ENGLISH 214, ANDERSON COLLEGE


                                               Section A and B, SPRING 2002

           

 

I.               COURSE INFORMATION

 

English 214, American Literature Since 1865

Credit:  3 semester hours

Course Description From Current Catalog:  "A survey of American literature since the Civil War continuing               to the present.  Major authors and their works emphasized.”

Prerequisite:  English 101 and 102.

Students for Whom the Course is Intended:  Sophomores

Class Meeting Time and Place:                   Section A:            08:00 - 09:15 TR, WA004

                                                                                          Section B:             12:30 - 13:45 TR, WA004

 

II.             INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

 

Associate Professor Sarah Sprague

Office:  Faculty Office Building #5

Office Hours:    MWF: 10:00-12:00

                                    T:        11:00-12:00

                                    Conferences at other times by appointment

Telephone:  231-2043 (office); 226-7595 (home)

E-mail:  ssprague@ac.edu

 

III.           COURSE PURPOSE AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES

 

The purpose of this course is to increase your knowledge of American literature from the Civil War (1865) to the present.  After successfully completing this course, you should be able to:

1.                             recall distinguishing characteristics of the periods of literature covered in the course and identify these characteristics in literary works from a given period;

2.                             list the principal works, the themes, and the literary techniques of each author;

3.                             recall the plot, characters, setting, theme, and other techniques of each literary selection;

4.                             analyze and interpret literary selections and literary criticism in order to write essays;

5.                             compare and contrast two works of literature according to their literary elements;

6.                             identify particular characteristics of genres of literature; and

7.                             speak and write in standard American English.

 

IV.                        METHODS OF ASSESSING ACHIEVEMENT

 

Your final grade will be determined from the grades on daily quizzes, papers, the mid-term, and the final.

 

Proportional Value of Each Component

                  17 Quizzes (2 quiz grades dropped)      300 points           30%

                  Paper #1                                                      150 points           15%

                  Paper #2 and oral presentation             150 points        15%                       

                  Mid-term test                                                         200 points           20%

                  Final                                                                               200 points           20%

                                                                                                            1000 points       

V.             STUDENT FEEDBACK AND GRADING POLICIES AND

                  PROCEDURES

 

Grade:  All grades in English 214 will be awarded according to the following scale:

                                    A = 90% - 100%

                                    B = 80% -  89%

                                    C = 70% -  79%

                                    D = 60% -  69%

                                    F = 59% and below

 

                            Daily quizzes:  These, which count 20 points, will be given at the beginning of the class period.  If you come in

                            after the quiz has been given, you may not take the quiz.  Quizzes may not be made up.  Two quiz

                            grades will be dropped from the total number of points, however, so you may miss two

                            quizzes without being penalized.

 

Feedback:  All written work, with the exception of your final, will be returned to you.  Your final will be kept on file in my office for one semester. I shall give you your cumulative grade on a slip of paper at the end of 5 ½ weeks and 11 1/2 weeks. 

 

Makeup Work:  Major tests or assignments which are not taken or handed in on the due date must be made up within four days.  After four days, a zero will be recorded in the grade book.  Daily quizzes may not be made up; however, your two lowest quiz grades will be dropped.

 

VI.           CONTENT OUTLINE

·             Poetry, short stories, plays and novels from Anthology of American Literature, Volume II

·             Two documented paper (using a minimum of five sources)

·             Mid-term exam (will include both essay and objective questions)

·             Final Exam (will include both essay and objective questions)

 

VII.         METHODS OF INSTRUCTION

 

The methods of instruction for this course will include the lecture; discussion; audio, video and slide presentations on various writers and their works; student oral presentations; and group work.  Individual instruction will be given, if requested, on how to use:  electronic indexes on the computer, the microfiche reader and printer, and Microsoft Word.

 

VIII.       ASSIGNMENTS / COURSE CALENDAR FOR ENGLISH 214-A and B

 

  JAN.   10            Introduction to course/The Age of Realism

 

15                          The age of Realism/Emily Dickinson

17                          Emily Dickinson

               

22                          Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Day

23                          Emily Dickinson

 

29                          Emily Dickinson

31              Bret Harte and Joel Chandler Harris

 

FEB.      5              Mark Twain

7                            Mark Twain

 

12            Mark Twain

14            Mark Twain

 

                  19            Charlotte Perkins Gilman/Kate Chopin (Paper #1 Due)

                  21            Kate Chopin     

                 

                  26            Kate Chopin

28                          Kate Chopin

 

MAR.     5            Test on Age of Realism (essay and objective)

                   7              E. A. Robinson

                 

LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW FROM COURSES – TUESDAY, MARCH 12

 

                  12            Robert Frost

14                          Robert Frost

                 

                  19            Spring Holidays – No Classes

                  21            Spring Holidays – No Classes

 

                  26            Robert Frost

                  28            Group Presentations

                 

APR.     2              Group Presentations

                   4              Group Presentations

                

 9              Tennessee Williams

11                          Tennessee Williams

 

                  16            Tennessee Williams

                  18            Arthur Miller

                 

                  23            Arthur Miller

                  25            Arthur Miller

                 

                  30            Arthur Miller (LAST CLASS DAY-- preparation for final)

 

                  FINAL EXAMS:  Wednesday, May 1, through Tuesday, May 7.

                  FINALS:             Eng. 214-A – Friday, May 3, 9:00-11:00

                                                      Eng. 214-B – Tuesday, May 7, 12:00-14:00               

IX.           TEXTBOOK

 

                  Anthology of American Literature:  Realism to the Present, Volume II, George McMichael et al., Prentice Hall, Seventh Edition, 2000.

 

X.             COMPUTER AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY USAGE

 

Individual instruction will be given, if requested, on how to use:  (1) the Internet and electronic indexes to research the topics for your two papers and your oral report and (2) and Microsoft Word.  Papers should be computer print outs.  No handwritten papers or papers typed on a typewriter will be accepted.

 

XI.           COURSE POLICIES

 

Attendance:  Attendance is expected at every class session.  If you must be absent because of an emergency, please contact me concerning the work that you have missed.  Three tardies or three early departures (or any combinations of these) are equivalent to one absence.  If you enter the class after the roll has been taken, it is your responsibility to stay after class to ensure that your absence has been changed to a tardy.  If you miss more than half the class period, whether because of a late arrival or early departure, you will be counted absent.

 

College Attendance Policy: 

A class attendance policy is in effect for the entire college.  A student who misses more than three times the number of times a class or lab meets per week for all purposes will receive a grade of "F" for the course unless he withdraws or requests an incomplete.  In other words, in a three-day-a-week class, a student may not miss more than nine days.

 

Academic Honesty and Dishonesty:  Please read the "Guiding Principles" and the "Forms of Academic Dishonesty"" in your Student Handbook.

 

XII.                     LEARNING FACILITIES AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE

 

The Anderson College Library (closed for all school holidays):

                  Monday through Thursday – 08:00 to 23:00

                  Friday - 08:00 to 17:00

                  Saturdays - 10:00 to 15:00

                  Sunday - 13:00 to 23:00

                 

The Watkins Computer Lab (located in Watkins 104) and the Vandiver Computer Lab

                  Times will be announced later in the semester in Campus News.

 

The Writing Lab (located in Watkins 102)