English 220 Introduction to Reading Texts

MWSC Division of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Department of English, Foreign Languages, & Journalism

Spring 2006

11:00 MWF 210 Eder Hall

Dr. Kaye Adkins

Office: 222J Eder

Office Hours: 9:00-10:45 MWF; by appointment

Email (my preferred method of communication): kadkins@missouriwestern.edu

   (When you email me about class please include “Eng 220" in the subject line.)

Required texts and materials:

            Kirszner & Mandel, Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. 5^th ed.

            Gibaldi, MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6^th ed.

Additional resources for your professional library:

            Harmon & Holman, A Handbook to Literature, 10^th ed.

Course objectives:

Upon completion of English 220 a student should be able to:

•    Recognize the major characteristics of literary genres.

•    Discuss literature, orally and in writing, with assurance.

•    Appreciate literary works that are encountered and provide a context for those works.

•    Understand the different ways in which literary theme may be treated in literature.

•    Think critically and present that thinking by written and oral responses to the literature.

•    Analyze literary genres and works.

To reach these goals, the student is expected to:

•    Read poetry, fiction, and drama

•    Investigate various methods of approaching and understanding literature

•    Write papers, including themes and essay examinations

•    Read a variety of literary works in which a chosen theme is dominant.

Assignments: In addition to reading assignments and participating in class, you will be required to keep a reading journal, write four essays, complete weekly quizzes (on Fridays of weeks with three class sessions), two unit tests (poetry and fiction), and a comprehensive final exam.

Journal:           You will find information about the journal assignments on the Schedule of Assignments. I will check journals during weekly quizzes (at least).

Essays:            You will write three essays out of class. When you turn in your essay, you should include a draft that uses the “Track Changes” function to show your revisions. (More on this later.) We will have one conference session scheduled during the semester when everyone will meet with me to discuss a draft of an essay. You should plan on meeting me at least one other time during the semester. I am always willing to look at a rough draft. You will write one in-class essay, a comparison of works we have read this semester, as part of your final exam. You will also write an annotated bibliography to familiarize you with the MLA index and MLA formatting.

Tests:              Weekly quizzes will include vocabulary words from your textbook (the literary terms in boldface–see the glossary in the back of your book). You will also have to answer questions based on the reading or on class discussion. You may have to identify quotations we have discussed in class. Much of the material on the unit and final exams will be drawn from the quizzes. Exams will generally consist of definition of literary terms, multiple choice, identification of quotations, short answer, and a long answer question.

Grading:

I grade exams on a curve. The quiz grade will be based on the accumulated grades for the semester. I will also grade that total on a curve. Essays turned in late without and acceptable written excuse will lose one letter grade for each business day they are late.

Grades will be weighted as follows:

Absences: Students with four unexcused absences will have their grade lowered one letter grade. If you must miss class and know in advance please contact me.  Weekly quizzes and daily homework can not be made up and will not be accepted late.

Academic honesty: “Since honesty in the classroom is required, cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to the college constitutes a violation.” Policy Guide II, B, C. In other words, the work you turn in should be your own.  Papers that have been plagiaraized will receive no credit, and the student who submits such a paper will have to meet with me before any other work will be accepted.

Disabilities: Please let me know during the first week of class about any physical handicap or learning disability if you need special help or accommodation in order to do your best work.

Disclaimer: I try to adapt each of my classes to the needs and interests of the students. This means that the Schedule of Assignments may change.