| English 105: Honors English
Fall 1999 |
Dr. Susan Farrell
11 Glebe Street, #302
Phone: 953-5785
e-mail me at: farrells@cofc.edu
Books:
Course Description:
This course is intended to help you become a better writer, a careful reader, and a critical thinker. It will prepare you for the kind of reading, writing, and thinking that will be expected of you in your college classes. This course requires that you 1)write a lot; 2) read ALL material carefully and critically; 3)complete all assigned work; 4)take responsibility for your own learning.
We will read and analyze essays and stories written by professional writers as well as those written by your classmates. Your own written work will consist of five out-of-class papers, one of which will be a group research project. Some of the out-of-class papers will first be turned in as drafts, commented on in workshop sessions, and then revised and turned in as finished papers. I will give you more information about each paper, including a written assignment sheet, well in advance of its due date. Coursework will also include several peer evaluations of classmates' papers, a final essay exam, and occassional unannounced quizzes over reading material.
Writing Portfolio/Corrections:
You will be required to buy a folder with pockets to use as a writing portfolio this semester. Your portfolio will contain all of your graded essays from the course.
Each time you get a graded essay back, you must correct all grammatical mistakes on a separate sheet of paper (see correction guidelines in your Guide to Freshman English). You will need to put your corrections into your porfolio folder and turn them in when your next assignment is due. I will not accept a new paper unless you have the corrections for the previous essay in your portfolio.
When you turn in an assignment, your portfolio should contain the following items:
Grading:
Your final grade will be determined according to these percentages:
Attendance:
Regular attendance and participation are requirements to pass the course. You may take 3 absences without being penalized (although I don't recommend it--it's best for you to be in class every meeting). I don't distinguish between excused and unexcused absences, so you should save your 3 absences for when you're really sick or out of town. For each absence over 3 (for any reason--excused or unexcused), I will automatically subtract 3 points from your final course average. You are responsible for all work covered during your absence. Don't come to my office and ask what you missed. Find out from a fellow student.
Late Papers:
Acceptable, complete draft essays must be in on specified dates. These essays are not graded, but are mandatory. Failure to turn in draft essays at the beginning of class on required due dates will result in ten points automatically being subtracted fro m the grade received on your final essay. Late peer critiques do your classmates no good and will not be accepted.
Final versions of essays and papers will also have specific due dates which should be respected. Late papers will be penalized five points for each day or fraction of a day they are late.
Make-up exams will not be given except in rare circumstances when the student has documentation to prove a serious accident or illness. If at all possible, you must notify me in advance when a make-up exam is necessary.
Plagiarism:
All work submitted must be your own. You may discuss writing assignments and prepare for tests with your classmates (in fact, I strongly encourage you to do so), but all that you write should be yours. Incorporating others' words or ideas in your essays without proper acknowledgment, or any other form of academic dishonesty, will result in an "F" for the entire course.
Reading Schedule:
Read all assignments before coming to class on the dates below.
Week 1
Tu 22 August: Course Introduction
Th 24 August: Plato, "The Apology"
Week 2
Tu 29 August: Plato, "Crito"; Discuss Paper #1
Th 31 August: Wollstonecraft, from "A Vindication of the Rights of
Woman"
(Introduction,
pp. 6-10; Chapter II, pp. 18-36; Chapter XIII, Section 2, pp. 190-193)
Week 3
Tu 5 Sept.:
Paper
#1 Due;
Discuss Jefferson, "Declaration of Independence";
Stanton, "Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions..." (course packet)
Th 7 September:
Emerson, "Self-Reliance"
Week 4
Tu 12 September:
Thoreau, "Civil Disobedience"; Discuss Paper #2
Th 14 September:
Continue Emerson and Thoreau
Week 5
Tu 19 September:
Paper
#2 Due; Thoreau, "A Plea for Captain John Brown"
Th 21 September:
Lincoln, "First Inaugural Address," "Gettysburg Address"
Week 6
Tu 26 September:
King, "Letter from Birmingham Jail" (course packet);
Discuss Paper #3
Th 28 September:
Malcolm X, "Message to the Grass Roots" (course packet)
Week 7
Tu 3 October:
Draft
of Paper #3 Due; Hacker, Chapters 5, 6, and 7 (pp. 66-89)
Th 5 October:
Workshop Paper #3; Hacker, Chapters 14-18 (pp. 120-147)
Week 8
Tu 10 October:
Final
Version of Paper #3 Due; Discuss Paper #4
Th 12 October:
Meet at library (library exercise); Hacker, Chapters 49, 50, 51
(pp. 334-351)
Week 9
Tu 17 October:
Discuss
library research, MLA documentation;
Hacker, Chapters 53, 54, 55a (pp. 353-367)
Th 19 October:
Alcott, "Transcendental Wild Oats" (Great Short Stories)
Week 10
Tu 24 October:
Research/Group Conferences;
Draft of Paper #4 Due at Conference
Th 26 October:
Research/Group Conferences;
Draft of Paper #4 Due at Conference
Week 11
Tu 31 October:
Melville, "Bartleby the Scrivener" (course packet);
Discuss Paper #5
Th 2 November:
Final Version of Paper #4 Due;
Gilman, "The Yellow Wallpaper" (Great Short Stories)
Week 12
Tu 7 November:
Fall Break
Th 9 November: Updike, "A&P" (course packet)
Week 13
Tu 14 November:
Draft
of Paper #5 Due;
Welty, "Why I Live at the P.O." (course packet)
Th 16 November:
Workshop Paper #5
Week 14
Tu 21 November:
Final
Version of Paper #5 Due;
McPherson, "A Loaf of Bread" (course packet)
Th 23November:
Thanksgiving
Break
Week 15
Tu 28 November:
O'Brien, "On the Rainy River" (course packet)
Th 30 November:
Continue stories; Discuss final exam
Final Exam:
9:25 class--Tuesday,
December 5, 12-3 p.m.
10:50 class--Monday,
December 4, 12-3 p.m.
Go To:
Susan
Farrell's home page
Department
of English and Communication home page
College
of Charleston home page