fluent expression--then introduce different rhetorical modes for developing and organizing paragraphs and full essays.  Each class time or homework assignment should require some writing.  The instructor need not "grade" or even see every composition, but there must be some immediate feedback for every writing assignment that the student completes.   This feedback might be in the form of peer evaluation or response, a letter written to a pen pal in another class whereby there will be a written response from the receiving student, or perhaps a class response to a writing read aloud in class.

 

Argumentation:  Argumentation includes but is not limited to induction and deduction, logical thinking, fallacies in argument, emotional appeals.  Argumentative writing may be taught throughout the semester or in a two to three week unit.  At least one grade should be from an argumentative essay (20-25%).

 

B.    Additional Content   (as required by the individual Instructor)

This teacher will abide by required course content.  For further information see section IV B.

 

VII.       Evaluation & Grading:

Major essays, objective tests, research paper (due last week of course as final exam)—50% of course grade

Class participation, essays, discussion, and daily assignments will be used to assess understanding—50% of course grade

 

B.   Determination of Grade (assignment of letter grades):

               Standard Policy according to Student Handbook

             A (90-100)        Excellent

B (80-89)          Good

C (70-79)          Average

D (60-69)        Minimum passing

             F (50 or below) Failure

 

Standard Grading Policy for the English Department for All Essays Assigned:

A = above average. Good organization, exceptional content, no more than one major error. 

A+ = 98, A = 95, A-  = 92, A- -  = 90

 

B = above average.  Good organization, exceptional content, and only one or two major errors. 

B+ = 88, B = 85, B - = 82, B - - = 80

 

C = average.  Organization, clear content, no more than 3 major errors. 

  C+ = 78, C = 75, C - = 72, C - -  = 70

 

D = below average.  Either lacks content and/or organization or has many major errors.  More than 5 major errors drops the grade to an F.

D+ = 68, D = 65, D - = 62, D - - = 60

 

F = failing.  Shows little or no effort. Contains 6 or more major errors. 

F = 50 and below.  

 

0 - No Grade.  The student did not turn in work, plagiarized, did not meet a major requirement, or did not write on the assigned topic.      

 

Please Note: In the case of a plagiarized essay or research paper, a student may be dismissed from this course with an F.

 

             Examples of major errors:

             cs–comma splice                                         The boy ran, he fell down.

             fr–fragment                                                    Crying as he fell on the sidewalk.

             frag. error                                        After he fell; his knee started bleeding.       

             ro–run on or fused                      He hurt his knee it was bleeding.

             s/v–subject/verb agreement               Everyone laugh at him.

             n/p–noun/pronoun agreement          No one saw their teachers coming.

                                                                                          Him was laughing at hisself.

             verb form                                                        Sue set on the chair watching the sun set.

 

 

 

 

What makes an A paper an A paper, etc?

See the chart below for a description of an A, B, C, D, and F paper.		A Paper             B Paper		C Paper		D Paper		F Paper
Thesis and Development	Has a lucid, significant, perceptive response to the topic, which is fully developed.		Has a lucid, significant, response to the topic, which is fully developed.		Has a discernible, controlling idea or thesis, which responds to the topic; generally developed.		Has a discernible, controlling idea or thesis, which responds, but is underdeveloped or trite.		No responsive thesis, or response is not developed at all.
Support	Concrete, relevant details and examples.		Concrete, relevant details and examples.		Some superficial or trite generalizations, or facts with little comment.		Underdeveloped and trite generalizations; sketchy or irrelevant facts.		Little or no support for generalizations or merely lists of examples.
Audience Awareness	Structure, supports, and tone demonstrate consideration of audience and purpose.		Awareness evidenced mainly in either structure and supports or tone.		Awareness evidenced only marginally in appropriate use of structure and support or tone.		Awareness slightly evident in appropriate use of structure and support or tone.		Seems to exist for the writer only.
Paragraphing and Logical Progression	Coherent paragraphs progress through necessary, evident stages; includes transitions.		Generally coherent paragraphs progress through necessary, evident stages; includes transitions.		Generally coherent paragraphs that may be unwieldy or confusing; limited or predictable transitions.		Little or no attempt at cohesion; progress is confused or haphazard; little or no use of transitions.		Little or no cohesion; confused and haphazard progression; little or no use of transitions.
Sentence Structures and Word Choice	Varied sentence structure; word choice is precise, fresh, and economical.		Clear sentences; some stylistic variation; word choice is precise, if not economical or fresh.		Clear but sometimes loose or basic sentences; word choice is occasionally imprecise and flawed.		Little attention to sentence structure or revision; word choice is often flawed or inadequate.		Basic/choppy or rambling/incoherent sentences; little or no evidence of revision; inadequate word choice.
Grammar Errors	Absent or so limited as not to disrupt the essay’s readability in any way.		Minimal or so limited as not to disrupt the essay’s readability in any major way.		Occasionally disrupt the essay’s readability.		So pervasive as to disrupt consistently the essay’s readability.		So pervasive as to disrupt seriously and consistently the essay’s readability.

 

Grading Policy & Minimum Requirements for Writing Assignments:

You will be provided instructions, lectures, and readings/presentations for each major grade.  Use your class notes, textbook readings, and handouts to complete your essays.  As in any class, your grade depends on how well you follow instructions and put information together (synthesize) to complete your assignments.

VIII.     Syllabus Modification:

The instructor may modify the provisions of the syllabus to meet individual class needs because of hurricanes, class pacing, and other issues that may need to be addressed for the needs of the students.

 

VIX.  Acceptance - Contract by Enrollment Notice:

Your signature is not required.  By attending and remaining enrolled in this course, you are agreeing to all policies noted in this document, both explicit and implicit, and agreeing to this statement: "I understand that by remaining enrolled in this course, I am accepting and am subject to the policies of the College and my instructor, according to the instructor’s course policy and College policies.  These policies apply both within and outside the classroom regarding any class-related matter.  I understand that my instructor may use professional assertiveness to manage the course, and I hereby accept the public or private consequences of my behavior that result in the enforcement of any of these policies.” Thanks to Mrs. Alanna Cornes and Professor Mel Johnson, Angelina Faculty,  for their kind assistance.

Print Student Name________________________________  Class and Section__________________

 

*Academic Dishonesty & Plagiarism

If either accidental or intentional academic dishonesty is evidenced in my writing or on any assignment, at the instructor’s discretion, I will be given an F on the assignment or for the entire course.  I must produce original work that represents my thinking.  On certain assignments, consulting the internet and borrowing material from the internet, even by paraphrasing, will be grounds for an F in the course.  Improperly cited or un-cited paraphrasing may be grounds for failing the course or assignment.  I am supposed to be discovering and writing my own ideas and learning how to cite others’ ideas properly.  This is not high school.

 

*Behavior

I understand that I can be dropped from the class for distracting or inappropriate behavior at the instructor’s discretion. I cannot distract the instructor or classmates.  I must remain seated at all times and cannot leave early.  I must stay focused on the current task.  I must bring all required materials to class.  This is not high school

 

*Punctuality & Participation

I must arrive on time, prepared for participation.  I must turn in assignments by due dates.  This is not high school.

 

*Office Hours & Contact

I understand that my instructor is available during class and during office hours  I understand that my instructor’s preferred method of contact is by email, not by phone or through Blackboard.  This is not high school.

 

By attending and remaining enrolled in this course, I am agreeing to all policies noted in the course policies, both explicit and implicit, and agreeing to this statement: "I understand that by remaining enrolled in this course, I am accepting and am subject to the policies of the College and my instructor, according to the instructor’s course policy and College policies.  These policies apply both within and outside the classroom regarding any class-related matter.  I understand that my instructor may use professional assertiveness to manage the course, and I hereby accept the public or private consequences of my behavior that result in the enforcement of any of these policies.”

 

 

 

 

Student Signature__________________________________________  Date___________________

 

Highly Flexible, Provisional, Experimental, and Tentative

Syllabus Modifications

The instructor may modify the sequence based on weather situations as determined by Angelina College, class progress, or other needs of the class.

 

College is not the 14^th year of grade school; your success is based solely on your submitted work.

 

ENGLISH 1302, LITERARY GENRES      

 

English 1302 builds on English 1301 to help the student develop a more skilled approach to reading, thinking, and writing critically through exploration of the three literary genres: poetry, drama, and fiction.  We will accomplish this through English literature so that 1301 / 1302 students will enter university sharing a common background with all other Texas high school graduates.          

   

Texts and other resources:

 

Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing.  Edgard V. Roberts and Robert Zweig.  Fifth Compact Edition.  Pearson / Longman.  If you can find a used copy, even if it’s an earlier edition, buy it – books are so expensive.

 

The MLA Style of Documentation: A Pocket Guide.  Michael Pringle and John Gonzales.  Pearson / Prentice-Hall.  This is a nice little paperback, but if you kept your text from English 1301 you already have a good MLA resource.

 

These resources will be available for use in the classroom:

 

MLA Handbook 

Strunk and White’s Elements of Style

Fowler’s Modern English Usage

 

Readings in English 1302 will be selected from the following.  Please understand that no one ever agrees on the names and dates for literary periods. (RELAX: we are not reading nearly all of this; Angelina 1302 readings will be from the assigned text.  However, this will give you an idea of the difficulty level of college work in any academic discipline).

 

The Anglo-Saxon (or Early Mediaeval) Period, 449-1066

         

          “The Seafarer,” trans. Burton Raffel

          Beowulf, trans. Burton Raffel

          Selections from A History of the English Church and People, Bede

The Mediaeval Period, 1066-1485

          Selections from Morte d’Arthur, Sir Thomas Malory

          English and Scottish Folk Ballads:

                    “Sir Patrick Spens”

                    “Get Up and Bar the Door”

                    “The Twa Corbies”

                    “Barbara Allen”

          Selections from The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer

          Selections from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Anonymous

          Everyman, Anonymous

 

Reformation and Renaissance, 1485-1625

          Petrarchan (or Italian) Sonnet:

                    Sir Thomas Wyatt:

                              “Whosoever List to Hunt” 

                    Sir Philip Sidney:

                              “Sonnet 31”

                              “Sonnet 39”

         

          Pastoral Poetry:

                    Christopher Marlowe: “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love”

                    Sir Walter Raleigh: “The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd” -- a satire of Marlowe’s “The Passionate Shepherd...” 

                    Note: both of these poems were set to music as a 1930s-ish swing tune in the 1995 film version of Richard III (Ian McKellan). 

          Shakespearean Sonnet:

                    “To His Son,” Sir Walter Raleigh

                    “Sonnet 29,” “Sonnet 73,” “Sonnet 116,” “Sonnet 130,” Shakespeare

          Spenserian Sonnet:

                    “Sonnet 1,”   “Sonnet 26,” “Sonnet 75,” Edmund Spenser

          Elizabethan Drama

                    Macbeth, William Shakespeare

                    Note: the class may choose another play by Shakespeare by consensus / agreement / argument, but the final choice remains with the instructor

          King James Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible       

                    Psalm 23, Parable of the Prodigal Son, I Corinthians 13

The Seventeenth Century, 1625-1666

          Ben Jonson, selections

          John Donne, selections

          George Herbert, selections,

          Andrew Marvell, selections

          Robert Herrick, selections

          Sir John Suckling, selections

          Richard Lovelace, “To Lucasta, On Going to the Wars”

          John Milton, selections from his short poems

                   

Grading:

Four to six short (2-3 pages) critical essays will be required, as will a research paper.  You will also have several brief in-class assignments, both written and objective.  Your critical essays will usually be test grades; your other in-class assignments will usually be daily grades.  The research paper will be no less than 25% of your final grade; however, this paper is a sine qua non: you will not receive credit in the course without this paper being completed in a professional, academic manner. 

 

Attendance, conduct, and participation:

 

Your presence in the class indicates that you have a record of setting high standards for yourself.   Continue to challenge yourself; do not fall into the too-common trap of feeling that your presence in a college-level class is a reward and a relaxation.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

 

Jasper High School students only: please remember that in this class you will be under two accrediting authorities, Jasper High School and Angelina College.  Your kindly old instructor will grant you some attendance mercy -- with prior notice -- for (1) a Jasper High School U.I.L. event in which you are a contestant and (2) a Jasper High School educational field trip.  A personal college day and other misses, no matter how worthy they are in themselves, are not excused; those are personally-scheduled events.  Do not take these little mercies for granted.

 

Grading:

 

1 paper researched with documentation     15%

1 paper – argument / persuasion                15

1 literary essay with documentation           15

Best one of two in-class essays                    15

Average of quizzes and homework               15

Midterm exam                                    10

Final exam                                10

 

Quizzes may appear at any time -- be prepared for each class. All in-class work has a one-week expiration date following an absence. Out-of-class assignments are due at the beginning of the class regardless of absence. Please do not ask to leave class to print out your paper; I will often grant you computer lab time as part of class. No one now or ever will want to hear about your home printer or computer problems.  Really. No. This isn't high school.

 

3. Attendance:  Per Angelina College requirements, three consecutive absences or four cumulative absences require me to drop you; I am not permitted flexibility in this.  Disappearing during the break, during class, or during writing lab time counts as an absence. Tardiness is an absence; your presence elsewhere in the building instead of in class and on time is an absence. 

I cannot / will not re-teach a class session; if you miss, you must ask a classmate for notes. Form casual study / buddy groups and communicate with each other. If I miss -- and I never have – I will try to post my absence angryverbs.blogspot.com.  Individual emails or ‘phone calls are impossible.  Check angryverbs.blogspot.com frequently.

4. Out-of-class work must be produced on a word processor. I accept 12-point Bookman (preferred), Verdana, Geneva, Arial, or Times New Roman. Do not use exotic typefaces, bold settings, or margins other than one inch all around.  Papers are due at the beginning of class; if you are in the library typing when class begins you have both a zero test grade and an absence.  Please do not bring me a memory device and ask me to print out your paper -- that's a zero for the assignment.  In-class work must be in black or blue ink.

5. Office Hours:  I am almost always on campus an hour or more before class, in the office, in the classroom, or in the library.  If you don’t see me, show initiative and ask someone.  Please feel free to email me at any time at my personal email address to ask me reasonable questions or for reasonable advice.  Do NOT ask me what we did last week; ask that of your study-buddies.  Really.  This isn’t high school.  Then, when you see me, you can ask me for a specific assignment or test by its name.

You may contact me via email (remember to employ the business letter format) or leave a message with the office staff.  “Call me” is not a message. 

 

6. Class participation: let's have lots of fun here, but remember that even the most heated arguments should be in a spirit of good fellowship, with no ad hominem attacks. You are a scholar -- argue like one, with courtesy and generosity. You must talk! The outside readings are not overwhelming, so take some notes and prepare to make a significant contribution: one good, original thought -- YOUR THOUGHTS, not Mr. Cliff's or Mr. Sparks' -- per poem / essay / narrative / play / novel.

7. Drinks and snacks -- You probably had a long and tiring day before you arrived in class, so I do not mind a cup of coffee or a SMALL soda, but remember that this is not McDonald's: no food, please. Please use a bit of paper towel so no rings are left on the furniture, and at the end of class put all debris away in the trash cans. Push the chairs back into position.  The nice folks who clean up around here are overworked and underpaid, and deserve everyone's respect for their contributions to your success. By the way, you do speak to the cleaner-uppers when you see them in the hallway, don't you? 

8. How much help? When writing papers you may solicit a great deal of assistance from others with matters of form and proofreading; indeed, I encourage such collaboration. The thesis and content, however, must be your work alone, and all quotations and sources must be properly documented. I cannot emphasize too much what a serious issue this is. An instructor need not resort to plagiarism programs; a simple string search on any search engine will ferret out a downloaded paper. Let me speak very plainly -- if you cheat, I will drop you from the class with an F. I have in the past been rather trusting -- or careless?  I now search out all papers through plagiarism sites, which may result in a slower paper return.  I apologize for any delay that occurs.

9. Referring to this class as a basic to be gotten out of the way is impolitic. Education is a joy in itself, a rare privilege enjoyed by very few people in history, and even the most tiresome prerequisite is never a basic or something to be gotten out of the way. You are now a college student, not a conscript high school sophomore. Celebrate your intellect.  Don’t tell folks that you made straight As in high school.

10. Cell 'phones, recorders, things that stick out of the ear, and other gadgets -- I don't mind if you keep your 'phone on buzz if you are concerned about a sick child or a situation at least as important. Please take the call discreetly out of the classroom. DO NOT TALK ON A TELEPHONE OR MANIPULATE ANY KIND OF COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE IN THE CLASSROOM AT ANY TIME, not even before or after class. Telephones may not be on your desk at any time, and all other electronic gadgets are forbidden at all times. Disconnect from the mother ship and interact with humans for the duration of the evening. Do not make any visual or sound recordings at any time without the permission of the entire class.

11. A rule I never thought I'd have to make -- no spit cups.   

12. If you flunked English 1302 at a four-year school and are here to make it up you are very welcome; however, if you are under the illusion that this is an easy class requiring nothing more than a cell 'phone, a bottle of water, and practice in anger management, go away.

13. I will not respond to emails in which the writer is not identifiable, in which the email address is childish, or in which the content is not formatted as a business letter complete with heading, inside address, salutation, body, complimentary close, and signature, all in block form.

Class Schedule -- VERY flexible. Indeed, this is so flexible it's a candidate for Cirque d'Soleil!

I have taught English 1302 for years, but until now in a dual-credit setting with five hours of class per week.  This college-specific schedule will require a different approach.  We will address topics by genre rather than by chronological sequence, which is probably how you worked in high school literature.  We will break our term into three discrete chunks: the first five weeks for poetry, the second five weeks for prose, and the third five for drama.  Within genres I will try to keep texts chronological, and so in poetry, for example, we will begin with translations from Old English / Anglo-Saxon and progress through the Elizabethans, Puritans, Jacobeans, 18^th-century formalists, and then into the Romantics.  Prose will tend to be mostly 19^th and 20^th centuries, and drama will include one Shakespearean play and one modern play.

 

I will not give you any long-term projects except for the research paper, and no really large (no more than three hours a week, and seldom that) outside reading assignments.

 

Week 1: Discussion of expectations. Hand out and discuss syllabus. Hand out and discuss "Rules for Essay Writing."  Think about a topic for your research paper.  Our first reading assignment will be “The Seafarer” in a handout so that you have some extra time for securing a textbook.

Week 2:  “Seafarer.”   How’s the research going?

Week 3: Poetry. Introduction.  Modern sonnets and blank verse from William Shakespeare’s Star Wars, which is by Ian Doescher and thus not by Shakespeare at all. We’ll practice scanning for rhythm and rhyme.

Week 4: Poetry. Topics TBA. 

Week 5: Poetry. Topics TBA.  Panic about your research paper.

Week 6: Prose.  Topics TBA.  Plunge into existential denial regarding that research paper.

Week 7: Prose.  Topics TBA.  Review for mid-term exam. Despair that after tonight you must now really, really, really begin to write the research paper you haven’t even researched.

Week 8: Prose.  First Great Celebration of Learning: Mid-term Exam.

Week 9: Prose.  Topics TBA.    Um…research paper?

Week 10: Prose.  Topics TBA. 

Week 11:  Drama.  Research papers due at beginning of class.  Curiously enough, attendance at tonight’s class will be thin -- must be that virus that’s going around.

Week 12: Drama.  Topics TBA. 

Week 13:  Drama.  Topics TBA. 

Week 14: Drama.  TBA.  Review for final exam.

Week 15:  Last Great Celebration of Learning: Final Exam, Week of 5-8 May.  DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Research paper (THESE DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE):

1. If you turn in your paper the week of 6=9 April, you will be awarded 10 extra points.
2. The week of  13-16 April is the due date.

3. I will accept your paper the week of 20 - 23 April with a penalty of 10 points.

 

Note that giving an assignment to someone else to turn in for you is seldom a good idea.

 

No document can cover all possibilities; these pages can be summed up as “Come to class, turn off the Orwellian telescreen, do your work, and you’ll probably pass.”