Courses

ENG 3023.50

Representative Works of British Literature from 1760 to the Present

Fall 2009

Course Description and Overview: ENG 3023.50.  Representative Works of British Literature 1760 to the Present.  The Texas Woman's University's General Catalog 2007-2009 describes ENG 3023 in this way: "Examine significant works in depth with study of authors and genres in relation to the aesthetic, historical, and cultural contexts.  Requires research with primary and secondary sources.  Three lecture hours a week.  Credit: Three hours."

This course fulfills one of the upper-level English requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in English.  Please note, however, that this course does not fulfill any requirements of the core curriculum.  It can also be taken by students seeking the Bachelor of General Studies (if one of their concentration areas is English). 

ENG 3023.50 will be taught entirely asynchronously online.  If you have never taken a Blackboard course before or have questions about the format of the class, please contact me at rgreer@mail.twu.edu and arrange for an individual orientation with me during my office hours. 

Faculty Contact Information:  
Instructor: Russell Greer, Ph.D.  Associate Professor.

Office location: CFO 803.

Office Phone Number: (940) 898-2346

Office Hours: 8 a.m. to noon on Mondays. 

E-mail Address: rgreer@twu.edu.

Other Contact Information: Fax: (940) 898-2297 (English Department).  Website: www.russellgreer.com

Most students find they can communicate with me quickly through the course itself online or by e-mail;  If I cannot hold regular office hours on a particular day or time, I will make an announcement on my website.  I am typically not available in my office at other times, but I am available by telephone, online, and special appointment outside of my regular office hours (if necessary).  You may also leave me a voice mail at (940) 898-2346.  I usually check for messages once a day (often in the evenings) and try to return calls promptly.

Please note that I am usually active and available online throughout the week (until 5 p.m.), but I reserve the weekends and evenings to be with my family.  Do not expect me to be available online on the weekends or in the evenings. 

Goals and Outcomes: The purpose of this course is to provide the English major with survey of British literature after 1760 that combines both breadth and depth, alternating between literary history of three major periods of British literature (Romantic, Victorian, and Modern British literature) and moments of close study of individual works.  Specifically, we will have four main educational goals:

 

Knowledge of Literary Texts, Genres, and Terms. 

Analytical Skills.

Writing Skills. 

Research Skills. 

 

Course Materials and Supplies:

Required:

1.  The Norton Anthology of English Literature (Norton).  Eighth Edition.  Volume 2.  W.W. Norton & Company.  ISBN: 0-393-92532-3.  General Editor: Stephen Greenblatt.
2.  They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing (They Say/I Say).  W.W. Norton & Company.  ISBN-13: 978-0-393-92409-1.  By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. 

Suggested: A Guide to MLA Documentation by Joseph Trimmer or an English handbook with MLA style information such as The Bedford Handbook by Diana Hacker.

Course Prerequisites: No prerequisites are listed in the TWU course catalog for ENG 3023, but the most successful students will have taken at least nine hours of college English, including two composition courses and at least one college literature course, either at the 2000 or 3000 level.

Disability Support Policy Statement:

"If you anticipate the need for reasonable accommodations to meet the requirements of this course, you must register with the office of Disability Support Services (CFO 106, 940-898-3835, dss@twu.edu) in order to obtain the required official notification of your accommodation needs.   Please plan to meet with me by appointment or during office hours to discuss approved accommodations and how my course requirements and activities may impact your ability to fully participate." (Statement supplied by Disability Support Services Office)

 

Academic Dishonesty: 

 

"Honesty in completing assignments is essential to the mission of the university and to the development of the personal integrity of the student. Cheating, plagiarism, or other kinds of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will result in appropriate sanctions that may include failing an assignment, failing the class, or being suspended or expelled.  Suspected cases in this course may be reported to Student Life. The specific disciplinary process for academic dishonesty is found in the TWU Student Handbook.  Tools to help you avoid plagiarism are available through the TWU Libraries at http://www.twu.edu/library/tutorial/plagiarism/player.html." (Statement provided by Vice-President of Academic Affairs at https://www.twu.edu/academic-affairs/syllabus-requirements.asp)

 

Activities, Assignments, and Grading Policy:

 

 

Major Course Assignments and Examinations:

 

Tests: You will take three tests, one on each of the major literary periods were are covering (Romantic, Victorian, and Modern British).  These tests will consist of twenty multiple-choice questions, and you will have a generous period of time to take them.  The third test will be comprehensive and will include a small amount of questions on the two earlier literary periods (Romantic and Victorian), but the majority of the final exam (the third test) will cover the final literary period under consideration: Modern British Literature. Each test will be worth 20% of your final grade.  Combined they will equal 60% of your grade.  Here is an example of the kind of question you could see:

 

How does William Wordsworth define poetry in his influential "Preface to Lyrical Ballads"?

 

a.  the correct combination of rhyme and meter to create the greatest possible effect.

b.  the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings...recollected in tranquillity..."

c.  the breath of God expelled over the English countryside...

d.  the innate power of God residing within an individual accessed through prayer...

 

The correct answer is "b" (see page 273 in the Norton), and we would have covered that quotation extensively by the time you took the test.

6-8 page formal essay: You will write one formal essay during the semester of 6-8 pages.  I will provide a list of topics during the course, but you are free to choose your own topic.  You will use standard MLA conventions, and synthesize and incorporate secondary sources.  I will provide more specific details during the course.  You will post your paper on digital dropbox and it will be checked by turnitin.com.  The paper will be due no later than 6 December.

Weekly Discussion.  Credit is given for postings to the discussion questions,  special assignments, and the weekly summary.  You must post a minimum of TEN times a week on the discussion question forums (including the weekly summary) and in your groups, when applicable, and once before the end of the day on Wednesday of each week (except for the final week).  Some of these postings will be responses to the study questions; others will be responses to your classmates.  If you do not post at least ten times in the assigned week, do not expect a good participation grade for that week.  I will give you a participation grade weekly, but I will announce them only periodically.  Your grade will be determined by (1) the amount of postings and (2) the quality of the postings (equally weighted).  I calculate participation for a week that begins on Monday and ends at midnight on the following Sunday.  Your postings do not need to be long, but they DO need to advance the discussion helpfully. Postings only count in the week they are due; in other words you cannot “make up” late postings after the week is over.  Postings only count in the following places: (1) the discussion question forums; and (2) the weekly summary forum.  Note: Each week you will be asked to answer three discussion questions, one of which will may occasionally be about writing the research paper.  These discussion questions will allow you to earn participation credit and share ideas with your classmates.  At the end of the week you will also post a summary message and attach a Student Summary Form with your best ten postings pasted into the forum.  You may revise these postings for spelling, grammar, style, etc. but they should essentially be the same postings that you made in the forums. Please note that I will grade the postings you submit in your summaries carefully for spelling and grammar beginning in the first week, so proofread them carefully!  I will use your attached form to calculate your participation grade for the week. If you do not attach a summary form, you cannot get participation credit for the week.

TWU Attendance Policy:

"Consistent and attentive attendance is vital to academic success, and is expected of all students. Grades are determined by academic performance, and instructors may give students written notice that attendance related to specific classroom activities is required and will constitute a specific percentage of students' grades.

Instructors are strongly encouraged to keep a record of student attendance. They should note absences due to documented student illness, serious illness or death in the student's immediate family, official school activity, state-recognized religious holiday, active military service that is of a reasonable brief duration, or other verified absences deemed appropriate by the instructor. Students must consult with instructors regarding the completion of make-up work.

Absences do not exempt students from academic requirements. Excessive absences, even if documented, may result in a student failing the course.   An incomplete may be granted if the student has a passing grade, but only if the instructor determines that it is feasible for the student to successfully complete remaining assignments after the semester. Pursuant to university policy, such determinations are within the discretion of the instructor." (Statement provided by Vice-President of Academic Affairs at https://www.twu.edu/academic-affairs/syllabus-requirements.asp)

Miscellaneous

Midterm Conference: Please note that if you have a failing grade after you receive your feedback in Week FIVE, I would like to meet with you in person in my office to discuss ways to improve your grade.  If will be your responsibility to make that appointment, but I assure you that I will do everything I can in that meeting to provide suggestions that will help you to improve your grade.

Student Participation Summary Form

You will post a summary to a forum provided after you have completed all your week's postings and attach a "student participation summary" form.  You can find this form under "Course Documents." In this form, you will cut and paste your "top ten" postings from the week.  You may edit your postings for grammar and spelling (in fact you SHOULD edit them for grammar and spelling) but not for content (I will check occasionally to make sure that the they represent your actual work from the week).  I will use this summary form to assign your participation grade.  If you do not submit a summary form, you cannot get credit for the week's work even if you fully participated otherwise.  You will post these summaries in the discussion forums provided.

Feedback

I will send you feedback with a course grade FIVE times: in Weeks TWO, FIVE, EIGHT, and after you have posted the final essay.  For example, in Week TWO I will provide feedback for the work the class did in Week ONE; in Week FIVE I will send out feedback forms for the work done by the class in Weeks TWO, THREE, and FOUR,  etc.  When I post a feedback form, I will announce it on Blackboard. You can find it under "digital dropbox."   

Plagiarism

[Academic writing differs from other kinds of writing in that it is a conversation with other people who are writing and thinking about your topic.  As we will learn while reading They Say/I Say, when you write an academic essay you will agree with others, disagree with them, or do a little of both, but above all you will remain in a conversation.  If you do not clearly identify their words and ideas from your own, you are not in a position to demonstrate your own critical thinking.  Plagiarism, therefore, not only robs others other their proper credit, but it robs you of your ability to respond.]

TWU Policy (Statements provided by Vice-President of Academic Affairs at https://www.twu.edu/academic-affairs/syllabus-requirements.asp):

"In an effort to ensure the integrity of the academic process, Texas Woman’s University vigorously affirms the importance of academic honesty as defined by the Student Handbook.   Therefore, in an effort to detect and prevent plagiarism, faculty members at Texas Woman’s University may now use a tool called Turnitin to compare a student’s work with multiple sources.   It then reports a percentage of similarity and provides links to those specific sources.   The tool itself does not determine whether or not a paper has been plagiarized.  Instead, that judgment must be made by the individual faculty member."

[Your 6-8 page formal essays will be checked for plagiarism using Turnitin.com.]

Definition of Plagiarism

"Plagiarism defined at TWU: Plagiarism occurs when a student obtains portions or elements of someone else's work, including materials prepared by another person or agency, and presents those ideas or words as her or his own academic work. The intentional or unintentional use by paraphrase or direct quotation of the published work of another person without full and clear acknowledgement shall constitute plagiarism." 

"Students are responsible for following guidelines of the appropriate course or discipline (i.e.; MLA, APA).
Conduct Guidelines: http://www.twu.edu/o-sl/StudentLifeOffice/AcademicDishonesty.html
TWU Student Code of Conduct: http://www.twu.edu/o-sl/StudentLifeOffice/StudentCodeofConduct.html
TWU Judicial Process: http://www.twu.edu/o-sl/StudentLifeOffice/AcademicDishonesty.html"

"The primary purpose for any antiplagiarism prevention software at TWU is educational. Antiplagiarism technology should be used as a teaching tool. Antiplagiarism technology is merely a tool. The tool alone does not determine whether a paper has been plagiarized. Conversely, students cannot use antiplagiarism tools to prove they have not plagiarized. Instead, that judgment must be made by the individual faculty member. Use of antiplagiarism tools is optional, but if they are used, they must be used according to the policies and guidelines set forth in this document. Instructors must discuss plagiarism and academic integrity with students at the beginning of each course. If students do not consent to having their original work archived in the antiplagiarism tool databases, individual faculty members may use alternative assignments or use other, more traditional, methods for detecting plagiarism. Because papers written for course credit are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), student work submitted to Turnitin by an instructor should use an alias for the student name, and delete any personally-identifiable information. If faculty members suspect that a paper has been plagiarized, and the student does not acknowledge plagiarism, the procedures outlined in Chapter 4 of the Student Handbook must be followed."

[Above all, remember that if you have any questions as to whether or not you have used another person's work and not given proper credit, please see me before you submit the work.]

Tentative Calendar of Classes & Assignments:

Please check here for the Academic Calendar for fall 2009.  Also, please note that this daily syllabus is for planning purposes only and is subject to change. Page numbers for assigned reading (when applicable) are provided.

Week ONE (31 August-6 September 2009)

Reading:

Online Lecture: On the assigned reading.

Assignments:

Week TWO (7-13 Sept. 2009)

7 September (by 5 p.m.) is the last day to file an application for graduation by students completing degree requirements by December 2009.

Reading:

Online Lecture: On the assigned reading.

Assignments:

Week THREE (14-20 Sept. 2009)

Reading:

Online Lecture: On the assigned reading.

Assignments:

Week FOUR (21-27 Sept. 2009)

Reading:

Lecture: On the assigned reading.

Assignments:

Week FIVE (28 Sept. to 4 Oct 2009)

  Reading:

Lecture: On the assigned reading.

Assignments:

Week SIX (5-11 Oct. 2009)

8 October (by 5 p.m.) is the last day to drop a class without academic penalty.

Reading:

Lecture: On the assigned reading.

Assignments:

Week SEVEN (12-18 Oct. 2009)

Midterm Unsatisfactory Progress Reports are due by 5 p.m. on 16 October by instructors.

Reading:

Lecture: On the assigned reading.

Assignments:

Week EIGHT (19-25 Oct. 2009)

Reading:

Lecture: On the assigned reading.

Assignments:

Week NINE (26 Oct. to 1 Nov. 2009)

Reading:

Lecture: On the assigned reading.

Assignments:

Week TEN (2-8 Nov. 2009)

5 November (by 5 p.m.) is the last day to drop a class or withdraw from the university.

Reading:

Lecture: On the assigned reading.

Assignments:

Week ELEVEN (9-15 Nov. 2009)

Reading:

Lecture: On the assigned reading.

Assignments:

Week TWELVE (16-22 Nov. 2009)

Reading:

Lecture: On the assigned reading.

Assignments:

Week THIRTEEN (23-29 Nov. 2009. Please note that TWU is closed for the Thanksgiving holiday 25-29 Nov.)

Reading:

Lecture: On the assigned reading.

Assignments:

Week FOURTEEN (30 Nov. to 6 Dec. 2009)

Reading:

Lecture: On the assigned reading.

Assignments:

Week FIFTEEN (7-11 Dec. 2009.  Please note that this is a short week.  11 Dec. is the last day of fall classes)

Reading:

Lecture: On the assigned reading.

Assignments:

Final Examination Period (14-20 Dec. 2009)

The final examination will be due on digital dropbox by midnight on Wednesday, 16 December.

Syllabus Changes

All changes (if any) made after 31 August 2009 to the syllabus will be summarized here:

1.  Changed due date for Test on Romantic Literature to 18 October.

2.  Modified feedback schedule (27 November).

 

 

Last updated: 27 November 2009