ENGLISH 1B: Advanced Composition and Introduction to Literature.  FALL 2008, Section 1150       

Online Course Using WebCT 6.0/Blackboard

Preliminary Course Syllabus: Policies and Schedule of Assignments

                             

LOG IN TO THE CLASS BY 8/25/08.

WEBCT/Blackboard LOGIN PAGE http://webct.yosemite.edu/webct/entryPageIns.dowebct

 

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT: If you have a disability that may affect your performance in this class, please notify me and/or the Disabled Student Services office (588-5130) within the first two weeks of the semester, if possible.  Your notification will remain confidential.

 

INSTRUCTOR: Ms. Joan Canty

OFFICE: Tamarack Room 209A (2nd floor above library/LEARNING RESOURCES CENTER)

Office hours: I am physically and virtually present in my office TUESDAYS 12-2 p.m. and by individual appointment.  At this scheduled time and at other times you may issue me a chat invitation if you see I am online.

 

 HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ME:

 

Class E-mail in WebCT/Blackboard: I check my Blackboard (class) and campus email accounts twice a day, Monday through Friday, and sometimes on weekends.  I will respond to you within 24 hours under normal circumstances; I will announce any change in this policy in WebCT/Blackboard Announcements section. 

Campus email:  cantyj@yosemite.edu

 

Web site: Go to college home page http://gocolumbia.org  Click on Faculty, Staff and Department directory.  Choose Part-time/Adjunct faculty.  Then type in either my first or last name; when the new window appears, click on my name and my home page will appear.  The following is a direct link to my college home page, which is NOT included in WebCT/Blackboard, the software program that you will be using to access this course. http://columbia.yosemite.cc.ca.us/cantyj/

(You may also email me from my college home page.)

PHONE: VOICEMAIL: 588-5100, press 4, ext. 8404.  Leave a message.

MAILBOX: Go into Instruction Office in Manzanita (near Admissions & Records) and locate mailroom; my mailbox is on the left-hand side.  My mailbox is above my name label

 

College Web site: http://columbia.yosemite.cc.ca.us/cantyj/

IMPORTANT NOTE: BE SURE TO READ THE ORIENTATION DOCUMENTS (UNDER "READ THIS BEFORE YOU START THE CLASS") ON MY COLLEGE WEB SITE AND ON THE CLASS'S WEBCT/BLACKBOARD HOME PAGE (UNDER READ THIS FIRST).  THEY WILL ANSWER MANY OF THE QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THE CLASS.

 

WebCT/Blackboard (interactive class site): Go to Columbia College home page; in upper left corner click on WebCT/Blackboard; then follow directions from the login page.  You can also access this site from my home page.  You can also check your browser and Javascript versions for compatibility with WebCT/Blackboard from the login page.  Once you log into the class, you will encounter a page My Courses.  Click on the class hyperlink English 1B Fall 2008 1150.  You will now be in the class; Course Tools will be on your left and the class Home Page is on your right.  You might have to click on the arrows to adjust the view of the course.  This class is where you should submit all the discussion, communication, quizzes, and writing for this course.  If the login page does not accept your student ID or password, please call the Help Desk (see below); I cannot reset your password for you.

 

HELP DESK NUMBER (for problems with computers and WebCT/Blackboard): 588-5282, 588-5385 M-F

http://www.yosemite.edu/helpdesk/

 

EMERGENCY CONTACT: Sometimes your computer, or mine, will crash, or a browser may fail, or you may lose electrical power.  On rare occasions the mainframe that supports the class software, WebCT/Blackboard, will fail, or the college Home Page will have difficulties, or you will not be able to log into WebCT.  Leave a voice mail for me, or an email message to my college email address if you can, detailing the problems you have encountered.  I will respond to you within 24 hours.  If this is a systemwide problem that I cannot solve, I will notify the folks who can.  You may also contact the Help Desk if the problem lies with your computer. 

 

TIP: If you are asked for a password when accessing any of the active Web links on this document, click on Cancel in the password window and you should then get to the link.

 

Required Texts:

I will have copies of the texts at the college library circulation desk.

Anderson, Daniel.  Writing about Literature in the Media Age.  WITH CD!!  New York: Pearson/Longman, 2005.

Lunsford, Andrea.  Easy Writer.  3rd edNew York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006

      A paperback novel of your choice: either House of Sand and Fog, by Andre Dubus, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, or Regeneration by Pat Barker

     Strongly suggested but not required: A college-level dictionary and thesaurus.

 

Other Required Materials:

Floppy disks, flash drives, or CDs; access to computer and printer and Internet; word processing program, operating system, and Internet browser and Javascript version compatible with WebCT/Blackboard 6.0

 

Basic Computer Skills:

Word processing, creating, opening, and saving documents, attaching files, using the Internet, sending e-mail messages. 

 

WEBCT/Blackboard LOGIN PAGE http://webct.yosemite.edu/webct/entryPageIns.dowebct

 

There are links to tutorials on the My Courses page AFTER you log in, but you may also find the tutorials link below.

http://virtual.mjc.edu/staffdev/Student_Tutorials/Swfs_htm/index.htm

 

 The Orientation document contains answers to many of the questions you might have, including "how to's," about the class.  You may find it on my college Web site and on the class's home page. 

College Web site: http://columbia.yosemite.cc.ca.us/cantyj/

IMPORTANT NOTE: BE SURE TO READ THE ORIENTATION DOCUMENT (UNDER "READ THIS BEFORE YOU START THE CLASS") ON MY COLLEGE WEB SITE AND ON THE CLASS'S WEBCT/BLACKBOARD HOME PAGE (UNDER "READ THIS FIRST"). 

 

BASIC COURSE INFORMATION

 

Name:                            English 1B: Advanced Composition and Introduction to Literature

Course ID:                       1150: online course   

Course Description:    The following information appears in the college catalog.  The course objectives listed later in this document explain more fully the topics and skills covered in this class.

3 hours

 

This transfer-level course introduces students to major literature genres: poetry, drama, short story, and long works of fiction from diverse cultural sources and perspectives.  Students write approximately 8,000-10,000 words in critical essays, employing methods of literary analysis and research, demonstrating further development of reading, critical reasoning, and writing skills. (MJC ENGL 102)
Transfer:  UC/CSU  (CAN ENGL 4) (CAN ENGL SEQ A = ENGL 1A + ENGL 1B)

 

 

Welcome to English 1B, Advanced Composition and Introduction to Literature!  You have enrolled in a course that aims to engage you in reading, thinking about, writing about, and exploring literature.  Literature is a reflection of not only society but also of the individual--you--from now and in the past, and literature can also speculate about the future.  Literary analysis is not about coming up with the “right” answer to a puzzle, as you might in a math class.  It is a subjective response to a piece of writing that also includes elements of analysis, and is supported by reference to the text itself.

            English 1B is a course that further develops your skills in reading and composition based on critical study of poetry, drama and fiction.  To be eligible for this course, you must have passed English 1A with a grade of C, CR, P, or better, or equivalent.  Upon completion of this course you should be able to write longer documented essays and use critical thinking in reading and interpreting poetry, short stories, novels, and plays. 

           

COURSE OBJECTIVES

I hope you take away from this class a greater appreciation and understanding of literature.  You will be thinking more deeply about what you read and will make connections between literature and your life as well as how literature arises from a social and historical context.  Formal objectives for this course require you to produce clear and concise essays of 600-1,250 words that demonstrate appreciation of and a thoughtful interpretation of literature.  You will be able to read and analyze a variety of literary forms of writing, and will be able to use rhetorical strategies to produce narrative and expository writing.  You will participate in weekly discussions of what we have read and will be testing your interpretations on quizzes, short weekly writing assignments and longer writing projects.  As this is advanced reading and composition, I will expect your work to demonstrate and exceed the effective essay skills you learned in English 1A, and I expect that you will use Easy Writer for suggestions on proofreading your homework, discussions, and formal papers.  The course content will help you accomplish the learning objectives for this class.

The following is a list of the learning objectives for students.  I will accomplish these objectives through reading assignments, quizzes, writing assignments, and threaded discussions.  In the weekly Learning Modules, you will find statements about the purpose of each lesson. This is my way of explaining to you when and how we will address these objectives.

 

GOAL:  Each student should be able to write longer documented essays

Student Learning Objectives:

1.    Use the library or the library's Web site to do research,

2.    Organize information to be used in the development of one's own thesis,

3.    Compose a clear, relevant thesis paragraph,

4.    Use critical judgment in organizing supporting material,

5.    Use appropriate transitional devices,

6.    Paraphrase and quote smoothly, incorporating directly quoted material into one's own sentence and   paragraph structure,

7.    Avoid plagiarism,

8.    Use both the standard MLA form and the 1984 modifications, and

9.    Revise for clarity, development, correctness, appropriateness, emphasis, and style.

 

GOAL: Each student should be able to use critical thinking in reading and interpreting longer works of drama and fiction.

Student Learning Objectives:

1.    Identify, understand, and explain the theme and its development,

2.    Understand levels of meaning beyond the literal,   

3.    Make intelligent inferences, and      

4.    Develop an appreciation for artistically unified drama and fiction.

 

GOAL: Each student should be able to use critical thinking in reading and interpreting poetry.

Student Learning Objectives:

1.    Identify and understand a variety of poetic forms,

2.    Make intelligent inferences by reading both literally and figuratively,

3.    Understand imagery and its communication through the use of literal language, figurative language, and the application of sound,

4.    Read poetry aloud in a natural and appropriate voice, and

5.    Develop an appreciation for poetry and its application to the life of the reader.

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

There are approximately 1,000 maximum possible points for the course:

1. REQUIRED MAJOR WRITING PROJECTS (4)--worth 450 points, divided as follows: 

#1: Character Analysis, 600-750 words: 50 points; due 9/22                   

#2: Short Fiction Assignment, 1,000-1,250 words: 100 points; due 10/20

#3: Novel response essays (4), 1 @ 350 words, 3 @ 500 words: 200 points total

due 9/29-11/10 (various): NOTE FIRST TWO DUE DATES ARE BEFORE PROJ. 2

#4: Drama or poetry research paper, 1,000-1,250 words:  100 points; due 12/1 

IN ORDER TO PASS THE CLASS, ALL PROJECTS MUST BE HANDED IN.

2. WEEKLY SHORTER WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: WORTH 200 POINTS TOTAL

ASSIGNED WRITING, USUALLY FROM WRITING ABOUT LITERATURE IN THE MEDIA AGE,  

3. WEEKLY ONLINE DISCUSSION POSTINGS: worth about 200 POINTS; about 15 points each week (7 for initial response, 4 each for responses to two other students' postings)

4. QUIZZES: worth about 150 points

5. There will be some optional extra credit projects.

I will drop from your final grade 15 points, the equivalent of the lowest or missing weekly assignment, discussion, or quiz.

 

 

COURSE ORGANIZATION:

 

The Course Calendar (see icon under Course Tools) is meant to facilitate your planning. However, I rely mainly on the weekly Learning Modules and the Syllabus to show what is due.  If you wish to add your own dates to the Course Calendar for your convenience, please do so.  NOTE: QUIZ AND DISCUSSION DUE DATES DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY APPEAR ON THE COURSE CALENDAR.  You must add them in yourself.  They are always due 11:59 PM on Mondays unless an emergency situation has occurred, in which case I will notify you via Announcement in the class.

 

FIRST PLACE TO GO EVERY WEEK IS THE LEARNING MODULE FOR THAT WEEK.  ALWAYS REVIEW AND PRINT OUT THE WEEKLY LEARNING MODULES FOR EACH WEEK!  There is a printable version that you can choose through the Learning Module icons.  The weekly Learning Modules include the following components, each of which will be fully explained when you access the Learning Module for each week (Course tools>learning modules).  In each Learning Module is a page titled Week X Assignments, which gives you a checklist of all the components assigned and due that week and beyond.  Following the Week X Assignments document is a selection of the various components that constitute that week's assignments, quizzes, etc., plus links to them.

 

·         Reading Assignments from the textbooks

·         Lessons: something I give you to read in addition to the texts; this may be a Web link or a typed page in the Learning Module

·         Writing assignments; each has its own drop box under Assignments; this includes short written homework and longer Projects

·         Discussions: each week will have a separate topic

·         Quizzes (under Assessments): except for the Practice Quiz, you may take each quiz only once, and the quizzes have a time limit.  The quizzes are based on readings assigned for that week.    

 

COURSE POLICIES (in alphabetical order)

 

1.                  DISCUSSION POSTINGS ONLINE.  Weekly online discussion topics will appear in the Discussion section in WebCT.  You will be expected to post at least  three substantial responses (200-300 words initial, 100-150 words response) to each topic as part of your postings grade: one on-time (1 point) initial response to the topic (6 points) and two responses to someone else’s initial posting on the topic (4 points each) by the last weekly discussion due date.   The discussion postings will begin in Week One, and I will give you a model as to what “substantial” and “insubstantial” response postings are.  Each week’s new topic will appear on Friday, and you have nine days (a week from that Monday) to post your responses.  The initial response is due a week from the release date Friday, and the final response is due Monday.  So if the topic is released Friday 9/19, your initial response is due Friday 9/26 and your final responses are due Monday 9/29.  See “Communication Guidelines” in the Introduction/Read This First icon on the course’s Home Page for further information including Internet etiquette.

 

When posting your initial response to my weekly discussion thread, put in the subject area: yourfirstname yourlastname’s initial posting.  Use the Compose feature to post your initial response rather than hitting "reply" to my initial posting.  If responding to another student’s initial posting, use the "reply" button; put in the subject area: yourfirstname lastname’s response to otherfirstname otherlastname’s initial posting.  Also, use the student's name IN your message.

 

2.                  DUE DATES: All reading and writing assignments and discussion postings should be submitted by the stated due date and time listed in the syllabus, calendar, weekly learning module, and assignment drop box.  Most weekly assignments (apart from projects, which are assigned several weeks in advance) are due 9 days from the Friday in which they are posted.  So if the weekly assignments are released on 1/18, the writing assignments and discussion postings should be completed and posted by Monday 1/27, 11:59 p.m.  Do not BEGIN your quizzes, posting or assignment uploading at 11:59 p.m. on Monday as you will not have time to save or upload.  Quizzes, discussion topics, and  weekly writing assignments may not be made up.  I do not accept late work except for the one late project option.

 

IN CASE OF COMPUTER, BROWSER, TECHNICAL, SYSTEM, OR WEBCT PROBLEMS: Sometimes your computer will crash, or a browser may fail, or you may lose electrical power.  On rare occasions the mainframe that supports the class software, WebCT/Blackboard, will fail, or the college Home Page will have difficulties, or you will not be able to log into WebCT.  Leave a voice mail for me, or an email message to my college email address if you can, detailing the problems you have encountered.  I will respond to you within 24 hours.  If this is a systemwide problem that I cannot solve, I will notify the folks who can.  You may also contact the Help Desk if the problem lies with your computer. 

In case of WebCT or system failures, I will extend the due dates for assignments; please check Announcements in WebCT.  If you are in the middle of taking a quiz and your computer times out, contact me and I will reset your quiz and will give you instructions for accessing the quiz if it is after the due date.  You will get one reset quiz per semester.  If you experience computer difficulties, you may use your late option for projects ONLY ONCE.  Because this is a fully online class, I expect that you will have a computer that is compatible with the class software, and that you will have a backup plan in place in case your computer fails.  The Columbia College library has computers that you may use for your WebCT class assignments.  If you experience chronic computer problems that may affect your performance in this class, please contact me as soon as possible so we may discuss this.

 

3.                  PROJECTS:

• FORMAT OF FINAL DRAFTS: The final draft of all your projects must be in Modern Language Association (MLA) format: typed, double-spaced, with one-inch borders, headers, and a Works Cited page.  Use correct citation format to avoid plagiarism (see your writing handbook).  In WALMA on pp. 232-238 you will see a sample paper in MLA format.  You may also check your writing handbook for MLA format.  Give your document a title like this: proj#lastnamefirstname.  If I were to submit Project 3, my document would be titled: proj3cantyjoan.  Save your document in Rich Text Format.  Submit electronically AS AN ATTACHMENT in the assignment drop box by the due date.

The project assignment boxes will be available for you to read several weeks before the projects are due.  In the Assignment Drop Box, click on the project number and you will see a printed instruction sheet for that assignment.  Questions about the assignment may be posted to me via WebCT email or you may post it under a general discussion topic.  Probably other students will have the same questions, so it’s good for the entire class to see your question.  Who knows—another student may answer your question before I have a chance to!  Submit these longer projects as word document file attachments, saved in Rich Text Format.  You will have one optional late submission of Project 1-3 and one optional revision of Project 1-3 (the late submission and revision can be on the same or different projects).  You must hand in all projects to pass the class.   

• ONE FREE LATE PROJECT OPTION: You may choose ONE ONLY “free” late project (#1-#3), to be submitted no later than one week after the project is due.  If that project is turned in later than one week after the due date, or if you’ve already used up your “free” late project option, I will not accept it.  You may, however, submit the missed project as your free revision option for 50% of the earned grade.  If you are having trouble with a project, please don’t wait until the last minute to ask for help, and please don’t fail to turn in a project just because you couldn’t write it as well as you’d wished.  See me before the deadline.  To pass the course, all projects must be turned in. 

• FREE REVISION OPTION: You will also be allowed one “free” revision of Projects 1-3 for a possible improved grade.  I will give you further details later in the course; the revision must be substantial, must be on the same topic, and must be handed in no later than the due date.  Your final grade will be the average of the two graded drafts.  If for some reason you have not handed in a project, you may use the free revision option to hand it in, but you will get only 50% of the earned grade. 

·         RECAP:  First time you hand in a project up to one week late: 100% of the grade you earn

o    Second time you hand in a project late: 50% of earned grade (this is your free revision option for Proj. 1-3)

o    Third or fourth time you hand in a project late: 0% of earned grade

o    If you choose to hand in part of Proj. 3 late, or revise a part of Proj. 3, you may choose only ONE part of Proj. 3 as a late and/or revised essay.  Each part of Proj. 3 counts as a regular essay; you may not hand in late or revise more than one part.

     

4.                  GRADING: When you have performed or handed in a completed assignment, you will receive points.  Your grades will be determined by a percentage of points possible.  I will give you your class average three times a semester.  You may calculate your own percentage at any time by dividing points you earned by points possible on your assignments to date.

5.                  GRADING SCALE: 100-90% = A; 80-89% = B; 70-79% = C; 69-60% = D; below 60% = F.

6.                  GRADING CRITERIA: You will receive comments and grades on the projects and other work you hand in.  Your grades will be posted on WebCT and you can view these at any time by clicking “My grades” icon under the Course Tools.  You may also calculate your own grade.  Simply add up your scores for assignments, then divide that by the total scores possible for the assignments in question.  

7.                  OUTSIDE-OF-CLASS PREPARATION involves three skills: reading, writing, and good time management.  This three-unit class requires 9-12 hours weekly for reading, writing, and discussion components.  This is no longer high school; you cannot write a satisfactory essay an hour before it is due. 

8.                  PARTICIPATION:  Academic research has demonstrated that students retain more information by learning in an interactive and active mode.  Active participation (in questioning, in challenging the reading, in responses, and in online discussions) ensures greater success.  Active participation allows you to become better acquainted with your fellow students, which in turn will make you more confident in exploring and developing ideas.

9.                  PLAGIARISM:  Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s work or ideas as your own, without giving him or her credit.  “Work” refers not only to published texts such as books and magazines but also includes information you use from Internet sites, whether or not the site gives a specific author’s name.  Plagiarism also includes having someone else help write your papers for you, but plagiarism does not include getting feedback from Academic Achievement Center tutors.   The Columbia College Student Code of Conduct, found in the college catalog, specifically outlines "Cheating, plagiarism, or engaging in other academic dishonesty" as one of the behaviors that may result in disciplinary action, including expulsion.

Anyone caught deliberately plagiarizing will receive an F on the assignment and possibly in this course.  I flunked two students in my Fall English 1B course for plagiarizing.  I use very effective anti-plagiarism software called Turnitin

Do not jeopardize your academic career.  If you are unclear whether you might be plagiarizing, consult Writing About Literature in the Media Age or your writing handbook, or ask me.  Here is a link to a Web site that gives excellent, detailed descriptions of plagiarism. http://www.northwestern.edu/uacc/plagiar.html

10.             PRIVATE VS. PUBLIC WRITING: Academic writing is generally public writing; you are expected to share your writing with the instructor and with your fellow students.  Please use your discretion about the appropriateness of the material that you share with the class.  For discussion postings, please consult the Communication Guidelines and Netiquette.  I expect you to be respectful of the opinions of your fellow students;  if you disagree, please do so considerately.

11.             QUIZZES:  Quizzes are online; they are open book and open note, but the quiz is timed, so prior to taking the quiz for that week you should have finished the reading, writing, and discussion assignments for the week.  You will need to have on hand before taking the quiz the textbook and possibly the Web pages inside or out of WebCT that I have assigned you to read.  I suggest you take the practice quiz to familiarize yourself with the WebCT quiz format; you may take this quiz many times and the grade will not be counted in your overall quiz grade.

12.      RESOURCES ONLINE: You will find several resources in WebCT.  I have posted other resources for you in the Course Tools and in the orientation on the Home Page in the course.

13.       SAVING/BACKING UP YOUR WORK:  Please be sure to save copies of all your work done for this class, including quizzes submitted.  This will help in case of technical problems or power failure.  I, your instructor, have learned the hard way, several times, to back up and save my work.

14.       WRITING HOMEWORK: I expect that you will show good essay form in your weekly writing assignments: MLA format, double-spaced, good organization, coherent paragraphs with topic sentences, good grammar and spelling, good sentence structure, etc. Shorter writing homework assignments (not projects) may be saved in Rich Text Format and submitted as attachments, OR may be copied and pasted into the Submission window of the assignment drop box.

 

 

English 1B, Fall 2008, Section 1150: General Course Schedule (subject to change)

 

Please Note:  The schedule is subject to change, and you are responsible for keeping informed of any alterations.  Reading selections are from Writing About Literature in the Media Age (WALMA) and Easy Writer (EW), unless otherwise noted.  The novel reading schedule and Proj. 3 assignments are in the assignment drop boxes.  This course schedule is meant only as a general guideline; the online weekly assignments in the weekly learning modules feature the most current assignments, and there will be supplemental readings, such as lessons, links, or background information, assigned in the weekly learning modules assignments that do not appear on this syllabus.   

 

Overview of writing project due dates:

Proj. 1, Character Analysis        9/22

Proj. 3, Novel: 1st response        9/ 29

Proj. 3, Novel: 2nd response       10/6

Proj. 2, Short Story Comparison 10/20

Proj. 3, Novel: 3rd response        11/3

Proj. 3, Novel: 4th response         11/10

Proj. 4, Research                            12/1

 

Week 1

            Released 8/20, due Monday 9/1/08 (Labor Day)

            Go to Course Tools>Learning Modules>Week 1>Week 1 assignments.  This assignments page contains a list of everything you need to read, write, take, link to, and post.  Every Learning Module will have a new assignments page each week for you to print out and use as a checklist if you wish.  The assignments pages are more current than this syllabus.

Read all "Introduction/Read Me First" information on WebCT course Home Page; the Week 2 quiz will ask questions about it and about this syllabus. 

Writing:  introductory letter (15 points).  See Intro Letter under Course Tools>Assignment Drop Box for instructions.  Due 9/1; save in Rich Text Format and attach document in Introductory Letter assignment drop box.

Week 1 discussion.  See my initial posting for details, the Discussion section of this syllabus for overview, and Course Tools>Introduction>Email and discussion guidelines.  You will be using some information from your Introductory Letter to post as a discussion topic to the class.  Your initial posting is due on 8/29,  BEFORE your Introductory Letter due date.   You will also post replies to two other students'' initial postings by 9/1. 

Reading: Introduction  in Writing About Literature in the Media Age (WALMA) through p. 14

Watch on CD “The Story of an Hour” video clip;

Other: Decide on novel you will read; submit the title by 9/8 in the assignment drop box.

Practice quiz (under Assessments in Course Tools): you may take the practice quiz up to 4 times.  There is a time limit but no grade will be assigned.  After this, all quizzes may be taken only once, with a time limit, for a grade.  Quizzes are open book but if you have not read the material beforehand you will not have enough time to complete the quiz.

 

 

 

Week 2

            Released Fri. 8/29; due Monday 9/8

Read Chapter 1, WALMA: Evaluation and Critical Reading;

Read Week 2 assignments page in Course Tools>Learning modules>Week 2 assignments

Read Week 2 Fiction goals in Week 2 learning module

Read MLA link in Week 2 Learning module

Begin reading novel.  Click on one of the four Project 3 Assignment drop boxes, which contain novel reading schedules, four mini-essays for Project 3 with different due dates, and reading tips; also found in Weekly Learning Modules.  Print out this assignment for your reference.

Submit novel choice in Novel Choice assignment drop box by 9/8

Writing: WALMA, Ex. 1.2, p. 23-24; work on your own.  For #1, answer all three questions; for #2, write down the passage or theme you find interesting; for #3, write a paragraph as instructed. ( Due 9/8)   

Discussion question: respond to online posting on “Hands.”  Initial response due 9/5, responses to others due 9/8

Timed Quiz Week 2 under Assessments; due 9/8 at 11:59 PM; covers Ch. 1, syllabus, and orientation materials

*Writing: Project #1 (due 9/22): Character Analysis, 600-750 words.

 

Week 3

            Released Fri. 9/5; due Monday 9/15

            Read Week 3 Learning Module

Read the narrative structure link in the Week 3 learning module (lavender/duck soup); it is several pages, some in grid form.

Reading: Chapter 2, WALMA, Analyzing and Writing About Literature; also read the Theme link in the Week 3 module

Reading: Easy Writer Documentation (MLA): pp. 196-231

Writing assignment: analyze the plot structure of a movie or fairy tale using the narrative plot structure grid found on the narrative structure link--complete instructions in the assignment drop box for Narrative Structure.

Discussion question #3: respond to online posting. Initial 9/13, responses to others 9/15.

Quiz Week 3: on Ch. 2 and theme

 

Week 4:

Released Fri. 9/12; due Monday 9/22

Read Week 4 Learning Module

            Reading: Chapter 3 WALMA to p. 79

            Reading: two links on Week 4 learning module for Raymond Carver and Elements of Fiction link; you may also find these links in Course Tools>Web links

*Writing: Project #2 assigned, short fiction comparison (due 11/10)

*Writing: Project 1, Character Analysis, due 9/22; one time only late option submission due date is 9/29

Discussion question 4: Respond to online posting (initial due 9/19, final 9/22)

Quiz 4                      

 

Week 5

            Released Fri. 9/19; due Monday 9/29

            Read Week 5 Learning Module

            Reading: Read WALMA Chap. 9, Fiction, to p. 243.   Point of View will be more thoroughly discussed next week.

            Supplemental online reading—see Week 5 learning module links (Pied Piper of Tucson information, first two pages of Web site only, and Spencer Martinez paper); the discussion question this week is based on these links.  Go to Course Tools>Web links to access the links as you can't access them from the discussion topic in Week 5.

Discussion 5: Respond to my posting (initial due 9/19, replies 9/22).

           CD: Listen to Dylan's "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" on WALMA CD

Writing:  Project 3, #1, due 9/29

Quiz 5; does not cover Point of View, which will be on Week 6 quiz.

 

Week 6

            Released Fri. 9/26; due Monday 10/6

            Read Week 6 Learning Module

Reading: Chapter 6, Prewriting, WALMA

Read Point of View page in Week 6 learning module

Discussion 6: respond to online posting (initial due 10/3, final 10/6).

Writing: Project 3, #2 (due 10/6)

            Quiz 6: Ch. 5 and point of view

 

Week 7

            Released Fri. 10/3; due Monday 10/13

            Read Week 7 learning module

            Reading: Finish Chapter 3, WALMA, p. 79-end;

Discussion 7: respond to online posting on "Aliteracy" (initial due 10/10, final 10/13). 

*Writing: Project 2 due, Short Fiction Comparison (due 10/20); one time only option for late submission is due 10/27

Novel groups assigned.

Writing: WALMA EX. 6.1 p. 156: freewrite on "Embrace"

Quiz 7

 

Week 8

            Released Fri. 10/10; due Monday 10/20

            Read Week 8 learning module

Reading: Chapter 10, WALMA, Poetry, p. 258-270 (top) (pp. 251-258 are optional reading).  Skip the poem “Di Great Insohreckshan

Read poetry Lesson pages in weekly course content module

Discussion 8: respond to online posting (initial due 10/17, final 10/20)

*Writing: Project 2 due, Short Fiction Comparison (due 10/20); one time only option for late submission is due 10/27

            Quiz 8

 

Week 9

            Released Fri. 10/17; due Monday 10/27

            Read Week 9 learning module

 Reading: Chapter 10 WALMA, Poetry: p. 270-end

Read supplemental information on poetry in this week’s learning module

Discussion 9: respond to online posting for your novel (initial due 10/24, final 10/27)

            Writing:  Ex. 10.3 p. 261, all (work on your own);

Writing: Proj. 4 research paper assignment, due 12/1

Quiz 9

 

Week 10

            *Released Fri.10/24; due Monday 11/3

            Read Week 10 learning module

            Reading: Chap. 7  WALMA, Drafting;

            Reading: Easy Writer Research pp. 168-194

            View video on CD “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

No Discussion

Writing:  Research exercise with quotations due 11/3

*Writing: Project 3 #3 (due 11/3).

*Project 4 (drama or poetry research) assigned, due 12/1

Quiz 10

 

Week 11

            *Released Fri. 10/31; due Monday 11/10

            Read Week 11 learning module

            Reading: Chapter 11 WALMA, Drama, to p. 295;

             Reading: "Trifles" p. 625-635            

 Read Drama lesson in weekly course content;

Discussion 11: Post discussion response (initial due 11/17, final 11/20)

Writing: Proj. 3 #4 (DUE 11/10)

 Extra credit assignments (optional)

 Quiz 11

           

Week 12

            *Released Fri. 11/7; due Monday 11/17

            Read Week 12 learning module

 Reading: Chap. 4, WALMA, research, 94-114; also, read A Doll’s House pp. 667-715

Writing: online research assignment for Proj. 4, due 11/17           

           Read Research lesson in weekly Learning Module

Discussion 12: post discussion response (initial due 11/14, final 11/17)

 

Week 13

            *Released Fri. 11/14; due Monday 11/24

            Read Week 13 learning module

            Read learning module lesson about plagiarism

            Read Ch. 4 WALMA research, p. 114-129

Reading: Antigone, p. 788-814.

Writing: plagiarism avoidance exercise, due 11/24 

Discussion 13: post discussion response (initial due 11/21, final 11/24)

            Last Quiz 13

 

Week 14

            *Released Fri. 11/21; due Monday 12/1

            Read Week 14 learning module

            Reading: Chapter 8, WALMA, Revising

No Discussion 14; no quiz        

**Writing: Project 4 due 12/1

 

Week 15-16

            *Released Fri. 11/28; due Monday 12/8

             Reading: "Los Vendidos" p. 296-304 WALMA

*Free revisions due 12/8

*Extra credit due 12/8

            Discussion 15 (last one): one posting due 12/8

 No quiz, but please complete Course Evaluation in Assessments  section.

 

Week 16: No final exam.  Final grades will be posted by 12/15.  Please complete the course evaluation found in Assessments section, as I use student feedback to adjust my classes.  It is a confidential, anonymous survey, and I will not know which students give particular responses.  If you wish to identify yourself, please use your initials or first name with each response.