Dr. Karen U. Fulton, Professor
Tel: 271-4317(work)1-660-582-8830 (home)
email: fulton@missouriwestern.edu
Office: 222H Eder Hall (SS/C Building)
King, Stephen. Different Seasons.
Orlean, Susan. The Orchid Thief.
Shakespeare, William. Much
Access to word processor with spell-checker (for out of class assignments).
http://www.missouriwestern.edu/EFLJ/eng210.asp- Objectives
English 210 fulfills Category IV General Studies requirements. These goals can be found onhttp://www.missouriwestern.edu/eflj/genstud.asp. All English 210 sections provide practice in reading poetry, prose fiction, and drama.
Film 210 means
Attendance will be recorded at each session. Class work distributed and completed during the same class session will not be accepted late. Multiple choice quizzes and written responses are graded (see grading policies); the resulting points make up one third of the final total. When written work is not completed during the class period, students will complete and sign an attendance verification rating sheet at the end of the hour. There is no *good* way to make up a missed session. Since the course meets only once a week, an absence means missing an entire week’s work. Two absences place you in danger of failing the course. Classes start on time. If you are not present when written work is distributed, you will be marked absent for the day.
It is required that students submit their own work. Students who are guilty of plagiarism or cheating in any form will automatically receive a zero for the assignment involved and will place themselves in jeopardy of failing the course.
Students who have a disability which might prevent their maximum performance in the class should make this known to the instructor immediately so that provisions may be made for any assistance needed.
False Assumptions about this Class
Assumption 1: There is no reading in the class; we only watch films.
False. There is actually quite a bit of reading in this class. The class will read a short story, “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption” (in Different Seasons), a play, Much Ado About Nothing, and a long work of nonfiction, The Orchid Thief prior to seeing films based on them.
This is the second semester, I am attempting something new in terms of a “film book.” Instead of asking you to spend money on a book like Anatomy of Film (which I have used for the last 6 years and now runs around $45), I am creating a book online for use in this class. The first two chapters are already posted on the P-drive (or they will be given to you should you have P-drive difficulty). You will be responsible for having read them prior to the next session of the class.
Assumption 2: All work is done in class; there is no homework.
False. You will be doing outside writing in the assigned paper, in the take-home portion of the final, in the take-home portion of the mid-term, in the written responses, and in the extra credit assignments (if you choose to do them).
Assumption 3: The films have been chosen entirely based upon student enjoyment; therefore I will like every film in this class.
False. While I hope you enjoy the majority of these films, I primarily choose films based on their learning value and for the range of the film experience they represent. Therefore, we will see silent films and several films in black and white. If you are taking this class because you are a big fan of "Dumb and Dumber" or "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and expect class films to be similar, you may want to rethink your decision to take this section. Because this class is offered as an English offering, ENG 210, (as opposed to a mass media one), the emphasis of this class falls on such things as narrative plot and dialogue (as opposed to special effects.)
Assumption 4: Every film we see will be a comfortable experience for me; all films will reinforce my moral belief system.
False. One of the goals of this class is to expose its members to films which may challenge your preconceptions of film and its subject matter. While my choice of films is not "avant-garde" of "cutting edge," I do try to select some films that expose you to cultural, religious, and sexual points of view that you may not have considered before or be comfortable with. If you feel that you will have trouble being open to this kind of experience and reflecting that openness in your written responses, you may want to rethink your decision to take this section.
Grading Policies
The class grade is computed on the basis of 300 points divided into thirds.
§ Class work (100 pts. Total)
o Quizzes over reading and films, take home written responses
o Eleven of these exercises will be given; the lowest score will be dropped.
§ Papers (75 points total)
o One 5-6 page paper 75 points
§ Tests (125 points total)
o A take-home mid-term essay (3-4 pages maximum) 35 points
o A final examination 85 points
§ 15 points survey (all or nothing)
§ 50 point take-home essay portion
§ 25 point day of final written responses to clips
§ Total points possible 300 pts
o Final grades are determined on a 10% scale; above 270 total points constitutes an "A" (300 minus 30 = 270 etc.) This final score will be lowered because of absences or late work.
o Opportunities to earn a maximum of 15 points extra credit are given during the second half of the semester. These extra credit assignments are all or nothing.
Course Procedures
Materials
Film-based materials are posted on the P-drive one week ahead. At the end of today's first class, material for next week's film will already by up on the P-drive and I will go through the steps to access the P-drive again. You are responsible for mastering the background material. It may be the basis for quizzes. Quizzes will be given to insure that you are keeping up with reading.
Agenda
Since we meet only once a week, our time together is likely to be very full. Therefore class will start on time. When you come into the room, check the screen for the day’s agenda. Every class will begin with an agenda posted on the screen.
There is usually a short lecture by the instructor on the reading and how it applies to the film and the film itself. Sometimes in place of the lecture, we will view a short “making of” featurette so that you can hear and see the people directly involved in the film.
Depending upon the length of the film (and films are getting longer), question time will follow.
If a film's length is under 2 hours, we will view it with no break; instead our break will come before viewing the film.
If a film's length is over 2 hours, we will take a short (no more than 5 minutes) break around the middle of the film.
All classes will end with you handing in your "rating" slip for the film; there is space on the quiz sheets I hand out for this. Otherwise you will turn in a rating with your name and the film’s name on notebook paper. The notebook paper is required to be a complete sheet and not have squiggles hanging from it. If the sheet is torn or “squiggly,” 2 points will be deducted from your next 10-point assignment.
You are expected to keep a rating journal over the course of the semester, listing your own rating as well as the class rating of the film and the Internet Movie Data Base (IMDb) rating which will be found on the P-drive under Tally. The journal will be reproduced as part of the Final examination survey.