English 2130 Sample Syllabus 1 Survey of American Literature Syllabus Fall, 2000 Professors: Office Hours: Phone: 404-651-2900 (English Department) E-mail: Class Meetings: Class Materials: Text: McMichael, ed. Concise Anthology of American Literature (4th ed) Notebook for response log, notes, portfolio. Conceptual Framework: The purpose of this Survey of American Literature is to introduce students to a wide range of American authors and genres from the Colonial Period to Contemporary American writing. The course will focus on writing as a method to learn about and explore various historical and social contexts within American literature. Learning Outcomes: General Outcomes – · identify and explain the fundamental features of the genres of poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and drama · define key literary terms/concepts and implement these in oral/written discussion as well as in literary interpretation · describe, examine, and evaluate their own reading practices and oral/written critical analyses · analyze literature and explain how various components of literature work together to create meaning. · apply writing and revision as tools for understanding literature and its interpretation Specific Outcome(s) – · recognize and describe American literary history as chronological, developmental (moving through time periods), and generic/thematic · recognize and interpret relationships between American literature and its literary history and culture Plagiarism: Plagiarism occurs when a student submits work not his or her own. This includes copying from printed materials or from other people’s work without giving credit to the original author. The policy on Academic Honesty can be found in the Georgia State University Catalog. Attendance: Students are expected to attend class and participate fully in all activities. Students who miss more than four classes during the semester may be withdrawn. The semester Midpoint is October 13, 2000.English Majors: English Majors are reminded that the English Department requests a portfolio of your best work as part of your graduation requirement. Be sure to gather essays, papers, and other written documents that you can possibly use for this requirement. Grading Policy: Evaluation will be determined by fully participating in class activities, assignments, and discussions. Students will maintain the response log, write in-class responses as assigned, write two formal papers, and take a midterm and final exam. There will be no make-up for the in-class responses, though we will drop the lowest grade. Papers turned in after the due-date will be penalized one grade per day after the deadline. The following percentages will determine the grade for this course. Response log/papers/Presentations 20% Formal Papers 40% Midterm 20% Final 20% The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course; deviations may be necessary. ENGL 2130 Course Outline Week 1 Review of Syllabus (August 21-25) Introductions Discussion of American themes (read intros to each section as we come to them) Assigned reading: Albee; Barthelme; Erdrich Week 2 Groups for Colonial America (all read intro to section) (Aug. 28-Sept. 1) Columbus/Smith Native American Voices I/Rowlandson Bradford/Winthrop Bradstreet/Taylor Mather/Edwards Sewell/Byrd/Woolman Week 3 Reason and Revolution (read intro to section) (September 4-8) Franklin/De Crevecoeur Paine/Jefferson Wheatley/Native American Voices II Week 4 Romanticism (read intro to section) (September 11-15) turn in rough draft of paper sometime this week Irving ; Poe; Emerson Week 5 Romanticism (September 18-22) Hawthorne Melville Thoreau First Paper DueWeek 6 Romanticism (September 25-29) Stowe; Douglas; Whitman; Dickenson, Week 7 Wrap up on Romanticism (October 2-6) Midterm Exam Week 8 Realism - Introduction (October 9-13) Howells; Crane Harris; Twain Chopin - Handout James Howell discussion Week 9 Realism (October 16-20) Crane and Harris discussions Twain and Chopin discussions James discussion and wrap up of Realism Week 10 Twentieth Century - Introduction (October 23-27) Anderson (hand out) Fitzgerald and Faulkner - discussions Hemingway and Steinbeck - discussions Week 11 Twentieth Century (Oct. 30-Nov. 3) Eliot/Frost/PenWarren Washington/DuBois Intro to the Harlem Renaissance Week 12 Twentieth Century (November 6-10) discuss topic and turn in draft for second paper Hughes/Hurston Wright/Ellison Week 13 Twentieth Century (November13-17) Porter/O’Connor Sexton/Plath Updike/Morrison Week 14 Second Paper due (November 20-24) Contemporary Writing Week 15 Contemporary writing – student presentations (Nov. 27-Dec. 1) of portfolios Week 16 Wrap-up (December 6-10) Review response logs-discussion Final Exam Writing AssignmentsResponses, Log Assignment and Portfolio (20%): Periodically during the semester, you will be asked to write a response to the literature or discussion we have had in class. These responses will help us to know what you are learning along the way, what kinds of questions you might have, and may help you gather ideas for your papers. We will check these, not grade them. They will count more as participation. For the reading log, jot down key information, interesting historical and social issues that relate to the writing, and a short summary of the literary work for each assignment, including the introduction to an era and the author. At the top of each page, write the page number in our text and other pertinent heading information so that you can refer back to this during the semester. At the end of the semester, we will collect these to review. You should have approximately 45 entries. When grading time comes, these entries will count 10% of your total grade in this way: 40-45 entries = A; 35-39 entries = B; 30-34 entries = C (don’t have fewer than this!) Contemporary Writing: Portfolio As part of your response and log grade, we are requiring that each of you gather some contemporary works you enjoy and compile them in a portfolio to present at the end of the semester. Think about how the history and social events in the United States have contributed to the production of these works, along with how these works contribute to your understanding of writing