English 12EE: Introduction to Literature and Writing the Research Paper

Instructor: Dr. Elizabeth Petrino                                     Spring Semester—2003

Office Phone: -3014                                                     Office Hours: 1-3 W and by appointment Office:  DMH 109

 

Required Texts
1.
  Literature and the Writing Process, 6th edition, ed. McMahan, et al.
2. The Little, Brown Handbook, 8th edition, ed. Fowler and Aaron (you may use another grammar and style handbook from English 11)

3. Chopin, The Awakening (Bantam)
4. A good, collegiate dictionary (The American Heritage Dictionary or another comparable)

Description and Goals
 English 12 is the second course in a two-semester sequence of freshman writing classes.  We will learn both the process of writing and develop the individual writing abilities of each student.  You will be graded on paper assignments as well as on the diligence, self-criticism, and improvement you show in completing each assignment and in your final portfolio of essays. 

In order to develop ideas for class discussions and writing assignments, we will read stories, poems, and drama in Literature and the Writing Process.  Occasional reading quizzes may be given.  In addition, I will be available to confer with each student individually.  I will act as mentor, guide, and coach, facilitating your discussions and providing direction throughout the quarter.

Writing Requirements
One in-class essay and five final drafts of essays are due for this course.  All assignments should be turned in on the assigned dates. All essays, drafts, study questions, and preliminary notes should be resubmitted in a portfolio at the quarter’s end.

The grading for each assignment will be as follows:

 

Writing Assignments

 

 

 

Essay  #1

 

short story

 

10%

Essay #2

 

short story

 

10%

Essay #3

 

poetry

 

10%

Essay #4

 

novella

 

10%

Essay #5

 

research paper (5 sources)

 

 35%

Essay #6

 

in-class essay

 

 10%

Reading Assignments

 

 

 

 

Study Questions

 

 

5%

 

Precis

 

 

5%

 

Workshop Participation and attendance

 

 

5%

 

Presenting Your Work

All papers should be typed and double-spaced. Use only 12-pt. font (Times New Roman, Courier, and Ariel are acceptable fonts), and leave 1” margins on every side of your paper. List the course, section number, date, and assignment number in the upper-right-hand corner.  Papers should be joined with a paper clip; do not turn in a sheaf of loose papers, and do not staple them together. Use titles for your essays: don’t send them like orphans out into the world. Do not underline your title, or use bold or quotation marks (except for poem titles or quotations).Use italics only for titles of books, plays, or films or for emphasis.

Research Paper

The research paper requires you to demonstrate your skill in writing a sustained argument and ensures that you have mastered conventions of academic research.  You may develop a topic of your own, or you may use one of the topics I will suggest to you. Research papers should revolve around a central theme that arises from our discussions. Though the thesis may vary from paper to paper, the research should explore one aspect of the course theme for the semester.

**************Theme of the course research paper: CLASS*******************

Peer Review Workshops

During the semester, we will discuss strategies for improving your writing and awareness of what is expected in college essays.  We will also learn from each other by criticizing constructively papers in writing workshops, which will take place before every major essay is due. When a workshop is scheduled, you should have your completed draft and four copies. A student who has an incomplete draft, handwritten copy (unless clearly written and presented with copies), or insufficient copies will have ½ grade deducted from final course grade for lack of participation.

Attendance
Attendance is mandatory and will dramatically affect a student’s overall course grade.  If you miss class for any reason, you are responsible for finding out what you missed, by contacting me or another student in the course.  In accordance with University policy, however, students participating in University-sponsored events (i.e. Glee Club, orchestra, & theater performances, varsity & club sports) are excused without penalty.  For student athletes or performers, a schedule of such events should be submitted at the beginning of the semester.  Three classes may be missed without penalty. Each missed class thereafter without a medical or university excuse will mean a deduction from the course grade. Students are advised that missing more than six classes will result in failing the course.

Plagiarism
 Using someone else’s words as your own is a serious act.  Words and ideas are intellectual property, and taking another’s ideas or sentences without attributing them is a form of thievery.  A plagiarized paper will receive a grade of F.  Beyond this, further action may be taken at the University level and may put the student’s academic career in jeopardy.

                                                                    SYLLABUS

TWF 11:00-11:50                                                                                        CS 209

Jan       14        Introduction to class and to the writing process
 

 15       Strategies for reading the text, developing ideas, and writing papers; read

LWP, “The Prewriting Process,” “The Writing Process” (3-31); “How Do I Read Short Fiction?” (57-62)

            17        Read Hawthorne, “Young Goodman Brown” (164-172); Answer study questions before coming to class

            21        Continue discussion of “Young Goodman Brown” (164-172); turn in a precis of the story; Paper Assignment #1

22                Faulkner, “A Rose for Emily” (242-247); Answer study questions before coming to class

 

24                Faulkner, “A Rose for Emily” (242-247)

 

28        Peer Review Work Shop

 

29        Cather, “Paul's Case” (204-216); Answer study questions before coming to class; Paper Assignment #2 given

            31        Discuss Cather, “Paul’s Case” (204-216)

Feb      4          “The Rewriting Process”

            5          Wright, “The Man Who Was Almost a Man” (275-283)

7                    Erdrich, “The Red Convertible: Lyman Lamartine” (487-414)

11                Peer Review Workshop

 

12                Read “How do I Read Poetry?” (429-432), “Writing About Persona and Tone”(433-435), “Writing About Poetic Language” (450-453), Roethke, “My Papa's Waltz” (435)

 

14        Blake, “The Tyger” (496-497), “The Sick Rose” (497), “The Garden of

                        Love”

 

            18        Herrick, “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time,” “Upon Julia's Clothes,” Herbert, “Easter Wings,” “The Pulley” (xerox); Answer study questions before coming to class; Paper Assignment #3 given

 19       Library Instruction – Meet at Reference Desk; read through EN 12 Research Schedule and EN 12 Research Paper Options

  21      Read Dickinson, “Success is counted sweetest” (503), “I'm nobody!  Who are you?” (503-504), “Safe in their Alabaster Chambers” (504), “Because I could not stop for death” (505), “Some keep the sabbath going to church” (505); Answer study questions before coming to class

              25      Read Whitman, “A Noiseless Patient Spider” (453), “When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer” (501), “There Was a Child Went Forth” (xerox); Ginsberg, “A Supermarket in California” (560); Answer study questions before coming to class

 26       Eliot, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” (524-527)

28            Dunbar, “We Wear the Mask” (512); Hughes, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” (535), “Theme for English B” (534-535), Cummings, “next to of course god america i” (530); Espada, “Coca-Cola and Coco-Frio,” “Liberating a Pillar of Tortillas” (583-584)

 Mar     4          Peer Review Workshop

5          Chopin, The Awakening, Chaps. 1-8 (1-29); Answer study questions before; Paper Assignment #4 given

7               Chopin, The Awakening, Chaps. 9-15 (29-60); Each group selects a topic, theme, or motif to be discussed

SPRING BREAK – NO CLASS (Mar. 10-14)

            18        Chopin, The Awakening, Chaps. 16-22 (60-88); Each group presents a topic, theme, or motif using at least three quotations as evidence

            19        Chopin, The Awakening, Chaps. 23-30 (89-120)

            21        Chopin, The Awakening, Chaps. 31-39 (121-153)

25        Peer Review Workshop

26            Read “Writing about Dramatic Structure” (602-603, 641-651) and “How Do I Read a Play?” (597-604); “Drama for Writing: The Research Paper” (704-705, 751-786); film of “Oedipus”

28        Oedipus the King (787-829)

Apr      1          Oedipus the King (787-829); discuss in-class essay (Essay # 5)

            2          In-class essay

            4          Individual Conferences (discuss Essay #6)

            8          Read Antigone (605-640); watch film of Antigone

            9          Antigone (605-640)

            11        Antigone (605-640)

            15        Peer Review Workshop

            16        Student Presentations

EASTER RECESS – NO CLASS (Apr 17-21)

 22       Student Presentations

 23       Student Presentations

 25       Conclusion; Student Presentations