Syllabus

English 367.02- The U.S. Experience as Reflected in Literature Diverse Voices in the American Short Story Spring 2009 Instructor: Heather Thompson-Gillis Class meets: Tuesday and Thursday 11:30-1:18, Caldwell Laboratory 119 Office hours: Denney Hall 559, Tuesday and Thursday 9:30-11, and by appointment E-Mail: Thompson-Gillis.1@osu.edu Course Description and Objectives GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE GENERAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM Writing and Related Skills Goals/Rationale: Writing courses across the disciplines develop students? skills in writing, reading, critical thinking, and oral expression. Learning Objectives: 1. Students apply basic skills in expository writing 2. Students demonstrate critical thinking through written and oral expression 3. Students retrieve and use written information analytically and effectively English 367.02 is the second of the two composition courses required of OSU undergraduates. In this course, the aim is to improve analytical writing skills by focusing on analytical thinking and writing using literary texts that reflect ?the U.S. experience.? We will be focusing on a study of the American short story, tracing the themes and discussions that constantly reemerge throughout the history of the United States. We will particularly focus on discussing constructions of identity and culture (including but not limited to race, gender, sexuality, and socioeconomic class) to understand how literature both reflects and creates the U.S. experience. Together, we will explore questions about how identity is represented throughout literary texts and how the cultural moment informs the works we read. We will be exploring a wide variety of issues in the texts, some of them controversial. Please treat these subjects with the sensitivity they deserve, and let me know if you ever feel uncomfortable with the class material. While we all share the privileged position of college student, everyone brings unique experiences and opinions to the classroom, and it is essential that we treat each other with respect as we continue to learn and grow together. Because this is a composition course, we will spend a significant time in class working on our writing through revision activities, peer response groups, free writes, and discussions about the craft of composition. You should come to class every day prepared to engage in a lively discussion of the assigned reading, and ready to share and engage in your own writing. Required Materials Nagel, James, Anthology of the American Short Story Graff, Gerald and Cathy Birkenstein They Say/I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing An MLA style guide. I recommend MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers Course Requirements Participation (10%) This includes active participation in each class discussion, in-class writing, peer response groups, productive collaboration, and respect for classmates. Posting Questions to Carmen (10%-2 at 5% each) You will sign up to post a short analytical response (approximately one paragraph) and two questions about the reading for two class sessions. You will then begin discussion on the reading in class. If you are absent the day of your post, your grade will be lowered significantly. The questions should be posted by 7pm the night before the class session, and all students should check the Carmen site before class. Comments on Carmen posts will be considered when determining participation grades. Written Peer Responses (10%) After each in class peer response workshop, you will take home one of your classmate?s papers and write out a more detailed one page response. You will bring two copies to class the next day, one for your classmate and one for me to grade. Paper #1- Autoethnography, 3-4 pages (15%) For your first paper, you will write an Autoethnography where you critically analyze your position in a cultural group. The purpose of this assignment is to begin considering different representations of identity and how your own social location informs your reading of the short stories. Paper #2- Putting Primary Sources in Conversation, 4-5 pages (20%) For your second paper, you will put two of the short stories in conversation with each other. These can be stories from the same era, or you may chose to discuss a specific theme and how it is articulated differently during various historical moments. Paper #3- Analytical Research Paper, 7-8 pages (25%) For your research paper, you will analyze one of the short stories read in class, and use secondary academic sources in order to support your thesis. Research Paper Proposal and Annotated Bibliography (10%) Before beginning your research paper, you will write a proposal outlining your working thesis and preliminary ideas. You will also identify and annotate four academic sources. Course Policies Attendance is important to the success of this class and to your development as a writer. Therefore, each unexcused absence after two will result in the lowering of your participation grade by a letter grade. Excused absences, such as those for documented illness, family tragedy, religious observance, or travel for inter-collegiate athletics, will not affect your grade. Missing a scheduled conference will count as a class absence. Tardiness is disruptive to the classroom environment, and prevents you from fully participating and assimilating the information and materials discussed in class. Excessive tardiness will lower your participation grade. Plagiarism is the unauthorized use of the words or ideas of another person. It is a serious academic offense that can result in referral to the Committee on Academic Misconduct and failure for the course. Please remember that at no point during the writing process should the work of others be presented as your own. Student Work must be completed and submitted on time. All papers will be submitted to Carmen. Draft assignments: Turning your draft assignment late will mean that you cannot receive a timely or full response from the instructor, so turn in your drafts on time. Failure to turn in an assignment draft at all will result in the deduction of one-third of a letter grade on the final version of the paper (for example, B+ to B). Further, if the assignment draft was part of a peer group exercise, failure to turn in the draft will lower your participation grade. Final graded assignments: Late submission of a final graded assignment will result in the deduction of one third of a letter grade for each day past the due date, including weekends. The grade will not be affected when a draft or final graded assignment is late for reasons that would result in an excused absence. Students who know they will miss the class when the assignment is due must contact the instructor as soon as possible in advance of class to arrange for submission of the assignment. Class Cancellation Policy: In the unlikely event due to emergency, I will contact you via email and request that a note on department letterhead be placed on the door. In addition, I will contact you as soon as possible following the cancellation to let you know what will be expected of you for our next class meeting. Resources The Ombudsman of the Writing Programs, Matthew M. Cariello, mediates conflicts between instructors and students in English 110 and 367. His Spring 2009 office hours in Denney Hall 412 are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 1.30-3.00 PM. Other times are available by appointment. All conversations with the Ombudsman are confidential. The OSU Writing Center is available to provide free, professional writing tutoring and consultation. You may set up an appointment by calling 688-4291 or by dropping by the center at 475 Mendenhall Laboratories. If you are interested in on-line writing advice, visit the OWL (On-Line Writing Lab) at www.cstw.osu.edu. The Office for Disability Services, located in 150 Pomerene Hall offers services for students with documented disabilities. Contact the ODS at 2-3307. Your time at Ohio State promises to be exciting and filled with many new experiences, but it can also be overwhelming. Counseling and Consultation Services provides a wide range of resources for undergraduate students. For more information call 292-5766. Daily Schedule- Subject to Revision Analyzing American Culture Week One- Introduction to the American Short Story/ Writing Goals Tuesday, March 31st- Introduction to the course, in class writing assignment, class discussions HOMEWORK: Read They Say/ I Say Preface and Introduction, ?Rip Van Winkle? (pp. 67-80), ?The Princess of Nebraska? (pp. 950-964). Thursday, April 2nd- Introduce Paper #1, Introduction to the American Short Story HOMEWORK: Read They Say/ I Say Chapter Nine, ?To Build a Fire? (pp. 506-518), ?Defender of the Faith? (pp. 723-746) Week Two- Analyzing Cultural Groups, Writing Analytically Tuesday, April 7th- Writing an analytical response, in class writing activity, community and individualism HOMEWORK: Paper #1 draft due Monday, bring four copies to class and submit to Carmen, read Thursday, April 9th- Draft of Paper #1 due, in class peer response HOMEWORK: Wri tten peer response, read They Say/ I Say Chapter Eight, ?Three Days after Marriage? (pp. 45-47), ?The Two Offers? (pp. 273-281), and ?The Other Two? (pp. 470-484). Representing Gender Week Three- The Function of Marriage/ Revision Tuesday, April 14th- Written Peer Response Due, connecting the parts, marriage in the short story HOMEWORK: Read They Say/ I Say Chapter Seven, ?Who?s Irish?? (pp.941-949), ?Everyday Use? (p. 790-797) Thursday, April 16th- Gender and nationality, revision activity HOMEWORK: Paper #1 due Monday, read ?Rappaccini?s Daughter? (pp. 145-166), ?The Fall of the House of Usher? (pp. 121-134), ?The Yellow Wallpaper? (pp. 367-380) Week Four- Putting Stories in Conversation Tuesday, April 21st- Paper #1 due, introduce Paper #2, putting stories in conversation HOMEWORK: Read ?Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong? (pp. 883-897), ?An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge? (pp. 414-421). Thursday, April 23rd-Thesis statements, gender and war HOMEWORK: Draft of Paper #2 due Monday, bring four copies to class and submit to Carmen Week Five- Peer Response Workshop Tuesday, April 28th- Draft of Paper #2 due, in class peer response HOMEWORK: Written peer response, read ?Winter Dreams? (pp. 624-640) and ?Hills Like White Elephants? (pp. 641-644) Thursday, April 30th-Written peer response due, revision activities, modernism HOMEWORK: Read ?Intrepidity of a Negro Woman? (pp. 54-55), ?The Two Alters? (pp. 273-281) The Construction of Race in American Short Stories Week Six- The Research Assignment Tuesday, May 5th- Introduce proposal assignment and Paper #3, slavery and American culture HOMEWORK: Read They Say/I Say Chapter 3, ?Desiree?s Baby? (pp. 400-404), ?The Lynching of Jube Benson? (pp. 464-469), ?The Wife of His Youth? (pp. 405-413), Paper #2 due Thursday Thursday, May 7th- Paper #2 due, Incorporating secondary sources, race and reconstruction HOMEWORK: Read They Say/ I Say Chapter 4,?The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven? (pp. 916-921), ?The Soft Hearted Sioux? (pp. 449-454), ?The Problem of Old Harjo? (pp. 492-497). Week Seven- Responding to Academic Arguments Tuesday, May 12th- Responding to academic arguments in your paper, Native American short stories HOMEWORK: Read ?Railroad Standard Time? (pp. 811-815) and ?Mrs. Spring Fragrance? (pp. 498-505), They Say/I Say Chapter Six Thursday, May 14th- Asian American literature HOMEWORK: Read ?The Return of a Private? (pp. 341-354), ?Nada? (pp. 908-915), They Say/I Say Chapter One, proposal due Socioeconomic Class and American Culture Week Eight- Focusing Your Analysis Tuesday, May 19th- Proposal Due, Revision activities, focusing your analysis, returning from war HOMEWORK: Read ?The Fat of the Land? (pp. 564-580), ?Petrified Man? (pp. 666-676) They Say/ I Say Chapter Two Thursday, May 21st- The American Dream, revision activities HOMEWORK: Read ?A Start in Life? (pp. 612-623), ?Help Her Believe? (pp. 717-722) Week Nine- Revision Tuesday, May 26th? Revision activities, the American work ethic HOMEWORK: Read ?Death in the Woods? (pp. 603-611), ?A Summer Tragedy? (pp. 645-652). Thursday, May 28th- Revision activities, poverty in American culture HOMEWORK: Draft of Paper #3 due, bring four copies to class on Tuesday Week Ten- Final Thoughts Tuesday, June 2nd- Draft of Paper #3 due, in class peer response HOMEWORK: Written peer response, revise paper Thursday, June 4th- Written peer response due, Evaluations HOMEWORK: Final paper due Sunday, June 7th at 11:59pm First Day Essay: Write a profile of yourself based on the contents of your apartment/dorm room. Taken separately or together, how do the contents of your room construct an image of your identity? What assumptions might someone make about your personality and values based on the items you choose to keep in your personal space? What might people ?miss? or be unable to know about you? As you respond to this prompt, consider the value and limitations of the judgment reflex ? the knee-jerk and seemingly automatic process of evaluating the things we encounter. Do not simply answer these questions individually. Rather, use these questions as a springboard for a short narrative portrait, a different way of introducing yourself. Be creative! Don?t include sensitive information about yourself that you aren?t comfortable sharing with others.