MWF 10:00-10:50
This course is designed to introduce you to some of the important works of major British authors from about the year 1789 through the first half of the 20th century. In expressing their individual concerns and convictions, these authors seem also--at least in retrospect--to have expressed the concerns and convictions of their age. Their works form a record of that common thread of experience which leads from their past to our present.
Thus one of our aims will be to follow out the ideas of the past 200 years, trying to understand the problems our predecessors found most vexing, the promises they held out for mankind, and the relation of both to our own time and place. Another aim, of course, will be to learn something about the artistic techniques these writers employ to transmit their ideas, experiences, and dreams. Finally, I hope that in our study you will find enjoyment.
There will be two exams: a mid-term and a final. The mid-term will cover the Romantic Period, the final will cover the Victorian Age and the modern period. The final may also ask you to make some general connections will the Romantic Period as well. All exams will consist of objective questions and identification of passages from our reading. The midterm will contribute 50 points toward your final grade, the final 75.
You will also write two 50-point essays on topics which will grow from our class discussions. In preparation for these discussions I will periodically pose a question for you to answer in writing (a paragraph or so) for the next class period. These short assignments will be read by other students in the class and then turned in for five points each. They may only be turned at the beginning of the class period they are due, but I will drop at least two of these grades to allow some leeway for unavoidable absences. All together these brief responses will count another 50 points toward your final grade.
There are a total of 275 points possible in the course, and students achieving the standard percentages of that number (90-100% = A, etc.) will be guaranteed the corresponding letter grade. I will also attempt to find natural gaps in the grade distribution so that a difference in one or two points won’t translate into a difference of a whole letter grade. I will also consider patterns of dramatic improvement when assigning final grades.
Essay are to be presented following MLA manuscript and citation formats.
Plagiarism is the use of someone else’s thoughts, words, ideas, or lines of argument in your own work without appropriate documentation (a parenthetical citation at the end and a listing in "Works Cited")–whether you use that material in a quotation, paraphrase, or summary. It is a theft of intellectual property and will not be tolerated, whether intentional or not. Thus no work containing plagiarism will be accepted. However, papers containing unintentional plagiarism may, with my permission, be rewritten. If I deny you the opportunity to rewrite the assignment, I will report the incident to the English department chair, and you may exercise your right to appeal my decision by following the procedure outlined in your Student Handbook, “Rules of Procedure in Student Conduct Matters, Section 4, Academic Misconduct Procedures” (75-76).
Major reading assignments are shown on the attached course schedule and should be completed before the works are discussed in class. You should always read the introduction to any author or work assigned, and you are responsible for all assigned material, whether or not it is specifically discussed in class.
As noted above, paragraph answers are accepted only during the class period when they are due.
Essays will be accepted up to the beginning of the next class period following the announced due date. Tentative due dates are shown on the attached schedule.
The mid-term and the final examinations may be made up in case of emergency. Exam dates are also shown on the class schedule, but, again, the mid-term date is tentative.
The keys to getting the most out of this course are attending regularly and keeping up with the reading. Thus absences carry an automatic penalty, but I will also drop anyone with excessive absences. If you do miss a class, please see me as soon as possible about material covered. If you should get impossibly behind, remember to withdraw on or before Monday, March 21st, the last day on which you may receive a W, rather than an F, if you drop the course.