English 210-03 • Science Fiction

Fall 2007 • MWF: 10:00 – 10:50 AM

Instructor: Ms. Susan Garrison

Office: English, Foreign Languages and Journalism Dept., Room T

Phone: Office – (816) 271-4239; Cell – (816) 262-1082

Office Hours: 11 – 11:50, MW or by appointment

E-mail: garrison@missouriwestern.edu

Attendance Policy:

In order to improve student learning and to achieve compliance with federal financial aid policies, MWSU has a mandatory attendance policy for all 100 and 200-level courses. This course has a very strict attendance policy. If you miss seven class periods for MWF classes, you will receive an F in the class. A student will be given an excused absence when acting as an official representative of the university, provided the student gives prior written verification for the faculty/staff supervisor of the event; however, there are no other excused absences, exceptions or “make-ups” for this attendance requirement. Furthermore, the maximum number of absences allowed before the midterm report, Oct. 18, for this class is five. Thus, when you have six absences, you will be reported to the Registrar’s Office, who will automatically withdraw you from this class. The Financial Aid Office will reduce financial aid as appropriate.

If you miss a class session, you are responsible for all material covered and assignments given during your absence. All out-of-class assignments are due at the beginning of the class period. No late assignments will be accepted.

Required Texts and Course Materials:

I, Robot by Isaac Asimov

Dune by Frank Herbert

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

The Year’s Best Science Fiction, Twenty Third Annual Collection,

Editor Gardner Dozois

We will also view movies.

There is a lot of reading in this class. You must keep up with the daily reading.

Keep a notebook for a journal, as well as one with pockets which you can keep track of all papers in this class.

Civility and Cooperation:

MWSU requires all students to help us maintain good conditions for teaching and learning. All students will treat their classmates, teachers, and student assistants with civility and respect, both inside and outside the classroom. Students who violate this policy may, among other penalties, be counted absent and asked to leave. You should review your Missouri Western student handbook for further information.

Please turn off all cell phones, pagers, etc., before class. Text messaging and other cell phone activities are not allowed during class time.

Methods of Instruction:

Methods of instruction include texts, lectures, movies, class discussions, group work, oral presentations by students, quizzes, exams, journals, and writing assignments.

Quizzes will be given throughout the semester. They will be given at the beginning of the hour. If you are tardy, you cannot make a quiz up.

Grading Policy:

Your final grade will be based upon two formal writing assignments, an oral presentation, midterm and final examinations, in-class exercises, quizzes, class preparation and participation.

Paper #1: 100 points

Paper #2: 100 points

Oral Presentation: 50 points

Midterm and Final Exam: 100 points each (200 points)

Other assorted points will come from quizzes, in-class assignments,and class participation.

Final course grades: A=90% and above; B=80-89%; C=70-79%; D=60-69%; F=59 and below.

Final Exam Schedule:

Monday, December 10, 8:30 – 10:20 AM

Journals:

You will keep a journal in here. We will write in it during class and you will write in it at home. Please keep a section of the journal reserved for vocabulary words. As you come across words in the reading that you don’t know, write them in this section, look up and write the definition, then explain how the author uses it and what it means to the reading.

Student Disability:

Any student in this course who has a disability that prevents the fullest expressions of abilities should contact Missouri Western’s special needs coordinator (Michael Ritter) for possible certification of special needs and expert recommendations for assistance. You should also contact me personally as soon as possible so that we can discuss class requirements.

Academic Honesty Policy:

Academic honesty is required in all academic endeavors. Violations of academic honesty include any instance of plagiarism, cheating, seeking credit for another’s work, falsifying documents or academic records or any other fraudulent classroom activity. Cheating and plagiarism are not acceptable. If I find evidence of cheating or plagiarism, you have the burden of showing that the paper has in fact been written by you. You should keep thorough evidence of your writing processes for all papers so that you can meet this burden of proof. You will receive a grade of F (0 points) for any paper/assignment/exam that shows evidence of cheating and/or plagiarism. If you plagiarize a paper, you forfeit the right to revise that paper; if you cheat on an exam, you will not be allowed to retake the exam. Violations of academic honesty will be reported to the Provost or the designated representative on the Academic Honest Violation Report Forms. Please see the 2006-2007 Student Handbook and Calendar for specific activities identified as violations of this policy and the student due process procedure. The handbook is also available online at: missouriwestern.edu/handbook/index/pdf.