English 1092: Spring 2004
Coming of Age Narratives
Instructor: Tim Engles
Other Requirements:
- The Rise and Fall of the American Teenager, Thomas Hine (1999)
- The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger (1951)
- Girl, Interrupted, Susanna Kaysen (1993)
- Push, Sapphire (1996)
- Important Things That Don’t Matter, David Amsden (2003)
- The Blair Handbook (fourth edition)
- Webster’s New World Edition Dictionary
Computer disc (a standard, blank floppy disk, devoted solely to this class and labeled with your name, my name, and “Eng 1092 Spring 2004”) Functioning password for your EIU e-mail account
Course Policies and Procedures
(read the following carefully; these words constitute our contract,
and I will request your written agreement to them)
Goals (or, Why Are We Here?): This course has two primary purposes: (1) to sharpen your writing and editorial skills, and (2) to introduce you to studies of literature at the university level. “Coming of age” narratives will provide a theme for our semester. We will emphasize writing, reading, analysis, and cultural understanding; these abilities form the core of a college education, and an emphasis on them constitutes a primary difference between college and vocational school. Keep in mind that some of the material in this class contains “adult content”; if you are strongly offended by graphic reading material and strong language, consider taking another section of this course.
More specifically, active participation in this course will help you:
Grades and Major Assignments:
- continue to develop your writing skills (including both expository and persuasive writing). You will improve your ability to write clear, concise, and meaningful sentences, to compose organized and developed paragraphs, and to identify and address recurring grammatical or mechanical problems specific to your own writing (these vary from writer to writer). We will spend time talking about why a grammatically correct, clear, efficient style is so important to your success in college and in professional life. develop your analytical abilities by reading, thinking about, and writing about poetry and fiction.
- develop your understanding and appreciation of literature, so that you can continue to read and enjoy intellectually and culturally enriching literature throughout your life.
- develop your collaborative learning skills. You will improve your ability to work with others on improving your writing, and theirs. As in your future college courses, much of your success in this class will involve sincere effort in producing multiple drafts and in working with peers to improve the final product. You will practice forming honest, thorough, and constructive critiques of your own writing as well as that of your peers.
Regarding Writing: This is primarily a writing class, but you will do most of your writing outside of class. After an initial writing workshop, I will lecture on certain writing skills only as the need arises; otherwise, most of these skills will be addressed in your written assignments and in your essays, which I will respond to with extensive written commentary and suggestions for improvement. If anyone feels the need for additional discussion during class time of any particular writing skill, let me know before class. Writing, then, is more your responsibility in this class than it was in ENG 1091, where students learned or relearned enough of the basics so that we won't have to spend much time on them here. One of your most important tools for improvement will be the marginal comments and corrections I make on your writing; if you wish to see your writing improve and your grade go up as the quarter progresses, you will have to pay close attention to these written comments as you write subsequent essays. Finally, late papers will be accepted, with a 15-point deduction for each day they are late.
Regarding Reading: Since one skill you will be developing in this class is the art of textual analysis, you must give the readings more than a quick skimming over. Instead of wolfing them down right before class, set aside enough time to read carefully—take notes as you read, then decide for yourself, before coming to class, what each author is trying to describe and bring to light. Also, to ensure that your final grade reflects your reading effort, I will occasionally give “pop” quizzes at the beginning of class on required readings. These quizzes will be unannounced beforehand and they cannot be made up.
Office Hours and Conferences: I will be in my office and available to consult with you at the hours I’ve specified on the front of the syllabus. You do not need to make an appointment if you wish to come to talk with me during office hours. If my office hours are inconvenient for you, I am also available by appointment: let me know if you want to make one, and we’ll agree on a time that is convenient for both of us.
Saving Your Files: You will need to revise and/or correct much of the work you do over the course of the semester. When we first work together in the lab, I will show you how to save your work both as an e-mail attachment and on your disc. It’s important that you do this all the time, and that you always bring your disc to class. Otherwise, you’ll end up wasting your time retyping (or rewriting) assignments that you’ve lost for one reason or another. “The computer ate it” or “My disc is fried” are not acceptable excuses for not having an assignment ready to turn in. Backing up files in multiple locations is the only way to be sure you won’t lose a file.
Academic Honesty: I expect you to act honestly and do your own work in this class, and so does Eastern Illinois University. If I discover an act of plagiarism (or any other academic misconduct), all of the appropriate penalties will be applied. Why? Because I believe that universities should not harbor or condone dishonesty; because plagiarists are not learning anything and therefore are subverting the purpose of taking the class; because it is not fair to other students to allow plagiarists to earn passing grades; and because academic dishonesty is an affront to my own commitment to higher education. Also, any students in this "skills course" (where the main point is to further develop the skill of writing) who don't do their own work are cheating their own futures. If you work hard to develop your skills in this class, you'll do much better in MANY of your future classes, and in your career.
It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the English Department’s policy on plagiarism: “Any teacher who discovers an act of plagiarism—‘The appropriation or imitation of the language, ideas, and/or thoughts of another author, and representation of them as one’s original work’ (Random House Dictionary of the English Language)—has the right and the responsibility to impose upon the guilty student an appropriate penalty, up to and including immediate assignment of a grade of F for the course, and to report the incident to the Judicial Affairs Office.” In a class like this one, which involves the Internet, it is tempting to use the writings of others in inappropriate ways; if you have any questions about whether you are drawing on the writings of others correctly, don't hesitate to ask me about it.
E-Mail Activity: Enrollment in this class requires an EIU e-mail account, and you must check it frequently, preferably every day, for messages pertaining to the course. You will use this account for sending drafts to classmates for review, and for sending final copies of essays to me. Also, I will subscribe you to our class listserv (also known as a "discussion list") with your EIU e-dress. So, even if you've been using another e-mail service, you must use your EIU account for this course. You can use this account on the Internet, at www.eiu.edu/mymail, and the login and password for your account are available through PAWS.
E-mail is the quickest, easiest way to reach me if I am not in my office; I welcome any and all questions and comments. Again, using an e-mail account frequently is crucial for this course—if you do not send me an e-mail message at cftde@eiu.edu by 5 p.m. on Friday, January 16, I will assume that you have chosen against fully participating in the course, and I will therefore drop you. In your message, (1) explain which course of mine you are in (English 1092); (2) describe yourself in whatever ways you choose, including your career aspirations; (3) write a statement to the effect that you have read and agree with the course policies and procedures that you are presently reading; and (4) explain what specific, particular problems you think you still have in your writing.
Regarding the Writing Center: Tutoring services at the English Department’s Writing Center are free, and students may drop in any time or schedule appointments during the Center's working hours. If you have problems with organization, thesis development, grammar, punctuation, spelling, or other parts of the writing process, I strongly recommend that you make use of this free and valuable service.
Classroom Environment: In class, I expect all of you to participate in discussions (class participation will be figured into your final grade), and to attend regularly. The best way to demonstrate that you are an active, engaged, and interested reader and writer is by contributing regularly to class discussions, and by paying close, respectful attention to what everyone else has to say. If you have questions, no matter how simple or complicated, go ahead and ask me, either in class or via e-mail—chances are that other people will have the same question. I do not plan to lecture in this class; I want us to contribute together to a positive, challenging, interesting learning environment. Finally, you must also be willing to give and receive constructive, insightful, frank criticism during written peer critiques! I’m sure that all of you will work very hard on your writing projects, but try not to let criticism of your work hurt your feelings, and don’t hold back from offering helpful advice because you think it might hurt someone else’s feelings. Also, a couple of smaller matters: please do not chew gum or eat food during class, activities that are too distracting to others--drinking beverages is okay. Finally, if you want to wear a cap in class, turn it backwards so that I can see your eyes.
For students with disabilities: If you have a disability and wish to receive academic accommodations, let me know; also, if you haven’t contacted the Coordinator of Disability Services (581-6583), do so as soon as possible.
Attendance Policy: I will take attendance, and I expect you to attend class every day, on time, and prepared to discuss the material listed for that day on the “daily schedule.” If you have more than three absences this semester, your course grade will drop a full letter grade for each absence beyond three. Regarding tardiness: this is a small class, so late arrivals are disruptive—if for some bizarre reason you wish to get on my bad side, you can easily do so by developing the habit of arriving late for class. If you will not be able to arrive for this class on time because of other commitments, drop it and take another section. Finally, remember that you are responsible for all assignments, whether you attend class or not. Get the telephone number of one or two other students in class so you can find out about any missed assignments before you come to class, or write an e-mail message to me asking about what you missed.
ENGLISH 1092: DAILY SCHEDULE
| Note: This schedule may change; any changes will be announced in advance. Reading and writing assignments are to be completed by the dates on which they appear on the syllabus. BE SURE to bring the appropriate book or books to class if a reading assignment is listed for that day; students who show up without a copy of the day’s reading assignment will be marked absent. |
Computer Room (CH 3120)
T JAN 13 Introduction to course, and to each other
R JAN 15 Read by the beginning of today’s class: Hine, The Rise and Fall of the American Teenager, Chapter Twelve, “The Teen Age” (225-48)
F JAN 16, 5 p.m.: deadline for e-mail message to Dr. Engles. In your message,
T JAN 20 Salinger, Catcher in the Rye, 1-44
R JAN 22 Catcher in the Rye, 44-88
T JAN 27 Introduction to computer usage for this course
Discussion Room (CH 3130)
T FEB 3 Catcher in the Rye, 135-end
R FEB 5 Hine, The Rise and Fall, Chapter Two, “Only a Phase?” (25-42)
T FEB 10 Discussion of "Guidelines for Writing Essays on Literature"
T FEB 17 Kaysen, Girl, Interrupted 1-65
Computer Room (CH 3120)
T FEB 24 Girl, Interrupted 130-end
R FEB 26 Open lab: Position Paper Two due at the end of class
Discussion Room (CH 3130)
T MAR 2 Amsden, Important Things That Don't Matter (1-63)
R MAR 4 Important Things (63-127)
Computer Room (CH 3120 and Booth 4440)
T MAR 9 Important Things (127-92)
Discussion Room (CH 3130)
T MAR 23 NO CLASS—CONFERENCES ON ESSAY TWO (MEET IN CH 3831)
T MAR 30 Sapphire, Push
T APR 6 Film-screening: Fresh (directed by Boaz Yakin, 1994)
R APR 8 Film-screening continued; conclude discussion of Push and Fresh
T APR 13 Discussion of Research Essays
Discussion Room (CH 3130)
T APR 20 NO CLASS—CONFERENCES ON ESSAY THREE (MEET IN CH 3831)
Computer Room (CH 3120)
T APR 27 In-class: Peer review of Essay Three