Professor Thompson

#100 Introduction to English Studies

Office: Stv 421 K, 438-7078 Time and Place: MW Stv 347b, 8-9:15

Office Hours: Tuesdays, 9:00-11:00 email address: tlthomps@ ilstu.edu

Semester: Spring 2005 web page: http://www.english.ilstu.edu/tlthomps/

Texts Required: a packet from Wright’s Printing. ISU Undergraduate Catalogue, fall and spring schedule books

Policy Statement – Course Contract

Course Description : this course is based on class discussion of assigned texts, which means you are required to do careful and extensive reading and study in preparation for active discussion and class participation.

Evaluation:

I generally assign a full range of grades from A to F and don’t grade with a curve. What you earn is what you will receive. The semester’s work will include the following:

• 30%: resource notebook

• 25%: mid-term

• 20%: participation, collaborative work, daily assignments, and

quizzes

• 25%: final exam

In Class Requirements:

1. Participation : this course is based on the learning community model which stresses creating the best possible environment for the learning of all students rather than a competitive, grade driven class culture based on survival of the fittest. Participation is a very important part of this course because I believe that each person learns the most by taking active responsibility for her or his learning; this keeps each of us from simply accepting the opinions of others or feeding off their work. In addition, I believe that those of us who find learning easier will benefit from helping those who have less preparation, skill, or experience. Of course, this requirement, like all others, is optional - you have to decide whether or not you want credit on this portion of your grade.

I also want to point out that we may represent very different interests in this course, whether in topic, theoretical perspective, or future plans. Therefore, it is vital that each of us respects the opinions, standpoints, and comments of all class members.

2) materials: bring what you need to participate in class which includes the texts for the day and any writing assignments in order to avoid participation penalties.

3) note taking : I realize that in the computer age, note taking is becoming a lost art. However, you need to write down things you find important and useful in the course because even incomplete notes can remind you of conversations or at least remind you which class member you need to go to continue a conversation or refresh your memory. You should take notes on a daily basis in my class, which will become part of your final project.

4) Attendance: you are allowed three absences during the semester. It is up to you when you take them; however, I do not distinguish between excused and unexcused absences. You must come to class on time, which means being seated when class officially begins; three lates count as one absence. At the end of the semester, you will lose one third of a letter grade for each absence over three. After the fourth absence, you will be issued a failure warning notice. Any more than five absences will result in automatic failure of the course.

5) Procedure for grade disputes: because I respond to your exams and papers in writing, I would like for you to do the same. If you have a problem with papers, the class, reading responses etc., please write out in full why you disagree with the evaluation you received and how you think your work fulfills the assignment in ways not recognized by me. Then submit your response to me along with the assignment in question, and we will meet at a later date. I will not discuss grades or evaluations a) the day you receive them; b) without your written response to your evaluation.

6) Plagiarism: You cannot turn in someone else’s work, the same paper for two classes, or an old paper of your own. In addition, you must acknowledge all sources in your papers. Any time you use direct quotations or paraphrases, or borrow ideas or structures, you must cite your source. Failure to do so will result in an F for the entire course. Use the MLA Stylebook for all documentation. This book can be purchased in campus bookstores. I will pursue any evidence of plagiarism and be report academic dishonesty to the dean of the college the student in question is a part of. Charges of plagiarism become part of the student's permanent file and can be grounds for dismissal from the university.

7)Special Needs:

• any student who needs accommodation of a documented disability should be in touch with the Office of Disability Concerns at 350 Fell Hall or call 438-5853 or 438-8620 (TDD).

• should you find yourself having difficulties dealing with the demands of any aspect of your life here at the university, you should contact the counseling center which can address a number of issues ranging from emotional trauma to study skills. If you have any questions in this regard, please feel free to speak to me; your conversation will be held in strictest confidence.

8) Miscellaneous:

• Be sure you keep disc copies of all written work. I seldom lose papers, but in case I do, you are responsible for having a copy. Otherwise, you will have to rewrite the assignment.

• All work must be typed; no exceptions.

• late assignments will be penalized; late resource notebooks loses one letter grade per day. Incompletes, seldom given, cannot result in a grade of A for the course.

9) Extra Credit Work : anytime you attend an extra-curricular event such as a university sponsored movie, play, lecture, poetry reading, discussion panel, etc., you will receive extra credit with proof of attendance. You may also submit a one full page, typed critical analysis of anything that causes you to think, such as a discussion in another class, a movie for entertainment purposes, a commercial on TV, something you have read, etc. A summary is not a critical analysis and will not be given credit .

10)computer health

• do not share floppy discs or zip discs with anyone else

• work off the hard drive and update your floppy at each work session

• purchace a zip, flash, or thumb drive (you can get these for 20.00)

• update your Virex definitions weekly and run the Virex disc check on a daily basis

if you use a PC (Macs rule!)

When communicating with me over email, I won’t read your email if it shows up as virus suspect. In addition, if you need an immediate response from me, please put urgent in the subject line.

Syllabus

“It should be a process of continual negotiation between our own place, to the extent that we are able to identify it, and the local places of the texts we read.” (Marcus Puzzling 36).

January

19 • intro to course

• The Learning Community: form collaborative groups and conduct interviews (divide by

rank). Questions should include name, rank, reason for becoming an English Studies major, plans for teaching or other careers, best courses taken so far.

• roster with emails (the one you actually use most)

• sign list for undergraduate list serve

assn #1: a three page narrative introduction to yourself (address each question)

• Where did you come from? Educational/intellectual history, parents, relatives, urban/rural, your early schooling, books in your house? (only discuss what you are comfortable talking about).

•"where" did you intellectually begin college?

• what kind of learning do you want to do and what literacies would you like to acquire while getting an English Studies degree?

• what extra-curricular activities are you interested in

• what you are looking for after graduation

• why did you decide to become an English Studies major?

• how do you feel about writing?

• how do you feel about reading?

Assn 1 b: purchace packets and bring proof of purchase to class on 24 th.

24 • policy statement, course description, and the resource notebook

assn #2: read Genesis 1-3

26 Basic how tos: preparing for class

• close reading

• marking your text

31 The Genesis of the Field of English Studies:

• reading quiz

• Eagleton, “The Rise of English”

• world statistics

assn #3: outline Eagleton’s article paragraph by paragraph

February

2 Your Degree: a Retrospective and Prospective “Our “ Texts

• ISU Priority Statement

• ISU Profile

• Illinois State University Mission Statement

• College Missions Statements

• undergraduate catalog: English Studies section

• Statement of Goals from department

• Teacher Education Pamphlet

assn #4: collect and bring to class 10 syllabi from department web pages (see resource notebook assn. for required categories.)

7 discussion of actual courses from catalog vs. the syllabi

9 assn #5: collaborative work - match the catalog courses with the specific requirements of the Statement of Goals

14 continued

16 Faculty visitors

assn #6: a summary of the meeting

21 work on a plan of study (assn. #7)

Dr. Parry visits

23 survey of literary periods

assn #8: bring computer generated summaries of major literary periods and movements

28 continued

March

2 Rhetoric: Why It’s Not Empty

• communications square

• the three appeals

• forms of logic

7 Studying for and Taking Exams

• Your questions/review for mid-term

assn: collaborative review for mid-term

9 Mid-Term

assn #9: computer generated summaries of major schools of literary theory (see resource notebook for required categories.

Spring Break, 12-20 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

21 Historical Specificity and Interpretation

• “Shakespeare in the Bush”

23 Belsey’s “Reading the Past”

assn #10: define key terms from Belsey using “Shakespeare in the Bush” to illustrate or provide examples.

28 continued: collaborative work on assignment #10, but come with your draft to work with which you will give me at the end of class. Assn #10 is due on March 30.

30 Research in English Studies

• what is it and why do it?

• all sources were not created equal

• documentation

• the internet

assn #11: create a guide to research for yourself. What specific steps will you follow in your first writing assignment that requires extensive research.

April

4 continued

6 Milner library instruction with Pat Mekstroth

11 continued, meet on Milner 6

13 The Writing Process

• writing theory

• drafting: outlines, global revision, editing

• the 100% model debunked

• writing as a way of knowing

18 faculty visitors

assn #12: a summary of the meeting

20 Nuts and Bolts

• Grammar: agreement, tense shifts, comma splices, fragments, fused sentences, commas, semi-colons, colons

assn #13: your completed resource notebook is due on April 25; late assns. Lose one letter grade per day, including weekends.

25 A Revision Worksheet

thesis statements, paragraphs, topic sentences, and conclusions, and economy

27 faculty visitors

assn #13: a summary of the meeting

May

2summing up

4 Last Day of Class

• written evaluations due

• op scan evaluation administered

• review for final

download a printable version here