Syllabus - Calendar | Jim Guthrie's English Dept. Page
Professor James Guthrie
Meets: 2-3:40, MW in 399 Millett
My office: 455 Millett
Office Hours: 1-3 Thursdays, or arranged
Phone: 2879
e-mail: james.guthrie@wright.edu
Course Objectives: This is the second course of the English 250 / 251 sequence, which is designed to give students the skills they will need to pursue literary studies in higher-level English courses. Please note that English 250, "The Study of Literature I," is a pre-requisite for this class.
English 251 concentrates upon short stories and the novel. Enrolling students will gain experience in interpreting literary works; in addition, by learning the vocabulary and techniques of literary research, they will gain an opportunity to sharpen their skills as critical writers. Finally, students will also learn more about various branches of literary theory -- that is, the methods modern literary critics use in determining what literary works mean and how they affect readers.
3 Required texts:
Workload: Students will be graded according to how many points they amass out of a total of 900 pts. Points will be assessed as follows: 3 tests based upon readings assigned for class, for 300 pts.; 2 short essays (of about 5 pp. each) on assigned topics, for 200 pts each; and a final 5-page take-home essay exam, also worth 200 pts. When I grade your short essays, be forewarned that I will subtract points for every misspelling, grammatical error, and typo, as well as for stylistic problems such as wordiness, disorganization, lack of clarity, and faulty logic. The two short essays must be revised and then resubmitted for a grade improvement – although a grade improvement is not always guaranteed! Please note too that the second short essay must be written according to MLA standards for documented research. If you are unfamiliar with MLA documentation style, I suggest you buy the most recent MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, ed. by Joseph Gibaldi, or else consult the various websites that guide students in using MLA citation style. Papers that are not correctly cited will not be accepted, but will rather be returned to the student until the citation form is correct (and points will be subtracted for each day the paper is late). Therefore, make it your business to know MLA citation form and to use it correctly. Also, please note that I do not accept websites (in this class, anyway) as sufficiently verifiable research sources. Finally, papers submitted for this class may not have been submitted for any other class, anywhere. Moreover, I will assume that all students are completely familiar with Wright State’s policy concerning plagiarism.
Policies: In a class that meets only twice a week, regular attendance is absolutely necessary. More than two unexcused absences will result in a student’s final grade for the course being lowered by one grade increment. Also, students who come to class late or without the textbook assigned for that day will be counted as being absent for that session. If you must miss a class, notify me ahead of time; the easiest way to do this is by e-mail (see top of page). Also, I may have to adjust the syllabus from time to time, so please stay abreast of changes in the class schedule. Finally, please note that all tests will be given on the dates indicated (unless I announce a change), and that I accept no late work.
Syllabus - Calendar | Jim Guthrie's English Dept. Page