COLLIN COLLEGE

SUMMER II COURSE SYLLABUS

ENGLISH 2332: WORLD LITERATURE I

Monday through Thursday

Professor: Joyce M. Miller | Office: J243, Spring Creek Campus

Office email address (weekday replies only): jmiller@ccccd.edu 

URL: http://iws.ccccd.edu/jmiller/jmiller.htm
Office Hours: 7am-8am, M/T/W/R
Also by appointment. 972.881.5981
 

  CAMPUS POLICY: Campus regulations do not allow food, drinks, or smoking in the classroom.
Please do not ask for exceptions to these regulations. (Water is always permitted.)

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT COMPLIANCE: It is the policy of Collin College to provide reasonable and appropriate accommodations for individuals with documented disabilities. This college will adhere to all applicable federal and state laws, regulations, and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to visit the ACCESS office (G200) or telephone 972.881.5898 (TDD.881.5950) in a timely manner if he or she desires to arrange accommodations.

RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS: In accordance with Section 51.911 of the Texas Education Code, Collin College will allow a student who is absent from class for the observance of a religious holy day to take an examination or complete an assignment scheduled for that day within a reasonable time. Students are required to file a written request with each professor within the first 15 days of the semester to qualify for an excused absence. Please visit or telephone the registrar's office for additional information on procedures and rules.

COLLEGE REPEAT POLICY:   You may repeat this course only once after earning a grade, including W. Should you drop the course before the current semester's census date (insert date here), you will not incur a penalty. Should you withdraw from the course after the census date, however, a grade of W will be posted to your transcript and noted as one attempted enrollment in the course.

INCOMPLETE GRADES: "Incompletes" require that you have a minimum grade of "C" and completed a minimum of 80 percent of the course requirements at the time you request an incomplete grade.  Incomplete grades can occur only if the instructor deems a situation serious enough to warrant them.  (A change in job schedules, for example, does not qualify for incomplete grades.)

CLASSROOM POLICIES: Please be courteous and turn off cell phones and beepers before entering the classroom. You may bring water, not food and beverages, to class.  Please review "A Student's Guide to Academic Etiquette."  Please note: I do not accept electronic attachments of essays as substitutes for in-class submission of work due. If you cannot attend class when an essay is due, make arrangements for someone else to deliver it to me.

PREREQUISITE: English 1302: Composition/Rhetoric II. Please see me immediately if you have not learned how to document sources using MLA style.

COURSE DESCRIPTION (CATALOG): Introduces the student to a variety of literary histories beginning with the classical Greek period through the 16th century. The students will read representative selections, analyze and discuss philosophies, societal mores, social milieus, and social concerns. Three credit hours; three lecture hours.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: World Literature 2332 is a critical writing/reading/thinking-intensive sophomore-level course designed to introduce students to the pleasures of exploring literary masterpieces as well as to reinforce their skills in literary analysis and research. It is also a course designed to put students in a continual process of interpreting, confronting, discovering, and discussing human experience, particularly if they are willing to accept literary conventions with a "willing suspension of disbelief" (Coleridge) or, if you will, an "eager entrance into belief" (Joyce M. Miller). The works listed below are chosen for their general representation of the complex sensibility of a given period or culture as well as for their contemporary relevance. This course will explore the interpretive possibilities of world literature from around the eighth century (B.C.E.) to the Seventeenth Century with an eye toward understanding the characteristics, the shifting thought processes, and the sensibilities leading to the post-modern era. Upon completion of this course, students will have gained a broader knowledge of some of the world's most significant cultural traditions and literary masterpieces. Moreover, they will have gained a fundamental understanding of the terminology and characteristics of the literature of the classical, medieval, and Renaissance periods, learning, for one example, some of the ways in which Greek and Elizabethan tragedy differ.

((For a complete description of   Learning Outcomes and Performance Measurements for World Lit I, please see end of syllabus.)

REQUIRED TEXTS: The Norton Anthology of World Literature, 2nd ed., Volumes A, B, C; the write stuff, 4tb ed. (Joyce M. Miller).

RECOMMENDED TEXTS: On reserve, LRC circulation desk: MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (Gibaldi and Achtert); Writing Themes About Literature (Roberts); and A Short Guide to Writing About Literature (Barnet).

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: Four quizzes in which you identify or discuss excerpted material; a mid-term examination that consists largely of an analytic response (in essay form) to a choice of literary topics (e.g., you will also be expected to identify/discuss terms, characters, authors, and excerpted passages); final examination (see below); one four-to-five-page critical research essay; and brief in-class responses. Because in-class responses are designed to strengthen your analytic skills, they are evaluated even though they are not used in the computation of total points.

FINAL EXAMINATION (verify the times in your schedule of classes): The final examination will consist ENTIRELY of responding in essay form to two or more topics relating to the works studied from the mid-term on. Because you will be expected to support your assertions with textual evidence, you will be able to use your text during the final exam.

CRITICAL ESSAYS: At sophomore level, you are expected to possess competent writing skills. If you stand on somewhat shaky ground here, please see me immediately for instruction. (I encourage you to make periodic appointments with me and with the Writing Center staff.) Because your critical research essay must include at least three scholarly criticisms (see attached guidelines), you are expected to follow the guidelines set forth in the guides on reserve. Furthermore, using outside sources requires skills in documentation; please note, therefore,  that this course will follow the college's general policies on plagiarism. More specific to this course, a paper containing plagiarized work will earn a grade of zero; the student who submits plagiarized work may face additional disciplinary action as set forth in the Collin College Student Handbook. Note: Research papers require a minimum of four or five double-spaced typed pages and three secondary sources in addition to primary source(s).  Further, papers require clear internal disclosures of sources (authors /page numbers/URL).  You may only use one Internet source in fulfilling your required three secondary sources.  Any paper omitting the required primary and secondary sources in the works cited page and/or parenthetically will result in a failing grade.  Students cannot, for example, credit an author’s source but fail to credit the page number(s) of the source: “The author further notes that Shelley pities the monster" (Blarney).  You must submit your thesis statement to me at least one week in advance of submitting your research paper.  Please sign and submit that portion of the attached information on plagiarism with your essay.

THE FOLLOWING EARNED POINTS DETERMINE YOUR LETTER GRADES:

A 400-360 ––– B 359-320
C 319-280 ––– D 279-240
F 239 or below

(Based on my experience along with my objective professional judgment, I shall assign grades that mirror your ACTUAL academic achievements, not your potential and effort.)

 VALUE AND PERCENTAGES OF COURSE GRADES:
Mid-term examination: 20%, or 100 points
Four quizzes 20%, or 100 points
Critical research paper: 20%, or 100 points
 

  • ATTENDANCE AND MISC. POLICIES: Attendance in any course is important, but in a discussion class that aims to explore the interpretive values of many literary works, it is critical. The perspective of others is, moreover, an integral part of one's education. Naturally, you can only gain the vital instruction you need to achieve the course objectives by attending class in a timely and regular fashion (tardiness always disrupts classroom instruction). The perspective of others, moreover, is an integral part of one's education. Therefore, please note carefully the following course policies and information.

    An absence from class on the date an essay or other work is due does not automatically excuse the timely submission of your work. I do not give make-up exams or "extra credit" assignments. An essay will lose one letter grade for each day it is late (weekends included); I shall not, however, accept work after the third late day. Three late arrivals (five minutes or more) are equivalent to your missing one hour of class. Note also that you will lose ten points from your accumulated total for each hour beyond the second HOUR you miss, and, if you miss a TOTAL OF FIVE HOURS, regardless of the cause(s), I may not accept any work you submit. Keep a record of your tardiness and absences to compare with my record at any point during the semester. Your contribution to class discussion, on the other hand, along with your timeliness and participation in the writing assignments, will be noted and thus considered in the event your total grade points border narrowly between an A and B, a B and C, etc. Finally, you are responsible for notifying the registrar should you withdraw from this course. (The last day to withdraw with a W is August 4.) The final takes place during regular class hours. Because the successful completion of this course is important to both you and me, I shall do my best to help you to resolve the difficulties, academic or otherwise, that may lead you to consider withdrawing. Please see me first.

    COURSE CONTENT

     During class, I may make amendments to the syllabus by including supplemental readings, worksheets, and miscellaneous handouts in the following course content. I shall also introduce information about the authors, notably, the philosophies and events that shaped them. Because I do not review the course content for quizzes and exams, I suggest that you apply your best note-taking skills during class. Because I do not offer a review of the course content for quizzes and exams, I suggest that you apply your best note-taking skills during class. Please complete the following works by the date specified, ponder the questions they raise, and come prepared to explore as many possibilities of meanings as time will permit us. (Unless otherwise noted, all assigned readings are taken from the Norton text.) For your academic enrichment, do read the introductions preceding each work and take notes from lectures. Finally, please note that we shall refer to line, not page, numbers, when discussing most of the works, e.g., V.iii.23-25.

    • Week 1

    Link to sample student essay, Oedipus the King. Please read more than once for improvement in your own writing skills (development of thesis, organization, supporting information, et cetera).
    Day 1 – Introduction to course and the Odyssey. Review of syllabus.
    Day 2 –  Read the introduction to the ancient world. Read the introduction to Homer followed by Books 1-9 of the Odyssey.  Review term areté here(  http://www.wsu.edu:8001/~dee/GLOSSARY/ARETE.HTM )
    Day 3 –  Books 10-16, Od.
    Day 4 –  Books 17-24, Od.
    Week 2
    Day 1 –  QUIZ #1 (covers the Odyssey) due by 5PM TODAY, Testing Center, J232.  Introduction to ancient Greek plays.  Discussion of mid-term, research paper as necessary.  Agamemnon, completed for today's class discussion.  Acting parts for Oedipus the King assigned. Intro. to Oedipus the King. 
    Day 2 – Oedipus the King, completed for today's class discussion.
    Day 3 –  Antigone (completed by class time).
    Day 4 –  Medea (completed by class time).  Lysistrata, independent study (the mid-term will include this play).
    Week 3
    Day 1 –  MID-TERM.  Bring blue-book, texts.  Time limit: 1 hour, 30 minutes, firm.  Deadline to take short-answer portion of mid-term in Testing Center: 12:30pm today.
    Day 2 –  Dante Alighieri, the Inferno.  QUIZ over Cantos 1-9 starts promptly at class time.   (Quizzes over the Inferno [called QUIZ #3] total 25 points.)
    Day 3 –  QUIZ over Cantos 10-19 starts promptly at class time.   
    Day 4 –  QUIZ over Cantos 20-27 starts promptly at class time.  Introduction to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
    Week 4
    Day 1 – QUIZ over Cantos 28-34 starts promptly at class time.   Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Parts I-IV due today.    Intro. to Hamlet.  
    Day 2 –  All acts of Hamlet completed by today.
    Day 3 –  DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF RESEARCH THESIS STATEMENTS.
    Day 4 –  Hamlet, continued. 
    Day 5 –  Last day to withdraw with a W. Please see me by Thursday if you are considering withdrawing.
    Week 5
     Day 1 –  Continuation of Hamlet.–   Writing instruction, time permitting..
    Day 2 – Continuation of Hamlet.
    Day 3 –  Wrap-up of Hamlet. QUIZ #4 over Hamlet due in Testing Center by 5pm. Section 1, 10:10-12:10 class, CRITICAL RESEARCH ESSAY DUE.
    Day 4 –  FINAL EXAM. Bring blue book and texts. Section 2, 8am-10am class, CRITICAL RESEARCH ESSAY DUE.

     The Ancient and Classical World | The Medieval World | Shakespeare's World | Time Line

    Sample Essay Exam | Odyssey Sample Exam | Ancient Greece Review | Odyssey Review

    Audio Links A Condensed Guide to Writing an Essay | the write stuff | The Critical Paper

    Professor Joyce M. Miller Return to Home Page Return to Instructional Menu

    REVISION SYMBOLS FOR LITERARY PAPERS
     

     
    (NUMBER SYMBOL ON YOUR PAPER; CORRESPONDING ERROR)
    1. Weak progression of ideas/weak organization/weak topic
    2. Inadequate development of thesis with details, examples, quotations, textual evidence
    3. Weak and/or missing thesis statement
    4. Excessive clutter (repetition/wordiness/empty phrases/clichés, etc.)
    5. Sentence pattern lacks variety (needs coordination/subordination, etc.)
    6. Faulty logic: hasty generalizations, false analogies, etc.
    7. Lack of unity and/or coherence (weak/missing transitions, etc.)
    8. Weak/missing topic sentence
    9. Awkward/stringy/vague syntax
    10. Ambiguous/unclear meaning
    11. Faulty/nonstandard/imprecise level of usage/diction
    12. Faulty sentence structure: run-on, comma splice, fragment
    13. Faulty modification, misplaced and/or dangling
    14. Faulty parallel structure
    15. Faulty comparison
    16. Faulty predication (In the novel it says . . .; The reason is because. . .; This is when; etc.)
    17. Faulty agreement of subject/verb
    18. Faulty/vague pronoun/antecedent reference
    19. Faulty shift in person or tense
    20. Faulty pronoun case (he/him, we/us, etc.)
    21. Faulty tense or verb form and/or failure to stay in literary present tense
    22. Excessive be forms, expletives, weak intensifiers, and/or passive voice
    23. Errors in punctuation, spelling
    24. Faulty introduction of excerpted material
    25. Excessive summary in place of analysis
    26. Failure to support assertion(s) with textual evidence
    27. Faulty parenthetical/bibliographic form; MLA style required
    28. Failure to document source(s) of excerpted material
    29. Failure to follow format guidelines (see Mechanics Page)
    30. Please see me for clarification

    Professor Joyce M. Miller Return to Home Page Return to Instructional Menu

    Learning Outcomes and Performance Measurements World Lit I

     

    Collin College bases its learning outcomes and performance measurements for all its literature courses upon the premise that students not only will understand better and engage more fully in the human experience through active interpretation of literature but also that their interpretations and supporting reasons in and of themselves form a basis of critical and scholarly arguments appropriate to the field of study.

    1.  The student will improve upon his or her skills in reading, discussing, and writing about literature in effective, accurate, and methodical terms.  
         Performance measurement: The student will demonstrate improved skills by completing all reading assignments, participating in class discussions, and scoring a minimum measure of competency on assigned essays, quizzes, and examinations.  Students must complete a minimum of half of all essay writing assignments in class to demonstrate self-sufficiency.

    2.  The student will be able to distinguish the primary literary traditions of the assigned course curriculum as well as to identify representative authors and their specific works. 
          Performance measurement: The student will demonstrate improved skills by completing all reading assignments, participating in class discussions, and scoring a minimum measure of competency on assigned essays, quizzes, and examinations.

    3.  The student will be able to analyze in historical and cultural terms the ways in which literature reflects the lives, influences, and philosophies of its authors.
            Performance measurement: The student will demonstrate improved skills by completing all reading assignments, participating in class discussions, and scoring a minimum measure of competency on assigned essays, quizzes, and examinations. 

    Learning Outcomes--English 2332: World Literature I

    Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to do the following:

    • ·        Discuss and write effectively about representative masterpieces of literature from antiquity to the 18th Century.

    • ·        Identify authors, their primary works/genres, and shifting traditions/philosophies throughout subsequent centuries.

    • ·        Explore and compare the distinctive characteristics of relevant literary periods, writers, and genres.

    • ·        In critical paper assignments, quizzes, discussions, and examinations, draw inferences from the major themes and motifs reflective of the readings.

    • ·        Demonstrate critical thinking skills necessary to approach literature analytically.

    • ·        Use literary terminology and concepts appropriately.

    • ·        Demonstrate knowledge of selected assignments through class discussion as well as through oral and written assignments, drawing inferences that include relating literature to student experiences and the immediate world.

    • ·        Practice English 1301 and 1302 skills to improve proficiency in essay. organization, coherency, grammatical function, punctuation, spelling, and MLA documentation in both in- and out-of-class essays.

    • ·        Explain the timeless appeal of classical literature produced during the Ancient, Medieval, and Renaissance eras.

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